Vision (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"vision" |"visionary" |"visioned" |"visions"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

So material nature is the mother and God is the father. And we are exhibited in so many forms, 8,400,000's of forms. So one who has understood this truth, that God is father, he no more looks, "Ah, this is cat," "This is dog," "This is cow," "This is black," "This is white," "This is Chinese," "This is American." No. That is universal brotherhood: "Oh, they are my brothers." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. No more enmity. "They are all my brothers." Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. With everyone he sees on the equal level, for "They are spiritual part, part and parcel of my father." This vision makes one advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is fact. This is realization. This is universal brotherhood. Everything this is, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

This is the study, how things appear. It is appearing from intelligence, mind. The soul is there and the intelligence and mind creating the situation of the bodily symptoms. Therefore body or the senses are not all. The modern education, they think this body is everything. No. Real study is body means the senses. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. On gross vision we see this body. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). But the bodily symptoms are acting because the mind is there. And mind is working because the intelligence is there. And the intelligence is working because the soul is there. (aside:) You can stand.

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

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

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

Paṇḍita, one who is learned, he is sama-darśinaḥ, equal vision. Not that... Just Kṛṣṇa has equal vision... That picture, Kṛṣṇa, He's embracing the calf. He is not only embracing the gopīs, but He is embracing the calf also, cows also. Sama-darśinaḥ. For Kṛṣṇa the gopīs, the calf and the cows or anyone in Vṛndāvana who has come to serve Him, they are all equal to Him. Somebody wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as calf, somebody wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as cow, somebody wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as gopī, somebody wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as cowherd boy, somebody wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as His father, somebody wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as His mother. These are the different mellows, different tastes. Every living entity has got his own taste, how to love Kṛṣṇa. But the central point is to love Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also reciprocates. He has no discrimination that "Here is gopī, beautiful girl. Therefore I shall love her more than the calf." No.

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

That is the dimension. In śāstra we get the dimension of the soul—very, very minute: 1/10,000th part of the top of the hair. Just imagine. So that portion is within the ant and within Brahma and within elephant. Therefore, one who is paṇḍita, one who knows what are these souls, spiritual sparks, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, if he has got full knowledge, then his vision is

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmane gavi-hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāh sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

Sama-darśinaḥ means equal vision. A learned brāhmaṇa, he is most intelligent man in the human society, and a dog... Superficially, externally, there is much difference. Here is a dog, a street dog, and here is a learned brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

By his karma, he has become a learned paṇḍita, and by his karma, he has become a dog. But within the different body, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, in this body there is the soul. That is his vision. Of course, externally, it is not that I shall behave equally with the brāhmaṇa and the dog. That is external behavior. But internally, we should know that both the brāhmaṇa and the dog, they're a spiritual spark. This is called brahma-jñāna. Brahma-jñāna means the knowledge of spiritual self. That is called brahma-jñāna. So when one attains this brahma-jñāna, then brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). Samatā, equal. That is brahma-jñāna.

Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:

And the outward compound, there are many flower trees. Not only that, He also expanded Himself into sixteen thousand expansion, personal expansion. And He was living in that way with each and every wife. So it is not very difficult task for God. (devotees offer obeisances) God is said to be situated everywhere. So within our vision, if He is situated in sixteen thousand homes, what is the difficulty for Him?

So here it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. The most powerful authority is speaking. Therefore, whatever He says, it is to be taken as truth. In our this conditional life, just like we are living under material condition, we have got four defects: we commit mistake, we are illusioned, and we want to cheat also, and our senses are imperfect. So knowledge received from a person who is infected with four kinds of deficiencies is not perfect. So when you receive knowledge from a person who is transcendental to all these four kinds of defects, that is perfect knowledge.

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

Therefore it is the duty of the vaiśyas to produce food grain. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Annād. In the society, if you have got sufficient anna, both the animals and the man, they will be happy. These are the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, everything practical. If we follow Bhagavad-gītā from all angles of vision—social, political, economical, religious, cultural—you will be perfect. This is Bhagavad-gītā. We are therefore taken up this mission, to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is to solve all the problems of the world. That is Aryan civilization. Aryan civilization means following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

What people will say? So give up this weakness of the heart and uttiṣṭha, stand up, take courage." So just see how Kṛṣṇa is inducing Arjuna to fight. People are very much ignorant and they sometimes criticize that "Kṛṣṇa is exciting Arjuna. He is very gentleman, nonviolent, and Kṛṣṇa is exciting him to fight." This is called jaḍa-darśana. Jaḍa-darśana. Jaḍa-darśana means material vision. Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. We become in touch with Kṛṣṇa by chanting His name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of our connection with Kṛṣṇa. Nāmādi. So śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Ādi means beginning.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

Whatever He is doing... God is good, He is all-good. We should accept it. Whatever He is doing, that is all-good. This is one side. And whatever I am doing without authority's order, this is all bad. He does not require any order from anyone else. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is the supreme controller. He does not require anyone's instruction. Whatever He does, it is perfect. This is Kṛṣṇa understanding. And not that I have to study Kṛṣṇa in my own way. Kṛṣṇa is not subjected to your examination or your test. He is above all. He is transcendent. Therefore those who have not the transcendental vision, they misunderstand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

And amongst the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost. Therefore Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is greater than Kṛṣṇa.

So this is Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava philosophy. It requires time. So the activities of Kṛṣṇa, the rascals, if they simply see that "Kṛṣṇa is enticing Arjuna to fight; therefore Kṛṣṇa is immoral," that is, means wrong vision. You have to see Kṛṣṇa with separate eyes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ ca. Divyam (BG 4.9). These transcendental activities of Kṛṣṇa, if anyone can understand, simply if anyone can understand, then he becomes liberated immediately. Liberated. Not liberated ordinary liberation, but for going back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). The greatest liberation. There are different types of liberation also. Sāyujya sārūpya sārṣṭi sālokya sāyujya... (CC Madhya 6.266). Five kinds of liberation.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, we do not take. But we, according to our Vedic information, this is only one universe, which is within our vision, this sky, the dome. That is one universe. The other universes are outside this universe. That is the Vedic information.

Devotee: Are there any other questions?

