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Very Difficult to Understand (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Now one may doubt that because Kṛṣṇa was the friend of Arjuna, therefore he might say all these things to his own friend. But Arjuna, just to drive out this kind of doubts in the mind of the readers of Bhagavad-gītā, he establishes his proposition by the authorities. He says that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only by himself, Arjuna, but He is so accepted by authorities like Nārada, Asita, Devala, Vyāsa. These personalities are great personalities in distributing the Vedic knowledge. They (are) accepted by all ācāryas. Therefore Arjuna says that "Whatever You have spoken so far to me, I accept them as completely perfect." Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). "I take it, I believe it that whatever You have spoken, they are all right. And Your Personality, Your Personality of Godhead, is very difficult to understand. And therefore You cannot be known by even the demigods. You cannot be known even by the demigods." That means the Supreme Personality Godhead cannot be known even by greater personalities than the human being, and how a human being can understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa without becoming His devotee?

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā should be taken up in a spirit of devotee of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should not think that he is equal, on the same level of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or one should not think that He is an ordinary personality, maybe a very great personality. No. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at least theoretically, on the statement of Bhagavad-gītā or on the statement, assertion of Arjuna, the person who is trying to understand the Bhagavad-gītā, we should accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then, with that submissive spirit... Unless one receives this Bhagavad-gītā in a submissive spirit and aural reception, it is very difficult to understand Bhagavad-gītā because it is a great mystery.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

When we speak of sky, because we have material conception of the sky, therefore we think of sky with sun, moon, stars, like that. But the Lord says that the eternal sky, there is no need of sun. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). Neither in that eternal sky there is need of moon. Na pāvakaḥ means neither there is necessity of electricity or fire for illuminating because the spiritual sky is already illuminated by the brahma-jyotir. Brahmajyoti, yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40), the rays of the supreme abode. Now in these days when people are trying to reach other planets, it is not very difficult to understand the abode of the Supreme Lord. The abode of the Supreme Lord is in the spiritual sky, and it is named as Goloka.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

That is spirit soul. Sat means eternal, and cit means knowledge, and ānanda means bliss. So if we study ourself, this body is not eternal. Sat means eternal. So if you study this body... In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). This body is antavat; it will perish. Therefore it is not sat. Sat means eternal, and the body is not eternal. Therefore it is very difficult to understand what is sat because we have no education, no experience. Everything is annihilated, destroyed, anything material. So actually we have no experience what is sat. So... But Vedic instruction is sad gama asato mā: "Don't remain in asat, noneternal. Come to the platform of eternity." Sad gama asato mā. So that is our mission of life.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

We cannot do that. But you simply accept what Arjuna says. Then you are perfect. Even I make a, I may become a fool number one, but if I accept... Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthā. Mahājana. Those who are authorities, if you follow the authorities, then you understand. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyam. It is very difficult to understand what is religion, what is the process of religion. People are very much puzzled. But if we follow the great personalities... They are also mentioned in the śāstras. Svayambhu, Śambhu, Manu, Kumāra, Kapila, Manu. So if we follow their footsteps... Just like Arjuna. That, that is, really we understand. "If Arjuna has understood like this, so let me understand like that." That's all. Simple thing. Then we understand Bhagavad-gītā. But, if we want to speak very learned scholarly, but do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, this is simply waste of time. As the so-called scholars and philosophers are doing. They do not understand Kṛṣṇa, but talking all nonsense, and such things are very much appreciated by others. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. These rascals, so-called scholars, so-called incarnation, are accepted by similar class of animals. Śva-viḍ-varāha. And actually Vedic understanding is to follow the footsteps of the predecessor ācāryas who understand things. Then our life will be successful. We'll understand.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

So these are the statements in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we do not accept Bhagavad-gītā in terms of the statements given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it is useless. It is simply waste of time. You cannot make any commentary of your poor knowledge. There is nothing very difficult to understand in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is written in very simple Sanskrit word, and things are very clear. As clear as the sunlight. Where is the question of showing the sunlight or the sun-god with your lamp? Suppose now here is sunlight, sufficient light. We can see the sun and everything very clearly. If somebody brings some lamp and says, "Now I shall show you what is sun," it is useless. Bhagavad-gītā is clear itself. Just like the sunlight. It does not require any lamp-bearer to show the Bhagavad-gītā or Kṛṣṇa. It does not require. You try to see Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will be benefited. Otherwise, you'll be misled.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Public Lecture With German Translation Throughout -- Hamburg, September 10, 1969:

So life after death is not very difficult to understand. We have got different grades of life. Just like the child is crying, that is also life. Then the child body vanquished, then gets another body, boy's body. Then this body also vanquishes. Another body, youthful body. This body also vanquishes. And then an old man's body like me, this will also vanquish. So the logic is as the other bodies vanquish and I get a next body, similarly, when this old body will be vanquished, I'll get another body. So here it is stated by the supreme authority, Kṛṣṇa, that as these bodies are changing in this duration of life... It is changing. The old body, the child's body, boy's body of me, they are no longer existing, but I am existing. I know that I had a small body like this. I had a boy's body, youthful body. I can remember. Therefore I am eternal. The bodies are temporary.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Senses, everyone knows. You see. How we are seeing? Through the sense of eyes. These are senses. Sense organs. You can touch with the hand. These are sense organs. You can hear about some knowledge. That is sense organ. You can taste one fruit. These are senses. Is it very difficult to understand? You have got these senses. By some senses, you are acquiring knowledge, and some senses you are working. There are five senses for acquiring knowledge, and five senses for working. These are senses.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Just see the position. He says, "Bhagavad-gītā is a mental speculation." And he has interpreted in a different way. Kṛṣṇa says that man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And if you have seen Dr. Radhakrishnan's translation of Bhagavad-gītā, he says, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says directly that man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. He says, "Not to Kṛṣṇa." You'll see. So this defect will be there, unless one is sadācāra-sampanna-vaiṣṇava, self-realized. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī says, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa-pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam. Our first guru is Kṛṣṇa. To understand Bhagavad-gītā... Arjuna is understanding that Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa directly. So after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ sāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). These are the words. And Arjuna also accepted "It is very, very difficult to understand Your personality."

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Now see, the big planet, biggest planets in the universe, the sun globe, is floating in the corner of the sky. So whose activities these are? Who has caused this floating? This is called urukrama, big activity. Not that because you have some way or other balanced some millions of dollars in the bank and you have become Rockefeller or Ford, that does not mean you are very big worker. Here is the big worker. Millions of planets are floating in the air by His arrangement. He is called Urukrama, big worker. So Bhāgavata says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). If anyone understands urukramāṅghrim, or the Supreme Lord, for him to understand the existence of soul is not very difficult. Just like one who has seen the sun globe, for him to understand what is sunshine is not very difficult. But one who is perpetually in the darkness, neither has seen the sunshine nor has seen the sun globe, for him, what is light, what is sun, it is very difficult to understand.

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

So therefore, it is said that after doing your duties very nicely, but you have no taste for understanding Kṛṣṇa, viṣvaksena... Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Viṣvaksa. Kathāsu, kathāsu means "message." Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu, notpādayed yadi ratim: (SB 1.2.8) if you do not awaken your attachment for hearing about Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-kathā... That is our main business. Caitanya Mahāprabhu—kṛṣṇa-kathā. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is our mission. We have to simply speak about Kṛṣṇa all over the world. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-kathā, 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. So if one is not interested in kṛṣṇa-kathā, in the topics of Kṛṣṇa, then śāstra says, śrama eva hi kevalam. Whatever rightfully or sincerely he's doing on the material bodily concept of life, it is śrama eva hi kevalam. Simply he's wasting time. Now it is very difficult to understand this philosophy. If we go to a very nice businessman or politician or scientist, if we say, "Sir, have you got any interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" "No, why shall I do it? I don't want." Then if I say, "You are wasting your time, sir," will he accept? But this is the position, actually. He's simply wasting his time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8).

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

Therefore according to Vedic civilization, a boy is trained to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. Brahmacārī means complete celibacy. No sex life, no amusement. Because just to train him not to be attracted by this material sense enjoyment. Then he'll be able to grasp what is spiritual life. Therefore restriction. But if from the very childhood, in the school, college, the boys and girls are allowed to enjoy sex life, then it is very difficult to understand or to enter into spiritual life. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām. If we teach our children simply for sense enjoyment, how they can be spiritually advanced? The result will be confusion. Therefore in your country the hippies are there—confusion. They have been brought up in material sense enjoyment very nicely, but still, there is confusion, frustration, because he's hankering after something better. So that is spiritual happiness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So one has to understand this point and voluntarily he has to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and then he'll find happiness. This is sure. Those who have taken to it, just ask them, just argue with them, and see actually. This is happiness.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

That I just now explained. That is liberation. I am identified just now with this matter. "I am this body, I belong to this country, I belong to this world." This is illusion. And as soon as I can understand that I belong to none of these, I belong to Kṛṣṇa, that is enlightenment. Simply changing the understanding. It is not very difficult. But it is difficult one who cannot understand. That is another thing. But if one can understand this fact, then he's immediately enlightened. Just like this light, it is now enlightened. There is illumination. And as soon as the switch is off, immediately darkness. And switch is on, immediately light. So it is not very difficult to understand what is enlightenment. Enlightened means ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I do not belong to this material world. I belong to the Supreme Spirit. That conviction makes you enlightened. So anyone who has got this conviction, he's enlightened. This is not very difficult.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

You can understand what you are. You are present all over your body. You are present all over your body. Wherever you can try by pinching your body, you will feel some pain, this, this part of this body or this part of this body. And this pain feeling will be stopped as soon as the consciousness is taken away from this body. Dead body, where there is no consciousness, the dead body does not feel even he is chopped up by some chopper, because the consciousness is gone. Therefore, it is not very difficult to understand that "I am the consciousness. I am not this material body." We have discussed all this point. Now, so far scriptures are concerned, there are different scriptures all over the world in the civilized society, but Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that "The essence of all scripture is to understand my constitutional position." That's all. All the rituals... We should not be stuck up to the rituals or to the formulas of the... Of course, in the preliminary stages we require to stick to the formulas of religious scriptures. But we must know that the whole idea is targeted to understand my real position. That is the whole idea of all scriptures. In the Bhagavad-gītā it has been very nicely described, yāvān artha udapāne tāvān samplutodake.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

So Bhagavad-gītā is not very high class Vedic literature. It is just the entrance, ABCD of Vedic literature. ABCD, entrance. Just like matriculation examination, school-leaving examination, then you enter into college, and then get your graduate, become a graduate, and then post-graduate, so the Bhagavad-gītā is just entrance for, entrance examination for spiritual education. It is not very... It is written for the common men, common men, common men, householders, less intelligent men, woman class, like that.

And originally the Veda is one, Yajur Veda. And because it was very difficult to understand... Veda was spoken by Lord Himself to Brahmā. So seeing, foreseeing the condition of the present age, Vyāsadeva divided four Vedas, one Veda into four. The original Veda is Yajur Veda. Then he divided into Sāma, Yajur, Ṛk, Atharva. Then again the Vedic literatures were explained in Purāṇas, eighteen Purāṇas. Then Mahābhārata. Then again he summarized all the Vedic knowledge into Vedānta-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra, summarized. Then again the Vedānta-sūtra is explained by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. These are the all Vedic literature. When you read this book, in the preliminary, those who have got books, you will find all this description.

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969:

So all these different varieties of life, eight million four-hundred-thousands, we have got different varieties. You can calculate. There are three qualities. Three into three equal to nine. Three multiplied by three becomes nine, and nine multiplied by nine becomes eighty-one. Automatically it becomes more than so many, eight million.

So God's kingdom, His calculation, His fine judgement, is very difficult to understand. But practically we see there are so many varieties of life. Why? They have been given chance: "All right, you want this sort of life? Here it is. Take it. Accept it." So they are transmigrating from one life to another, one life to another, one life to another. Out of many such millions of living entities, one who comes under Kṛṣṇa consciousness by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, spiritual master, his life is successful. He gets the clue to get out of this entanglement. Otherwise he is to travel within these 8,400,000 species of life.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

They do not know. They think this body is all in all, but that is not the fact. That is the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change your body, as you are already changing. These are stated there. So yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). Even those who are siddha... There are many big, big sannyāsīs, impersonalists. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is a fact. They consider Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). So it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. But if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, try to understand Kṛṣṇa from Kṛṣṇa, not otherwise. Then you will understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:

When Rūpa Gosvāmī... He was minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, very exalted personality. He could understand Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Therefore when he first met Him at Allahabad, Prayāga, he offered his respect with these words: namo mahā-vadānyāya, the most munificent incarnation. Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te. "You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema. It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but You are so kind that You are immediately delivering love of Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Of course, if you say, "What is the reason why the water is liquid?" it is very difficult to answer. "Why water is liquid? What is the reason?" if you ask like that, it is very difficult to answer why water is liquid, why fire is hot. This is the natural sequence. Whenever there is water, it is liquid. Nature is like that. Whenever there is fire, it is hot. And if you ask, "Why fire is hot?" oh, it is a very difficult question to answer. We have to trace out the whole natural course, why water, fire has become hot. Similarly, every living being is a servant. That is the natural sequence. How it has become, that will take some time to understand. It is not very difficult to understand. Because the small is meant for rendering service to the great. If God is great, and we are part and parcel of the Supreme, so our natural sequence, natural life, is to render service. That is our nature.

