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What to speak of... (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So this is pure bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy... (CC Madhya 19.167). The, the, the gopīs, they're not jñānīs; they're ordinary village girls. What jñāna they have? No jñāna, no karma. They did not know what is karma, what is sacrifice. No. They did not know. (aside:) All right, you can close. Close this door. So we should, we should be prepared to sacrifice everything, without any consideration of jñāna, karma, yoga. No. We have to see whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). That is perfection. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. So people have no information what is Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of satisfying Him. That... Who was speaking? That Girirāja. He was talking to Mr. Motta, every so-called learned scholars, they have no, I mean to say, idea what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, and where to speak of satisfying Him? But the bhakti means that he, a bhakta, is always ready to sacrifice everything to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. But if one has no idea what is Kṛṣṇa, then where is bhakti? For the impersonalist, there cannot be any bhakti because they have no information of Kṛṣṇa. They do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. And bhakti means satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. If I know the person, if I know what is his nature, then I can know also how to satisfy him. If you have no information of any person, then where is the question of satisfaction? Go on reading.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Sat cit ānanda. His form is made of eternity, bliss, and knowledge. Our form, this form, is not eternity. It will die. It will be finished. Why my form? Even Brahmā's form. Although he will live for many millions of years. Just like one day, twelve hours, is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Brahmā's one day, twelve hours, he... These four yugas, forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand. That is Brahmā's twelve days, uh, twelve hours. Now we can calculate his life. He'll live for one hundred years. So his twelve hours is millions of years. So still, he will die. Anything in this material world, it will not stay. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Everything will be finished. Therefore even Brahmā's body is not eternal. What to speak of my body, your body, ant's body, his body... Sat. Sat means "that exists". Oṁ tat sat.

And cit. Cit means knowledge. So Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is perfect. Kṛṣṇa says, vedāham, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). "I know past, present, and future." When Kṛṣṇa was questioned by Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said that "Many millions of years ago, first of all, I spoke this science of Bhagavad-gītā or bhakti-yoga, to the sun-god." Imaṁ vivasvate proktaṁ vivasvān manave prāha. "I spoke, first of all, to Vivasvān, the Sun god." The Sun god's name is there, Vivasvān. Then Kṛṣṇa was questioned by Arjuna that "Kṛṣṇa, You and me, we are born very recently. How is that You say that You spoke to Sun god? That is millions and millions of years ago." So Kṛṣṇa answered, "Yes, I said. I remember. But you do not remember. You were also present." Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they're eternal friends. So whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, Arjuna also appears. Kṛṣṇa has got His associates. Arjuna is one of the associates. But the, that is the difference between living entity and God. God remembers and the living entity does not remember. He forgets. And another conclusion is: Why Kṛṣṇa remembers and why the living entity does not remember? The reason is that living entity changes the body, Kṛṣṇa does not change the body. Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). When Kṛṣṇa appears, He appears in His original body, but because He looks like ordinary man, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), the rascals and fools, they think Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man, human being.

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

Śrī-caitanya-mahaprabhor matam idam. This is the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is exactly following the principles of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yāre dekha tāre kaha upadeśa.

So the atheist class, they cannot see Kṛṣṇa. They ca... They'll see Kṛṣṇa at a certain time. What is that? That is ex..., described in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). When there will be death, when death will take away all our possessions, at that time, we can see Kṛṣṇa. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu was atheist. He could not see God. He was Godless. But at the last, he saw God in the form of Nṛsiṁha-deva. That is also, being father of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Otherwise it was not possible. So God is everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ... (break) That's all. Otherwise you can see God everywhere. He is within the atom, what to speak of other things. Simply you have to smear your eyes with the ointment of love of God, Kṛṣṇa. And if you want to come to that stage, then you have to follow the instructions given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

We do not say only the perfect persons should come here. No. Perfect or imperfect, come here. Take part with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Dhīrādhīra, it doesn't matter. Because one who's adhīra, by associating with the dhīras, he'll also become dhīra. Just like one is not drunkard, but associating with the drunkards, he becomes a drunkard. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. So similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving chance to everyone. Not to speak of... Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Api cet sudur... What is that verse? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). They also... Te 'pi yānti, yānti parāṁ gatim. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice, even the most sinful person can go back to home, back to Godhead. And what to speak of the pious brāhmaṇas? Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). They will go. Even those who are sinful, if they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they'll also go. It is so nice.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

"All right. You take this work again." Even great yogis, because they think of material comforts, they are called bhraṣṭa. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatām. Although the facility is given to take birth in the family of high brāhmaṇa or high, rich man, but it is material. It is material life. And one who becomes perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious, he hasn't got to. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). He is immediately transferred to Kṛṣṇa.

But people are enamored by this material life to have high parentage, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). They are enamored by these things. "I must have birth in high family, in brāhmaṇa family, in king's family, in heavenly planet, in demigod's family." They think this is life. But a devotee knows, "No, this is not life." For devotee... Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. What to speak of this rich family or that family or brāhmaṇa family? Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. Even vidhi... Vidhi means Lord Brahma, and mahendra means Lord Indra. They are also considered, "What? They are insects, a pāpa living entity, just like ordinary insects." That is the position. The devotee is richest. Just like somebody... We were discussing. Somebody was speaking about me that "You are richest." Yes, I am richest. Why not richest? Because a devotee does not care liberation. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. The jñānīs are after merging into the Brahman effulgence. A devotee thinks, "What is this Brahman effulgence?" Narakāyate tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. And the heavenly planet, that is phantasmagoria. What is this?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

So we can enjoy Kṛṣṇa's loving service in so many ways. Not only by the embrace of the gopīs, but in the fight of Bhīṣma with Kṛṣṇa and piercing His body with arrows. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akhila-rasāmṛta. Any one rasa... There are twelve rasas, either primary rasa or secondary rasa. Any rasa, Kṛṣṇa is ready to respond to any rasa you want to deal with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position. Kāmāt krodhād bhayāt dveṣāt. So what to speak of those who are loving. Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. That was his, that was her purpose. But when Pūtanā was killed by sucking her breast and life both, then Pūtanā was given the position of Kṛṣṇa's mother. Because Kṛṣṇa took it the bright side. Kṛṣṇa thought that "Whatever her intention may be, she came to Me just like a mother, and I sucked her breast. Therefore she is My mother." She came as enemy, but Kṛṣṇa did not take the inimical side. The motherly side. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Similarly, the gopīs, they came to Kṛṣṇa out of lust, but out of lust, they became purified. Just like the sun. The sun soaks the water from urinal, but sun is not polluted, but the urinal becomes sterilized. This is the process. So you try to approach Kṛṣṇa, some way or other. Then your life is successful. It doesn't matter. Kāmāt krodhād bhayād dveṣāt.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

And what to speak of those who are constantly engaged in love with Kṛṣṇa. Everything is love. As soon as you divert your attention to Kṛṣṇa, that is love. It may be perverted. Just like Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa... He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. But he was thinking in terms of killing Kṛṣṇa, as enemy. So this is not bhakti. This is not anukūla. Pratikūla. But still, Kṛṣṇa is so kind that Kaṁsa was also given liberation. This is the special kindness of Kṛṣṇa. So any rasa. There are twelve rasas. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. That is the direction given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī." Some way or other, fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa." Then your life is successful. Some way or other. Yena tena. So if your mind is fixed up always in Kṛṣṇa, then your senses will be also engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Because mind is the center of all activities of the senses.

