Young man (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"young man" |"young men"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So the general regulation is that woman should remain under the protection of husband, er, father, husband and children. Just like these Pāṇḍus, their mother, Kuntī, she was very, very qualified lady. But still, after the death of her husband, she always remained with the sons. The sons are going to the forest; the mother is also going. Also the wife is also going, Draupadī. This was the... So two parties... Dhṛtarāṣṭra was the eldest son, but he was blind, bodily defect. Therefore he was not awarded the throne. His next brother, Pāṇḍu, he was offered the throne, but he died very early age, a young man. When these Pāṇḍus, the five sons, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, at at that time not Mahārāja, Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, they were very small children, so they were taken care of by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and other elderly family... Bhīṣmadeva. He was the grandfather of the Pāṇḍavas. He was the elder uncle of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Bhīṣma was elder brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra's father. He was so old. But he was... Actually, the kingdom belonged to Bhīṣma, but he remained a brahmacārī, he did not marry. There was no issue of Bhīṣmadeva. Therefore his nephews, Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu, they were inheritor.

Now, after the death of Pāṇḍu, there was conspiracy. Dhṛtarāṣṭra wanted that "Actually, this is my kingdom. Now, somehow or other, I could not get it. Now my brother is dead. So if I do not inherit, why not my sons.?" This was the politics. Politics are always there, and enviousness, jealousy. This is the nature of this material world. You cannot avoid it. Spiritual world means just the opposite. There is no politics. There is no jealousy. There is no enviousness. That is spiritual world. And material world means politics, jealousy, diplomacy, enviousness, so many things. This is material world. So even in the heavenly planets, these things are there, politics. Even in animal kingdom, these politics are there. This is the nature. Matsaratā. Matsaratā means enviousness. One man is envious of another man. It doesn't matter, even they are brothers or family members. Here the family members, Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu, two brothers, their sons, they were family members, but the enviousness...

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

In the human life, two things required: jñāna and vairāgya. Jñāna means that "I am not this body." This is jñāna. Not that so-called scientific knowledge, more attachment for this body. That is not... That is ajñāna. That is not jñāna. Jñāna means how to achieve the status of vairāgya. That is jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). So the brahmacārī is taught vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya says that "This Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who has taken sannyāsa, very early age, only at the age of twenty-four years, a very young man. He has got His young wife at home, sixteen years old, and He has got His mother, old, seventy years old. So He has given up all responsibility, and there is no other male member in the family to look after them, the mother and the young wife. Still, He has taken sannyāsa. So therefore He is the Purāṇa-puruṣa, the Supreme Person, but He has come to teach us this vairāgya-vidyā." Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is described: puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. Śāśvataṁ purāṇaḥ. Divyam, ādi-puruṣam. So puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam: "He has come to teach the bhakti-yoga which is vairāgya-vidyā." Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī (CC Madhya 6.254). "Now He has assumed the body of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Tam ahaṁ prapadye: "I offer my respectful obeisances to this person. He has come to teach us vairāgya-vidyā."

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

Prabhupāda: Now Arjuna is perplexed. He is perplexed in the matter, whether to fight or not to fight. That was his perplexity. After seeing his relatives in front of him, with whom he was to fight, he was perplexed. And there was some argument also with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, of course, did not encourage him. Now, here is a point, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What is that?

Young man: What?

Prabhupāda: What is this book?

Young man: Well, this is the, the, the translation to the Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Well, no, you can hear me.

Young man: I am hearing. I am hearing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Don't turn your attention. Just hear me. Kṛṣṇa, although He is present there, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but still, He did not encourage him. From worldly point of view, when somebody says that "I'll... I give it up. I don't want it. I don't want to fight with my friends or my relatives. Better let them enjoy. I shall forego my claim," from worldly point of view, this is a very, I mean, gentlemanly behavior, that one is foregoing his claim for the matter of his relatives or friends. But Kṛṣṇa is not encouraging that proposal. We have to mark it. Kṛṣṇa is not encouraging. Kṛṣṇa is rather... Kṛṣṇa is, rather, inducing Arjuna that "It is not a very good proposal. It is not befitting your position. You belong to the Āryan family. You belong to the kṣatriya, royal family. And you are denying to fight? No, no, this is not good. And I am your friend. I have taken the responsibility of your chariot driver, and, if you do not fight, what people will say?" So He is not encouraging. Just see.

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

Young man: Part.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Young man: Part.

Prabhupāda: What is the spelling?

Young man: To part!

Prabhupāda: To part. This parting, this parting is also... There is some meaning. When the parting is here, in the middle, then that girl has her husband and she is coming from respectable family. And if the, I mean to say, partition is here, then she is a prostitute. You see? A prostitute cannot... There was king's ruling that a prostitute cannot (laughs) part here. And then again, when a girl is well dressed, it should be considered that she has got her husband at home. And when she is not well dressed, then it should be understood that her husband is out of home. You see? And a widow's dress... There are so many. There are symptoms. So similarly, this thread, sacred thread, is a sign that this person has accepted somebody as his spiritual master. He has got his... Just like this red mark symbolizes that "This girl has her husband," similarly, this sacred thread is the symbol that "This man has got his spiritual master." So there is a ceremony. You see? So according to Vedic system, one has to accept a spiritual master in order to make a solution of his life. In every step of his life the spiritual master guides him. He also makes question to the spiritual master and he guides him so that he will, his life, his progress of life, may be systematic.

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

Young man (2): But if the disciple is in ignorance before...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Young man (2): ...how does he know which master to choose? I mean, because he doesn't have the knowledge...

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." So unless one is at least conversant with the preliminary knowledge of transcendental matters... That transcendental matter here you can see. Arjuna is perplexed, and now he wants a definite answer. This is the inquiry about transcendental subject matter. So every human being has to inquire. The inquiry must be there. What is that inquiry? That inquiry is that, preliminary, that every human being is suffering. A ignorant man... Just like a cat and dog or an animal. They are suffering, but they do not understand. Suffering they do not understand. Just like we have seen... Of course, here animals are slaughtered in slaughterhouse. In, according to Hindu system, of course, cow killing is not allowed. But there are meat-eaters.

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

Young man (2): Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The, the necessity of a spiritual master is for him who is conscious of his material suffering. If one is not conscious of his material suffering, then he is not even on the human being status. He's still in the animal status. Animal status, you see? Now, the modern civilization... The modern civilization is practically... They are evading, evading the real sufferings. They are engaged in temporary sufferings. But the Vedic system is Vedic knowledge. They are meant for ending the sufferings of.., for good, sufferings for good. You see? The human life is meant for that, ending all suffering. Of course, we are trying to end all kinds of suffering. Our business, our occupation, our education, our advancement of knowledge—everything is meant for ending suffering. But that suffering is temporary, temporary. But we have to end the sufferings for good. Suffering... That sort of knowledge is called transcendental knowledge, and if anyone is seeking after that transcendental... This Bhagavad-gītā is not an ordinary thing. It is transcendental knowledge. And now here the ground is prepared. Ground is prepared. Arjuna is conscious of his suffering, perplexity. Now he is seeking a spiritual master.

So the, the... We should take the position of Arjuna, disciple. When a disciple is serious about making, about making a solution of the suffering, then he requires a spiritual master. And what sort of spiritual master? Kṛṣṇa, the most perfect man, the most perfect man. So a spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is not present before us. But at least we must have a person as our spiritual master who represents Kṛṣṇa. And who can represent Kṛṣṇa? One who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, in the line, disciplic succession. You see? So see here. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. Now, question may be that "Why Arjuna...? There was many learned men, not only Kṛṣṇa, but there were Vyāsadeva and other great sages and brāhmaṇas.

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

Young man (2): It means what?

Prabhupāda: Opulence.

Young man (2): Opulence.

Prabhupāda: Do you follow, opulence?

Young man (2): Yes, I do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So what are these opulences? Wealth is opulence. Then strength is opulence. Then... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Strength and fame. Fame is also opulence. Just like Lord Jesus Christ. The whole Christian world knows. Lord Kṛṣṇa everyone knows. Or the, apart from them, President Johnson. Now the whole America and the whole world knows who is President Johnson. Mahatma Gandhi. The famous. So fame is also opulence. And nobody knows me, but he is also a person. He is known throughout the whole world. So this is an opulence. Just like your Rockefellers. They are very rich. So everyone knows in the world. So they are opulent, opulent by wealth. Similarly, somebody is opulent by fame, and somebody is opulent by strength. And so strength is opulence, wealth is opulence, and fame is opulence. And then beauty; beauty is also opulence. If one, one man or woman, is very beautiful, he attracts persons. He attracts. So anything that attracts, that is called opulence. A wealthy man attracts. A strong man attracts. A famous man attracts. If somebody, famous man, comes here, oh, so many people will gather to receive him.

Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

No. That is no described here. Therefore He is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa means perfect brahmacārī. Vikāra-hetu, even there is cause of being agitated, He is not agitated. That is Kṛṣṇa. He has got thousands and thousands of devotees, and some of the devotees, if they want Kṛṣṇa as lover, Kṛṣṇa accepts that, but He does not require anyone else. He does not require. He is self-sufficient. He does not require anyone's help for His sense gratification. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses.

So at least Kṛṣṇa's devotees... There are many instances of Kṛṣṇa's devotees. They are also... Why many? Almost all devotees, they are master of the senses, gosvāmī. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, you know. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was young man, and the village zamindar, he was Mohammedan. So everyone was eulogizing Haridāsa Ṭhākura, such a great devotee. So the zamindar, the village zamindar, he became very much envious. So he employed one prostitute to pollute Haridāsa Ṭhākura. And she came at dead of night, nicely dressed, attractive. She was also young, very beautiful. So she proposed that "I have come, being attracted by your beauty." Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "Yes, that's all right. Come on, sit down. Let me finish my chanting. Then we shall enjoy." So she sat down. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanting, he was chanting... We, we cannot chant even sixteen rounds, and he was chanting three times sixty-four rounds. How many it is?

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

So that is one theory. But here Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "Myself, yourself, and all others who have come here..." There were about sixty millions of people assembled in that fight. It was not a small fight. In India there was... Of course, that was also great world, world war. Just like we had experience... I think in the First World War none of you had seen because you were all young men. And we were child. When the First World War was declared, we were all boys, schoolchildren. My age was at that time fourteen years old, in 1914, when there was fight declared between Germany and Belgium. So that was the First World War. Then Second World War was in 1939. That was also German and Englishmen, like that. But actually, this was also World War, this Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, because all the kings of the world, they joined either this party or that party. So there were a great assembly of all worldly kings. Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "Either Myself, either yourself, or these persons who have assembled here, they are individual. They were individuals in the past, they are now individuals, and they will continue to be individual even after annihilation of this body." Now, how you'll adjust? There are two theories, that after liberation all these souls, they become one. Just like all drops of water, if you put into the sea, they become one entity. There is no distinction. And the Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "No, they keep their individuality. They do not mix." Now we are supposed... We are all laymen. We are ignorant, what is actually position, what is the actual position. But we have got our discretion also. Just like every one of you has some knowledge in the history. Now, in the history in the past... Suppose you are now thirty years old or thirty-five years old, and suppose two hundred years before, the history which you read, you find that all people were individuals. And at the present you are experiencing that all individual, they are.

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

So anyway, these many, many forms of God, is from the desire of God. Now, out of these... Because God has got some desire, transcendental desire, to enjoy with many. He enjoys with His own energy because He is all-perfect. Just like if I want to enjoy life, I want family, I want a wife, I want children, I want friends, I want servants. So I have to think before having a wife. You see? Because I am limited, so I think twice, whether I am able to keep a wife, then whether I am able to maintain my children. These things are consideration. And actually, in the present society every young man is thinking like that. You see? Whenever the question of marrying is there, they think like that. But that thinking is due to our imperfectness. Because we are not all-powerful, therefore we think like that. But when we give the qualification to God that He is all-powerful, omnipotent, so He can maintain any number of children or any number of wives. Otherwise, there is no meaning of omnipotent. So similarly, God has become many, and He has got a plan behind this thinking of many. Now, out of these manies, if one wants to merge again into the existence of God, so God has no objection.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

So this dead body, when a man dies, dhīras tatra na muhyati. Those who are dhīra—dhīra means sober—they are not bewildered. There are two classes of men: dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means those who are not agitated, they know things as they are. So adhīra means those who are uncontrolled. The poet Kalidāsa has described dhīra and adhīra with reference to Lord Śiva in his book Kumāra-sambhava. So dhīra means a person who is not agitated in spite of the cause of agitation being present. There are so many causes of agitation, but a person, in spite of being persuaded by the cause of agitation... Just like a young man and young woman, when they are present, naturally they become agitated. In the śāstras it is said just like fire and butter. If you put butter before the fire, automatically it melts. Similarly, a woman is considered as fire and the man is considered as butter. So this is natural. But a person who is not agitated, he is called dhīra.

