What is the meaning of... (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"what is the meaning of"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: What is the meaning of sac-cid-ānanda?

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

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and so He is addressed as Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka... Hṛṣīkeśa, it has got a significant, significant meaning. Hṛṣīka. Hṛṣīka means the senses, hṛṣīka. And īśa. Īśa means Lord. Īśa means Lord. So He is the Lord of the senses. He is the Lord of the senses. Similarly, Govinda, Govinda... Here also, Govinda name is also there. Yes. Na yotsya... Na yotsya iti govindam uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha (BG 2.9). Govindam. Govinda. Go means also senses. Go means cow, go means land, and go means sense. And inda. Inda (?) means pleasure. One who gives pleasure to the cow, one who gives pleasure to the land, one who gives pleasure to the senses—so His name is Govinda. Now, two things, two names, are used here. So we should try to understand what is the meaning of Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka means indriya, and īśa means Lord. So whatever senses we have got, the actually the proprietor of the senses—not myself. The proprietor of the senses is God.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Now, Kṛṣṇa is smiling. Kṛṣṇa is smiling because that "Just see. Arjuna is such a hero. He is My friend, and now he is so much perplexed." Now, when he sat down and he, Arjuna, accepted Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master, now Kṛṣṇa begins to speak. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Here the book does not say, kṛṣṇaḥ uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Now, we should understand what is the meaning of bhagavān. Bhaga... Bhaga means opulence. Opulence. There are six kinds of opulence. And what are...? Yes.

Young man (2): It means what?

Prabhupāda: Opulence.

Young man (2): Opulence.

Prabhupāda: Do you follow, opulence?

Young man (2): Yes, I do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So what are these opulences? Wealth is opulence. Then strength is opulence. Then... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Strength and fame. Fame is also opulence. Just like Lord Jesus Christ. The whole Christian world knows. Lord Kṛṣṇa everyone knows. Or the, apart from them, President Johnson. Now the whole America and the whole world knows who is President Johnson. Mahatma Gandhi. The famous. So fame is also opulence. And nobody knows me, but he is also a person. He is known throughout the whole world. So this is an opulence.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Just like we keep conchshell in the Deities' room. Conchshell is considered very pure, transcendental; otherwise, how we can keep before Deity and you blow conchshell? You offer water with conchshell. How you can offer? But what is this conchshell? The conchshell is the bone of an animal. It is nothing but bone of an animal. But the Vedic injunction is that if you touch the bone of an animal, you'll have to take bath immediately. You become impure. Now one may say, "Oh, this is contradiction. In one place it is said that if you touch the bone of an animal, then you have to purify yourself by taking bath immediately, and here, the bone of an animal is in the Deities' room. So it is contradiction, is it not? If bone of an animal is impure, how you can place it in the Deities' room? And if bone of an animal is pure, then what is the meaning of becoming impure and take bath?" You'll find similar contradiction in the Vedic injunctions. But because it is said by the Vedas that bone of an animal is impure, you have to accept. But this bone of an animal, conchshell, is pure. Just like sometimes our students are perplexed when we say that onion is not to be taken, but onion is a vegetable. So śabda-pramāṇa means the Vedic evidence should be taken in such a way that no argument. There is meaning; there is no contradiction.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

Just like the human society. There is education. The father gives education to the child, thinking about his future. The cats and dogs, they do not give any education, neither they know what is the meaning of education. That is the difference between human being and animal. So if we are not educated in the matter of understanding what is our future, then we are no better than the animals. Yes. That education we can have in this human form of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

(BG 9.25)

The process is there. You can prepare your next life in this life. Just like they are attempting to go to the moon planet, but the fact is they could not go there. Why they could not go there? The reason is that wherever you go, you must be fit for that place. Even in this planet, suppose somebody goes from one place to another place. He has to make himself fit to go there. He must know what is the temperature there. Accordingly, he'll take his dress.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:

Just like if you take bath, you become refreshed. If you take nice bath, you feel refreshed. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Without refreshness, one cannot understand this sublime subject matter. And the guru, or the spiritual master, should be refreshed by taking bath in the ocean of Vedic knowledge. And what is the result? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. By, after such cleanliness, he has taken shelter of the Supreme Absolute Truth, without any material desires. He has no more any material desires; he's simply interested in Kṛṣṇa, or the Absolute Truth. These are the symptoms of guru, or spiritual master. So in order to understand... Just like Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna. Before this, Kṛṣṇa surrendered himself. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Although they were friends, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were friends... First of all, they were talking like friends, and Arjuna was arguing with Kṛṣṇa. This argument has no value because if I am imperfect, what is the meaning of my argument? Whatever I shall argue, that is also imperfect. So what is the use of wasting time by imperfect argument? This is not process. The process is that we must approach to a perfect person and take his instruction as it is. Then our knowledge is perfect. Without any argument. We accept Vedic knowledge like that.

