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Wise (BG and SB Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"wise" |"wisely" |"wiseness" |"wiser" |"wisest"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Now this bhagavān, you have heard, many times I have explained, bhaga. Bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. What is that? Wealth, and then influence, strength, reputation and knowledge, beauty and renunciation. Is it not six? If a man is wealthy, very rich, just like in your country Rockefeller, Ford, there are many rich men in your, the..., your country is very rich. So if one is very rich he is called opulent. If a man is very reputed, famous man, he is also opulent. If a man is very influential, he is also opulent. If a man is very strong... Now the strong man, formerly strong men had request, ahh, respect. All the kings, they were respected on their personal strength. They used to..., they had to fight with the opponents. So that is also opulence. Then beauty. A very beautiful man or woman, that is also opulence. And wise, very learned, wise man, that is also opulence—scientist, philosopher, mathematician. So they are also opulent. And renouncer. Renouncer, that one who give up everything, he has everything in his possession, but he disposes himself, that is called renunciation. Just like king, Mahārāja Bharata, under whose name India is called Bhārata-varṣa. He was the emperor of the world, but at the age of twenty-four years only he gave up everything—his young wife, young children. Lord Buddha, Lord Buddha was prince, but very young boy, at the age of twenty years or something like that, he gave up everything, his father's kingdom. This is called renunciation. At the present moment (chuckles) hardly there is any sense of renunciation, but formerly there were many kings, many princes who renounced everything for spiritual advancement. So these six principles are called bhaga.

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

So these six principles are there. Just like we are minute part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Fragment, very small fragment. So every one of us have got some money according to our capacity. Every one of us has got some strength or some reputation or some beauty or some knowledge. Comparatively it may be that your position may be greater than me or other's position may be greater than you, that not all of us on the same level. There are comparative positions. So bhagavān means you go on searching. When you find a person that nobody is richer than Him, nobody is stronger than Him, nobody is richer than Him, nobody is reputed than Him, nobody is wiser than him, nobody is beautiful, more beautiful than Him, and nobody is renouncer than Him, He is Bhagavān, He is God.

Lecture on BG 1.24-25 -- London, July 20, 1973:

So he has become so family-wise infected. But he is guḍākeśa. How it is possible? He is above all these things. Yes, he is above all these things. By Kṛṣṇa's desire, he is playing like that, ordinary man. Otherwise, how Bhagavad-gītā will come? Kṛṣṇa cannot talk with ordinary person. Kṛṣṇa cannot fight with ordinary person. Even the demons, when they come, just like Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. They were Jaya-Vijaya in the Vaikuṇṭha world. So they came here, and Kṛṣṇa asked them, that "If you become My enemy, then within three births you will come back. And if you remain friend, then seven births." So they preferred, "Oh, I shall become Your enemy, Sir, so that I can come back again after three births." So why? That Kṛṣṇa has all the propensities. Just like we sometimes want to fight, mock fight. So in the Vaikuṇṭha world there cannot be any fight. So because Kṛṣṇa wanted to exercise His fighting spirit, He sent His devotee. He became enemy and He fought. So you have to understand Kṛṣṇa in that way, as Hṛṣīkeśa. He knows that unless Arjuna becomes affected family-wise, how Bhagavad-gītā will be there? Therefore although Guḍākeśa, Arjuna, is above darkness, still, by the will of Kṛṣṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa, he played just like ordinary man, affected with his family affection. Therefore Kṛṣṇa in the next verse says... Uvāca. Kṛṣṇa said, "My dear Pārtha, now you wanted to see with whom you have to fight. Now, here is Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and many other kings. All the descendants of Kuru dynasty, your Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons. Now you see very nicely and be prepared to fight with them." So this is the explanation of Hṛṣīkeśa and Guḍākeśa.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

This is the problem. Now Arjuna is facing the problem. What is this problem? Suppose you bring all my friends, my relatives, my sons, grandsons, my father-in-law, brother-in-law, friends, my animals... Because there were soldiers, senayor ubhayor api, there were animals also. Horses, elephants. They are also within the membership. According to Vedic conception, the animals, they are also members of your family. Because they are giving service. Not that one section of the members of my family I give protection, and the other section, I take everything from them and then cut throat. This is not civilization. You keep your sons, wife, daughters, cows, dogs, they are animals, asses, domestic animals, horses, elephants. If you are rich, you can keep elephants also. It does not mean... Either family-wise or state-wise, it does not mean that you give protection to some members and cut throat of the others. Oh, how horrible it is. So all of them were present now. And the problem is that he has to kill them, Arjuna. It is fight, it is a family fight.

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

That is called dharma. But they have no knowledge, what is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is His order. They are here in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Supreme Personality of Godhead comes down to teach us, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). "When people forget their regulative life, I come down." So He has come down. He has come down. He will teach Arjuna that "You are so family-wise attached." Then He will teach. From the Second Chapter He will begin the teaching. Prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). When Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa, that "I am now puzzled, what to do. So I know I am puzzled, I am kṣatriya. It is my duty to fight, but I am hesitating. So it is very embarrassing puzzle. Therefore I am surrendering unto You." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "I am becoming Your disciple, not friend. Now let us talk as master and disciple, not as friend and friend." So when he accepted Kṛṣṇa as the master. Kṛṣṇa is always master, but it is simply acceptance. So at that time Kṛṣṇa will speak, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11), that "You are..." gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. Paṇḍita. "You are posing yourself..." He will speak so many things. That is like paṇḍita, learned.

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

So Kṛṣṇa is accepted by the authorities as Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And what is Bhagavān? Bhagavān means that one who is fully equipped with six opulences. Fully equipped with all opulences means Bhagavān is the richest personality. How much rich Bhagavān, or God, is, we can understand that we are proud of possessing a few acres of land, and Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of the whole universe. Therefore He is considered the richest. Similarly, He is considered the strongest. And similarly, He is considered the wisest. And similarly, He is the most beautiful personality. In this way, when you find a person the richest, the most beautiful, the most wise, the strongest—in this way, when you find, that is Bhagavān, or God. So when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet He proved all these opulences possessed by Him. Take, for example, that everyone marries, but Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme Person, He married 16,108 women. But it is not that He remained one husband for sixteen thousand wives. He made arrangement for providing the sixteen thousand wives in different palaces. Each palace, there is described, they were made of first-class marble stone and furniture made of ivory and the sitting place made of very nice, soft cotton. In this way there is description. And the outward compound, there are many flower trees. Not only that, He also expanded Himself into sixteen thousand expansion, personal expansion. And He was living in that way with each and every wife. So it is not very difficult task for God. (devotees offer obeisances) God is said to be situated everywhere. So within our vision, if He is situated in sixteen thousand homes, what is the difficulty for Him?

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead (BG 2.11)."

Prabhupāda: This is the first version of Kṛṣṇa as teacher. What is that? Read it again?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11), that "You are lamenting for a thing which no learned man does. That means you are not learned, but you are talking just like learned man." What is that? "You are talking"?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "While speaking learned words you are..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. "You are speaking learned words, but your behavior shows that you are not learned because you are lamenting on a subject which no learned man laments." Politely He says that "You are not learned, but you are talking just like a learned man." That you will find. Dr. Frog, (laughs) speaking like a very great philosopher. Just like here, that Dr. Radhakrishnan, that says, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa but within Kṛṣṇa." That fool does not know that there is no within or without of Kṛṣṇa. Rather, Kṛṣṇa is within and without. That he does not know. And he's accepted as a very great learned man. Dr. Frog, or Dr. Radhakrishnan. You see? This is going on in the world. They are posing themself as very learned, but... This can be detected by devotees, who is learned and who is not learned. Others cannot detect. Others will be misled. The devotees, they have got such eyes to see that they can immediately discriminate who is a fool, who is learned. There is a story that one man was searching after the truth. So he met some person, saintly person. So he gave him one feather, that "You try to see within the feather who is a human being and who is not." So when he began to see within the feather, he saw, "There is no human being."

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

So how many people do understand this intelligence? And where is the teaching? Therefore one who is not devotee, he has no good qualifications. If he's still under the distresses of this material world, that is not very intelligent question. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnām janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān means intelligent, wise. What does he do? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān maṁ prapadyate. He surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. This is intelligence. This is wisdom. So here also, the same thing. Kṛṣṇa has already expressed that "You must fight." But he is showing himself as very good man, nonviolent: "I shall not kill. I shall not do this. I shall not do this." So immediately Kṛṣṇa very strongly criticizing him that "You are talking just like anārya, not civilized man." Kṛṣṇa, still He has not used very strong words. He has simply mildly rebuked his doing to Arjuna that "You are not talking just like a intelligent man or advanced in civilization. You are talking like uncivilized man." Anārya-juṣṭam.

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

Parantapa is, this word, very word, is used that "You are a kṣatriya, you are king. Your business is to chastise the mischief mongers. That is your business. You cannot excuse the mischief monger." Formerly the kings were so... The king himself used to judge. A criminal was brought before the king, and if the king thought it wise, he would take his own sword, immediately cut his head. That was the duty of king. Even not many, about hundred years ago in Kashmir, the king, as soon as a thief was caught, he would be brought before the king, and if he is proved that he was a thief, he has stolen, immediately the king will cut off his hands personally, chopped off. Even hundred years ago. So all other thieves warned, "This is your punishment." So there was no thiefing. There was no stealing, no burglary in Kashmir. Even somebody lost something on the road, it will lie down. Nobody will touch it. The order was, king's order was, "If something is lying down on the street uncared for, you cannot touch it. The man who has left it, he would come; he will collect. You cannot take." Even hundred years ago. So this capital punishment is required. Nowadays the capital punishment is excused. Murderers are not hanged. This is all mistake, all rascaldom. A murderer must be killed. No mercy. Why a human killer? Even an animal killer should be immediately hanged? That is kingdom. The king should be so strict.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Young man (2): ...to make a wise selection.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. So the first thing is that one should be searching after a disciple, er, or searching after a spiritual master. Now, just like you search after some school. You search after some school. So when you are searching after some school, you must have at least some preliminary knowledge what a school means. You cannot search after a school and go to a cloth shop. If you are so ignorant that you do not know what is a school and what is a cloth shop, then it is very difficult for you. You must know, at least, what is a school. So that knowledge is like this: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). The spiritual master is required for a person who is inquisitive to have transcendental knowledge. He requires a spiritual master. You see? So there is another verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: "One should search after a spiritual master who is inquisitive about transcendental subject matter."

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

Devotee: Verse 11: "The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead (BG 2.11)." Purport: "The Lord at once took the position of a teacher and chastised his student, calling him indirectly a fool. The Lord said, 'You are talking like a learned man, but you do not know that one who is learned, one who knows what is body and what is soul, does not lament for any stage of the body, neither in the living nor in the dead condition.' As explained in the later chapters, it will be clear that knowledge means to know matter and spirit and the controller of both. Arjuna argued that religious principles should be given more importance than politics or sociology, but he did not know that knowledge of matter, soul and the Supreme is more important than religious formularies. And because he was lacking in that knowledge, he should not have posed himself as a very learned man. As he did not happen to be a very learned man, he was consequently lamenting for something which was unworthy of lamentation. The body is born and is destined to be vanquished today or tomorrow. Therefore the body is not as important as the soul. One who knows this is actually learned. For him there is no cause for lamentation in any stage of the material body."

Prabhupāda: He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "This body, either dead or alive, has nothing to be lamented." Dead body, suppose when the body is dead, it has no value. What is the use of lamenting? You can lament for many thousands of years, it will not come to life. So there is no cause of lamenting on dead body. And so far spirit soul is concerned, that is eternal. Even it appears to be dead, or with the death of this body, he does not die. So why one should be overwhelmed, "Oh, my father is dead, my such and such relative is dead," and crying? He's not dead. This knowledge one must have. Then he'll be cheerful in all cases and he'll be interested simply in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing to be lamented for the body, either alive or dead. That is being instructed by Kṛṣṇa in this chapter. Go on.

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

Then Kṛṣṇa was smiling, that "How is that? Arjuna is My friend, he is so advanced, and he has been overcome by this temporary illusion. His duty is to fight, and in the presence of other party he is ready to fight, and this man, My friend Arjuna, is declining to fight." So He was little astonished. Therefore here it is said, prahasann iva, smiling. Smiling because He thought that sometimes illusion takes place even to a great personality like Arjuna. Therefore He was smiling. So hasann iva. Then He said, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. The Bhagavān word is very significant. Bhaga means opulence. Opulence. There are six kinds of opulences we experience. The wealth. If one is very rich, he is called opulent. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. If one is very powerful, he is called also opulent. If one is very wise, he is called opulent. If one is very beautiful, he is called opulent. Similarly, there are six kinds of opulences, and when all these six kinds of opulences are possessed by somebody, he is called Bhagavān, Bhagavān, or God. Opulences, you have got some riches, but you cannot claim that you have got all the riches.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

Pradyumna: Translation: "The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead (BG 2.11)."

Prabhupāda: "The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living or the dead." This Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is to teach people to understand what is the constitutional position of the living entity. Here it is said that one who is learned, he does not lament either for the living or for the dead body. (aside:) They should be removed from the front range. They should be removed, they should go backwards. (pause) The present civilization is based on the bodily concept of life: "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white," and so on. The whole civilization is going on on this bodily concept of life. Although there is advancement of learning, many universities and educational institutions, but nowhere this subject matter is discussed or taught, "What I am." Rather, they're still more misled by giving them education that "You are born in this land. You must feel for your nation, you must act for your nation," or the so-called nationality is taught. But nobody is taught actually what he is.

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

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

śrī bhagavān uvāca
aśocān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitaḥ
(BG 2.11)

The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead."

Prabhupāda: So, what is that thing which is living and dead? The body. The body is living and dead. So Kṛṣṇa indirectly or directly chastised Arjuna that: "The behavior that you are showing, it is not like a learned man." Nānuśocanti paṇḍitaḥ. That means indirectly He said that, "You do not know things are there. Not learned. You are fool." In spite of Arjuna speaking so many things in support of his being nonviolent and not to kill his kinsmen, Kṛṣṇa chastised him that "You are not learned. You are fool." So this is the position. Those who are under the bodily concept of life, they can speak so many learned things, but after all they are fool.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Bhaga means opulence. So there are six kinds of opulences. One opulence is to become very rich, another opulence is to become very powerful, another opulence is to become very strong, another opulence is to become very famous, another opulence is to become very wise, and another opulence is to become very much renounced. So these six kinds of opulences, when present in the superlative degree, that is Bhagavān. This means, as it is stated in the Vedic literature, na tasya samaḥ adhikaś ca dṛśyate: "Nobody is found equal to Him or greater than Him." In this material world any person you take, next moment you'll find somebody equal to him and somebody greater than him. But the Vedic information is: God means who has no equal and who has no greater person than Him. Actually Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa, and here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. So Bhagavān, the Supreme God, means Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement in all Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

So our process of receiving knowledge is from the supreme controller because, according to the definition already given—wise, the most wise—Kṛṣṇa, or Bhagavān, is the most wise. Therefore, if we receive knowledge from the most wise, then there is no flaw. That is our principle, that we are receiving from Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller, directly. Just like when there is some misunderstanding, we take help from the law books because in the law book or in the law court, the decision is obligatory to both the parties. So to give knowledge there are many, many parties, but when we receive knowledge from the Supreme, that is all-inclusive. So here Kṛṣṇa says, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). Arjuna has accepted the guidance of Kṛṣṇa. He has said previously that "The position is very perplexing. Therefore I accept You as my spiritual master, and You kindly give me enlightenment." This is the process. We should approach the Supreme or the representative of the Supreme, just like the same example: when there is any controversy, we refer to the law book or to the lawyer, or we take the decision of the law court, and that is final.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

So this is knowledge. This is knowledge. So the Supreme Person is Bhagavān. Bhaga means six kinds of opulences: the richest, the most powerful, the wisest, the most beautiful, and the most influential, and the most renounced at the same time. Just like this whole cosmic manifestation is created by the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but you will not find him here. Disinterested. Many millions of universes are working by His will, but He is not interested. The example is just like a big capitalist. He has got many factories, and if you go to the factory—there is a Tata factory, iron factory—you will find huge factories going on, but Mr. Tata is not there. Things are going on. Similarly, all cosmic manifestation going on, it is under the will of Kṛṣṇa. But He is not present here. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me." Any factory, every worker knows that the whole factory function resting on that supreme person. He knows that. So actually fact is that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there. I am not there." Similarly, Bhagavān means that.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

Devotee: "In fact, there was never..." "Arjuna, you grieve over those who should not be grieved for, and yet speak like the learned wise men who do not sorrow over the dead or the living."

Prabhupāda: Yes. You have marked it? With pen? Yes. So we have finished this śloka. The next verse is

na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param
(BG 2.12)

What is the translation?