Man (3): Each of us have come here tonight sort of looking for a bit of a miracle or a bit of a statement that can stamp us, to hold us, to illuminate us. (devotees laugh) Now, you travel in a spirit. Can you tell us the wonderful feeling of enlightenment to enter this spirit? We don't know how to exactly enter this spirit and travel as you travel.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

He. That means this aham, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. And na tvam: "And you." That means Arjuna. And na ime janādhipāḥ: "Neither all these kings." He's dividing the whole audience into three: "Myself, yourself and they." And again He confirms it, sarve: "all." He never identifies into one. So this is the version of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Now, if I say that our interpretation of aham, I, myself, yourself, and he, or she, different vision, this is due to our ignorance. You can say. Because I am ignorant, it may be my mistake, that I see differently from you. But Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, cannot see like that. He is above all this ignorance because He's all-perfect. And we have already defined that the Supreme Lord is full of knowledge. So... He's full of knowledge, supreme knowledge. Now, if the Supreme Personality, with full knowledge... He cannot commit any mistake.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Now, now I have already explained that because Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because He has got clear vision, and because He has full knowledge, He cannot give us misdirection. And what is given, that is perfect. So we have to believe that in future, even after liberation... Now, one thing we must also explain—the liberation, the conception of liberation. So there are different, five kinds of liberation. One of them, liberation, is to become one with the Lord, one with the Supreme. That is called sāyujya-mukti, to merge into the existence of, of the Supreme. That is also another. That is one of the five liberations. That is not the only liberation. That means we all individual beings, we are individual constitutionally.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Because we can see only material things, gross things, but we cannot see but we can perceive the finer materials. So the finer materials, the mind, intelligence, and egotism, and still finer is the soul. Try to understand. There is soul, but because we have got no vision to see, we think... The so-called scientists, philosophers, they are under conclusion that there is no soul, this is only body, that's all. This is the disease of this present material world. They are... They have no knowledge practically what is the basic principle of this life, and still they are passing on as scientists, philosophers, religionists, yogis, swamis, but they have no knowledge—clear conception of the soul—they have no knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

Indian: ...gavad-gītā that the ātmā and jīvātmā is the same vision, and Brahman or Para-brahman is the same. And in knowledge of soul truth, the ātmā is the part and parcel of the Paramātmā, that is the Supreme Lord, and this contradiction in this, I think, that how the ātmā and Paramātmā is both one? Containing both, if the ātmā is part and parcel of the Paramātmā, and when they, the ātmā and the great and Paramātmā, is different. Because is contradiction in the understanding may accept what the Vedas say and what Bhagavad-gītā say? Is there any difference between the Vedas and Bhagavad-gītā? Are we following Vedas, or are we following Bhagavad-gītā? Because the Bhagavad-gītā is only song of Lord Kṛṣṇa; the Vedas are the pure knowledge of Para-brahman.

Prabhupāda: So why you are going away? You hear. You hear. Vedas... The... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ: (BG 15.15) "All the Vedas and Vedāntas, they are meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa." If by studying Vedas and Vedānta you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, then it is śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). It is simply labor. That is the adjustment of Bhagavad-gītā and all other Vedic literature. Vedas means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. That is called Vedānta.

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

Then you can see equally. Otherwise you will see that "I have become human being. I have got my hands and legs, and the poor cow has no hands and legs. Kill him and eat." No. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Asamata. Unequality. Why? What right you have got to kill another animal? Because you have no vision of equality, for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore so-called education, culture, fraternity, in this material world, all these are bogus, humbug. Simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the right subject matter to be studied by sane, sober, dhīra. Then the society will be happy; otherwise not. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

That is required. That is spiritual vision. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. Therefore a devotee is first-class paṇḍita. A devotee. Because he's sama-darśinaḥ. Sama-darśinaḥ means he's feeling for others. A Vaiṣṇava... Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī, kṛpāmbudhir yaḥ. Vaiṣṇava is very kind-hearted, merciful, because he feels for others. He feels for others in this sense that he knows what he is. He sees every living entity as part and parcel of God: "Now, here is a part and parcel of God. He would have gone back to home, back to Godhead, and danced with Him, and lived very nicely, eternally, blissfully. Now he's rotting here as a hog, or as a human being, or as a king. The same thing. It is for few years only." So a devotee therefore tries to take him out of this illusion. Therefore, he's called para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. He's actually feeling others' distressed condition. Not these political leaders or social... What they can do?

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Because I am moving amongst them as ordinary human being, they are thinking of Me as one of them." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. "They do not know what is My background." Paraṁ bhāvam. "Therefore they fail to understand Me." Mūḍha. Rascals, fools. Everyone is trying to understand Kṛṣṇa from the angle of vision as he can understand. Kṛṣṇa is beyond that. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja, "beyond the limit." He can simply be presented by Himself, revealed. Just like Kṛṣṇa is revealing Himself to Arjuna. Arjuna is not understanding Kṛṣṇa by his philosophical speculation. Directly Kṛṣṇa revealing. This is the process of understanding God. You cannot create your imagination, imaginative God. No. God reveals unto you being pleased upon you by your devotional activities. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). Just like Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). "You are My very dear friend, you are My devotee. Therefore I'll reveal unto you.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "I spoke first of all this Bhagavad-gītā system to the sun-god."

Now rascals will think that "How there is a god or there is a person in the sun planet?" They'll think like that. Everything from his own angle of vision. This is modern science. "I cannot think of such thing. Therefore, there cannot be any such thing." Just like everything should be within my experience. This is going on. They never admit that "What is your experience?" You are imperfect, your senses are imperfect, how you can be perfectly experienced? It is not possible. Acintya. There are so many inconceivable powers acting on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. What are you? You may cheat some people that you have become God.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

So just like one is trained up to become apprentice in some business and when he's trained up, then he's given the post. So we get this information from the gosvāmīs, sanātana-gosvāmīs, that those who are devotees, those who are perfected in the training of devotional service, they are first of all given birth in the universe where Kṛṣṇa is present. Kṛṣṇa is always present. Just like the sun is present always in the sky, but we can see the sun in some opportune moment. But sun is always there. When the sun is set, it is set in my vision, but sun is there. When it is night, I cannot see the sun, but the sun is there. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always there. We have to make our eyes to see Him. That's all. And that, how that eyes are made?

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

Now, after putting forward all definitions and arguments from different angles of vision, of different philosophers, thesis, now Kṛṣṇa concludes, "My dear Arjuna, take it for certain that the soul within is eternal." So because we are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if we do not understand what is the constitutional position of the soul, here, because Kṛṣṇa says, we should accept it. This is called paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), disciplic succession. What does He say? Yes. The same verse repeat.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

We cannot see so many things. So many things. Just like we are seeing this place is vacant, the outer space, but there are instruments. If you see with those instruments, you will find they are full of germs. Full of germs. Take a drop of water, as clear as possible. But if you see with microscope, you will see, "Oh, it is full of germs." So imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness. Consciousness. And that's a clear fact.

