Very sorry (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"very sorry"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

Forceful thing will not stand. Just like we advise, "Rise early in the morning." This is advised. Not that I have to force everyone. That will... Force, I may force one day, two days, but if one does not practice it, then simply force is useless. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa does not force anyone to leave this material world. We all conditioned souls, material world, we are under the influence of the material energy. Kṛṣṇa comes here to deliver us from these clutches of material energy, that "You are suffering so much..."

Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's son, directly. If the son is in difficulty, the father suffers also. Although father directly has no suffering... Suppose a son has become mad, or nowadays hippy. The father is very sorry that "My son is not living like a gentleman. He is living like a," what is called, "wretch." So father is not happy. Similarly, we conditioned souls in this material world, we are suffering so much, living like wretches and rascals. So Kṛṣṇa is not happy. Therefore He comes personally to teach us, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).

So when Kṛṣṇa comes, He comes in His original form. But unfortunately, we understand Kṛṣṇa as one of us. He is one of us because He is father, we are sons. One of us. But He is the chief. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is more powerful, the most powerful, supreme powerful. We have got little power. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa... We cannot be equal. Nobody can be equal with Kṛṣṇa, or God, or greater than Him. Everyone, under Kṛṣṇa. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Therefore everyone is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the only master. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the enjoyer only. I am the proprietor." Kṛṣṇa says. That is the fact. So we are changing our body, but Kṛṣṇa does not change. One should understand this. The proof is that Kṛṣṇa says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He remembers past, present and future.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

This kind of killing is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Not that general killing. You can capriciously kill anyone and give the evidence, "Oh, it is Bhagavad-gītā. It is there." How... See how rascals, they are interpreting. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without interpreting in a rascal's way.

So Kṛṣṇa says in two ways that "If you don't fight, then your enemies will blaspheme you." Avācya-vādāṁś ca vadiṣyanti bahūn. "They'll concoct, manufacture some blasphemy against you. You are becoming very much sorry to fight with your kinsmen. Undoubtedly you are very sorry. But if you are blasphemed, defamed by your enemies, better, before getting that, you better die in the fight. And dying, by dying, you are not loser. Because hato vā prāpsyasi svargam. Even if you die, don't think that you are loser, because immediately you are promoted to the heavenly planets. Because you are fighting for the right cause, it becomes puṇyavān, righteous. The heavenly planet is meant for righteous persons. So by dying, by your death in this righteous fighting, you'll be promoted to the heavenly planets. So both ways you will be profited." Hato vā prāpsyasi svargam and jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm. "And if you become victorious, then you enjoy the kingdom. So both ways you are profited. There is no loss on your part. Tasmāt, therefore uttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛta niścayaḥ. Kṛta niścayaḥ. Definitely decide it that: 'I must fight. Fighting must be there.' Yuddhāya. For matter of fighting, uttiṣṭha, get up. Why are you sitting like coward?" Encouraging.

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

And the prostitute sat down before him, and the Ṭhākura said, "Why you have come?" She disclosed her intention, that "You are such a nice young man, so I have come to embrace you." "Oh, very good. Very good. You sit down. You sit down and let me finish. Let me finish my chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, because I have got a vow for chanting so many. So it is now almost finished. But as soon as finished, we shall enjoy. Very good. You sit down." So by chanting, chanting, chanting, it became morning. Now, that prostitute became restless. "I am very sorry. Because I could not finish my chanting, therefore we could not enjoy life. All right. You come this evening, this night. We shall enjoy." So next also night she came in the same way and the same business, chanting. And he said, "Let me finish. Then I shall do."

Then in the three days, after three days the prostitute became wonderful and she fell down on his feet. "Sir, this is my intention. I was instructed by this man. So please excuse me and please save me from this nonsense business." Then Ṭhākura Haridāsa replied, "Yes, I could understand your intention and who has sent you. I knew everything. But because you have come to my shelter, I stayed here for three days just to convert you. Otherwise I would have gone the very same night from this place. So anyway, you have come to your senses. Now give up this nonsense business. Sit down here and you also chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare. I am going from this place." So that prostitute became a great devotee. She also. This is the touchstone. Touchstone. This is called ātma-rati. Ātma-rati.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

So this nature of material world is like that. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Chewing the chewed. You chew something, you throw it, and again somebody comes, chewing it. You see: punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Bhāgavata says that they are engaged with this material body and material activities. Just like you are changing, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), we are changing our body from one body to another. Similarly, as, with the change of my body my activities are also changed. The material is supplied by the material nature and my activities are different. In this way I am going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). But we cannot come to the conclusion that if there is any possibility for eternal life or eternal activity or no change, because you don't want change. Even at the time of death you are very sorry because you have to change the body. Even for changing one apartment for another apartment you are sorry. Therefore for a sannyāsī it is recommended that he should not live more than three days in a place. Because as soon as he lives more than three days, he'll get some attachment. Attachment. So he is forbidden. But at the present moment everything has changed. So bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. We are in the existence of changing, always transforming from one platform to another, one form to another, one business to another. But our nature is eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is, all this explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So how we can get that eternal life, eternal nature, eternal happiness, and eternal knowledge—the Bhagavad-gītā is meant for that purpose. If you are interested for eternity, then Bhagavad-gītā is very congenial.

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

The communist also says that everyone should work without expecting the result. The result will go to the government. Similarly, where the result will go? It is communist proposal? No. That will be explained later on. Kariṣye... (break) ...is it meaning that, tyaktvā karma-phala. No. Tyaktvā karma-phala means that you should give it to Kṛṣṇa. That is tyaktvā karma-phala.

So those who are devotees, although tyaktvā karma-phala, they are not touching the fruit, still, they are nitya-tṛptaḥ, very satisfied. The karmīs are dissatisfied, "So I worked so hard. Now I have to give up whatever I have earned?" He becomes very, very sorry. But who becomes nitya-tṛptaḥ? Working like this, without taking the result, still nitya-tṛptaḥ, very satisfied. That is devotion. That is devotee.

You will see these boys, these American, European boys... Also some of them are Indian. They are working day and night. They are getting money also. They are getting money also. They are making life members. They are selling some books. There is no scarcity of money. But they do not touch even a single paise. It is for Kṛṣṇa. And still, they are happy. This is tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgam. Asaṅga means no attachment. They are bringing money and giving to me. I spend it like anything. So this is tyaktvā karma-phala-āsaṅgaṁ nitya-tṛptaḥ, very much satisfied. "I have been able to collect so much and give it to Kṛṣṇa." This is their satisfaction. Tyaktvā karma-phala-āsaṅgaṁ nitya..., nirāśrayaḥ. Don't expect any profit, no dividend. As soon as there is dividend, immediately it is material. Immediately he'll be complicated. As so long there is no expectation of dividend, then he is pure devotee. This is the difference.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

They will take care of the temple and they will preach also. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is expanding by their help. I am alone, but they are helping me. They are my gurus. I am not their guru, (applause) because they are helping me in executing my Guru Mahārāja's order. So it is very nice combination that somebody is going to Australia, somebody is going to Fiji Island, somebody is going to Hong Kong, somebody is going to Czechoslovakia. And we are also negotiating to go to Russia also. There is chance of going to China also. We are attempting. We have already sent two boys to Pakistan—one in Dacca and one in Karachi. (applause)

So these boys, these American boys, are helping me. I am very sorry that no Indians are coming forward for this... Of course, there are some, but very few. They should come forward, younger generation of India, they should join this movement and spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. That is Indian's business. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This para-upakāra business, welfare activities to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, is the most important business at the present moment. It will unite everyone politically, socially, culturally, religiously, in every way. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the center. That's a fact. It is making progress. And if we endeavor more and more, it will make more and more progress.

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

The Dhruva Mahārāja, a small boy, five years old, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "Now I am so satisfied that I have nothing to ask from You." So one who sees, one who can perceive God, he has no more any demand because he's transcendental to all these material demands.