So as Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he first of all engaged his mind in Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). By fixing up his mind in Kṛṣṇa, then he could use all other senses, namely the tongue... Actually bhakti begins with the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Beginning from tongue, Kṛṣṇa-bhakti begins. It may be very awkward to hear, that "By tongue, how bhakti begins?" But that is the statement in the śāstras. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our present senses, blunt, materially covered, it cannot taste what is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality, what is Kṛṣṇa's pastime, what is Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:

They will not be able to understand, simply futile, simply futile, they cannot. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Surrender unto Me. If you don't surrender unto Me, you do not become my devotee, I'll not be exposed to you, I am not so cheap." Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap, but He's cheap to the devotees. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Vedeṣu durlabham. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa by the strength of your Vedic study, so-called Vedic study, because that is foolish study. He does not know. That is the test. If he, one does not understand Kṛṣṇa, his Vedic study is simply waste of time. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. The test will be whether he has understood Kṛṣṇa. If one has studies Vedas, the test will be whether he understands Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). If he is missing Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is unknown, then all his study is useless waste of time. Useless waste of time. This is the verdict of the śāstra. So those, one who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, he, his knowledge is not at all advanced, what to speak of perfection. There is no question of perfection. Perfection of knowledge is surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Yes. Now the human welfare activities are now developed in the form of United Nations. They are tackling various subject matter, but still, it is not possible. They are trying for the last twenty years, but still, even the nations have not become united, what to speak of other welfare activities. It is just a comparison, a little comparison, but this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started, practically, from 1967. I went there in 1965, and for one year I could not do anything. In 1966 this movement was registered in New York, and from 1966 it is spreading. So within four or five years it has spread all over the world. We have got branches in every part of the globe. And at least, these people know there is a movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and we are welcome everywhere as Kṛṣṇa conscious people, "Hare Kṛṣṇa People." Our name is "Hare Kṛṣṇa People." So people may take note of it that within a short period, it has spread so widely. In comparison to United Nations, what we are? We have no money. We have no means. We have no influence. We have no government support. Nothing of the sort. But still, it is spreading.

So yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha lokas tad anuvartate, tat tat eva itaraḥ janaḥ (BG 3.21). According to this formula, if the leaders of the society takes this movement little seriously... They should take, because this is the only movement which can bring in peace and prosperity and happiness to the whole human society. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

They give up this world, so many sannyāsīs. But at heart there is the desire: "I shall become God. I shall become God." Just see. We are trying... The karmīs are trying to become minister, and he's trying to become God. So how much great desire he has got. And outwardly he appears to be renounced.

So brahma, nirbheda brahmānusandhana. But a devotee, his happiness is different. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). We do not want this. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. A Vaiṣṇava does not desire even liberation, what to speak of dhanam, janam, rūpavatī bhāryā. That is real Vaiṣṇava. He wants simply Kṛṣṇa, to serve Him. That's... Anyābhilāṣitā... So that happiness is perfect happiness. That is real śānti. Real śānti. Caitanya-caritāmṛta therefore says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Bhukti means karmīs, simply wanting, possess. That, that possessing labor is also another aśānti, to struggle to possess. So he's aśānta. Mukti, he wants to become God, one with God. And kṛccha sādhana, austerities, penance, so many things he has to do—meditation—just to become God. So that is also troublesome. Where is śānti? Yogis, they're also practicing praṇāyāma, so many āsanas, dhyāna dhāraṇā, āsana, praṇāyāma. So where is śānti? He has to keep his head down and, what is called? Śīrṣāsana. That is also another āsana. Then he has to show magic. Otherwise he'll not be recognized. He has to prepare a rasagullā by magic. These are all troublesome things. So bhukti-mukti-siddhi. Bhukti means karmī, mukti means jñānī and siddhi means yogi. Bhukti means siddhi kāmī sakali aśānta. Their process is aśānti. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma ataeva śānta (CC Madhya 19.149). Kṛṣṇa-bhakta does not require to possess anything or to renounce anything or to show some magic power. No. He has nothing to do all these things. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta does not want that "I shall show some magic and people will be attracted." If one is Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, he attracts thousands without any magic. The only magic is kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That's all. He doesn't require to show any yogic magic. It is so nice thing.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

"I am spirit soul," that is partial knowledge. And I am eternal spirit soul, but unless I know that I am part and parcel of the Supreme Ātmā, Kṛṣṇa, my knowledge is not perfect. Simply brahma-bhūtaḥ, to know that I am spirit soul, that is not perfect knowledge. You have to still go further. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). Śrīdhara Swami says that kaitava. When one thinks artificially that he becomes, he has become liberated, one with the Supreme, that is also kaitava, cheating. He's not. How he can be one with the Supreme Lord? Then how he has become insignificant creature if he's Supreme Lord? Therefore this kind of conception, that "I have become God now," this is also cheating, another cheating. He's cheating, self-deception. He's cheating himself. And what to speak of others. So this kind of oneness, or to become God, they're imperfect knowledge. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

"I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am white," "I am black"—these are all designations.

So it is the business of the guru to clear up these designations, dirty things. Therefore, vande gurūn īśam. Guru, first offering because he is the agent of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said that "You give up all these designative dharma; take to real dharma." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). "That is your real business." But even Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa does not fail... But Kṛṣṇa does not force. So even upon the request of Kṛṣṇa we do not give up our designation. This is the difficulty. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, and nobody practically, except the Pāṇḍavas and few other devotees, nobody took it seriously. And what to speak of now. They are talking of Bhagavad-gītā, scholars of Bhagavad-gītā, but without Kṛṣṇa. That is their business. These demons, they are preaching Bhagavad-gītā without Kṛṣṇa. Nobody preaches about Kṛṣṇa. Nobody says what Kṛṣṇa wants. Sarva-dharmān parityajya. Kṛṣṇa wants this, but they are misinterpreting in different ways and diverting the attention of the people most foolishly, that... In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is the center. So this is going on. You know, you are coming all from foreign countries. Bhagavad-gītā is popular in your country, at least amongst the scholars and theosophists and theologists. Going on, for the last two hundred years at least. But nobody understood Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Now for the last, say, five or ten years, because we are presenting Kṛṣṇa as it is, it has become very easy for you to accept it. Unadulterated Kṛṣṇa. Before this, everything was presented adulterated. Therefore there was no effect.

So if you push on this movement, unadulterated Kṛṣṇa, it will go on. It will go on. And as soon as you adulterate Kṛṣṇa, it will not go on. It will not be effective. You may be very good scholar or very good politician or this or that, but you'll never understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). If you want to pollute Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will never be revealed to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234).