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

Translator for German guest or devotee: Why do we say chant, but not sing?

Prabhupāda: It is same thing. Either you sing or chant, the same thing.

Translator: What is the meaning of this chanting? If we're chanting all day long, do we have to reach a certain consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Yes. By chanting the holy name of God, you associate with God. God is absolute. He's not different from His name. So when you chant God's name means you immediately become in touch with God. And by chanting more and more, your association becomes more and more intimate. Then everything is disclosed to you. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti te

(BG 10.10)

If you keep in touch with God with faith and love, then God is within yourself, He'll give you intelligence how you can go back to home, back to Godhead. There are many different processes or yoga system to be in touch with God, but for the people in this age, this is the easiest method, to be in touch with God simply by chanting His holy name.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

So nobody wants to leave this body, but the distress is so strong that one is forced to leave this body. That is called death. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am death." And what is the meaning of death? Death means "I take everything from him. Finished. I take his body, I take his association, I take his country, I take his society, I take his bank balance, and everything finished." Sarva-haraḥ. Sarva means everything. Everyone is trying to accumulated big bank balance and big house, big family, big motorcar... But with the death, everything is finished. So that is great distress. Sometimes one cries. You will find at the time of death, in coma, his eye drops are coming out. He is thinking, "I made so many things so nicely to live comfortably, and now I am losing everything." Great distress.

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

So here the same thing, that tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who are actually seer of the Absolute Truth... athāto brahma jijñāsā, as it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra... Just yesterday, one boy was asking me: "What is the Vedānta? Vedānta, what is the meaning of Vedānta?" It is very nice, it is very easy. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid ca aham. He is the maker of Vedānta and He is the knower of Vedānta. Unless He is knower of Vedānta, how He can write Vedānta? Actually, Vedānta philosophy is written by Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So He's vedānta-kṛt. And He's vedānta-vit also. So the question was whether Vedānta means advaita-vāda or dvaita-vāda. So it is very easy to understand.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is called nirmala. That is mukti. Because spirit soul is eternal. It has to be cleansed, the material contamination. So when he's clean, then hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When our senses are purified... Not this American hand or Indian hand. "It is Kṛṣṇa's hand. This hand should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, in sweeping the temple." If he thinks like this, he is far, far greater than any Vedāntist. If he simply knows that "This hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa," then he is far, far greater than any Vedāntist. These Vedāntists... Of course, all devotees, they are Vedāntists. But somebody thinks that he has monopolized as Vedānta. Veda means knowledge. Anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So the so-called Vedāntist, if he cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is the meaning of that Vedāntist? It has no meaning. They, the, he's perfect vedāntī, who knows that "Kṛṣṇa is Supreme. He's my Lord. I am His eternal servant." This is Vedānta knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

So, so far our, these senses are concerned, senses are concerned, that should be under my control. I should not be servant of my senses. And that is possible when I am situated in the spiritual platform of consciousness. Otherwise it is not possible. I cannot control my senses if I am on the material plane. It is impossible. But I can control my senses... But this is possible. This is possible. It is not impossible fact. This "swami"... We are known as swami. What is the meaning of "swami"? Swami means who is the master of the senses. That is the swami. Swami means master. One who has attained the perfectional stage of controlling the senses, he is called swami or goswami, master of the senses. So this can be done by practice, by knowledge. This is not impossible. I was also young man. I also, I was also married, and I have got my wife still living, and my family is still living, but some way or other, by practicing or by some knowledge, I have come out of the clutches.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Just like Buddha did not say anything about spirit. He simply wanted that detachment of, from matter. But detachment from matter... Then where is my stand? Where is my stand? If I leave this room, I must have another room to stay. So that is the position of Buddha. He did not say about the spirit. But Śaṅkara, Śaṅkara said, "No, matter is our false position. Spirit is real position." But he did not say anything, what are the activities of the spiritual life. Then Śrī Rāmānujācārya came. He described the actual position of spiritual life. These are gradual development. Your, I mean to say, Lord Jesus, also, Lord Jesus Christ, he also gave hints of spiritual life, kingdom of God. So when we speak of kingdom of God, a kingdom, vacant, cannot be. Kingdom means there must be activities. Otherwise, what is the meaning of kingdom? So, of course, he did not give any detailed account of the kingdom of God, but he gave hint.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