So long we are in the material sense, we are always dissatisfied. Na abhāvaḥ vidyate sataḥ, nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ, nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ. Asat. Asat means the circumstances which will not continue. Everything, any circumstances of this material world, is temporary. Suppose I am very happy. Oh. Then your happiness is temporary. Suppose you think or I think I am in very sorry plight, or I am in distress. That will also not exist for some time. Just like seasonal changes. So this, this is called duality. You are feeling happy or miserable, we are feeling cold and heat, everything duality. But these things are coming and going. So when one is in transcendental position, he is above this duality, he's in the absolute.

So in that absolute stage, if we want to go to that absolute stage, then this is the process. This is the process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, gradually, as we develop, so Kṛṣṇa is within everyone, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Paramātmā, He's seated in everyone's heart, and, as we become purified, as we become sincere, all dictation will come from within and He will show you the path which following you shall be happy and prosperous and, at the end, by quitting this body, you shall reach the supreme abode of Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual sky. These are, all these have been discussed in the last chapters, eighth chapter, seventh chapter.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

"Those who have taken birth as human being as Indian, on the land of Bhāratavarṣa, they should learn their spiritual asset and distribute it throughout the world for real welfare activity." This was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's indication. That was my Guru Mahārāja's indication. With that indication I tried, and somehow or other, it is coming to be successful. Now it is in your hand, you European and American young boys and girls. You take it seriously. From India they are coming, but I am very sorry to inform, they are not giving the real, not delivering the real culture. So we do not want to discuss that point. But now you are intelligent boys and girls. You have taken this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand more philosophically and distribute all over the world. That is my request. Otherwise the world is doomed. Without this spiritual knowledge, without God consciousness, the whole world is doomed. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Similarly, whatever propensities you have, that is result of God. If you can study yourself, that is called meditation, study yourself and you will find that you are sample of God. He is vibhu, God is great, and we are small. That is difference. Therefore our knowledge is imperfect. But God's knowledge is perfect, abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means fully conversant. He knows everything. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartmānāni bhaviṣyataḥ (BG 7.26). He knows past, present and future. Because He knows past and present, future of everything, He reminds you. Because God is the Supreme Father, He likes that all His sons, we are all His sons, we go back to Him, back to home, back to Godhead. Just like rich father, if his son comes out of home and suffers for want of so many things, the father becomes very sorry that "This rascal boy has gone out of home, he's suffering." So he wishes that "This boy, let him come back home. I have got sufficient means to provide him. Let him be happy." That is God's mission. That is natural affection of God. Not that because some of His sons are gone astray God is, God has become poorer. No. He can produce millions and trillions of sons by His desire. And why He's hankering after one son? That is His affection. That is His kindness.

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

So we are advancing in science, but at the same time, the so-called science, at the same time we are creating many disadvantages. Many disadvantages. From practical experience I say that when I came to your country... In India it is very difficult to get a telephone. You have to wait in the waiting list at least for two years or you have to bribe the authorities, say, five thousand, two thousand, like that. So when I got this facility of telephone... Because as soon as I deposited forty dollars... Forty dollars? The next day the telephone was in my room. So I was very glad. But after getting my telephone, I was disturbed always. (laughter) Some of my students asking, phoning me, (telephone sound) cling, cling, and "Swamiji, how you are feeling?" At twelve o'clock at night. (laughter). Yes. So I asked him, it is the time to inquire? I am very sorry. Not only one, I become so much disturbed. Then I asked them, get out this telephone. Yes.

So try to understand. The so-called facility of the modern science means creating so many difficulties also. That is the position. Just like formerly, a preacher could not come to your country, say, fifty years or a hundred years ago. So he was preaching within his limit. But we have got now facilities, so we are preaching everywhere. So from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can utilize all facilities in the proper channel. But not materially. Now, we are utilizing this facility of aeroplane; that means we are getting good chance for serving Kṛṣṇa. But others, materialists, they are getting this facility so that his child cannot recognize him. So we can take all facilities... So therefore we are actually utilizing the scientific improvements for the benefit of the people; the karmīs, they cannot. They are in difficulties, in the actually...

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

"Why you are crying?" "Oh, father, you do not know. You have been insulted by the king in this way, and I have cursed him." Oh, his father became astonished. "Oh, you have cursed Mahārāja Parīkṣit? Oh, you have done the greatest blunder. Oh, such a nice king. Depending on him, the subject, the citizens, are sleeping very peacefully. There is no danger. And you have cursed him?" Oh, he became very much sorry. And that description is there. Next day we shall explain how he was sorry. But after all, the cursing was already there.

So he sent information to the king that "My dear king, this accident is already done. So you prepare yourself for death." That information was given. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was also very sorry, that "I insulted a brāhmaṇa, which I should not have done," and he welcomed the cursing, that "It is good for me that I have been cursed, so that in future I shall not dare to act like that." He was such a nice king. Anyway, he was young man. He was not old man. He was within thirties. So immediately he entrusted the whole kingdom to his young boy, and he left home, left home and went to the Ganges side. The kingdom of Mahārāja Parīkṣit was supposed to be situated somewhere in New Delhi, and there is a river called Yamunā. So Yamunā, Ganges, practically it is coming out from the same source. And that is according to Jīva Gosvāmī. But Yamunā is supposed to be more sacred than the Ganges, because in the Yamunā Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed. So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that Mahārāja Parīkṣit went to the bank of the Ganges. But near New Delhi side there is no Ganges; there is Yamunā. So it is to be taken that he went to the side of the Yamunā. Anyway, the news spread all over the world that "The great king has been cursed, and he is going to die within seven days."

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

"Better I will have no independence; still, I shall not allow the country to be divided." He was stubborn on this point. But he was absent, and in the meantime our, the big Prime Minister signed it, agreed, partition because he wanted to be prime minister anyway, some way or other. "Let the country go to hell." This is politician, going on. Not...

Yudhiṣṭhira is not like that: "Let... Somehow or other, let me become King. Let so many people were killed. Never mind." No. He was so sorry, so sorry that he could not be solaced even by the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and saintly person like Vyāsadeva. He was so sorry. Of course, he accepted, but personally he was so very, very sorry, that "So many people have been killed for me." But what could be done? It was Kṛṣṇa's desire. Kṛṣṇa comes—paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8), His two business. So He wanted to establish the kingdom of His representative. He wanted that "Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is right representative. He should be enthroned on the kingdom of whole world." Formerly Bhāratavarṣa meant this whole planet, not this small tract of land. Now it is called India. But the Bhāratavarṣa means the whole planet, this planet. There was one flag. Up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit there was one flag, not like at present there are hundreds and thousands of flags. You Americans, you know. In New York, when we pass through that United Nation building, we see so many flags are there. They are united, but everywhere the flag is increasing, disunited. Not like that. Actually, by monarchy, the pious king, there was unity all over the world. All over the world. And in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra it was a family fight, so all the kings of different parts of the world, they joined this side or that side. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. So... But still, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira did not like that so many people would be killed for the sake of enthroning him, but Kṛṣṇa desired. Kṛṣṇa desired. Kṛṣṇa wanted it, that... Duryodhana, they were demonlike, simply making politics and diplomacy. Their only business was... Dhṛtarāṣṭra along with his sons, they were simply making diplomacy how to kill the Pāṇḍavas and catch over the kingdom. That was their policy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

This is marriage. Kanyā-dāna. According to Vedic system, kanyā, means daughter, is given in charity. To find out a suitable... Practically, I'll say, in our childhood age, my sisters were married between nine to twelve years. My eldest sister was married when she was nine years old, before my birth. She is the eldest. And my second sister was married at the age of twelve, twelve years. And my third sister was married at the age of 11 years. So by the (indistinct) 12 years, the marriage must be finished. That was the duty of the father. I remember, because my second sister was going twelve years, my mother said to my father that "I shall go to the river and commit suicide. The daughter is not married." (laughter) You see. The father was very sorry, "Yes, I am trying. What can I do?" (laughter) And then next generation, when my... I was also married man, you know. I was married when my wife was only eleven years old. And at the age of fourteen years she gave birth to first child. And next generation, when my eldest daughter was married at the age of sixteen years—it is little increased—but I was also very much upset that the daughter is sixteen years old.