Devotee: "In fact there was never a time when I was not, or you or these kings were not, nor is it a fact that hereafter we shall cease to be."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now...

Devotee: "...we shall ever..."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince Arjuna that death does not take place. He says clearly that "Myself—I am the Supreme God, Kṛṣṇa—yourself, you, and all the other kings and the soldiers, those who have assembled in this great battlefield, it is not that in the past, we were not existing. And in the present, we are now face to face. We are seeing that we are existing. And in the future, we shall also exist in the same way." "In the same way" means individually. Just like I am an individual person. You are an individual person. He is an individual person.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

Student: "Just as boyhood, youth and old age are attributed to the soul through this body, he, the soul, obtains another body. The wise man does not get deluded about this."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, the wise man, the word, Sanskrit word, is dhīra. Dhīra means that one who is undisturbed in mind. And our disturbance of the mind is due to our ignorance. Suppose I want to go somewhere. Now I am in the station. Actually, it so happened when I came to New York first from India. I was to be dispatched to Butler by the bus station, but I was a new man. I did not know the rules and regulation. Of course, somebody was guiding me. Still, I was very much in disturbed condition, how to get on the bus, how to get the ticket, how... All these. So disturbance of mind is due to our ignorance. (someone enters) Yes. Come in. Yes. So disturbance of mind is due to our ignorance. So here, a very nice word. (aside:) You can come here. All right. Here a very nice word is used: dhīra. Dhīra. Dhīra means undisturbed. Undisturbed. So this we should, we should carefully note, that our mind in the material condition is always disturbed, always disturbed.

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

Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up all these nonsense desires. You surrender unto Me." That is the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gītā. We are dictated by different types of desires, which is dictated by māyā, and we want to become master falsely. This is called illusion. This is called māyā. Actually, you are not master. How we can become master? Because we may be very scientifically advanced. We may manufacture very wonderful machine and weapon, but after all, we are subjected to the rules of māyā: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You cannot get out of these four principles of māyā's machinery janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. Therefore the sane man, who is actually learned, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Actually when one becomes wise, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Otherwise, who is Kṛṣṇa? "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa. I am God." That is māyā. That is not actually knowledge. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking that they have become liberated, become Nārāyaṇa, or God. Māninaḥ, they are thinking like that. Actually, they are not, because they're subjected to the rules of the material nature. They cannot get out of these clutches. Who can get out of these clutches? Mām eva ye prapadyante.

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

So jñānī means one must be above this bodily concept of life. He's jñānī. Therefore to become jñānī, the first instruction, as Kṛṣṇa is giving to Arjuna, He's pointing out that "You are not this body. My dear Arjuna. You are decline, declining to fight, because you are bodily infected. You are thinking that your bodily, blood relation with the other party, namely your brother, nephews and others, that is wrong conception. You are not this body." Because Arjuna surrendered to Kṛṣṇa: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). When he was puzzled in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, he thought it wise to accept Kṛṣṇa not as his friend, his friend, but at the same time, he accepted Him as his spiritual master. Śiṣyas te' haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam. And the duty of the disciple is to fully surrender unto the spiritual master. Unless you can surrender, (you) do not accept anyone as spiritual master. If you want the spiritual master to abide by your order, then that acceptance of spiritual master is a farce. It is not acceptance. Acceptance of spiritual master means that one should surrender unto the spiritual master. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If you want to learn that transcendental science, tad viddhi, you try to understand. How? Praṇipātena. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. Fully surrendering, falling flat. "Sir, I surrender unto you." Praṇipātena paripraśnena. And then inquire question.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

Therefore to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it requires enough pious activities. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After speculating in the impersonal philosophical way, when one is mature, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, when he's actually wise,... So long he cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha... (Bs. 5.1). brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Bhagavān. That... vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). This is statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata: "Those who know the Absolute Truth, they know that Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one. It is different phases of understanding only." Just like if you see one hill from a distant place, you will find impersonal, hazy, something cloudy. If you go still forward, then you can see it is something greenish. And if you go actually within the hill, you'll see there are so many animals, trees, men. Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute from distance place or far away, they are realizing, by speculation, impersonal Brahman. Those who are still forward, yogis, they can see localized aspect. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). They can see, dhyāna avasthita, localized within himself. This is Paramātmā feature. And those who are devotees, they see Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of God, eye to eye, one person to another. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

This is illusion. You have to come to the platform of sanātana. What is that eternal? "I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is sanātana-dharma. I am not servant of this or that or that. No. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that every living entity is, in his original position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness... At the present moment we have got different consciousness. That is māyā. This is mental concoction. I am thinking that "I'll be happy in this way." That is a mental concoction. You cannot be happy unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is sanātana-dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). A person, after many, many births, he becomes really wise. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ jātā mayi na karuṇā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. A brāhmaṇa, he prays to Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Lord, I have become the servant of my senses." Here everyone is servant of his senses. They want to enjoy the senses. Not enjoy—they want to serve the senses. My tongue says, "Please take me to such and such restaurant and give me such and such chicken juice." I immediately go. Not to enjoy, but to abide by the orders of my tongue. Therefore in the name of so-called enjoyment, we are all serving the senses. In Sanskrit it is called go-dāsa. Go means senses. So unless you become gosvāmī, your life is spoiled. Gosvāmī. You cannot be dictated by the senses. You have to dictate to the senses. As soon as the tongue says, "Now, you will take me to that restaurant, or give me a cigarette," if you say, "No. No cigarette, no restaurant; simply kṛṣṇa-prasāda," then you are gosvāmī. Then you are gosvāmī. This is the characteristic, sanātana. Because I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. So this is called sanātana-dharma. That we are describing in the Ajāmila-upākhyāna. This stage can be attained. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena śaucena tyāgena yamena niyamena (SB 6.1.13).

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

This is our material characteristic. Material characteristic because originally I am servant. I am not master. But I have given up service of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare (Prema-vivarta). "Why shall I become servant? I shall become Kṛṣṇa." All right, you become Kṛṣṇa. You become enjoyer. That is material world. Everyone is trying to become Kṛṣṇa, enjoyer. So there is fight. Always. You are becoming, trying to becoming Kṛṣṇa. I am trying to become Kṛṣṇa. As there are so many incarnations of God nowadays—every lane, every street. So we are all imitation Kṛṣṇa. And there is fight. That is asanātana-dharma. That is not sanātana. Therefore the brāhmaṇa says, kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. "My dear Lord, I tried to become master, but I have become servant of my senses—kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya, ityādi. Now I see that I have served so long, but my so-called masters, they are not satisfied." Everyone knows. Even up to the end of life, one tries to become master. But that is not possible because he's not master. So when one is wise, he sees that "I am actually not master. I am serving others, but I am thinking I am master. Just like in my family. I am thinking that I am the head of the family, I am the master of the family, but actually, to satisfy my family members, I have to work hard day and night. So I have become their servant, but I am thinking I am master." This is called illusion.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

Yes, they do not know. Less intelligent. Ajānata. This very word is used in the Śrīmad... Ajānata. Jānata means with knowledge. A-jāna, "a" is negative. Without any knowledge. And in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll see that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). These less intelligent class of men, they are searching after the Absolute Truth. That is also creditable. They are searching. But they have not come to the right point. The right point is here, as Kṛṣṇa says, that "After many, many births of research work, when he actually becomes a wise man, he surrenders unto Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), that "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So ultimate knowledge means to understand the Supreme Person. What is the value if somebody has studied very elaborately the sunshine, but he has no access to enter into the sun planet or to understand the sun-god within? Is it a very enlightenment? Suppose the sunshine is all-pervading the universe. One has studied the sunshine very nicely. That man, and one has entered the sun planet and seen the sun-god, who is better? Who is better?

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

So one who does not know Kṛṣṇa, rascals, they accuse Kṛṣṇa as immoral of woman-hunter, like that. And they take pleasure in this. Therefore, they paint pictures of Kṛṣṇa, His affairs with the gopīs. But they do not paint picture how He is killing Kaṁsa, how He is killing the demons. They do not like this. This is sahajiyā. They, for their debauchery, for their business of debauchery, they like to be supported by Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa has done this." "Kṛṣṇa has become immoral. So therefore we are also immoral. We are great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, because we are immoral." This is going on. Therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa, it requires a little better intelligence. Better intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān means the first-class intelligent wise. Māṁ prapadyate. He understands what is Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Such kind of intelligent mahātmā... You can find out rascal mahātmā, simply by changing dress, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, declaring himself as God or Kṛṣṇa. Kick on their face. Kṛṣṇa is different from all these rascals. But if you understand Kṛṣṇa, if you are so fortunate—ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Only the most fortunate persons can understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Ei rūpe.

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

That is called bhukti. And another? Mukti. Mukti means those who are disappointed. Disappointed must be because nobody can be happy here with this karmī plan. That is not possible. So he will be disappointed. But disappointed when? After many, many births' struggle for existence, he'll be disappointed. That's a fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). He continues to be, become karmī and sometimes jñānī, sometimes yogi, to become happy, but he'll be confused. He'll be defeated. Nature is so strong. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: "After many, many births of this struggle"—sometimes karmī, sometimes jñānī, sometimes yogi, sometimes something else—"when one comes to be really wise," jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, "he surrenders unto Me." How he surrenders? Blindly? No. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). He at that time understands that "Kṛṣṇa is everything." Therefore... That is a big mahātmā. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "It is very difficult to find out such a great person." Therefore intelligent person, if he sees... Dekhe śekhara(?). If I understand that "This person has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa after many, many births. If that is the ultimate goal, why not myself surrender immediately?" That is buddhi-yoga. "If one has to come to this point for perfection of life, why not my life be perfected in this life? Why I shall wait for many, many births?" And that is buddhi-yoga, intelligent yoga. Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje, sei baḍa catura. Unless one is exceptionally intelligent, he cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is buddhi-yoga.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

After many, many births when a person is actually wise, jñānavān, perfectly in knowledge... What is that symptom of perfect knowledge? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Kṛṣṇa is everything. That is perfection of knowledge. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), prapadyate mām. If I find out somebody supreme, then it is my duty to surrender unto him. Yes. But as soon as I surrender, I become mahātmā, liberal, not miser. Miser is thinking on his own account, "How much I'll get? How much in my share?" And liberal means he has no more share, everything Kṛṣṇa's. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That sort of mahātmā, liberal person, is very rare. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you cannot find many, it is not possible. Everyone is miser. He's always thinking, "How much share is mine? How much I can collect for my personal?" And Kṛṣṇa conscious person is simply trying: how much he is giving to Kṛṣṇa. This way. One this way, and one this way. This is miser and liberal.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 50: "A man engaged in devotional service rids himself of both good and bad actions even in this life. Therefore strive for this yoga, O Arjuna, which is the art of all work (BG 2.50)." 51: "The wise, engaged in devotional service, take refuge in the Lord and free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits of action in the material world (BG 2.51)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is purport?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. There's a little more to that śloka.

Prabhupāda: All right. Finish.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "In this way they can attain that state beyond all miseries."

Prabhupāda: Read it again.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The wise, engaged in devotional service, take refuge in the Lord and free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits of action in the material world. In this way they can attain that state beyond all miseries."

Prabhupāda: How easy it is. You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you overcome the cycle of birth and death. And as soon as you overcome the cycle of birth and death, you overcome all miseries. Because birth and death means this material body. The living entity, spirit soul, has no birth and death. And anyone who possesses this material body has to undergo the threefold miseries of the material world. A similar passage is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The other day, as I was speaking to you, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). All these people, they are acting in a way which they ought not to have done. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. But they are acting as madmen. Why? Yad indriya-prītaya, for satisfaction of the senses. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti na sādhu manye (SB 5.5.4). This is not good. Because he does not know that he has achieved this material body by working in that way in his previous life. Again he is working in that way. So he'll have to accept again this material body, therefore he's miser. He's not properly utilizing.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

There are certain class of men who are simply philosophizing and there are certain class of men who are simply blindly following religious ritualistic process. So Bhagavad-gītā is combination of both. That is scientific. You should be religious, but should understand everything philosophically. Otherwise one becomes fanatic, religious fanatic. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is clearly said that caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. You people, you try to understand the gifts of Caitanya Mahāprabhu by your philosophical understanding. Not blindly, philosophically. And vicāra karile citte pāibe camatkāra. If you are actually a wise man, then you'll find it is sublime. And if you simply stick to your own religious ritualistic principles, don't try to understand the philosophy of everything, then you become a fanatic. So we should not become religious fanatics, nor dry mental speculators. Both these classes of men are dangerous. They cannot make any advance. The combination. You should be religious, but try to understand each and every line philosophically.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, similarly the learned may also act but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path."

Twenty-six: "Let not the wise disrupt the minds of the ignorant who are attached to fruitive action. They should not be encouraged to refrain from work but to engage in work in the spirit of devotion (BG 3.26)."

Twenty-seven...

Prabhupāda: Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting in a secluded place always. Now, if somebody, without being elevated to such high position, imitates, "Oh, Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted. Let me sit down in a solitary place and chant," he cannot do that. It is not possible. He'll simply imitate and he'll do all nonsense.

Therefore everyone should be engaged in his own work, and by the fruit of his work, he should serve Kṛṣṇa. We cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. That is a different position. If one is elevated to that position, that is a different thing, but generally, that is not meant for ordinary person. Therefore everyone should do his occupational duty and try to serve the Lord by the result of his work. That should be the motto of life. Go on.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Twenty-nine: "Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them although these duties are inferior due to the performers' lack of knowledge (BG 3.29)."

Purport: "Men who are ignorant cannot appreciate activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa advises us not to disturb them and simply waste valuable time. But the devotees of the Lord are more kind than the Lord because they understand the purpose of the Lord. Consequently they undertake all kinds of risks even to the point of approaching ignorant men to try and engage them in the acts of Kṛṣṇa consciousness which are absolutely necessary for the human being."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa said that devotees, that you should not disturb them. But devotees are so kind that taking all risk. Just like Nityānanda Prabhu took all risk, Lord Jesus Christ took all risk. Therefore a devotee is more kind than God. A devotee is more merciful than God Himself. We should always remember this.

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

So when a man comes to this knowledge, that "I am serving. Why not serve the Supreme?" this is knowledge. This is perfection of knowledge. Nobody can be freed from being a servant. Either you become a servant of God or you become a servant of dog, you must be a servant. So the intelligent person, a wise person, he prefers to servant of God instead of becoming servant of dog.

