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Your identity

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 8

SB 8.7.35, Translation:

O greatest of all rulers, your actual identity is impossible for us to understand. As far as we can see, your presence brings flourishing happiness to everyone. Beyond this, no one can appreciate your activities. We can see this much, and nothing more.

SB 8.9.4, Translation:

What to speak of human beings, even the demigods, demons, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Cāraṇas and the various directors of the universe, the Prajāpatis, have never touched You before. It is not that we are unable to understand Your identity.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.37.22, Translation:

Let us approach You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for shelter. You are full of perfectly pure spiritual awareness and are always situated in Your original identity. Since Your will is never thwarted, You have already achieved all possible desirable things, and by the power of Your spiritual energy You remain eternally aloof from the flow of the qualities of illusion.

SB 10.40.3, Translation:

The total material nature and these other elements of creation certainly cannot know You as You are, for they are manifested in the realm of dull matter. Since You are beyond the modes of nature, even Lord Brahma, who is bound up in these modes, does not know Your true identity.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 17.109, Translation:

"You are now the same Personality of Godhead that You were in Your previous birth. Your identity is inconceivable eternal happiness."

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

The Lord told Sanātana, "This material body cannot be identified with your real self; nor is your mind your real identity, nor your intelligence, nor false ego. Your identity is that of eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa."
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 3:

"Your constitutional position is that you are pure living soul," the Lord told Sanātana. "This material body cannot be identified with your real self; nor is your mind your real identity, nor your intelligence, nor false ego. Your identity is that of eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Your position is that you're transcendental. The superior energy of Kṛṣṇa is spiritual in constitution, and the inferior external energy is material. Since you are between the material energy and the spiritual energy, your position is marginal. Belonging to the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa, you are simultaneously one with and different from Kṛṣṇa. Because you are spirit, you are not different from Kṛṣṇa, and because you are only a minute particle of Kṛṣṇa, you are different from Him."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

King Mucukunda was eager to know the identity of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and therefore he said, "O best of human beings, if You think I am fit to know Your identity, kindly tell me who You are."
Krsna Book 51:

King Mucukunda was eager to know the identity of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and therefore he said, "O best of human beings, if You think I am fit to know Your identity, kindly tell me who You are. What is Your parentage? What is Your occupational duty, and what is Your family tradition?" King Mucukunda thought it wise, however, to identify himself to the Lord first; otherwise he had no right to ask the Lord's identity. Etiquette is such that a person of less importance cannot ask the identity of a person of higher importance without first disclosing his own identity.

I want to hear from you how you were put into this position. If you think that you can disclose this secret, then please tell us your identity.
Krsna Book 64:

How the demigod had been obliged to accept the body of a lizard was not a secret to Lord Kṛṣṇa, but still, for others' information, the Lord inquired, “My dear fortunate demigod, now I see that your body is so beautiful and lustrous. Who are you? We can guess that you are one of the best demigods in the heavenly planets. All good fortune to you. I think that you are not meant to be in this situation. It must be due to the results of your past activities that you were put into the species of lizard life. Still, I want to hear from you how you were put into this position. If you think that you can disclose this secret, then please tell us your identity.

We are surprised to see Your behavior, which is just like that of an ordinary human being and which conceals Your real identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we therefore consider Your pastimes to be all-wonderful.
Krsna Book 84:

Having concluded that Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sages addressed Him thus: “Dear Lord, we, the leaders of human society, are supposed to possess the proper philosophy of life, yet we are bewildered by the spell of Your external energy. We are surprised to see Your behavior, which is just like that of an ordinary human being and which conceals Your real identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we therefore consider Your pastimes to be all-wonderful.