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

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

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

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

The gopīs' dealing with Kṛṣṇa is considered to be the topmost. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He recommended, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. Vrajavadhū, the gopīs, the damsels of Vṛndāvana, they worship Kṛṣṇa in the topmost loving affairs. They did not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. For Kṛṣṇa they could sacrifice anything—their honor, their prestige, everything, their husband, their sons, family. That is the gopīs' standard. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is accepted by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in many verses. One of the verses in here, anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau.

So we should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is the blessing of Rūpa Gosvāmī.

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

We have to accept that. Sattvena sāttvikatayā prabalaiś ca śāstraiḥ.

So in the authoritative śāstra, the activities of God is mentioned there, and practically it is demonstrated when God is present. And prakhyāta-daiva-paramārtha-vidāṁ mataiś ca. Mata means opinion. Just like we try to take opinion from a person who is accepted. Just like you are selling your Back to Godhead by Ginsberg's name because he is popular. So similarly, there are popular representative, popular authors, just like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, Kumāra, Kapila, Manu. They have accepted. They have accepted. Even in the modern age, Śaṅkarācārya, he accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And what to speak of other ācāryas. They have... They are Vaiṣṇavas. They will naturally. So we have to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). So there are opinions of great scholars and stalwarts, and there is mention in the śāstra, in the scriptures. And the activities have shown practically. So these things are there. And still, those who are atheists, they will not do it. They will not do it.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

Just like in our society there are small children. You see their behavior. They are coming, offering flower, offering obeisances. That means they are not ordinary children. They have got the opportunity to take birth in the family of Vaiṣṇava, father Vaiṣṇava, mother Vaiṣṇava. And he is getting the opportunity of Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of life. This is called śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41).

So if one is fallen from devotional service, he is offered again the opportunity to take birth in the human society. And not only ordinary human being, but devotee, very cleansed, or, next to that, very rich family. These are the two opportunities for the fallen devotees, and what to speak of those who are not fallen. Just imagine. Those who are not fallen, they go directly. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Immediately they are transferred to the spiritual world after giving up this body. And those who are fallen, they are not immediately transferred, but they are given the chance again for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and being transferred, transferred to the spiritual world, because one who takes birth in the family of Vaiṣṇava and pure brāhmaṇa, he gets the chance again. Just like these children are getting chance again—deity worship, offering to the Vaiṣṇava obeisances, offering some flower, dancing, chanting. He is again getting the opportunity. Although he was fallen in his last birth, that fallen is not so serious. He has got again human body, and he has got chance to be associate with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And rich man. Rich man means... Everyone is embarrassed with the maintenance of body. So if one is not embarrassed... To take birth in rich family means he has nothing to think of maintenance. Just like one of our devotee, Mr. Alfred Ford, he is the great-grandson of Mr. Henry Ford.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

This is a fact. Now, you can see in this country, in this village, Māyāpur, their so many food grains are growing, but who is supplying? That is Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible to grow these food grains in your factory. No. That is not possible. He's helping us. He has stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Unless you eat sufficiently, unless you have food grains in stock, you cannot flourish. Bhutani. Bhavanti. Bhavanti means flourishing. So both animals and men, they must eat sufficiently. There must be food grain sufficiently. So that food grain you cannot manufacture in your factory. You may start a very big factory, Goodyear Tire factory, but that tire also will not move when there is no supply of petrol. This is your position. You are dependent even for this tire and petrol, and what to speak of this food grain. So who is supplying the food grain? The supplying person is... Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That singular number individual person, He is supplying. You can say prakṛti, nature, is supplying. No. Nature is not supplying. Nature is the agent of supply. Real supplier is Kṛṣṇa. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. And that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Nature is working under the instruction or the indication of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

"Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Person, if one compares with Nārāyaṇa with such exalted demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahma...," brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ, "what to speak of other Indra, Candra—they are nothing in comparison to Brahmā. Brahmā is the creator of this universe. So even such creator, even so powerful demigod as Lord Śiva, cannot be compared with Kṛṣṇa." Advitīya. Cannot be compared. That is pāṣaṇḍī. Sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam. So those who are comparing, "All the demigods and Kṛṣṇa, they are on the same level. You can worship anyone," they are all rascals. Because here it is said advitīya, Kṛṣṇa cannot be compared with anyone else. That is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). They may be īśvara. Lord Śiva may be īśvara, Lord Brahmā may be īśvara, but they cannot be parama īśvara. That is not possible. Parameśvara is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

So... But, at the same time, Nandātmaja, or Vasudevātmaja. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. That is dealing between His devotee and Himself. Although nobody can become Kṛṣṇa's father, because He is the original father-aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2)—but He agrees to become the son of His devotee. This is called devotional dealing. Śānta, dāsya sākhya, vātsalya-rasa. This is the dealing of vātsalya-rasa. The father... Nobody can become father of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. He is the father. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). He is the original father. Then how nandātmaja? How Nanda Mahārāja can become the father of Kṛṣṇa? No. That father means he wanted to become the best servant of Kṛṣṇa. When I become father of my child, I am the best servant of the child, actually. You see the children moving, and the mother is taking care. So the mother is the best servant of the child. So this is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

So when Lord Caitanya was living at Benares, on His way to Vṛndāvana... Not... He never made His headquarters anywhere else except Jagannātha Purī. Even Benares... He was worshiper of Vṛndāvana, but He did not make His headquarter at Vṛndāvana. So when on His way to Vṛndāvana He stopped at Benares and was staying at Candraśekhara's house, and He was taking His meals at the house of Tapana Miśra. So when He was passing—because His only propaganda was Hare Kṛṣṇa, just we are doing—so when He was passing on the road, all the people joined, all the people. It is... It has got so attraction. Even nonsignificant persons like us, when we chant, it attracts people, and what to speak of Lord Caitanya? He is personally chanting. So it attracted many people. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu within three, four days became very famous man, and everyone began to say, "Oh, from Bengal, nice sannyāsī, beautiful sannyāsī, a young sannyāsī has come, and He is come," and they were chanting and dancing, and people were very much attached to Him. In this way there was some propaganda in the city.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.76-81 -- San Francisco, February 2, 1967:

Let Me see Vedānta-sūtra. Why shall I not see?" Oh, that is rascaldom again. That is rascaldom again. You cannot deviate the order of the spiritual master by an inch if you really want success.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei ājñā pāñā: "I received this order from My spiritual master, and I follow it strictly." Nāma la-i anukṣaṇa: "Because My spiritual master told Me that 'You don't touch Vedānta. You, You fool. You just go on.' " Or, in other words, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was not a fool. He was a vastly learned man. He's representing the fools of the present age. What they will understand, Vedānta-sūtra? Their life is so molded by the present atmosphere, materialistic atmosphere, that they are unable to touch Vedānta-sūtra. They are unfit to touch even Vedānta-sūtra, what to speak of understanding it. Therefore they'll create more rascaldom to create so many Vedānta societies and they are the same rascals, still. For hundred years they are studying Vedānta-sūtra, and the same thing, the same bad habit—same illicit connection, same intoxication, same gambling. Everything is going on. And they're Vedānta-sūtra student? This is rascaldom. There must be change in life. Otherwise, what is the use of Vedānta-sūtra? Veda-anta. Vedānta means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means end, end of all knowledge. Everyone is searching after knowledge, but there must be some end. What is the ultimate end? The Bhagavad-gītā says, vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta. I am the knower of Vedānta." So, if you simply understand what Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, you are Vedantist. And what says Kṛṣṇa? What does He say? He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all rascaldom. Simply surrender unto Me." This is Vedānta. This is Vedānta. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra).