So when a man dies, the man's relatives lament, "Oh, my father has gone," "My sister has gone," "My wife..." But if you become dhīra, then you are not bewildered. Just like your friend or your father moves from this apartment to another apartment, who is agitated? No, that's all right. He was in this apartment, now he has gone to another apartment, so there is no question of agitation or being perturbed. Similarly, one who knows the causes of transmigration of the soul from one body to another, he is not agitated at the death of his friend or relative. He knows everything, and he knows where his friend has gone with reference to the śāstra. Just like your friend has gone to India. How do you know? You know that he purchased a ticket for India and he has gone to India, so there is no need of agitation, "Oh, where he has gone?

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

And then from sixteenth year, it begins youthful life up to fortieth year. Then after forty, one becomes jarā, old man. Primarily old man and later on. Say, forty to fifty, primarily old man, and after fifty, he is old man. Therefore it is advised pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāś means fifty. Ūrdhvam, fifty-one. And rest of the days, maybe one hundred years, but that is not possible nowadays. Maybe seventy, eighty, utmost. Somebody lives ninety, ninety-five. Hundred years, although the limit, nowadays nobody lives. So those who are dhīra, gentlemen, sober-headed, cool-headed, they can understand that "I have changed my body. When I was a boy, up to fifteenth year, I remember how I was playing, how I was jumping. Then I became young man. How I was enjoying my life with friends and families. Now I am old man." "I am" means my body. Dehinaḥ. Dehi and dehinaḥ. Dehi means the proprietor of the body, owner of the body, and deha means the body.

In the previous verse Kṛṣṇa said that "All of us—you, me, and all these soldiers and kings who are present here—we existed in the past, we are existing now, and we shall continue to exist in the future." This was the statement. But rascals would say that "How I was existing? I was born only in such and such year. Before that, I was not existing. At the present time I am existing. That's all right. But as soon as I will die, I will not exist. So how Kṛṣṇa says that I was... Both... All of us, we were existing, we are still existing, and we shall continue to exist?" Is that contradictory? No, that is not contradictory. It is fact. We were existing, maybe in different body. And we shall continue to exist in different body. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. This is to be understood. Not that my existence...

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

The example is given, dehāntara. Just like I was boy. Then I became young man. So the body changed. And now I have become old man. The body changed. But I am existing, dehi, the proprietor of the body. So where is the difficulty to understand? Dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ means "of the proprietor." The body is changing. I can understand that my body has changed. So next life the body may change. "May" not. It will change. But I may not remember. That is another thing. Just like in my last life, what was my body, I do not remember. So forgetfulness is our nature. Because I forget something, that does not mean that things did not take place. No. In my childhood I did so many things. I do not remember. But my father (and) mother, who have seen my childhood, they remember. So forgetting does not mean that things did not take place. Similarly, death means I have forgotten what was I was in the past life. That is called death. Otherwise I, as spirit soul, I have no death. Suppose I change my dress. In my boyhood I was in a different dress. In my youthhood I was in a different dress. In my old age, or as a sannyāsī. I am in a different dress. So dress may change. That does not mean the owner of the dress is dead or gone. No.

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

So dhīras tatra na muhyati. It is very simple thing. Suppose a young man, a boy, changes his body, bodily symptoms. Just like a boy has no mustaches or beard, but all of a sudden the hairs grow. Does he cry, "Oh, why I am growing hair? Why I am growing?" Because that is the necessary change of body. Why he should be perplexed, "Why my body is changing?" Similarly, my body is changing, this body to another body, I am dying. Why shall I be perplexed? The intelligence is that "What kind of body I am going to get?" That is intelligence. Otherwise why one should be perplexed? Dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

If you prepare yourself... Just like in childhood, boyhood, if you prepare yourself, nicely educated, then you get nice job, nice situation, you will be happy. Preparation for the next life. Similarly, if you prepare yourself in this life for going back to home, back to Godhead, then where is perplexity? There is no perplexity. "I am going to Kṛṣṇa I am going back to home, back to Godhead. Now I will have not to change material body. I will have my spiritual body. I shall now play with Kṛṣṇa, dance with Kṛṣṇa, eat with Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prepare yourself for the next life. Don't be... The man, dying man cries because maybe he is dreaming next life, horrible life. Because according to karma... Those who are very, very sinful, they cry, because they see horrible scenes at the time of death, and he is going to accept some type of body... But those who are pious, those who are devotees, they are dying without any anxiety. They are dying. The death may take place...

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Young man: I had something come up once. Is it all right to cheat the government?

Prabhupāda: Oh, we don't care for anyone. (laughter) We are on the supreme government. (laughs) But don't take the risk. No, that should be not our policy. But the basic principle is that if some way or other you can engage a materialistic person's money into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is good for him. It is good for him. You may take some tactics, that doesn't matter. But not... We cannot take anything for our personal consideration. Yes?

Young woman: I have a question from Brahma-mūrti. Why did people in the past ages sacrifice animals, and how did Kṛṣṇa put a stop to this?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That I've explained just a few minutes before. The animals were put into the sacrificial fire. By Vedic mantra, he was given new life. But at the present moment such expert priests and brāhmaṇas are not available. Therefore it is stopped. Animal sacrifice is stopped. Because it is Kali-yuga. Nobody is reading, cultivating Vedic mantras. So in this age, this mantra is called mahā-mantra, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. All Vedic mantras are now gone to hell. You see? Nobody can properly chant Vedic mantras and take the benefit out of it. But this mantra, any way you chant, neglectfully or properly, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and the result is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, kalau, in this age. So the Vedic mantra is now gone. This is also Vedic mantra, but this is Vedic mahā-mantra, the greatest of all mantras. Yes. So sacrifice everything and chant this mantra and go to Kṛṣṇa, back to Godhead. That's all. (break—kīrtana)

Prabhupāda: You are typing?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where is the boy? Vīrabhadra. Vīrabhadra. Huh?

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

Therefore one who knows that the spirit soul is eternal, deathless, birthless, ever-new, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ ayaṁ purāṇaḥ. Purāṇa means very old. We do not know how old we are because we are transmigrating from one body to another. We do not know when we have begun this. Therefore, actually we are very old, but, at the same time, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. Although very old,... Just like Kṛṣṇa is ādi-puruṣa, the original person. Still, you'll find Kṛṣṇa always a young man of sixteen to twenty years' age. You'll never find Kṛṣṇa's picture as old. Nava-yauvana. Kṛṣṇa is always nava-yauvana. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). Ādyam, the original person, and the oldest; at the same time, He is always in youthful life. Ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam. So anyone who knows that how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another, dhīras tatra na muhyati, those who are sober, learned, he is not disturbed.

The purpose of Kṛṣṇa, to teach all these things to Arjuna... Because he was very much perplexed how he would live, killing all his kinsmen, brothers. So Kṛṣṇa wanted to point out that "Your brothers, your grandfather, they'll not die. They'll simply transfer the body. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). As we change our dress, similarly we change our bodies also like that. There is nothing to be lamented." In another place, Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, it is said, brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). "One who has understood Brahman," prasannātmā, "he's always joyful. He's not disturbed by these material conditions." That is here stated: yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete. These different transformation, different changes of nature, body, and everything, one should not be disturbed by all these things. These are external. We are spirit soul. It is external body, or external dress. That is changing. So if we understand nicely, na vyathayanti, and you are not disturbed by these changes, then saḥ amṛtatvāya kalpate, then he's making progress, spiritual progress. That means, spiritual progress means, he's making progress towards eternal life. Spiritual life means eternal, blissful life of knowledge. That is spiritual life.

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

Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). Your, at the time of death, whatever you desire, you get the next body. That is the nature's law. (break) ...had been in Russia, in Moscow, many young men there are, very much anxious to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And some of them were initiated by me. And they are going on. Just like these boys are going on. So this... So far my experience is concerned, everywhere I go, people are the same. It is by artificial, I mean to say, means, they have been designated as Communist and this and that. (break) ...people, they're all the same. As soon as we speak of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they respond immediately. That is my experience. Actually that is a fact. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya, śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It is dormant. But it is contaminated and covered by the material dirty things. So śravaṇādi, śuddha-citte. This means, as you are hearing... Just like these boys, these American and European boys, they came, first of all, to hear me. By hearing, hearing, now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened, and they have taken seriously to Kṛṣṇa devotion (break) ...or Africa or India. Everyone has got Kṛṣṇa consciousness within. Our process, the saṅkīrtana movement, is to awaken that consciousness. That's all. Just like one man is sleeping. To awake him: "Get up! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. So this is our process. It's not that artificially we are making somebody Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there already. That is a birthright of every living entity. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Just like father and the son. There cannot be any separation. But sometimes it happens that the son goes out of home, by some chance, or from childhood. He forgets who is his father.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

This is the beginning of prema. "Always think of Me." I think of my son. I think of my child. I think of my wife. Because there is prema. So if you think of Kṛṣṇa, then you will increase your prema for Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Prema is not you have to get it outside. It is already there. Just like a young boy, young girl. As soon as they meet, there is natural attraction. That is already there. It is not that he has brought this attraction from, purchased from some shopkeeper. No. It is already there. Simply by combination, it becomes aroused. That's all. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-prema is there. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya (CC Madhya 22.107). It is not that by artificial means we are getting kṛṣṇa-prema. It is already there. But just like the attraction for young man and young woman, it comes at a certain stage, similarly, if you develop this śravaṇa-kīrtana, then that kṛṣṇa-prema will be aroused, automatically. It is already there.

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

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt to bring all these sanātanas together. The living entity, sanātana; God, Kṛṣṇa, sanātana; and the place, sanātana. Just like here we are trying to live together, our family—father, mother, children, friends, countrymen, communitymen. We are trying to make a permanent settlement here. Making very nice building, spending millions of dollars, making it very strong so that it may not, may not be destroyed. So everyone is trying to keep himself permanent. A old man is trying to make himself young man. Nobody wants to become old man. Nobody wants to be destroyed. But the difficulty is that here everything is destroyed. Asanātana. But we have got a tendency to become sanātana. We want permanent life. We want permanent place. We want permanent relationship. But that is not possible. That is not possible. Therefore śāstra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The andhas—means blind, blind leaders—they are giving us false hope that we shall make here permanent settlement. Therefore they are called andhas. They have no sense. You cannot make it sanātana. But the whole attempt is going on to make everything sanātana.

This is called illusion. Illusion means you are accepting something which is not possible. But they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Durāśā, this is a hope which is never to be fulfilled. Durāśayā. Āśā means hope. So the whole material world is going on, durāśayā. They are trying to make permanent settlement. But there is always disruption, fight... Just like they have now created the United Nations: "My dear all-nations, please do not fight. Let us make a permanent settlement, peace." But the result is the fighting is going on. It cannot be stopped. Here... This is not a sanātana place. This is impermanent, temporary, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

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

A child is born and the material nature is killing this child every moment. The child has grown, two years old. That means material nature has already killed this child for two years. How you can stop this? These nonsense, they do not consider these cases. Suppose if I stop war, there will be no more war, no more disease. No more disease cannot be possible. You can make by some way no more war... That is also not possible. Anyway, if you stop it by the efforts of the United Nations, a veke(?) by some way no more war... That is also not possible. Anyway, if you stop it by the efforts of the United Nations, a very large organization, then how you are going to stop death? What is your proposition? There is no, nothing. So what is the use of stopping war? Suppose in the war some young men die. That's all right, so many young men die within the hospital in the disease. And sometimes old men, they do not die even in the war.

So life and death is not in your hand. You don't think that stopping this or increasing this, you'll be able to stop all inconveniences. Just take, for example, this boy, Vīrabhadra was struck by a car. All right, he was in the street. But another boy, he fell on the staircase and broke his leg. He was at home; he met accident. So how you can stop this, the onslaught of material nature? Everywhere, either you are at home or you are outside, either you are young, you are old, either you are scientist or philosopher. Whatever you are, the material nature will not allow you to live in peaceful condition. That is her business. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot live peacefully, that is not possible. The only peaceful condition is that you become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other alternative. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Lord Caitanya clearly says, "There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative." It is not that our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is one of the so many movements. No. It is the only one movement that can give peace and life and prosperity to the people. Yes.