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

We are engaged in some, in some sort of activities. Nobody is free from activities. Even a ant, an ant, it is also engaged in activity. And the elephant. Ant is the most, I mean to..., according to our vision, the ant is very small and the elephant is very big. But everyone, beginning from the ant up to the elephant, so far our experience is concerned... There are other big animals also. We have not seen. But we can see from the description of the scriptures that there are fishes in the ocean which is called timiṅgila. So timiṅgila... You, perhaps you know that fish which is called in Sanskrit timi matsya, or whale fish, very big, sometimes hundred feet long. So there are other fishes which is a timiṅgila. That fish swallows up this fish, this hundred-feet-long. Now just imagine what must be the length of that fish's body. You see?

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

One who has made his vow that "This worldly live, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, this is all in all," for them, there is no question of spiritual life. We have to decide it that spiritual life and material life, they are different angles of vision. If we give more stress to the material life, material way of life, then it is not possible to have any spiritual realization or spiritual emancipation. Those things... Because the whole idea is, as we are discussing for several weeks, that I am spirit, pure consciousness. I have been put to this material contact somehow or other. Without tracing the history and how I have put into it... (break) But the fact is that I am put into these material circumstances, and therefore, due to my material condition of life, I am undergoing miseries, so many miseries.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

For the spiritualistic person, they see that these people they got the facility of self-realization, this human form of life. How they are wasting by sleeping. And the materialistic persons, they are seeing, "Oh, these Kṛṣṇa conscious young boys, they have given up everything and they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. How nonsense. They are sleeping." So you see? So in the vision of the materialistic person, these activities are night, sleeping. And for the self-realized person, these activities are sleeping. You see? Just the opposite. They are seeing the Kṛṣṇa conscious person as wasting time and the Kṛṣṇa conscious person is seeing them as wasting time. This is the position. Go on.

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

They are working so hard. What is that? He's also eating less. Four cāpāṭis, that's all. But he does not think that "Four cāpāṭis, why I am working so hard and wasting my time?"

The life is meant for understanding what is my relationship with God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the vision of life: what is Brahman, what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God. And so far eating, sleeping concerned, that is done by the cats and dogs. But the modern civilization, they are busy. Because they are busy for eating, sleeping and mating, they, by the laws of nature, that is also being minimized. I have already explained. Because the nature wants to help us because we are now forgotten souls. We have forgotten God.

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

So similarly, the, from higher kingdom, I mean to say, kingdom of God... There is a, exactly the kingdom of God. We have got this information from this Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20). Anya. There is another nature, another nature. Just like you have got a vision of this nature. You find this wall in the sky, blue. Beyond this sky, millions and millions miles away, there is another sky. Paras tasmāt, anya. Anya, there is another nature, which is called sanātana. You'll find in this Bhagavad-gītā, as you make progress. That is called sanātana nature. Sanātana means that nature never annihilates. This nature, this material nature, it is manifested at a certain time, and it remains for a certain period, and then the whole thing is dissolved again. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It is manifested and again dissolved, and in, in the spiritual sky.

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

Just like the sun appears and disappears at scheduled... Sun disappears means it goes out of our sight. It does not mean sun, sun, I mean to say, stops to exist. No. Sun is always in the sky. It is simply in our vision. Just like so many cars are passing. One car is coming. You do not see which car is coming. When it is in my front, I see the car, and again, when it is gone out of my sight, I don't see it. So my don't seeing, because I do not see the car, that does not mean it is not there.

Similarly, the incarnation of God, God Himself or His representative, son, any... Because... Just like, if we have to do some business seriously, we send our very responsible man to transact, similarly, for the deliverance of the fallen souls here in this material world, sometimes the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa comes, sometimes sends His very confidential and representative to reclaim.

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

"Why you have slapped my son?" That is the nature. Similarly, the sādhu, who is a great devotee of the Lord, they might be tolerant. You can crucify him, can do any misbehavior to him. He's never angry. But God will never tolerate. We must always remember that. He has got special protection, special vision, on the sādhu.

You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that, that... Samo 'haṁ sarva... Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). The Lord says, "I am equal to everyone." Otherwise, how He can be God. He is equal to everyone. Yes. "I am equal to everyone. Nobody's My enemy and nobody's My friend." Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ: "Nobody's My enemy. Nobody's My friend. I am equal to everyone." But ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā teṣu te mayi: "But anyone who is devoted to Me, oh, I have got particular attention for him."

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

Now, when I come with some mission there are some activities. There are some activities." So there are some philosophers. They do not agree to accept that God comes as incarnation. They do not believe in this theory. They say that "Why God shall come to this rotten world?" That is their vision.

But here, from the Bhagavad-gītā, we understand that God comes. We shall always remember that we are reading Bhagavad-gītā, and whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā, we have to, at least, we have to accept that. Otherwise, there is no question of reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Here the Lord says that "I am, I am present here as incarnation, and this is My mission." And as He comes with a mission, there are some activities.

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

This last class of men take to the shelter of some kind of intoxication, and their respective hallucinations are sometimes accepted as spiritual visions. One has to get rid of all three stages of attachment to the material world: the negligence of spiritual life, fear of spiritual, personal identity, and the concept of void that underlies the frustration of life. To get free of these three stages in the material concept of life, one has to take complete shelter of the Lord, guided by the bona fide spiritual master, and follow the penances of disciplinary and regulative principles of devotional life. The last stage of such devotional life is called bhāva, or transcendental love of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, and seeing every living entity on equal level because he has spiritual vision. He does not see the body, he sees the spirit. He does not see a dog, he sees, "Oh, there is spirit soul." He does not see a brāhmaṇa, he sees, "Oh, there is the same spirit soul." He does not see an American, he sees the spirit soul. He does not see an Indian, he sees the spirit soul. Therefore paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍitāḥ, those who are actually learned, they are seeing everyone in the same vision, spiritual vision. This is Brahman realization.

Brahman realization does not mean that "My brother is Brahman, and I am Brahman, and all others are not Brahman." This is not Brahman realization.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

That is also material. There is no reason to disbelieve it because the whole material word is composed of five elements, that inferior nature: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, ego, intelligence. So you will find different planets also. Some planet is predominated with earth; some planet is predominated with water; some planet with fire, just like this. So the sun planet is predominated with fire. Fire is also matter. It is also material.

So as we have got experience, we can take experience from what we see daily, so as we have got three different vision of the sun, although the sunshine is spread all over the universe, you cannot accept the sunshine as important than the sun disc, localized. Which one is important? The sunshine is important or the localized disc, the planet, is important?

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

Those who are conversant with the Absolute Truth, they say. What do they say? Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Knowledge without any duality, advayam.