The foolish person who cannot realize Your transcendental identity above all these material reactions continues in the entanglement of fruitive activity and is subjected to the continuous process of birth and death, without a chance of being freed."
Krsna Book 85:

Vasudeva said, "This material world is like a great flowing river, and its waves are the three material modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance. This material body, as well as the senses, the faculties of thinking, feeling and willing and the stages of distress, happiness, attachment and lust—all are different products of these three qualities of nature. The foolish person who cannot realize Your transcendental identity above all these material reactions continues in the entanglement of fruitive activity and is subjected to the continuous process of birth and death, without a chance of being freed."

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

"Be awakened to understand your identity." Therefore one who is not trying to understand his identity, spiritual identity, he's sleeping.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

Prabhupāda: One who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious, he's sleeping.

Revatīnandana: (to guest:) He said that one who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, not God conscious, he is sleeping. His real life is asleep. So being awake in the true sense is to know my relation with God. That is true life, eternal life. Yes?

Prabhupāda: The Vedic injunction is uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata, that "You wake up. You have got this chance of human form of body. You take advantage of it." These are the Vedic instructions. Uttiṣṭhata, "Get up, be awake." Jāgrata, "Be awakened to understand your identity." Therefore one who is not trying to understand his identity, spiritual identity, he's sleeping.

This is the beginning of a lesson given by Kṛṣṇa, that "You are lamenting for this body. This is not your identity. This is not your identity. You are wrongly thinking."
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

We are servant of God, but if we deny that "No, I am not servant," so that means I become servant of māyā. Servant I'll have to remain. That is my constitutional position. So one must first of all understand what is his identity. So this is the beginning of a lesson given by Kṛṣṇa, that "You are lamenting for this body. This is not your identity. This is not your identity. You are wrongly thinking." Just like if your coat is some way or other destroyed, that does not mean that you are destroyed.

Kṛṣṇa says that "You are talking like learned man, but you do not know your identity. You are not this body." This is the summary information.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

If your car by accident is broken, that does not mean that you are finished. Sometimes we get accident, that is another thing. But I am not the car. I am not this body, I am not this coat. This is real knowledge. Although sometimes we become little sorry, but the identity is different. So Kṛṣṇa says that "You are talking like learned man, but you do not know your identity. You are not this body." This is the summary information. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). So anyone who is not in perfect knowledge, he should not take the position of talking like a learned man. That is cheating and that is foolishness.

I must be something; otherwise what is my identity? That reply is your identity is that "You are as good as God."
Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

As Kṛṣṇa began Bhagavad-gītā from the point that "You are not this body," we begin from this version, tat tvam asi. Tat tvam asi. "You are not this." That means "What I am?" Then I must be something; otherwise what is my identity? That reply is your identity is that "You are as good as God." That means you are qualitatively the same. Tat tvam asi. Qualitatively you are... The mistake of the Māyāvāda philosophy is that "You are the same." You are the same in which way? I am the same in quality, not in quantity.

This change, you call change, or you can transfer your identity from one body to another. It means the same thing.
Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

Guest (1): Yes, Swami. You mentioned new bodies. Does this embrace reincarnation? That is, when we leave the physical body we have now on death, do you mean that consciousness goes on.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This incarnation is going on every minute because you are changing your body. Imperceptibly you are changing your body. That is a medical, scientific point, that we are changing our body every second, every minute. This change, you call change, or you can transfer your identity from one body to another. It means the same thing. You see?

Generally, the Deity worship. This is the beginning, but as you go on worshiping the Deity you realize your spiritual identity.
Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Parā bhakti. Parā-bhakti, that is real spiritual life. Parā aparā, aparā bhakti means on the material platform. Generally, the Deity worship. This is the beginning, but as you go on worshiping the Deity you realize your spiritual identity. Then you do not see the Deity as made of stone or wood. You see directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead and you can talk, you can receive an inspiration. This is the beginning.

Our request to all, we are requesting all over the world the same thing, "Please chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and be cleansed of your consciousness and understand your spiritual identity."
Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

So our request to all, we are requesting all over the world the same thing, "Please chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and be cleansed of your consciousness and understand your spiritual identity." We are preaching this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra all over the world, and people are accepting it. Even the child is accepting and chanting this mahā-mantra. Your culture, the Roman culture, is well-known all over the world, and you are the pioneer of civilization in Europe. So if you accept this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, whole Europeans will follow you. If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you haven't got to pay any fee, neither you will lose anything. There is no loss, but the gain is very much.