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

So Viśvāmitra was able to kill such demon, many demons, by his will. But he did not do so. He went to Mahārāja Daśaratha, father of Lord Rāmacandra, to request him that "Give your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. I will take them with me. They will kill that demon." The killing is there, but the brāhmaṇa is not going to kill personally. Or the vaiśya is not meant for killing, neither the śūdras. Only the kṣatriyas. The kṣatriyas should be so trained up. Just like in USA there is some trouble in recruiting soldiers, because... Why the difficulty is? The difficulty is the training is like śūdras. The young men are trained up like śūdras, how they can fight? Therefore they are afraid. They try to avoid fighting. Because there is no division. Everyone, in this age, everyone is śūdra. How you can expect a śūdra will be encouraged to fight? That is not possible. Therefore real social structure should be four divisions, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa, fully engaged for enlightenment of the people, knowledge, spiritual knowledge. They are meant for that. They will cultivate that knowledge personally, paṭhana pāṭhana, and make students. Brahminical class. Similarly kṣatriya. They should be trained up in politics, in fighting, not to flee away from fighting. These are the training of the kṣatriyas. Similarly, vaiśyas, they should be trained up how to cultivate, grow foodgrains, how to give protection to the cows. And śūdras are meant for simply serving these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is the program.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

Ajāmila, the story of Ajāmila. He was a son of a brāhmaṇa and he was very nicely trained up, brahmacārī, and when he was young, he was married also. So he was very faithful to his wife, father, mother, and executing the duties of a brāhmaṇa. But one day he went to collect some flowers for worshiping Deity, his father was old, he was helping. So, in the meantime, he saw a śūdra woman and man. They were embracing and kissing one another. So he became sexually agitated. There is that possibility. Therefore there is restriction of intermingling of woman and man. Because as soon as one falls a prey to the sex desire, then his whole career may be spoiled. May be spoiled. But if he is strongly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no such chance. But this brāhmaṇa Ajāmila, he saw. Naturally, he was young man, and the woman also played some trick.

So later on he became a victim of that woman. She was a prostitute. And then he forgot his father and mother, his wife, everything, home, everything forgotten. So he became addicted to that prostitute, and to maintain he became a thief, rogue, burglar, drunkard, anything, someway or other bring money, bring money, bring money. You see. So he was doing that. In this way his life was spoiled. And he begot ten children in that prostitute's womb. So the last child... Naturally the last son, the youngest son because very father's pet. So he was taking care of the son. And his name was Nārāyaṇa. That is the system of Vedic..., children are given..., Nārāyaṇa dāsa. Just like we give name, spiritual name. So when he was old enough, he was going to die out of disease. His so-called prostitute wife neglected. She went away. So the Yamadūtas, the servants of the Yamarāja, they came to take him, because he was the greatest sinner, sinful number one. So he has to go to Yamarāja for punishment. So they came and he was very much afraid.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

This is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. Niścayātmikā means determination. But He says that persons who are attached, bhoga, material enjoyment, aiśvarya, material opulence: bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Those who are too much attached to material enjoyment and material sense gratification, material opulence, tayāpahṛta-cetasām, and those who have become bewildered or mad after it, tayāpahṛta-cetasām, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ, they cannot have such determination. They will fail to have such determination. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is voluntary renunciation. Just like Mahārāja Bharata, he was the emperor of the world, and at the age of twenty-four years he gave up everything. Mahārāja Bharata is a very... Long, long ago he appeared. But Lord Buddha, he was also princely order, and he was young man. He also gave up everything, his father's kingdom, everything. That you know because Lord Buddha is known at the present moment.

So this renunciation is recommended. If we simply remain in material opulence and enjoyment, that will be our disqualification for entering into the kingdom of God. Too much attachment, too much increasing of material civilization means that next life is very much dark. Bhogaiśvarya. God. Too much attachment, too much increasing of material civilization means that next life is very much dark. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Just like the other day I was explaining, rāja-putra ciraṁ jīva. "Oh, the son of royal order, you live forever. Because you do not know, next life is very dark for you. Because you do not cultivate any Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have got money, and you are enjoying sense enjoyment, and as soon as this body will be finished, no more your control. Then you are completely under the control of material nature, and you'll have to accept a body as you have done in this life, because this life is preparation for the next life." You have got very concrete example. Just like President Kennedy. He was young man, very rich man, and he got the president post with great endeavor, spending so much money. He had his wife and children. But in one moment everything finished. Everything finished.

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

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

So everyone can have that. Not... This dress is not the swami. Actually you can also be swami, even in your, the present dress. The dress is immaterial. The actual fact is that one should, by spiritual development of consciousness, they should come to the stage of becoming the master of the senses. Master of the... Yoga. The yoga system... That is also controlling the senses. That is controlling the... The different āsana, different situation of the body, that is mechanical. Something is done by mechanically, and something is done by pure knowledge. So Bhagavad-gītā teaches on the platform of pure knowledge. Of course, that is also recommended. But that is recommended for persons who cannot concentrate on the platform of the knowledge. Those who are too much addicted with bodily conception of life, the yoga system, the yoga, I mean to say, practices, that is recommended, especially for them. That we shall come, later on.

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

His name was Mahārāja Bharata. And by his name now India is called Bhāratavarṣa. Formerly this whole planet was named as Bhāratavarṣa. Before that, this planet was named as Ilāvṛtavarṣa, long, long years, millions of years before. But Jaḍa Bharata, he also lived ātma-rati, self-satisfied. In the beginning of his spiritual life he left this world, a very young age. When he was only twenty-four years old he left his wife, children, and kingdom. It is not joke. An emperor with beautiful young wife, small children, and palace—he left everything. There are many instances like that.

Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, about whom we pray daily, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau, this Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was also a young man and very rich man's son. At that time, five hundred years before, his father's income was, I mean to say, ten millions of rupees. So there are many instances in India we have got. But this Jaḍa Bharata, he left his kingdom and family and everything, and went for spiritual realization, self-realization. Unfortunately, he was again in affection with a cub of deer and he got next life... I think I have already narrated this story. While he died, he was thinking of that deer cub and he became a deer. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6).

That is this... I mean, the technique of death. At the time of death, whatever you are thinking, that means you are preparing your next life like that. Therefore the whole life shall be so processed but at the same time, at the end of our life we can at least think of Kṛṣṇa. Then sure and certain you go back to Kṛṣṇa. This practice has to be done. Because unless we practice while we are strong and stout and our consciousness is right thinking. So instead of wasting time in so many things for sense gratification, if we go on concentrating on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that means we are making a solution of all the miseries of our material existence. That is the process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

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

By one stretch you can chant sixteen. Now you can make your arrangement if you want to increase. So that Ṭhākura Haridāsa, he used to chant three hundred thousand times daily, three hundred thousand times daily. Ātma-ratir eva. Bas. He had no other business. He had no other business.

People become envious. One brāhmaṇa zamindar in the village, oh, he became very envious: "Oh, this man is Mohammedan and he is getting so much respect? Oh, I am a brāhmaṇa, I am a zamindar and nobody cares for me? Oh, he should be given some lesson." So he called a beautiful prostitute. "I shall give you such and such sum of rupees if you can, I mean to say, make a fall down of this man, this young man." He was young man. Ṭhākura Haridāsa was at that time about twenty-five years old, young man. So that prostitute, there was agreement. "Oh, it is easy thing for me. Sir, you give me such and such money. I shall get him. All right."

So one day that prostitute, very nicely dressed, and at midnight and when he was chanting,

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

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

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

Now, when Lord Kṛṣṇa was present on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, He was very old man. He was very old man, although you see His picture just like a young man of twenty years old. But you have seen. Some of you must have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa of battlefield. Arjuna is sitting on the chariot, and Kṛṣṇa is the chariot driver. Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa was of the same age, but Arjuna looks older; Kṛṣṇa looks younger. And Kṛṣṇa at that time had great-grandchildren. His grandchildren and His grandchildren's children were present at that time, and the whole family extended to about ten millions.

So this may be astonishing, but for God is nothing astonishing. If it is a fact that everyone is the son of God... Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā that "In every species of life, in whatever form you may see them, I am the father of all of them." Now, if He is the father of all living beings, just calculate how many living beings there are throughout the whole universe or in the creation. In comparison to that, if He displayed that He had only ten millions of sons and grandsons and grandchildren, that was nothing more. So these are things. Kṛṣṇa was equipped in that way.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Actually human life is meant for solving this problem, not this temporary problem. Temporary problem will go on. If you don't solve this problem, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, then any form of life, there will be problems. Even if you are elevated to the heavenly planets, there are also problems. Indra is not very happy there, the king of heavenly planet. Although the higher planets, the duration of life, the standard of civilization, standard of comforts many, many thousand times greater than here, but the same problem—janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi—is there. You cannot avoid it.

But actually our problem is that I... Nobody wants to die, that's a fact, but death is enforced. No young man wants to become old man, but it is enforced. You cannot avoid it. So we should understand—this is sense—that we are not independent. That's a fact. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27).

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Therefore it is not very good business that people are pulling on, pushing on a type of civilization, Godless civilization. They'll never be happy because we are so controlled that after death we have to accept, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to... You cannot stop death. As you cannot stop...

Just like a boy. If he says, "No, no, I will not grow." Father says, "My dear boy, you are playing all day. Go to school. Learn something. Otherwise in future you will be unhappy. You will not be able to maintain yourself." So if the boy says, "No, no, I have no future. I will not become young man. I shall play," that is not a fact. You have to become a young man and you have to take responsibility. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa said,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So dehāntara-prāpti is there. That's a fact. How you can say, "I'm independent"? This is foolishness. You are not independent. How dehāntara-prāpti? Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), according to your karma. In this life we are preparing ourself for the next life. How it is? Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25), bhūtejyā yānti bhū... Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. You have to prepare yourself.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

And now it is practical. Now we are... According to śāstra, we have prescribed, "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." Four no's. Then you become free from sinful activities. And then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Your life is successful. It is not very difficult, provided you are serious to take it. So that is our request. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Even if you cannot give up the four principles of sinful life immediately, but you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then you gradually get strength.

Just like these European, American boys. From their childhood they are trained up for this sinful life but they have given up completely. Young men. Still, they have given up. So the method is very simple. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then the mirror of the core of heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. And then bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam.

This repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, this is just like a fire in the forest. Nobody wants it but it is forced up on us. Just like nobody wants to set fire in the forest, but it takes place naturally. Similarly, if you remain in this material world then you have to be, I mean to say, put into these tribulations of materialistic way of life. There is no escape. Saṁsāra-dāvānala **. It is just like dāvānala. So ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. As soon as you understand that "I do not belong to this material world"—brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54)—then all problems of life is solved. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). So as soon as one is cleansed of the dirty things in the heart, then he can understand that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. My duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. So let me be engaged in His service and become successful in this human form of life."

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

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

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is nice.

Young man: It may go around the neck, on a chain. (arranging or adjusting microphone?)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes. That's fine. (pause) Hare Kṛṣṇa. We shall begin Bhagavad-gītā. So I request you to come regularly so long I shall speak on the Bhagavad-gītā, and from the very beginning, I shall try to make you understand the process of reading Bhagavad-gītā and the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gītā. By analytical study, I shall try to present.

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

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

Therefore from the very beginning it is to be understood one who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are not devotees... There are different classes of men. Some of them are karmīs, some of them are jñānīs, some of them are yogis, and some of them are bhaktas. The enlightened, cultivated persons, they can be divided into four groups. Those who are ordinary men, they do not know anything except to keep this body comfortably. They're materialistic more or less. In this life or next life they simply want material comforts. They are called karmīs. And jñānīs... Jñānīs means they are disgusted with this karma. Because there is a time, a point, when they become disgusted. Just like the American young men, they are now disgusted with this material civilization. So they are searching after knowledge. But unfortunately, the state is also not very enthusiastic, and there are many who are exploiting. But here is the knowledge. And that point comes, when the karmīs become disgusted, confused. Because the spirit soul, he wants spiritual life. He cannot be happy with any amount of materialistic life. In our childhood we read one poetry that a boy has brought one bird, and the bird is talking with the boy. "My dear bird, you live with me. I shall give you very nice fruits. I shall talk with you," and so many things. But the bird says, "No, I want to go away. I want to go away." "No, I shall give you a golden cage. You don't go away." So he says, "No, no. I don't like golden cage. I want freedom." So that was talk. So similarly, if a bird is kept in golden cage and if golden foodstuff is supplied to him, it is not happy. It is not possible. Similarly we are spirit soul. Any amount of material happiness will never make me happy. That is a fact. But due to our ill faith, we do not know what is happiness. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is the ultimate aim of life, what is the goal of life. They are trying to be happy with this matter, and the material happiness means sex life, and they are trying to squeeze the sex life in different ways. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). That is not possible. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 4.6 -- Bombay, March 26, 1974:

Pradyumna: "Although He appears in the same transcendental body and is Lord of the universe, it still appears that He takes His birth like an ordinary living entity. Despite the fact Lord Kṛṣṇa grows from childhood to boyhood, and from boyhood to youth, astonishingly enough, He never ages beyond youth. At the time of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, He had many grandchildren at home, or, in other words, He had sufficiently aged by material calculations. Still, He looked just like a young man, twenty or twenty-five years old. We never see a picture of Kṛṣṇa in old age because He never grows old like us, although He is the oldest person in the whole creation, past, present and future. Neither His body nor His intelligence ever deteriorates or changes. Therefore it is clear that in spite of His being in this material world, He is the same unborn eternal form of bliss and knowledge, changeless in His transcendental body and intelligence. Factually, His appearance and disappearance are like the sun's rising, moving before us and then disappearing from our eyesight. When the sun is out of sight, we think that the sun has set, and when the sun is before our eyes, we think that the sun is on the horizon."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa does not appear or disappear. Our eyesight changes. Just like we are looking through the window. One horse race is going on. When the horse comes before the window, we can see. And when it passes through, from our eyesight, we think that horse is no longer existing. But the horse is running. This example should be taken. Kṛṣṇa is called nitya-līlā. He is taking His birth, He is fighting in the battle of Kurukṣetra, He's dancing with the gopīs. That is going on eternally in either of the so many, innumerable universes. So the same time...