What is that? Now, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. The Absolute Truth is described in different ways by different people according to angle of vision. But the object is the same. There may be different types of religious systems, but the object is Kṛṣṇa. Somewhere it is openly expressed, and somewhere it is covered. Just like Brahman, Brahman realization, impersonal realization, Brahman realization.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

Of course, particularly the name of manuṣyāḥ has been... Because in the human life God consciousness can be developed, not in the animal life. Therefore here particularly it is mentioned, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. "Everyone is trying to approach Me, but according to different angle of vision, according to capacity." The capacity is somebody's trying to go up to the Brahman effulgence, somebody's trying to understand the Supreme Paramātmā within everyone's heart, and somebody's trying to understand and go directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Vaiṣṇavism is directly. Directly... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you go directly... Just like if you reach the sun planet or the predominating deity of, namely, the sun god, Vivasvān, then naturally you know what is sunshine and what is sun globe.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

So actually, either you try to realize impersonal Brahman, or by yogic process, the localized Paramātmā, or directly you want to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are all the same. All the same. But this differentiation is due to my angle of vision. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). If you want to realize only the Brahman effulgence, all right, you can do that. Or if you want to realize Paramātmā by yogic principle, by meditation, all right, Kṛṣṇa says, it is also all right. And if you want to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead in directly contact with Him, directly playing with Him as cowherds boy, directly dancing with Him like the gopīs, directly treating Him as your son like Yaśodā-mātā, you can do also.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Another example is: just like if you try to observe a mountain from distant place, it will appear as a hazy cloud. And if you go still nearer, you will find something, greenish rock. The subject of observation is the same thing, but you are looking in different way on account of your different angle of vision. Similarly, if you actually enter the mountain, you will find there are many trees, many houses, many animals, many men. It is full of varieties. Similarly, the Absolute Truth, object of vision, is one, but according to our angle of vision, sometimes we are seeing it is hazy cloud, sometimes as greenish mountain, and when you actually in that place, you see varieties of living entities, trees and houses, everything there.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of his limited knowledge, they realize impersonal Brahman. Here Kṛṣṇa says, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ, everyone. Everyone means those who are actually seeking after God realization, they are following the same path, but on account of their distance of vision, they are realizing the Absolute Truth in different way. But all of them are beyond this material world. That I have already explained yesterday. Tapasā pūtā bahavaḥ. Tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. Bahavo jñāna-tapasā. Bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. The process of going to the spiritual world is knowledge and austerities. That is for everyone, either he is jñānī, yogi or bhakta. But even going to the spiritual platform, there are differences according to the angle of vision.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

This is called karmaṇy akarma. Akarma means which has no reaction. So although I see somebody is working, but because he is working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore it should be understood that his work is not producing any reaction.

So this intelligent vision is recommended here by Kṛṣṇa that sa buddhimān: "Anyone who is working and who can see such work, who can understand such work," sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu (BG 4.18), "in the human society, he is very intelligent." He is very intelligent. Otherwise, sometimes bhakti, the devotional service of the Lord...

Just like I'll give you a crude example. Just like a boy. He is flying kite, and he is moving his reel containing the thread. Now, from a distant place, you'll find that he is moving his head, er, moving his reel, but sometimes, moving his reel, he is getting down the kite, and moving his reel, he is getting higher and higher the kite.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

And I am getting my birth in a very rich family or very pure family, just like brāhmaṇa family or something like that. I am getting myself very good education. I am very beautiful to see. And I am very rich man, all these. But our point is that suppose if you are rich man, suppose if you are very learned man, but you are not free from the stringent laws of material world. The whole point of vision should be targeted there, that "I am not going to be under the stricture of this material world." If we miss that point, then we shall be captivated by this aristocratic family or good education or beautiful body or richness.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

"Here is a beggar." And sometimes we are respected. So simply by dress we should not see any living entity. Whether, either he's a dog, or he's a, in the estimation of the society, a lower class man, or a very high class man, or a cow, but we shall see that "Here is a spirit soul." Anyone who can understand the spiritual vision of life, he is paṇḍita. He is paṇḍita.

And according to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya, he was a great politician, and he says... Now, what is the standard of education? Standard of education. Now, he has given very nice, three words, three words for standard of education, who is perfect in education.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

This ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu was preached by Lord Buddha, this philosophy. This one philosophy was, I mean to say, taught throughout the whole world by Lord Buddha, that there should be no animal killing. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. No living entity should be given suffering, even by words. That is real life. Ātmavat... yaḥ paśyati. One who has such vision of life, he is called learned. He is called learned, not by educational qualifications. One who has acquired... phalena paricīyate. Education is understood, how far a man is educated, by his behavior. By his vision of life, it will be estimated, not by the degree. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ. Similarly, here also, here also the word paṇḍita, paṇḍita has been used.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

By his vision of life, it will be estimated, not by the degree. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ. Similarly, here also, here also the word paṇḍita, paṇḍita has been used.

So I have just given you some explanation of paṇḍita from different angle of vision. And budha also. Budha. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the definition of budha. Budha means well-versed. Well-versed. Well-versed means who has got, studied lots of books of knowledge. He is called budha. Now, how one becomes budha? By studying, one should have concluded this. What is that conclusion? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā by Lord Kṛṣṇa, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

That does not mean that everyone has become Nārāyaṇa. This is a wrong philosophy. If you make such distinction, then why there should be daridra-nārāyaṇa? There should be rich nārāyaṇa. There should be chāga-nārāyaṇa, matsya-nārāyaṇa, every nārāyaṇa. If you have got such vision that "Because Nārāyaṇa is there in everyone's heart, then everyone should be addressed as Nārāyaṇa..." But that should not be. That is not be. That should not be. That is insult.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

And even in that knowledge field also... Of course, transcendental knowledge, as we have discussed already, they are viewed in different, three different angles of vision: the knowledge of Brahmavāda, or impersonal, impersonal Absolute Truth, and the knowledge of Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul, and the knowledge of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are different stages of development of knowledge. But the first beginning knowledge is that we must understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul, and my aim of life should be how to get out of this material entanglement." That is knowledge. That is the beginning of knowledge.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

And that knowledge, when developed gradually... The first, first stage of knowledge is impersonal Brahman realization, and the next stage is the Supersoul realization, and the last stage is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we have got this information, that the tattva, that the Absolute Truth is realized in three visions: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Brahman means impersonal Absolute Truth, and Paramātmā means Supersoul, and Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of God. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa.