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

Siddhi means perfection. Siddhi means perfection. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised... That is His propaganda. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-māha-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ sarvātmanaṁ paraṁ vijāyate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam (CC Antya 20.12). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... So His Guru Mahārāja advised Him... He presented Himself like that to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. Presenting Himself as fool means that the general mass of people, they are not fit for becoming very great Sanskrit scholar or very good philosopher or student of Vedānta philo... That is not possible in this age, in Kali-yuga. Mass of people, they are almost śūdra. Śūdra-sambhava. Scholarship, to study Sanskrit, to study Vedas, Purāṇas, they are meant for the brāhmaṇas. Not even for the kṣatriyas, or what to speak of vaiśya. Vaiśya, śūdra and woman, they have been classified in the Bhagavad-gītā as less intelligent. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdras te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. But Kṛṣṇa is so merciful. If you take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, whatever you may be... You may be scholar or not scholar. You may be rich or poor; women, śūdra, vaiśya, or pāpa-yoni. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. In Bhāgavata also, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbha yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Pāpā means born in low-grade family. They are called pāpā. Śuddhyanti: they become purified. This is the verdict of the śāstras, that bhagavad-bhakti does not depend on any kind of material qualification. Simply you have to become very sincere and serious. That is the only price.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

So when rascals and fools think in their imperfect stage as perfect, the whole anomalies of this world begins. The rascals and fools, they do not think themselves that "I am rascal and fool." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu presents Himself before His spiritual master... Not He presented—His spiritual master found Him, that "You are fool number one." So we should be always prepared to admit our imperfection. But such imperfection is not in, on the īśvara. Īśvara means "controller." If the controller is imperfect... Suppose a man is in charge, director of such and such a department, education department, and if he's a fool, then what is the use of keeping such man? Therefore īśvara, those who are controllers, they have no such flaw. That is to be admitted first. They are flawless. And what to speak of the Parameśvara. There are two kinds of īśvara. Īśvara, you can, you are also īśvara, but you are now in imperfect stage. When you become perfect, you become īśvara, controller. For example, just like, at the present conditioned stage, we are all controlled by the senses. So when you at least become the controller of the senses, then you become īśvara. Now we are controlled by the senses, but when you become actually controller of the senses, then you become īśvara. Then there will be less mistake, less illusion, less cheating, and perfection.

The Lord, God... God is out of all these imperfections. And what are the scriptures? The scriptures are the words of God. In every scripture, you'll find, "God said." In Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' " So therefore why God..., we are bringing God for creation? Because that will be perfect. If God said "Let there be creation," that creation will be perfect. Don't you see how this creation is perfect? We require water, so much, a large quantity. So God has created this earth in such a way that three-fourths of the earth is covered with water. And the water is salty.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So our position is to be dependent on the supreme living force, God or Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. And He is supplying everything as we want. Because God is not poor. He is our father. Just like rich father, there is no insufficiency. In a rich family, the father is very rich, and the sons, they can draw anything from the rich father. Similarly, we can draw anything from Kṛṣṇa, the supreme father. But our, this so-called independence for sense gratification, will not make us happy. That is the position. You can independently try to become Brahmā, what to speak of this prime minister or this king or... You can become Brahmā, Indra, Candra. You can become. They are also living entities in higher position. Just like your president, he is also an Indian, but in higher position. That's all. Your prime minister, he is also Indian. Similarly, all these demigods, Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, they're demigods, they are highly posted as servant of God. But just like a foolish man thinks a constable in the street is the supreme power without knowing the background of the constable's position, similarly, those who are foolish persons, they think demigods are the supreme. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Hṛta-jñānāḥ means lost of all intelligence.

So if we actually try to understand Kṛṣṇa from all points of view on the basis of Vedic literature, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam... (SB 1.3.28). And Kṛṣṇa personally says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kiñcid. "Nobody. Nobody is greater than Me." How a foolish man can say that "I am greater than Kṛṣṇa"? So we have to give up all these foolish ideas. We have to take the real fact as it is. And then we become Kṛṣṇa conscious and our life becomes successful. That is our propaganda.

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

So this is the proposition to the spiritual master, that one must submit that "Actually, I do not know what I am. Am I this body or something else?" I am not this body, that I can understand, because I say, when somebody asks... Even a child, you ask, "My dear child, what is this?" he will say, "It is my finger." He'll never say, "I finger," what to speak of others. If every one of us, we say, "This is my hair, this is my nose," then where is "I"? He doesn't inquire "Where is I?" Then there will be analysis of the body, where is that "I"? Everyone knows "my," but who knows "I"? That is education. That is being submitted by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. So tāpa-traya means three kinds of miserable condition: ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. Ādhyātmika means pertaining to the body and mind. Sometimes we are feeling some ailments in the body-mind is not in good order. This is called ādhyātmika. And ādhibhautika. Ādhibhautika means miseries inflicted by other living entities. Just like there are mosquitos, there are flies, there are birds, there are other animals, or other enemies in the human society: my friend has become enemy, so he's trying to give me some displeasure. So this kind of This is called ādhibhautika. Ādhyātmika. Even nobody gives me any distress, my body will give me distress. If I cannot sit comfortably, if there is some pinching, I am feeling pain. So these things are going on, ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. And other miseries inflicted by providence. Just like there is no rain, excessive heat, excessive cold, famine, pestilence, earthquake. We have no control over. These are ādhidaivika. So we are suffering. Although we may foolishly say If somebody asks his friend, "How are you?" he says, "Oh, yes, everything is all right." Where is "Everything is all right"?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

So Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted to his guru. This is the actually necessity of approaching a guru, not that guru should be approached for some material gains, for some medical help: "Guru Mahārāja, I am suffering from this disease. Give me your blessing," and he gives some powder and you are cured. So for this purpose there is no necessity of guru. You can go to a medical man. Then he can help you. Why should you search out a guru? But that has become a fashion. For some material gain they would go to guru. And if the guru can manufacture gold, then what to speak of? This is going on. But śāstra does not say that you should approach a guru for some material benefit. No. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). You should approach a guru—what purpose? Jijñāsuḥ, if you are inquisitive, jijñāsuḥ. What is that jijñāsuḥ? Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta. Jijñāsā, enquiry, means not for any other purpose, any political, social or this... So many things are there in this material world. But real jijñāsā is brahma-jijñāsā. That is, the Vedānta-sūtra begins.