This human form of life is achieved after a evolutionary process, going through different species of life. This is the opportunity to understand your spiritual identity and your relationship with God.
Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

The Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. We are presenting this book as it is, without any malinterpretation. It has been translated in many European languages, in German language, in French language, English. So I think most of you may know English. You can try to read this book. They are available in our center. And try to understand what is the science of God. This human form of life is achieved after a evolutionary process, going through different species of life. This is the opportunity to understand your spiritual identity and your relationship with God. If you lose this opportunity and die without understanding God, that is not very good business. We must utilize this human form of life for the highest achievement of life. After all, we are under the stringent laws of nature.

By karma, you can become materially successful. By jñāna, you can understand your identity. By yoga, you can understand how to connect yourself with God, and bhakti means direct service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

So about the subject matter, there are many things to be learned. They are all described in the Bhagavad-gītā. People are interested only for material success, but they do not know what is spiritual success, and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for giving persons the spiritual success of life. There are different divisions of life, or activity. They are called karma, jñāna, yoga and bhakti. Jñāna means knowledge. By karma, you can become materially successful. By jñāna, you can understand your identity. By yoga, you can understand how to connect yourself with God, and bhakti means direct service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By karma, you can elevate your material position. By jñāna, you can understand what you are. By yoga, you can try to connect yourself with the Supreme. And by bhakti, you become completely freed from material entanglement. So we are teaching people to take the bhakti-yoga process directly, so that very quickly you contact with your spiritual life. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

If you like, you can merge your identity with the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, which is called Brahman, brahmajyoti.
Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

There are five kinds of liberation: sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, five kinds of liberation. So sāyujya-mukti is to merge into the impersonal effulgence of God. That is called sāyujya-mukti. If you like, you can merge your identity with the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, which is called Brahman, brahmajyoti. That you can do. But that is not very palatable. That we have discussed many times.

One likes to merge into the existence of the Supreme and close his identity, individual identity—no more individuality. That you can do. You close your identity. But that sort of merging is risky also.
Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

There are two schools of philosophers. One likes to merge into the existence of the Supreme and close his identity, individual identity—no more individuality. That you can do. You close your identity. But that sort of merging is risky also. That we have several times discussed. But if you enter into some planets, spiritual planets, then you can have five kinds of liberation. One kind of liberation is sārūpya. You can have body exactly like God. Sārūpya. Sālokya. You can live in the same planet, sālokya. Sālokya, sālokya and sārṣṭi. Sārṣṭi means you can have similar opulence as God has, similar opulence. So much powerful you can become that you are as powerful as God is. That is called sārṣṭi. And sāmīpya. Sāmīpya means you can always remain with God as one of the associates. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is always with Kṛṣṇa as friend. This is called sāmīpya.

First business is to understand your identity, identity of God, your relationship, and your action reformed in that way.
Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

If you are universal, if you are after universal love, then how you can maintain regular slaughterhouse? How you can think that an American gentleman or lady is your countryman and not a cow, and not a goat, not a serpent? Where is your universal idea? So unless there is development of God consciousness, this universal ideas, oh, these are nonsense. There cannot be. It is all false, jugglery of words. So first business is to understand your identity, identity of God, your relationship, and your action reformed in that way. Then there is question of universal, brotherhood, universal... Otherwise it is simply jugglery of words.