You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. There are description of different manifestation of Viṣṇu or God because God expands Himself in various ways. We are also expansion of God. So similarly, there are degrees of expansion, and the central point, or the primal Lord, is Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Jñāninaḥ means jñānī, or a man who is in perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge means one who has perfect vision or the perfect, not theoretical, but actual vision of the spiritual subject matter. He is called jñānī. Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ.

Tattva. Tattva means the Absolute Truth. Now, so far tattva is concerned, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme tattva, Absolute Truth.

Now, He explains that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: (BG 7.3) "Out of many, many thousands of people, a few people may try how to get spiritual salvation." Not all. Everyone is not expected to hanker after spiritual salvation. That requires also many, many years qualification. So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. After many... Out of many, many thousands of people, one is very much anxious for spiritual realization. And then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). And out of many perfected spiritualists, some may know what is Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand.

Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

So a person who has renounced everything for service of the Lord. Sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means sat-nyāsī. Sat means the supreme eternal, and nyāsī means renounced. So sannyāsī... He is a sannyāsī who has renounced everything for the sake of the Lord. He's called sannyāsī. And he has no hatred for anything because in his vision everything is meant for the service of the Lord. So therefore he cannot hate anything. Sometimes it (is) advertised that "Such and such saint, he does not touch money. He does not touch money. When money is offered to him, his hand becomes turned." But a Bhagavad-gītā does not say that. Bhagavad-gītā does not say that "Because money is offered to you, therefore you shall turn your hand." Yes. Because a devotee's life is dedicated to the Supreme, so he also thinks that "This money can be utilized for the service of the Lord." Just like there are many instances in India.

Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

Revatīnandana: "The humble sage sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater or outcaste (BG 5.18). Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman and as such, are already situated in Brahman (BG 5.19). A person who neither rejoices upon receiving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, unbewildered and who knows the science of God is to be understood as already situated in transcendence (BG 5.20). Purport."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Purport: The symptoms of the self-realized person are given herein. The first symptom is that he is not illusioned by the false identification of the body with his true self."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So achieving something pleasant... Generally we accept a thing pleasant when it satisfies our senses. We accept it as pleasant. But actually, satisfaction of my sense is not real pleasure because my senses are at the present moment diseased. Therefore as it is stated in the Nārada Pañcarātra, that tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā you will find, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). One who is learned he does not see the small body or big body. He sees the particle of soul, spirit soul, therefore sama-darśinaḥ. He knows that the small particle of spirit is there in the ant and in the elephant. Therefore he sees the elephant and the ant on the same level, on spiritual vision, not on this external vision. This is called self-realization.

Self-realization you have heard so many times. What is that self-realization? Self-realization means I am not this body, I am spirit soul. That is self-realization. So if I am smaller than the grass then if somebody says that "You are lower than the grass," or "You are smaller than the grass," that's a fact. So sometimes this insulting words may come from others but if you are self-realized you know that I am not this body. So let him insult. Let me tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that taror api sahiṣṇunā. Toleration like the tree.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Devotee: Verses 27 and 28. "Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils—thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated (Bg. 5.27-28)."

Prabhupāda: Now here is a hint of the yoga practice, shutting out the external sense objects. This is another process. But the bhakti-yoga process is automatically yoga process. Here it is said, "shutting out all external sense objects." Sense object, what is that sense object? Just like I want to see some beautiful woman or beautiful man. I want to smell some nice flower or scent. The flower is the sense object, woman is the sense object. There are so many sense objects. We have got five senses and there are five objects also. Otherwise what is the use of sense? Now this yoga practice is to withdraw the senses from the sense object.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

There are so many beautiful girls sitting. I do not require to shut my eyes. If my mind is concentrated on the beauty of Kṛṣṇa I can see these beautiful girls as Kṛṣṇa's gopīs. That is another vision. So artificially if I close my eyes and if some beautiful girl is in my imagination even after closing my eyes here, what is the use of closing your eyes?

So by force you cannot control the senses. That is not... This is... There are many instances. Even great yogis they have failed. This is artificial way of controlling the senses. The real sense control is that you purify your sense in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real sense control. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses and hṛṣīkeśa means Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Viṣṇujana: Is this an association or this a vision?

Prabhupāda: No, this is a fact. (laughter) It is not an association or vision, this is a fact. When you see a cat, when you see a dog, you see Kṛṣṇa in him. Why? You know that here is cat, living being. He, by his deeds, past deed he has got this body cat, forgetfulness. So let me help this cat, give it some Kṛṣṇa prasāda so that in some day he will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is to see in him Kṛṣṇa. Not that, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, let me embrace this cat." This is nonsense. Here is a tiger, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, come on Please eat me." This is rascaldom. You should take sympathy with every living being, that he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. Not that we shall embrace him, "Come on Kṛṣṇa." So "the true yogi observes Me in all beings." This is the seeing. Why we are welcoming these children? Because he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

This is universal vision. Not that God is sitting in your heart and not in the cat's heart or dog's heart or cow's heart. He's sitting everyone's heart. It is said sarva-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūta means all living entities. He's sitting in human heart, He's sitting in the ant's heart. He is sitting in the dog's heart, he is sitting everyone's heart. But the cats and dogs, they cannot realize. That is the difference. But a human being, if he tries, if he follows the yoga system sāṅkhya-yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, then he is able to find out. That is the prerogative of this human form of life. And if we miss this opportunity, if we don't find out, if we don't identify our existence with the Lord, then we are missing this opportunity. This, after the evolutionary process, coming through 8,400,000 species of life, when we get this human form of life, if we miss this opportunity, then how much loss we suffer you do not know. So we should be conscious about that. We should not miss this opportunity. You have got very nice body, human form of body, intelligence, and civilized life. We are not like animals.

Lecture on BG 6.41 -- Detroit, July 17, 1971:

They have been given to take birth in the family of devotee husband and wife; therefore he's playing karatāla. Otherwise it is not possible. He had practice in his last life; therefore he's quickly... He had got the chance. Again he's remembering and playing. This is the fact. So we have to study from the śāstric vision. Śāstra-cakṣuṣāt. How you'll see? You'll see through the authority, scriptures. So these are the statements of authoritative scriptures. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe. So this child is born of a devotee father and devotee mother. Now he'll again begin from the point where he lost last life. Suppose Kṛṣṇa consciousness he executed fifty percent. So he'll begin from this life fifty-one percent. That fifty percent was in his stock. But ordinary karmīs—cent percent lost. He has to begin another chapter of life according to his karma. Either he'll become a man or dog, there is no guarantee.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

So your prayer, nirākāra, or gagana-sadṛśa, that is one feature of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is person. The nirākāra, Brahman feature is His effulgence of the body. That is expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. The Absolute Truth is realized in three angles of vision according to the capacity of the devotee. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means one who has realized the Supreme Truth. He is called tattva-vit. Tattva means Supreme Truth, and vit means one who knows. So vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Those who know what is Absolute Truth, they say that is the Absolute Truth which is advaya-jñāna. Advaya-jñāna means without any duality. Just like here in this material world it is called dual world, duality. Everything cannot be understood absolutely. If I say... It is a, rather in ordinary language, relative world. Here everything is relative.