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

Just like a child. If he wants to understand something out of his own intelligence, it is very difficult to understand, but if he asks his parents, "Mother, what is this?" mother says, "My dear child, this is this." So he understands immediately, "Oh." Because mother is the authority. Mother will not cheat the child. Similarly, those who are liberated persons... Vedas means the knowledge given by the liberated person, by God. So if you accept it, then you get the knowledge immediately. You haven't got to make research or philosophical speculation.

That process is deductive process. That process is very nice. So Vedic process means, as it is stated in the Fourth Chapter, that evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), by disciplic succession, if you try to understand the truth, then you get infallible knowledge. Your purpose is to get knowledge. As soon as you get the knowledge from authority, your knowledge is perfect. But if you want to get the knowledge by your own sense perception, you will never be able to come to the right conclusion; neither it is possible to get knowledge in that process.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

So similarly, whatever we see, paternal affection, conjugal love, friendship, or master and servant... There are so many things we are related in this material world. We must always know that all these sentiments, they are coming from the Supreme. So here the paternal affection which we see here or the conjugal love which we see here, that is simply a perverted reflection of the Supreme. So you just... If we can study this material relationship between one living being to another living being, then if, a sober student, a philosophical-minded student, can understand what is our relation with God. It is not very difficult to understand.

Now, here Kṛṣṇa says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. He is looking after always: "When the living entity shall turn his face towards Me?" And as we turn our face towards Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, He also responds in proportionately. He also responds proportionately. It is not difficult.

Somebody says, "Can we see God?" Yes, you can see God. But how much prapatti? How much you have surrendered to God? Surrender to God... How much qualification you have acquired for seeing God? Seeing God is not very difficult, but at the same time it is very difficult.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

So therefore our only business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe karma. This is akarma. Here it is said, akarmaṇa, akarmaṇaḥ api boddhavyam, akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyam. Akarma means without reaction. Here, if we act for our sense gratification, the reaction is.... Just like a soldier is killing. He is getting gold medal. The same soldier, when comes home, if he kills one man, he is hanged. Why? He can say in the court, "Sir, when I was fighting in the battlefield, I killed so many. I got gold medal. And why you are hanging me just now?" "Because you are have done for your own sense gratification. And that you did for government sanction."

Therefore any karma, if you do it for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, that is akarma it has no reaction. But if you do anything for your own sense gratification, you will have to suffer the resultant action, good or bad. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ
boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṁ
gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ

It is very difficult to understand what kind of action you should do. Therefore we have to take direction from Kṛṣṇa, from the śāstra, from guru. Then our life will be successful. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

This was spoken by Sūta Gosvāmī in the assembly of great saintly persons and brāhmaṇas, and he addressed the brāhmaṇas, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "the best of the brāhmaṇas." "The best of the brāhmaṇas." Because he is especially addressing the brāhmaṇas. The thing is that unless one has attained the brahminical qualification, it is very difficult to understand what is spiritual life, what is spiritual success. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. That is also explained:

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

Brahman realization, "I am not this body, I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God, "when we understand this position, then we are liberated from the reaction of karma or material activities.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

If God... Somebody says, "I am God." I am God in this sense, that God is like me. Just like if you say, "I am American," your president is also American, so exactly you are like president, American. There is no harm. But if say, "I am as powerful as President Nixon," that is not applicable. Similarly, "I am God" means I am qualitatively one with God. It does not mean I am as powerful as God. That does not mean. He is the supreme controller. I have got the controlling capacity or I do control in my limited circle, but He is the supreme controller. In this way, if you understand, it is not very difficult to understand what is God, what you are, what is this material nature, what is time, and what is work. And if you understand these five things, then you are in full knowledge.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

That will carry you, the spirit soul, small particle of spirit. That will be carried by these three finer elements: mind, intelligence and ego. And according to the, just like the flavor, if it is rose flavor aroma, you enjoy, "Oh it is very nice." And it is filthy flavor, passing through stool or any other filthy place and you say, "Oh, it is very bad smell." So this consciousness will carry you either in a stool smell or rose flavor according to your work, as you make your consciousness. So if you make your consciousness, train your consciousness into Kṛṣṇa, then it will carry you to Kṛṣṇa. This is not very difficult to understand. You cannot see the air but you can experience by smelling. "Oh the air is passing through like this." Similarly, these different kinds of body are developed according to the consciousness.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

So this thing, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins. Unless you have got at least a little attachment for Kṛṣṇa, unless you have taken to any sort of service to Kṛṣṇa it is very difficult to understand. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarūpa-viṣayakam. So jñānam, you can understand this because you are surrendered soul. Prapannāyāśeṣataḥ samagrena upadekṣyāmi. So jñānam means the actual, factual knowledge. Jñānam means factual knowledge and practical demonstration of that knowledge. That will be explained in this chapter, and we shall further discuss on this point.

Now if there is any question, you can ask.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So we want to be cheated. That is, cheating process is one of the items of conditional life. There are four defects of conditional life. One defect is that we commit mistake, and another defect is that we accept something which is not that. Just like commit mistake, that is not to be very difficult to understand. Every one of us know how we commit mistake, blunder. Even great men, they also commit blunder, you see. Just like there are so many instances amongst the politicians, a little mistake or a blunder, great blunder... So mistake, "To err is human," mistake is there. Similarly, accepting something as fact which is not fact. How it is? Just like everyone in the conditioned life, they think that "This body is my self." But I'm not this. I'm not this body. So this is called illusion, pramāda. The best example is to accept a rope as a snake. Suppose in the darkness there is a rope like this, and you are..., "Oh, here is a snake." This is the best example of illusion. Accepting something which is not that.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is also a historical person, because five thousand years ago He appeared on this planet and He took His birth in Mathurā, and He was raised as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana, then He went to Dvārakā. In this way His life is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes here, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). That is a fact. He comes in one day of Brahma after millions of years. These have been described in the śāstra. But unfortunately, although Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains Himself, we unfortunate creature, we take Him as ordinary person. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). That we should know. That is taught by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the form of Lord Caitanya. He has given such a nice program that although it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says Himself,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

To understand Kṛṣṇa as a historical person, that He took His birth in the family of Yadu-vaṁśa, Yadu dynasty, and then He was carried to His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja, and He was raised there—this is also one understanding. But the understanding of Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very difficult. It is very difficult.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

So I have got my apartment in Los Angeles, ten thousand miles away. I can immediately go... This is called mind-speed. So with the mind speed, with the velocity of air, if one runs on, to find out the Kṛṣṇa planet, or Kṛṣṇa, still, avicintya-tattva, still, it is inconceivable tattva.

panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo
vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām
so 'py asti yat-prapada-sīmny avicintya-tattve
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.34)

Govinda is very, very difficult to understand by mental speculation, philosophical theses. Philosophical theses, speculation, without religion is simply waste of time. And religion without philosophical basis is sentiment. They must be combined together.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

So here in this chapter, we are trying to understand what is Bhagavān. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to try to understand what is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our endeavor. It is very difficult to understand Bhagavān, but there is process, you can understand God, or Bhagavān. That process is being described by the Supreme Lord Himself, Bhagavān. Bhagavān uvāca. What is that process?

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
(BG 7.1)

"My dear Arjuna, now I shall explain to you. You hear with attention." Tac chṛṇu. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. "You have to increase your attachment for Me." Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta. Mayi means "unto Me," and āsakti means "attachment." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mind has to be trained up in such a way that you increase your attachment for God, or Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

That is not very difficult to understand. Just like a living man and a dead man. Living man means the body is carrying the spirit soul, and dead man means the body is there, but there is no spirit soul. But as soon as the body is dead or the spirit soul is out of it, immediately it begins to decompose. The same body, as long as carrying the soul, there is no such thing. Therefore if you keep your body spiritualized, then there is no question of decomposition or diseases. Another example: just like if you take an iron rod and put into the fire, it becomes warm, warmer, and at the end, it becomes red-hot. When it is red-hot, it is no more iron rod, but it is fire. You touch that iron rod, red-hot, anyplace, it will burn. Similarly, if you make your body spiritualized by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no question of disease.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

Now this knowledge can be understood by a person who has made relationship with Kṛṣṇa and is a surrendered soul. Without being surrendered, it is very difficult to understand the controller and the energies, how He is controlling everything. Tubhyāṁ prapannāya aśeṣataḥ samagreṇa upadekṣyāmi. This is the condition. You will find in the later chapters that Kṛṣṇa says, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya (BG 7.25). Just like if you enter into any educational institution, if you don't surrender yourself to the rules and regulation of the institution, how you can get advantage of the knowledge imparted by the institution? Everywhere, wherever you want to receive something, you have to be controlled or you have to be surrendered to the rules and regulation. Just like in our class we are imparting some lessons from the Bhagavad-gītā, and if you do not follow the rules and regulations of this class, it is not possible to receive the knowledge. Similarly, the full knowledge of the controller and the process of controlling can be understood when one is surrendered like Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa. Unless one is surrendered soul, it is not possible. You always remember that Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna surrendered himself to Kṛṣṇa. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So therefore Kṛṣṇa is also speaking to him.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

So Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is the greatest gift to the human society. Those who are fortunate enough, they'll take advantage of it. It is not a fiction. It is not a bogus propaganda. But it is fact... (break) ...many millions of perfected life, one can understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So it is... In one side it is very difficult to understand. But at the same time, it is very easy to prosecute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And because it is very easy, because we are recommending that "Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll get the greatest perfection," they cannot believe it. If I would have prescribed some gymnastic process and if I would have charged fifty dollars for some secret mantra, then your countrymen would have followed me. Because it is presented very simply, although it is very sublime, we don't get any followers.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very difficult to understand, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it has been made very easy. Easy. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. It was explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He described the faults of the Kali-yuga, but he encouraged by one verse. "My dear king, there is one very nice opportunity in this Kali-yuga." Kaler doṣa-nidhe. Doṣa-nidhi: "It is the ocean of faults, but there is one very nice gain in this Kali-yuga." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one can become free from all the troubles of this yuga, Kali-yuga," and mukta-saṅga, "and he becomes liberated, and he goes back to home, back to Godhead." So take it very seriously and make your life perfect.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So it is not very difficult to understand. The Buddhist theory is that living symptoms are produced by combination of matter. But from Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature we understand that matter is produced from spirit soul. Matter, not from the matter the living symptoms are produced. According to Lord Buddha's philosophy, that this body is combination of matter... So when we dismantle the matter, nirvāṇa, then there is no more feelings of pains and pleasures. That is called śūnyavādi. But we are neither śūnyavādī or nirviśeṣa-vādī. We are saviśeṣa-vādīs. Saviśeṣa-vādi means that the spirit soul has got its form, and this body has got form. Just like dress takes its form because the man has got a form. This body is considered as dress. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). We are changing our dresses as much as we change our old dress to new ones. Old order changes, yielding place to new. So this body, because we, in our spiritual body we have got form, hands and legs, therefore we develop a material body which has got hands, legs, etc. That we can understand very easily. Just like your coat and shirt cannot have hands and legs without you having your hands and legs; similarly, this material body which is considered as dress means it has developed on the personal body of the spiritual form. This is called saviśeṣa-vāda.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

The two energies... In the material world, the two energies are working. The two energies are from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). The same thing: "I am expanded." Tatam. Tatam means expanded. So He is expanded by His energy. Just like the lamp is expanded by the light. When the illumination in the lamp will be stopped, the expansion also will stop. Similarly, whatever we see, it is all resting on Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is working on Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like I am... It is not very difficult to understand. Just like I am. What is "I am"? Am I this body? No, I am not this body. The body is my house. I am living in the house. Am I this mind? No, I am not this mind. This is called meditation, to understand, "I am not this body, I am not this..." Neti neti. "I am, ahaṁ brahmāsmi."

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

It is very easy to understand how we change our body. We are changing our body every moment, imperceptibly. Imperceptibly, we are changing our body every, every moment, every second. So change of body is a fact. Therefore that bījam, that small particle, spark of spirit, that is sanātana. This body is changing. Now, when it is changed to another body, that means transmigration of the soul from one body to another. This is a fact, and it is not very difficult to understand. We are changing our body every moment. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam (BG 7.10), buddhir buddhimatām asmi. One who is very intelligent, that intelligence, extraordinary intelligence, must be considered, "Oh, he is Kṛṣṇa." Without being especially favored by Kṛṣṇa, nobody can become extraordinarily intelligent. Anyone... Everyone is trying that "I shall be more intelligent than my friend, my others," but without Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, special favor, nobody can become extraordinarily intelligent. Therefore, wherever you find extraordinary intelligence, you should consider, "Oh, there is Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

The solution is we have to surrender unto the Supreme. Just like if you are arrested by the police, then it is very difficult to get out of their clutches. But if you are a good citizen, surrendered soul to the state, there is no problem. The police has nothing to do with you. Is it very difficult to understand? The problems are there and the problems are under the management of this material nature. So it is not possible to overcome the stringent laws of material nature, exactly like if you are once arrested by the police department, it is not very easy to come out. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So if you want to get out of these clutches of material nature, which is putting forward problems after problem, then you have to become a surrendered soul or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, material nature is so strong, you think, "Now this problem is solved," but actually that is not solved.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

That's all right? Yes. The Ninth Chapter is the most confidential knowledge. Śrī bhagavān uvāca, (devotees repeat)... All right, you repeat. Idaṁ (devotees repeat) tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave. Idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave, jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam, jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj jñātvā mokṣyase aśubhāt, yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt. (Recites verse responsively with devotees). Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān, the Supreme Being, Bhagavān. In your English dictionary the word God is explained as "the Supreme Being." "Supreme Being" means who is great, greater, or the greatest, of all other beings. We are beings. We are individual persons. It is not very difficult to understand. Every one of us, individual. We think individually. We dress individually. We have got our egotism, individual. Everything... I don't agree with you; you don't agree with me. Voluntarily sometimes we agree. That means every one of us has individuality. This is called being, "I am."