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

Just like the same example, your relationship with the state. You Americans, you follow the state laws, keep the car right, keep right. In India and in England I have seen also, that "Keep to the left." So the process may be different, but the actual obedience to the state is there, either in India, or in America, or in England, or everywhere.

Similarly, religion means love of Godhead. Now, that love of Godhead you may learn under certain process. I may learn under certain process. Just like love between boys and girls may be different from India to America. In India there is still. No young man can mix freely with a young girl, but still, there is love. So process may be different, but we have to accept the basic principle. Basic principle is love of God. That is religion. Don't bother about the ritualistic process. Just try to see how much you are increasing your love of God. Then you are religious. That's all.

That is bhāgavata-dharma. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religion." What is that? "Where love of God is enthused." That is first-class religion. And if you follow ritualistic processes and your love of Godhead is gone to hell—your love of materialistic life or love of this world is increasing, love of sense gratification is increasing—that is not religion. That is not religion. Test of religion is how much you are increasing your love of God.

So here it is said, "Whenever and wherever there is decline in religious practice..." What is that religion practice? That religion practice is whenever there is decline of love of God. That's all. When people become lover of mammon, matter, that means decline of religion. And when people increase love of Godhead, that means real religion. So Kṛṣṇa comes, or Kṛṣṇa's servant or representative comes, to adjust things. When people forget love of Godhead, somebody, either Kṛṣṇa, God Himself or His representative comes to adjust things.

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

And yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). And one who has got unflinching faith in God, he has got all the good qualifications of the demigods. There are many examples. Just see. You are mostly Christian, you know. Lord Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was begging, "My Lord, these fools do not know what they are doing. Please excuse." Just see how much qualified. Because he is devotee of God.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, so perfect, that if you take to this in your practical life you become perfect immediately in this life. As it is stated here, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Simply understanding. You have got enough time. You are all young men, young girls. Please try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and your life will be perfect. So perfect that after leaving this body, tyaktvā deham, this body, punar janma naiti, no more birth in this miserable condition of material existence. Then what is the result? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), "He comes to Me." So it is very easy to finish all the problems of life within this short period of our life. Simply to understand Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much. (break)

Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

Prabhupāda: Yes, the soul does not manipulate. It simply... Just like you had your childhood body, boyhood body. Now you have got a body of young man, youthhood body. And again you will get an old man's body, just like I have got. So these bodies are changing. Here everyone can remember that "I had a small body," but that body is not existing anymore. But I know that I possessed such body. Similarly, when this body will be finished, you will accept another body. You may forget it. Death means forgetting. But the body changing of body is going on perpetually, and spiritual life means how to stop this change of body and remain in the spiritual body. That is blissful and full of knowledge.

Question: If Kṛṣṇa is all-good, why does He send us to this world full of miseries?

Prabhupāda: Just like the government is good, but why do you go to prison house? When you go to the prison house, it is not the government who puts you in the prison house. You have committed sinful activities. Therefore you are put into the prison house. It is the government's duty to manage whether a man should be put into prison house, whether a man should go to the university. But the difference of individual activities. Similarly, God does not want you to put into miserable condition. You put yourself in miserable condition, but God comes and He sends His representative, to give you relief, how to get out of that miserable condition. The conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa does put you in miserable condition, but He helps you get out from the miserable condition.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

He is so friendly. Just imagine how much kind and how much friendly is the Lord. He is always trying to call me back again to Him. We are trying to noncooperate with Him. We are trying to noncooperate, and He is trying to cooperate. He is sitting with me in the same branch, He is witnessing, He is observing, and He is waiting, simply waiting when we shall turn my face, when I shall turn my face towards Him. That is the whole thing.

So here Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). He is waiting, waiting when you shall turn, when I shall turn my face towards Him. That's all. He is waiting. Just like... Just you can imagine. Just like a father and a rebelled child or insane child. Those who have got... Of course, you are all young men here. Those who are elderly persons, they have got experience. If their sons go wrong, how much they are anxious. How much the father is anxious to get his son back again, back again. That is the natural instinct. And wherefrom this instinct comes? This instinct comes from the Supreme, because in the Vedānta-sūtra you will find that everything, whatever you are finding in this material world or spiritual world, everything, that has come from the Supreme. Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "He is the supreme source, fountainhead of everything."

So similarly, whatever we see, paternal affection, conjugal love, friendship, or master and servant... There are so many things we are related in this material world. We must always know that all these sentiments, they are coming from the Supreme. So here the paternal affection which we see here or the conjugal love which we see here, that is simply a perverted reflection of the Supreme. So you just... If we can study this material relationship between one living being to another living being, then if, a sober student, a philosophical-minded student, can understand what is our relation with God. It is not very difficult to understand.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa is described as nava-yauvana. Some of you must have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. He is always just like a boy of twenty years old, although He is the ādi-puruṣa. Ādi-puruṣa means He is the original person of all emanations. He is the oldest. Advaitam acyutam anādim, ādyaṁ purāṇa-pu... Purāṇa-puruṣam means the oldest. Purāṇa means old. Purāṇa-puruṣam; still, nava-yauvanaṁ ca, just like a young man of twenty years old, full energy, full youthfulness.

This is the science of Kṛṣṇa. So simply by knowing this science of Kṛṣṇa, if we can get liberation from these material miseries of life, why should we not try for this? Let us try for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is a very nice subject matter and very easy. We are just trying to propagate this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't ask you to have some troublesome or laborsome gymnastic. No. You simply come and hear, and this hearing, it is followed by nice music and singing. And beginning with music, ending with music, everyone will like it. And we have no means... Of course, whatever means I have got, I am distributing little fruit. But the process is—Lord Caitanya, who introduced this process—after this termination of this performance of chanting and reciting, distribution of prasādam, nice palatable dishes for eating. So Bhagavad-gītā says, su-sukham: "This is a process is very palatable and very pleasurable and very easy." And still, you get Kṛṣṇa. Although it is the easiest and most pleasurable and happy mood, still you get the Supreme.

And you don't require any qualification. It doesn't require that you have to become a great learned scholar. No. Simply by the gift of Kṛṣṇa you have got these two ears. If you simply give aural reception to this transcendental word, that is sufficient. It does not require any extraneous education that you have to pass M.A. examination or D.A.C. or Ph.D. or something like that. No. So why should you not take advantage?

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. Ādau śraddhā. If you are inquisitive to understand that is your first stage of faith. That is called śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. In the beginning your inquisitiveness that "I want to understand," that is faith. Then next stage is association of persons who know, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Then initiation. Then disappearance of all misgivings. Then steady faith. Then attachment. And then ecstasy. Then realization. These are stages.

So if you are anxious to know then please come to our classes. We are discussing simply this subject matter so you'll kindly, if you kindly come, gradually you'll be able to understand. It is not very difficult. All my students, they are all American boys and girls. I have not brought with me any Indian or Hindu but they are understanding. Just talk with them. They will be able to explain how they are understanding. So similarly you will also be able to understand. It is not very difficult subject. But you must be sincere to understand. That is the only qualification required. That's all. Yes?

Young Man: (indistinct) do you reach a certain spiritual...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Young Man: By studying what is the...

Prabhupāda: Study, yes. Study, simply study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading. Just like if you want to be a medical practitioner if you purchase books from the bookstore, medical books, and you study, that will not help you. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and study there. Then you will understand. If you say that "I have studied all the medical books," the government will not recognize you as a medical practitioner. When he will see and the government will see or any person will see that you have regularly passed medical examination from authorities then you will be accepted. (end)

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

That information you will get from Bhagavad-gītā. The beginning of Bhagavad-gītā says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. This is the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). As in this life we have seen, I was a child, I was a baby, I was a boy, I was a young man, now I am old man, so I have changed so many bodies. And... But I know that I was a child, I was a boy. But where is that body? Where is that child's body? Where is that young man's body? Where is that boy's body? This is gone. Now I have got another body. Therefore, it is concluded, when this body is finished I'll get another body. How you can refute this logic? I have changed so many bodies within my experience. Therefore this is also within my experience. When this body, this old body will be finished, I 'll get another body. That is the first instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You'll get another body.

Now, Kṛṣṇa says tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ, we have to change to another body, but we do not know what is that body. We are not prepared. Just like here I am, Johannesburg. So I know, from here I'll have to go to Nairobi. That I know. And we are making arrangement. But if as human being one does not know what is going to happen next life, then what kind of human being is? Where is the difference between cats and dogs? The dog does not know, neither he can be instructed, neither he is able to take the instruction. But why the human being should remain like dog? This is the problem. So we must consult Bhagavad-gītā very regularly, try to understand the problems of life, and the first problem is that you have to change your body.

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

Draft, yes. Young men, they want to avoid it, and they are forced. Therefore they take the part of madman or lunatic, in this way. This is going on, to avoid it. So that is the problem.

People should be trained up according to quality and work. There must be institution to train first-class men. There are first-class men, intellectuals. They should be trained up as brāhmaṇas. That is the system. Second-class men, they should be trained up as kṣatriyas. Third-class men, they should be trained up as vaiśyas. And fourth-class men, means below third-class, they should be engaged as śūdras, workers, and below them, caṇḍāla. That I have already explained. So nobody should be left alone. Everyone should be engaged. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business. Then there will be no unemployment.

First-class men, let them become scholars, philosophers, preachers, instructors, brahminical business. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigrahaḥ. These are the six businesses for the brāhmaṇa class. They should be highly educated, paṭhana, highly learned, and pāṭhana, and they should educate others also. But if he is not educated, how he will educate others? Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana. He should be worshipper of the Supreme Lord, yajana, and yājana, he should instruct others also.

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

Everything is necessary, but whole... Our position is that, so far our material existence is concerned, that there are so many things that... But one thing, or the four things, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, that we are under the entanglement of repeated birth, death, diseases and old age, these four things does not depend on war or peace. Suppose there is no war. Can you get free from diseases? Suppose there is no war. Can you get free from death? Suppose there is no war. Can you become, remain a young man all the time? No. Your problem is these four things. You have to solve that thing. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Bhagavad-gītā says that this war or no war, that is no question. So long the human society will be there, there will be sometimes fighting, sometimes peace, sometimes... That is another thing.

The whole problem is that a learned man sees that "My problem is that I don't want to die. Why there is death? I don't want to be old man. Why I, there is old age?" These are... These are the problems. Real problem, these are the problems. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam. A learned man, a man of real knowledge, he should see that "I am..." Not only war. Suppose there will be excessive heat. Oh, I am so much disturbed. There is no peace. Oh, there is excessive snowfall, cold. Oh, I am disturbed. So there are so many disturbances. So we have to get free from all disturbances. Because I do not want it, my nature does not tolerate these things, but I have been forced to tolerate.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

So this is only thinking. Actually they do not know what is God. Otherwise they would not have dared to say that "I am God." They do not know the meaning of God. You see. Therefore they are less intelligent. They are thinking, "I am merged into the..." Just like the rabbit. The rabbit when he is faced with some enemy he closes his eyes. He thinks, "Now I am safe." (laughter) The rascal animal thinks that he is safe now. "I cannot see the enemy."

Just like a child. When there is something fearful the child, it is nature, closes the eyes. I have practical experience. When I was young man I went to the zoo with my little son and as soon as there was a tiger cage, oh, the child closed the eyes. Yes. He could not bear the vicious sight. This is natural.

Similarly, these impersonalists they are closing their eyes. That's all. Just like voidists, they are also doing that. "Now I have become free by smoking or by gāñjā eating, drinking, or smoking." You see? These things are simply false imagination. Therefore they are less intelligent. They are not intelligent. Bhāgavata says ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are self-complacent that "I have become free, liberated," this and that. But actually their intelligence is very contaminated.

Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are simply thinking like that. Māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means actually he is not, but he's thinking. You can think that "I am the proprietor of all the banks of this Los Angeles city." You can think. Who checks you? But are you actually the proprietor of all the banks of this Los Angeles city? Anyone can think intoxication like anything. He has got the liberty. But that is not the fact.