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

And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa: "And those who are under the influence of māyā, for them, He's ordinary human child." The same person. Different views. One is seeing that the ultimate target of brahma-jyotir, and somebody is seeing that He is the Supreme Lord, and somebody's seeing, "He's ordinary boy." So Kṛṣṇa is visioned under different positions. Under different positions. But He's the Supreme Lord.

So this yoga system, attachment for Kṛṣṇa, begins from the temple worship and ends into mahā-bhāgavata. Mahā-bhāgavata means who simply sees Kṛṣṇa, nothing... Sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

The Supreme Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized from different angles of vision. Those who are trying to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth by speculation, they come to the impersonal conclusion. And those who are trying to think Him, think about Him within the heart, dhyānāvasthita... That is the yogic, yogic principle, to think of the Supreme within the heart. He is there within the heart. Both the living entity, individual living entity and God, is sitting within this heart. That's a fact. We have to search it out, catch Him by yogic process. So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative method, they come to the conclusion of impersonalism. And those who are trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart—yogis, Paramātmā—they understand Kṛṣṇa or God as Paramātmā, the Supersoul. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

When we say bhagavān nirākāra, that means either we have no knowledge of Bhagavān or nirākāra means He is not a form like us. Our form and Kṛṣṇa's form—different. Kṛṣṇa is complete spiritual, divine, and we are, at the present moment, although we have got our spiritual form within this body, but because we have no vision of the spiritual form, we are taking this body as our form. This is called illusion.

The spiritual form is there. That is realization of Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The Vedic injunction is just to understand that I am not this body. If anyone is under the concept of this body—"I am this body," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian"—in this way, with the bodily concept of life, we are thinking we are different from one another. At the same time, we desire that there may be unity of the human society, of the human being, and we can live peacefully. That is very desirable thing.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

Why speaking? Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Without any doubts, asaṁśayam. If you speculate on God there are so many doubts. But asaṁśayam, without any doubt, if you want to understand... Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. And in totality, not partially. Bhagavān is Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is understood from three angles of vision, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

So Brahman understanding is not samagra, not asaṁśayam. Here it is said asaṁśayaṁ samagram. Brahman understanding of the Absolute Truth is partial. It is not samagra, means not the complete. Complete knowledge of Absolute is not brahma-jñāna.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Just like originally He is present before us as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and personally also, Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are all the same. There is no difference, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. There is no difference. The same thing, but it is realized under different angle of vision. Those who are trying to approach Kṛṣṇa by philosophical speculation, by theosophical understanding, they go up to the impersonal feature of Kṛṣṇa, brahma-jñāna. And those who are trying to understand Kṛṣṇa as the localized Supreme Soul within one's heart... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they are trying to find out Kṛṣṇa within his heart by meditation.

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

That is called yoga. Another, yoga means linking. So there are many types of yoga system for linking ourself with the Supreme Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal, localized, and personal. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is realized by different persons according to different angle of vision. Just like if you see from a distant place one mountain, you find something cloudy. If you go nearer, then you find it is something green. And if you enter actually the mountain, then you find there are so many varieties. There are trees, there are houses, there are living entities, animals, everything. The object is one, but according to the vision of the person, from length of distance, the same object is realized in different phases. Therefore the Bhāgavata says, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11).

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

Prabhupāda: No. That seeing is imperfect. Because you have no perfect vision, therefore you are seeing like that. Just like even from your room you will find from a hole many thousands of ants will come out. Are you worried for that? Have you seen it, experienced?

Swedish woman (5): No.

Prabhupāda: No. We have got experience. (laughter) But if you become worried, "Oh, so many ants have come here. Where shall I accommodate?" It is like that. There is ample arrangement for accommodating them. You should not worry. You better mind your business, how to become God conscious and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

So Bhagavān is personally teaching Arjuna the process how he can understand Him fully and without any doubt. Therefore it is mentioned here, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means "the Supreme Personality of Godhead said."

So the Absolute Truth is realized in three angle of vision. It is said in the Vedic literature,

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

The Absolute Truth is the ultimate truth, tattva. Tattva means Absolute Truth. So those who are aware of the Absolute Truth, they say that Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized in three angle of vision, namely, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Those who are trying to speculate and understand the Absolute Truth, they can realize up to impersonal Brahman. So generally, speculators means big, big philosophers.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

So we haveto understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially. In scientifically, vijñānam, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam. Not foolishly, that "I can interpret Kṛṣṇa." Some rascal says that Kṛṣṇa means black. Some rascal says Kṛṣṇa means this, Kṛṣṇa means a debauch, as according to one's character and angle of vision. But real meaning of Kṛṣṇa is paraṁ brahma. Kṛṣi go va... Kṛṣi bhu-vacaka-sabda nasta nirvṛtti-vacaka (?) iti kṛṣṇa paraṁ brahma iti abhidhīyate. Kṛṣṇa means paraṁ brahma. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. So we have to take the understanding of great personality. Rāma. Rāma. Rāma means paraṁ brahma.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

Just like here it is said mano buddhiḥ. Manasas ca parā buddhiḥ. Finer or superior than the mind is intelligence. That is... Another place it is also explained that gross thing means these senses. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. This is gross vision. I see a man means I see his body, his eyes, his ear, his hands and legs and everything. That is gross vision. But finer than these gross senses, there is mind which is controlling the senses. That you do not see. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). Then mind is controlled by the intelligence. Manasas ca parā buddhiḥ. So you have to study like that. Simply like layman if you dismiss that "There is no God, there is no soul," this is simply rascaldom, simply rascaldom. Don't remain rascals. Here is Bhagavad-gītā. Learn everything very particularly, very minutely. And it is open for everyone.

Lecture on BG 7.11-12 -- Bombay, February 25, 1974:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who does not see bhūmi, immediately remembers that "This is Kṛṣṇa's nature," he remembers immediately Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even by seeing land. So devotee sees like that. "Oh, this land is so nice. Why not construct a nice temple for Kṛṣṇa?" This is Kṛṣṇa conscious vision. "Oh, there are so many skyscrapers. Why not construct a nice skyscraper temple of Kṛṣṇa?" That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you become spiritual. Just like as soon as there is fire, immediately you become hot, warm. You touch the iron rod in the fire; it becomes warm, warmer, warmer, then it becomes red-hot. And when it is red-hot, it is no more iron rod; it is fire. You touch everywhere, the same iron rod will burn. Similarly, if you become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is nothing material. Your body's spiritual, your mind is spiritual, your soul is already spiritual—everything is spiritual. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma.