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

That is the ways of this material nature. The ways of material nature is that you cannot remain in comfort. That is not possible. By laws of nature... Tri-tāpa-yatana, three kinds of miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, they must be there always. Just like I am your spiritual master. You have kept me very nicely, to your best capacity, but I am coughing. I am coughing. So even if we are situated in one kind of comfortable position, then another uncomfort will come and attack. That is called tri division. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Or there is no cough, or there is no trouble, but you receive on very unsatisfactory letter from a friend; you become very sorry. This is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the mind, pertaining to the body. Adhyātmika. Adhibhautika: troubles offered by other living entities; and adhidaivika, trouble offered by the higher authorities. Just like excessive heat. You cannot control. Excessive cold.

So in this material world we have to work very hard under these three kinds of miserable conditions of life, and we are actually doing that. Still, we are thinking that we are happy. And after all, after doing this, we have to change this body. That means death. We cannot avoid it. But still, we are thinking that we are happy, and we have no sense to try to understand actually what is the standard of happiness, where that happiness can be had, if it is possible. These things are understood and answered by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All-round. It is not one-sided, that we are thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa means thinking of everything, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. Without Kṛṣṇa, there is no other thing. Ahaṁ kṛtsnasya, what is that...? There is that verse? In the Seventh Chapter? Prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So Gāndhārī did it. Gāndhārī... In India still, marriage does not take by canvassing all of a sudden. The father and mother, especially in aristocratic family, royal family, even in Western countries, the father, mother select the husband or wife. Even in England, the Kind Edward VIII, he was intimately in friendship with a common girl. So the state would not allow him that "You can marry a common girl." So at that time the prime minister, one Mr. Baldwin, he said to him that "Either you have to give up the company of that common girl or you have to give up this empire." So out of sentiment, he gave up the empire. Later on he was very sorry. And his second brother, George VI, he... George VI means the father of the present Queen, Elizabeth. So still this is current in aristocratic family, that the husband and wife should be selected by the parents.

So Gāndhārī, she was the daughter of Afghanistan, Ghandahar. Still, the name is there Gandahar. Gandhar. Formerly the name was Gandhar. So Gāndhārī means the daughter of Gandhar country. So when she was informed that her would-be husband is a blind man—Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind from birth—so immediately she practiced austerity. Voluntarily she closed her eyes with cloth that she would also live as blind. "My husband would be blind.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So, although I'm not blind, I must live also as blind." This is the beginning of austerity, Gāndhārī. So Gāndhārī was so faithful, one of the most exalted chaste wife mentioned in the śāstras, Gāndhārī, that in all conditions she followed the husband. At last, when everything was finished in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, no Kaurava, none of the sons or grandsons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living, neither of the Pāṇḍavas, still, Gāndhārī was faithfully serving her husband. And Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living with the nephews, Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers. They were keeping the uncle very comfortably as elder uncle, all respect. But Vidura came there, and he criticized him, that "You have no shame. You all along remained enemy to your nephews. Now your nephews have killed all your descendants, and you are living here just like a dog. They are giving you some morsel of bread and you are eating and living here. You have no shame. You have become old." So he became very sorry: "My dear brother, what shall I do?" "Please come immediately along with me, and come to the forest." So Dhṛtarāṣṭra went according to the instruction of Vidura. Gāndhārī followed. Gāndhārī never said that "I am now old. I have lost my children. These nephews, they're taking care of me. Why shall I go with my husband?" No. She also went.

So there are many good qualities in Mahābhārata about Gāndhārī. Therefore she is described here as tapasvinī. Tapasvinī. Very chaste faithful wife. Ideal wife. Gāndhārī. Tapasvinī. So what is the purport? Read it.

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

Kṛṣṇa came as a devotee to teach how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa perfectly. Kṛṣṇa came. Just like sometimes my servant gives me massage. I say by giving his head massage, "Do like this." So I am not his servant, but I am teaching him. Similarly, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He is teaching perfectly how to approach Kṛṣṇa, how to serve Kṛṣṇa, The same principle. Kṛṣṇa said, "You surrender unto Me," and Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." So on principle there is no change. On principle there is no change.

So here Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, of all the followers of religious principle, he is the foremost, variṣṭhaḥ. So he was very sorry that "For my sake, for enthroning me, oh, so many people have given their lives." Not only his cousin-brothers, the soldiers... And, because at that time, five thousand years ago, these kings or the emperors of Hastināpura were ruling all over the world... This planet was called Bhārata-varṣa, the whole planet. Not this now, a small tract of land. The whole world was called Bhārata-varṣa. Formerly it was called Ilāvṛta-varṣa. Since the reign of Mahārāja Bharata, this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. So the Pāṇḍavas or the Kurus, they were the rulers of the world. As such, when there was fight between the two section of cousin-brothers, from all parts of the world, somebody joined this side, somebody joined that side. So I think in the Mahābhārata it is stated that sixty-four crores of men were killed, and many disappeared. Nobody knows about their whereabouts. So actually, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, he was so great, stalwart, foremost followers of religious principle. He was very, very sorry that "For my sake so many people let down their life." So he was not happy.

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

Guru-gaurāṅga: Arabians have this. It is called pala(?).

Prabhupāda: Śūla punishment. So when he was condemned to the śūla punishment, then the king heard that "Maṇḍūka Muni, the great sage, he is punished like that?" Immediately he stopped. "What is this nonsense that Maṇḍūka Muni has been punished? He is a great sage." So the king stopped the punishment and immediately came to see what has happened. Then he was immediately released. But he was very sorry, that "Why the judge Yamarāja punished him like that?" So he asked Yamarāja, "Why you have punished me like this?" "Now, in your childhood you pierced the rectum of an ant with a...," what is called?

Devotees: Pin, straw.

Prabhupāda: No, not straw. Prick, pricking?

Devotee: Pin.

Prabhupāda: Kāṇṭā, kāṇṭā. We say kāṇṭā, that pricks. What is called?

Devotees: Thorn.

Prabhupāda: Ah, thorn, yes. So therefore he was punished. Now just see. In his childhood he was playing with an ant, piercing the rectum with a thorn. That is also taken account, "All right. You will be punished." Just see how finer laws are there in nature. So the Maṇḍūka Muni did that. Therefore it was recorded he should be punished like that.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to depart from this planet, He wanted to take away all others also along with Him. So these are simply material, external causes. Actual fact is Kṛṣṇa, as He went away, He wanted to take all the associates under different pleas.

So it is explained in the Bhāgavatam that queens, the were they not actually... Nobody can touch them. Just like Sītā. Sītā was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa. How it is possible that Sītā can be kidnapped by a demon? No. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, that Lord Caitanya, He was a guest of a brāhmaṇa in South India. So He took His bath and came to the house of that brāhmaṇa, but the brāhmaṇa did not arrange for any cooking even. There was no food. He was very sorry. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, you invited Me, but I don't see even you have cooked. What is the reason?" "Oh, yes, I am going to cook immediately. The thing is, I am very sorry that Rāvaṇa, the demon, has taken away Sītā, and I could not rescue her still. So why shall I eat? I shall die." He was in the ecstasy of Hanumān, a devotee. He was thinking like Hanumān. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much liked that he is, in devotion and in ecstasy of Hanumān, he is thinking like that. So at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "So don't be sorry. Sītā, Lakṣmījī, she cannot be touched by Rāvaṇa. It was māyā Sītā, māyā Sītā. I will tell you. I will give you evidence from the śāstra." So brāhmaṇa believed Him because Caitanya... "Oh, she is there? Sītā was not taken? A māyā Sītā was taken?" "Yes." Then he become encouraged. He cooked and sufficiently gave Him food.