So the same thing is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural comment on Vedānta-sūtra. When Vyāsadeva was not satisfied even after giving the Vedānta-sūtras, Brahma-sūtras, then his spiritual master advised him that "You write something simply on the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; otherwise you cannot be satisfied." Then he, on the basis of Vedānta-sūtra, he wrote a commentary, bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrānām **. Therefore in each end of chapter of Bhāgavatam you'll find, brahma-sūtrasya bhāṣyayam. So the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural comment on Vedānta-sūtra by the author himself. So the Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā, unless one is inquisitive to understand about Brahman or the supreme spirit or the basic principle of our life...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.105 -- New York, July 11, 1976:

Vede gāy yāṅhāra carito. You should understand this. So by the mercy of guru, by the favor of guru, we get prema-bhakti. There are vidhi-bhakti. In the beginning we have to discharge devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the śāstra, the instruction of guru, śāstra-vidhi. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23). Kṛṣṇa says, "This śāstra-vidhim, the vidhi-mārga, if one gives up the śāstra-vidhi and manufactures his own way," na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti, "he does not get success," na sukham, "neither happiness," na parāṁ gatim, "and what to speak of going back to Godhead?" Forget all this. Śāstra-vidhi. So this is minimized. So when we are practiced to vidhi-mārga, then we gradually get love of Godhead. That is ultimate. Premā pumartho mahān. Just like in India formerly they... Very small, minor-aged boy and girl are married, especially the girl, ten, twelve years, married. So how she can love her husband? She does not know. But there is vidhi-mārga. Vidhi-mārga, the elderly people of the—"Now, just to give your husband this refreshment." So she gives. In this way, gradually, when she's grown-up, she does not require any instruction; she knows how to serve her husband. That is prema. That is the bha... But the beginning must be regulative principle. Prema, vidhi prema. Prema-bhakti yāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa yāte. Prema-bhakti, avidyā... Unless we are free from this nescience of material existence, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa prema. Two things cannot go. Viraktir anyatra syāt. If you actually advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then naturally you'll be averse to this material enjoyment. Viraktir... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Just like if you are eating, naturally you are satisfying your appetite. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti means we are satisfying automatically all our desires. That is Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. The more we advance in Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, you'll have no more material desires. Then?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

Now, we are grouped under the taṭasthā-śakti, and there are other two potencies, or energies. That is called spiritual energy and material energy, the spiritual world and material world. We have got experience of the material world not completely. We do not know even what are going on in the whole material world. We see the universe. We see at night so many stars and planets, but we have no idea. So we do not know even what is this material world perfectly, and what to speak of spiritual world. But the spiritual world is there, as there is this material world, and the living entity belongs to the spiritual world. Actually he belongs to the spiritual world. By chance or some way he has come to the material world. So when he goes back again to the spiritual world, then he gets his normal condition of life. Unfortunately, in the modern education there is no information of the spiritual world, the spiritual identity, and go on, our relationship with God—nothing. Simply they are working like cats and dogs under the influence of māyā and the suffering. To stop this suffering, one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and understand the position of his life and be perfect.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110 -- New York, July 17, 1976:

That is the Vedic information, parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktir. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Just like the sunshine is the potency of the sun and how it is acting wonderfully. Everything is perfectly—the flowers, the leaves—perfectly done. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. It doesn't require any research work how this leaf has come out. It is coming out automatically. They cannot understand. They say, "Automatically." No automatically. There is the working of the potency, but it is so perfect that svābhāvikī, as if natural, coming out. Everywhere you'll find, in your body also, potencies. You shave your head, immediately next day again coming out, again coming out. But you do not know. Let the scientist say how it is coming out, his own hair, what to speak of others.

So everywhere the potency of the Supreme Lord is working. Very good example, exactly like the illumination, sunshine, moonshine, they are influencing the creation and they are situated in their own place, and they are all different potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So this is the potency of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is engaged in Vṛndāvana, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Although He is in the Goloka Vṛndāvana, He is playing with His cowherd boyfriends and the gopīs and His father and mother, but still He's expanded all over the creation. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Just like we live in some apartment. Now we are here, we are absent from that apartment. God is not like that. God is in His apartment, at the same time universally present. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna... (BG 18.61). He's everywhere present. That is God. He's not limited; unlimited. That is God. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā, mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110 -- New York, July 17, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. These foolish people, they do not understand Him. We see daily that the sunshine is so expansive, all over the universe, but it is..., the source of sunshine is the sun globe. That we see. So which is important? The sunshine or the sun globe? That we can see practically. And which is important, the sun globe or the sun-god? We can see every day. So similarly, God the person is important. God person is important. God... Just like the sun-god is important, and because he has his place, residential quarter, in the sun globe—the next important. And because his effulgence is distributed all over the universe, next important. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śakti. Actually, the illumination is coming from the sun-god. It is a material thing, and what to speak of spiritual body of Kṛṣṇa? That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā. You can study Kṛṣṇa's position from the sun. It is stated here that eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. So His potencies are working. What is the sun and the sunshine different? The sunshine is combination of illuminating molecules, that's all, but each of them particle. Not that it is homogeneous. Each and every that particle, kana-kana means atomic (indistinct)—they are all individual. Similarly, in the impersonal Brahman effulgence, these living entities are small particles. This smallness is also described in the śāstra: one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, such a small particle. They are congested. That is called Brahman effulgence.

So if you want to merge into the Brahman effulgence, it is not difficult, because you are a small particle of spiritual identity. If you don't want your individuality, you can stay in the Brahman effulgence. That is not very difficult for Kṛṣṇa, if you want to merge into the Brahman effulgence. But what is the profit? There is no profit. Suppose if you are placed in the sky, in the sunshine, and if somebody asks, "Now, you remain in the sky," would you agree? Huh?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

So this astrological calculation were then; still there are. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, when Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written, it was five thousand years before. It is stated there that in the beginning of Kali-yuga, there will be buddha-avatāra, incarnation. Vabhisekha (?). Vabhisekha means "there will appear." These are śāstra, these are astrological calculation, everything perfect. The other day, when I was discussed about Sanātana Goswami, how even an ordinary hotel keeper, he kept an astrologer who told the hotel keeper that "This man has got eight golden dollars." Just see. This is astrology. Even a thief could be conducted, guided by astrologer, and what to speak of others. So that was their system in India. So that example is being placed here by Lord Caitanya that the Veda, that is astrology for your guidance. For your guidance, the scripture is your astrologer. He knows your future, he knows your past. So therefore you should consult, you should consult, for our guidance.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

Then what is the purpose of concentrating the mind? Just to find out myself, where I am within this body, and then find out where is Lord. This is the perfection of yoga. Simply that I am doing all nonsense whole day and night, and I am attending yoga class, paying five dollars to the class, and I am thinking, "Oh, I am a great yogi"—this is all nonsense. Yoga is not so easy thing. You see? So simply this... This is the simply exploitating, the so-called society. I tell frankly they are society of the cheater and the cheated. This is not the process of yoga.