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

Therefore one who is pure devotee, he does not pray to God for any personal interest. Even if he is distressed, he says, "O Lord, it is Your kindness. You have put me in distress just to rectify me. I would have been put into more and more, thousand times in distress, but You are giving me little. That's all. That is Your great mercy." That is his vision. He does not... He's not disturbed. Tulyārthāpamānayoḥ(?). A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he doesn't care for all this material distress or insult or honor, because he is aloof from this. He doesn't... He knows very well that "This designation, this honor, or this insult, they are pertaining to my body, but I am not this body." Just like Socrates. Socrates was condemned to death because he believed in the..., an immortality of the soul. So he was condemned to death, and he was asked to take hemlock or something like that, poison. And the judge wanted: "Well, Socrates, how do you want to be put into the grave?" He replied, "First of all, you catch me.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

Now, the tattva-vit says that the Supreme Absolute Truth is recognized in three aspects: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate-brahmeti, impersonal Brahman; and Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul; and Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Personality of Godhead.

So they are three angles of vision. Just like from a distant place, if you see one mountain, you'll see just like something cloudy. If you advance more, the same mountain you'll see something green. And if you enter into that mountain, you'll find so many variegatedness, so many trees, so many animals. So objective is the same. But under different angles of vision, from distance, different people have got different conception of the Absolute Truth. Another example: just like the sun—the sunshine and sun disc and the sun planet. One who is in the sunshine, or one who is studying the sunshine, or one who is studying the sun disc and one who is entering within the sun planet...

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

This is called in Sanskrit word ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. But the spiritual world, avyakta, which is not manifested at the present moment before us, that is akṣara. Akṣara means it is eternal. It does not annihilate.

Now, this spiritual vision at the present moment, because we are covered by the material dress, or material senses, therefore the spiritual world or anything spiritual is not conceivable due to our material senses. But we can feel that there is something spiritual. That is possible. Although we are fully in ignorance of the spiritual matter, still, we can feel. If you analyze yourself silently, "What I am? I am this finger? I am this body? I am this hair?" you'll deny, "No I am not this." So beyond this body, what is, that is spiritual. That we can feel. Similarly, as we cannot find our self within this matter, although I'm here, that we can distinguish, the distinction between dead body and living body, something minus. That something is spirit.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

If one is free from the material conception of life, then factually, either he possesses or not possesses, he has nothing to do with them. Therefore he's prasannātmā, he's joyful: "Oh. I have nothing to lose, nothing to gain. I am completely separate from here." This is liberation.

And samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. And his vision of life is that he does not see anybody rich, poor, or fool, or educated, or so many dualities there are in the material world. He has nothing. His vision is completely on the spiritual platform. He sees that every living entity is a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he tries to take them back to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has no distinction that "He is brāhmaṇa. He is śūdra. He is Indian. He's American," or "He's black. He's white," or "He's educated. He's noneducated." No. "Everyone should come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is his viewpoint. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

You do not see "Here is a Chinese" or "American" or "Australian." You see: "A soul is entrapped in a material body." So material body is lump of matter. We are concerned with the spirit soul. Then samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). One who is learned paṇḍita, he is sama-darśī. He has no more this vision that "Here is an American."

Just like in our society you will find people from all parts of the world. There are Americans and Indians and Africans, Canadians, Japanese. But we don't feel like that, "I am Japanese," "I am Indian" "I am American." We all feel servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. This is United Nation, not that, going to the United Nation and barking like the dog, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this and that." What is the benefit? Therefore they are barking for the last twenty, thirty years. What benefit has come?

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

Nowadays a fashion has become, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. This is nonsense. What is the daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā? Why you are taking care of the daridras? If you have got such vision, such outlook, that in everyone's heart... That is a fact. Everyone's heart there is Nārāyaṇa. There is no denial. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in everyone's heart." If you have got such vision—you are seeing in everyone the Supreme Nārāyaṇa—then why should you designate only the daridras? Others also, you should see dog-nārāyaṇa. You should see kukkura-nārāyaṇa. Why daridra-nārāyaṇa?

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

If you have got such broad vision, why you are taking particular? That is imperfect vision. You cannot send the chāga-nārāyaṇa, goat-nārāyaṇa, to the slaughterhouse and allow the daridra-nārāyaṇa to eat the meat. This is not bhakta's business. This is demonic. Bhakta's business is... Here it is clearly stated, adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām. You should be equally kind to everyone, to the daridras, to the dhanīs also. Here everyone is daridra because everyone is lacking knowledge. So nobody is rich. Here the so-called rich is also daridra because he has no knowledge. And the so-called daridra is also daridra.

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

What is the inside in the dress. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that dehino 'smin yathā dehe. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). One has to see, asmin dehe, in this body, there is the dehinaḥ, the proprietor. Dehinaḥ means one possesses the body. That is spiritual vision. The spiritual vision is... One who is advanced in spiritual knowledge, he does not see the outward dress, but he sees within the dress, who is living there. Asmin dehe dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ. Dehī means the possessor of this body. I am not this body, you are not this body, but you possess this body.

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

Just like you possess your shirt and coat, similarly, you possess this body also. The gross body made of material elements is your coat, and the subtle body made of finer material elements—mind, intelligence, ego—that is your shirt. And within that coat and shirt, the real living entity is there.

So one who has such vision, one who is learned in spiritual understanding, he is called paṇḍita.

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

Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. That is the real vision. A paṇḍita means he sees. There is... For a advanced spiritualist, advanced Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, there is no such distinctive, "Here is American; here is Indian; here is brāhmaṇa; here is śūdra; here is Hindu; here is Muslim." No. He has no such vision. He has the vision that within this body, the spirit soul is there. That is part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa. He is suffering on account of different dresses, different conception of... Therefore he should be released from this misconception of life. That is called paṇḍita.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

This is nonsense. The living entities, another name is sarva-ga. He can live everywhere. It is not a fact that living entities live only in certain particular place. No. Sarva-ga, anywhere in God's creation there are living entities. This is shastric vision.