Lecture on SB Excerpt -- New York, March 7, 1975:

Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa seriously. The examples are there. Therefore Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and some envious person engaged some very beautiful prostitute to drag him. But she failed. Chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is so strong. At mid of night beautiful prostitute, young, she went to entice him. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "That's all right. Your proposal is very nice. Please sit down. Let me finish my rounds." (laughter) So she sat down, and morning, there was morning. So Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "My dear girl, I am very sorry. I could not finish. So this night we shall finish." In this way, after three nights, the prostitute fell down on his feets, "Sir, I came with this purpose. I was induced by such and such person. So I am offender. Please excuse me and give me your favor." So Haridāsa said, "Yes, I knew that. But because you came to me, I wanted to do something good for you. And therefore I stayed here for three nights just to convert you. Now you are so lucky. So whatever you have got, you distribute it to the brāhmaṇas, and you take one cloth and sit down here before the Tulasī tree and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Hmm?

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

Duration of life will reduce. Then dharma... There is no question. It is almost reduced. Nobody is interested in religion. The churches, temples are being closed, locked up. This was a church. Where we are sitting, this was a church, and it was sold, because nobody was coming. Similarly, we are purchasing in Australia a very big church. They are selling. In London I have seen many hundred of churches. Nobody is going there. Not only churches. In India also, except a few important temples, ordinary, small temples they are being closed. They have become habitation of the dogs. So dharma, religiosity, is reduced. And truthfulness. And kṣamā, forgiveness. That is also reduced. We are very sorry that one thing has happened. He was excused, but again he was shot dead. Just see. No forgiveness. Vengeance. Formerly, if somebody has done something wrong, the other party... Just like Arjuna, you see. Even in the battlefield, he was so much tortured by the other party. Still, he was, "Kṛṣṇa let them go. I don't want to kill them." Forgiveness. So even for a small interest, they will kill. This is going on. So satyam, śaucam, kṣamā, dayā, mercifulness. Even if you see in your front somebody is being killed, you will not take interest. No mercifulness. It is happening already.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

That is the system. But nowadays, in Kali-yuga, it will be simply liking. Liking means next moment disliking. That is a fact. You see. Liking has no value. As soon as you based on liking, then you expect next moment disliking. That's all.

And strītve puṁstve ca hi ratir vipratve sūtram eva hi. You know, the brāhmaṇas, they are offered sacred thread. So people will consider, "Now I have got sacred thread. I have become brāhmaṇa. I may act like the caṇḍāla. It doesn't matter." That is going on. We introduced this brahminical culture, but things are deteriorated. I am very sorry, that taking brahminical initiation, he is acting as a caṇḍāla, angry caṇḍāla. You see? So this is Kali-yuga. He does not understand that as brāhmaṇa he has got so responsibility. But because he has got the two-cent-worth sacred thread, he thinks now he has become brāhmaṇa. Vipratve. And strītve puṁstve ca hi ratir eva hi. And husband and wife, they will remain together because it was liking. And as soon as there will be sex difficulty, there will be disliking immediately.

Liṅgam eva āśrama-khyātau. Liṅgam eva. A dress simply. Taking white dress, a gṛhastha, he may do like anything. He is gṛhastha. No. There are so many duties. Taking a saffron cloth, he is sannyāsī. These are the... If we explain, it will take more, but these are the symptoms. Avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaṁ pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ. If you have no money, then you will never get justice in the court. This is Kali-yuga. Nowadays the high-court judges, they are taking bribe, to give you a favorable judgment. You can purchase judgment. So if you have no money, then don't go to court. To push good money after bad money. No. No. Avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaṁ pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974:

You have seen the President or not seen, it doesn't matter. The law will act. Similarly, you believe in God or do not believe in God. It doesn't matter. The God's order, the God's law, will work on. And for this purpose the material energy is there.

So here it is said... Yamarāja is inquiring the cow because she is very much threatened by the butcher. The butcher was ready to kill, and she was trembling. So Yamarāja is asking, kaccid bhadre anāmayam ātmanas te. Just like we would ask some friend or relative that "I think you are all right?" The same thing is being inquired. "Why you are appearing so much bereaved? What is the cause?" Ālakṣaye. "It appears that you are within very sorry." Ālakṣaye bhavatīm antar-ādhim. "Some distress within yourself." Dūre bandhuṁ śocasi. Because in this material world we are always distressed. It is not that we are happy. That is an illusion. That is not fact. We are always distressed. So there are three kinds of distresses: Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. Here it is inquired that bhavatīm antarādhim. Adhi. And antara means within the body or within the mind.

So, "Are you suffering some pains on account of your body or mind?" This is called adhyātmika. Adhyātmika means the body. The body and the mind. That's called adhyātmika. Adhibhautika, sufferings offered by other living entities. And adhidaivika. Adhidaivika means sufferings offered by the demigods. Just like famine, pestilence, earthquake. You have no hand. You may be a very big, big scientist, but when this trembling of the earth, "Oh, God save us, God save us, God save us." (laughter) Yes. Even that sputnik... Our scientist... Where is scientist? What is that, sputnik? They were asking, "God shall...?"

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

The same thing is explained here: vyavāyonmukha-jīva. Indriya-prītaye. Simply for sense gratification they are doing anything nonsense, as madman. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute yad indriya-prītaye. What is the aim? Aim is not self-realization. Aim is how to satisfy. "Never mind. Risk everything. Satisfy your senses." Therefore real civilization is to teach the children from the very beginning of life how to control senses. That is called brahmacārī. That is called brahmacārī life. To learn how to control the senses.

So everything is topsy-turvy and five thousand years ago or more than that, these things were being discussed, and people were very sorry that very bad days were to come. And still we can predict. There is no... It does not require very much advanced knowledge. In the śāstra it is stated what will be the later ages of Kali-yuga. That is also in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The beginning is already there. Anāvṛṣṭyā kara-pīḍitāḥ. One side there will be no rainfall. Now yesterday somebody was telling that in this California, the rainfall is now not so much. I think Jayatīrtha. So rainfall will be practically very, very little. Anāvṛṣṭi. And another difficulty will be kara-pīḍitāḥ. One side there will be famine, scarcity of food, no rainfall, and another side, there will be excessive taxation by the government. So people will be so much disturbed. Because you (indistinct) no food. You are... There is scarcity of rain, you cannot produce food. And at the same time, government will give some morsel of food and levy taxes. So durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9), disturbed, yāsyanti giri-kānanam, ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā yāsyanti giri-kānanam. Being disgusted, they will give up their family and children, separated, and they will go to the forest or the hills.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

He was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. The reason is that the king was in the forest, engaged in hunting, and when he became tired he went to the cottage of a sage and asked him for water. But the sage was absorbed in meditation, could not hear him, so Parīkṣit Mahārāja, being thirsty, became angry, and there was a dead snake. So he, out of negligence, he took the dead snake and wrapped over the neck of the meditating sage. This news was spread and his son, twelve years old only, he heard that his father was insulted. So immediately he cursed that this snake would bit him within seven days. So this news was brought, although the father, after his meditation was over, he was very..., he was sorry that such a great king has been cursed. So he was very, very sorry, but what can be done? The brāhmaṇa boy's curse must be effective. That because in those days brāhmaṇas, even by caste, was very, very strong in spiritual strength. So when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was informed that he was to die within seven days, he accepted the curse: "Yes, I was wrong to insult the sage." Otherwise, he could counteract. He was also very powerful. But he did not. So this is the history.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa personally comes to canvass. Because we are all Kṛṣṇa's children, He's very sorry that we are in this miserable condition of life. He's very sorry. But we are so fool, we do not know that what is the condition of our life. We are thinking we are very much happy. This is called māyā. He's suffering, he's kicked by the shoes of māyā every moment, and still, he's thinking "I am very happy. Why shall I go back to home? I shall remain in America." But you cannot be allowed to remain in America. You are thinking, "All right... You are born of a very rich family, a rich nation, you have got opulence. You have... Your roads and your houses are very nice, but who is going to allow you to live here? Why don't you think like that? You may live for fifty years, or sixty years, or utmost 100 years; then you'll be kicked out. But they do not know that life is eternal.