There is a verse describing about Rāma. Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, we chant. Now, what is the meaning of Rāma? That is described.

ramante yogino 'nante

satyānande cid-ātmani

iti rāma-padenāsau

paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate

(CC Madhya 9.29)

Rāma means ramaṇa. Ramaṇa means enjoyment. So yoginaḥ.

Now, mind that, karma-yogī. Those who are yogis, those who are trying to get spiritual life, regain their spiritual vitality, they are called yogis. There are different kinds of yogis: karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī, rāja-yogī. The highest of all of them is the bhakti-yogī or the bhakta.

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

Generally, we understand, we acquire knowledge by direct perception, experimental knowledge, direct perception. But bhagavad-vijñāna, the science of God, is so extensive and so intricate that it is not possible to apply our imperfect senses to understand the science of God. Then we have to understand with our senses. Otherwise what is the meaning of understanding? Hear. Therefore these senses, when they will be purified, then we can understand. Just like a man cannot see due to some cataract complication, but if the cataract portion is surgically operated, he can see also. Treatment. Similarly, it is said in the śāstras that ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our senses are very imperfect. That we can understand. For example, we are daily seeing the sun globe, but our experience is just like a disc because my eyes cannot see things placed in long distance, neither can see which is very near. Just like the eyelid is just attached to the eye, but I cannot see. This is imperfect. Neither we can see very close, neither we can see very long distance point, neither we can see in darkness. There are so many conditions. If those conditions are fulfilled, then our senses can act. Therefore it is to be understood that our senses are imperfect.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

And ultimately, as Kṛṣṇa points out, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You may have solved all other problems. Very good. But what about your birth, death, disease and old age? These are the intelligent questions. We have to answer. We have to make solution. Then you say that this material world is very nice. But if you are always faced with so many problems and still you say that "Material world is very nice," so what you are? Foolish. You do not know what is the meaning of pleasure. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). God is ānandamaya, always full of pleasure. You will see Kṛṣṇa's picture. Just see so many pictures—ānandamaya. He is sitting down on a small rock and enjoying the association of the small animals. Just see. They are also coming to Kṛṣṇa. Simply by touching Him, they are feeling blissfulness. And Kṛṣṇa also embracing, "Yes, come on." So this is ānandamaya. Both of them are enjoying. Kṛṣṇa as a child in the lap of mother Yaśodā—enjoying. Then Kṛṣṇa as a friend of Rādhārāṇī, He's enjoying. So you'll find always Kṛṣṇa enjoying. This is Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

The essence I have already given: to surrender to God. What else, essence? What is else? The essence is that you surrender to God. You may follow any religious system, it doesn't matter, but whether you know God and whether you have surrendered to Him, that is essence. If you do not know God then what is the meaning of your religion? And if you do not surrender to God, if you surrender to your senses only, then what is religion? Simply by rubber-stamping religion... That has happened at the present moment. Nobody knows what is meant by religion. And this is the essence of religion, to surrender to God. So if you do not know who is God where you are going to surrender? You cannot surrender to the air. You must know what is God and what is surrender meaning gradually. But this is the essence of religion, to surrender to God.

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

That is the recommendation, that according to your qualification, you work, but by the result of your work, you worship Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is required. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not that everyone is expected to become first-class brahminical culture. It doesn't matter.