So in the sun planet also, there are living entities, cities, just like here. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa can say, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa is telling lie, that "I spoke this science of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god?" Now, according to our calculation nobody can go to the sun planet, and where is the scope of speaking there, and to whom speaking? But Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham (BG 4.1), "I said," avyayam, "imperishable knowledge." Vivasvān manave prāha.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

There is nobody heavier. And Kṛṣṇa proved it when He was a child. When He was a boy of seven years old He proved how heavy, that He lifted the Govardhana Hill, and it rested on Kṛṣṇa's finger continually for seven days. Just imagine how heavy He is. So in this way we have to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if we understand Kṛṣṇa from that spirit, from that angle of vision, then we become perfect. As it is said here, jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā 'mṛtam aśnute. You become immortal. This is confirmed in the Fourth Chapter. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially, but in fact, then what is the result? The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma, punar janma, next, again if I take a material body, then again I'll have to die. Anyone who has got this material body, he has to die. Janma-mṛtyu. One who is born, he must die.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

Why do you say father has gone? That means the thing which has gone from within the body of the father, he has never seen, neither it is possible to see. But at the time of death he understands that my real father, the soul, which was within this body, he has now gone. Therefore our vision is always imperfect.

I am seeing you, your hands and legs and head, but I am actually not seeing you. You are seeing me, you are seeing my hands and legs, but you are not seeing me. So even the particles of spirit soul, the part and parcel of God, we cannot see. How we can see God? Even a small particle, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). All living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like if even a drop of ocean water we cannot recognize, how we can recognize the ocean? Similarly, we living entities, we are simply small particle of the spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). So we cannot see. No medical man has ever seen what is that soul, although they are perceiving there is soul.

Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:

Now here Kṛṣṇa says, bahir antaś ca bhūtānām. The Absolute Truth is there, bahir antaś ca, not that it is in a different position or different angle of vision. You are already in the Absolute Truth, even materially conception. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). These are the material elements, five gross elements and three subtle elements. So even taken materially, so what is this material? We have already explained. The materials are different energies of the Supreme Lord. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. Kṛṣṇa says, "These eight kinds of material nature, subtle and gross, they are My energy, inferior energy." Itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām.

Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you've mentioned several times in recent lectures that a pure devotee can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere, that He's never out of your vision, and at the same time in Śikṣāṣṭaka prayers Lord Caitanya explains that "Govinda, I am feeling Your separation to be twelve years or more. I'm feeling the world vacant in His absence." Could you explain this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He's playing how you can become mad without seeing Kṛṣṇa. That is higher stage. It cannot be explained, but when you gradually go higher and higher you'll understand.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

And the class of people, we have got books. We have got many important books. Let them understand our philosophy with, I mean to say, scientific knowledge, with philosophical vision. Not that we are simply sentimentalists, simply dancing. We have got... Dancing is not sentimental. It is spiritual ecstasy. It is not ordinary dancing. This dancing is not ordinary dancing. So anyway, if you think that this dancing is a sentimental caricature, you may think like that, but if you want to understand through philosophy and science, we can supply you immense literature.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord who is all-pervasive. Everywhere He is present. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He is Viṣṇu also in His Paramātmā feature. Kṛṣṇa has got three features. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, He is known in three features or three angle of visions. One is Brahman, all-pervasive Brahman. Sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. So Brahman means His effulgence, bodily rays. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). His prabhā, His bodily rays... You may ask, "What is that bodily rays?" You can see every day. Everyone has got bodily rays according to his quality. You see the sun, the bodily rays, the sunshine. There is sun-god within the sun globe whose name is Vivasvān. That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

So, on the basis of this vision, that "there is no God, there is no background of this material creation, this material creation is false..." There are so many other conclusions of the demonic people. Demon and atheist, the same thing. So Kṛṣṇa says, on this blind vision, etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya. Accepting these are the basic principles of this material creation. Etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭa ātmānaḥ. Lost their spiritual consciousness. Naṣṭa means lost. Ātmānaḥ means the soul, the Supersoul. So ātmā, Paramātmā. The Supersoul is Paramātmā, and we are soul. So they have no knowledge. The defect of the modern civilization...

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

Why you have fallen into this material world as a very, very small, insignificant? God is not insignificant. That is demonic idea. Therefore it is called etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya. Their vision is not very correct. Etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭa ātmānaḥ. Naṣṭa means lost, lost. Just like if you are lost of your intelligence, you can talk all nonsense. Naṣṭātmānaḥ. "There is no God" means naṣṭātmānaḥ. He's not very intelligent. He has lost his intelligence. Ātmānaḥ. Naṣṭātmānaḥ. Why naṣṭātmānaḥ? Alpa-buddhayaḥ: the intelligence is not very sharp, alpa, poor fund of knowledge. Poor fund of knowledge. On account of poor fund of knowledge they think like that: "There is no God. I am God," and so on, so on, "There is no basic principle of this creation." They do not know.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

"There is no basic principle of this creation." They do not know.

The basic principle of creation is that this material world is the field of activities of the rebellious living entity. "I don't want to serve Kṛṣṇa. I want to serve my senses." That is the whole world, going on. This Hawaiian city or any city, especially in your America, they're very, very busy. So ask them, "What is the aim of your life?" They'll say, "Sense gratification. I shall earn money, eat nicely, drink nicely, enjoy nicely. That is the aim of life." They do not know. Etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya. Their vision is so polluted. Naṣṭātmānaḥ: they have lost their spiritual ideas, spiritual sense or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The highest principle of spiritual sense means Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand God. That is mahātmā, mahātmā.

Lecture on BG 16.13-15 -- Hawaii, February 8, 1975:

Even if you are on the top stage, you have to come on the middle stage because you have to discriminate: "Here is a devotee; here is a demon." On the top stage there is no such thing as demon and devotee. The top stage, the devotee sees: "Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Simply I am not engaged." This is topmost devotee's vision, that "I am lacking Kṛṣṇa's devotion."

Just like Rādhārāṇī thinks that "All others, they are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's devotion, but I could not." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I have not a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. Then if you say, 'Why you are crying?' that is to make a show." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I am crying for Kṛṣṇa just to advertise Myself that I have become a big... But actually I have not a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa." "No you are so great devotee. Everyone says."

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

The Absolute Truth is one, but it is realized from three angles of visions. Some of them are realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, some of them are realizing the Absolute Truth as the localized Paramātmā, and some of them are realizing the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Absolute Truth is one, but because we are under different modes of material nature, we are understanding the Absolute Truth in three modes of material nature.

So Kṛṣṇa says that these three modes of material nature is current all over the universe. Even in the topmost planet down to the lowest planet. Therefore he says: na tad asti pṛthivyāṁ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ. Pṛthivyām means on this earth.