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

The movement, the fight was declared against the powerful British Empire, just see. And he determined that "I shall fight with the Britishers non-violent. Without any weapon," because India was dependent, there was no weapon. And several times it was attempted armed revolution. But these Britishers and more powerful, they cut down. So Gandhi, he invented this method, that "I shall fight with the Britishers, even they become violent, I shall not become violent. So I shall get world sympathy." So this was his plan. He was great statesman. But his determination was so fixed up because he was a brahmacārī. From, at the age of thirty-six years he gave up. He had his wife but he gave up his sex life. He was a family man, he had children, he had his wife. But from the age of thirty-six, young man, a thirty-six year old, he gave up sex life with his wife. That made him so determined, that "I shall drive away these Britishers from the land of India," and he did it. You see? And actually he did it. So controlling the sex life, to refrain from sex life is so powerful. Even if you don't do anything, if you simply restrain your sex life, you become a very powerful man. People do not know the secret. So anything you do, if you want to do it with determination, you have to stop sex life. That is the secret.

So any process take Vedic process. Either you take yoga process or bhakti process or jñāna process, in no process sex indulgence is allowed, no. Sex indulgence is only allowed, family life, just to beget very nice children. That's all. Sex life is not for sense enjoyment. Although there is enjoyment by nature. Unless there is enjoyment, why one should take responsibility for family life. That is the secret of nature's gift. But we should not take advantage of it. These are the secrets of life. These are the secrets of life. So yoga practice, such a nice thing.

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

So this life is meant for purifying our existence. That means stop this cycle of birth and death. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). We should always keep in front. We may think, we may be puffed up, as very much advanced in material comfort, but,... You may do so, but, at the same time, you should keep in front, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. You should always think that what advancement we have made? Have we stopped dying? Have you stopped birth? There are so many contraceptive method, but the population is increasing, the birth is going on. Similarly we have discovered so many nice medicines, but people are dying. You can not stop this, birth, death. They are trying to remain as young men, as young women, but they are getting older.

So intelligent men should always keep in front that what advancement we have made, simply struggling. A struggle, a heavy struggle, a hard struggle. That struggle. And we are thinking: "This is advancement." You struggling just like ass . So the whole day and night you are working. Actually I am working very hard, but I am thinking that I am advancing. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. We are trying to find out so many medicine. So many humanitarian work. What is that? There is famine, there is struggle. Why don't you do something so that people will not be anymore in famine, any more in distress. There will be no more scarcity of water. That is required. So these are the problems and so however we may solve all these problems, the problem of material existence, birth, death, old age and disease, that cannot be stopped, either you become Brahmā or something like that. That is not possible. That is possible only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

That is a fact. That is nowhere else. Even one Chinese educationist, he has admitted that "If we want to know what is religion, then we have to approach India." There is no other source.

So my request is that we Indians, we shall take this order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very seriously. People are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is immense field for preaching this philosophy all over the world. You can see the example, the European and American boys, how they have been attracted, how they are singing in ecstasy. They have taken it seriously. So in India I don't find all our young men are so serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, but I invite that "Come and join this movement, make your life successful by understanding the Kṛṣṇa philosophy, and try to distribute it all over the world." This is necessity of the present day. It is not sectarian, or crooked philosophy. It is meant for my brother and my sister, not for anyone else. No. It is meant for everyone. And this knowledge can be distributed especially if the Indians take it seriously. They are doing. There are... You'll find many sannyāsīs. The... Indians should have done it. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite haila man... But because there is scarcity of Indian philanthropists to do this business, so we are pushing on this movement through the Americans. But actually there is no such difference. Actually American or Indian, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have no such distinction. Anyone, everyone is Kṛṣṇa's, and Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

That will not help us. Therefore we recommend, who is joining Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "You should give up this habit: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating." These four things will keep me in the lower status of life, and it will not allow me to advance in spiritual understanding. Therefore these things should be given up. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, minimum sixteen rounds.

In this way you see practically, these European, American boys and girls, they are improving. They are not material attached. They do not go anywhere. They always keep in the temple and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, busy in Kṛṣṇa's service from morning three o'clock, early in the morning, up to ten o'clock. And they are also young men. They must have desires. But bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti is so nice that now they hate any other engagement. This illicit sex, meat-eating, and intoxication and gambling, they hate. You bribe them lakhs of rupees; they will not agree. Viraktir anyatra. This is the test of bhakti: virakti, detachment from all these nonsense things. And unless you are purified, you cannot understand God.

So if you... That is our only business in the human life, to understand God. We have no other business. And if you want to understand God, then you have to become purified. Without being purified...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

Our real problem is repetition of birth and death. That is real problem. That we do not know. We are callous. We do not know what is the position of my real self. That we do not know. This is called ignorance. That instruction is given in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This living spirit... Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This, I mean to say, spirit soul is never born. Then what is this birth? The birth is of this body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram (BG 2.13). This change of body We are changing body. But I am the eternal. I know that I had a body of a child. The body is gone. The childhood body is no more existing. But I know that I had a body. This is the proof that I am eternal; the body is changing. This is the way. I was a young man; now I am old man. But I know, "I was young man. My body was like this. I was doing that." But now that is not possible because that body has gone. So similarly, the conclusion is that when this body will be vanquished, I shall accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is simple method of understanding the transmigration of the soul. So real problem is that I am eternal, but I am put into such condition that I have to take birth and die, I have to become old and I have to disease. This is the real problem. The modern civilization, they are supposed to be very much advanced. What is the advancement? The real problem is there. You have to accept death. Nobody wants to die, but why death is there? But they are callous. They think, "We have to accept this death" or "This is finished," all vague idea, no real idea.

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

That is cheating. He must prove first of all that he is the richest of everyone. Not only richest, aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya, in strength also. Vīryasya. Vīryasya yaśasaḥ, also reputation.

Now, Kṛṣṇa is, at least in this material world, in this planet, everyone knows Kṛṣṇa. Who is such a person who is so famous all over the world? Especially since we have started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, anywhere we go, they chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." As soon as they see us, our men, jokingly or seriously they chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." When I was first coming to Nairobi from London, the plane stopped at Athens at twelve o'clock at night. So we got down and was in the public room, and some young men, immediately they began to chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," at twelve o'clock. (laughter) So Kṛṣṇa is so famous at twelve o'clock in Athens even. Who is such a person within this world? This is Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. Yaśaḥ mean reputation. He is so reputed. Anywhere Kṛṣṇa is known.

So yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriya, beauty. Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful, nobody can surpass Him. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham (Bs. 5.30). Although He is blackish, but He is so beautiful, He enchants the most beautiful, Rādhārāṇī. So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Śrī means beauty. He is so beautiful. Therefore His name is Kṛṣṇa. On account of His beauty, He attracts everyone. Beauty attracts. 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.

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

Last night some gentleman questioned, "What is God?" Bhagavān, especially in our country, Bhāratavarṣa, Bhagavān personally comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). So Bhāratavarṣa is not an ordinary country. It is puṇya-bhūmi where Bhagavān comes. So in this land at the present moment our young men are inquiring what is God. Here Bhagavān comes personally, He leaves His instruction, He's accepted by the ācāryas, and our young men have become so much advanced in education that they're asking what is God.

So we should understand what is the situation at the present moment. So why this has happened? It has happened because we are making progress towards animal civilization. Because in the śāstra it is said,

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke

sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ

yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij

janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

(SB 10.84.13)

Anyone who has got this bodily conception of life and in relation to the body the family, country, society, we are thinking they are our kinsmen... And bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, the land which the body is produced, we are taking that land as worshipable. And when we go to the holy places... Just like people come to Jagannātha Purī. They take bath in the sea water, salile, salile, but do not associate with experienced men who are advanced in spiritual consciousness—such person is nothing but cow or ass or animals. Therefore the question has been raised, "What is God?" We shall be careful, at least in India, that we may not glide down more and more to the animal platform of life. (aside:) Why they are being driven away? Let them sit down. Ask them to sit down. That's all. Let them sit down. They'll simply hear. That will also benefit. Anyway...Let them sit down. Even they cannot understand, if they hear the voice they will be benefited.

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

A tiger or a dog or a cat, if you attack he knows how to defend himself. We may defend with atomic weapon, but the business is the same, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ...

The particular business of human being is stated in the Vedānta-sūtra: athāto brahma jijñāsā. So these four principles of life, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam, there is no difference. Only difference is a human being can inquire about what is God or what is Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the only business of human life. So a cat, a dog cannot inquire about Brahman, but the gentleman inquire about what is God. Because he is human being he could inquire like that. So there is no cause of disappointment. At least our young men in India, at least still inquiring. That is the culture. "What is God?"this is the beginning of human life, when one inquires about Brahman.

So to inquire about Brahman and to understand Brahman by proper inquiry and by proper answer from the proper source, the cultivation of this knowledge is the business of human being. Therefore a class of men in the society known as brāhmaṇa, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, there is need. There is, necess... The Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to understand tad-vijñāna, brahma-vijñāna, one must approach the proper guru or spiritual master. Unfortunately we have rejected at the present moment the persons who are actually brāhmaṇa. On the other hand, in the name of brāhmaṇa, some persons claiming as brāhmaṇa, they are ruling over the society. But that is not the way. The brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, śūdra, they are ascertained by the symptom.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

"I am such big man," "I am minister," "I am president," "I am this," "I am Nārāyaṇa," up to the last stage, "I am Nārāyaṇa." But if we soberly think that "If I am Nārāyaṇa, then I must be the controller. I must be controller (of) everything, but why I am controlled by the toothache? As soon as there is some pain in the tooth, I voluntarily go to a dentist to be controlled by him. Then how I become Nārāyaṇa?" In this way, if one studies his life, whole, that, he'll find it that he's fully controlled by something more, fully controlled. And that control is of the material nature. Who can say that he is not controlled by the material nature? That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Material nature will oblige you. You are very nice, good-looking young man. Material nature will not allow you to remain as very good-looking young man. You must become old man. Your teeth must fall down. Your hairs must grow gray and you'll look ugly. Why? But he does not think. This is called ignorance, ajñāna.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam: (BG 7.2) "I'll speak to you about jñāna." Everyone is in ajñāna and falsely thinking that he is some very important person. This is ajñāna. Real jñāna, as will be explained here, is to receive from Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is giving knowledge in the Bhagavad-gītā. He'll speak in later chapters that "The real jñāna is to surrender unto Me." This is real jñāna. Kṛṣṇa will say in the Eighth Chapter, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births..." So today I may be minister, and tomorrow, after death, I may become a dog. But that is not in my control. You cannot say that "I am minister. I am this. I am that. I am high-court judge or very important man. So I am ordering material nature. Although I shall die, next life I shall become again high-court judge or Nārāyaṇa, something." No. That is not possible. You are fully under control. You have given a license to enjoy or suffer in this body, and in this body, as soon as it is finished, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur... (SB 3.31.1), and then you get another body.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

So this jñāna, even this jñāna, the change of body is not there. Throughout the whole world, big, big professor, big, big educationist, they do not believe in the next birth. 99.9 percent, they do not. But this is a fact. There is. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Kṛṣṇa says. And we understand this also. Kṛṣṇa gives this example: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). This child is becoming kumāra; a kumāra is becoming boy; boy is becoming young man; young man is becoming old man. So these changes are going on; still, he does not know that "After this old body is finished, I shall have to accept another body." So this is ignorance. Therefore we have to take knowledge from the most perfect Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. This is real knowledge.

So jñānaṁ te ahaṁ sa-vijñānam. Sa-vijñānam means with practical application. As there is theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge in scientific advancement, so simply theoretical knowledge will not help me. Theoretically I may know that I am not this body, but practically it must be known. If not, if I am not this body, then I am soul. Then I am working here in this world only for my body. What I am doing about my soul? That is knowledge. Suppose I have got this coat and pant and hat. If he simply tries, dry clean the coat and do not put any food in the stomach, how long this civilization will go on? Starving. So the whole world is in disturbed condition because there is no spiritual food, only material cleansing the shirt and coat. That is going on. Like cats and dogs, they are interested with the body.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

So those who are Indians present here should know that after many pious activities, one gets birth in India, bhārata-bhūmite. They should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. There is facility. There are śāstras. Kṛṣṇa personally speaks Bhagavad-gītā. Vyāsadeva speaks about Kṛṣṇa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We are neglecting, we have become so rascal and fools. This is not India's business, to imitate how economic development: "Money, money, money, money, money." This is not India's business. India's business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is India's business. These Americans and Europeans have come here not to see how much you are economically developed, industrially developed. They have got enough of this, enough, more than enough. They don't care for it. The modern young men, they do not like. They are fed up. They have come here to understand Kṛṣṇa. They come here to understand Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).