The same example. This example are given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ

puruṣasyāśramaiḥ saha

catvāro jajñire varṇā

guṇair viprādayaḥ pṛthak

Viprādayo guṇa-pṛthak. If we understand what is the meaning of becoming brāhmaṇa, what is the meaning of becoming kṣatriya, what is the meaning of become a vaiśya, and what is the meaning of becoming śūdra... That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ. Mukha means the face, bāhu means the arms, ūru means the waist, and pāda, these legs. So mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ. These brāhmaṇa and the kṣatriya and the vaiśya and the śūdra, it should be taken as the different parts of the body of the virāṭ-puruṣa, Kṛṣṇa. Of the virāṭ-puruṣa.

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

The real purpose is whether you are satisfying Kṛṣṇa. If your, that aim is lost, that you do not require to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, you simply satisfy your senses, then it has no meaning.

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād

ātma-prabhavam īśvaram

na bhajanty avajānanti

sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

Sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ... I claim... It is very simple to understand. Suppose this hand, my hand, but how long it is hand? So long it is attached to the service of the body. If this hand is cut off from this body, it may be called hand, but it has no meaning. Similarly, head also. The head is head so long it is attached to the body. If the head is cut off from the body, then what is the meaning of this head? It has no meaning.

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

Similarly, either you become brāhmaṇa or you become kṣatriya or you become vaiśya or śūdra, if you are not attached to the service of the supreme whole, then you are useless brāhmaṇa, useless kṣatriya, useless vaiśya. This is the purpose. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has begun that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Therefore one has to understand what is the meaning of these different types of activities. Karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ. Vikarmaṇaḥ means if you cannot work which will satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is vikarma. That is vikarma, forbidden. Because the real purpose of working is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. He is the center. He is the center of all activities. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.46). Simply by satisfying the central point, Kṛṣṇa, then you get saṁsiddhi. It doesn't matter whether you are a śūdra or a brāhmaṇa or engineer or lawyer. The real point is how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

That Vedic civilization, the whole Vedic civilization, aim is to satisfy the Supreme. That is Vedic civ... Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The division is there, but the whole aim is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But at the present moment, we are so educated, we do not know what is the meaning of Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our position. We do not know even the meaning. We do not know what is Viṣṇu and how to satisfy Him, what is the meaning of yajña. All forgotten. That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization begins by performing yajña for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. That is prescribed in the varṇāśrama.

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

So therefore Kṛṣṇa has got freedom, full freedom. So we have got also freedom in minute quantity. That is our position. That freedom, if we use properly, then we are happy, and if we misuse improperly, then we are unhappy. But freedom is there. Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He is requesting Arjuna that "You just surrender unto Me." He is all-powerful. He can force anyone and everyone to be surrendered to Him, but that He does not do. That is not Kṛṣṇa's business. He gives freedom. Because Kṛṣṇa has given you little freedom, so He does not want to interfere with your freedom. Then what is the meaning of giving freedom? That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63).

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

So even those who are trying for that, because that original disease is there, therefore even one who has advanced spiritually, he also says, "I am God. I am God." The same spirit, to make competition with Kṛṣṇa. The māyā is there. "Why you are going to worship Kṛṣṇa? You are God." "Oh, yes, I am God." This is the last snare of māyā. Therefore they are Māyāvādīs. Nobody can become Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Nobody can be equal to Kṛṣṇa; nobody can be greater than Kṛṣṇa. Then what is the meaning of God? If there are so many rascal Gods, then what is the specific personality of God? So this is the last snare of māyā, if one is trying to become God. That is not possible. That is asuric. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:

This is the position. Otherwise where is the difficulty of understanding God? "God is dead. There is no God. I am God, you are God." So many theories. Why? Here is God. God personally comes to show you what is the position of God, and He has shown what is the meaning of God. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya balasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. What is the meaning of Bhagavān, He has shown. Still, we are so unfortunate, we cannot accept. Because we are not free from the contamination. Yeṣām. One can understand. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Otherwise,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

So the best thing is that we should be submissive. We should not be proud. That will not help us. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. The so-called speculative knowledge should be given up. Jñāne prayāsam, namanta eva. Just be submissive. Namanta eva. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām, those who are perfectly saint.... Just like Vyāsadeva, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, san-mukharitām. They have accepted.... Caitanya Mahāprabhu.... San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way we can understand, we can take the lesson, everything is clear.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Māṁ mūḍhāḥ. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this word is used, avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ. Similarly the same word is used in Bhagavad-gītā: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Mūḍhāḥ means rascals. Only rascals, they think that...do not care for Me. Rascals. He does not know that he will suffer but he dares to say like that, "I don't care for..." that is avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). Without knowing the supreme position of the Lord. Cheaply, cheaply they select God. God has become so cheap. "I am God, you are God." What is the meaning of God? Do you know? If I am God, you are God, then what is the meaning of God? So, avajānanti, this word is very appropriate. Avajānanti means neglectful, don't care. But they are mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means senseless, without any knowledge. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11).