So yoga process is very difficult at the present moment. Yoga... Because it is stated in the Vedic literature, that is an approved method. That's all right. But that method is very difficult in the modern age to perform. And what to speak of us, even five thousand years before, when the circumstances were more favorable and people were not so polluted and they were advanced in so many things, still, at that time a personality like Arjuna, he refused. When Kṛṣṇa asked him that "You become a yogi like this," he said, "It is not possible for me. It is not possible for me." So this is an overendeavor, to practice yoga in this age, which was refused by a personality like Arjuna. So yoga is not at all possible. It was possible in the Satya-yuga, when every man was in the modes of goodness. Every man was highly elevated. The yoga process is meant for the highly elevated personalities, not for ordinary man. So even that yoga practice is done very nicely and perfectly, that cannot take you to the Supreme Lord. That is denied here. What to speak of this pseudo yoga process, even if you perform it rightly, even if you do it nicely, perfectly, still, you cannot reach God. That is denied here. Na sādhayati māṁ yogaḥ na sāṅkhya. Sāṅkhya means just discriminate what is spirit and what is matter. That is called sāṅkhya. Samyak khyāpayate.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.156-163 -- New York, December 11, 1966:

And in that brahma-jyotir... Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Or that brahma-jyotir being manifested, there are innumerable planets and universes. There are. The same example: just like in the sun, sunshine, there are innumerable planets, so similarly, in the original shine, Kṛṣṇa shine—this is sunshine; the original shine is Kṛṣṇa shining—in that effulgence there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, spiritual planets. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, all these planetary manifestations is situated in one fourth of His effulgence. Three fourths of the manifestation are in the spiritual sky. Tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtam. Aśeṣa-bhūtam. It is so much extended that nobody can calculate how far. We cannot calculate even the sunshine, how far it is extended, and what to speak of that original effulgence. So our knowledge is always imperfect. We cannot study even millions and millionth part of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. So it is futile to deny God because we cannot calculate His potencies and expansion of potencies.

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

Nṛsiṁha. Nṛsiṁha means half-lion and half-man, and this shape was assumed by the Lord to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, the father of Prahlāda. Prahlāda was a great devotee of Lord, and his only fault was that he was a great devotee. His father wanted to kill him. So it is very dangerous also to become devotee. Even the father will be prepared to kill you. You see? The mother will be prepared to kill you. And what to speak of others, complaining, "O Swamijī, you are disturbing our sleep."

So although we have made our friendship with Kṛṣṇa and He will always protect us, but at the same time this devotional line is risky also, that we create so many enemies. There are many examples in the history of this devotional service that unnecessarily people become enemy to these innocent devotees. Even a innocent boy like Prahlāda Mahārāja, five years old. But a devotee cannot give up his profession. You see? He was being chastised so many times by his atheistic father, but what Prahlāda Mahārāja was doing? Oh, because he was king, he ordered the teachers that "This boy is coming home and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. What is this nonsense?" Teachers were asked. Teachers said, "My dear sir, we do not teach Hare Kṛṣṇa. According to your regulation, we are secular. (laughter) There is no possibility of teaching God or God's name. This boy, I do not know wherefrom he has got this Hare Kṛṣṇa." (laughter) Oh, he became very angry: "Where you have got your Hare Kṛṣṇa?" "Father, from where you have got your anger, I have got that Hare Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) He is the supplier.

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

So if you adherently be always engaged in some sort of service, twenty-four hours in the service of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no power in the world who can drag you into this sense gratification province. You at once become nirguṇa. This is the process. So we have to stick to this principle: "How I can serve Kṛṣṇa always, always?" Īhā yasya harer dāsye. If you cannot do, if you simply think, "How can I do? How can I do? How can I do?" simply this, if you practically cannot do, but if you simply think that "How can I do?" oh, then also you become liberated. Then also you become liberated. And what to speak of when we actually serve. This is such a nice thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you want to save yourself from this material turmoil, then always stick to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness persistently. Yes.

pālanārtha svāṁśa viṣṇu-rūpe avatāra
sattva-guṇa draṣṭā, tāte guṇa-māyā-pāra
svarūpa-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, kṛṣṇa-sama prāya
kṛṣṇa aṁśī, teṅho aṁśa, vede hena gāya

Now, these Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, although He is in this material world... There is a planet—I have already explained to you—it is called Kṣīrodaka planet, or where the oceans are of milk ocean. So in that planet Lord Viṣṇu is there, within. But He is not within this material world. Just like even a devotee who is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is not in this material world, how Viṣṇu, the Supreme, He can be in the material world? He is not in the material world. Just like outside there may be snow falling, but inside, if you are protected by heating system and other things, you are not affected.

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

Therefore all demigods, including Śiva, Brahmā and everyone, they are only order-carrying servants. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you will find one passage, that "Only master is Kṛṣṇa, and everyone—never mind what he is—is servant, is servant." Everyone is servant. And what to speak of us. We are servant's servant's servant. Therefore anyone who understands this philosophy, that "I am servant's servant's servant's servant, hundred times, million times lower servant," he is a liberated person. And one who thinks that "I am God," he is a dog. He is a dog. And one who thinks, "I am servant, God's servant's servant's servant, million times servant's servant," he is liberated. He is liberated. This is the process. Gopī bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Lord Caitanya, He said that "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a Christian. I am not a Hindu. I am not a sannyāsī. I am nothing of this sort." Then what You are? "I am the servant's servant's servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is My identification." And when you identify yourself in that way, you are liberated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

Simply one manvantara in one universe, we cannot count how many manvantaras are there, and what to speak of...? There are innumerable, uncountable universes, and there are so many manvantarāvatāras.

Now He is giving the names of Manus. Just like the sun, the present sun-god, is named as Vivasvān, similarly, in every planet there are heads: sun-god, moon-god, heavenly god, Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, Vāyu, so many, thirty-three koṭi. Koṭi means ten millions. Such thirty-three million demigods are there, and each of them has got a separate planet, and their names are similarly there. So here Lord Caitanya is giving some of the names of the Manu. You cannot count how many Manus are there, but for one day the fourteen Manus are named, and that is given here. Svāyaṁbhuve 'yajña', svārociṣe 'vibhu' nāma. A different period of Manus are differently named. So the fourteen names are Yajña, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari, fourth; then Vaikuṇṭha, Ajita, Vāmana, Sārvabhauma, Ṛṣabha, Viṣvaksena, Dharmasāvarṇye, Sudhāmā, Indra-sāvarṇya, Bṛhadbhānu. In this..., fourteen Manus. Bṛhadbhānu. I will answer your question.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Śrotriyam, śrotriyam means one who has accepted the Vedic literature, the śāstra, scripture, as the guidance, he can be... Not a extravagant upstart, he makes some group and religious principle of his own and become a guru. No, no, he'll not be...