Therefore we have... We are trying to construct this center. Let everyone come, all over the world. And it is the India's business to understand what is Kṛṣṇa and help them. That is India's business. It is very serious movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. On this platform, the whole world can be united. It is not ordinary movement, only on the basis of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

Paramātmā, but we are forgetting that. We are simply busy for the temporary life, say, for fifty years or hundred years, utmost. But we do not know the life is continuation. As the life is continued we have got experience—from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, then in old body, then what is next? You ask anybody who has become old man. Ask him, "Sir, you have come to this stage. Your body is now old. You have to die. Now, from childhood you came to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, then middle age, and now you have come to... Now what is next? Do you know?" Oh, they will be silent. Nobody knows that what is my next life. A child can say, "My next life is boy. I shall become a boy." The boy can say, "Yes, I will be like very nice young man." The young man can say that "I shall become middle-aged man, father of many children." And the middle-aged man can say, "Yes, I will become old man." And ask the old man what he will become? He cannot answer. Can anyone say?

But there is next life. This body is now old enough. It will be finished. Everyone knows. "As sure as death." Then after finishing the body, what will be your next body? Who will answer this? Where is the scientist? Where is the philosopher? Where is the learned man? Nobody knows. Nobody knows. Therefore he is blind. He does not know what is his future. But there is future. You cannot say no. The example is here. And besides that, Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Kṛṣṇa, the most superior authority, He says, and it is accepted by all the ācāryas and all persons who have attained perfection. So we should learn it, that "What is my next life?" And if I prepare for the next life, that is called siddhi. That is called siddhi. If we don't prepare for the next life, if we remain just like cats and dogs... The cats and dogs, they do not know what is next life because they are animal. And if I do not know what is next life, then what is the difference between the cats and dogs? Where is the difference between? Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), śāstra says.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

So here Kṛṣṇa says that "Sex life," dharmāviruddhaḥ, "which is not against religious principle, that is I am."

So there is no harm to become a householder. It is not that... I am a sannyāsī; I have given up household life. And one person who is a householder... There is no difference, provided it is on the principle of religion. I am a sannyāsī. I am forbidden to make any association with women. I cannot talk even with woman in a lonely place. That is forbidden. I cannot talk with a woman. I give you one practical example. When my Guru Mahārāja, my spiritual master, was living... I am speaking about fifty years before. We were all young men at that time, and one of my Godbrothers, he was also young man, Dr. O. B. Kapoor, and his wife was also young. So his wife wanted to speak with my Guru Mahārāja. My Guru Mahārāja was at that time not less than sixty or more than that, and the girl, my friend's wife, she was not more than twenty-two years. But actually, she was just like his granddaughter. But she proposed, "Sir, I wanted to speak with you something confidentially." My Guru Mahārāja said, "Oh, no, no. I cannot speak with you confidentially. You can speak whatever you like here." Just see. "I cannot speak." Now the so much age difference, so much, I mean to say, affection, still, he refused: "No, no. I cannot talk with you confidentially because you are woman."

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

So there is suffering during birth. Similarly, there is suffering during death. These are... And the concomitant sufferings always with this body. Similarly there is suffering if you are diseased, and similarly there is suffering when you are old. Just like we are old and some way or other, keeping this body by massaging, by taking some medicine, this way, that way. This body is no longer just like a young man's body. It is suffering body. As soon as you are over fifty years, by nature, so the old age begins. And when you are over seventy years, you are completely old, and you have to suffer the consequences of old age. You may try to keep that old body for... But there is suffering. A young man cannot understand, but one who is old, he can understand, there is suffering. Suffering of old age, suffering of birth, suffering of death, and suffering of disease. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). If you are proud of your advancement of knowledge, that you have solved all the questions, all the problems, in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't think like that. That is your foolishness. These problems are there. What you can do?" That is learning: "Yes. Problems are not solved. The problems are there." That is learning. If you have got some problem, and... Just like the rabbits. The rabbits, when they face one hunter and it understands that "Now my life is in danger," he closes his eyes. He thinks that "The problem is now solved." (laughs) And peacefully he is killed. (laughs) You see? Similarly, the problems are there, but we are closing our eyes: "Oh, there is no problem. We are very happy." That's it. (laughter) So this is called māyā. The problem is not solved, but they are thinking their problem is solved by closing the eyes. That's all.

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

This is necessary for you to become this Kṛṣṇa conscious, to adopt this life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why? Because jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya: "In order to get out of the miseries of jarā." Jarā means old age, invalidity. And jarā-maraṇa. Maraṇa means death. Due to ignorance, we forget the miseries of death, the miseries of invalidity, or old age. We think, "Now we are young, young man, young woman. Oh, we don't care for what is old age or what is death. Let us enjoy." We forget. But a man who is not in ignorance, he has always in his view that this material life is full of miseries because there is birth, there is death, there is old age and there is disease.

So we materialists, we don't take into consideration that birth, death, disease and old age are the greatest miseries of our life due to our ignorance. But this ignorance has to be removed if one has to become out of these clutches of birth, death, old age and disease. This is not possible to remove by the so-called material science. Material science cannot remove these miseries. They can remove temporary, something artificially, some of our miseries. Just like we are feeling little warm. If the room was, had been air conditioned, we could feel some comfort. That is temporary. But our ultimate miseries are these four things: jarā-maraṇa-mokṣa. Jarā means old age and birth, death.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

Prabhupāda: No. The thing is that there are different kinds of miseries. That we understand. That is our..., due to our ignorance. We don't care for it. Just like a man who is suffering from very, since a long time. He has forgotten what is happiness. He has forgotten what is real happiness. Similarly, the sufferings are there already. Now take for example, you are now young man. Now, would you like to become old man?

Student: I will become an old man in the process of...

Prabhupāda: Now, you will become. You'll be forced to become old man, but you don't like to become an old man.

Student: I'm not going to be forced to become old man.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Forced. You'll be forced.

Student: I don't see why...

Prabhupāda: If you don't like to become old man, you'll be forced to become old man.

Student: It's one of the conditions of...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That condition is miserable.

Student: I find it not miserable.

Prabhupāda: No. You don't because you are young man, but ask any old man how he's suffering. You see. A diseased man—do you want to be diseased?

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

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! (break)

Guest (1) (young man): Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was inquiring about how the minad (?), or spiritual self, of an animal, or beast, how that enters into a human being.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: How does the spirit soul of a beast enter into the form of a human being?

Prabhupāda: Just like a thief in the prison house. How he becomes liberated? When his term of suffering in the prison house is finished, then he is again free man. And again if he is criminal, he is put into jail. So human form of life is meant for understanding, as I am explaining, what is the problem of my life. I do not wish to die; I am put to death. I do not wish to become old man; I am obliged to become old man. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). So he... Just like the same example, a thief. When he is free, if he thinks, ponders, that "Why I was put into this miserable condition of six month prison life? It was so botheration," then he becomes actually human being. So similarly, the human being has got advanced power of deliberation. If he thinks that "Why I am put into this miserable condition?" Everyone has to admit that he is in miserable condition. He is trying to become happy, but there is no happiness. So how that happiness can be achieved? That chance is in the human being. But if we receive, by the mercy of the material nature, a human being and we do not utilize it properly, if we misuse this benediction as cats and dogs or other animals, then we have to accept again the animal form, and when the term is finished... It takes long, long duration of time because there is evolutionary process. So again you'll come to this human form of life, when the term is finished. Exactly the same example: A thief, when he has finished his term of imprisonment, he's again a free man. But again he commits criminality; again he goes to the jail. So there is cycle of birth and death. If we utilize our human form of life properly, then we stop the cycle of birth and death. And if we do not use this human form of life properly, again we go to that cycle of birth and death.

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

Prabhupāda: The same law is working. Law is one. Just like you infect some disease; you must suffer from the disease. There is no excuse. Because you are children, you are child, nature will not excuse. If the child touches fire, the fire will not excuse. It will burn. Similarly, as soon as you put yourself under the control of the material nature, then, according to your association, you have to accept the result. There is no question of child or elderly person.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Other questions?

Guest (3) (young man): I, I... I'm talking about, from a Christian point of view...

Prabhupāda: No, don't put any question from any particular... You try to understand the philosophy. If "two plus two equal to four," that doesn't matter whether he's a Christian or Hindu or Muslim. Two plus two equal to four everywhere.

Guest (3): All right. Well, the point is that you say or members of the society say that "I am not this body," and in Christianity this is my body and this is my blood.

Prabhupāda: "This is my blood." You are not blood. That is all right.

Guest (3): Right.

Prabhupāda: "This is my blood," you can say, just like I say, "This is my body." But you are not this body. If I say this, "My microphone," does it mean that I am microphone? Why do you put this question?

Guest (3): Well, that's all right. That's all very well.

Prabhupāda: So that is to be understood. You can say, "My blood," but you don't say, "I blood." That is foolishness.

Guest (3): Yeah, I didn't say, "I blood."

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

Guest (3): Well, then you make God into a person called Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: God is person. I have already said. It is described in the dictionary, "the Supreme Being." You are being, I am being, but He is the Supreme Being. You are not Supreme; I am not Supreme.

Guest (3): One Supreme Being, just one.

Prabhupāda: Yes, one. Supreme means one. Otherwise there is no meaning of Supreme.

Guest (6) (young man): Is that Jack in the...(?) (laughter)

Prabhupāda: If there is equal, then that is not... That's all right. Now chant.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa! (end)

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

That is outward, Hindu, Muslim, Christian. But within this body... I am Hindu or Christian because I have got this body from the Christian father-mother, Hindu father-mother. But that is body. I am not this body. Therefore we have to understand first that "I am not this body. Therefore I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, not black, not white. I am pure spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

This is the first basic knowledge. This is not sectarian. This is a basic knowledge, you believe or not believe. If a child says, "No, no, I don't believe that I shall become a boy," But you believe or..., you must have to become a boy. A boy says, "No, no, I shall not become a young man." No no, you must have to. That is nature's law. Similarly, if one says, "No, no, this body finished, I will not get any body," no, no, no, you have to get it. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You must have to get. Now make your choice, which kind of body you shall get. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. So that intelligence is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā that yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). In this way last line is mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. So if you like, you can go back to home; otherwise, as Kṛṣṇa says here, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ. Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa (BG 9.3). Dharma, this process, if one does not believe, then he is sure to go again to the cycle of birth and death. Aprāpya mām. He is given this offer, the opportunity.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

Prabhupāda: You are surrendering to this boy or that boy, hearing. This is correct or that is correct. But you do not know what is correct. So under the circumstances, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa; you'll get the correct answer.

Guest (2): Be patient and wait.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because He is the Supreme, there is no cheating; there is no imperfection. Therefore you get the correct answer. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (5) (young man): Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was told that... When one is surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, how does he discriminate between being tactful and, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, compromising in his speech?

Prabhupāda: To surrender to Kṛṣṇa is the best tactful and if you surrender, He will give you instruction. Then all tactfulness will be there. Teṣām aham.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

Gurukṛpā: If somebody would like to ask some question to Śrīla Prabhupāda, raise your hand. No questions? Everybody agrees?

Guest (1) (young man): Would you like to give your views on psychiatry?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Would you like to give your views on psychiatry? Psychiatry. Psychiatrist.

Prabhupāda: What is that? (laughter)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Well, when someone is having some kind of mental problem the psychiatrist analyzes it from the medical viewpoint, sometimes from the psychological viewpoint.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Psychiatrist.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: This is an expansion of the energy known as mind. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca. These are subtle matter. So different division. God's creation is wonderful that even if you take the atom, there are so many things. That is... Scientists are... So what to speak of mind, thinking, feeling, willing, and there are so many divisions. So what is your question about the psychiatrist? It is a material thing and very subtle, and there are so many divisions. So what is your question about it?

Guest (1): I just wanted your views on your concept of...

Prabhupāda: Yes, everything is resting on God. This is also resting on God.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

Guest (4): Attracts so many young people and not so much the middle-aged and older people in the Western world.