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Devotee: You mentioned that the gopas, Kṛṣṇa's friends, are playing with Him and they are said to have done very much pious deeds in their past lives. I understand that they are eternal associates...

Prabhupāda: No, some of them are eternal associates, some of them are promoted to that eternal association. Suppose if you go and become an associate, playmate of Kṛṣṇa. So your position also becomes, now, eternal. If simply the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa can play with Him, not others, then what is the meaning of your becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? You can become also. How? By pious deeds of many, many lives. You can also become promoted to that position. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). Actually in the bhauma Vṛndāvana in this material world, the Vṛndāvana, mostly the associates of Kṛṣṇa are these conditioned living entities who are promoted to that Kṛṣṇa conscious perfectional stage. They are first of all allowed to see Kṛṣṇa in the planet where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is going on. And then they are promoted to the transcendental Vṛndāvana. Therefore it is said in the Bhāgavata: kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. They are all promoted. But even they are promoted, they are now eternal associates.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

When he develops attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can certify him. He will certify himself. If you have got attachment for any other thing, then you are not in samādhi. If you have only attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then you are in samādhi. You don't require certificate from others. You know yourself. Just like while eating you can understand whether you are satisfied or not. While eating, if you are hungry man, if you are eating, you'll know, "Oh, I have eaten something. I am feeling now strength." You don't require to inquire from your friend, "Oh, am I feeling strength?" "Oh," he'll say, "what nonsense. You know yourself." Similarly, if you have... You can test yourself whether you have got full attachment for Kṛṣṇa. If not, you are not in samādhi. The test is in your hand. And that is being explained. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. In full attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And you can understand what is the meaning of attachment. You have got attachment for sex. You have got attachment for so many things. So similarly, if you have developed attachment only for Kṛṣṇa and you have no more any other attachment, then you are in samādhi. It is not artificial. It is practical.

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

Just try to understand what is the meaning of this word bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. This is one of the opulences, richness. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He was so rich that He could maintain sixteen thousand queens in sixteen thousand very costly palaces, made of marble, the furnitures made of ivory, and the beds were made of silk, and each and every room was decorated, bedecked with jewels, glittering jewels, so that at night there was no need of electricity or lamp. These descriptions are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam of Kṛṣṇa's palace, Kṛṣṇa's sixteen thousand wives, Kṛṣṇa's expansion into sixteen thousand forms. This is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means unlimitedly potential. That is Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

So if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that is mad-āśrayaḥ. But if you interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your rascal imagination, that is not Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is called mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection, as I am tea..." We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the lawbook according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that lawbook? That is not lawbook. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. What right? If you have got some opinion, if you have got some philosophy, you can write in your own book. Why you are, I mean to say, killing others and yourself by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā? You give your own thesis in a different way. But these people, they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and interpret in a different way according to their own whims. Therefore people do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

Meditation means to fix up one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. First of all they do not know who is the Personality of Godhead. But the yoga practice, according to śāstra, is that. Here it is: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is yoga. In other Vedic literature that is also stated, the same thing. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi means who meditates. It is the business of the yogis to meditate. But if you do not know upon whom to meditate, then what is the meaning of your yoga? Therefore I have seen practically in America. There are so many yoga societies. They close their eyes, and I do not know what they are meditating, but I have seen, they are snoring. (laughter) And what they will do? (makes snoring sound) (laughter) This is yoga system. So don't be misled by these bluffers' yoga system. Don't be misled. Here is yoga, Kṛṣṇa, because yoga means to meditate upon the Supreme, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, mind fully absorbed, and they see Kṛṣṇa or Nārāyaṇa, the same thing.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam. We have got vague idea of God. We do not know actually what is God. There is saṁśaya, doubts. Somebody is impersonalist. Somebody is localized. Somebody is personalist. But actually, if we ask every man, "What is your conception of God?" I think hardly anyone will be able to explain what is the meaning of God. They have no clear idea. Is it not a fact? Can any one of you give me a clear idea what do you mean by God? No. Therefore if you want clear idea of God without any doubt, asaṁśayam, and samagram... Samagram means full, not partially. The spiritual understanding is partial in this way, brahmeti paramātmā iti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The Absolute Truth is realized in three features, Brahman, beginning from Brahman, then Paramātmā, Supersoul. I think in Christian world they call holy ghost. Anyway, Paramātmā, the Supersoul. And ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement of the śāstra. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). If you want to know, here is Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