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

Now in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, in the fourth chapter, we have discussed this point that the Bhagavad-gītā was specifically instructed to Arjuna for his only one qualification that he was a devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam (BG 4.3). The Lord said that "The mystery of Bhagavad-gītā is very confidential. So, without becoming a pure and unalloyed devotee of Mine, it is very difficult to understand." Actually it is so.

In, in the market you'll have so many commentaries of the Bhagavad-gītā. In India we have counted, there are about six hundred and forty-five different commentaries of Bhagavad-gītā. One Dr. Rele(?) of Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gītā as the talks between the patient and the medical practitioner. Yes. He has imposed on Kṛṣṇa as the physician and Arjuna as the patient. And in his commentary he has tried to, I mean to say, interpose all the meanings of anatomy, physiology, everything in his own imagination.

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

So just like Kṛṣṇa is handing over the authority to Arjuna. And Arjuna says paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So here, if we follow the Arjuna's process and if we try to understand as Arjuna understood, then the authority is there. It is not very, very difficult to understand who is authority. So sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitām. You have to find out that authority. That's all. That authority you have to find out and remain in your place and try to hear submissively everything, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. As soon as you become submissive and hear from authorities, then the whole thing will reveal within yourself. God is the always ready to be revealed to you. But how does He reveal? He reveals as soon as you become submissive, you become devotee, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you just follow the path traversed by the great mahājanas, great ācāryas. Then it is... Everything is known.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

If you take... If you are cooking rice, you take one grain of rice and you press it, if you see that it is now soft, then the whole rice is cooked. The sample. There is a bag of rice. You take a few grains, sample. You can understand what is the quality of the whole bag. Similarly, what is God, that is not very difficult to understand. Simply you have to study yourself. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). But not that, that you are God. You are sample of God.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Therefore if we want to understand spiritual truth as it is, then the beginning is Kṛṣṇa's instruction, this Bhagavad-gītā. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, and if you can understand Bhagavad-gītā nicely, perfectly, then you try to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Amalaṁ purāṇam, "transcendental Purāṇa." Purāṇa means supplementary Vedic literature, "that which completes." Because directly, Vedic literature is very difficult to understand by the common man. Common man... Vedic literature is not for common man. Even by the highly learned brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Therefore Purāṇas are there and Mahābhārata is also there.

Mahābhārata is meant for strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti-gocaraḥ (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born in a brāhmaṇa family, but he's not a brāhmaṇa. That is the dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brāhmaṇa." One who is not qualified brāhmaṇa. Satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣaḥ arjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). He's simply giving his identification, "I am brāhmaṇa," without any qualification of a brāhmaṇa. He's called dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brāhmaṇa."

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

Brahman means Kṛṣṇa. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is addressed as paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). When Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, in the tenth chapter we'll find, he's addressing Kṛṣṇa, that "You are Paraṁ Brahman." Brahman, all of us are Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. It is not very difficult to understand. "I am not this body, matter, but I am spirit soul." Therefore anyone can understand that he is Brahman. Spirit soul is Brahman, not the Paraṁ Brahman. Paraṁ Brahman is Kṛṣṇa. We are Brahman, but part and parcel of the Brahman. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7). We are part and parcel of the Paraṁ Brahman. Therefore we are Brahman.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Supplements. Because Vedic language is so difficult... It is sometimes very difficult to understand. So Purāṇa, another meaning of Purāṇa means supplement. So they are explanation of the Vedic knowledge in a supplementary way by taking references from the history, from the life of great saints and sages. So they are addition, addendum. Go on. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Purāṇas are not Veda. That is not the fact. Here in the Bhāgavata says the Purāṇa is part of the Vedas. As Upaniṣad is part of Vedas... It is written in simplified language so that those who are less educated, less having brain substance...

Now, this Mahābhārata is especially written... Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the history of greater India. Mahā. Mahā means greater. Bhārata. Bhārata means India, Bhārata-varṣa. Mahābhārata, greater India. Or at that time the whole world was Bhārata-varṣa. Therefore greater India, history in Mahābhārata is there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

So God is everywhere, simply we have to make our these blunt eyes... Just like education. I am seeing a motor car but a advanced motor engineer, he sees also the car, the difference of seeing. If there is some defect in the car, I cannot do it. But one engineer, one who knows, a mechanic, he knows, immediately touches and the car runs. Similarly, we should know that by education, by culture, by knowledge we can understand God. Not by fictitious, by concoction, "Oh, I accept this God. I accept that God." So that education can be very quickly done. Otherwise it is very difficult to understand God.

There are so many philosophers in the world, so many scientists, they are declining. Because they could not find what is God, they are denying. Just like, my inefficiency of my eyes, I see that beyond this wall I cannot see. I say, "Oh, there is nothing beyond this wall." (indistinct) That is my lack of education. Not that there is nothing beyond this wall. My imperfect eyes cannot see, my imperfect senses cannot realize, but you can make your senses perfect to see God by a process. What is that? Bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

So that kind of philanthropy is not accepted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as very advancement of civilization. The advancement of civilization will be tested, how the nation, individually or collectively, has advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very difficult to understand this, but the fact is this. Bhāgavata says that you cannot rectify the destiny of another man. That is not possible. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. It is not that because one has got good parents, therefore he will be happy. No. Not necessarily. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. So similarly, it is not that a diseased person, because he is being treated by a first-class physician and he is being supplied first-class medicine, therefore he will be cured. No, there is no such guarantee. Because if the supreme authority does not sanction... Suppose a man is diseased; he is going to die or suffering. So his relatives and friends are trying to save him. The śāstra says that "You cannot save him simply by giving him first-class medicine or first-class medical treatment." They, they can also, cannot guarantee. Ask any qualified doctor, that "This man is being treated by you. Can you guarantee that he will be cured?" They will say, "No, that is not possible. We are trying our best."

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

Hṛdy antaḥ sthaḥ. Hṛdy antaḥ sthaḥ means the contaminations which we have accumulated within our heart, that will be washed off. That will be washed off so that your heart will be cleansed of all rubbish things. And, as soon as all rubbish things are cleared off, then we are situated in pure consciousness. Because it is very difficult to understand, to eradicate oneself from all the designation. Suppose I am Indian. Is it very easy...? It is not very easy to take it for granted immediately that I am not Indian, I am pure soul? Similarly, anyone, to not identify with this bodily designation, it is not very easy task. But still, if we go on hearing the kṛṣṇa-kathā, as we have begun here, it will be very easy. It will be very easy. You, you make an experiment. You make an experiment how easily you shall be able to get yourself free from all these designations.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, not superficially, but in fact. So Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. So one who understands Kṛṣṇa in truth, he becomes free. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). These things are there. So why don't you be serious to study Kṛṣṇa, to understand Kṛṣṇa?

But to understand Kṛṣṇa it will require Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Without Kṛṣṇa's mercy... So how you get Kṛṣṇa's mercy?

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te
(BG 10.10)

One can understand Kṛṣṇa by being constantly engaged in His service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Not that weekly once go to the church. No. Twenty-four hours, satata-yuktānām, engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are teaching people how to become twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. This is our business. We don't allow karma, jñāna, yoga. No. Simply. And that is kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). There is no question of jñāna and karma. That is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (Brs. 1.1.11), simply to serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, as Kṛṣṇa becomes pleased. This is bhakti. This is pure devotion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

So bhejire munayaḥ athāgre bhagavantam adhokṣajam. There are some theories—that is not fact—that ultimately the Absolute Truth is impersonal. But here we find that agre, in the beginning, after creation, all the sages... First of all, there was Brahmā. And then he created so many saintly persons. Marīcyādi, great sages. And they also engaged themselves in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not impersonal, from the very beginning. Bhejire munayaḥ atha agre. From the very beginning. Bhagavantam adhokṣajam. Adhokṣajam, we have described many times: "beyond our sense perception." The Absolute Truth is a person, it is very difficult to understand. "Beyond our sense perception." They, generally they think that "How a person can create such huge cosmic manifestation?" That is their bewilderment. They cannot accommodate, accommodate in the teeny, poor brain that the original Absolute Truth is a person. That is their problem. So their idea is that by personal worship, one has to reach again to the impersonal transcendence. But we don't find from the śāstra like that. Now, the most authentic śāstra is Vedānta. Vedānta is accepted by all classes of men. Because without accepting Vedānta, nobody will be bona fide. Generally they think that the impersonalists are Vedantists. Generally they think, but that's a wrong conception. They... All the Vaiṣṇava—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya—they are also Vedantists. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Vedantist. We are also Vedantist. It is not that Vedānta is the monopoly of the impersonalists.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

"Everyone who has taken birth on the land of Bhāratavarṣa, he must make his life successful." Because here we have the opportunity in, what is mumukṣava, what is liberation, actually. We have got this information in Bhāratavarṣa. No other country. Their liberation means so-called political liberation and making humbug all these things. Fighting with one an... That is not liberation. Liberation means to get out of the cycle of repetition of birth and death. That is called liberation. But they have no idea whose liberation, what is liberation, after liberation, where to go. All this knowledge, practically blocked. So it is very difficult to understand the statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam like this verse: mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān hitvā bhūta-patīn atha. They do not understand. People are so misguided, ill-educated, that they do not understand it. Otherwise, the land of Bhāratavarṣa is meant for liberation. In other land they take birth. They have no information of liberation. Here, in this land, Bhāratavarṣa, there is the idea of liberation, mukti. Mukti. So we should be interested in that liberation. Mumukṣava. Mumukṣa icchavaḥ, "those who are desiring." Those who want to remain within this bondage, material bondage of transmigrating from one body... Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. We are trying to improve our material condition. Sometimes we are going up, sometimes we are coming down. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

As soon as we forget this, that is māyā. As soon as I think that "I am Kṛṣṇa," that is māyā. That māyā means this māyā, illusion, can be rejected by advancement of knowledge. That is jñānī. Jñānī means this is real knowledge, to understand his real position. This is not knowledge, that "I am equal to God. I am God." This is not knowledge. I am God, but I am sample of God. But the Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa like that: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Paraṁ brahma. We may become Brahman... We are Brahman. There is no question of becoming. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is not very difficult to understand. Because I am spirit soul, so I am Brahman. That's all right. But I am not Paraṁ Brahman. That is ignorance. I am not Paraṁ Brahman. If one, anyone thinks that he is Paraṁ Brahman, then it must be understood that he's under the clutches of māyā. That is the last snare of māyā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that when one actually becomes knowledgeable, cognizant, he surrenders. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That is real knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

There are many versions of the saintly persons. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti, kabe hāma bhujabo se jugala-pīriti. A saintly person, ācārya, like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he says that "When I shall be very much eager to understand the path of the Six Gosvāmīs?" Ei chay gosāi jāṅr mui tāṅr dās. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa unless we have submitted ourself under the lotus feet of the Six Gosvāmīs, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We have to understand Kṛṣṇa in this way. It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but by the grace of the Gosvāmīs, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, we can understand Kṛṣṇa.

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

Vedic means knowledge. One must be equipped with full knowledge. "So this Vedic culture," Vyāsadeva says, "or the Vedic principles, are not very easily understood by women class, by worker class, and dvija-bandhu." Dvija-bandhu means the boys who have taken birth in the family who are supposed to be very cultured, but their habit is different. They are called dvija-bandhu. In every country, that deterioration of social structure has already begun. They are called varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara factually means that those who are illiterate. So for them it is very difficult to understand the Vedic principles. Therefore the same knowledge is described in stories just like Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and for understanding of all men, all women. So Mahābhārata is especially written for such class of men and women. And the hero of Mahābhārata is Arjuna. Similarly, the hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Arjuna's grandson, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, King Parīkṣit.

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

So, ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet means..., real meaning is you should give protection to the ātmā, means trying to save this soul, your soul, or yourself, from this transmigration of the body. And the plain truth, very simply truth, is given in Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding what is Kṛṣṇa... That is also not very difficult to understand if you follow the scriptural injunctions. What is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is not ordinary man. His body is sac-cid-ānanda, full of bliss, eternal, and full of knowledge. So is it very difficult to understand? He has given proof that Kṛṣṇa is always enjoying bliss. And Kṛṣṇa's instruction, knowledge, there is no comparison. Bhagavad-gītā and so many other instructions. And He is eternal. Just like the sun-sun is eternal, day and night. It is our adjustment of this planet. So Kṛṣṇa is there. Just like the sun is there always in the sky, but we think, "This is night, this is day." That is adjustment of this planet. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always there. When He is visible we say that Kṛṣṇa is living, and when He's not visible we say, "Kṛṣṇa is dead."