Prabhupāda: Not only Western world, everywhere. Therefore they are called "old fools." (laughter) Because they require time to forget what they have learned. Young men, they are receptive. Therefore, for education, younger age is recommended. There is a history in... One father and one daughter, they both appeared for B.A. examination. The father failed and the daughter passed. Younger generation, they can receive very nicely. Older generation, it is little difficult. Therefore it is recommended by Prahlāda Mahārāja,

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

(SB 7.6.1)

He recommended, "My dear friends..." Prahlāda Mahārāja was five years old boy and he was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness in his classroom. When the teachers are out he would preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When friends would request, "My dear Prahlāda, just play. This is tiffin hour," so he said, "No, no, no, no. My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. "Immediately. We are now young boys. This is the time to learn." Kaumāra. Kaumāra means between five to ten years. This is the time. Dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Why? Now durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: "Don't think that your life is guaranteed. We can die at any moment. Better understand the science of God in this early age." This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's recommendation. So this bhāgavata-dharma, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should be learned from the very beginning. Then it will be solid. By nature's way younger generation, they capture very nicely. Yes. This question was asked by many gentlemen to me, that "Why younger generation attracted?" Because they are receptive. This is the age. So don't waste time. From the very beginning of life, when we can talk, when we can walk, learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Life will be successful.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

There are many instances, very many instances. I'll cite one story. It is very interesting story. If you go to India, you'll find one nice temple in Orissa. It is called the temple of "Witness-Gopāla," Sākṣī-Gopāla, Witness-Gopāla. This Gopāla was situated in a temple at Vṛndāvana. Now, two brāhmaṇas, one young and one old, they went to visit Vṛndāvana, the place of pilgrimage, and the old man... Because at that time there was no railway, the journey was very hardship. The old man felt very obliged, and he began to say to the young man, "My dear boy, you have done so much nice service to me. I am obliged to you. So I must return that service. I must give you some reward." So the young man said, "Oh, my dear sir, you are old man. You are just like my father. So it is my duty to serve you, to give you all comforts. I don't require any reward." Formerly, the boys were so gentle. And still, there are many boys like that. So the old man also thought that "No, I am obliged to you. I must reward you." So he promised that "I shall get you married with my youngest daughter." Now, the old man was very rich man, and the young man was not rich. He was poor. Although he was brāhmaṇa, learned. So he said that "You are promising. You don't promise this because your kinsmen, your family men will not agree. I am poor man, and you are rich man. You are aristocratic. So it will be not. This marriage will not take place. Don't promise in that way before the Deity. It is not good because Deity is there." But he was firm faith that "Kṛṣṇa is hearing," because the talks were going on in the temple. "So it will not be fulfilled." "No." The old man became still more persistent. "No, my daughter I shall offer you. Who can forbid me?"

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

If I persist in offering this daughter to this boy, now there will be great trouble in my family." So he was silent. So, in the meantime, the eldest son came out and he began to quarrel with: "Oh, you, you plundered my father in the place of pilgrimage. You gave him some LSD or something, (laughter) intoxication. You took all the money from my father. Now you say that he has promised to offer you my youngest sister. You fool!" He began to say like that.

Then all the neighboring gentlemen, they: "Oh, what is the trouble? Here there is so much howling." "This is the... Do you think, sir, that this boy is fit for my sister? We are aristocratic family and this and that...," so on. So the young man said... Young man could understand the old man is still agreeable, but these, his sons and family members, as he suggested, they are not agreeable. So he explained the whole thing before all the gentlemen who came, that "This is the fact. Now, he promised. Now, for the sake of his son and wife, he cannot fulfill his promise. This was a promise before the Lord." In the meantime, the old man's eldest son... He was atheist. He voluntarily says, "Well, if your God comes and gives witness, then I shall offer my sister to you." But he was confident that God will come. He said, "Yes. I shall ask God. I shall ask Kṛṣṇa to come and give witness." So... Now, before all gentlemen this was done. Then the young man said, "All right, let us now come to agreement that I shall call Kṛṣṇa from Vṛndāvana to give witness in this matter, and when He comes, you'll have to." All the other gentlemen, they also persisted. So there was some agreement. So this boy went again to Vṛndāvana to his Gopāla, and he prayed that "Sir, You have to go with me." He was so staunch devotee, just like talking with friend. He did not think that He's a statue; it is image. He knew God. That was his conviction.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

Guest (3) (young man): I'm asking this question. I'm concerned about the perverted caste system in India, right? I'm asking this question on a brāhmaṇa, the varṇāśrama-dharma system. If one of your brāhmaṇa initiated disciples falls from this platform, leaves the temple and commits offenses, then returns, demanding respect, should he be allowed to keep the sacred thread or should he be engaged in menial service, which never fails to cultivate humility?

Prabhupāda: Well, that is to be judged by the spiritual master. You cannot judge.

Guest (3): Well, I'm asking this because...

Prabhupāda: You cannot judge who is following, who is not following. That is not your jurisdiction. Therefore he has accepted a spiritual master, his jurisdiction. He'll do whatever necessary.

Guest (3): Has there been a case...

Prabhupāda: So that case you cannot judge. The case has to be judged by the spiritual master.

Guest (3): Could you give me an example of a case that has been...

Prabhupāda: Just like if somebody has done something wrong he is taken to the court and the judge gives his decision, whether he is criminal or not. The man who has arrested him, he cannot give the decision. It has to be tried by the higher authority. Then the judgment will be. Anything more?

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

As Śaṅkarācārya explains, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Unless one understands fully that "Our these material engagements, they are simply waste of time." He can attain perfection knowledge. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya (SB 1.2.12). Unless there is perfection of knowledge, jñāna, there cannot be vairāgya. And unless there is vairāgya, unless you become detestful of this material existence, there is no question of liberation. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya.

So this jñāna and vairāgya can be achieved simply by becoming a devotee of Vāsudeva. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Āśu vairāgya, very soon. Just like these boys, these American, these European boys, they are young men. Now they have taken sannyāsa and dedicated their life for service of Kṛṣṇa. They are vairāgya. They are coming from opulent nation, very rich men, rich nation. Their parents are very rich. There is no scarcity of food. There is no scarcity of money. There is no scarcity of women in the western countries. But they have left everything. Simply boys. They are all within thirty. How much a young man may have propensities for enjoying this material way of life! And when there is facilities. But how they have taken to it? This is the proof.

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- New York, December 26, 1966, 'Who is Crazy?':

Fifty years before when some of you, of course, not all of you are fifty years old. Say, forty years before, or thirty-five years before, when you were, or twenty-five years before, when you were not born, can you say what was your designation? Were you American or Indian or Chinese or Russian, can you say? Say, after getting out of this body, do you think that you'll continue as American or Indian or Chinese or Russian? Suppose you are now in America, in the land of America. So next life you may be in China. Who can say? Because we are changing our bodies, you cannot say that we are not changing our bodies. Can you say that you are not changing your body? Yes, we are changing. When I was born, from the mother's womb, my body was so little. Now how I have changed my...? Where is that body? Where is that body when I was a child? Where is that body when I was a boy? Where is that body when I was a young man? I have got my photograph, my studentship. Oh, Swamiji, you were like this? Where is that body? Where it has gone? So we are changing, but I am the same man. I am thinking, "Oh, in my childhood, I was doing like this. Oh, in my youthhood, I was thinking like this. In my boyhood, I did so many things." Now where those days gone? If my body, everything has gone away? It is simply remembrance.

But still we are sticking to this body, and, when I ask you or when you ask me, "What you are?", I say something in relationship with this body. Are you not crazy? Can you tell, any of you, that you are not crazy? If you, I mean to say, so far your identification, if you identify with something which you are not, then are you not crazy? Are you not crazy? So everyone who identifies with this body, he's a crazy man. He's a crazy man. It is a challenge to the world. Anyone who claims God's property, God's land, God's earth, as own property, he's a crazy man. This is a challenge. Let anyone establish that this is his property, this is his body. You are simply, by nature, you are, by the tricks of nature, you are put into some place. You are put under some body. You are put under some consciousness, and you are dictated by the laws of nature. And you are mad after that.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

And anityam. Although artha-dam—it can deliver you the substance—but it is not permanent, anitya. Nitya means eternal, permanent; anitya means just the opposite. So the scriptures, Vedic scripture, advises you mānuṣyam artha-dam apīha dhīraḥ.

But if you are dhīra-dhīra means sober, intelligent—then how you shall utilize it? Tūrṇaṁ yateta anu-mṛtyu na pated yāvat. You should try to utilize your this human form of life to achieve the highest substance very soon. Tūrṇam means very soon. Why very soon? Anu-mṛtyu na pated yāvat. You do not know when your death will come. You do not know. So before death comes just utilize yourself. Don't think that "I am young man. Let me enjoy now. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." No. You should not neglect.

Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five years' old boy, he was instructed by Nārada Muni. He became a very great devotee. And he was instructing his class fellows when he was a five years' old boy. Because it doesn't matter whether he's a five years' old boy or five hundred years' old tree or a five millions years' stone. There is no utilization. If you become a five years' old boy and if you understand this knowledge your life is perfect. These things are all very nicely discussed. They say, "Oh..." Taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti (SB 2.3.18) . "Oh, you are very much proud of your long duration of life? Because you see that cats and dogs die within ten years or twenty years and you live seventy years or eighty years, therefore you are very much proud?" Oh. The answer is taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti: "Don't you see the tree? It lives five hundred years, thousand years." "Oh, a tree lives, but it cannot breathe." Oh. Bhastrā kiṁ na śvasanti: "Don't you see the bellow, a bag of skin? 'Bhass, bhass, bhass'—it is breathing. So do you think your breathing is very expertness?" "Well, they breathe, but they cannot enjoy sex life." "Oh. What is that? The dogs and hogs, they do not enjoy sex life? Do they not eat?"

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

You grow little grains, you get some milk, some vegetable, and all your economic questions solved. But as soon as you go to the city, the whole pollution attacks you. You have to give up this simple eating process. Instead of drinking milk, in the city, you'll have to cut throat of the cow and eat the meat.

So in this way we shall be implicated with so many sinful activities that our life will be entangled. On account of our foolish civilization we do not understand what is the entanglement of life. The entanglement of life is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), to change this body. As we are changing body, the child is changing body to become a boy. The boy is changing body to become a young man. The young man is changing body to become an old man. Similarly, when the old man changes the body, he gets another body. If a young man challenges the laws of nature, that he is not going to be old man, that is false prestige. He must have to become an old man. Similarly, if some rascal says that "I don't believe in the next life," that is his foolishness. He has to change his body. Nature's law is going on. You are not controller of the nature, you are controlled by nature. So if we entangle ourself with sinful activities then next life means we get low grade life. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:

"My dear sons, don't use this body like the hogs and dogs. Whole day and night searching after stool. Eating, for eating. don't use this." And, after eating, as soon as there is the sex is strong, then sex life. That is hogs life. We have seen. These are the examples. Nature's. They are very stout and strong, fatty, eating stool. And as soon as fatty, immediately sex life, without any discrimination, mother, sister, or anyone. That is hogs. You see from nature's example. Dogs and hogs. The dog has no, I mean to say, courtesy or shame. At, in the street, they're having sex life.

So human civilization is coming to that. Already it has come. In Western countries, at least, in our country, it has not come still. And Western, it is common affair. Young man, young woman is embracing, kissing, and everything. And sometimes sexually also engaged on the sea beach. In the garden. We have seen it. So practically you are coming to the hogs and dogs life. This is our advancement of civilization. Why? On account of this bodily concept of life. "I am this body. I am this body." Therefore this should be first of all understood. As Kṛṣṇa says: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity... (BG 13.2). It has been awarded to you for utilizing it for different purposes as you like. You can utilize it like cats and dogs and hogs and you can utilize it as devatā, as demigod. That is up to you. We have got little independence. We can utilize or misuse this independence. But the śāstra says that this body is not to be utilized as cats and dogs and hogs. Śāstra says.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23). Anyone who does not care for the instruction given in the śāstras... Śāstra. Just like anyone who doesn't care for the law of the state, what kind of man he is? He's a loafer, a outlaw. He's not a respectable citizen. Similarly anyone who does not follow the shastric in... Śāstras are meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs and hogs. As law is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore we have to follow the shastric injunction.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973:

Because in India there were so many saintly persons, so many great sages... Even Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He descended on this country, India, Bhārata-varsa. There were kings like Mahārāja Bhārata. There were kings like Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. There was king like Mahārāja Yudhisthira, Parīkṣit, so many. Unfortunately, we are neglecting our own culture. We are now imitating how to become technologist. This is the position of India. Nobody is interested to take this culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously.

But in the Western countries, where they have tasted very well the fruits of material advancement of life... Therefore the young men there, they are not very much interested to live like their fathers and forefathers. They are taking very much interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So in India they have come that "Material happiness is not all." That is required. To make the best use of a bad bargain.

But our ultimate goal of life is spiritual realization. The Bhagavad-gītā is there. So many other śāstras are there, but Bhagavad-gītā is the beginning of spiritual life, ABCD. So even if we do not learn the ABCD of spiritual life, how our life will be successful in the mission?

So our only aim is to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, spiritual life, all over the world. We have got more than a hundred temples all over the world, but we wanted one also in Bombay. Therefore we took this land. It was not meant for making any business. Even if we had this land after paying so much money, we are not going to make any profit out of it. The money will be blocked(?). But if we want to have it, it is for the reason that the people of Bombay may take interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that their life may become successful.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). As we are changing our body every moment, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, similarly, by changing this body we get another body. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. But we do not know what kind of body we are going to get next life. We are blind. This is called ignorance.