The principal factor is to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Attached means become a lover of Kṛṣṇa. Then you can understand asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Without any doubt. Otherwise you will find there are so many hundreds of religious system all over the world. Ask anyone who are their follower, "Do you know what is God?" They'll never be able to answer clearly, because they do not know God. And if you do not know God, then what is the meaning of your religion? Religion means to know God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). One must know God, and one must know what God desires. That is religion. Just like you must know your government, and you must know what government wants, expects from you. If you do that, then you are a good citizen. And if you don't know what is government, if you do not know what government desires, expects from you, then what is the meaning of your good citizenship? There is no meaning. Similarly, to become religious without any clear understanding of God is bogus, is cheating. That is cheating. That is not religion. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt..." God may be personal, impersonal, or this, that, but you must know it perfectly well. Don't say, "Perhaps it may be like this. Perhaps may be like this..." That is imperfect knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

Prabhupāda: So, you do not know what is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa? You do not know?

Indian: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So you can analyze. Karṣaṇa you cannot understand the meaning? Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Kṛṣ-karṣati. Yes. Kṛṣṇa means attractive, all-attractive.

Indian: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: And besides that, you do not know Kṛṣṇa? That is the difficulty. That our people have become so degraded that they are asking what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa—although Kṛṣṇa, God, is appeared here and left instructions. This is our position. There is a Bengali word, ṣaṭ-khaṇḍa rāmāyaṇa sītā karbaba.(?) He has studied Seventh (indistinct) of Rāmāyaṇa, now he's asking who's father is Sītā. So this is the position. We are born in the country where Kṛṣṇa spoke everything, and now we are asking what is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa, what is God. This is the position. Very degraded position. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).

Indian: God..., or God is behind this manifestation. I am in delusion. This phenomenon...

Prabhupāda: Yes. God is behind this manifestation. But one should be intelligent enough to understand who is the person or what is that which is behind this manifestation. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is answered. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Behind this everything there is a person or there is a thing which is the source of everything. So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam: "These foolish rascals do not know that behind this manifestation, I am there."

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

So when you come to this point, that you abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa and surrender to Him, that is perfection. But they do not do that.

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

(BG 7.15)

Why they do not surrender? Now, because duṣkṛtina, always acting sinful activities, duṣkṛtina, and mūḍha, rascal. He does not know his own interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Mūḍha, rascal. And then narādhama. Narādhama means lowest of the mankind. "This human body was given to him by material nature to understand Me, to surrender to Me, but he will not do this. Therefore lowest of the mankind." "No, he is so educated." No, this is nonsense. If he does not understand Kṛṣṇa, what is the meaning of education? There is no education. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why these things are...? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. He's defying Kṛṣṇa, defying God, "What is God? I am God." This is the position.

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

So Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya mām āśritya. If one has to..., has the ambition for getting out of these clutches of birth, death, old age and disease, then one, if he's intelligent enough, then, jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya mām āśritya, under Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if one attains his life's living activities... Activities there must be. We cannot stop, so long we have got this body or we have no body. That is an activity... We are active. Every living soul is active by nature. But that activity should be coordinated, dovetailed. The activity should be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya mām āśritya yatanti ye. Yatanti means "one who endeavors in that way." Te brahma: "They are actually Brahman." Brahman means they are transcendental, in transcendental state. Te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam: "Or they can understand what is the meaning of Brahman, or the transcendental, Transcendence." Te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam: "They understand what is Brahman, and their work, their activities are also Brahman."