When I am kicked out, then what life I am going to accept? They are in oblivion. There is no education in the university. This is going on. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a boon to the human society. You should take it very seriously and utilize your human form of life to understand it and be happy. Thank you very much. (pause) Why not begin immediately?

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

We must think of Kṛṣṇa favorably. And that is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably.

Bhaktir uttamā, that is pure bhakti. So a person who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa haphazardly, namely that "By executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I'll be materially happy," He can be materially happy because... As Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10). His desire will be fulfilled. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to worship Kṛṣṇa in the forest with material desires, that "I may get the kingdom of my father or better kingdom." That was his determination. So he got it. But when he got it... By executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he was intelligent. He was very sorry that "What I have asked? This material happiness I have asked..." So when he actually saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, he was offered, "Now you take benediction as you desire." He was very sorry. He said, "My Lord, I have no other desire now. I have finished all my desires." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "I don't want any this, any kind of benediction. I have got You. I have no more necessity of any benediction."

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

Just like these Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand that this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa name is actually getting direct association with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī in Benares, He considered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a crazy fellow. Crazy fellow. Why? Now, because He was sannyāsī, and He was not reading Vedānta-sūtra. He was simply chanting and dancing. So some devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much praised Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at the, in the presence of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, and Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī became very angry, "Ah, don't talk of this rascal sannyāsī. He is a sannyāsī, He does not read Vedānta-sūtra, and in sentimental moods He chants and dances. Don't talk about Him. Better don't go there." So that devotee became very sorry, and he arranged a meeting between this Māyāvādī sannyāsī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Then, in the meeting... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was beautiful, very beautiful in His bodily features. So... It is summary I am speaking. So the Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī inquired from Him that "You are a sannyāsī. You do not engage Yourself in studying Vedānta-sūtra, but in sentiment, with some foolish devotees, You some chant and dance. What is this?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "My dear sir, My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a great fool number one." Guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71). "Therefore He has chastised Me." "What is that?" " 'You don't read Vedānta-sūtra. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.' He has ordered Me like that.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Vrndavana, October 25, 1976:

So these mahātmās, tyāgīs. Generally, they are sannyāsīs. And so far other mahātmās also, it does not mean only the sannyāsī can be mahātmā. No. Gṛhasthas also can be mahātmā. How gṛhasthas can be mahātmās, that is explained in the next verse: ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. His only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is... Otherwise, here it is said, jāyātmaja-rātimatsu gṛheṣu. He has no interest in so-called family life, wife, children, friends, and nationality. No. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. Only interest is how to please Kṛṣṇa. Such person, he is also mahātmā. Not that only the mahātmās who are renounced order. There are gṛhasthas also. Just like Advaita Ācārya, He was gṛhastha. He became very, very sorry that people are so much suffering. "It is not in My power to elevate them. Unless Kṛṣṇa personally comes, it is not possible." Therefore He offered to Lord Viṣṇu Gaṅgā-jāl, tulasī, praying, "Please come. People are very much suffering. So if You come..." And on His request Kṛṣṇa came in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So it is not that a gṛhastha cannot be mahātmā. There are many mahātmās.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

That should be the begging: "Hare Kṛṣṇa," means... Hare means "O the energy of God and Kṛṣṇa. O Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." This is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. It is simply praying, "O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, O Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa's energy, kindly engage me in Your service." That's all. Finished all business. This is Vaiṣṇava. So Vaiṣṇava has no necessity. He knows that "I have no necessity. My only business is to serve Kṛṣṇa." Therefore he is happy in all conditions.

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja is a Vaiṣṇava. From his childhood he is a Vaiṣṇava. So he has no unhappiness. But when he heard that so many sinful persons are going to the hell and they are suffering in this way, he became very sorry. That is Vaiṣṇava. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. He is unhappy by seeing others unhappy. He has personally no unhappiness, but he is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. All the Vaiṣṇava you will see. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tyaktvā su-dustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyaṁ, māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam (SB 11.5.34). Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in a very highly respectable brāhmaṇa family. He was personally very, very beautiful. His name is Gaurasundara. And very learned scholar. At the age of sixteen years He defeated a very learned scholar from Kashmir. So He was very influential. When He was twenty years old the Kazi broke the mṛdaṅga in saṅkīrtana. Kazi means the Mussulman magistrate.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

So narakāt naraḥ. We should always remember that if we commit some sinful activities there is punishment. That has been described in the previous chapter, Fifth Canto. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... That is Vaiṣṇava. Parīkṣit Mahārāja is Vaiṣṇava. He is very unhappy that so many living entities, they are rotting in this naraka, hellish condition of life. So he is asking,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga

yathaiva narakān naraḥ

nānogra-yātanān neyāt

tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"I am very sorry that so many living entities are suffering. So if there is any way to give them relief?" That is Vaiṣṇava. And avaiṣṇava sees another person is suffering; he doesn't care: "Let him suffer." We have come to that state. I heard from one of my disciples that here, in New York, if somebody is killed on the road, nobody will care. Is it a fact?

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

We are trying to create some very comfortable situation, but creating another uncomfortable situation. This is called māyā-su... This is the way of... If you do not be satisfied by the natural comforts offered by God, or nature, if you want to create artificial comfort, then you have to create another discomfort for counteracting. They do not know that. They are thinking that "We are creating very comfortable situation." Fifty miles going to the office. For earning livelihood, fifty miles, from one place to another. I saw in Hawaii. When Gaurasundara was working to maintain our temple, he was working. Unfortunately, he had to go fifty miles off from the temple to work for it. So I was very sorry to see how this boy is going fifty miles. How Kṛṣṇa will say? But Kṛṣṇa has given us chance. Now they haven't got to work.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "These vimūḍhān, these materialistic persons, these rascals..." He has exactly used this word, vimūḍhān. Mūḍha I have already explained several times in connection with Bhagavad-gītā. Mūḍha means rascals. And here Prahlāda Mahārāja uses another nice word with addition, "vi." Vimūḍhān. Vi means viśeṣa, "particularly." The vimūḍhān... Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahataḥ: "They have created unnecessary burden on their shoulder simply for temporary happiness." Temporary happiness. Therefore, in the Vedic civilization, a sannyāsa, renounced order of life, is recommended for prosecuting spiritual life absolutely without any anxiety. If one can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in family life, that's very good. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, magistrate. Still, he executed devotional service so nicely. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, they are, they were gṛhastha, householders, but they trained themselves in such a nice way that even householder, as a householder, there was no interruption. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have learned the art, how to remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta:

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

So how to do it? So Pārvatī, she was sent. She was young girl. And she was worshiping the genital of Lord Śiva. So a young girl, touching the genital, and she's present, but still Lord Śiva was in meditation. So Kālidāsa—here is the example of dhīra. He's called dhīra. In spite of presence of a young girl touching the genital, he's not, I mean to say, disturbed. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. You have heard the Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and somebody wanted to cut down. He was young man. So young prostitute was sent at dead of night. And he, she proposed... Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "Yes, it is very nice proposal. Please sit down. Let me finish my chanting, and I shall enjoy." So it became morning. The prostitute became, I mean to say, perturbed. And Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, "I am very sorry. I could not finish my chanting. Please come this night again." The first night, second night..., third night the prostitute fell down on his feet and said, "Sir, this was my intention. I was induced to do this act by some man who is your enemy. So kindly excuse me." So Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, "I knew that. But because you came to me, therefore I allowed you to come here, three days, so that you may be converted to be a devotee. So now take these chanting beads. You sit down. Go on chanting. I am leaving this place." Here is another dhīra.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

The living entity is everywhere. You can go anywhere. You can go to the higher planetary system, you can go to the lower planetary system, and you can go to the kingdom of God also in the spiritual world. Therefore the living entity's another name is sarva-gaḥ. He can go anywhere. If you like, you go to hell. If you like, you go to heaven. If you like, you go to God. If you like, you become animal. If you like, you can become demigod. Everything, fully. That little independence is there. As you like, Kṛṣṇa will give you facility.