Generally, they are thinking this body is all in all there is no rebirth. No. The example is given here in the Bhagavad-gītā. Just like a child has his future, another body, boyhood body. The boy has got his future, another body, young man's body. The young man has got another future, old man's body. Similarly the old man has got another body after death. Tatha dehāntara-praptiḥ.

But people have become so irresponsible that they do not know what kind of body he's going to get next life. He's blind. Therefore this knowledge is required, how I'm getting this body, how I can get better body or lower body. This is knowledge, not that how to eat, how to sleep, and how to have sex life. This is not knowledge there in the animals. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. Where to find out one's food, where to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend, these animals also, they know how to do it. So if we devote our time only for these four principles of bodily wants, then we are not better than the cats and dogs.

The real knowledge is to know "What I am, what is this body, why I am suffering. I want to be happy but why sufferings are there, always some kind of suffering is always there." These are the questions. But people have become so foolish they do not inquire how to make solution of these sufferings, how to make solution of the problems of life. They are blindly being led.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Now, Brahman, the Absolute Truth, how we can understand the Absolute Truth? Absolute Truth means the Supreme. Now we have got experience that everything is created by somebody, everything, whatever we see, this pillow, this seat, or this book, or this microphone, whatever we are seeing. Even my body is created by my father and mother. Everyone can understand. So why they should deny the creation of this material world?

We see. Everything material, that has got a beginning, date of birth and date of death. And there are, in the middle, between the birth and death, there is disease and old age, deterioration. Old age means deterioration. Just like this body. When I was young man, child, I was also jumping. Now I have to go with a stick. The deterioration... This is called de... Deterioration. Deterioration means now it is coming to be finished.

There are six changes: first of all birth, then living for some time, then producing some byproduct, then deterioration, then finish. Janma-sthiti... There are six kinds of changes. So anything material you study, these six kinds of changes are there. So this material world... How this rascal says that "It was existing"? "It was existing." Nothing was existing. Otherwise why the Brahma-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), that "The Absolute Truth is that from whom, or from which, everything is taking birth." This is Brahma-sūtra. So "everything is taking birth" means this material world also has taken birth from that Absolute Truth. That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the origin of all births, everything." So the material world was not existing. This is insufficient. How you can say it is existing? Anything you see, material, it has got a date of birth. Who can deny it? Can you present anything material which was, which has no beginning? Everything has got beginning. So how you can say this material world has no beginning? This is nonsense.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Jñāne prayāsam udapasya namanta eva san-mukhāritaṁ bhavadīya-vartam. This is the statement of Brahmā, that one should give up the nonsense process of mental speculation, "God may be like this; God may be like that." No. God is not manufactured by your mental speculation. God is God always, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is God from the childhood. When He was three months old He demonstrated His godly powers. He immediately killed Sakaṭāsura. He immediately killed Putanā. So He did not become God by meditation, manufactured in some mystic factory. God is God. God is always God. Even when He is child, when He is young man, when He is a boy. Kṛṣṇa, when He was a boy of seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. That is God. Not that "Here is a man. By mystic power He has become God." No. That God is different God. Real God is always God.

So akiñcana-gocara. That real God can be realized by a person who is humble and meek. Amānitvam adambhitvam. Go on. "Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The other nineteen items automatically develop." Yasyāsti bhaktir-bhagavaty akiñcanāḥ sarvair guṇair tatra samāsate surāḥ. Automatically. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam etaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. This is the Vedic assertion. If you simply understand one, that Kṛṣṇa, then you understand everything. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, you get all the knowledge—material, spiritual, everything. Practically. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned in the seventh verse, is essential."

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

How I have been put in... You cannot... If somebody says "It is all right I am put within this material nature, prakṛti. So what is the wrong? Let me remain." That is called ignorance. Because you are a spirit soul. You are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The spirit soul is transmigrating from one body to another beginning from the aquatic life up to this human life and above this human life this transmigration is going on. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change your body within this material world, according to your karma. You have to change your body.

Unfortunately there is no education, there is no knowledge about this throughout the whole world. We are thinking that after annihilation of this body everything is finished. No, that is not the fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. If a young man thinks that "I have got now this body for enjoyment. I am young man. I shall not become an old man." That is not the fact. Young man has to become old man. That is prakṛti-jān guṇān. cannot say that "I shall remain young man forever and enjoy life." That is not possible. Similarly you have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Unfortunately there is no discussion, there is no education, there is no institute for this important factors of life and people are kept in darkness. This is Kali-yuga. They do not care to know neither there is arrangement in the educational institution to know this fact although the fact is there it is explained by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally explaining tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). This body is perishable, but the śarīriṇaḥ, one who possesses this body, he is nitya, śāśvata. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This knowledge is missing. That is the defect of modern civilization. Atheistic civilization. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. This is not very good position.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

Na jāyate na mriyate. You have no birth, no death. The birth and death is simply changing body. Just like we have changed so many bodies. I was a child. But the child body is no longer to be seen. That does not mean I am dead. I had my body of a child. That body is now finished. There is no such body. You can see in photograph your body, childhood body, but where is that body? That body is gone. So body gone, but you are living. Where is the difficulty to understand? And Kṛṣṇa says, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The body being lost, the person is not lost. The person is living. Exactly.

Just like I was a young man like you. I was also very beautiful at that time. But where is that body? But that body is gone, but that does not mean I am dead. Similarly, when this body, this old body, when it will be not workable, the machine will not act, so I or you, every one of us will have to change. Suppose your car is going on. Somehow or other the car stops. Then you take another car and continue your journey. The car stops to work does not mean that the man who is in the car, he also stops. No. He continues. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Your work is not stopped. You are transferred to another body. And because we have to work with this body in this material world,... Just like car is already ready. You can...

But this car, next car, is not ready, but it will have to be manufactured. How? You have to enter into the particular type of mother, and the mother's material ingredients will help you to manufacture a particular type of car, or body. The body is also a car, a machine. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). Yantra. It has been said as yantra, a machine. This is just like machine. And we can perceive that. As soon as some part of the machine is slackened or not in order, that is your diseased condition. You cannot work.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

So mad-yājinaḥ. To accept your worship, Kṛṣṇa is here. Don't consider that "Here is a stone Deity." No, He's Kṛṣṇa. He has agreed. Because mad-yājinaḥ. Kṛṣṇa say "One who worships Me..." Now, ordinarily, where is Kṛṣṇa? We don't find. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is available in this form. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that "You take Me. You offer Me service." Mad-yājinaḥ. "I will accept." We should worship Kṛṣṇa in that spirit, not that "We are worshiping a stone. He cannot see. Let me do all nonsense in the Deity room." No. He is seeing. Don't be so much cunning. He's more cunning than you. You see. He can see.

Just like in that story, the old brāhmaṇa and the young brāhmaṇa, Sākṣi-gopāla. Sākṣi-gopāla. So the young man came to Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, "Sir, You have to go to give witness because the old man is not keeping his promise." So Kṛṣṇa said to the young devotee that "How you are proposing that I shall go? Can a stone Deity, He can walk? Do you think?" He said, "Yes, if the stone Deity can speak, He can walk also." (laughter) So devotee is so strong. So Kṛṣṇa had to... "Yes, I'll go." First of all, He wanted to avoid. Then when He saw that "He's not ordinary devotee," He said, "All right, I'll go." So He came from Vṛndāvana to Kataka.

So don't think that He's stone Deity. Sākṣād vrajendra-nandana: "Directly Kṛṣṇa." But He is available to my capacity of understanding Him. Not that He is different from the original Kṛṣṇa. (break) Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, everything absolute. You're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It does not mean that it is a sound only. It is Kṛṣṇa personally. You are in direct touch with Kṛṣṇa when you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is realization. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 16.1-3 -- Hawaii, January 29, 1975:

Dehinaḥ. I am dehī. Dehī. This body is deha, body, but I am not this body. You think over. If you take this finger, you study, am I this finger? No, the conclusion will come: "It is my finger, not I finger." Simply little knowledge required. How? Now, Kṛṣṇa gives this example, that dehinaḥ, asmin dehe yathā dehinaḥ kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. He has explained in different ways, but the beginning is this, that this body is changing. You had a small body, baby's body. Where is that body? If I say, "Where is that body?" what you will answer? But you know that "I had a small body." I know. Everyone will know. But where is that body? That body is not existing. I was also young man like you, but now I am an old man. Old man means my body is different, old body. Your body is different. So Kṛṣṇa giving this very nice example. As the baby is changed into a boy, a boy is changed into a youth, a youth is changed into old man, so this changing is going on, but I or you, we know that "I had such body."

I have several times spoken to you that in my, when I was about six months old, I remember, I remember I was lying down on my eldest sister's lap, and she was knitting. I still remember it very vividly. And so many things I remember. But where is that body, lying down on the lap of mother or sister? You cannot say... Either you say it has grown, grown or not grown... According to medical science, it is not grown; it is changed. The body is changing. Just like in a film spool, you will find so many bodies. One hand is like this, one hand is like this, one hand is like this, and when they are taken together, it moves like this. This is the film. Film means there are different bodies in different position and when they are taken at once, it, likes that it moves. The picture is not moving. Similarly, we are changing of the different body, but it is taking place so quickly and so imperceptibly by Kṛṣṇa's energy. The machine is so nice that we are thinking that it is growing. It is not growing, all different bodies, all different. Every moment, every second. That is the scientific. The blood corpuscles are changing, and the body is different.

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

The gopīs were young girls. So immediately they give up their all engagement. Some of them were taking care of the children, some of them were cooking, some of them giving food to the husband. So many engagement. But they gave up any, everything and immediately went to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa advised them, "Oh, at dead of night you have come here?" Those who have read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, these things are there. Now, for young woman to leave family and, I mean to say, home and go to the forest for another person, it is most abominable, sinful, in the ordinary eyes. Sinful. But because it was done for Kṛṣṇa, even Lord Caitanya says, ramya kecid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargeṇa ya kalpita(?): "What can be the best type of worship than what was comprehended by the gopīs?" So in the ordinary way, if a young man, young woman, goes to another person for dancing or some other purpose, that is most sinful. But this is to be understood.

Another example can be given. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was so much harassed by his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared. And in the presence of Prahlāda Mahārāja, the father was killed. What is that prayer?

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

And paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). And those who are not intelligent, to be trained up as a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya. The fourth class men, let them work these three other classes, let them work. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam. In this way the human society should be divided into four divisions, they should cooperate, and they should be trained up. Not a single man should remain unemployed. He must be engaged in some employment as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a śūdra or as a vaiśya. Otherwise, idle brain will be devil's workshop. Therefore, in spite of so much educational propaganda in the Western countries, the young men are coming to become hippies. Because there is no proper training. Here is the hint, Bhagavad-gītā gives you. You train the students in that way, then there will be perfect society. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

Let us play." "No," he said, "no." Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: (SB 7.6.1) "My dear friends, don't say that you'll keep it aside for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in old age. No, no." Durlabham. "We do not know when we shall die. Before the next death we must complete this Kṛṣṇa consciousness education."

That is the aim of human life. Otherwise we are losing the opportunity. So, everyone wants to live forever, but nature will not allow that. That's a fact. We may think very independent, but we are not independent. We are under the stringent laws of nature. A young man, you cannot say that "I will not become old man." No. You must become. That is the law of nature. And if you say, "I'll not die," no, you must die. So this is law of nature. So we, we are therefore mūḍhas. We do not know practically what is the law of nature.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

And Kṛṣṇa, just like we have got some hobbies, we keep some cats and dogs, Kṛṣṇa has got also hobby. What is that? Surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). He's always engaged in taking care of the surabhī cows. Gopāla. That is His business. So He's so simple, life.

So the difficulty is the people cannot understand these things. They are of opinion that after this life, everything's finished. The greatest scientists, philosophers, they are thinking like that. That means practically they have no sense. Why there is no life after death? I am experiencing that I was a baby, and after that baby body is finished, I got a body of child. Then, from child body, I got the body of a boy; then as a young man, then I have got this... Now, why not after changing this body, another body? Where is the reason? In my this experience I get that I have changed so many bodies. But I remember. I am existing. Although my different bodies are finished, I am existing. Similarly, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Similarly, I shall get another body. So what kind of body I shall get, that is the preparation stage in this life. What kind of body I'm going to get. That is karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). As you are working here, this is a chance, human body. Here is a chance. You can make your next body as lower animals, or demigods, or go back to home to Godhead. Whatever you like. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). These are the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā.

So one has to understand all these things by little tapasya. Because to go back to home, back go Godhead is not very easy thing. Because we are so much entangled with this gross material body and subtle material body. And the subtle material body is creating... Just like a spool, creating another body, another body, desires. Material desires. So we have to change these material desires into spiritual desires. Then we get spiritual body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). There... This is the function of the laws of nature.