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:
That is not very difficult to understand. Just like in your Johannesburg there are so many people. Why not all of them come here? Some of them might have gone to the liquor shop; some of them might have gone to the hotels. So it is your option. The three qualities are there. Now it is up to you where to go. But if you know that by associating with the Kṛṣṇa conscious people you'll be benefited, get knowledge—then come here. And if you do not know—in ignorance—then go liquor shop, hotel, restaurant. So after all, we are part and parcel of God. God is fully independent, and we are minute part. The same example, that the spark is minute portion of the fire. It has got the burning capacity—not exactly like God, but it has got the godly power. There are so many examples. This morning I was discussing that you are living entity, part and parcel of God. You have created one aeroplane, 747, with five hundred passengers and many tons of loads of things, it is flying. So that is your creation. And God's creation is this planet. This is also running one thousand miles per hour, and so many big, big ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and so many big, big mountains, it is also carrying.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

Just like I am the soul, you are the soul. Because you have entered this body or I am entered this body, therefore the movement of the body is possible. As soon as I or you leave this body, it is dull, no more, no movement. It is very easy to understand. Similarly, how the movement of the cosmic manifestation is going on, the so-called scientist, philosopher, rascals, they do not understand, because Kṛṣṇa has entered. It is very easy to understand. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, very minute part. Still, because I have entered this body, therefore the body moves, the activities of the body going on. Is it very difficult to understand? So, anyone can understand that this lump of matter, big cosmic manifestation, until a thing like me, soul, is there, how it is going on nicely—how the sun is rising in due time, the moon is rising in due time, the oceans are flowing in due order. Everything i in order. That we have to understand by the symptom. It requires little brain. Just like as soon as in the morning you see no more darkness, it is now..., there is light, immediately you can understand there is sun, sunrise is there. Similarly, as soon as you see the world order is going on very nicely, there must be God. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: "Under My direction," Kṛṣṇa said. He personally said, and if you have got intelligence, you should understand also. But if you are dull rascal, then you cannot understand. Therefore, here it is said, "You dull rascal, you do not know that Kṛṣṇa is covered by a curtain given by māyā." That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā also, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25).

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

Now, if we say that "You are all foolish, rascal people. You are wasting your time in this way," they will think us crazy. And they think us like that, that we do not recommend these things. So it is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa in this condition, in this situation. Māyā-javanikācchannam and ajñā, foolish people. Ajñā. And the other, other side, Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja. Even one is advanced in knowledge... Knowledge means, our knowledge means we manufacture words or syllables from A to Z. That's all. ABCD. We compose words with these twenty-six, or how many? A to Z?

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

So unless we become very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa, it is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. Māyā-javanikācchannam. On the one side, Kuntī says, antar bahir avasthitam: "Kṛṣṇa, You are within..." Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is not far away. Kṛṣṇa is always with you. He, He's so friendly that just like two birds... It is said in the Upaniṣads: the one bird is eating the fruit of the tree; another bird is simply guiding and seeing. Because this material world, living entity wanted to enjoy. Just like you have seen that the dog and the master. The master is so friendly to the dog out of love. It is a dog, but when it is passing stool, he's waiting. Why? Is the duty of the master to wait because the dog is passing stool? No. Out of love. Out of love. We can see from practical example. Similarly... The master may be a great millionaire, but still, he loves the dog so much that on the morning walk he takes his dog and the dog is passing urine... What, what business dog has got? To pass urine and stool and go this way and that way. But the master is attending. Similarly, God, or Kṛṣṇa, is so affectionate that we have come here in this material world simply to pass stool and urine, still He's attending. Still, He's attending. Just imagine what merciful is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

So to understand God, the Supreme Being, who is controlling the whole universe, it is very, very difficult to understand Him. But if we become devotee, then Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself. That is the... Then not only the devotee understands what is Kṛṣṇa, but he attains the position that he can order over Kṛṣṇa, he can control Kṛṣṇa. This is devotee's position. So why a devotee should aspire for merging into the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa's rays? They have got a different position. So we should try to become a devotee simply by service. You can become a perfect devotee simply by service. There is no other method. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Bhakti means service, simply. That is bhakti. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). Simply the spirit, bhakti... Bhaktir uttamā. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). Ānukūlyena. Whatever Kṛṣṇa orders, if you discharge that, that is bhakti, simply favorable to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

How one can see sadaiva? Kṛṣṇa is already there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The location is given here in the Bhagavad-gītā, that you can see God, not you have to go far away from your place. Wherever you are, you can see, because God is within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61). Sarva-bhūtānām. Not only for human being, but also animals, beasts, trees, plants, aquatics, insects—everyone, beginning from Brahmā down to the ant. God is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). God is within this universe, within your heart, even within your atom. So where is the difficulty? Simply you have to make your eyes to see Him. That's all. That is premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). Love. It is not very difficult to understand. If you love somebody, then you can see him always. When you are in office, you are seeing. When you are eating, you are seeing. You are seeing... If you are actually love. So if it is possible materially, how much greatly it is possible spiritually and perfectly? It is possible. Simply by this method, bhaktyā viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ pare.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

But here is described, here is perfection. What is that perfection? Yaḥ śraddhayā etad bhagavat-priyāṇāṁ pāṇḍoḥ sutānām iti samprayāṇaṁ śṛṇoti. Śṛṇoti. You simply hear about the Pāṇḍavas. Practically the whole Vedic literature, the Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata especially, those were narrations... The Vedic knowledge... Vedic knowledge, directly, it is very difficult to understand. Just like in the Vedānta-sūtra. The sūtra, the code words are there. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now it is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." This is sūtra, code word. But that is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: in narration. This is brahma-jijñāsā. The whole Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Only this code is being... Therefore Bhāgavata begins, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Because Vedānta-sūtra says, "The Absolute Truth is that supreme source of everything." So Bhāgavata begins from that word, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), explaining, explaining.

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

So we have no difficulty, because we know, mattaḥ sarvaṁ prava... Sarvam means matter and life both, everything. There are two things: matter and life. There is no third thing. So Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the original source of everything." "Everything" means matter and... There are two things: matter and life. That is not very difficult to understand. So sarvam...

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
(BG 10.8)

Iti matvā. When one understands this, that Kṛṣṇa is the source of both matter and life... So the devotees are not rascals. They are in full knowledge. Iti matvā. "When they are confident that Kṛṣṇa is the source of everything," iti matvā bhajante mām, "oḥ, they become My devotee." Iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhāḥ. Budha means highly elevated in knowledge, budha. Just like Lord Buddha, elevated knowledge. So budhāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

But you take another fire and push into the fire, there is no reaction. There is no reaction. Just like to live within the water, you must have a particular type of body so that living within the water, you will not be infected. Just like a human being, if he artificially enters into the water, for few hours he can remain. That is also with great difficulty. He will feel bodily pain. But the fishes within the water, they are living very peacefully, happily, for hundreds of years. So this is real fact. You cannot enter into an atmosphere without being fit for living in that atmosphere. Is it very difficult to understand? Because they are going to the moon planet, why they are coming back? Because they have no arrangement to make the body fit to live there.

So God's creation is like that. You cannot by force enter into any atmosphere unless you become fit to live there. That is God's creation. By force you cannot live within water. By force the fish cannot live on the land. You'll die. Similarly, by force you cannot enter into the moon planet. Therefore they are frustrated. It is not possible. Similarly, without being Kṛṣṇized, you cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, you cannot associate with Him. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become perfectly Kṛṣṇa-ite, as good as Kṛṣṇa. That is purification process.

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

Realizing means you can... It is very simple thing, that a living man and a dead man. So you can realize. There was soul so he was living. Now the soul is not there, he's dead. Is there any difficulty? What is the difficulty? Why this man is dead? They may explain, these rascals, in so many ways, but actual, any simple man can understand that there was something, either you call it soul or something else, that is now missing. That soul has now gone. So one minute before, the body was so important, and now, after one minute, the passing of the soul, it is useless. Throw it away. Is it very difficult to understand? That is realization. If you don't realize... Just like a man, sleeping, but he is not sleeping. He's awakened. But a man is calling, "Mr. such-and-such, wake up, wake up." But he's as if sleeping. So people who do not want to realize, there is no realization. Otherwise, it is very simple, very simple. One minute, one can understand, there was something. And then you come to the guru, and guru teaches śāstra.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

By God's arrangement, there is sun, moon, like that, illumining. But there is another world where there is no need of sun and moon, and that is spiritual world. That is spiritual world, this information is there. So, therefore, uttamam, one who is inquisitive to learn about that spiritual world, not of this dark world... The world is dark, I have already explained. Against this there is another world who is full of light. Because unless there is light, there cannot be darkness. We cannot understand what is darkness unless there is light. Or we cannot understand light unless there is darkness. So because this world is dark, therefore, you can conclude by logical argument there must be another world which is full of light. That is not very difficult to understand. Just like here is light, the other wall is darkness. So because this world is dark, tama, there must be another world which is full of light. Not only your logical conclusion, but it is confirmed by the Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Those who are developing the modes of good qualities, they are gradually being promoted to the higher planetary system, heavenly planet-Satyaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka. In those planets the duration of life is very long, the possibilities of sense enjoyment is very nice. Everything thousands, thousands times better than this. This is not very difficult to understand. Just like in your country... Although within this planet the standard of living is far, far nice, better than some other countries, similarly there are hundreds and millions of planets, other planets, where the standard of living is far, far better. So we are, according to our work, we are sometimes promoted to those planets and sometimes to the lower-grade planets, adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ.

Lecture on SB 2.3.13-14 -- Los Angeles, May 30, 1972:

But because they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they cannot be kind. Faultless. You cannot find any fault of the devotee. Faultless. Magnanimous. Thinking of all living entities. There is no distinction, "Oh, I am American, I shall think for the Americans." "I am Indian, I shall think for..." No. Magnanimous. And the most magnanimous is Lord Caitanya. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Magnanimous. Giving kṛṣṇa-prema, which is very rare. Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). It is very difficult to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Caitanya is distributing Kṛṣṇa like anything. Therefore mahā-vadānyāya, magnanimous. Mild. Mild and meek. Clean. Always cleanliness. Because you have surpassed the stage of brahminical life. Therefore, must be very clean. By taking bath, by washing cloth, keeping the kitchen very clean, everything clean. Temple... Tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. The temple should be bright always, clean. Then nonpossessive. Materialistic persons, they are trying to possess more, more, more. A Vaiṣṇava, simply what is absolutely necessary, must have.

Lecture on SB 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972:

A man, highly intellectual brāhmaṇa, he is, "Oh, I am greater than everyone. I am so wise. I am so pure. I am brāhmaṇa." So he has got a different conception. And similarly, the hog, because he has got a different form, it has that, "Oh, stool is so nice. Let me eat it." It is very (easy) to understand. According to the association with the modes of material nature, we are getting different types of body. And according to different types of body, we are developing different types of consciousness. Is it very difficult to understand? But when we transcend this bodily concept of life, then we come to the one standard consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Try to understand. If there is any difficulty, ask. It is very important. Why there are different consciousness? Everyone could take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they cannot take it because they have got bodily concept of life. And body means association with the modes of material nature in a different way. Try to understand. Is there any question on this point? Say it clearly. If you have understood, explain. It is very important point.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

How he became so powerful jñānī? It is very difficult to understand, how a small boy, and he's saying Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personalty of Godhead? Not only he—even a small child. There is another small child, only five years old. He goes to preach, "You know what is Kṛṣṇa?" And somebody says, "No, I do not know." "The Supreme Personality of Godhead." Anyway she has learned, that is jñāna. But that is a fact. I may not know to analyze what is fire, but my father has said, "This is fire. Don't touch it. It will burn." So that's all right. He may be child, but he has got the real knowledge. Similarly, by hearing process, śruta-paramparā... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). If you go through the process of disciplic succession, hearing from the authorities, you may be fool, I may be fool, but because I am hearing from the authority, my knowledge is perfect. My knowledge is perfect. Just like I may be imperfect. I don't say that I am perfect. But I am speaking to the whole world, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." The same thing. As the child says, as the boys says, I am also saying the same thing. But it is becoming effective because this is the fact. This is the fact. I don't make any miracles or create any gold or this or that. No. These boys and girls, they are captivated to me not by miracles, but by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because this is the fact.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not very difficult thing. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

Just like you are a businessman and anybody goes to canvass for business, to get some order for your business, he is your representative. It is not very difficult to understand. If he is your representative and talks something nonsense then he is not your representative, he is cheating you. He is taking your money and doing something else. No, real representative is he who is canvassing for Kṛṣṇa, not canvassing for himself that "I have become Kṛṣṇa." No, he is not guru, he is cheater.. The representative is he who canvasses business for Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa wants this business. What is that? "You rascal, give up everything and surrender unto Me, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." Kṛṣṇa wants this business. And Kṛṣṇa's representative also says that you give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's representative. Sometimes we are very much eulogized, "I have done a wonderful thing, but I have done as representative of Kṛṣṇa." Same thing. I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic. I never showed any gold-making magic. I simply said to them the "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender unto Him." That's all. Ask any (indistinct). I never said anything. So that is actually representative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for giving education to the people of this sāṅkhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system, because it is the recommended process by authorities. And all the āmnāya, origin of the āmnāya, just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, then Kapiladeva—here is Kapiladeva—they are mahājana. Mahājana means great authorities. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). It is very difficult to understand the path of perfection. Therefore the śāstra recommended that "You follow the mahājana." This is called āmnāya. "You follow the mahājana." And who are mahājana? They are also described in the śāstras: svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Svayambhū means Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is... Another name is Svayambhū. He was found in the lotus flower emanating from the navel of Viṣṇu. So practically, he was not born of father and mother; therefore he is called Svayambhū. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ. Nārada Muni is authority. And Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Therefore there is Rudra-sampradāya, āmnāya, because he is authority. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ (SB 6.3.20), this Kumāra. And Kumāra means catuḥsana, Sanat-kumāra, catuḥsana. They are also authorities. And Kapiladeva, here, Devahūti-putra Kapiladeva, He is also authority. In this way, Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Kapiladeva, Manu, and Bhīṣmadeva, Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja, Bhīṣmadeva, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Prahlāda Mahārāja—in this way there are twelve authorities, and all of them are following the Sāṅkhya philosophy or bhakti-yoga, all of them.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

So śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Muni, means thoughtful men, philosophers, they are also defeating, one thoughtful man, another thoughtful man. Unless he defeats another man, philosopher, he does not become a very big philosopher. Therefore it is said, nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Why? You cannot become a muni unless you propound a different system of philosophy. So this is the position. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. Therefore the truth of spiritual life is very complicated. It is very difficult to understand. Then how I shall be able to understand? The conclusion is mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You follow the mahājana. Out of these twelve mahājana, you follow any one of them, and you will be successful.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

These are the nine different processes of bhakti-yoga, of which the most important thing is śravaṇam, hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. And about whom? About Viṣṇu, not for anyone else. That is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Everything bhakti means devotional service, loving devotional service, for Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. That is not any other service. That is not bhakti. Bhakti, the word, can be used only in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It cannot be... If you say, "I am deśa-bhakta. I am very devotee of my country, and of my society, of my family, of my cat, of my dog," that is not applicable. Bhakti is not applicable anywhere except in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakti. Therefore śāstra particularly says, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, not any other śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. If you say that "I am hearing about my country's welfare, about my society's welfare, about humanity's welfare, and I am preaching this," that is not bhakti. That is māyā. It is very difficult to understand.

Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:

That means because we have come to this material nature... How we have come to material nature? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that icchā-dveṣa samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). Icchā-dveṣa. There are two things: hatred and desire. Something we desire and something we hate, icchā-dveṣa. Two kinds of propensities there are. So when we want to enjoy this material world, that is called icchā, and when we want to disobey God, that is called dveṣa. So that icchā and dveṣa, there can be. That is two opposing elements. There are. So icchā-dveṣa samutthena. When we think... That is not very difficult to understand. Everyone is thinking, "Why shall I worship God? These are all bogus things, they are going to the temple. No." That propensity is there, dveṣa. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān yoniṣu (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān. These persons who are envious of God and krūrān... Krūra means, krūra also, envious, very, very atheistic. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). This is āsuri-bhāva. When we become envious, atheist, godless, without any God consciousness, that is called atheism. That is dveṣa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

This devotional service, the worshiping Kṛṣṇa in the temple, to dress Him, as I explained another... Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **, all these occupational duties will help you to understand Kṛṣṇa. Although it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but if you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa's service, then Kṛṣṇa reveals to you what He is. And that is wanted. That is the perfection of your life. As soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you become fit to go back to home, back to Godhead, and finish this business of repeated birth and death. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvataṁ nāpnuvanti (BG 8.15). This secret of success, people do not know, neither they can understand. They are not fortunate enough. But it is our duty to push on this movement by superior order. Anyone who will take advantage of this movement, he'll be saved from this repetition, birth and death.

Lecture on SB 5.5.35 -- Vrndavana, November 22, 1976:

So this eagerness to have Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā-matiḥ, that eagerness is even impossible—janma-koṭi-sukṛtibhiḥ. It is simply happened by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Vedeṣu durlabham. Practical purpose of studying Vedas, vedānti... That vedānti means to understand Kṛṣṇa. But vedeṣu durlabham. At the same time, it is said "It is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa by becoming so-called Vedānti." Actually Vedānta means Anta means the last word. The last work of knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). So to understand Kṛṣṇa, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). But it can be done through the mercy of devotee. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Adurlabha. If you satisfy a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can give you Kṛṣṇa like this, "Take it." Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Bhakta can do that. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). You come through bhakta or come through bhakti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Back to Godhead means God is a person, a person like you and me. Just like your father is a person. That is a practical knowledge. Your father's father is also a person. His father is also a person. His father is also a person. Immediately you can understand. Therefore the supreme father must be a person. It is very difficult to understand? Any one of you can say it is very difficult to understand? God is called supreme father, not only in your Bible, but in the Vedas also. In all literature. And actually He's father, because the Vedānta says the Absolute Truth is the original father, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), from whom everything has taken birth or emanated. So the supreme father cannot be impersonal. He's a person. And in the Vedas, it is confirmed: nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme eternal amongst all eternals.

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

What is the light? It is common sense. The sea water, Kṛṣṇa says, "It is Mine." And if I say, "The water is Kṛṣṇa's," what is the wrong there? Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "This bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, this bhūmir, this pṛthvī, is Mine." So if I say that "Land is Kṛṣṇa's," then what is wrong there? Then why should I go to inside? Outside (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa's property. Why you bother for inside? Inside is very difficult to understand, but outside I can see directly. But I see it, "Oh, it is mine. It is my land. It is my house. It is my property." Therefore that is wrong. As soon as you see "It is Kṛṣṇa's," that is perfection. Why you bother about inside? Why don't you see outside? This outside whose property it is? Kṛṣṇa has simply hidden Himself inside and He is not outside? Inside He is also. Ṟśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati. That's nice. But why not outside? Then what is this outside? That is also explained by Kṛṣṇa: "It is Mine." So inside and outside you have to see. Any man can see outside. Any child, if I say, if I teach a child, "Well, this everything you see, it is Kṛṣṇa's," what is the wrong there? This tape recorder is Kṛṣṇa's, this microphone is Kṛṣṇa's, this fire is Kṛṣṇa's. What is the wrong there? Kṛṣṇa has kindly given me. So I should feel obliged, "Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind that You have given this fire so I am not suffering." Is that not Kṛṣṇa consciousness? We want to teach that. Not a bogus thing, "I am seeing within Kṛṣṇa." Why not outside? What is the wrong there? Tell me what is. Is it clear or not? If you have doubt, you go on questioning.

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

It is very difficult to understand. Because Kṛṣṇa says out of many millions of people, one is perfect, and out of many millions of perfect men, one can hardly understand Kṛṣṇa. So it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. But if one is fortunate, he can understand. How? Now, Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). "There is no more higher truth than Me." So if one is fortunate to understand Kṛṣṇa, that there is no more higher truth than Kṛṣṇa. And if he follows the advice of Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), then he's fortunate. Fortunate means everyone has got his discretion. So one who has the fortune to discriminate, then he can understand Kṛṣṇa very easily.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Denver, June 28, 1975:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, although it is very rare, we are trying to deliver Kṛṣṇa and love of Kṛṣṇa. So this is the topmost welfare activities to the human society. Because it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, and we, under certain process, we are delivering Kṛṣṇa, and it is being effective. The process is so nice. Even the Europeans and Americans, they did not know what is Kṛṣṇa five, six years ago. But they are now very serious. Even one priest in Boston, he was astonished that "These boys, Christian boys or the Jewish boys, they are our men. And they did not care to know what is God, what is... Now they are after God. They are mad. How it is?" There are many practical proof. Just like in our many temples. The Los Angeles temple, it was sold by the church because nobody was coming. Nobody was coming. We have many churches purchased in that way.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

That is the only method in this age. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one's... The reservoir of understanding will be cleared. And then you, he can receive, he can receive the spiritual knowledge. Without cleansing the heart it is very difficult to understand and receive spiritual knowledge. All these reformatory measures—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha—they are simply the cleansing method. And bhakti is also a cleansing method, vidhi-bhakti. But by engaging oneself in this Deity worship, he also becomes cleansed. Tat-paratve... Sarvopādhi... As he becomes enlightened or advanced in understanding that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes purified. He becomes purified. Sarvopādhi means he doesn't... Sarvopādhi. He tries to eliminate his upādhi, his designation, that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." So in this way, when you become fully eliminated of this bodily concept of life, then nirmalam. He becomes nirmala, uncontaminated.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

So smṛti is not without Veda. Or Purāṇa... Sometimes people do not accept the Purāṇas as Vedic. No. Here it is said by Rūpa Gosvāmī, śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi (Brs. 1.2.101). They are all Vedas. Purāṇa means supplementary. Just like the Vedic knowledge is described in the Mahābhārata. It is in the form of history. But actually the Vedic knowledge is there. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocaraḥ (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu... Dvija-bandhu means a person who is born in brāhmaṇa family but he is not advanced in spiritual knowledge. He is called dvija-bandhu. He is not called a brāhmaṇa. Strī, śūdra. And they are classified along with strī and śūdra. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocaraḥ. For these persons it is very difficult to understand the Vedic injunctions. Therefore the Vedic injunctions are sometimes made into historical stories. The stories, they are not fiction; they are fact. But some of the... Just like the Battle of Kurukṣetra between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, this is a fact. But the incidences are so nice that you can derive Vedic knowledge from them. And Bhagavad-gītā is within Mahābhārata.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Detroit, June 13, 1976:

This is Rūpa Gosvāmī's blessings, that "Within your heart, let Śacī-nandana be seated." Sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ. Then everything will be adjusted. He has appeared for this cause (indistinct). Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam. He is personally, Kṛṣṇa personally is giving Kṛṣṇa. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ (CC Madhya 19.53). These are the verses composed by Rūpa Gosvāmī, that "Here is most munificent incarnation. Because He's giving Kṛṣṇa. Not only Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, what was very, very difficult to understand." Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yayati siddhaye (BG 7.3). To understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy, but Kṛṣṇa Himself is giving Himself: "Take Me." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So future, past, present, future, whatever it has been, our past, or what is present, it doesn't matter. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then our present and future, both are bright, undoubtedly.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

There are many mental speculator, just like Aurobindo Ghosh. So he speculated. He understood that there are activities even after liberation, but he could not understand Kṛṣṇa, so hard it is. Others, the so-called sannyāsīs, just like Ramatirtha or Vivekananda, they could not approach even, in the modern age. And the Aurobindo, he approached up to the Brahman liberation, but he could not approach to the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is... Arjuna says also in the Bhagavad-gītā, "It is very difficult to understand Your personality." Everyone becomes... The other day in the Melā, Māgha-melā, one Gangeshvarananda, retired high-court judge, he said that "This is the first time, Swamijī, that we are hearing from you on solid basis about the Personality." The whole world, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi... Nirviśeṣa... Means the impersonalists and voidists, that's all. They have no understanding what is Personality of Godhead. Gobhir indriyair hṛdā cittena na vicakṣate. One cannot, a gobhiḥ, by exercise of the senses. Gobhiḥ and indriyair hṛdā, heart also, meditation. The jñānīs, the speculators, they are speculating by sensual activities, and the yogis, they are trying to find out the Supreme within the heart, cittena. So na paśyanti: "But they cannot see." They cannot see. So jñānīs, the yogis, they cannot understand. Although they are trying for it, they cannot understand. It is clearly said, hṛdā girā vāsu-bhṛto vicakṣate. Yad vāca nābhūd dhṛtaṁ yan manaḥ manute ityādi śruteḥ.(?) And he is giving recitation from the Vedas: yad vāca nābhūd dhṛtaṁ yan manaḥ manute ityādi śruteḥ. Avann mānasa-gocaraḥ.(?) He is beyond the reception of mental speculation or philosophical topics.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

So I saw it is raisin, kismis. You see? So I immediate threw it away and went away. So some yogi can show. He'll press his beads, and there milk will come. So there are so many yogic fantasies. But that does not mean that he knows God. Or a great philosopher like Dr. Radhakrishnan, that does not mean he knows God.