You just take the top of the hair and divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is your identity.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

Just like I am not this body, I am within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). I am the proprietor of the body. But what is my magnitude? Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). You just take the top of the hair and divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is your identity. So in these material ideas, we cannot understand that such a small particle, smaller than the atom, has got so power. Therefore, because it is so small, these so-called rascal scientists, they cannot find it, where it is; therefore say, "There is no soul." The rascals will not admit their inefficiency to know and still they will say, "no soul." And if there is no soul, then how it is working? They have no even common sense.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If you keep always yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you do not belong to this material world. Then actually you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, your spiritual identity.
Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

For practical example: just like there are foreign embassies in foreign countries. So long they are within the embassy, they are not living in the foreign country. That is the law. Suppose I belong to some foreign embassy. So I have done something criminal. So the American government cannot arrest me from the embassy. When I come out, he can arrest. So ships also, when they are on the port of a foreign country, so on the ship also the foreign police force cannot arrest anyone. These are the etiquette, law. So if it is possible in ordinary dealings, so why not possible spiritually? And that's a fact. If you keep always yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you do not belong to this material world. Then actually you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, your spiritual identity.

To understand your spiritual identity, you must find out a proper guru.
Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile... Now, we go to tīrtha-sthāna, we go to Hardwar and Vṛndāvana and other nice holy places... And the Christians go to Jordan. So... Jerusalem. They take birth in the Jordan. So yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Salile means water. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu. But have no interest to understand his identification, spiritual identification, from the ācārya. Janeṣv abhijñeṣu. Abhijña means one who knows, ācārya. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the Vedic instruction. To understand your spiritual identity, you must find out a proper guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. So he has no such knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So he has no knowledge. The superficial. So sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), such person is no better than the cows and the asses—means animal.

Unless you know your identity, then how can you work for the goal of life? If your identity is mistaken, then whatever you are doing, that is your defeat.
Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Just like that Professor Kotovsky said, "After finishing this body, everything is finished." He does not know what he is. This is the position. Therefore the so-called scholars, learned men, whatever they are doing, they are being defeated because he does not know his identity. Unless you know your identity, then how can you work for the goal of life? If your identity is mistaken, then whatever you are doing, that is your defeat. Yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ. Everyone has got different types of mentality. So karmātmakam means... That is general mentality, that "I shall work very nice and I shall get money and I shall enjoy life." This is called karmātmakam. Not only in this life, next life also, they are trying, those who are followers of Vedic ritualistic ceremony, by puṇya-karma. Puṇya-karma means pious activities. Pious activities, that is also activity. So according to our philosophy, we are not impressed even in pious activity. We are not interested in impious activities. We are not interested even in pious activities. This is our position.

That is your identity. So that can be realized. The easiest process is this chanting.
Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

So this movement is very important movement. Everyone should seriously study and execute this. Don't be carried away by the illusory ideas of material existence. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). It is very easy. If you simply chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)—immediately all the misconception within your heart will be cleansed. This is misconception: "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am Gujarati," "I am Bengali." These are all misconceptions. You are part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa. That is your identity. So that can be realized. The easiest process is this chanting Hare... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam. And next stage is that the blazing fire of this material existence will be extinguished immediately. Here in our disciples you'll find Americans, Europeans, Japanese, Africans. They are all absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thoughts, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. They have lost all these misgivings, upādhi, designations, nonsense designations. The nonsense designation is the cause of their bondage. So let us realize that we are not this, not this.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is not to merge into the water, but keep your identity and go deep into the water.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

The water is evaporated by scorching heat of the sun. Just like now we see cloud in the sky. This is nothing but evaporated water from the sea. So the water which merged into the water and into the ocean of the, water of the ocean, now it is evaporated in the sky. And again it will fall down. And then again glide to the ocean. So this is called avagamana, coming and going, coming and going. But our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is not to merge into the water, but keep your identity and go deep into the water. So that you may not be evaporated. The fish and the aquatic animals within the water, they are not evaporated. They are not going to become cloud and again fall down. Therefore Sanātana, Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "He further prays that by residing in the ocean of nectar he may always feel transcendental pleasure..."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

The same person who was dreaming and who is thinking that "I was dreaming"—the same person. Where your identity is dissolved? In both the cases, you are standing, "I."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Guest (1): It is dissolved into a finer form of consciousness.