There is no escape, that one cannot..., one is master. Nobody is master. Everyone is servant. "Therefore one who executes his duties according to My injunction," God's injunctions, "and who follows the teachings faithfully becomes free from bondage." As soon as you become servant to somebody besides God, then you are in bondage. You are in obligation. Obligation there is, but that is not bondage. To become servant of God is not bondage. But servant of dog is a bondage.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

So we are beginning today speaking on Bhagavad-gītā, the preliminary scientific study of this science of Godhead. Bhagavad-gītā means Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaga, we generally know, bhāgya, opulence, fortune, a man is called bhāgyavān. This bhāgyavān word comes from the word bhaga, Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, six kinds of opulences: wealth, strength, influence, education, wisdom, beauty, and renunciation. These are opulences. If a man is wealthy, he's attractive. He attracts. Any man, very wealthy, he attracts. Similarly, if he's very strong, if he's very influential, if he's very learned, wise, if he's very beautiful... He or she, it doesn't matter. Or if he's a great renouncer, one who has renounced everything for public benefit, naturally we have got attraction. So in this material world we find some wealthy man, some rich man, some strong man, some beautiful man, some wise man, one renounced man, but they are only fragmental. Fragmental, very small quantity. Any man... You can take a rich man. He may be very rich man, but, in comparison to the other persons in the material world, but nobody can claim that "I am the richest man." No. That is not possible. Nobody can claim. "I am the wisest man," nobody can claim. "I am the strongest man," that is also, nobody can claim. However one strong may be, he is under the rules and regulation and material nature. He cannot go beyond that. Therefore you cannot find Bhagavān, or the Supreme Person, possessing all these opulences. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

But here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. That means He's the richest, He's the strongest, He's the most beautiful, the wisest, and the most renounced order of life. Kṛṣṇa. When He was present in this material world, on this globe, He proved by His actions. So far His richness is concerned,... At this age, in this age, at the present moment, if a person can provide his family nicely, nice apartment or nice house, good dress, good food, he's considered to be very successful man. Because in this age... It is said in the śāstra, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. Kuṭumba. Kuṭumba means family. If one can provide his family very comfortably, he is considered as very expert. But the family maintenance is done by the cats and dogs also. They also maintain their family, their wife, children, very nicely, according to their standard. But this age is so fallen that if one, even one is not married, the preliminary necessities of life, eating, sleeping, sex life and protection from fear... These are the preliminary necessities. So the age is so fallen that people have no eating substance even. We know, everyone, how things are going on. People are hungry, no eating substance. And what to say of sleeping? Or what to speak of...? Nobody's married timely, either boys or girls. And nobody's secure. Nobody knows what will happen next moment. This is called Kali-yuga.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

Therefore bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the most powerful, most influential, the supreme wise, most beautiful, most learned, most renouncer. Just see Bhagavān's renouncement. If we construct a building, how much attached we become to that building. But Kṛṣṇa has constructed this whole universe. Whole universe means... We have no idea what is the universe. We have no idea what is this planet. We are trying to go to the moon planet. We have no exact idea even of the moon planet. And there are innumerable planets. Vasudhā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Each planet is of different type, different climate, different facilities, different standard of life. And there are ananta, innumerable planets. You cannot count even. So this is only one universe, and there are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is creator of these all universes. Still, He does not come here. He comes occasionally.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

So one who is wise, one who is learned, he should try to understand how to get out of this cycle of birth and death, repetition of birth and death. Now you have got this American body, very nice—rich nation's body. And we have got Indian body. That's all right. But what is the next life? That the people do not know. Just like you prepare by education for the future life. What you are preparing for the next life? They do not know, there is no..., whether there is life or not. Such a fool we are that we do not know. Therefore we have to hear from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). That is the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

So this is the beginning of spiritual education. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. We have to change this body, transmigrate from this body to another body. That's a subtle way, but no university teaches how the soul is transferred from one body to another, what kind of body you are going to get next. There is no such science. But that is the real problem. Therefore we have to hear from Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the Supreme, the person who can give you perfect knowledge. That is the process. If you really want knowledge, you have to hear from Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He came personally.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

Therefore one learned scholar has prayed, kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ na karuṇā jātā mayi na trapā nopaśāntiḥ, sāmprataṁ labdha-buddhis tvām āyātaḥ niyuṅkṣva mām ātma-dāsye, that "I have served so long the kāma, krodha, moha, mātsarya, lust, greediness, anger. But they are not satisfied." I have given this example, that you cannot satisfy anyone by material service. The example is in our country. Mahatma Gandhi gave his, the best capacity as he understood. Still, he could not satisfy everyone. Somebody killed him. So in this material world, so long we'll be in the material service, either socially or family-wise or community, whatever you do, you'll never be able to satisfy them. They will never say that "Now we are completely satisfied." Because it is disorganized. It cannot be.

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

We are living in this condition, conditional life of material existence, which is full of miseries, but by the spell of māyā, illusion, we are thinking, we are planning that we are happy. This is called māyā. Māyā means... I have several times explained what is meant by māyā. Māyā means "what is not." I am thinking I am making progress, I am thinking that I am happy, I am thinking I am civilized, I am advanced. But the māyā means this thinking, in the positive way, is no. No, you are not advanced. You are not civilized. You are not actually wise because you do not know what you are. You are thinking that you are this body. Therefore everything, whatever you are thinking, that is all null and void. Māyā. This is called māyā. So this māyā is very strong.

It is very difficult to overcome this māyā, but the formula is very simple. That is also stated in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā, this illusion, is very strong to overcome or to surpass. It is not easy. Māyā is capturing you in so many ways. Just like the last moment, at the last moment, when you are very wise, you understand your spiritual position, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman, I am not matter. I am not matter, I am spirit soul." But even at this stage, that "I am Brahman," there is action of māyā. What is that action of māyā? By realizing himself, "I am Brahman," he is thinking that "I am the Supreme Brahman." That means he's still in ignorance. Still in ignorance. He's not the Supreme Brahman.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

What is that end of all knowledge? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, when actually one is wise, Vedantist," māṁ prapadyate, "he surrenders unto Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "Such kind of mahātmā is very, very rare, one who knows," vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the origin of everything."

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

These are the knowledge. One who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, cause of all causes... Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

Just like, if I think that I am independent of government regulations, then I become dependent of the police force. My dependence is neither in this way or that way. So that is our mistaken. Everyone is trying to be, become independent. That is called māyā. That is called māyā, or illusion. Nobody can be independent. Individually, community-wise, society-wise, or nation-wise, you can extend even universal-wise—nobody can be independent. We are dependent. And this is called knowledge. When you come to the sense, that "I am dependent; I am not independent," this is called knowledge.

Now we are misguided. Jñānāgni-dagdha karmāṇam. In other place, you'll find, Kṛṣṇa says,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

Now, people are planning for peace in the world, but they do not know how to formulate that peace formula. You know. The United Nations are trying for the last twenty years or more than that for peace, but there is no peace actually in the world. The war is going on because they do not know.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

So kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ: "One who thinks like that, one who is situated in that consciousness," paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ, "he is learned, and he is actually a man of knowledge." This is the whole process. Tam āhuḥ. Tam, he is known as the paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means one who knows things as it is, not to take a thing wrongly. So that consciousness has to be invoked, not only individually, but also community-wise, society-wise, nation-wise, all over the world. Then there will be peace. If you want real peace.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

We are just trying to be philanthropic, altruistic. And we are trying to become friend of my countrymen, of my society, of my family, but that is a wrong conception. Real friend is Kṛṣṇa. I can work on His behalf. How I can work? You try. If you actually want to do something good to your family, then you try to make all the members of your family Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then your life will be successful. If you want to make them otherwise, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will be serving, not serving, you will be rendering them disservice. Because any knowledge will not help your wife or children. Any knowledge, any amount of knowledge, will not help his real problem. What is his real problem we do not know. The real problem is... That we do not know. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9).

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

So if we come to that point, to understand that we are self-interested, personally or extended personally, family-wise, community-wise, society-wise, nation-wise, they are still polluted with the material desires. But when the same extension comes to the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa, that is kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ. Otherwise it is kāma-saṅkalpa-sahitāḥ, with kāma-saṅkalpa.

Therefore bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Rūpa Gosvāmī says, anyābhilāṣa-śūnyam. Because these are all anya abhilāṣa. Except to serve Kṛṣṇa, any desire is desire. That is material desire. And sometimes they want to negate this desire. Desireless. One of my students just spoken that.... Somebody said that "To become desireless is the highest perfection." So he replied that "Desireless, that is also desire." You are thinking that "I shall become desireless." So this is also a desire.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

Why you should? Kāma. We require to fulfill our, some desires. That desire means we have to eat something, we have to sleep somewhere, we must have a little sense gratification also, and we must defend. That is allowed. That is allowed. But why kaṣṭān kāmān? Why you should work so hard to satisfy your senses like the dogs, hogs and other animals? That is the Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Be satisfied, plain living and high thinking. That is required. If you miss this opportunity of human life and spoil it like dogs and hogs, then you lose the opportunity. This is the... Bahūnāṁ sambhavānte. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān..., durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma (SB 7.6.1). A child should be taught Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān... Dharmān... Generally... (break) ...kāma. Kāma means personal sense satisfaction, kāma. That may be extended, society-wise or family-wise or nation-wise, but that is kāma-saṅkalpa.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

So anyone—it doesn't matter what he is—he can prepare foodstuff either family-wise or... Just like I am here, Hindu. I am cooking my foodstuff, and I am offering to Kṛṣṇa, and I am taking, and as far as possible, some of the remnants is distributed to the devotees. So this process we can adopt, everyone, because we have to maintain this body. So if we do not take kṛṣṇa-prasāda, then I become responsible for all kinds of sins. But if we take, accept, kṛṣṇa-prasāda, then I have no responsibility because Kṛṣṇa is taking.

Just like Arjuna is fighting. Arjuna was afraid of sinful acts by killing his kinsmen and, I mean to say, grandfather. But when he understood that "I am fighting on Kṛṣṇa's account, so I am free." Śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan na āpnoti kilbiṣam. If you simply don't try to increase your artificial demands for maintaining this body... You have every right to live, and everyone has got right to live, not only myself. Even the ant has got the right to live. But in human society, so-called civilization, we give all protection to the human society, but we don't give any protection to the animal society.

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

There are four kinds of people who approach in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So what are they? Arto arthārthī jijñāsu: those who are distressed, those who are in need of money, and those who are inquisitive, and those who are, I mean to say, searching after or advancing in knowledge, or wise men. So out of these four, the wise man is accepted very nicely by Kṛṣṇa.

So just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja wanted some material prosperity, so he worshiped Kṛṣṇa. But at the end, when he saw Kṛṣṇa, then he said, "I do not want any more this material prosperity." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "My dear Lord, I am now fully satisfied. I don't want any material prosperity." So the thing is that one may be impelled by any desire, but if he approaches directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then his desires will be satisfied; at the same time, ultimately, he will come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If he rightly performs the sacrifices... They are not needed, but even they are attached to such things, if they do it nicely, then ultimately they will come. Yes, go on.

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

Revatīnandana: "An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kuntī, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them (BG 5.22)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Material pleasure is circumstantial in contact with this body. Similarly material distress. So those who are ātmārāma, enjoying in the platform of soul, they are not concerned with this external pleasure and pain. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "Verse 23: Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger he is a yogi and is happy in this world (BG 5.23)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the perfection of yoga practice. The yoga practice means one should be tolerant. According to yoga system there is a practice. In winter season they go deep into the water up to this. In cold winter they dip into the water up to this and meditate. And in scorching heat they, I mean to say, ignite fire all side and sit down in the midst and meditate. These are the processes. What is that? To learn toleration. Toleration.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

That, you may question, "Then if He is so powerful, wise and cognizant, He must have learned it from similar..." No. We say that if he learns knowledge from somebody else, then he is not God. Svarāṭ. Automatically. He's self-independent. This is jñāna-yoga. The study what is the nature by just analyze what should be the nature of the supreme from whom everything is emanating. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the supreme jñāna-yoga and bhakti-yoga combined. Jñāna-yoga process means to search out the Absolute Truth or to understand the nature of the Absolute Truth by philosophical way. And this is called jñāna-yoga. And our is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means, the process is the same, target is the same. One is trying to reach the supreme ultimate goal by philosophical way, one is trying to concentrate his mind on the supreme and the other, the bhaktas, they are simply engaging themselves to serve the Supreme Lord so He reveals. One process is to understand by the ascending process. And another process is the descending process. Just like in darkness, if you try to understand what is sun by ascending process, by flying your very powerful airplane or sputniks, just go round over the sky, you cannot see. But the descending process, when the sun rises, you understand immediately. Ascending process—my endeavor, what is called inductive process. Inductive process. Just like my father says that man is mortal. I accept it. Now if you want to study whether man is mortal, you study, you see many thousands of men, whether he is immortal or mortal. That will take so much time. But if you take the knowledge from the superior authority, that man is mortal, your knowledge is complete.

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

So how it has happened? Due to this body. Whole thing. Whole misconsciousness has come into existence due to this body. Because I am born in America I am thinking American. And because I am thinking American, the American government claims, "Yes, you come and fight, give your life." Draftboard. Why? This body. Therefore the intelligent person should know that I am suffering all miserable condition of my life due to this body. So we should not act in such a way that this imprisonment with this material body will continue birth and birth. Either American body, Indian body, dog's body, hog's body, so many—8,400,000 of body. That is called yoga. How to get out of this contamination of body. But the first instruction is to understand that I am not this body. That is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gītā teaching. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). "My dear Arjuna, you are talking very nice nicely, just like a very advanced learned man. But you are talking on the bodily platform—all nonsense." "I am father of this, oh, they are my relatives, they are my this, they are my this, how can I kill, how can I do, I cannot." The whole atmosphere consciousness is body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, just after Arjuna accepting him his spiritual master, he's immediately chastising him as a master chastises his disciple: "You nonsense, you are talking very wisely as if you know so many things. But your position is this body."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

So there is evidence of authority. And practically, if we believe the śāstras, the scriptures, authorities, then see who can be more powerful than Kṛṣṇa, who can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa, who can be more famous than Kṛṣṇa? Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years before, but His knowledge, which He gave us in the shape of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, still it is worshiped. It is worshiped not only by the Hindus or the Indians, but this Bhagavad-gītā is read all over the world. In your country there are at least fifty kinds of different editions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhagavad-gītā) written by different American thoughtful men. Similarly you'll find in England, in Germany, in France, in, I mean to say, all other countries you'll find hundreds of editions of Bhagavad-gītā. Just see who can be more famous and who can be more wise than Kṛṣṇa? There are many other evidences if we believe śāstra. That Kṛṣṇa married 16,108 wives, and He provided each one of them with big palaces and each one of them had ten children, and from ten children there were many other children also.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directly giving people how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ, in truth. So we are giving Kṛṣṇa knowledge based on this authorized scripture, Bhagavad-gītā, Vedas. Vedas means knowledge. And what is the... Vedānta means the ultimate end of knowledge. What is that end of knowledge? That is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). By all the Vedas, the ultimate conclusion should be Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). This conclusion comes after many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. After culturing knowledge for many, many births, when actually one becomes wise, then bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa. How he surrenders? Because he knows, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything. Whatever we see, it is simply a manifestation of the energy of Vāsudeva. One must be convinced on this fact, and then he becomes a devotee. Prapadyate. Kṛṣṇa therefore advises that you understand or not understand, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Simply surrender unto Me."

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

So mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha: "Those who have developed attachment for Me, mayy āsakta, only attached to Kṛṣṇa..." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is yoga. It is already explained by the end of the Sixth Chapter. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). One who has developed attachment for Kṛṣṇa, he has come to perfection, simply by developing. And this development of attachment is possible by this arcana-vidhi. Just like our, rising early in the morning, offering maṅgalārātrika, then changing the dress, garlanding, dressing, so many things. From morning, four, to, up to night at ten o'clock, there is program. That is real temple worship. Not that the temple is closed whole day and night, and the pūjārī goes for five minutes and bells the bell, again close. No. There is system. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau **. So many activities in temple worship. So for the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, neophytes, those who are serious to become, to awaken his attachment for Kṛṣṇa, they must take to this arcana-mārga. This is called arcana-mārga, temple worship. Everyone can establish a small temple in his house, and he can begin family-wise: himself, his wife, his children. That is wanted. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to see that every house has become a temple of Kṛṣṇa. That is our program. Mayy āsakta... Just to increase the attachment for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

Bhagavān. There is definition of Bhagavān. Not that any rascal advertises himself Bhagavān and he becomes Bhagavān. No. Parāśara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulence. Just like we have our practical experience. Anyone who is very rich, he's attractive. He becomes attractive. Many men go to him for some favor. One who is very influential, he becomes very attractive. One who is very famous, he becomes attractive. One who is very learned, wise, he becomes attractive. One who is very wise, he becomes attractive. And one who is in the renounced order of life Renounced order of life means one who possesses everything but renounces, does not use it for his personal benefit. Just like a person who is very charitably disposed, he gives everything to the public. He's also very attractive.

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

In this age it is very difficult to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. People are so downfallen. But there is only one method: if you can chant the holy name of God it will help you very quickly. So we do not say that, if you think that Kṛṣṇa name is the Hindu name or Indian name, "Why should I chant that?" But if you have got any name, actually must be name of God, not a fiction or an idea. Just like I've already explained this "Kṛṣṇa," Sanskrit word, means "all-attractive." But in the greatest. You say that God is great. Kṛṣṇa means the greatest all-attractive. Unless you become very great, you cannot be attractive. According to our material calculation, if one is very rich, he's attractive. If one is very influential, he's attractive. If one is very wise, he's attractive. If one is very beautiful, he's attractive. In this way, we attract. So God, Kṛṣṇa, has got all the six opulences of attraction; therefore He is called Kṛṣṇa.

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

When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, you understand "God." Kṛṣṇa is one of the names of God. There are many millions of names, of which "Kṛṣṇa" is the chief. Because this word, Kṛṣṇa, means all attractive, because He's fully opulent. Just like if, in this material world, if one man is very rich, he's attractive. He draws attention of the people in general. If he's very powerful, he draws attention. If he's very reputed, famous, he draws attention. If he's very wise, learned, he draws attention. But Kṛṣṇa has got all these things in fullness. Therefore, He draws attention of everyone. Therefore His name is Kṛṣṇa. This "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. He has got all the attractive features. Therefore He's called Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa says: "Just try to increase your attachment for Me. Practice this." It is not difficult. Just like we have got attachment for something here in this material world. Somebody's attached to do business, somebody's attached to woman, somebody's attached to man, somebody's attached to riches, somebody's attached to art, somebody's attached to... So many things. There are many subject matters of attachment. So attachment we have got. That we cannot deny. Everyone. We have got some attachment for something.

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

So Bhagavān means who is the richest, who is the most famous, who is the most..., who is the strongest, who is the most beautiful, who is the most wise, and who is most renounced. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of all the lokas. Lokas means where the people or living entities live. So there are so many planets. Everywhere there are living entities. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. There are Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. Seven, fourteen planetary system. Then down: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, Rasātala. There are so many. This is only one universe. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Koṭi, we Indians understand, millions. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And each and every universe there are millions of planets, and each planet is different from the other.