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "My dear Arjuna, the Lord is situated in everyone's heart." Why He is situated there? Because He is the suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). We are sons of God. He is very sorry that unnecessarily we are wandering within this universe and suffering in different types of bodies, and this is going on. So īśvara, He is very well-wisher, friend. He is simply trying to turn His face towards you. That's it. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). He has given little freedom, so do whatever you like. But He is simply taking the chance, "When this rascal will turn towards Me?" That is His business. That is stated in the Vedic śāstra, that two birds are sitting in the same tree. One is eating the fruit and the other is simple witnessing. So the eating bird is the jīvātmā, individual soul, and the witness bird is God, Paramātmā. So He is giving us the facility. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna ti..., bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni (BG 18.61). You cannot, out of your own power, you can go to the higher planetary, lower planetary, anywhere. No. That is to be sanctioned by God. Bhrāmayan. I want to go here, there. He will give me facility. And what is the process? Now, yantra, a machine. Just like you have got the machine, aeroplane, you go from here to there, similarly, this is also a yantra, this is also a machine. The difference is that this is God-made machine or Yes, everything is God-made, and your machine is man-made. Here the machine is growing automatically, and your machine, each and every machine you have to manufacture in the factory. That is the difference. Both of them are machine, but this machine is God-made, and the other machine is man-made.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

So therefore this age, Kali-yuga, is the ocean of faulty things. Doṣa-nidhi. Nidhi means ocean. And you will find... Just like unfathomed water in the ocean, Pacific Ocean, similarly, this Kali-yuga is the ocean of unfathomed sinful activities. Kalau doṣa-nidhe. But Śukadeva Gosvāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, kalau doṣa-nidhe rājan hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In this age this ocean of faults, there is a very valuable thing. That is special concession to these fallen souls of this age. Because Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He is always anxious to deliver us. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmyaham (BG 4.7). He is father. He is the seed-giving father of all living entities. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, mamaivāṁśaḥ. So He is very unhappy. Of course, He cannot be unhappy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). But at least, because we are His sons and we are rotting in this material world for sense gratification, in this way He is very sorry. Therefore He comes and teaches us, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are going here and there? Just surrender unto Me. I will give you..." But still, the rascals will not take.

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

This birth takes place according to quality we acquire. Just like I was rebuking that toilet. This is so nasty, tamo-guṇa, and if I have no response to such tamo-guṇa place, that means I am also of that quality. Just like fire and fire, there is no reaction, but in fire and water there is reaction. Between fire and fire there is no reaction, but fire and water there is reaction. Similarly, sattva-guṇa—sattva-guṇa, there is no reaction. Tamo-guṇa—tamo-guṇa there is no reaction. It is... In English it is called incompatible. When different qualities, there is reaction, chemical reaction, acid and alkaline. Acid and acid, you mix; there is no reaction. But acid and alkaline, if you mix, there will be effervescence immediately. So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). If one is developing tamo-guṇa, then, if he becomes, he becomes a pig next life, there is no reaction. He'll be very glad that "I am pig," "I am dog." There is no reaction. But if one is sattva-guṇa, then he cannot tolerate. Immediately obnoxious: "Oh, such a nasty condition." So I am very sorry there was no reaction in such nasty toilet room. And you are getting sacred thread, the quality of brāhmaṇa, sattva-guṇa. It is very regrettable. Nobody reacted.

Lecture on SB 7.9.55 -- Vrndavana, April 10, 1976:

"Oh, I was thinking if I could get some nice things, I could prepare and invite Sanātana Gosvāmī." So he was very glad to receive those articles and invited Sanātana Gosvāmī and prepared so many nice foodstuff and offered to the Deity, and Sanātana Gosvāmī was given the prasādam. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was very pleased, and he inquired, "Rūpa Gosvāmī, where you got these nice things? You are living in this... How you could receive all these things?" "Yes, my dear brother, I was just thinking in the morning. In the meantime a very nice young girl came and offered so many things, so I could..." "So what is that? Who is that young girl in this forest? So how She was looking?" "Oh, she was very, very beautiful." "Oh, Rādhārāṇī. Oh." So he was very sorry. "You have taken service from Rādhārāṇī? Oh, you have done very wrong. We are trying to serve Rādhārāṇī, and you have taken service from Rādhārāṇī?" He rebuked him. This is pure service. They are avoiding to take service from Kṛṣṇa-Rādhārāṇī. And Kṛṣṇa-Rādhārāṇī was finding out the opportunity how to serve the devotee.

This is the competition between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. Kṛṣṇa wants to give everything to the devotee. He wants to see that "My devotee is very comfortable." Just like the father wants to see the children are very comfortable. So why the devotees should be hankering after something material? No. Kasmād bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadāndhān (SB 2.2.5). Śukadeva Gosvāmī said. Why we should go to the puffed-up rich men for begging something? Kṛṣṇa will arrange for everything. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You do not try to preach for getting some money. Money will come automatically. On your feet money will say, 'Please accept me.' " You should preach very sincerely. That is your business. Never bother that "Where is money? Where is money, money, money?" Money... Muktir mukulitāñjaliḥ sevate asmān dharmārtha-kāma samaya pratīkṣāḥ. This is a statement of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

Why they were pious? Because they were also governed. The kings were governed by first-class brāhmaṇas, sages. The brāhmaṇas should not take part in the management of the government, but they would advise the kṣatriya kings that "You rule over the citizens like this." If the king would not do that, the brāhmaṇas had so much power—there are many instances—they will dethrone the king or kill him. But they will not occupy the power themselves. His son will be given the chance. This was the system.

So that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was condemned to death within seven days. That is also very nice, interesting. Not interesting very much. It is very sorry plight, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days, bitten by a snake. What was the incident? The incident was that Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the forest, hunting. Hunting is allowed only to the kṣatriya kings. Because they were to rule over, and formerly the rogues and rascals by the order of king or king himself would kill him immediately. So they had to practice how to kill. And that practice was done by hunting some ferocious animal in the forest, not for eating. Nowadays hunting is going on for eating purpose. No, that is not the law. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the hunting excursion and he became very thirsty. So he entered one āśrama of saintly person. He was at that time on meditation. So he entered, and he asked him, "Give me drinking water. I am very thirsty." He thought, "It is āśrama." But the sage who was engaged in meditation could not hear him. So the king became little disgusted that "I am king. I am asking water, and this man is silent." So he became little enraged, and there was a dead snake. So he took that snake and coiled over his neck and went away.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

So his one boy, he was ten, twelve years old. He was playing, and his friends told him that, "The king has insulted your father in this way." And the boy became very angry, "Oh, the king is so rude that he has insulted my father." He saw that a dead snake is over his neck. He immediately cursed Mahārāja Parīkṣit that "You will die within seven days, bitten by a snake." So when he was crying very loudly and this, I mean to say, sound was going on, the saintly person, the sage, he got up. "What has happened, my dear boy, you are crying?" "No, no! The king has insulted you, so I have cursed him." Oh, he became very sorry that "You have cursed such a saintly king? Oh, you have brought defamation to the whole brāhmaṇa community. You have allowed Kali-yuga to come in. It is the Kali-yuga's conspiracy." Anyway he sent the news to the king that "My son foolishly has cursed you. This is... But what can I do? It is God's wish. It has been done. So you be prepared." Now, just see, even a boy born of a brāhmaṇa, how much he was powerful. If a ten years old, he could curse such a great king and he had to abide by that. This was the condition of kṣatriya, brāhmaṇa, and vaiśya and śūdra.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

"I know that You avoid the association. Still, I am requesting You. If You kindly accept this request."