Prabhupāda: No, finer... Just now, your example: you were dreaming. Now you are awakening. You are now seeing, "Oh, I was dreaming." So the same person who was dreaming and who is thinking that "I was dreaming"—the same person. Where your identity is dissolved? In both the cases, you are standing, "I." This is...

Guest (1): Yeah, but they say at the next awakening you dissolve this "I."

Prabhupāda: This "I" is..., this "I" is not in dream. That is the difference. The "I" in dream and "I" in not-dream, but "I" is there. Where is your "I" dissolved?

You become spiritually advanced and you know your identity, that you are not this body but you are spirit soul.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

Tāpa-traya. This is very important thing. One who is advanced in spiritual consciousness, for him there is no material trouble. There is no material trouble. Ahaituky apratihatā. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are so many troubles and miserable condition of life. But as soon as you become spiritually advanced and you know your identity, that you are not this body but you are spirit soul, then... This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā,

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

This is wanted. Every one of us should become brahma-bhūtaḥ, not to remain jīva-bhūtaḥ. That is ignorance. One must come to the platform of brahma-bhūtaḥ. Then prasannātmā.

General Lectures

If you take to this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then gradually your misconception of this life will be cleared off. You will understand your real identity and you will act in that way.
Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that God has millions and billions of names. So any name is as good as "Kṛṣṇa." It doesn't matter. Then why we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Because we are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya, and He chanted this holy name, we are chanting. So we shall request you most humbly that it is..., there is no loss on your part, but the gain is immense. If you take to this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then gradually your misconception of this life will be cleared off. You will understand your real identity and you will act in that way. And the technology is so nice that you may remain in your business, that doesn't matter. Simply you have to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Suppose you are walking on the street. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, nobody is taxing you, nobody is bothering you. But if by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you derive some benefit, why do you neglect it? That is our submission. So this movement is for making solution of the problems of life, and it can be easily done. And anyone can accept it. It doesn't matter whether he is Indian or American or Hindu or Muslim or Christian. It doesn't matter. Simply this vibration: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

If you remain water, then you have to come back. Even you think that "I am mixed with water in the vast sea," that is your false identity. You have to come out.
Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

Water is not fixed up. That is eternally going on. Water is taken out from the sea, and again it is poured out. So you cannot stop this process. You do not think that because once you have mixed with the sea water, then there is no chance of coming out again. You have to come out. But if you enter within the water and be one of the living entities in the water, then you haven't got to come back. So our philosophy is not to mix with the water. We go deep into the water and become one of the aquatics in the water. Therefore we haven't got to come back again. And if you remain water, then you have to come back. Even you think that "I am mixed with water in the vast sea," that is your false identity. You have to come out.

If you want to live perpetually in the water, then you have to keep your identity as one of the aquatics in the water. Then you'll be perfect.
Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

So advaita philosophy, the example which you have given, they generally give this example, but any sane man can understand that by mixing superficially with the water there is no solution. There is chance of coming out again, being evaporated. If you take that example, you have to accept this also. How you can say that you are not coming back? It is a fact. So if you don't want to come back again, you go deep into the water and live as one of the living entities under the shelter of the water. They have no problem. They do not come back. The big animals, or big aquatics, they peacefully live within the water. They never come into the river because in the river there is no place to accommodate them. There are so big gigantic aquatics. So if you want to live perpetually in the water, then you have to keep your identity as one of the aquatics in the water. Then you'll be perfect. Otherwise you'll be baffled. That's all. Is that..., your answer is satisfactory? Yes.