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

Now, this is Sanskrit word. Some of you do not know what is the meaning of this Hare Kṛṣṇa. This meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa is... It is just addressing the Supreme Lord and His energy, Harā. Harā is the energy, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. So we are addressing, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa: "O the energy of the Lord, O the Lord, please accept me." That's all. "Please accept me." We have no other prayer. "Please accept me." Lord Caitanya taught that we should simply cry, and we shall simply pray for accepting us. That's all. So this vibration is simply a cry for addressing the Supreme Lord, requesting Him, "Please accept me. Please accept me."

Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

So suppose if you are saying that "I don't believe in God," but who has given you this power to say that "I don't believe in God." You are speaking, "I don't believe in God," but as soon as there is something, you cannot speak, everything stops. So who has given you this speaking power that you dare to say that "I don't believe in God"? Will you not think that "How I am speaking? Who has given me the power?" Do you mean to say that this speaking power has come automatically from the stone? This body is just like as good as stone. As soon as the speaking power is withdrawn by the supreme authority, you are as good as stone, this body. What is the meaning of this body? So who has given you the speaking power that you are denying that "I don't believe in God"? Therefore an atheist or an unbeliever, he must be a first-class foolish man. There is no other reason that one can deny the existence of God. It is very simple reasoning, that who has given you the power to talk and who, if he withdraws the power from you, then what is your value? How can you boastly say that "I don't believe in God"? This very power of speaking is the proof that there is the greatest authority who gives you everything.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

So it is the duty of the Indians to understand Kṛṣṇa culture, Kṛṣṇa consciousness cultural movement, and take part in it seriously. That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, bhārata bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). This is the injunction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "Anyone who has taken birth in the holy land of Bhāratavarṣa..." Bhārata-bhūmite haila. Of course, if he's a man. If he's a cat or dog, that is a different thing. But bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Manuṣya-janma. If he's a human being, then he must take advantage of the Vedic knowledge. Janma sārthaka kari'. Otherwise what he'll speak? If he does not know what is what, then what is the meaning of his preaching? No. So janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra. It is the duty of every Indian, every man who has taken birth in Bhāratavarṣa, to perform para-upakāra, to do well others. Because in the other part of the world there is no such advantage of Vedic literature and Vedic knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

Jñānam, knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa is explaining about knowledge. People are being educated all over the world for advancement of knowledge. Knowledge is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore, for human being, there are so many universities, schools, colleges, institutions, laws. There are so many things (indistinct) to advance knowledge is to understand "Who am I?" If I do not know who am I, then what is the meaning of my advancement of knowledge? Generally, despite so many universities all over the world, people are going on in the concept of this body, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." So everyone is identifying himself with this material body. Then where is the advancement of knowledge?

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

Our business is not very difficult. Our business is very easy because we are not manufacturing knowledge like the rascals. "I think." What you are, you are thinking like this? You are rascal number one, and you are thinking? What is the meaning of your thinking? We reject immediately. "I think." "It is my opinion." This is going on. Big, big scientists, big, big philosophers. We don't accept. We must see whether he has received knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. And one who receives knowledge from Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna said to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, the perplexity which has arisen in my mind, it cannot be solved by anyone except Yourself." Because Arjuna knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore he surrendered to Him. He surrendered. He was talking like friend. Friendly talking cannot give any good result, simply waste of time. But when there is talking between disciple and the spiritual master, that has got meaning.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Everyone is trying his best to mitigate distressed condition of life. Duḥkha-nivṛtti. Everyone is trying. I am in miserable condition. If I get so much money my miserable condition will be mitigated. So everyone is after money. But that mitigation is temporary. Suppose if you get some money, you get a nice apartment, nice bank balance. Does it mean you have ended your main problems of life, janma-mṛtyu, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). So they have become so foolish, so degraded, that they do not know what is the meaning of life, what is the problem of life, how to make solution of the problem. Nobody is interested. Simply cats and dogs, that's all. As the cat and dog is working very hard simply for eating, sleeping, and mating, that's all. The human life is not meant for that purpose. This is the defect of modern civilization. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām, the hog who eats stool, he's also struggling for the same thing. What is that? Eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, that's all. So is that human life is also simply meant for this purpose? No. Human life is meant for tāpo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). You have to purify your existence. My existence is now impure. In the Bhagavad-gītā we learn, na jāyate na mriyate. The living entity, the soul, never takes birth, never dies, but I am subject to birth and death. So this problem does not come. They are simply making adjustment, a temporary problem. That is not human civilization. Vedic civilization means to solve the major problems of life. That is Vedic civilization.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Formerly people were very happy so far material conditions were concerned. They had no complaint. Everyone was happy, everyone was getting ample food. And why they shall not get? If the birds, beasts—they are getting their ample food, even up to death. There is no complaint amongst the birds and beast unless one is in the human society. Otherwise in the jungle there are major portion of the animals and birds. They have no complaint. They do not come in the city, that we have this complaint. They are happy, they are getting ample food, life is very happy. They have got their eating, they have got their sleeping, they have got their mates for sex life and they know how to defend. Everything is there. There is no problem. Only in the human society they have created problem because they have no knowledge. The so-called knowledge is useless not unless you can solve the problems (?) what is the meaning of this knowledge? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says knowledge means one must know this is my real acute miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge.