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

So nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. Aiśvaryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, and jñāna. Not only He is beautiful... Just like a flower, very beautiful to see but no good smell, no aroma—useless. So Kṛṣṇa is not only beautiful, but He is the most wise. He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. Five thousand years ago He spoke. Still big, big scholars, religionists, philosophers, they studying. This is called jñāna. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna and vairāgya. Vairāgya means renouncement. So Kṛṣṇa claims that He is the proprietor of all the planet, but if you think, "Where is Kṛṣṇa? Let me find out. He is the proprietor," oh, that you cannot find out. Vairāgya. Although He is the proprietor of all the planets, you won't find Him within this material world, although His authority is going on. Just like the president of your country is not to be seen everywhere, but his authority is going on. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything is situated on Kṛṣṇa's opulence, but not that you will find Kṛṣṇa there. You will find Kṛṣṇa there when you are advanced. Otherwise you will not find. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is situated everything, but still, you cannot see in Kṛṣṇa unless you have got eyes to see. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to give you the eyes to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. So how this thing can be done? So if you are serious, then you can see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

So to know God, God, He is personally giving instruction how to know God. Kṛṣṇa says, bhagavān uvāca. Here it is not, Vyāsadeva is not speaking, Kṛṣṇa says. Because sometimes Kṛṣṇa is misunderstood; therefore Vyāsadeva writes or says in this connection, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the fully opulent, samagrasya. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: He is the most powerful, the supreme rich, supreme wise, supreme beautiful and at the same time supremely renounced. These qualification makes one Bhagavān. So kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is the verdict of Vedic literature. So īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Bhagavān is also sometimes called Parameśvara. Īśvara means the ruling power or the personality who controls. So everyone of us, we have got some controlling power either in the society or family or community or government or international. Everyone has got some capacity to control, but nobody is supreme controller. Supreme controller means that He is no more controlled by anyone. Other controller, they are controllers, but they are controlled by somebody else. But Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of controller. He is the supreme controller means He controls everyone but nobody has above Him to control. Therefore He is called Parameśvara. Īśvaraḥ means controller.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Just like in arithmetic, if you simply learn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then you learned all the arithmetic process. Because in the arithmetic there is nothing but 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. Whatever you see, big, big calculation, that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... That's all. Similarly, if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you'll see the whole arithmetic, whole world, whole universe is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll see that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). When actually one becomes wise, full of wisdom, jñānavān... How? After many, many births of speculation and calculation, when he actually becomes... Just like the same example. A very expert mathematician, he sees the whole mathematic, arithmetic is full of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. So actually when one is in knowledge, then he can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Not that... Those who are in the lowest stage, they think that Kṛṣṇa is here in the temple and not anywhere else. That is the lowest stage of understanding Kṛṣṇa. But the highest stage of understanding Kṛṣṇa: the Kṛṣṇa conscious person sees everywhere Kṛṣṇa, even within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Kṛṣṇa can be found within this universe, in everyone, as well as in the atoms also, within the atoms. Samagram.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

So let me enjoy." This is the misconception, or illusion, or māyā. Body's not finished. You are creating another body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). And you'll get another body, karmaṇā, according to your karma. Therefore the intelligent person, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante... (BG 7.19). That intelligence comes after many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. One who is actually wise. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Kṛṣṇa says, "He surrenders unto Me." Why? How he...? Because he's wise. How he's wise? Because he knows, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). He understands that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Not that he's falsely surrendering. He knows that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Kṛṣṇa says also that "I am the root." Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). "I am the root, I am the seed, of everything." Therefore, when one becomes actually wise, full of knowledge, then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Even Professor Einstein, he was interested in Bhagavad-gītā. He was reading it daily. So wise man means one who understands Kṛṣṇa. So our formula is if one is not God conscious, or Kṛṣṇa conscious, we immediately reject him. We immediately accept that he has no qualification. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. One cannot be qualified unless he is God conscious. His all qualities immediately become rejected. "Why? He has passed M.A., Ph.D. and D.A.C., and he's honored..." That's all right, but in spite of all his education, he will create simply havoc in the world. That's all. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Because he is hovering over the mental plane, he'll simply create havoc. His education will be utilized for his sense gratification, and he will not care for anything. Just like great scientists have discovered the atom bomb, by scientific research. What is the effect? Now by one drop you can kill many millions of people. That is his advancement of science. "Oh, why don't you create something that people will not die?" That is not... "I can assure death, but I cannot save death. That is not in my power."

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

There are six kinds of opulences: wealth, I mean to say, reputation, strength, knowledge, renunciation, beauty. These are called opulences. If one person is very rich, he is opulent, he attracts attention of many persons. Similarly, if one person is very influential, strong, he also attracts. Similarly, if one man is very famous for his activities, he also attracts attention. Similarly, if one man is very beautiful or a woman is very beautiful, he or she attracts attention. If one is very wise, learned, he also attracts attention. These are called six opulences, and these opulences are possessed by us in small quantity. Every one of us may possess some riches, maybe little wise or very... Not very strong, little strong. Little, little quantity of these opulences are there in every person. But when you find a person that nobody possesses more than him all these opulences... The Sanskrit word is asama ūrdhva. Asama means "equally," and asama means "without being equal." And ūrdhva means "above." When you find somebody, above him or equal to him, anyone else is as rich, as famous, as opulent, as wise, as beautiful, that person is called God. This is the definition of God. God is great means nobody is equal to Him, nobody is above Him in any kinds of opulences. That is called bhagavān.

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

The Absolute Truth is the ultimate truth, tattva. Tattva means Absolute Truth. So those who are aware of the Absolute Truth, they say that Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized in three angle of vision, namely, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Those who are trying to speculate and understand the Absolute Truth, they can realize up to impersonal Brahman. So generally, speculators means big, big philosophers. They can understand that impersonal Brahman. These impersonalists are generally known as jñānīs. Jñānīs means the wise men or persons who are very much aware of everything. So they can understand the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. But there are other class who are called yogis. The yogis can understand the Paramātmā feature of the Absolute Truth. Paramātmā means the Supersoul who is situated within everyone's heart. And the personal feature of the Lord is realized by the bhaktas, or the devotees.

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

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a science which is not for all. It is for all; it is very easy and sublime; but at the same time, the spell and strength of māyā is so strong that she does not allow to accept this very easy, at the same time sublime, spiritual process. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that out of many hundreds of thousands or millions of people, somebody is interested in spiritual realization. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Out of many hundreds of thousands people, one is interested. This is not only in this age, but in the material world, that is the disease. Nobody is interested in spiritual realization. That is material disease. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). And amongst persons who are trying to get perfection in spiritual realization or have actually understood spiritual identity, out of them many, out of many such, I mean to say, elevated, wise men, somebody may know what is Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He wants to make Himself known to everyone. That is His mercy. Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to accept us than we are anxious to accept Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes in His person as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes He sends His representative, sometimes He sends His son, bona fide devotee, and sometimes He comes as a devotee Himself to canvass, "Please come to Me. Please come to Me." Kṛṣṇa is so kind. You see?

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

And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said that those who are intelligent persons, those who are making progress to become wiser, for them four things should be kept always in view. What is that? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-dosanudarśanam (BG 13.9). We may think very..., that we are very safe and we are making good advancement in economic development, but there is no solution for these four problems, as enunciated by Bhagavad-gītā, janma, mṛtyu, jarā, vyādhi. Oh, there is no solution for birth. There is so much attempt for birth control all over the world, but still, in every minute or in every second some percentage of population is increasing. Janma, mṛtyu. Similarly, there are so many attempts to discover scientific measures to stop death, but it is not possible. Death is taking place. Rather, in the present age, death is taking place earlier than in years before. Formerly people were living, say, hundred years, eighty years, ninety years, and nowadays a man is living, utmost, seventy years, sixty years. If a man lives for eighty years, then he is considered to be very... But time will come, as we get information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that at the end of this age, Kali-yuga, if a man lives for twenty to thirty years he'll be considered as the grand old man.

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

So ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If we simply speculate, our senses, it is not possible to understand. But if we take to this process, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau... Jihvā, this tongue, can be engaged in two processes. You can glorify Lord Kṛṣṇa. Simply glorify Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so great, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful, Kṛṣṇa is so opulent, Kṛṣṇa is so powerful. Why you make Kṛṣṇa as imperson? He has got so many qualities, transcendental qualities. What would you gain simply by saying that Kṛṣṇa is nirākāra, finish all business? No. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa, how much powerful He is, how much strong He is, how beautiful he is, how learned, wise He is, and hear from Him. The śāstras are there. Why you stop your business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by saying that Kṛṣṇa is nirākāra? Kṛṣṇa is not nirākāra. How He can be nirākāra? Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Vigraha means He has got transcendental form. If He hasn't got transcendental form, how these great ācāryas are worshiping Him—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Lord Caitanya, and all the great ācāryas? Does it mean they are making a farce?

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

Anyone, any type of religion... Just like the Māyāvādī philosophy. They are trying to have mokṣa, to merge into the existence of the Supreme. But Bhāgavata says, "No, that is also cheating." Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), catur-varga... The word... First of all, they do not know what is religion. But the... Actually, life, perfection of life, begins from religion, dharma. Then artha. Then following the religious principles, you acquire money, artha. Artha is required. But not in..., sinfully, but properly. Dharma artha kāma. Then, you have got senses, you require to satisfy the senses. So artha required for sense gratification. But that artha must be based on religion. This is called dharma, artha, and kāma. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa. Then, when one actually becomes wise, he is no more attracted by sense gratification, rather, he desires a greater type of sense gratification, namely, he wants to become God, to merge into the existence of God. So that is also a cheating. You cannot become God. (break)

...māṁ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

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

It is possible in one second, provided you are serious. It is not difficult. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, one, when one is intelligent, wise, fully grown, wise, he surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. So if I am intelligent, then I will see that "If that is the goal of life, that after many, many births one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, why not myself surrender immediately?" This is intelligence. If this is a fact, that one has to come to this point after cultivating knowledge for many, many births, then why not accept it immediately? Why shall I wait for many, many births if this is a fact?

So that requires little intelligence. It does not require many, many births. It requires little intelligence. Take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously; your problems are solved. Now, if you don't believe in it, then come to argument, come to philosophy, come to reason. Go on arguing. There are volumes of books. You can be convinced. You can learn it. Every answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can try to understand it with your reason, with your arguments. It is open. (break) ...like Arjuna. Arjuna was taught Bhagavad-gītā, how much time? At most, within half an hour. Because he was very intelligent. This Bhagavad-gītā, the people of the world are reading. Very, very learned scholar, wise men, they are reading. They are trying to understand, giving different interpretation. And there are thousands of edition, commentaries. But Arjuna was intelligent; he understood it within half an hour.

Lecture on BG 8.1 -- Geneva, June 7, 1974:

So our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, biggest means Kṛṣṇa, because He is the richest, He is the strongest, He is the wisest, He is the most beautiful. In this way, He is the biggest. We also calculate. If anyone is very rich, we consider he is the biggest man in the society. But nobody can hold all the riches of the world. Kṛṣṇa can hold. Kṛṣṇa has got all the riches of the world. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the maheśvaram, the supreme owner of all the planets." So actually Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. He's not only Brahman, but Para-brahman. That is accepted. Kim adhyātmam. Ātmā. Ātmā means this body, ātmā means this self, ātmā means the mind. But Arjuna is asking, "What is the real meaning of ātmā?" Ātmā means the soul. You are also ātmā. I am also ātmā. Every one of us, the minute particle, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kim karma. This karma means to work. That is material. Working is required in the material world. Without working, you cannot get anything. Here you have to maintain your body and soul together. Therefore you have to work. So work can be divided in different ways, but one has to work. One may work as a brāhmaṇa, one may work as a kṣatriya, one may work as a vaiśya or a śūdra. So work is there. Without working... The just opposite, without working, without any endeavor, you can live eternally—that is Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Vaikuṇṭha means without any anxiety. Here we are full of anxieties.

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

Because Bhagavān means... Every word has got meaning. Bhaga means opulence. So one of the opulence is nobody is wiser than Him. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Bhagavān means one who possesses six kinds of opulences, richness, aiśvaryasya samagrasya, total richness. You are rich, I am rich, he is rich, but nobody can claim that "I am the only rich," or "Nobody is richer than me." That is not possible. But if you find somebody who is the richest—nobody is richer than him—then he is God. Then he's God. God is not so cheap thing that in every street, every village, there is incarnation of God. Don't accept that. You must know what is meaning of God. At least we followers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we do not accept such cheap God. The God's description is there in the śāstra. Just like one of the description is given in the Brahma-saṁhitā,

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya
jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ
viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.48)

So it is described here that yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya, that you... Just like we are breathing, exhaling and inhaling, so God is also being. We have already explained. So we are also being. We are breathing. He is also breathing. But our breathing is for a moment, but His duration of breathing is described in the śāstra that when He is exhaling, innumerable universes are coming out, and when He's inhaling, innumerable universes are going into Him.

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

Just like the controversy is... The modern scientists, they say that "Life is generated from matter." We are protesting. We are protesting because... We are not scientists, of course, but we are scientists so far our knowledge is concerned. Because here it is said... Kṛṣṇa says, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2), so Kṛṣṇa is the authority. He is the opulent, most opulent, the wisest. So if we receive from Him knowledge, then that is perfect. I may not be perfect, but the knowledge I receive from Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect. That is perfect. Therefore we should receive from Kṛṣṇa knowledge. That is perfect knowledge. A small child, he does not know what is this watch, and the father explains to him, "My dear child, this is called watch. It is moving by this machine," and as far as the child can understand, it is explained. So when the child says, "This is watch, and it is working like this. I have heard it from my father," that is perfect knowledge. That is perfect. He may be imperfect, but his knowledge is perfect because he has received the knowledge from the perfect person. This is a crude example. Similarly, any knowledge you receive from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is perfect.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

So unless we become ācāryavān... That is the Vedic instruction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We cannot understand God, what is God. We cannot make research (because) we do not know what are the symptoms of God, although everything is described in the śāstras. Here also, in the Bhagavad-gītā, the indications are there. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is nobody superior than Me." So this is the shortcut definition of God. Just try to find out a person... God is also a person, but He is the most superior person. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the chief amongst the living beings. Nityo nityānām. He is the wisest of all wise men. Cetanaś cetanānām. What is the difference between God and us? The difference is that He is the maintainer and we are not maintainer. This is the difference.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

If you cultivate knowledge, spiritual knowledge for many, many births, bahūnāṁ janma. Because you will not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by saying by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." If you don't believe it, then you have to cultivate knowledge for many, many births. You have to take birth and cultivate spiritual knowledge, again die, again come, again come, again take birth. This will go on continuously. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). And if you are fortunate enough to become wise enough, then you will understand, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "Oh, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything." That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
(SB 1.2.7)

If you become devotee of Vāsudeva, bhaja vāsudevam, then very quickly you will become jñānavān. First of all, one becomes jñānavān; then he surrenders to Vāsudeva. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is one process. Another process is you become a devotee of Vāsudeva, then jñāna, vairāgya, will automatically come. You'll... Because the human life, the perfection of human life is to accept jñāna and vairāgya. That is perfection. In our Vedic civilization, this is the process, perfection.

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate iti matvā budhāḥ (BG 10.8). Budha means very learned man. One who is completely wise, no illusion. Such a person is budha. From budh. The word root is budh-dhātu. From budh-dhātu the names Lord Buddha has come, Buddha, from that root. So anyone who is well versed, complete in wisdom, he is called the budha.

And bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Budha, one must be very well versed, at the same time, completely in spiritual emotion, bhāva. This bhāva is the very high platform for coming to the perfection of life, bhāva. That is also stated in Vedic literature, what is that bhāva. Each and every word, if you try to understand scrutinizingly, they are very sublime. So one has to come to the stage of bhāva, then he can attain... Bhāva means transcendental emotion. Then he can understand what is love of God. Budhā bhāva.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

Bhagavān means He is endowed with six kind of opulence. He is the supreme rich. He is the supreme famous. He is supreme beauty and supreme wise. We have to take knowledge from the supreme wise. That knowledge is perfect. Therefore here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. He did not say kṛṣṇa uv... Vyāsadeva does not say Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa may be taken by the demons as something like us. So therefore he purposefully says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means the Supreme Personality of God. There cannot be any doubt about His knowledge. So bhagavān uvāca, whatever Bhagavān says, that is fact; that is not knowledge like that "It may be," "Perhaps." These are all rascaldom. "It may be, perhaps"—that is not knowledge. That is speculation. Speculation is different.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:

Because we are all sons of Kṛṣṇa... We are wandering in this material world as mad chap. Just like a rich man's son has become mad. He leaves his home and loitering in the street and eating in the garbage. That is our position. We are the sons of the richest person. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of all riches. So we are sons of such a rich man. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanā... But we have become mad. We have become mad. We want to enjoy... Just like there are many sons. Although the father is... In America we find many. Although father is rich, millionaire, he has become a hippie, out of frustration, confusion, or some other reason. So our condition, like that. We are the sons of the richest person. Not only richest, the wisest. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya. The most powerful, Kṛṣṇa. The most powerful, the richest, the wisest, the most beautiful. Everything, supreme degree. We are sons of such a father, but we have become mad after this material enjoyment. This is our madness.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

This is the first process. You have kindly come here; you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's talk with Arjuna. It is very good. If you continue hearing like this, you will be perfect, simply by hearing, even if you do not do anything. Kevala, only hearing. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. This is the recommendation by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that people should be given chance for hearing. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, they cannot do anything, but if they simply agree to hear, sitting for some time... That can be introduced in every house, every home.