Because you are Indian, you have got this duty. If you forget your duty, then you are forgetting your identity. So my special request in this meeting is for the Indian ladies and gentlemen to support this temple, and by supporting this temple, to support this movement.
Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

So this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā, supported by the movement of Lord Caitanya, chanting the holy name of Hare Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to push on in this part of the world, in pursuance of the order of Lord Caitanya, that pṛthivīte ache yata nagaradi grāma. So I'll request Indian ladies and gentlemen who are present here to join this movement. This is your duty. Because you are Indian, you have got this duty. If you forget your duty, then you are forgetting your identity. So my special request in this meeting is for the Indian ladies and gentlemen to support this temple, and by supporting this temple, to support this movement. It is good not only for the Indians—for everyone. It is no sectarian religion. It is completely scientific and philosophical. Everyone can accept it, not dogmatically, but with reason and argument. And you can practically see that all my students, none of them are Indians. Until now, they are all American. They are educated, they are intelligent.

Simply you accept His greatness and surrender. That's your business. You just calculate yourself. Your infinitesimal identity is very small.
Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

You know that frog philosophy? He's calculating the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean from the small well. Somebody's saying there is Atlantic Ocean, very great, and the frog has never seen the Atlantic Ocean. He is always in the well. He says, "How great? It is three feet? It may be ten feet?" "No, sir, it is very great." "All right. Hundred feet." "No, it is very great." "All right. Thousand feet." So go on. Where is the comparison of Atlantic Ocean within the well? (chuckling) So these rascals are calculating, speculating about God, how great He is by three feet, six feet, or ten feet, or hundred feet, thousand feet, like that. But He is greater than all your calculation, all your measurement. Avāṅ-mānasa-gocaraḥ. You cannot calculate how He's great. Simply you accept His greatness and surrender. That's your business. You just calculate yourself. Your infinitesimal identity is very small. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadha kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). Just divide the tip of your hair (in) ten thousand parts, and that one part is your identification, spiritual measurement.

Without knowing your identity, whatever you are doing, that is simply waste of time.
Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

Devotees: Haribol! (break)

Prabhupāda: ...mantra, you'll have Kṛṣṇa consciousness as soon as... The process is to cleanse your heart. So when your heart will be clear, then you'll understand your own position, your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and your relationship with this world. Then you'll be able to chalk out your plan, what to do. But without knowing your identity, whatever you are doing, that is simply waste of time.

Guest (1) (Indian man): Would you say that Kṛṣṇa is God or Kṛṣṇa is love?

Prabhupāda: Well, without love how Kṛṣṇa can be God?

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Meditation is to search out what you are. As soon as you know your identity, then your real activity begins.
Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Unless you come to that point, what is "I," there is no meaning of meditation. Then the meditation is finished. Now, the activities after meditation begins. Meditation is to search out what you are. As soon as you know your identity, then your real activity begins. So we take it from Bhagavad-gītā what is my real identity and begin our service. So that is called devotional service.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

So yoga means, real yoga means, to connect your relationship, your identity, with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yoga.
Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Student (1): But this is your yoga, right?

Revatīnandana: It's Kṛṣṇa's yoga.

Prabhupāda: Yoga means connection. As soon as you study Kṛṣṇa in this way, you make your connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of yoga. Yoga means connection, the Sanskrit word yoga. And the opposite word is viyoga, disconnection. Yoga-viyoga. So yoga means, real yoga means, to connect your relationship, your identity, with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yoga. So take little prasādam. Come on.

Revatīnandana: Take some little sweet.

First of all, if you keep your identity fixed-up, even if you become angry, it is not bad.
Room Conversation with Father Tanner and other guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Father Tanner: Times when you're proud, times when you're humble.

Prabhupāda: For God's sake... Suppose you are serving some master. For the master's satisfaction, you sometimes become angry.

Father Tanner: Hm, but I think what Susan was saying is that our personality...

Prabhupāda: No, no. I'm... First of all, if you keep your identity fixed-up, even if you become angry, it is not bad.

Father Tanner: No. But you can become it... what, you know, we are saying is...

Prabhupāda: Suppose just like I tell you that a dog is your servant. It is standing on the door. Some thief is coming. If the dog becomes angry, "Baw! Gaw! Gow!" so that, to become angry is not bad for the dog...