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

So Kṛṣṇa says jñeyam. Jñeyam means mat-paraṁ brahma. In a previous verse it has been explained, anādi mat-paraṁ brahma. Brahmā means bṛhatya bṛhanatyād iti brahma.(?) Nothing is great than Brahman. That is being explained, how Brahman, what is the meaning of Brahman. Brahman means sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat: "Brahman has got His hands and legs everywhere." Just like I have got my hands and legs, this is limited. I have got my hands. Why I cannot stretch five feet? Only three feet. That is also with great difficulty. But the Brahman's hand, sarvataḥ, sarvataḥ, everywhere. Just like Kṛṣṇa said, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Now Kṛṣṇa says that "Either a little flower, a little fruit, or little leaf..." Anyone can collect these things. Even if he is the poorest of the poor, then he can also collect a little flower, a little fruit, little water and offer Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I wanted to offer You something, but I am so poor. I have nothing to offer. I have collected these three things as You have prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā. "Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. The real thing is bhakti.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew that these cats and dogs, they are so degraded, they cannot understand what is the meaning of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand. Therefore He said, eho bāhya, āge kaha āra: "This is external. Please speak more, something effective." So when Rāmānanda Rāya said, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta... This is a statement given by Brahmā. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ vārtām, bhavadīya-vārtām, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām. When he proposed this verse, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Yes, this is nice. This is nice." What is that meaning? Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Because you are no better than an animal, so what is the value of your speculative knowledge? Jñāne prayāsam. Don't endeavor in this speculative way. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give it up. Namanta eva. Just become namra humble, humble and meek. Lord Jesus Christ also said, "The Kingdom of God is for the humble and meek."

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- South Africa, October 18, 1975:

Unless one is bhāgyavān, very fortunate, he'll not go back to home, back to Godhead. He will rot here. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make people bhāgyavān. If he wants, he can become bhāgyavān. That is our attempt. We are creating so many centers. We are teaching how to become bhāgyavān, fortunate, how to go back to home, how he can be happy. Now, if one is fortunate, they will take this instruction and turn his life. Therefore this is mission. But without becoming bhāgyavān, nobody can go. Fortunate. So we are giving them chance to become fortunate. This is our mission. The most unfortunate is getting the chance of becoming fortunate. Any one of us can consider this, how from unfortunate life they are coming to fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are giving chance to the unfortunate. Everyone is unfortunate, everyone is a rascal. We are giving chance how to become intelligent and fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If the people are not so unfortunate and rascal, then what is the meaning of preaching? Preaching means that you have to turn the rascals and unfortunate to become intelligent and fortunate. That is preaching. But unless you are fortunate and intelligent, you cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is a fact.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

From the mine. So who has created mine? Your father has created this mine, that you are taking this iron? That means you are thief. You are thief. The iron is not your property. The iron is there already. If it is already there, you must conclude it is somebody's property. So you are taking it away without asking the proprietor. Then are you not thief? What is the meaning of stealing? If you take something without asking the proprietor, that is stealing. So the iron is there, you are taking from the mine iron. You may convert into various things. That is another thing. But the original iron, to whom it belongs? Kṛṣṇa declares in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the proprietor." So He is the proprietor. Sarva-loka, all planets. So in this planet, when you find this iron, then whose property it is? When you find it, you must know it belongs to somebody. And who is that person? Without asking that person, without taking permission of that person, if you take away, are you not thief?