Therefore Brahma-saṁhitā says, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyam purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabha (Bs. 5.33). Simply by Vedic knowledge it is very difficult to understand what is Govinda. Vedeṣu durlabha adurlabha ātma-bhaktau: "But He is available from His pure devotees." So here the same thing is stated by Yamarāja. Yaṁ vai na gobhir manasāsubhir vā hṛdā girā vāsu-bhṛto vicakṣate. So ātmānaṁ jīvanam ātmānaṁ draṣṭāraṁ yam akṛtayaḥ rūpāṇi cakṣur yathā karma-bhūtaṁ na jānanti tataḥ param akṛtinaṁ prakāśakaṁ na hi pramata-pramāṇasya viṣaya iti. Bhāla. So our bhakti process is not to try to see God personally.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:
"My dear boys, these twelve men..." Dvādaśa. Two and ten, dvādaśa. Dvādaśaite vijānīmaḥ: "We know what are the principles of dharma. We know, we twelve personalities, authorities." Dharmaṁ bhāgavatam. Dharmam means bhāgavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination," durbodham, "and very difficult to understand, the principles of religion, very difficult." They are reading Bhagavad-gītā so many years together, but when the question comes that "Surrender unto Me," they cannot understand. Durbodham: "It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā: "But fortunately, if anyone understands, jñātvā..." Jñātvā means "If one understands," amṛtam aśnute, "he can drink the nectarine." If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amṛtam aśnute: "He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion." Amṛtam aśnute. Etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ. Now, what is the best principle of executing dharma, religion? So he says, etāvān eva loke 'smin: "Especially in this material world," puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ, "this is the first-class religious principle." What is that? Bhakti-yogo bhagavati: "Of rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That is first-class religion. Bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. Tan-nāma. And how it begins? "Simply by chanting His holy name." These are the authoritative statements of Yamarāja. Tam eva dharmam etāvān iti. This is dharma.
Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

So the science of Kṛṣṇa is very difficult to understand. Durbodham. Durbodham. Durbodham means very, very difficult to understand. Therefore you have to approach the mahājanas. People, they try to understand which is impossible to understand by their own effort. That is a great mistake. Therefore this very word is used, durbodham. What is religion and what is God, that is very, very difficult to understand. The Vedic injunction is, in order to understand, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master, durbodham. Guhyaṁ viśuddham. Why durbodham? Why it is very difficult to understand? Because it is transcendental, viśuddham, beyond the range of this material atmosphere. Our knowledge is... We get knowledge after creation of this body; therefore all knowledge is material. We tax our brain, which is a material production only. So there is no possibility of understanding religion or God by taxing the material membrane.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

So dharma, this religion, so although it is very difficult to understand, still, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it has been made very simple and easy. Unfortunately, people have no faith. They do not believe. They think something cumberous, something speculative, something very difficult is the process of executing religion. No. Yamarāja says that etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ: "The highest principle of religion is this." What is that? Bhakti-yogaḥ bhagavati. Bhakti-yoga. One may... Just like some people, some foolish say, "Bhakti-yoga... I have got very much devotion to Goddess Kālī, to Goddess Durgā, or so many demigods. This is also bhakti." No. Bhakti-yoga means bhagavati. Love means love of Godhead. Otherwise, there is no love—only lust. Similarly, bhakti means, when this word used, bhakti-yoga, that is only in relationship with the bhakta, or devotee, and Bhagavān. That is called bhakti-yoga. Nāma, harer nāma, not that any name. Harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Any name can be applied to Kṛṣṇa indirectly, but directly... We are concerned directly. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). We have to cultivate Kṛṣṇa not indirectly. Indirectly, everything is worshiping Kṛṣṇa, because there is nothing but Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Just like Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa, he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa indirectly as enemy. Therefore, that is not bhakti. Bhakti means Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably, directly.

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

So the great compiler of religious scripture, headed by Manu and others, without knowing the simple method, they prescribe gorgeous ritualistic ceremonies. Kim ca māyayā divyalam vimohitam matir ayam jana madhu, madhunam yatha bhavati evam puspitayam puṣpa-sthaniya ratavadi mano-harayam trayyam jadi-kṛta abhinivista-matir yasya ata eva mahaty eva karmany agni-stomadau śraddhayā yujyamānaḥ.(?) So being bewildered by the material or external energy, they take to these gorgeous ceremonies or sacrificial performances. Actually there is no need. The whole thing is that Śrīdhara Svāmī is giving stress very strongly that you can simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without undergoing any ritualistic ceremonies. Actually it is very difficult to understand. Mādhavendra Purī, our predecessor ācārya, he also has composed a nice verse. He says, "My dear gāyatrī-mantra, I offer you my respect, but no more I can chant gāyatrī-mantra." In this way... Taking bath early in the morning, that's a good recommendation for spiritual advancement. But Mādhavendra Purī said, "Now I am unable to execute this order.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

So if we stick to the materialistic way of life, it will be very, very difficult to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Why? Now, adānta-gobhiḥ. Adānta means uncontrolled. Uncontrolled. Our senses are uncontrolled. This morning, while I was walking on the beach, we found so many things, the capsule of the Coca-cola, cigarette butts and so many other things. So what is the necessity of this Coca-cola? You don't find all these things in our society. We don't drink Coca-cola. We don't drink Pepsi-cola. We don't smoke. So many things which are selling in the market in huge quantity by advertisement, by victimizing the poor customer... But they are called unnecessary things. There is no need of such things. But adānta-gobhiḥ, because the senses cannot be controlled, they are making business. They are making business, unnecessary thing. So we have to control the senses. If we really want spiritual life, if we really want to be free from these material clutches, then we have to learn how to control the senses. That is wanted. That is the purpose of human life. Now... That is the purpose of human life. Human life is not meant for imitating the life of cats and dogs and hogs. That is not human life.

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

The mystery of religious life is very, very secret. Secret means for ordinary man it is very difficult to understand. Therefore śāstra says tarko 'pratiṣṭhāḥ. If you want to learn what is spiritual life simply by your argument, dry, philosophical speculation, it will never be achieved. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhāḥ śrutayo vibhinnā. If you study the Vedas, there are different Vedas. Principally Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛg. But you cannot understand the objective of the Vedas simply by studying yourself. Therefore Vedas says, Kaṭhopaniṣad, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham samit-pāṇiḥ (MU 1.2.12). Like that. In every śāstra the injunction is if you want to understand the essence of Veda, then you must approach a realized, self-realized person. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same thing is said. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).

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

So in the human form of life the children should be trained up to spiritual life. That is the duty of the father and mother. Gṛheṣu saptas. If one remains attached to family life, then gṛheṣu saktasya pramattas. Pramattas means to remain attached to this family life means madness. Means madness. It is very difficult to understand this madness, especially in this age, Kali-yuga, because we have very little knowledge. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo, manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). The position of the people of the present age, Kali-yuga, they're all bad; nobody is good. Mandāḥ, all very slow. They do not know what is the aim of life, how to fulfill the goal of life, mandāḥ. And manda-matayo: and if somebody is interested, they will manufacture some rascaldom. Manda-matayo. And everyone is manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. Unfortunate means that they got this opportunity, human life, to end all the problems of life, but they'll not take care of it. Manda-bhāgyā.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

This tendency is present. But actually, the primitive civilization... Not primitive; that is very sober civilization, anartha. Instead of increasing unwanted necessities, decrease it. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś cakre sātvata saṁhitām. This sātvata saṁhitām bhāgavata is there, simply to decrease this unwanted so-called material civilization. It is very difficult to understand, but our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose. We are interested to construct a nice temple, but we are not interested to construct a very big skyscraper building for people's generally No. We should live very humbly. But for Kṛṣṇa we can In India you'll find there are so many valuable temples which cannot be constructed at the present moment. You will see in this Vṛndāvana that the broken Govindaji's temple, it is not possible to construct such costly temples at the present moment. Even by spending crores of rupees you cannot construct. But one who has money, they used to do that. It should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's comfort. This is bhakti. This is bhakti. For Kṛṣṇa's The Vṛndāvana means everyone is engaged how to keep Kṛṣṇa in comfort. This is Vṛndāvana. Not for personal comfort. The whole Vṛndāvana is engaged, beginning from Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, the young gopīs and the young cowherd boys—that is Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa is the center.

Lecture on SB 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977:

So it is very difficult to understand even the spiritual substance, and what to speak of God. The beginning of spiritual knowledge is to understand first of all what is spirit. And they are taking the intelligence or mind as spirit. But that is not spirit. Beyond that... Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtim parā (BG 7.5). So this perfection, as Prahlāda Mahārāja had immediately by touching the Supreme Personality of..., we can also have. There is possibility, and very easily, because we are fallen, mandāḥ, very slow, very bad. Mandāḥ and sumanda-matayo. And because we are bad, everyone has manufactured a theory. Sumanda. Mata. Mata means opinion. And what is that opinion? Not only mandā but sumanda, very, very bad. Sumanda-matayo. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10), and all unfortunate or misfortunate. Why? When there is knowledge, they'll not take. They will theorize.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:

Actually mind carries you to the next body. So mind goes with you. The material mind, material ego, material intelligence become nil when you are completely liberated. But at that time your spiritual mind acts. It is not very difficult to understand. Somebody is acting under the impression... Just like one of our students, he was acting under the impression that he is Frenchman and doing something subversive, and now he is thinking that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." (chuckles) He has stopped all those nonsense. (break) When he was thinking that he's a Frenchman, that mind was there. And now he's thinking that "I am Kṛṣṇa's," the mind is there. So where is the chance of losing the mind?

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

Now we should inquire about spiritual life. That is civilization. Without spiritual life, without inquiring the spiritual life, it is animal life. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And spiritual life means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa comes to explain Himself. And hear from Him and understand Him as He says. Then, as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Kṛṣṇa, or God, is very difficult to understand.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yayati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

To understand God, to understand Kṛṣṇa, is not very easy job; very, very difficult job. Therefore we don't find anyone is interested in Kṛṣṇa. Anywhere you go, all over the world, you make a statistic: nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa. Is it not a fact? Out of millions. Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, "Out of millions..." That's a fact. Nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. So therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very easy job. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa You can understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. That is Kṛṣṇa, great.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Just like you are reading some portion of a book. As soon as there is some reference, immediately you see the person. Suppose you are phoning, talking on telephone with somebody. As soon as hear the body, as soon as hear his sound, immediately you see your friend. It is not very difficult to understand. Simply one has to know the person or one has, must have the knowledge. So one who has got knowledge, perfect knowledge of the constitution of this material body, he does not see the body. He sees Kṛṣṇa. So anything, sthāvara jaṅgama... Sthāvara means moving, and jaṅgama... Sthāvara means "not moving," and jaṅgama means "moving". There are two classes of living entities. Some of them are moving and some of them not moving. So a devotee either sees a living entity moving or a living entity's not moving, he does not see the outward covering, but he sees within, the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and without, the body, the material body, he sees Kṛṣṇa's energy. And because everything is in reference with Kṛṣṇa, therefore he sees Kṛṣṇa only and nothing else. So this is the statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Sthāvara jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). He does not see the external form, but he sees the actual essence of the person and therefore he sees Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

So everyone can have Kṛṣṇa as his sons. Everyone can have Kṛṣṇa as his friend. Everyone can have Kṛṣṇa as his master. Dak, dāsya-rasa, sākhya-rasa, mādhurya-rasa. Even everyone can have Kṛṣṇa as their paramour. These things are very difficult to understand, but these rasas... They are called rasas. Parakīya-rasa. The parakīya-rasa means just like a man or woman has got his husband or wife, but he has got love with others. That is called parakīya-rasa. That is most abominable in this material world, but that is most first-class thing in the spiritual world. Parakīya-rase yāṅhā brajete pracāra. So these things are very higher principles of spiritual life. But we can understand that whatever we are experiencing in this material world, that thing, in its pure form, is existing in the Supreme Absolute. That is the fact. Otherwise they cannot be manifested in this material... Just like on the bank of a tank, pond, there is a tree, and you find the tree just upverted. The upper portion of the tree has gone down. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Find out in the Fifteenth Chapter: ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākhaṁ aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam (BG 15.1). Find out this verse. This material world is the reflection, urdhva mulam. Generally the tree has got its root down, but the material world... So... It is described as a big banyan tree, but the root is upwards.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

So if we follow through the path chalked out by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then Kṛṣṇa also, although He..., it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahareṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). But through the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu... And to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu means to follow the six Gosvāmīs, because these six Gosvāmīs were directly instructed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to spread this movement. He instructed Rūpa Gosvāmī continually for ten days in Prayāga, Daśāśvamedha ghāṭa. He instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī for two months in Benares. And they have given us this invaluable literature. There are so many other literatures, of which the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, we have translated into English: Nectar of Devotion. So try to follow this book.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

When one desires one's own sense gratification... In the material world, suppose a boy loves a girl and a girl loves a boy. That is personal sense gratification. As soon as the personal sense gratification is not satisfied, immediately the so-called love is divorced. No more love. In the Kali-yuga, it is stated in the śāstras, dāmpatye ratim eva hi. In... Love between husband and wife will be disturbed as soon as there is no satisfaction of sex desires. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi. And in the Western countries, we find... In our country also, it has already begun; there are so many divorce cases. Mostly the divorce cases take place when there is disturbance in sex, sex satisfaction. So that is lust. But here, in the case of Kṛṣṇa and gopīs, that is different thing. The gopīs used to dress themselves so that Kṛṣṇa will feel satisfied, satisfaction. For Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. They used to dress for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. That is, of course, very difficult to understand. But we should learn from the śāstras. The gopīs had no sense gratification desire. They wanted to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.4 -- Mayapur, March 28, 1975:

That is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy. He distributed the most confidential part of love of Godhead. Although we are living in this fallen age, Kali-yuga, but He is giving the topmost platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt. Therefore He is supposed to be the most munificent incarnation. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa-prema.