The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gītā, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Kṛṣṇa.

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

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītam. Then which one we have to accept? We have to accept... That is stated in the Vedic literature. Nāsau ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Vedic literature—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Artharva—they are different. They are one, but we understand differently, according to our quality of understanding. Otherwise, all Vedic literature aims to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the purpose of Veda, to understand Kṛṣṇa. After many, many births of studying of Vedic literature, in the process of jñāna-mārga, when one becomes actually wise, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), when he is actually wise, jñānavān māṁ prapadyante, he understands Kṛṣṇa and surrenders unto Him. That is actually understanding. So chandobhir vividhaiḥ pṛthak.

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

So Kṛṣṇa said that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. Then what is that dharma? He did not come here to reestablish Hinduism or Muslimism or Christianism. No. He came to give you real dharma. What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is dharma, to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, I am eternally Your servant. I forgot You. Now I come to my senses. I surrender unto You." This is dharma. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This sense, real sense, comes when after struggling, struggling for many, many births, one becomes wise. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means wise. Not fools and rascals. Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me." So anyone who is surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, taking to Kṛṣṇa or devotional service fully, he is the most intelligent man. He's not cats and dogs or rascals. Because Kṛṣṇa says, jñānavān. This is real knowledge. That will be explained.

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

So good qualities can be attained automatically when you work on spiritual platform. But if you work on material platform, means the gross body and the mind, then good qualities cannot be attained. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Therefore we find that educated persons, so-called educated... They are not educated because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, the so-called educated persons are bereft of real knowledge, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because they have taken the position of becoming an atheist, no faith in God. They are asura. So any asura, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ... He may be MA, PhD, from academic career, but his real knowledge is taken away. Therefore he is atheist. Actual knowledge is to know God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is explaining what is knowledge, jñeyam. Because as soon as you become actually wise, then you become liberated. But if you are not liberated, that means your knowledge is imperfect. Your knowledge is imperfect.

Lecture on BG 13.21 -- Bombay, October 15, 1973:

Therefore śāstra says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Kovida means very intelligent person, expert. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). These are the signs, symptoms of knowledge, wiseness. And another place Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Everyone is born fools and rascals, and he's acting in foolishness and rascaldom. Therefore whatever he is doing this is his defeat. This is his defeat. Actually, if we think very cool-headed... Suppose whole life I have earned so much money, bank balance, skyscraper building, everything, but if my next life I become a cat or dog or rat... There is possibility. Because if I am not destined to enjoy... Because this life I have committed so many sinful activities, I am not going to have very comfortable life. But I have got attraction for my building which I have constructed with so many efforts. Nature will allow you to live in that building again next life, maybe as a cat, dog or a rat.

Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You do not know what kind of body you are going to... You completely under the stringent laws of nature. Here it is said, kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate. As soon as you give up this body, you are completely under the grip of material nature and you will get a type of body according to your karma. And then puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate. That puruṣa, the living entity, will have to enjoy or suffer according to that body.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After studying Vedas, speculative knowledge, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, when one is actually a wise man, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Because Kṛṣṇa is everything. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. Whatever we see, whatever we experience, that is, everything, Kṛṣṇa's energy. This material world is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Similarly, the spiritual world is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. The brahma-jyotir is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Paramātmā is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa's plenary portion. In this way, when one understands perfectly well that whatever we are experiencing, that is Kṛṣṇa's energies... It is described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa,

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

This jagat, akhilaṁ jagat, is nothing but manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. Para-brahman is Kṛṣṇa. We may be Brahman... Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are Brahman. Now we are identifying with this matter. So mukti means when we stop identifying with this matter and we learn how to realize ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Simply realization not.

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

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Therefore this foolish class of men who are simply studying, they want time to find out, but actually if he is wise, if he is searching out regularly by wise conclusion, then, at some time, he will come to the conclusion, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: after many births of research work, he will come to this conclusion that there is God, Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Then he is the first-class mahātmā. But that is very rare. Everyone is durātmā, anīśvaram: "There is no īśvara. This is a false manifestation." That is not false. You study everything. You study even one plant. You can see so many arrangement, so many fibers. Fine fibers are coming out, and from one fiber to another. Even a small herb and vegetable, you will find there is craftsmanship. You cannot say it is chance. You cannot do it. So there is brain.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

So therefore the process is to bring from the tamo-guṇa to rajo-guṇa, and from rajo-guṇa to sattva-guṇa, and then surpass sattva-guṇa. That is spiritual platform. This is the way. So if you stick to the tamo-guṇa principle, then there is no hope of spiritual realization. There is only hope of becoming hogs and dogs and like that. Their life is finished. So those who are trying to come to the platform of spiritual realization, God realization, they must stick to the sattva-guṇa principle. Otherwise it is hopeless. it is not hopeless. Nothing is hopeless. It will take very, very long time. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the statement, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, when one is actually wise..." Wise means in the sattva-guṇa platform. "Then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa." Then the beginning of spiritual life is there, and he may finish this course of spiritual understanding even in this life, simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

So there is no difficulty to understand what is our duty. Our duty is to serve the supreme whole. But we have manufactured so many duties. This service is there. Everyone is engaged in some sort of service, but the program of service, they are different. Somebody is thinking that "I must render service to my nation." Another is thinking that "I must render service to my society." Another is thinking, "I must render service to my family." So either you take family-wise or bodily-wise or society-wise or community-wise or national-wise or humanity-wise, they are all imperfect unless it is extended up to the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa. Then it is perfect. Any service you do... Service you have to render, either to your personal body or to your family or to your society or to your community, or to the human nation, or to the whole humanity. Service everyone is... Or in the office. That is our characteristic. We render some service. Therefore the Bhāgavata says that "That is complete service." Our dharma means the characteristic duty. That duty is to render service.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

So those who are trying to kill God, that is an attraction. And those who are trying to serve God, that is also attraction. Therefore God is all-attractive. Just try to understand whether this definition is complete, that Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Therefore Bhāgavata says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There may be many Gods, according to our conception. God means all-powerful, or full of... Our definition, in the Vedic śāstra: God means full of all opulences. There are six kinds of opulences: to become rich, to become very powerful, influential, very much famous, very beautiful, very wise, and very much renounced, unattached. The six kinds of opulences, when they are found in fullness somewhere, that is God. This is the definition of God, these six kinds of opulences.

We have seen many rich men, but if you find out somebody, that nobody is richer than him, then he is God. We have seen many men, wise men, but if you find out somebody—nobody is wiser than him—then he is God. In this way, the six opulences, when they are full represented in one person, he is God. He is Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He exhibited all these opulences in fullness. Nobody could conquer Him. Nobody was richer than Him. Nobody was beautiful. In the history of the world, you cannot compare with Kṛṣṇa anybody has more rich, more beautiful, more wise, in this way. Therefore, Bhāgavata ascertains, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "The original Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa." So the Bhāgavata-dharma is: if anyone is taught how to love Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

So God must be the most beautiful. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa so many times. Perhaps you are convinced that you have never seen such a beautiful picture, although He's little blackish. So in this way, "God," "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. He's attractive by His opulences, six kinds opulences, which I have described many times in this class. Another name is adhokṣaja, this name here. He has got many millions and trillions of names, according to perception of the devotee or the knower. He is also known as Brahman, Paraṁ Brahman, Paramātmā, and Kṛṣṇa, Madhusūdana, Govinda. There are many millions and trillions of names of God, but in the Vedic literature it is said that out of all kinds of names designated... Not designated. Designated will be wrong word. Actually. Because God name, God's name is given according to His transcendental quality. Just like this word, "Kṛṣṇa." "Kṛṣṇa" means, real means the all-attractive. So because He has got transcendental qualities to attract everyone, He can attract the richest man, He can attract the most beautiful man or woman, He can attract the most strong man, He can attract the most wise man; therefore He's all-attractive. So adhokṣaja means you cannot perceive. You cannot have any actual idea of God by your mental speculation. He is called adhokṣaja.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:

So mukti and conditioned, there is no difference. Simply due to our ignorance we become conditioned. If we change the ignorance, immediately we are mukta. Immediately liberated. Just like... The same example: you're dreaming that "I am being attacked by a tiger." So the mukti means some way or other if somebody pushes you and you are awakened, no more tiger. Finished. So mukti and conditioned life... The whole world is conditioned because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And as soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is mukta, immediately liberated. What is that Kṛṣṇa conscious? Now, "Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. I am not enjoyer. Why I am struggling so hard? Whatever prasāda will Kṛṣṇa give me, that's all." That is mukti. So one can become liberated in one second. In one second. It doesn't take many lives or... But because we are fools and rascals, therefore it takes many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births, when one actually becomes jñānavān, wise, intelligent, he surrenders immediately. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Immediately accepts Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything. That person is mahātmā. Sa mahātmā. But such kind of mahātmā is very rare. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.

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

Therefore God is called great, God is great. Similarly, not only in riches, aiśvarya, sa samagrasya, vīryasya, in power also. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, in reputation also, in fame. Just like everyone, it may be you belong to some religion, I belong to, but everyone knows that God is great. That is reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, and śrī, śrī means beauty. God is the most beautiful. Just like, see Kṛṣṇa here, you have got Kṛṣṇa's figure here, how beautiful He is. God must be, He is young, always. An old man cannot become beautiful. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). That is the description of Ādyaṁ Purāṇa, He is the original person, the oldest of all but he is nava-yauvanam, just like a beautiful boy, say sixteen or twenty years old. So that is beautiful, the most beautiful. And the most wise, jñāna. Nobody can be wiser than God. These are the description given by Parasara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgya and at the same time renounced.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

So our purpose is, as described in the previous verses, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Our present consciousness is absorbed in so many external subject matters. One is self-centered, bodily conscious; some of them are family-wise, family conscious. Some of them, community conscious, society conscious, nation conscious, or international conscious. Utmost. No more, finish their business. But still, you have to extend more and more. "International" means within this u..., within this planet. But what is this planet? It is only insignificant spot within the universe. So if you increase your consciousness more and more, then it may be interplanetary consciousness. But what is this interplanetary? This universe contains millions of planets. That's all right. But there are millions of universes also. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Not only one universe. This universe which we are seeing, this is only one of them. Caitanya Mahāprabhu compared this universe... One devotee, he requested Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My Lord, You have come. Please liberate all the people of this universe. And if they are sinful, so all their sins, I may take, but they may be delivered." This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. "Others may be delivered by the grace of the Lord. I may rot in the hell. That doesn't matter." Not that, "First of all I go to the heaven, and others will rot." This is not Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy is, "I may rot in hell, but others may be delivered." Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

Yaṁ brahmā. Brahmā is the original living creature within this universe; so he worshiped the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead. He worshiped not the impersonal brahma-jyotir; he worshiped the person. Yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra—they were the first creation, and the sages Marīci, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya... There are seven great sages, first-born. All of them worship the Personality of Godhead. Bhejire munayo 'thāgre. Agra means in the beginning of creation. Later on they have deviated, or as the ages are going on, people are becoming degraded in their standard of spiritual understanding. In the Satya-yuga, cent percent people were aware of their spiritual necessity of life. Next yuga, seventy-five percent. Next yuga, fifty percent, fifty percent; and this yuga, Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent are rascals, and twenty-five percent, they are little wise. And out of that twenty-five percent, mostly they are fruitive actors. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3).

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972:

So anyone who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, He is the most intelligent man. Jñānavān. Kṛṣṇa says, unless one is fully wise, after many, many birth, after many, many birth... Because everyone is trying to place a competitor of Kṛṣṇa. Just like I have said it... "Oh, why that Rāma-Kṛṣṇa? Here is another with big beard, Ramakrishna." So... But he is not wise? That kind of Ramakrishna is for the foolish man, and those who are presenting, he is also foolish. But bahūnām... In this way, foolishly accepting something as God... When one actually becomes wise, after many... If he is actually searching after God... Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna, ārto arthārthī jñānī, anisandes(?) tu..., jñānī ca bharatarṣabha. Jijñāsur jñānī ca bharatarṣabha. Jijñāsuḥ (BG 7.16).

So four classes of men comes to God. If they are pious, if the background is piety; then out of that class of men, inquisitive, jijñāsu; jñānī..., jñānī means those who are wise; and ārta, distressed: arthārthī, those who are in need of money. Generally people, ordinarily, if he is pious, then when he is in distress, he prays to God, "My dear Lord, I am in distress. Kindly save me." Or if somebody is in want of money, he also approaches God, "My dear Lord, for want of money I am suffering. Kindly give me some money." These are two classes. And the other two classes, jñānī, simply for knowledge, what is the actual constitutional position of God. He is called jñānī. And inquisitive, and inquiring what is God. So these four classes of men try to understand God or approaches God.

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972:

So out of these four, two classes, those who are in distress, or those who are in want of money, as soon as they get money, they forget God. Or as soon as their distress is over, they forget God. But these two classes, inquisitive and wise, they continue to search out what is God. So out of these two classes, when one understands what is God, he is perfect. Bahūnām. That becomes possible after many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). What kind of knowledge? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Kṛṣṇa is everything, Vāsudeva. "Kṛṣṇa's another name is Vāsudeva." Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That type of great soul is very rare. So in other words, those who have taken Kṛṣṇa as everything, they are the greatest soul, the topmost soul within the world. They cannot be misled by imitation Ramakrishna. They are interested with the real Rāma-Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, Vāsudeva-Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva-Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva.

Lecture on SB 1.3.24 -- Los Angeles, September 29, 1972:

So according to the time, circumstances, men, the different scriptures are there. The ultimate aim of scripture is to bring one to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But everything is not explained because the people are unable to understand. Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are making movement, but not that everyone is understanding. Those who are very intelligent, or those who are, whose background is pious, they can understand. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are miscreants, mūḍha, rascal; narādhama, lowest of the mankind; and māyayā apahṛta-jñāna, and knowledge is taken away by māyā—such person never submit to Kṛṣṇa. But who submits? Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna Those who are pious, out of them, four classes of men, ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Ārta means distressed, and arthārthī means need of money, jñānī means man of knowledge, wise man, and jijñāsu, inquisitive.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). What is the Vedic knowledge searching after? Kṛṣṇa says, "Searching Me." Aham. Aham eva vedyaḥ: "I am the ultimate goal to understand." In another place Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "Those who are actually philosophers, actually wise and attained wisdom, and after many, many births: research work..." Research work is very good. But the end of research work is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore after many, many births, if one is actually wise and attained wisdom, then he finds Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "He finds that Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." But sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "But such kind of great soul is very rare." These are the statement of Bhagavad-gītā.