So Lord Caitanya advises... Sanātana Gosvāmī's inquiry is how to know that he, here is a avatāra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says the medium is śāstra, and direction is the guru. Śāstra also we cannot understand any book, what to speak of the scripture. Sometimes we find contradiction in the scripture. That is not contradiction; that is my poor fund of knowledge. I cannot understand; therefore assistance of guru, a spiritual master, is required. So far incarnation is concerned, here Lord Caitanya says that we have to see through the śāstra whether a person is incarnation or not. We should not blindly accept anybody as incarnation because there are, nowadays, numberless incarnations.

avatāra nāhi kahe-'āmi avatāra'
muni saba jāni' kare lakṣaṇa-vicāra

This is another significance of incarnation. Incarnation never says that "I am incarnation of God." I have read one book about a big avatāra in India. He was canvassing his students, "Do you now accept me as incarnation? Do you now accept me as incarnation?" And the... Perhaps you know. (laughs) And the disciple was denying, "No." Then, at a time the disciple said, "Yes, I accept you." So this is not avatāra. Here Caitanya Mahāprabhu says avatāra does not canvass that "I am..." Guru does not canvass. Sādhu does not canvass. He automatically, by his qualities, he becomes accepted. Yes.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966:

The first thing is that avatāra, incarnation, He hasn't got this material body. The first symptom is... And still, the avatāra appears before us. Because, so far our senses are concerned, we can see the material objects. We can see a stone. We can see, I mean to say, wood. We can see water. We cannot see even air, the finer material things. We cannot see mind. We know that mind is there in every soul, every body. Every one of us has got mind, but we cannot see. We cannot see the sky. So the..., in the material world also, there are so many finer things which we cannot see. And what to speak of spiritual? So that spiritual, Supreme Spirit, when He appears before us, seeable, so that we can see, so that is His mercy. That is His mercy. Because we cannot see even the soul within ourself; we are seeing only the body. So what to speak of the Supreme Spirit? That is not possible. Yasyāvatāra jñāyante śarīriṣv aśarīriṇaḥ. Therefore it is the inconceivable power that the incarnation of God appears before us.

'svarūpa'-lakṣaṇa, āra 'taṭastha-lakṣaṇa'
ei dui lakṣaṇe 'vastu' jāne muni-gaṇa

The symptoms are analyzed in two divisions. Svarūpa-lakṣaṇa means the symptom which (is) always present. That is called svarūpa-lakṣaṇa. And taṭastha-lakṣaṇa, the symptoms which are sometimes present and sometimes not present. They are called... In this way, the experienced sages, they analyze the characteristics of the avatāra, or God—two symptoms. One symptom is always there. As soon as there is God, that constant symptom is there. And there are other symptoms which may appear, sometimes may not appear.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Central India. So the sun will pass. It will be eight. But the sun will go somewhere where it is quarter to eight. Is it not? Somewhere the sun will pass and it is quarter to eight. That quarter to eight is also permanent. Somewhere there will be, must be quarter to eight. This is crude example. This example is given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to explain what is the meaning of nitya-līlā.

So this is material example. And material, everything is temporary. Still we find some similarity of nitya-līlā. And what to speak of spiritual. Spiritual, it is clearly said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So kono brahmāṇḍe kona līlāra haya avasthāna. Just like we are opening the temple. This is also nitya-līlā. In some brahmāṇḍa there is this opening ceremony of temple. When tomorrow we shall open, day after tomorrow it is opened. But day after tomorrow in some brahmāṇḍa it is being opened. This is nitya-līlā. Some other brahmāṇḍa, again it is finished; in another brahmāṇḍa it is being opened. In another brahmāṇḍa it is being opened. There is no end. This is called nitya-līlā. In some brahmāṇḍa Kṛṣṇa is born, Janmāṣṭamī. It is finished here. In other brahmāṇḍa, again Janmāṣṭamī. Every moment. This is pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Kona brahmāṇḍe kona līlāra haya avasthāna. There must be some... The same example: quarter to eight is somewhere. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, it is eternal. Somewhere it is going on. And you have no experience of one brahmāṇḍa, what to speak of innumerable brahmāṇḍas.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

Eko bahu śyāma: "The one Supreme Lord has become so many." The same example: the original candle, and from that candle, you can expand millions and millions candles. Similarly, the original Personality of Godhead is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and He has expanded in so many ways. Now, Lord Caitanya says, all the expanded plenary manifestation of Kṛṣṇa has got a separate abode. Each and every one of them has got a separate abode. Sarva rūpera dhāma-paravyoma-dhāme. And where they are? That is in the paravyoma. Paravyoma means... Vyoma means sky, and para means transcendental, beyond this sky. This sky is called material sky, and beyond this there is paravyoma, spiritual sky. They have no information. The material scientists, they have no information. What information they have got? They cannot reach even the moon planet, what to speak of others. It is far, far away. Whatever... We can see the sky just like a pot, and that is the covering of this universe. And if you can penetrate that covering—that space is also many, many times longer than this outer space—then you'll find the spiritual sky. That is not possible for any material scientist to find out where the spiritual sky is. But you can understand from authoritative scriptures and from authorities like Lord Caitanya. He says that for each of the expansions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, there is a separate, I mean to say, planet into the, in the, I mean to say, spiritual sky. Pṛthak pṛthak vaikuṇṭha nāhika gaṇane. Pṛthak pṛthak. Each of them has got a separate Vaikuṇṭha planet, but how many planets are there nobody can count. Nāhika tara gaṇane.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

The Lord says, "So what these ordinary living entities with teeny brain, they can calculate about Lord's opulence?" These are opulences of the Supreme Lord. He says, brahmā śiva. Brahmā. Brahmā is considered to be the highest of the living entities, and Śiva, Lord Śiva, he is also considered very high-grade demigod. So Lord Caitanya says that even Brahmā and Śiva cannot calculate, and what to speak of these ordinary human beings. They cannot understand it. It is not possible. Ei-mata ṣaḍ-aiśvarya. Nobody can calculate the six opulences of Kṛṣṇa. We have discussed the six opulences: wealth, riches and strength and fame and knowledge and beauty and renunciation. Nobody can calculate.

So he's giving a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

ko vetti bhūman bhagavan parātman
yogeśvarotīr bhavatas trilokyām
kva vā kathaṁ vā kati vā kadeti
vistārayan krīḍasi yoga-māyām

He, bhūman: "O the great, O the Supreme Personality of Godhead, O the Supersoul, O the master of mysticism, how You are acting tri-bhuvane, tri-bhuvane, within the three worlds?" Three world means that in the materially there is lower planet and middle planets and upper planets, these three worlds. So "How You are acting within these three worlds, and how You are utilizing Your internal potency, yogamāyā, extending Yourself in so many expansions, plenary expansions? Who can understand You? Nobody can understand You." You may say if nobody can understand, what is the use of discussing such things? That is the qualification of the devotees.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So Brahmā admitted that "If anybody says that 'I know Kṛṣṇa. I know the Supreme Personality of Godhead in detail,' so maybe he may know, but so far I am concerned, I do not know." The purport is that Brahmā is the first creature in this universe. He is the first living entity. He accepts his inability to understand about Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of others? What to speak of the commentator who says that "This is not Kṛṣṇa; this is something else."

ei ye tomāra ananta vaibhavāmṛta-sindhu
mora vāṅ-mano-gamya nahe eka bindu

Brahmā admitted that "Your activities, Your pastimes, everything of You, it is not possible even to taste or to understand even a particle of it." The very verse recited here,

jānanta eva jānantu
kiṁ bahūktyā na me prabho
manaso vapuṣo vāco
vaibhavaṁ tava gocaraḥ
Nobody can understand how great is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

So we have been discussing, yesterday, Brahmā visiting Kṛṣṇa as four-headed Brahmā. He was little proud that "I am the original, first creature of the universe. I have got four heads, four hands." The material nature, the influence of material nature, is like that. Even Brahmā, who is supposed to be in full knowledge of Vedic literature... He is the father of Vedic literatures. He handed over the Vedas to Nārada. Still, that ahaṅkāra, "I am something," is there even in Brahmā, and what to speak of ordinary living entities like us? This material conception of life is like that, "I am" and "mine." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Ahaṁ mameti. "I am something, supreme," and "It is mine." This is the material disease.