It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of His loving affairs. It is very difficult.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścit vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

Kṛṣṇa personally says that it is very difficult to understand Him. Actually it is so. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy is so unlimited that He is helping not only to understand Kṛṣṇa, but also He is giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa, and the supermost platform of love, as it was experienced by the gopīs.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.4 -- Mayapur, March 28, 1975:

So if you don't go through Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it will be very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is practical. Just like you young boys and girls from Western countries. You have taken up Kṛṣṇa so seriously. Why? Because we are trying to understand Kṛṣṇa through Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So we should follow this principle. There will be no difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. Of course, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa fully. As far as possible, at least if we understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this much is sufficient. This much is sufficient. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). These things are there, already stated, but the so-called scholars and politicians, they misinterpret in a different way and mislead the people. That is going on.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

So within the brahma-jyotir there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So ordinarily people are amazed with simply brahma-jyotir. They do not go deep into the matter. So ullaṅhita-trividha-sīma-samātīśāyi. God is beyond the limitation of our thinking and philosophical speculation. Sambhāvanaṁ tava parivraḍhima-svabhāvam: "Your very grave and confidential activities, it is very difficult to understand by ordinary men." Māyā-balena bhavatāpi niguhyamānam. Māyā-balena: "That yogamāyā, although it is covered in that way all Your activities," paśyanti, "somebody can see You." Paśyanty kecid aniśam: "Not sometimes or accidentally, but aniśam, continually, he can see You." Paśyanti kecid aniśam tvad-ananya-bhāvāḥ. Ananya-bhāvāḥ means "Those who have unflinching devotion unto You." They can see.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

So read Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's Prārthanā, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Prārthanā. They are very, very valuable for advancement of spiritual understanding, especially Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's Prārthanā. So, by reading them, by understanding them, we can understand Kṛṣṇa very easily. Otherwise, it is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. Big, big scholars, big, big sannyāsīs, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They understand Kṛṣṇa that Kṛṣṇa is like us—a very great man, politician, historical person—or sometimes thinks of Kṛṣṇa as a debauch because He was in association with the gopīs or He married sixteen thousand wives. So, we shall be misled to understand Kṛṣṇa if we try to do so by our own knowledge. We have to accept Kṛṣṇa through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.66-76 -- San Francisco, February 6, 1967:

So Cai..., according to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the so-called Vedānta societies, the so-called, I mean to say, learned scholars on Vedānta, they are not actually Vedānta scholars. They are all fools and rascals. Because Vedānta-sūtra is very difficult to understand. The compiler, the author of Vedānta-sūtra, is Vyāsadeva. He himself thought it wise that "I must leave one commentation of Vedānta-sūtra. Otherwise, in future, people will misunderstand and misuse Vedānta-sūtra." In this connection I'll, oh, I may declare herewith that some of you, if you read the Chicago speech by Vivekananda... That was, he was the first man. He came from India to preach this Hindu philosophy in 1893. Some of you know. So he has got his speech, Chicago speech of Vedānta. You'll see, it is simply rascaldom. Simply. By his speech it is written... If you can secure, you bring it, you'll see how rascaldom he was. You'll be surprised. Even a clergyman from this country, oh, he was surprised. "Oh, you come from India and you are decrying God in this way? Oh, I'm surprised." He was..., simply he has decried God: "Oh, why do you care for God? Throw Him, God. You are God." In this way, he has spoken.

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

Māyāvādī sannyāsīs why He was not engaged in reading Vedānta-sūtra, and why He was indulging in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that in this age, Kali-yuga, Vedānta-sūtra, to study Vedānta-sūtra and to understand the purport of Vedānta-sūtra, is very difficult. It requires a very good Sanskrit scholarship. Although it is not very difficult to understand if it is taken by the paramparā system, but because people try to understand Vedānta-sūtra by scholastic demeanor (?), therefore it becomes difficult. It was discussed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. He was a very learned scholar. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya... (aside, about fan:) Make little curved.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says mukhya-vṛttye, direct meaning, as it is said. That is beauty of understanding. Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The supreme source from which everything emanating, that is Brahman." What is the interpretation? There is no interpretation. Supreme... There must be some supreme source. That is quite philosophical and logical, that I have my... This bodily existence has a source, my father. My father has a source, his father. His father... Go on. There must be one supreme source. That is God. Simple to understand. Is it very difficult to understand? The supreme cause, He is God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is described in Brahma-saṁhitā, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Kāraṇa means "cause," and sarva means "all." There are cause, cause, cause and effect, cause and effect, cause and eff... When you reach to the supreme cause, He's Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

So for their different stages, karma, jñāna, yoga, so many things, they have been described. But here, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His mercy is that He directly gives this highest instruction—what Kṛṣṇa could not give, but Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, or Kṛṣṇa in His incarnation as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He gave us. Therefore He is considered the most munificent, charitable personality, man of charity. Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his respect, that namo mahā-vadānyāya: "You are the greatest munificent personality." Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "You are directly offering Kṛṣṇa, which is very difficult to understand." It is very difficult to understand. "So many scholars, so many philosophers, so many great personalities, they could not understand Kṛṣṇa, but Your mercy is so broad that You are directly offering Kṛṣṇa." Therefore, mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "Directly You are giving Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Early in the morning they rise up, and they are certain, somewhere there is some fruit. They will eat and sleep in the top of the tree. They haven't got to make arrangement, economic development. It already is there. But it is very difficult to understand that these material necessities of life is already arranged. You cannot get more, cannot get... Suppose some of our Indian friends, they come to this country, far away. Does it mean that simply by coming here he has become millionaire? No. In Bengali it is said, yadi gar baṅge kaphala yabe saṅge (?), Wherever you go, your this fate will go with you. If you are meant for getting ten thousand, you'll never get ten thousand, one hundred. You'll get, either you remain in your country or go to hell. Destiny. This is called destiny.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Suppose you become very big businessman and you have got nice, very big balance and so on, so on, but by your activities you remain like a dog mentality is, then you are going to get the body of a dog. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). The test is at the time of death. At the time of death, if my mentality is different, so according to that mentality I shall get the body. This is called transmigration of the soul. There is no teaching of this science throughout the whole world, and we are trying to educate people. Of course, it is very difficult to understand, but this is the science, that there is transmigration of the soul. And if we do not take care of this, that "What I am going to become next life?" if you simply waste your time simply on the matter of eating, sleeping, mating and defense, then we are wasting our time. This is the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

So there are different kinds of knowledge in the Vedas. Veda is a vast knowledge. Even how we shall live in this material world, that is also described. Even medicine, medicine, the science of medicine is also described in Vedas. That is called Āyur-veda. The science of military science also described there in the Vedas. That is called Dhanur-veda. Yajur-veda... So many Vedas there are. And ultimately the knowledge is there, how to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth and how to get yourself liberated. That is... These are the subject matter of Vedas. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also the Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "The ultimate purpose of Veda is to understand Kṛṣṇa." Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So Kṛṣṇa or the sādhu and śāstra does not stop your material activities. Because you have to act materially so long you have got this material body, so they give regulation, how you should act so that ultimately you can reach to Kṛṣṇa. So if we follow the regulations given in the Vedas, then automatically we reach to the highest stage of perfection. That is the purpose of Vedas. Therefore you'll find different subject matter dealt in Vedas, and unless we have a bona fide teacher of the Vedas, it is very difficult to understand Vedic language and take advantage of it.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.144-146 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

In different Purāṇas... These Purāṇas are made just to complete Vedic knowledge, or supplementary addition to the Vedic literature. Because Vedic literature is very difficult to understand, therefore they have been expanded by the Purāṇas for different classes of men. So there are three divisions of the Purāṇas: sattvika Purāṇa, rājasika Purāṇa and tamasika Purāṇa. Sattvika Purāṇa is meant for the higher class of people who are in transcendental knowledge of Brahman, Paramātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rājasika Purāṇa are meant for those who are aspiring to have improvement of material condition. And tamasika Purāṇa are meant for those who are in the lowest stage of..., little, just like animal life, and to develop them the Purāṇa is helping them to come to the second and first stage.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.294-298 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

The poet Jayadeva, a great devotee poet, is singing that "In the devastation, my Lord Keśava, You have assumed the form of fish." A great muni was sitting. He was meditating. And after taking his bath in the ocean, in the sea, he brought one pot of kamaṇḍalu. Kamaṇḍalu, that pot, you have seen. He found a little fish there. Then, within few seconds, that fish covered all the pot, and the muni thought, "Oh, He is growing so rapidly. All right, let Him have some big pot." So he gave Him big pot. Then again He became full. Then in this way he had to put it in the ocean, and He became oceanlike. Then he understood that He is God. So this is Godly power. He can take the shape... As the ocean is big, so He'll take and take this bigger-than-the-ocean form. But He is the maker of all forms. He has made ocean. But is it very difficult to understand how God becomes fish? That does not mean that every fish is God. No. So there is Matsyāvatāra.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

You can say, "I have earned money. Why shall I pay income tax, government?" No. You must pay. And there is a limit, that if you have earned so much money, practically the whole money will be taken as income tax, super tax. So as everything you earn, it is the property of the government, similarly, why not everything, whatever you got, it is Kṛṣṇa's or God's? Is it very difficult to understand? Actually it is so. Suppose you have constructed a very nice building. So the building requires so many stone, wood, earth. Wherefrom you have got it? You have not produced the wood. It is God's property. You have not produced the metal; you have taken it from the mine. That is God's property. The earth, also, the bricks also, which you have made you have simply given your labor. That labor is also God's property, because you work with your hand, but it is not your hand; it is God's hand. If it is your hand, then when it is paralyzed, you cannot use it. When the power of using your energy of the hand is withdrawn by God, you cannot work.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 34 -- San Francisco, September 13, 1968 :

Just like, taror mūla-niṣecanena, if you supply water on the root of the tree, the water is immediately transferred to the branches, to the leaves, to the flowers, to the fruits—everywhere. Everyone knows it. It is scientific. But if you supply water to one leaf, or thousand leaves, it does not mean that other leaves are also getting the benefit. So, at the present moment, people are captivated for human welfare activities. Oh, what human welfare activities they will do? It is not in your power. You can do something, but very limited. There are living entities, they are not only human beings. There are 8,400,000's of living entities, and the human living entities they are only minute portion. They are only 400,000's these, only. Other living entities, they are eight million. That is not very difficult to understand. If you take a census of the living entities in the city of San Francisco, then the census of the human being residing in this city, they will be very, a small number in comparison to the birds, bests, aquatics, ants, and so many other living entities, so many other living entities. So, suppose a portion of human living entity you serve, then what is the value of service? What is the value of that service?

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

At the present moment, it is night. Sun is not visible. But in due course of time, say, after eight hours or ten hours, in the morning, the sun will be visible. Similarly there is scheduled time when Kṛṣṇa becomes visible on this planet, on this universe. And there are, there are innumerable universes. They..., therefore He's called nitya-līlā. Nitya-līlā means eternal pastimes. Kṛṣṇa is born as Yaśodā, Devakī-nandana. Immediately He begins to grow. But that birth is taking another planet, another universe. Just like six-thirty, sunshine... It is now visible on this planet, or on this city, but again six-thirty, again, in another city, six-thirty in another city, six-thirty another city. It is not very difficult to understand. That six-thirty's continuing. That seven-thirty's continuing. That eight-thirty's continuing. Every minute and second is continuing. Simply you have to know where it is. You immediately try to know by phoning the other city, other, on the other country, you'll know that this six-thirty, or seven-thirty or twelve-thirty or the set up or rising of the sun is continually going on, here or there.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

So, to understand Kṛṣṇa, simply if we read as a formality the Vedic literature, it will be very difficult to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Vedesu durlābhaṁ. Although all the Vedas are meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo. Aham eva vedyo. What is the use of studying Vedas if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa? Because the ultimate goal of education means to understand the Supreme Lord, the supreme father, the supreme cause. As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā, to discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman. What is that Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ. That Brahman means wherefrom everything emanates. So science, philosophy, means to find out the ultimate cause of everything. That we are getting from the śāstras, Vedic literature, that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:

So all of them are engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. That means Viṣṇu is the Supreme, even superior than Lord Śiva. He has especially mentioned: brahmā-śambhu. Śambhu means Lord Śiva. Brahmā-śambhu-phanīndras tebhyo 'nīśaṁ vedānta-vedyaṁ vibhum. So Vedānta, Vedānta means the ultimate knowledge. So one who is in the ultimate knowledge, he can understand the Personality of Godhead Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. Those who have got little knowledge, or a mediocrity, they can go up to the impersonal Brahman, but they cannot enter into the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Rāma. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā by Arjuna, that "It is very difficult to understand Your personality."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Speech -- Stockholm, September 5, 1973:

So first of all we have to understand this distinction between the spirit soul and this material body. If we can understand what is that spirit soul, then we can understand what is this spiritual movement. Otherwise, simply on material understanding, it is very difficult to understand what is spiritual life or spiritual platform. But there is. We can simply feel like that at the present moment, but there is a spiritual world, spiritual life. And what is that spiritual life? Complete freedom. Complete freedom. Eternity, blissful and full of knowledge. That is spiritual life. Completely distinct from this bodily concept of life. Spiritual life means eternity, blissful life of knowledge. And this material life means nonpermanent, ignorance and full of miseries. This body means it will not stay and it is always full of miserable condition. And there is no blissfulness. Always in the material (life) we have got some kind of unhappiness. But on account of our long association with this material life we have become so dull-headed that it is very difficult to understand what is spiritual life, what are spiritual activities, what is spiritual world, what is God, what is our relationship with Him. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a kind of training to understand what is spiritual life and what is spiritual world, what is God.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

This process... I am very glad that you are following despite all impediments. The Deity is nicely decorated, and the Deity is worshiped, and He's pleased upon you. Be blessed. Continue this process, don't deviate, strictly follow the regulative principle, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa at least sixteen rounds, and you'll be happy. There is no doubt about it. You can experience. It is not an imposition. Don't leave this process. Then, in this life, you will be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

Anyone can experience. The body is active so long the soul is there. It doesn't require much intelligence. Simply one can understand what is the difference between the dead body and the living body. Living body means there is the soul, and dead body means there is no more soul. Father dies; the son is crying, "Oh, my father has gone." "Oh, where your father has gone? He is lying on the bed. Don't you see?" "No, no, he is gone. He is now..." So that means I never saw my father, I saw his body only. Now I realize, "My father has gone." That is my ignorance. I do not know who is my father; I do not know who is my son. But on this false understanding we are going on. When the father dies or the son dies, we cry, "Oh, my son is gone," "My father is gone." "And where is your father gone? He is lying on the bed." "No, no, he is gone." And then we realize. It is very difficult to understand? Simple thing.