So the karmīs, they are mūḍhas. They do not... They are not wise. Unless one is wise, he cannot surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catura means very intelligent.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

What is that? Now, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate: (BG 6.41) "If one, anyone, immaturely falls down, then in next life he will have the opportunity to take birth in very rich family or in a family of a, I mean, real brāhmaṇa." Real brāhmaṇa means śuci, always pure. That is real brahminical qualification. Truthful, clean, wise, God consciousness—these are brahminical qualifications. We are giving thread ceremony to our disciples to recognize him that he has got the brahminical qualifications. He has given up this meat-eating, illicit sex life, gambling and intoxication. He is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. He is being purified gradually. He's trying to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he's always pure. This is the recognition. This thread ceremony is recognition. But if we simply make it a show, that "Now I have got thread. I have become liberated. I may not do anything," and then again I fall down... The same principle is always going on, māyā and Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

Suppose if you go to a place, to a..., where you can earn money, as much as you like, and if you go there, and if you do not earn anything, you come empty-handed, so, as your mission becomes unsuccessful. Similarly, if in the human form of life you are simply engaged in the animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending in a nice way than the birds and beasts—then you are not gaining anything. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. In many places these things are very nicely explained. Abodha-jātaḥ. We are born... We are born ignorant. A child is born ignorant. If the father, mother, guardians, do not give him education, then his life is spoiled. The child has no fault. It is the fault of the guardian. Similarly, in this human form of life, if the state, the father, the teacher, the school, college, and every, who are responsible for raising the child to knowledge, to become wise, if they do not care and simply they have trained for eating nicely, sleeping nicely and mating nicely and defending nicely, then there is no gain. The life is the... A chance is missed. Nārada Muni says that "Without coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he's simply engaged in a polished way to this animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending—then he does not gain anything. On the other side, if a person without any knowledge, without any understanding, by sentiment takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and, being immature, if he falls down, there is no loss." This is the conclusion.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So therefore, how to understand Kṛṣṇa? That is stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself:. after many, many births struggling to understand Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Not foolish person. Foolish person cannot understand. But even jñānavān, who is wise, perfectly wise, learned scholar, such person, even after many, many births struggling to understand Kṛṣṇa... So that is mahātmā, one who has understood Kṛṣṇa. He is mahātmā. One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa or verifies himself as Kṛṣṇa, he's durātmā. He's not mahātmā. He's a rascal. Mahātmā is that person who has understood Kṛṣṇa, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is the cause of all causes." Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). One who has understood this perfectly, that the Supreme Controller, Īśvara... Īśvara means controller. And not only controller, but Supreme Controller. Controller, we are; every one of us are controller. Just like I am also controlling a few of my disciples—or hundred or thousand. But Kṛṣṇa is controller of millions, millions upon millions and millions upon... All universes. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Simply to become controller does not become... Yes, that is also īśvara. You can say. But there is parameśvara.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)—everything complied. Kṛṣṇa, the richest personality, the most beautiful personality, the most wise. He has given the Bhagavad-gītā. Apart from other instructions, the Bhagavad-gītā is there. Who has given such wise instruction throughout the whole world, throughout the whole universe? Nobody has given. God means the wisest, the richest, the most powerful, the most beautiful. So He was so beautiful that 16,108 very, very beautiful women... And this is married. And unmarried, many millions, they were attracted by Kṛṣṇa, the most beautiful. Śyāmasundara. His name is sundara, very beautiful. Although śyāma, blackish, still He's so attractive.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

So anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. If we want to stop this unwanted business... If you don't want, go on with your business: bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Now take this life, this body, of human being or Indian and then American, then cat, then dog, then hog, then tree—so many, eight million—you go on if you like. But if you are actually intelligent, if you are disgusted, that "This is not very good business. This is anartha, unwanted business. I have been forced, yayā sammohitaḥ... Being bewildered, being illusioned, misdirected by this material energy, I am trying to be happy here in this material..., and it is not my business." If one comes to this sense... That is stated in the Bhagavad..., bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births. After many, many births, jñānavān, one who is actually in knowledge, wise..." Then what does he do? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: He surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. The same thing, as Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender to Me." If we do not do it... We have to do that, but if you want to wait bahūnāṁ janma, after many, many births, you have to do the same business, why not do it now? This is intelligence. If after bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), when I actually become wise, why not become wise immediately? Kṛṣṇa says; Kṛṣṇa is canvassing. Why not take it up? And if you take it up, you are successful. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). Even by sentiment you take it, you will be successful, it is so nice.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

So, saḥ, Kṛṣṇa, who is described in the previous verse, tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ, the original person... Original person, Absolute Truth, that is described in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Original person. Just like in our familywise, or guru-paramparā-wise, there is somebody, original person. So similarly, the whole creation, there is original person. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, aham āsam agre. Aham āsam agre. In the Vedic literature, eko nārāyaṇa āsīt. So eko nārāyaṇa āsīt, that is original person. And Kṛṣṇa says aham agre āsam. So He's the original person, ādyam. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam ādyam (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

That is first-class yogi, one who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within the core of the heart. So yogis, jñānīs, karmīs, bhaktas... So when you become bhakta, then you are perfect karmī, you are perfect yogi, you are perfect jñānī. Unless you are perfect jñānī, how you can surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births cultivating knowledge, when he's actually wise-jñānavān. Then what is the symptom? Māṁ prapadyate: he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). He understands that Kṛṣṇa is everything. That is real knowledge. Otherwise, it is not knowledge, it is speculation.

Lecture on SB 1.7.45-46 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1976:

Then, tad dharmajña mahā-bhāga bhavadbhir gauravaṁ kulam. One should act in such a way that it should be glorified in the family. The family consideration is very important in Vedic culture. A family does not mean that only a husband, wife, or a few children. No. Family means the generation. That is Vedic conception. So if something is wrong done by any member of the family, that becomes a scar to the whole family. So she is, from family-wise, she is warning that "Do not do anything which will be a discredit to the whole Pāṇḍava family." Vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ pūjyaṁ vandyam abhīkṣṇaśaḥ. So the guru and the guru's family, they do not require to be chastised or punished. It has been misused in so many ways. In Bengal... Just like they say nityānanda-vaṁśa. Coming from Nityānanda. So Nityānanda had one son, Vīrabhadra. But Vīrabhadra did not marry. So there is no dynasty by semina. By nityānanda-vaṁśa means by disciplic succession. So sometimes extra advantage was taken as nityānanda-vaṁśa. But people have got respect for such thing, dynasty. So not only it is now, from time immemorial, guru, guru's dynasty... Even in Mohammedan religion there is such sentiment, Mohammed and his dynasty, Hussain, they are taken very respectfully. So considering all points, the guru's respect must be maintained. This is the sum and substance of the instruction. But there is other opposite instruction also.

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

So if you simply think only one verse, as it is explained here, and the paṅkaja, lotus, in reference with Kṛṣṇa's body, you can meditate the whole life how Kṛṣṇa is beautiful, how Kṛṣṇa is wise, how Kṛṣṇa's creation, how... This is meditation. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ means... Yogi means he's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mat-paraḥ. That is yogi. These rascals are not yogi, thinking something impersonal and being harassed. Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). They are simply, they are simply laboring, adhikataraḥ, more and more. They cannot get anything substantial. Therefore after meditation: "Come on, give me cigarette. Come on. My throat is now dried up. Give me cigarette." That is not meditation. Meditation means, this is: namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

So if you simply think only one verse, as it is explained here, and the paṅkaja, lotus, in reference with Kṛṣṇa's body, you can meditate the whole life how Kṛṣṇa is beautiful, how Kṛṣṇa is wise, how Kṛṣṇa's creation, how... This is meditation. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ means... Yogi means he's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mat-paraḥ. That is yogi. These rascals are not yogi, thinking something impersonal and being harassed. Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). They are simply, they are simply laboring, adhikataraḥ, more and more. They cannot get anything substantial. Therefore after meditation: "Come on, give me cigarette. Come on. My throat is now dried up. Give me cigarette." That is not meditation. Meditation means, this is: namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya.

So if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, satataṁ cintayanto mām (BG 9.14), "always thinking of Me," yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and endeavoring to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with vow, then we have to remain purified. Because Kṛṣṇa is purified. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Los Angeles, April 18, 1973:

So those who are intoxicated, they cannot understand. They think: "It is my property. I have stolen, I have stolen this land of America from the Red Indians. Now it is my property." But he does not know that he's a thief. He's a thief. Stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12). In the Bhagavad-gītā. One who takes the property of God, and claims his own, he's a thief. Stena eva sa ucyate. Therefore we have got communistic idea, the devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious person. We have got Kṛṣṇa conscious communistic program. What is that? That everything belongs to God. Just like they are thinking that everything belongs to the state. These communists, these Moscow, Moscowites, or the Russian, or the Chinese, they are thinking state-wise. But we are thinking not state-wise. We are thinking God-wise. Everything belongs to God. The same philosophy. You extend. Simply you require little intelligence, little intelligence. Why do you think that this state belongs to a few number of people? If you think that there are population, American population, this land of America belongs to this population. Why do you think like that? You think this is property of God.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

So Brahman realization is only the sat part realization, because the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-ānanda. And Paramātmā realization is the cit part realization. And Bhagavān... Here it is said, bhagavān, yogeśvara akhila-guro bhagavan namas te. Bhagavān is the personal. So that is the ultimate, ultimate realization. So the ultimate realization is made possible by the jñānīs. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "If one is actually searching after knowledge, and if he is actually a wise man, the symptom is that he'll surrender unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: "That is possible after many, many births," searching out, searching out, searching out, not for the karmīs. Karmīs have been described as mūḍha because they do not know anything more than working hard like an ass and get some return. That's all. They have no other ambition.

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

Dhīrādhīra-priyau. There are two kinds of men. One is dhīra—very learned, sober, everything in knowledge, wise. They are called dhīra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says dhīras tatra na muhyati.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
(BG 2.13)

He has specifically mentioned the word dhīra. Dhīra means the sober, learned... Generally we call in English language "gentleman." Gentleman means he must be sober, learned, and thoughtful. That is gentleman. But nowadays, gentleman is different—simply by dress. Dhīra and adhīra. So there are two classes of men, and the Gosvāmīs were very dear to both classes of men, dhīrādhīra. That is the sign of a saintly person, samatītya. Samatītya: they have no enemy. Ajāta-śatravaḥ. Even the adhīra, the saintly person considers as friend, and even a dhīra, he considers friend. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). This is the dhīra.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was intelligent enough to understand the influence of the age of Kali, characterized by increasing avarice, falsehood, cheating and violence throughout the capital, state, home and among individuals. So he wisely prepared himself to leave home, and he dressed himself accordingly." (SB 1.15.37)

Prabhupāda: So Yudhiṣṭhira, anyone, any experienced man can see how things are going on. One has to possess such perfect eyes. When these things are in progressive way... What is this? Lobha, greediness; anṛta, falsehood; jihma, means diplomacy; and hiṁsa, violence or jealousy. When these things will increase, one should know that the influence of Kali-yuga is increasing. Anyone can understand. This world... This material world is so made that these things are very prominent: greediness, kāma-lobhādayaś ca, lusty desires and greediness, kāma and lobha. Generally, people are attached to these things. Then diplomacy, "How to satisfy my lusty desires, my greediness?"

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

So now he concludes that things have deteriorated. It is not for Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's fault, but the time. Just like when there is winter season, however clever you may be, you cannot check the process of nature's work. So Kali-yuga is also another phase of this material world. So he saw that things have deteriorated... Pure ca rāṣṭre ca gṛhe tathātmani. "Things have deteriorated. They are now full of these sinful activities." What is that? Lobha anṛta jihma and hiṁsa. "People are becoming too much," I mean to say, "jealous, too much diplomatic, too much untruthfulness, and so things are deteriorated, not only state-wise, family-wise, personal-wise. Everything is deteriorating." So after all, one has to retire. One has to re... So he concluded that now he should retire.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

So now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is picking up who are the brāhmaṇas. They mixed up. They are mixed up. So long there was no picking up of the brāhmaṇas. Now, by this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are picking up the brāhmaṇas. Because there is need of brāhmaṇas at this time. Because brain is not there. The brain... Brāhmaṇa means the brain. They must have knowledge. That is brāhmaṇa. In India, the brāhmaṇas are called paṇḍita, although nowadays he is fool number one. But it is a title of the brāhmaṇa to become paṇḍita. Paṇḍita. He must know everything. Satyaṁ śamaḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). He must be very wise man. Jñānaṁ vijñānam, and practical application, vijñānam. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. And not nāstika, not atheist. Jñānaṁ vijñānam means one must know what is God. That is jñāna. And brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa means one who has already known God, or brahma-vastu. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). That is brāhmaṇa. Therefore people should go to brāhmaṇa. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, one cannot become guru. Because if he does not know Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, what kind of brāhmaṇa he is, and what kind of guru he is? So therefore one must know the ultimate truth, Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti. Not silent, simply by understanding Brahman or Paramātmā, but he must know what is Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of the Vedas. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

Because everyone is struggling... Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Prakṛti-sthāni, in this material nature, everyone is struggling, prakṛti-sthāni karṣati, with the mind and the senses, that's all. Compact, in the direction of the mind. Mano-dharma. Mano-dharma. So long we are directed by the flickering mind, then we are in danger. We have to go Above mind there is intelligence. The intelligence is where to consider, "Whether I am this body or I am something else?" So on this way, from the mental platform, you have to elevate yourself to the intellectual platform, and from the intellectual platform, you have to raise yourself to the spiritual platform. Then you will be able to give up so-called material possession, completely freed and surrender to Kṛṣṇa and become wise.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). First thing is that this material world is existing on sex attraction. And as soon as there is combination of sex, then the next attraction is for home, for land, for children, for society, for wealth, for bank balance, and so many things. Then extend it more, society to nationality, nationality, humanity, and go on increasing, but they are not ātma-tattvam. They are all gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām, extended selfishness. Selfishness... Just like a dog. He knows simply about his body. He won't allow another dog to come in his boundary. That is very poor selfishness. You extend it little more, human society. There is family, wife, children. That is also extended selfishness. Then you further extend it. You have got society or nationality, consciousness of nationality. That is also still further extended selfishness. Similarly, you extend the same propensity humanity-wise.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

So the old custom, he's also following, addressing him Bhārata. Tasmād bhārata sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ (SB 2.1.5). He bhārata sarvātmā iti bhagavān iti sundarya. This very... Each word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is important. This bhagavān word means all-attractive. Bhagavān... I've explained several times, bhaga means opulences, and van means one who possesses. So there are six kinds of opulences: richness, reputation, strength, beauty, wisdom and renunciation. Six kind of opulences. So anyone who possesses these six kinds of opulences in full, not partially, He's Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Take, for example, we are attracted. Suppose some rich man comes in this meeting, very rich man, very famous. We shall immediately be prepared to receive him, because he's attractive. If some reputed philosopher or scientist comes, we shall immediately be prepared to receive him nicely, because he's attractive. So these things are attractions: richness, beauty, education, knowledge, reputation, strength—either bodily strength or political strength or monetary strength; there are so many divisions of strength. So if one is strong, powerful, if one is beautiful, if one is wise, reputed, these things are attraction. Therefore the very word is used "Bhagavān," because God is all-attractive, Kṛṣṇa is all attractive. So he recommends that Bhagavān, that beautiful Kṛṣṇa, all-attractive, all-powerful, He should always be remembered. Smartavyaḥ śrotavyaḥ. And He should always be heard about His activities.

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

So you mix it. Then it becomes eighty-one. Three multiplied by three, nine. And again, nine multiplied by nine, it becomes eighty-one. So there are 8,400,000 forms on account of this mixture. That's all. So the mixture is possible, and according to the mixture, they have got different consciousness. According to the body, they have got different consciousness. A man, highly intellectual brāhmaṇa, he is, "Oh, I am greater than everyone. I am so wise. I am so pure. I am brāhmaṇa." So he has got a different conception. And similarly, the hog, because he has got a different form, it has that, "Oh, stool is so nice. Let me eat it." It is very (easy) to understand. According to the association with the modes of material nature, we are getting different types of body. And according to different types of body, we are developing different types of consciousness. Is it very difficult to understand? But when we transcend this bodily concept of life, then we come to the one standard consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Try to understand. If there is any difficulty, ask. It is very important. Why there are different consciousness? Everyone could take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they cannot take it because they have got bodily concept of life. And body means association with the modes of material nature in a different way. Try to understand. Is there any question on this point? Say it clearly. If you have understood, explain. It is very important point.

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

Pradyumna: "...searching on all sides. But when he was unable to find anyone besides himself, he thought it wise to sit down on his lotus seat firmly and give his attention to the execution of penance, as he was instructed." (SB 2.9.7)

Prabhupāda: So he could not find any person. Still he took it seriously and began tapasya. Therefore in the beginning of Bhāgavata it is said, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye: "From heart." Yes. He heard from outside. From the heart the order was, "Yes, now you begin your tapasya." So he began. So Kṛṣṇa is helping both sides, from externally, internally. Externally he heard. Somewhere the sound came, and internally He confirmed, "Yes." So Kṛṣṇa is helping us externally by the spiritual master, internally by instruction. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi. In this way, He is trying to help us. Unfortunately we do not care to take His help. Then why should we not suffer? Antar-bahiḥ. Antar-bahiḥ. There are two things, inside and outside. So Kṛṣṇa is... Outside He is helping, spiritual master. Spiritual master is external manifestation of the Supreme Lord. Just like if somebody is going somewhere in this Tokyo city. I have to say something. So I apply him, "Will you kindly carry this message to him?" Similarly, Kṛṣṇa deputes some of His confidential devotees to help the people to become Kṛṣṇa conscious: "Please go and tell him this." The spiritual master is, therefore, external manifestation of the Supreme Lord. And internally He is sitting there as Paramātmā. So both ways, He is helping. And because the business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore there is no difference between the external teacher and the internal teacher. Because teaching is the same.