So these things are sometimes executed by great īśvaras, controller, like Brahmā, like Śiva. They sometimes exhibit material frailties. They are not fallible in that way, but they teach us by their behavior that even personalities of the most exalted position, they are also sometimes subjected to the spell of illusory energy. The idea is that we should be very careful. Nobody should think that he is beyond the range of material energy. At any time we can fall down. But if we stick to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa as our protector, and take shelter unto His lotus feet sincerely, then even if we fall down sometimes, not intentionally, but accidentally—because we are practiced to so many bad things, so it may be possible that even I take full care, still, the influence is so strong, I may fall down—Kṛṣṇa excuses such kind of falldown. Excuses. But if we intentionally think, "Oh, because I am in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because I am engaged in devotional service, oh, I can do any nonsense and Kṛṣṇa will excuse me," no. Not like that.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.14-20 -- New York, January 10, 1967:

We are also Brahman, but we are not acyuta. We are cyuta. Cyuta means falling down. We have got the tendency of falling down. Kṛṣṇa never falls down; therefore His name is Acyuta. So acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ jñānam amalam. If you go on speculating on knowledge, but if that knowledge is minus Kṛṣṇa, then na śobhate. It will... It is not very nice thing because it will not give you the desired result. So Bhāgavata says even a man advanced in knowledge, he cannot get the desired result without acyuta-bhāva. Acyuta-bhāva means... Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa, and bhāva means His relationship, sentiment. Bhāva actually means sentiment, Kṛṣṇa sentiment. Kṛṣṇa sentiment means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, if a person in advanced knowledge, he cannot get the desired result, then what to speak of others who are hovering on these material activities? So material activities, if you want to make success of your any activity, then make it plus Kṛṣṇa, plus Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it will be all perfect. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not prohibit anybody to..., for his particular occupation. They simply ask and request all that you make it plus Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then your success is guaranteed. If you make it plus Kṛṣṇa consciousness... That is required.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:

So I questioned him that "You claim that you are God, and now you are simply under the control of toothache. So what kind of God you are?" (laughter) You see. So these societies, those who are claiming that "I am God. You are God. Everyone God"—God has become so cheap that everyone is God—you immediately should know he's a rascal number one. Immediately. As soon as he says, "I am God," you must know that "Here is a rascal number one."

So nobody is uncontrolled. Now, so many big, big planets, huge planets... This earth planet is only... It's a minute, small planet, and still, you'll see, on this planet there are so big oceans like Atlantic and Pacific, and so big mountains, and what to speak of your skyscraper buildings. With all this load it is floating in the air just like a swab of cotton. Who is controlling? Can you float even a small piece of grain in the space? You can say "Law of gravity" and so many other things, but you cannot utilize it. Or you can put it in... Your machine, airplane, is running on the space—but so long the machine is working. As soon as your petrol is finished, immediately it will fall down. Immediately. But these big, big planets... This is only one of the small. The sun planet is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this planet. So that is also... We can see the sun is floating in one corner of this big space. So how you can say that it is not controlled, it is floating out of its own self? No. The answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "I enter into this material planets, and then I keep it floating." Gām āviśya aham (BG 15.13), dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Something mak... Just like you float this airplane; so somebody has entered within it, that driver or pilot. So actually, he is keeping this airplane floating, not the machine. This is simple truth. So if you take this analogy, then this planet is floating, there must be somebody entering here. Somebody must have entered. So Kṛṣṇa says, "I have entered." So what is the difficulty to understand how it is keeping floating?

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970:

A devotee sees that how Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, is cheating these rascals. The devotee can understand. But the demons, they think, "Oh, we have got a nice leader. He does not believe in God." (laughter) You see? Sammohāya sura-dviṣām (SB 1.3.24). The exact Sanskrit word is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You have seen, those who have read: sammohāya, for bewildering sura-dviṣām. Sura-dviṣām means persons who are envious of the Vaiṣṇavas. The atheist class, demons, they are always envious of the devotees. That is the law of nature. You see this father. Father became an enemy of a five-years-old son. What was his fault? He was a devotee. That's all. Innocent boy. Simply he was, I mean to say, attracted with chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The father himself, he became a staunch enemy: "Kill this boy." So if a father can become enemy, what to speak of others. So you should always expect that as soon as you become a devotee, the whole world becomes your enemy. That's all. But you have to deal with them, because you are appointed servants of God. Your mission is to enlighten them. So you cannot be. Just like Lord Nityānanda, He was injured, but still He delivered Jagāi-Mādhāi. That should be your principle. Sometimes we have to cheat, sometimes we have to be injured—so many things. The only device is how people can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is our mission. Some way or other these rascals should be converted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, either this way or that way.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1970:

This is Vedic culture. There is no comparison of knowledge, not only in spiritual knowledge, in other department also—in astronomy, in mathematics. It is not that in the olden age there were no aeroplanes. We get so many information from Purāṇas. Their aeroplane was so strong and so, I mean to say, speedy, they could easily reach other planets. Arjuna went to the heavenly planet. So material knowledge, advancement, is not that there was no advancement of material knowledge in the Vedic age. It was there, but they did not take much care of it. They were interested for spiritual knowledge. It is not that material knowledge was not there. It was there. The opulence... That opulence you cannot compare now. Gold, jewels, full—every city, every individual person, and what to speak of kings and rich men. So avidyā and vidyā. So one should know side by side what is vidyā and what is avidyā.

So avidyāya, if we advance in avidyā, or material science, then we have to repeat this birth and death, birth and... And there is no guarantee where I shall get my next birth. That is not in your hand. You cannot dictate. Now you are happy American, but after quitting this body you cannot dictate, "Please give me again an American body." No. That is not possible. You may get an American body, but you may get the American animal's body. Then you are meant for slaughterhouse. So this material knowledge, this nationalism, this socialism, they are simply spoiling time. Real knowledge is the Vedic knowledge and the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. That is real knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19). Therefore one who is in real knowledge, after many, many births, he comes to Kṛṣṇa and surrenders unto Him, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, You are everything."

Page Title:What to speak of... (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:22 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=46, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:46