Prabhu hāsi' nimantraṇa kaila aṅgīkāra. Now there were two incidences. One incidences, one incident is that His two devotees were very sorry because the other party was criticizing Him. And the meantime, another brāhmaṇa came to invite Him. So it was coincidence. Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought that this is an opportunity to meet the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and to talk with him, to talk with them, how they criticized the personalists.

prabhu hāsi' nimantraṇa kaila aṅgīkāra

sannyāsīre kṛpā lāgi' e bhaṅgī tāṅhāra

So although previously He did not associate with the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, still, to please His devotees, who were very sorry to hear the criticism, He accepted the invitation so that He could meet them and talk with them.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

Now these are some of the stages explained, and each item is very important. Sveda: when actually one comes to the perfectional stage of emotion, there is perspiration, perspiration from the body, sveda. Kampa: there is shaking of the body, like this. Yes. Shaking of the body. Romāñca: the hairs stands on the holes, romāñca. Gadgada: he fails to speak. He cannot express his words exactly. Vaivarṇya: there is sometimes paleness of the body. Unmāda: just like a madman. Viṣāda: he becomes morose, very sorry, viṣāda. Dhairya: and calm and quiet. Then garva: he becomes pride, sometimes just like a chivalrous man, pride, proud. Harṣa: ecstasy. And dainya: and humble, humbleness. So these are the symptoms of perfection. So sometimes they imitate. So imitation is no good. It will come. When you are in perfectional stage, these symptoms will automatically come.

eta bhāve premā bhaktagaṇere nācāya

kṛṣṇera ānandāmṛta-sāgare bhāsāya

"All these symptoms means that he is floating in the transcendental ocean of joy, of loving Kṛṣṇa." That is the actual experience of love. Just like you love somebody, when he comes, meets you, embrace you, oh, you have got some, a particular emotion, similarly, these emotions means that you are in the perfectional stage of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101 -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

They are called maṇḍala-pati. One who has control over many people, he is called maṇḍala-pati. So who will have control unless he is a very big man? So about these Gosvāmīs it is said, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up such position, exalted position, tucchavat, "Eh. Insignificant. What is this?" There is no meaning of this. He was not madman, but he gave up. He understood that these exalted posts... They are hankering after, they are trying to capture the big, big post, materialistic persons, laboring so hard, spending so much money. And he already possessed that position, and out of his own, or the inspiration by Kṛṣṇa, he resigned it. The master, the Nawab Shah, was unwilling to give him release. He became very, very sorry, that "If Sanātana Gosvāmī resigns, then my empire will be ruined. I was so confident that he is managing. Now he's going to resign, the whole responsibility will be mine." So he became very much disturbed. He arrested him, "No, you cannot resign, then I'll keep you arrested." So many things happened. But still he resigned and he came to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

So by Kṛṣṇa's grace, somebody, a nice girl, a very beautiful girl, and She brought all these things." "Who?" He began to state about the girl's beauty. Then Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "Oh, I have never seen such beautiful girl. How...?" "Yes, I have also never seen." "Ohhh. Then She must be Rādhārāṇī. She must be Rādhā. You have taken service from Rādhārāṇī? Ohhh. You have murdered me. We don't want to take any service from Kṛṣṇa, and He has taken the opportunity, sent us... We want to simply give our service, not any exchange. Oh, you have done a great mistake. Rādhārāṇī has taken this opportunity." So he began to cry that "We have taken service from Kṛṣṇa. We have given Her trouble." This is pure devotee. They were very sorry that "Kṛṣṇa was troubled to send me all these goods."

So this is the process. Kṛṣṇa is also finding always opportunity, "How to serve My pure devotee?" And pure devotee's so clever that he won't accept any service from Kṛṣṇa. Just like the Arjuna, he never said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are God. Why You are putting me to war indirectly? You can give me everything." Kṛṣṇa said, "No." He never said that, Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa said, niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ: "You are kṣatriya. You have to fight." He never said. So we should not take God as order-supplier. That is not devotion. That is mercantile business. Kṛṣṇa is not going to be a lover by mercantile mentality. You are, you must give Him service. Ābhajet tam. This is the process of devotion.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.146-151 -- New York, December 3, 1966:

You are person. I accept it." I do not know why these fools explain, from Bhagavad-gītā, impersonalism. Where is the chance of explaining impersonal about conception of God from Bhagavad-gītā? Now, how they can surpass the speaker and the student? The student is Arjuna. He is accepting that "You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." And the speaker, Kṛṣṇa, He is also establishing Himself that "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Now, wherefrom these fools take impersonal idea, I do not know. How they can? There is no chance. But still, they will poke their nose in that way. It is very sorry plight. You see? They are simply misleading persons.

So God is person. God, so far Vedic literature is concerned, God is person and accepted by the ācāryas. We have to follow the ācāryas; otherwise we cannot... Our own interpretation, our own tiny brain, cannot conceive. We have to follow. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Śrī Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, and from Arjuna there are paramparā. There are disciplic succession. We have to follow that way. Now, here Lord Caitanya, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, still, He is in that paramparā, in that disciplic succession. He says that "In order to understand Kṛṣṇa, you have to study His energies. He is person. His energies are impersonal." In Śrīmad-Bhāgavata also it is said,

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

"The Absolute Truth, those who know about Absolute Truth, they say..." Śrīmad-Bhāgavata describes about the Absolute, vadanti tat tattva-vidaḥ. Tattva-vidaḥ means "those who are in the knowledge about the Absolute Truth." Vadanti tat: "They describe that thing as Absolute Truth." What is that? Advaya-jñāna: "There is no duality of knowledge." That is Absolute Truth. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yad advaya-jñānam (SB 1.2.11).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Rāmacandra accepted one wife. He accepted sixteen thousand wives.

So Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is above everything. No rules and regulation. He cannot do anything wrong. He is not under the jurisdiction of any law. Therefore Kṛṣṇa manifested the full power of the Supreme Lord. And other incarnations, although they came, they came for the time being to perform a certain particular purpose, but they did not manifest the full power of God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). It is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the Supreme Personality, original Personality of Godhead. He is nobody's under control. Even He was not controlled by His supreme lover Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is considered... The gopīs are considered the topmost lover of Kṛṣṇa. But when Kṛṣṇa decided to leave Vṛndāvana, oh, they began to cry. They blocked the way. Kṛṣṇa didn't care, went away. Went away. He didn't care even. So much dear Rādhārāṇī. They became blind, crying, crying, crying, crying, whole life. But Kṛṣṇa never returned. Never returned. He sent His message, He sent His letter, that "I am very sorry, but..." That is God. He is not controlled by anything. Anything. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So,

brahmā, śiva-ājñā-kārī bhakta-avatāra

pālanārthe viṣṇu-kṛṣṇera svarūpa-ākāra

Therefore all demigods, including Śiva, Brahmā and everyone, they are only order-carrying servants. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you will find one passage, that "Only master is Kṛṣṇa, and everyone—never mind what he is—is servant, is servant."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.337-353 -- New York, December 25, 1966:

This is a śloka, verse, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with conversation with Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and, when the description of this Kali-yuga was given, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became very sorry that, because he was a pious king, he was thinking always of the welfare of the citizens. So when he heard about the description of the Kali-yuga, he was very much disturbed in his mind. Although he was going to die, still he was so compassionate: "Oh, in the age of Kali, the people will suffer so much."