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

So I am chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and I do not know. I become mad after chanting. And I get, I feel transcendental pleasure. And sometimes I act like a madman. So My Guru Mahārāja has said that 'You are very fortunate. You are very fortunate.' " Then Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī very mildly said, "It is all right, You're chanting. What is the wrong if You study Vedānta-sūtra?" Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Vedānta-sūtra We know, but not like you. We know. If you don't mind, then I can explain Vedānta-sūtra." So He explained Vedānta-sūtra that Brahman, Brahman means "the biggest." So Brahman is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, biggest, means He's full of all opulences. That is biggest. He's the richest. He's the wisest. He's the most beautiful. He's most famous. And... In this way He explained that Brahman, the biggest, He cannot be impersonal. He's personal. He gave many instances from Vedic literature. In this way, He convinced that "The way you study Vedānta-sūtra, that is not the proper way. Vedānta-sūtra means to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

So when one becomes devotee, he's not a fool. Pure devotee is full knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births, when one is actually jñānavān, actually wise, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. How? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). He surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You so long. Now I understand that You are everything." That is knowledge. That is real knowledge. Therefore it is said, jñānena vairāgya-vijṛmbhitena. This jñāna means vairāgya—no more attachment for serving the so-called society, friendship, love, country. These are all foolishly engagement. But people do not understand it. They'll think that "This is my first service. This is my first..." How long you'll serve, my dear sir? But if you serve Kṛṣṇa, this service automatically becomes possible. Just like we are giving prasādam every week on Sunday, distributing prasādam. That is the bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means that sympathetic to persons who are not devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Devotee or not devotee, by eating kṛṣṇa-prasādam, he'll gradually become devotee. As yesterday I explained that kṛṣṇa-bhakti begins from the tongue, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then Lord manifests. He reveals Himself. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. How it is possible that jihvādau, beginning from the tongue? This is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Jihvādau, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Very easy.

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

So this yoga system is meant for persons who are too much bodily attached, this haṭha-yoga system. And otherwise, real yoga system is the sāṅkhya-yoga or bhakti-yoga, real yoga system. This is preliminary. Therefore when Arjuna declined, that "I cannot execute the yoga system," so Kṛṣṇa, in order to pacify Arjuna... Because he was friend—Kṛṣṇa thought that Arjuna is thinking unable to execute this yoga—He pacified him by saying ultimately, "My dear Arjuna, don't be agitated." Indirectly He said that "You are a first-class yogi." "How is that, I am first-class yogi?" "Now, because you are always thinking of Me." Arjuna, he did not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when He placed Himself divided into two in the battlefield... Because it was a family fight, so Kṛṣṇa said that "I can divide Myself." Both of them approached. Duryodhana approached and Arjuna also approached, "Kṛṣṇa, You become my side." So Kṛṣṇa said that "I have got eighteen akṣauhiṇī, division of soldiers. That is one side. And I personally, one side." So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought that "What shall I do simply by taking Kṛṣṇa? And He says that 'I'll not fight. If I go to any side, I'll not fight.' " So Arjuna (Duryodhana) thought it wise that "Let me take His soldiers, eighteen divisions, many thousands of elephants, horses, chariot." There is estimate, very big number of elephants, horses. I don't remember exactly. But... So Duryodhana decided to take the soldiers of Kṛṣṇa. (aside:) That child may be... But Arjuna thought that "If I get Kṛṣṇa in my side, that is sufficient. I don't want His soldiers."

Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974:

So one who understands this body as a lump of matter before death, he is called wise. Jñāna-cakṣusā: "He sees the soul by the eyes of knowledge." Paśyati jñāna-cakṣusā. Those who are not in the platform of jñāna, on the gross platform of the animals, they cannot see the soul or Bhagavān, Supersoul. So it requires many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After practicing karma... Generally, people are karmīs. Karmīs means gross fruitive worker to get some profit for material benefit. They are called karmīs. So out of many millions and thousands of karmīs, one is jñānī. Jñānī means one who understands that "I am not this body." The karmīs cannot understand. They are in the gross field. Jñānī can understand that "I am not this body." Brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). And out of many millions of jñānīs, one becomes liberated. Liberated means "I am not this body." Actually, he understands that "I am soul." But sometimes the Māyāvādīs, they become liberated, but they think, "Because I am spirit soul, therefore I am one with the Supreme." So 'ham. So 'ham. Actually, I am spirit soul. I am equal in quality. But that does not mean I am the Supreme Soul. Therefore in the next verse you will find: naikātmatāṁ me spṛhayanti kecit. The devotees are not so fool that they will desire to become one with the Supreme, Na ekātmatām, because they are in full knowledge. And those who are not full in knowledge, in full knowledge, and, but thinking that they have become liberated, conception of this body... That is theoretical, not practical.

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

If you want to understand God, then try to understand from God Himself. He knows. Just like if you speculate of a big man, a neighbor, a friend, that "What is his wealth? Oh, he appears to be very rich man and very strong man, very influential man." And these are the opulences: very beautiful, very wise. So you can calculate. But if you make friendship with that gentleman and if he speaks about himself, then you can understand what he is. Then how you can understand God, Kṛṣṇa, by speculation? This is foolishness. Therefore, śāstra advises you that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya: "If you think that you are very learned scholar, you are very advanced in knowledge, and you can manufacture what is God, give up this foolishness first of all. Don't make this foolishness." Jñāne prayāsam. Oh, what is your knowledge? Limited. Kūpa-maṇḍūka, the frog in the well. How you can imagine? Simply by imagination? Is imagination God? Can you create? The Māyāvādīs say that "We can imagine God. God, it is so great that it is not possible to understand the Brahman, but we can imagine some form." This is Māyāvādī philosophy. This imagination will not... You cannot imagine God. God is fact. God is not subjected to your imagination. And your senses are imperfect. How long you will simply speculate? Give up this practice, foolishness. Don't... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya nam... Just become submissive. Jñāne prayāsam udapā..., namanta eva: "Be submissive." That is bhakti-mārga. Bhakti-mārga is submissive.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

The father means he will simply give to the son. And son means he will simply take. So just like in the Christian philosophy it is said, "O God, give us our daily bread." This is one philosophy. That's a fact. God is giving. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. God is feeding everyone. That's a fact. But a devotee does not want to take anything from God. He does not worship God for his daily bread. One who asks daily bread from God, they are pious, but they are not devotees.

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
(BG 7.16)

Kṛṣṇa says there are four kinds of beginners of devotional service, four kinds. What are..., who are they? Ārtaḥ. Ārtaḥ means one who is distressed; artha-arthī, one who is in want of money; ārto ar...jijñāsuḥ, one who is searching after knowledge; and jñānī, and wise man. So out of these, ārto and arthārthī, they are low-grade worshiper. Those who are jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are higher grade. Generally, they are lower grade. But they are not pure devotees.

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

But one who is actually wise, intelligent, he can understand that "Actually, I am not happy. I am suffering." That is intelligence. That is intelligence, when one comes to the understanding that "I am not happy actually. I am simply suffering." The Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was the finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. So he is our guru in the disciplic succession. He inquired this question from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "I have come to You to ask that people call me, I am very learned man." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni. "By this ordinary relationship, they call me, I am very learned man. But I am such a learned man that I do not know what I am..., why I am suffering." This is intelligence. So we should know how to... Ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛttiḥ. Everyone is suffering. Temporary, superficially, one may think that he is very happy, or I may think that "He is happy; I am not happy," but nobody is happy in this material world, because the four things is inevitable for everyone, the prime minister or the man in the street, everyone: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). And there is so much trouble in the matter of birth and death and old age and disease. We are forgetting. That is called tīvraṁ bhayam.

So if one is intelligent enough, he will understand by association of sādhus that this material life is not happy at all, but we want happiness. That is a fact. Every one of us, we are searching after happiness.

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

Now, if actually a philosophical minded man is there, if he simply makes research, "Wherefrom this nice taste came in the water?" he can see God because ultimately he has to come to God. If he researches, make research, "Wherefrom the sunshine came...?" You can say the sunshine is coming from the sun globe, but for further research work, you cannot go even there. But if you are actually student, philosophical minded, if you make darśana... Philosophy means darśana. Darśana means seeing. See more, see more, see more. In this way you will ultimately come. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... Then he will come to this conclusion: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If you are actually serious student, research worker, then after executing research work for many, many birth, when you are actually wise, jñānavān, then you will surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

Some of them are thinking there is no Kṛṣṇa, and some of them are thinking, "If there is Kṛṣṇa"—Kṛṣṇa means God—"I am also God. I am equal." And some of them are thinking that "By meditation, by spiritual advancement, now I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." Yes. They are not, neither equal nor below, but they are thinking greater than Him. "With the progress of time the human being is advancing in knowledge. So by their meditational power, they can become greater than Kṛṣṇa." So that is foolishness. That is not possible. This is also māyā. Just like māyā is acting in so many ways. Sometimes we are thinking, "There is no Kṛṣṇa, no God. We are, every one of us are God." Similarly, to think of greater than Kṛṣṇa is another illusioning curtain of māyā. Māyā is not getting you out very easily. He will put so many impediments. Therefore bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, when actually becomes wise, then he understands that 'I am nothing. Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, He is everything.' " Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Then that is not oneness, dual. "Vāsudeva, and I am." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā.

Lecture on SB Questions & Answers -- Hyderabad, April 10, 1975:

After many, many births of this kind of contaminated diseases and births and body, when by culture of knowledge, by austerities, by penances, by brahminical culture, one becomes very, very learned and wise, at that time he can understand what is God—not before that. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Not the rascals and the fools can understand what is God. Only the jñānavān.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

Devotee (2): Oh.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In Vṛndāvana you'll find just early in the morning before... Exactly one and a half hours before sunrise all temples will ding-dong, ding-dong, like this. And people will automatically rise up and go to see the first ceremony. It is very nice. So that you'll be forced to rise early in the morning. If you practice you'll be practiced to... "Early to rise, early to..." "Early to bed, early to rise"?

Devotee (2): "...makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Prabhupāda: Yes. You become automatically healthy, wealthy and wise. Yes. But here you are accustomed to sleep up to twelve o'clock. (laughs) No. That is not good. Yes?

Devotee (2): Can we chant a little while "Kṛṣṇa"?

Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly. This chanting is nice program. Now chant. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (kīrtana) (end)

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

He's also living entity, we are also living entity, but He is supreme and we are subordinate. That is the difference. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. This is our position. This is self-realization. When you understand this, that "Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, or God, whatever you say, He's the whole spirit soul, and we are fragmental portion of that spirit soul, and He's the maintainer; we are maintained. He is the predominator; we are predominated," So this is first realization. This is called brahma-bhūta. And if you make more advance in brahma-bhūta stage, then maybe after many births you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the, ver... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. When one is perfectly jñānavān, wise, then his business is vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Then he can understand that Vāsudeva, the son of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything. That realization required. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So this movement is very scientific, authorized, Vedic, and people are accepting them. Therefore I repeatedly request our Indian brothers, "Don't neglect. Take this movement very seriously." That is the only business of human life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

That means they do not know what is the need of the body. When the body dies they cry simply like child, "My father has gone." Why your father has gone? It is lying there. Where he has gone? It is lying on the floor or on the bed. "No, my father has gone." He has not seen his father; he has seen the body. And now he says, "My father has gone." Body, you saw the father's body. The body is there. Why you are crying, "My father has gone"? He's lying there. This is called defeat. What you are seeing, his father or his son, that is lying there, but he does not know who is his father, who is his son. This is called defeat. Abodha-jātaḥ. He remains the same fool and rascal as he was born. A born rascal. Otherwise why children are sent to school? To become intelligent, to become men of knowledge, wise men. But where is the wisdom? Your technology is not there. The whole world is working under this wrong impression, that "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). That is the defeat. It is practical. And they are simply meeting crisis after crisis, because they're rascals and fools. This is a civilization of rascal and fools. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Why rascal and fools? Yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. There is no inquiry, "What I am? Why I am becoming befooled? I am trying so much. Why the problems are still there, or the problems are increasing?" These questions are not there. Simply blindly, like asses and cows, working and going to the slaughterhouse, cannot protest, cannot protect. Animal civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.7 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1976:

Pradyumna: "Even though one may be very learned and wise, he is mad if he does not understand that the endeavor for sense gratification is a useless waste of time. Being forgetful of his own interest, he tries to be happy in the material world, centering his interests around his home, which is based on sexual intercourse and which brings him all kinds of material miseries. In this way one is no better than a foolish animal."

Prabhupāda:

yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṇehāṁ
svārthe pramattaḥ sahasā vipaścit
gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān
āsādya maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ
(SB 5.5.7)

So, one has to be vipaścit, learned, to understand the interest of life, self-interest. Everyone is working, especially the karmīs, the jñānīs, the yogis, and mixed devotees, they are working for self-interest. The devotees also, so long there is self, there is self-interest also. So there is little difference, that the devotees, they work for Super-self-interest. There is self, but it is Super-self-interest. And the karmīs, jñānīs, yogis they work for individual self-interest. Self-interest there must be.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

Transportation is required, but we see from Kṛṣṇa books that the inhabitants of Gokula... There was a meeting headed by Nanda Mahārāja's young brother, Upananda, and all the villagers, they assembled together. They discussed that "Our Kṛṣṇa is being repeatedly attacked by the asuras, and it has become very troublesome. So let us leave this place." They are villagers. They thought it wise that "Because we are in this village, some of the demons, they are coming and disturbing." So they are villagers... Immediately Nanda Mahārāja agreed, "All right, let us leave this place." So immediately, they transferred the whole village with their possessions, cloth or something, everything, within one hour. And they transported by the bullock cart to Nandagrāma. That means, the idea is the whole village was transferred from one village to another within very short time. So the transport is required, the transport by bullock carts. The bulls are there.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

Pradyumna: "If someone is ignorant and addicted to the path of saṁsāra, how can one who is actually learned, merciful and advanced in spiritual knowledge engage him in fruitive activity and thus further entangle him in material existence? If a blind man is walking down the wrong path, how can a gentleman allow him to continue on his way to danger? How can he approve this method? No wise or kind man can allow this."

Prabhupāda:

kas taṁ svayaṁ tad-abhijño vipaścid
avidyāyām antare vartamānam
dṛṣṭvā punas taṁ saghṛṇaḥ kubuddhiṁ
prayojayed utpathagaṁ yathāndham
(SB 5.5.17)

So one person is utpathagam yathāndham, another person is vipaścid tad-abhijñaḥ. Two classes of men generally: one who knows the things as they are and one who does not know what is the value of life, how to make progress. So one does not know and one knows. So naturally there must be two classes of men to make real social progress or any, anything. Actually we see that there are a class of men in the school, colleges, universities, who can teach, and class of men who are taught.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

So neither I am happy nor the person to whom I have served, they are happy. Then what is the remedy?" That is discussed in the Vedānta-sūtra philosophy. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now inquire about your real master, Brahman, or the Supreme, the great, the Absolute Truth." That is required. So we should be prepared like that, that we have served our propensities, different propensities, lusty desire, greediness, anger, kāma, krodha, lobha, mohaḥ... Mohaḥ means illusion. I am doing something wrong, and I am thinking it is all right. This is called illusion, mohaḥ. Mātsarya. Mātsarya means envious, to become envious. Every one of us, either individually or socially or community-wise or nationally, we are all envious. The Russians, they are envious of the Americans, and the Americans, they are envious of the Russians. Similarly, everyone. That is the nature. So we are serving all these propensities. Now, this is called pravṛtti-mārga, progress towards sense gratification in different ways. And if we stop that and make progress to our real self-realization, real happiness, that is called nivṛtti-mārga.

So this morning I was talking with one gentleman. He is in charge of the social welfare.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

So if we are not changing our character, then what is the use of advancement of knowledge, education? That I told you yesterday, that in spite of so-called advancement of education, culture, science, philosophy, the result is when you go to the airport you are proved you are a dishonest man. Everyone is checked means everyone is dishonest, it is to be supposed. Maybe some honest men, but the majority are dishonest. Even there is somebody honest he also... Gardulika pravāha(?) Majority... Nowadays it is democratic days, majority. So as this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also taken as one of the sentimental movements... It is the most scientific movement, but because there are so many gurus, rascals, they imagine something and cheat people. People want to be cheated. They take advantage. So we are also one of them, because majority is this. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." When everyone is rascal, to become intelligent is rascaldom. Otherwise you say, "I am also a rascal." Then it is all right. If you say, "No, you are rascal," then there is fight.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

That is going on at the present moment. Everyone is thinking that he is very highly elevated, learned, but he is fool number one. That is going on because there is no standard knowledge. Sanātana Gosvāmī also, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he also said the same thing. He was in the sense. He was prime minister. He was very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Urdu—in those days Urdu because it was Muhammadan government. But he thought it wise that "They call me learned scholar, but what kind of scholar I am?" He put this question before Caitanya. Grāmya vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita satya kari māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nāhi jāni: "My dear Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, these common men, they say that I am M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C. and so on, so on. I am very learned scholar. But I am so big scholar that I do not know what I am and what is my aim of life. Just see." Ask any so-called scholar that "What is the aim of life?" He cannot say. The aim of life is the same like the dog: eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy, and die. That's all.