Initiation Lectures

Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:

Sahadeva, the youngest brother of Arjuna. That's all. Our names are so many, but the real name is dāsa, dāsa, "servant." Our position is servant of the servant. We don't want to become master of the master. Our position is servant of the servant. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). The more we become servant of the servant, the more we become advanced. It is very difficult to understand from material stand of... Here everyone wants to become master of the master. And the spiritual world, they want to become servant of the servant. That is a bigger position. So as we make advance in spiritual life, we understand this. So, that's all right. No. No. You perform the marriage, that change, and get them promise. Yes. Yes, take it.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Say, for fifty years or hundred years, at most. Then... But we do not know what is going to happen in my next life because we do not believe in the next life. But actually there is next life. So if you don't take care of my next life and if we irresponsibly waste our valuable human form of life like ordinary animals... The ordinary animals, they demand something for eating, they want to sleep, they want to defend, and they want to mate. So similarly, if human being is also busy with the four principles of bodily demands, namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending, then, according to Vedic literature, it is said that he is not human being. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If the human being does not understand his real spiritual identity and simply busy with the four demands of bodily necessities, then paśubhiḥ samānāḥ—he's as equal as with lower animals, cats and dogs.

So Bhagavad-gītā gives you clue. It is not very difficult to understand this science. The Bhagavad-gītā gives you the information of the spirit soul very simply.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

Because the spirit soul is within this body, therefore it is moving. Because the spirit soul is there within this body, therefore it is growing. So spirit soul is the basic principle of all material expansion. Similarly, God being full spirit, whole spirit, He is the basic principle of all cosmic manifestation, but He is person. These things are there in the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll read. Arjuna says that "It is very difficult to understand Your personality." People are bewildered, but He is person. And in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad and many other Upaniṣads it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām: (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) "He is the chief eternal amongst all eternals." That means we living entities, we are also eternals, but He is the chief eternal. So if we are persons, then He is also person. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says that "Myself, yourself, My dear Arjuna, and all these kings and soldiers who have come here, assembled here, they are all persons.

Lecture -- Montreal, October 26, 1968:

Just like we are on the surface of this planet. There is chance of being covered by the cloud. There is clear sky sometimes, sometimes covered. But you go above, little above, say, seven miles, or just you go by plane seven miles above, then there is no chance of cloud. Everything is sunlight. Everything is sunlight. Similarly, so long you remain in the lower platform of ignorance and passion, it is very difficult to understand what is the science of God. Therefore you have to come to the platform of goodness, and there you'll understand what is sun, what is sunlight, without any interruption. So for that reason, just like you have to go by some plane, by some machine seven miles up to be completely in pure sunlight, similarly, you have to attempt... You have got... Kṛṣṇa, or God, has given you the senses, the mind, the intelligence. You have to use them. If you use them for gratifying your senses, then you go down and down and down to the animal life. And if you use them for understanding God and His kingdom and your life, your relationship, that is also possible. So both way you can use your intelligence, your mind, your senses. Both ways.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

Consciousness is very difficult to understand? Now you are talking, and when you don't talk, you lie down. People will say this man has become unconscious. So this is the distinction. When you are in full knowledge of things, that is consciousness. It is not difficult to understand. Sometimes teachers say to the student, "Do it conscientiously, with attention." When our full attention is there, full absorption, full concentration of the mind, that is consciousness. And another way of consciousness is the feeling which is spread all over your body. Just like I pinch over your head or any part of your body, you feel—that is consciousness. But when this body is dead or when you are out of this body, if I chop up your body, there is no consciousness. That is the distinction between consciousness. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. In the Bhagavad-gītā the consciousness is stated: avināśi. Avināśi means cannot, never dies.

Lecture -- Detroit, July 16, 1971:

Govinda, Lord Kṛṣṇa, He has expanded His ānanda-cinmaya-rasa energy. That ānanda-cinmaya-rasa energy expanded, there are so many gopīs, cowherds boys, cows, calves. They're giving, all combined together, ānanda, transcendental bliss to Kṛṣṇa. Just like... It is not very difficult to understand. Just like somebody keeps a batch of dogs to love. The dog also love the master, and the master loves the dog. So why not Kṛṣṇa loving cows and calves and they also love Kṛṣṇa? What is the difficulty to understand? This tendency try to understand.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

That mahātmā which are..., who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, su-durlabhaḥ, it is very rare. To become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, koṭi (indistinct). Muktānām api siddhānām, koṭi (indistinct). That is the verdict of the śāstra. And Kṛṣṇa also said it is very, very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa Himself as Lord Sri Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is distributing Kṛṣṇa. He is distributing Himself. Therefore, it has become so easy that these foreigners, these Europeans and American boys, they are not very advanced in age, all young men. All my students and followers in Europe and America, they are ninety-nine percent all young men, young girls. They are not old, rejected persons. They are the flowers of the country. They have joined this movement, and they have taken it seriously.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement—important in this sense, that we are educating people without any discrimination about Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. And actually, as we understand from the Bhagavad-gītā, if we simply can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām... (BG 7.3). It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. But still, Kṛṣṇa is understandable if we simply follow the instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. Actually there are so many editions of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world, about six hundred, seven hundred in America, in Japan, in England. I have seen so many editions, English editions, what to speak of other language editions. So anyway, the malinterpretation is going on. We have, therefore, published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without any malinterpretation.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

The brahma-jyotir, yasya prabhā, is the bodily effulgence of God, Kṛṣṇa, Govinda. So on that effulgence, jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi, there are innumerable universes. It is not very difficult to understand. Just like you see, in the sunshine innumerable planets are floating. So what is the difficulty to understand that there is a shining effulgence from the body of God, Kṛṣṇa, and in that shining effulgence, innumerable universes are floating? What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is most scientific proposal.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

We living entities... We are all souls, living entities; similarly, God is also a living entity. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's the supreme living entity. Just like we have got leader—in every society, in every country. Just like in our country we have got the president, the chief Indian. Or in America, Mr. Nixon, the chief Indian, uh, chief American. Similarly, there must be one chief, leader of the whole creation, and that is Kṛṣṇa. There must be. By logical conclusion, there must be a leader. That is... That indication we get from Bhagavad, yes, Vedas, Kaṭhopaniṣad: nityo nityānām. Who is God? God means the chief of all living entities. It is not very difficult to understand. Just like in order to manage the whole government, we require a chief man. In order to manage a big establishment, we require a chief man. So why not this cosmic manifestation, the whole cosmic, cosmology. Why not a chief person? That we do not know. Still, we are passing on as advancement of education. That we do not know, who is the chief.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

The activities of dharma, very guhyam, very confidential. Guhyaṁ viśuddham. Viśuddham means... Dharma does not mean any material activities. Dharma means spiritual activities, viśuddham, pure, pure of the contamination of the material qualities. Guhyam viśuddhaṁ durbodham. Durbodham means very difficult to understand. Anything which is very difficult to understand, if you go to a superior authority, it becomes simplified. Just like you do not know law. Suppose you are in need of some legal protection, but you do not know "Under which legal protection I will be safe." You have to approach a good lawyer. You cannot say that "I'll defend myself. I will do." No, that is not possible. When you are diseased, you have to consult the physician. Therefore if you want to know what is dharma, then you have to approach these twelve great personalities. Otherwise it will remain durbodham, very difficult to understand. Although it is very pure, because I am impure, I will not be able to understand. Guhyaṁ visuddhaṁ dur..., yaṁ jñātvā amṛtam aśnute.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

So you'll find in this Bhagavad-gītā, when there was talks going on between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, friendly talks... Arjuna was speaking, "Let them enjoy this kingdom. I don't want to fight with my own men." That was his decision. Kṛṣṇa said, "No, no. This is not your duty. You are a kṣatriya. Now you are in the battlefield. You must fight." In this way, ordinary topics were going on. But when Arjuna saw it very difficult to understand, "Whether I shall fight or not fight?" he accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru. Because he thought that "Friendly talks will not make solution. Let me accept Kṛṣṇa as my..." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Prapannam: "I surrender unto You. You are my guru. Now You are not my friend; You are my guru." Because a disciple cannot disobey the guru. A friend can disobey. Kṛṣṇa is asking to fight. As a friend, he was disobeying. But if a guru says that "You must fight," then you cannot disobey. Therefore he accepted, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam.

So actually we are all in the ignorance.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

The Father Greene hinted the common platform of religion. Common platform is not very difficult to understand because religion means to know God and abide by the orders of God. That is religion. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt bhagavat-praṇītam. The... Religious system cannot be manufactured by man. No. Man-made religion is not religion. Religion means God-made religion. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt. Just like law. Law means the orders enunciated by the government. You cannot manufacture law at home. That is not law. Similarly, religion means the orders given by God. This is simple definition of religion. So we must know God, and we must know what is His order, and we should abide by the order. Then that is religion. So you take any type of religion, these three things are there: that we must try to know God, and what does He desires, and to fulfill it.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the great personality in devotional line. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). It is very difficult to understand what is the purpose of religious principle. People actually do not know what is religion; therefore we have got so many religious system, man-made, or concocted ideas. Actually, religion means the law given by God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like the law given by the state, by the government, you have to accept it. There is no question that the government is Christian government or Muhammadan government or Hindu government. It doesn't matter. The law given by the government, you must accept. You cannot deny it. So actually God is neither Hindu God nor Muhammadan God nor Christian God. God is God. His power is omnipotent. It is equally applicable to Hindu, to Muslim, to Christian—anyone—to animal, to human being. Just like God has given this law, "You must die." This is applicable to everyone—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, man, animal, trees, birds, beasts, everyone.

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). So we have to take this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu. So our only request is that to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult if we read Bhagavad-gītā perfectly, seriously. Then Kṛṣṇa is understood. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa... Because Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, what is the difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? Hm? If you, Mr. Birla, you explain that "I am like this. I have got so much money, I have got so many business, I have got so many factories," if you explain, then where is my difficulty? But if I speculate, "Mr. Birla may be..., so much (indistinct) may be had." That is always imperfect. But if you understand directly from Mr. Birla, then it is clear. So Kṛṣṇa, God, is explaining Himself, "I am like..." Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So there is not very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa if we simply... But if we interpret foolishly, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa by misinterpretation, then the business is finished. Don't do that. Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is explaining Himself, then your life is successful.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to impregnate or push this movement throughout the world through the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. And actually it is happening. By taking shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, these Europeans and Americans, although they are supposed to be born in mleccha, yavana family, they are taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously. Otherwise it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

Out of many many millions of persons, one is interested how to become perfect. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Siddhi means to understand one's own position. Therefore we request everyone to take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:
Prabhupāda: You cannot, but there is a process. You cannot know; that does not mean beyond the mind is relative time and perception. Just like a small insect, he takes birth in the evening, and from evening to morning, his birth, his marriage, his begetting children, everything is done, and in the morning he dies. There are many insects. They are called diwali pokali. At night they will throng together, in India. So for this insect, it is very difficult to understand that there is another animal which is called man, who has got this duration of his lifetime period in only twelve hours of his life. But the insect cannot go beyond that. Just like when we hear from Bhagavad-gītā that Brahmā lives such-and-such, we disbelieve sometimes. But everything is relative. With your relative body, your duration of life, your knowledge, your perception, everything is relative. So you are teeny human being. What is impossible for you is not impossible for others. He is talking from the relative platform.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: That is, everyday you see. One day we walk on the beaches, and the next day it is covered with water. That is not very difficult to understand. But when the covered with water portion you cannot experiment, how you can say what is there within? Has Darwin gone within the sea, layers, studied the bottom of the sea?

Śyāmasundara: Yes. Where it has become land. And you find that there are sea shells, sea animals, in the layer, in the next layer up more complex forms, in the next layer more complex forms...

Prabhupāda: I mean to say, but there is already sea. Has he gone down the sea and excavated the level of the sea, gone down?

Karandhara: Even if they discount...

Prabhupāda: That you do not know. That you do not know. Not that he knows. Because we cannot accept that. Nobody has said that they have excavated down the bottom of the sea. But you also said that bottom may be opened at one, some time. So unless it is opened, your experiment is insufficient.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Prabhupāda: That is not very difficult to understand. Just like when there is summer, every one of us experiences heat. When there is winter, every one of use experiences cold. Therefore we are part and parcel of the Supreme. When there is spring season, all the trees immediately become full of foliage. When there is winter season, all the foliage, all the leaves, they fall down. So therefore there is one (indistinct) and we are part and parcel of that. When there is winter season you cannot say that "I am not feeling cold." You cannot say that. (aside:) So you are not going?

Devotee: (indistinct) twelve o'clock.

Śyāmasundara: Earlier in his philosophy he said that there is only one language of terms which portray reality. In other words, there is only one definite set of language terms that portray reality.

Prabhupāda: That is brahma, brahma-sattva. Paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. That is reality.

Page Title:Very Difficult to Understand (Lectures)
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:22 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=140, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:140