So, when he was so sorry, so Śukadeva Gosvāmī encouraged him, "Mahārāja, don't be sorry. There is very nice process in the Kali-yuga. In the midst of so many difficulties of this age, there is one boon, and that boon is one can become liberated from this material entanglement altogether simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma..." Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. It was especially mentioned, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51), simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one can become... This is the greatest boon in this age. Although there are so many difficulties, full of miseries, increase in the greatest volume... The world is, material world is miserable. Just like cold season, this winter season, today we are feeling most inconvenienced. Similarly, this material world is always miserable. But still, in this age it is most miserable, in this age of Kali. But the boon is, the first-class boon is that even there are so many miserable conditions, in the midst of all those disadvantages, one can become free from all contamination simply by kṛṣṇa..., kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Simply by this.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

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

Those who are trying to catch up here something, catch up here something, they have been described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu as khara jati abata (?). Khara jati abata. The kha... One, one of the devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Mukunda, he was very, mean, confidential devotee. His class friend also, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. So he was going sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes here, sometimes there. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very angry upon him, and gave him the title khara jati abata. Khara jati abata: "Don't allow him to come here." He became so strict. So he was very sorry. "Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said not to come in His meeting." So he was asking other devotees that "I shall not be allowed?" So, "We can..., how we can allow you? Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden." "So will you ask if there will be any time so that I can again come back?" So some devotee inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Mukunda is very sorry. You asked not to come. But he's asking whether there will be any day in future when he'll be allowed to come again." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "After three thousands of births. After three thousands of births, he'll be allowed to come in." So when Mukunda inquired, "Did you inquire from Caitanya Mahāprabhu this question?" he said, "Yes, but He has said after your three thousands of repeated births, you'll be allowed." So he began to dance. He began to dance. "Oh, then I'll be allowed some day. Never mind, three thousand births. Never mind three thousand births." So when this, this, this was informed to Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "He's dancing now because You have, You'll allow him to come in after three thousands of births," so Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very pleased and asked him to bring him immediately. (laughter)

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

Sāṅi Hindu center you have heard from Mukunda? The Sāṅi is there still. So there are thirteen pseudo pretenders belonging to the Caitanya-sampradāya. They are called first Āula, Bāula, Karttābhajā, Neḍā, Daraveṣa, Sāṅi, Sakhībhekī, Gaurāṅga-nagarī, Cūḍādhārī, Ativāḍī, and Smārta, Jāta-gosāñi. Like that, thirteen.

So if I describe these thirteen, it will take thirteen hours. So I don't describe all them. But one or two must be described. The most important is the Jāta-gosāñi. Jāti-gosāñi. They created a caste of gosvāmīns, just like they created a caste of brāhmaṇas, a caste of gosvāmīns. So this gosvāmī will come by hereditary birth, just like brāhmaṇa. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was very sorry to see the condition of the society. So these gosvāmīns... The original history of gosvāmī is the six Gosvāmīns. Now, out of the six Gosvāmīns, none of them were priestly class. So far Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were great politicians, prime minister, a finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. So... And similarly, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was a big zamindar. His father is... Zamindar means landholder. During British period... No, at that time not British period, Mohammedan period. They distributed land among some, I think, in the Western countries bourgeois (pronounces "boor zhwa") they call? Bourgeois? Or in England, the landholders, what they are called?

General Lectures

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

Brahma-bhūtaḥ means as soon as you come to the platform of your spiritual understanding, then immediately you get free from all material anxieties. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. You are no more hankering after any profit, neither you are very sorry when there is a great loss. Then you can see everyone on the equal level, and then your relationship or your lost relationship is again established with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then your real life begins.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to begin our real life, and to get free from this temporary life, changing from one body to another. So this is very important movement. Try to understand this movement. We have got magazine, Back to Godhead. We have got publication, we have got our branches in several places in your country. We have got here one branch in the 95 Glenville Avenue. So we invite you that you come. You have no expenditure. We simply request you that you come. You try to understand this movement. It is very scientific movement. It is not a bogus, bluffing. You try to understand with all your arguments, reason, logic, and whatever way you want to understand, we are prepared to answer you. So this is for your benefit. It is not an institution to make some profit. It is just to render service to the whole humanity so that they may understand the scientific knowledge of God and be benefited in this human form of life. That is our program(?), and we present this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement before you. Now it depends up to you to accept it or not.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

Out of this human form of life, more than fifty percent, they are uncivilized, and maybe twenty-five percent of the human beings, they are civilized. And out of them, maybe ten percent are believing in God, following religious principles. In this way the whole thing is being reduced. So in the Bhāgavata it is said that not only they are living for short duration of life, they are not intelligent enough that this human form of life is meant for God-realization. Now, especially nowadays amongst the educated circles, they inquire, "What is God? What is God?" You see. But apart from your country or Western countries, in... I have met in many, many large gatherings of universities. Especially, I am very sorry to say, many Indian students ask me that "What is God?" Now, India is supposed to be the place where God descends as Lord Kṛṣṇa, as Lord Rāmacandra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So it is very surprising that Indian students are asking, "What is God?" So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact. And the Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam: "A man is supposed to be defeated in all his activities if he does not inquire what he is." This statement is also in Bible, you know, that "If one loses his own self and he gains all material prosperity, what does he gain?" Actually, this is the fact.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 27, 1975:

Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is explained, ahaituky apratihatā yenātmā samprasīdati.

So I am very much pleased. I will not take much time. The ārātik time is now. You do not be disappointed by the activities of some envious person. Bhāgavata-dharma is meant for the nonenvious person. Paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). Nirmatsara. Anyone who is contaminated by envy, he cannot become Vaiṣṇava. He may be a envious animal, but Vaiṣṇava is paramahaṁsa, paramo nirmatsarāṇām. He is not envious. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava, para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "My Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, I have no problems." Naivodvije para duratyayā-vaitaraṇyāḥ tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ (SB 7.9.43). "Personally, I have no problem. But I am sorry, very sorry because..." Tato vimukha-cetasa: "Those who are bereft of Your devotional service, for them I am sorry." So Vaiṣṇava is sorry for others' difficulties. Otherwise Vaiṣṇava has no difficulty. He is aprākṛta. So,

māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi-

bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyā...

(BG 14.26)

He is on the Brahman platform. He is not on the material platform. Material platform means I am envious of you; you are envious of me. This is material platform. So as soon as one becomes envious of something, he is on the material platform. He is not Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is on the spiritual platform. He is udāra, para-duḥkha-duḥkhī, as Prahlāda Mahārāja... Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). The materialistic persons are described as vimūḍhān, fools, rascals. They do not know. And the Vaiṣṇava platform is not vimūḍhān. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. That is described.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

This is the question by Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was the father of the Kurus, and the Pāṇḍavas were the five brothers, the sons of the younger brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Mahārāja Pāṇḍu. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind, born blind. Actually he was to inherit—the eldest son of the family. But on account of his blindness the throne was given to his younger brother, Pāṇḍu. So the sons of Pāṇḍu is known as Pāṇḍavas, and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra are known as Kurus or Dhṛtarāṣṭra. So after all, politics, it is always very intriguing in all times. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra was very sorry that he could not become the emperor. At least his son should be. Because he was blind, that's all, but his sons were not blind. So naturally father wants... So this is the whole history of Mahābhārata, intriguing, politics, and ultimately there was fight between the two parties, Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, to decide. By logic, by morality and other things, everything failed. Then there was declaration of war. The Bhagavad-gītā is spoken in that warfield.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- Mexico City, February 18, 1975:

"Anyone who surrenders unto Me he gets out of the control of māyā." We are, therefore, preaching all over the world Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, and teaching them how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and thus get out of the clutches of māyā. We have no other desire or ambition besides this. We plainly say, "Here is God. You surrender unto Him. You always think of Him, offer your obeisances. Then your life will be successful." But the people in general, they are exactly madmen. Simply for sense gratification, they are working so hard day and night.

So devotees are very sorry to see their plight. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am very sorry for these persons." Who are they? Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). These rascals, vimūḍhan, they have created a civilization, gorgeous civilization. What is that? Just like in your country especially, a gorgeous truck for sweeping. The business is sweeping, and for that they have manufactured a gorgeous truck: "Gut, gut, gut, gut, gut, gut, gut." The sweeping can be done in hand. There are so many men. But they are loitering in the street, and a huge truck is required for sweeping. It is creating huge sound, and it is very dangerous also, but they are thinking, "This is advancement of civilization." Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, māyā-sukhāya. Just to get relief from sweeping... There is no relief; they have got other troubles. But they are thinking, "Now we haven't got to sweep. It is a great relief." Similarly, a simple razor can be used for shaving, and they have got so many machines and, to manufacture the machines, so many factories. So in this way if we study, item by item, this kind of civilization is called demonic civilization. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means ferocious activities.