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

So here, Śukadeva Gosvāmī gives this example that na aśnataḥ pathyam eva annam. Suppose if you have got indigestion. You cannot digest food very nicely. So you have to eat such things which are easily digestible, or which may not cause acidity, flatulence, air. The doctor prescribes. So if you neglect those principles, then how you can be cured? Similarly, if you want to eradicate your ignorance, how miserable conditions are arising, problems are arising, and you do not try to subside them with real knowledge, how there can be solution of the problems? Try to understand. Just like if you do not follow the program given by the physician for curing your disease, you cannot be cured. If you violate the rules given by the doctor, then how you can expect cure of your disease? Similarly, if you do not think wisely, like wise man, as they're prescribed in the Vedic knowledge, how you can stop the problems of life? That is not possible. Simply by atonement there may be temporary suppression of something, but it will arise again. The same example can be given. The whole world is trying to stop war. But by some means like League of Nation, United Nation, but it is stopped for the time being, but again, after some years, there is huge war.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

So apart from we are not seeing personally, but we have heard it, but personally, at least, we can see one thing: how Kṛṣṇa is great. Because aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ, jñāna. Śrīya, beautiful. No more Nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. Śrīya, śriya means beauty. You see here Kṛṣṇa, how He is beautiful. So He does not become old. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). He is the oldest person because He has created everything, but He will never look old. You will never see Kṛṣṇa's picture as old man. These are the definition of God. God, nobody can be richer than Him, nobody can be stronger than Him, nobody can be more beautiful than Him, and nobody wiser than Him even. That proof we can see: Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago, and still Bhagavad-gītā is worshiped as the best book of knowledge. This is the proof. So God does not depend on anyone's proof. But if you want to prove whether He is God, you can get. That you can get.

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

God means nobody can be richer than Him, nobody can be stronger than Him, nobody can be more beautiful than Him, nobody can be wiser than Him, and nobody can be influential than Him. That is God. When you find somebody that "Here is the richest man in the whole universe or in the whole creation. Here is the most beautiful man in the whole universe," in this way, when you compare the six opulences, then that you will find in Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present He exhibited this practically. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

When we are prepared to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is the platform of mukti. Therefore it is said, kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). Simply by executing the order of Vasudeva one becomes mukta. Just like master and servant. If the servant executes the order of the master, he is faultless. If the servant declines to execute the order of the master, however qualified he may be, he is useless. So therefore it is said, kevalayā bhaktyā: "without any contamination, simply ready to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, or Vasudeva." Therefore it is called vāsudeva-parāyaṇā. Therefore it is, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births of struggling, when one is actually jñānavān, wise, he surrenders unto Me." So either you become karmī, jñānī, or yogi, you are not mukta. Mukta means, I have already defined, mukti hitva anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa avasthiti. When you stay in your own original position to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is mukti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.46 -- San Diego, July 27, 1975:

The knowledge is given by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa that "Here is the solution: janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo janati tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)." The problem is punar janma, repetition of birth, and if you want to stop it, then try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be able to stop. As soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa... To understand Kṛṣṇa means even if you blindly accept, that is also beneficial. Kṛṣṇa says what He is, that He is the Supreme Lord. So you accept Him. That's all. Simply have this faith, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That will make you sufficiently advanced. But this is very difficult for the materialistic person. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "After endeavoring for many, many births," bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, jñānavān, "who is actually wise, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa." Otherwise, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāh: (BG 7.15) "Otherwise he remain a rascal and implicated in sinful activities, lowest of the mankind, knowledge is taken away." Na māṁ prapadyante: "He never surrenders to Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

So here it is said, gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vrata means those who have taken this family life or material life as all in all. That's all. Vrata. Vrata means vow. "I shall improve my family condition, I shall improve my social condition. I shall improve the international condition or political condition." All these things, they are called gṛha-vratānām. They have no idea that beyond this life there is another life. Therefore they are stuck up with this idea. They are called gṛha-vrata. Generally, at the present moment, everyone is gṛha-vrata. That's all. They simply want "How to improve my economic condition." That's all. Individually, socially, family wise, internationally or nationally, that is their aim. They are called gṛha-vrata. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, because he knew that his father is number one gṛha-vrata, atheist number one, and materialist number one, so when he inquired, "How you developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" he said immediately, flatly, to his father, "My dear father, don't worry. You will never will have Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

So one should have the complete power of riches, complete power of strength, complete fame. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), and complete beauty. And jñāna, complete knowledge, and vairāgya, complete renouncement. If you can find out somebody that nobody is richer than him, nobody is more famous than him, nobody is stronger than him, nobody is wiser than him, nobody is more beautiful than him, and nobody is more renouncer than him, when these six opulences you will find, without any competition, that is God. This is the definition of God.

So everything should be understood very distinctly, what do we mean by God, not that a third-class man comes and he proclaims himself, "I am God." This is our foolishness. Why shall I accept a third-class man as God? At the present moment everyone is very much anxious to become God and cheat you. There are so many so-called swamis. They are coming, and they are preaching that "You are God. I am God." Then who is God? Everyone is God? No. Therefore you will find in the Vedic literature definition of God. Here is definition of... Just apply this definition. If you find somebody, that he is corroborating with this definition of God, then he is God. Otherwise he is a nonsense. God is not so cheap thing. You find out a person that nobody can be found richer than him, nobody can be found stronger than him, nobody can be found more famous than him, or beautiful than him, or wiser than him, or renouncer than him.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

After many, many births. The same thing, 72,000 of years or any number of years. One who is wise, one who has attained wisdom, he surrenders unto Me. How? Now, he understands, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all-pervading. Vāsudeva means all-pervading. He is everything. Therefore let me surrender unto Him. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. That sort of great soul is very rare. Now if this is the position, that ultimately we have to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead after many, many births, take it for 72,000 of years or any number even. Now here I get the information from the Bhagavad-gītā that simply by surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead I become wise man. So why not surrender immediately? Why shall I wait for 72,000 of years? Let me do it immediately. That is wisdom. That is wisdom. The things which I am going to get after 72,000 of years, if I am getting it immediately, oh, catch up this opportunity. That is intelligence. Yes?

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

So as we have explained several times in these classes, that this concentration is required. And that should be taught from the very beginning of life, kaumāra. Kaumāra means from five years to fifteen years. From sixteenth year, one becomes, one's youthfulness begins, say, up to forty years. Then middle age up to sixty years. Then after sixty years, one is old. This is the definition of different ages. So kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ. If one is intelligent, if one is wise... Prājña means wise. If he's a fool, rascal, it is not for them. Caitanya-caritāmṛta therefore says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa caturā. Caturā means very intelligent. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot understand the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you try to find out intelligent class of men, naturally the number will be very small. If you want that in this street find out some boys who have passed their M.A. examination and Ph.D. examination, hardly you will find one or two. But if you try to find out the illiterate or without any education, you will find many. So we should not judge by the number. We should judge by the quality. What is the quality.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

So no one wants to die. They say, "No, I can die." No. At the time of death they scream, they do not like. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. So gṛheṣu saktasya. Generally, people become too much attached to family life. I sometimes say that in the Western countries the young boys, they come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their only one great asset is they are not family-wise attached. That is very good qualification. Someway or other, they have become. Therefore their attachment to Kṛṣṇa becoming staunch. In India they have got organized family attachment. They are not interested. They are after money now. That I have experienced. Yes.

So family attachment is the greatest impediment in the matter of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if the whole family is Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is very nice. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, but all of the, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his wife, his children—and the best children is our Guru Mahārāja, best child... So he has sung by his experience, ye dina gṛhe bhajana dekhi gṛhete goloka bhaya. If family-wise, everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is very nice. That is not ordinary family. That attachment is not ordinary attachment. But generally people are attached materially. That is condemned here. Śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya pramattasya apayāti hi. They are called pramatta. Everyone is thinking that "My family, my wife, my children, my nation, my community, that is everything. What is Kṛṣṇa?" This is the greatest illusion imposed by māyā. But nobody will able to give you protection.

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

So this illumination, this consciousness is also limited. Your consciousness, my consciousness, they are limited. You cannot perceive or understand what I am thinking; I cannot perceive or understand what you are thinking. If you are feeling, I mean to say, uncomfortable, I do not understand it. And if I am feeling happy, you do not understand it. In this way, if you make analytical study, you'll know that every one of us is individual and we have got individual consciousness, limited consciousness, not extensive. The Māyāvādī philosophers who mistake that "I am unlimited consciousness," no. If you deliberate, if you think wisely, then you are not unlimited consciousness. Your consciousness cannot approach my perception. Therefore I am limited consciousness. But because I have got consciousness, you have got consciousness, we are living soul, therefore the Supreme Soul, He has got His consciousness, and that is unlimited consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

Nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ. Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "These demigods and sages, they could not satisfy. Still, now..." Kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ. "How it is possible that the Lord will be satisfied by my prayers?" This is the humbleness. A devotee should always consider himself that he has no value. "How I can satisfy Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord? I have no possession." That is the devotee's position. A devotee should never think that "I am well equipped. I have got very nice education. I have got great riches. I am wealthy. I am beautiful. I am wise. Therefore as soon as I pray, 'Kṛṣṇa, please come here,' He will come and dance." No. that is not the attitude of devotee. Devotee always thinks very humble, meek. This is the presentation of Prahlāda Mahārāja, that "I am born of a father..." Because they belonged to the atheistic family, demonic family, ugra-jāteḥ. Ugra-jāteḥ means they are not very sober; always passionate. Ugra-jāteḥ, always passionate. Passionate means always hankering after sense gratification. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I am born of a father so greatly passionate. How I can satisfy the Lord, where great personalities and sages and demigods have failed?" He is presenting himself so humbly. But he's intelligent. Without becoming intelligent, nobody can worship God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catur means very intelligent. Unless one is first-class intelligent, he cannot worship God. It is not possible. Foolish person cannot worship God.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

"Of all the yogis, one who is always thinking of Me, Kṛṣṇa, within his heart, he is first-class yogi." Similarly, when He explains about jñāna system, or philosophical speculation, He summarizes at the end, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births of philosophical speculation, when the learned scholar or philosopher comes to this point..." What is that point? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births' philosophical speculation, when one actually becomes scholar or wise, he surrenders unto Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Why? Vāsudeva sarvam iti: "Because He is everything." This is the end of knowledge, when one understands that Vasudeva is everything. Similarly, yoga-pantha, the process of yoga, the process of jñāna, and the process of karma, fruitive activity. What is that? He summarizes in the Bhagavad-gītā, yat karoṣi yad juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27). There are different kinds of activities. So Kṛṣṇa says "Whatever you do, it doesn't matter." If somebody says that "I am a businessman," "That's all right."

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

Here it is stated, nija-lābha-pūrṇo. He is so opulent that He has no hankering. Complete. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya pūrṇaḥ. He is complete with full six opulences. He is the richest, He is the wisest, He is the most famous, He is the most strong, influential, and renounced order. Everything is complete there. Then why He is asking that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati? He is so rich, so opulent, still He is begging that "Little flower, a little water, a little fruit, if offered to Me with devotion and love, I accept and eat it." So the real fact is that we have lost our devotion, faith, in God. So He is begging therefore that love and faith. Not your money. Because He is already opulent. What you can give Him? And what belongs to you? Nothing belongs to you. You come from the womb of your mother openhanded, and when you die you go openhanded. So what does it belong to you? Nothing belongs to you. That's a fact. Simply by illusion, you come here for some days and you think, "This is mine." That's all. This is called māyā.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

Other things will follow, and he will be very jolly. This is... A person in knowledge should be in, I mean to say, happiness. That is a sign of knowledge. So one who is in knowledge, he is not disturbed. What was my answer? Huh? (break) Yad anyat tad ajñānam iti matam. Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān said. He has given the definition of knowledge, eighteen items. You'll find in the Thirteenth Chapter. Ahiṁsā. What is called? There are eighteen items. You'll find in the Thirteenth Chapter. The most important point is māṁ ca vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate. The principal point is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is knowledge. Then all knowledge will come automatically. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana. If you take to this knowledge, that Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, Absolute Truth, He is eternal master and we are all eternal servitors, this very knowledge will elevate you to other platforms of knowledge. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcana sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Then all the symptoms of knowledge will automatically manifest in his person. Therefore this is the best process of becoming a man of knowledge or wise man. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.9.47 -- Vrndavana, April 2, 1976:

Puṣṭa-Kṛṣṇa: "...authorized Vedic knowledge one can see the cause and effect of the cosmic manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because the cosmic manifestation is also His energy. Both of them are different energies of the Lord and nothing else. The wise man can see how the fire is spread within the wood by consideration of cause and effect. Similarly, persons engaged in devotional service understand, O my Lord, how You are both the cause and effect."

Prabhupāda:

rūpe ime sad-asatī tava veda-sṛṣṭe
bījāṅkurāv iva na cānyad arūpakasya
yuktāḥ samakṣam ubhayatra vicinate tvam...

In this book it is vicinate. I think that other book, vicikṣate?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Vicakṣate? And in the other book it says.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It doesn't make any difference.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Neither the three modes of material nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, nor their predominating deities, the five gross elements, the mind, the demigods nor the human beings who are all subjected to birth, death, and annihilation can understand Your Lordship. Therefore the wise, spiritually advanced men who have taken to devotional service do not much bother with Vedic study, but rather they engage themselves in practical devotional service."

Prabhupāda:

naite guṇā na guṇino mahad-ādayo ye sarve
manaḥ prabhṛtayaḥ sahadeva-martyāḥ
ādy-antavanta urugāya vidanti hi
tvām evaṁ vimṛśya sudhiyo viramanti śabdāt
(SB 7.9.49)

So ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra). Viramanti śabdāt. There are so many prescribed mantras for liberation. Oṁkāra-sarva-vedeṣu. Every Vedic mantra begins with oṁkāra, and He is Kṛṣṇa. Vedic mantra, we chant Vedic mantra. There are many, many Vedic mantras in Upaniṣad and tantras, saṁhitā. So the (indistinct) begins with the combination of alphabets a, u, ma-Om. Oṁ tad viṣṇuṁ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Everything. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Every Vedic mantra begins with the oṁkāra. Some of them are very much fond of chanting omkara instead of Hare Kṛṣṇa. So there is no objection. Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. Praṇava means oṁkāra.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

So actually only Kṛṣṇa is there, Para-brahman. He is only. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Expansion in different varieties of multimanifestation. But if we analyze all these things, ultimately we come to the point that Kṛṣṇa is everything. That requires intelligence, how to analyze. Therefore here it is said this manifestation, this material manifestation, is guṇa guṇino mahad-ādayo, manaḥ, mind, intelligence, the five gross elements, three subtle elements, and all, and manufactured, these demigods, animals, men, martyāḥ, 8,400,000 species. So all these varieties, actually it is simply, they are simply manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's different manifestation of energy, nothing else. The real center point is Kṛṣṇa. This can be understood by advanced students, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), after studying, studying, studying, not only in one life but for many, many lives. Bahūnāṁ janmanām, jñānavān. If he actually becomes wise, jñānavān, then he understands that only Kṛṣṇa is everything. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That is real understanding.

Lecture on SB 7.9.54 -- Vrndavana, April 9, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Prahlāda, you are very fortunate. You may know from Me that those who are highly elevated, wise persons try to please Me in all different modes of mellows because I am the only person to fulfill the desires of everyone."

Prabhupāda:

prīṇanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ
sarva-bhāvena sādhavaḥ
śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga
sarvāsām āśiṣāṁ patim
(SB 7.9.54)

So each word in this verse is very important. Prīṇanti hy atha māṁ dhīrāḥ. Dhira means very intelligent, not crazy, just the opposite of crazy. Dhīra. So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā who is dhīra. There are many places. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So unfortunately these Māyāvādī philosophers, they accept brahmāsmi means "I am the Supreme." We are not the Supreme. We are subordinate. So long this knowledge lacks, one is not completely in knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Amongst the persons who are realized themselves as Brahman, as spirit soul, they also, after trying many, many births, that means they are not muktas, that is still baddha, conditioned. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Not ordinary person; those who are wise. Wise means those who are in the spiritual platform to understand his position as spirit soul, not this body, such persons, after many, many births surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ (BG 7.19)—to make it clear more—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme. He is everything.

Page Title:Wise (BG and SB Lectures)
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:21 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=155, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:155