First of all you must know what is your real identity. You do not want and do want, that independence you have got always.
Room Conversation with Father Tanner and other guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: No, you don't, you do not want, you want or not want, that is not the question. First of all you must know what is your real identity. You do not want and do want, that independence you have got always. That is a different thing. But first of all you must know what is your identity. Your identity is... That I have already explained. The... You are part and parcel of God. So far we understand, our philosophy is... From the Bhagavad-gītā. Mamaivāṁśaḥ. The whole thing is one unity, unit, and everything is part and parcel of God, His energy. So we, the marginal energy, living entities, we are also part and parcel of God. As part and parcel of God, what is my duty? Just like this finger. There is itching. Immediately it comes, serves.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Pleasure means absence of pain. So in your spiritual identity there is no pain, therefore it is simply pleasure.
Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: If we can somehow or other get out of this material body, then there is no more pains and pleasure or it is simply pleasure. Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, ānandamāyaḥ abhyāsāt. "By nature the spirit soul is joyful." In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati: (BG 18.54) "As soon as you become spiritually self-realized, then there is no more pains and pleasure." So pleasure means absence of pain. So in your spiritual identity there is no pain, therefore it is simply pleasure. Therefore our endeavor should be how to get our again original spiritual body. Spiritual body is there already. It is covered by the material body, but some way or other, if we stop the covering of the material body, then we are simply in pleasure. Therefore our only attempt in this human body should be how to revive our spiritual body. And that process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That... Open that verse, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9).

So not always I am the same. So far I am concerned, my identity, your identity is concerned, that is all right, one.
Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: That is this. Therefore I am particle; He is whole. Therefore difference. When God says, "I am," and I say, "I am," there is difference. I am particle "I am," and He is whole "I am." (laughter) Another, a millionaire says, "I am," and his servant says, "I am," but both the "I's" are same? So God is great. He says, "I am." He is great "I am." And I say, "I am." I am small "I am." Therefore this "I am" and that "I am" is different. This "I am," when I say, "I am," and God says, "I am," this "I am" and this "I am" is different. So not always I am the same. So far I am concerned, my identity, your identity is concerned, that is all right, one. But you "I am" and I "I am" not, different. The soul as soul, it is all right. But as particle, as whole, they are different. Yes, that is to be understood. God says, "I am," means "I am the whole." And I say, "I am"—"I am the particle." So therefore we should understand that when I say, "I am," and God says, "I am," they are different. (break) Your consciousness, your identification, my identification, my consciousness is different. And because we are different, therefore we are considering what is the ultimate goal. So in spite of difference, you can say "I am," I can say, "I am," He can say, "I am," but that does not mean there is no difference. My "I am," I am different from you, "I am." This is to be understood. I can say, "I am," you can say, "I am," but this "I am" and that "I am" is different.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our point is that you may live materially comfortably—there is no harm—but if you forget your spiritual identity, then you'll remain like animal.
Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So it is for you, because you cannot sit down cross-legged, we have arranged this couch for you. (laughter) If it is not lavishly decorated, you'll refuse to come here.

Janice Johnson: Why is it necessary to live in such comfort as this for the spiritual...?

Prabhupāda: No, we can live on the street, but you cannot come and see on the street. For you we have arranged. That is the... We can live underneath a tree. That is a... But that does not make any difference. Our point is that you may live materially comfortably—there is no harm—but if you forget your spiritual identity, then you'll remain like animal. Just like sometimes a cat or dog is also allowed to sit on the couch, but that does not mean he has become a human being. He remains a cat and dog because the consciousness is lacking of a human being. In this seat there may be some bugs. So the bug is also living on this couch, but he has no understanding.

If you do not know what you are, then you are talking like a nonsense. If you have lost your identity, then what is your education?
Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Interviewer (4): You mean to say that this should become part, an integral part of the educational system?

Prabhupāda: That is the most important part. If you do not know what you are, then you are talking like a nonsense. If you have lost your identity, then what is your education?

Interviewer (4): No, but we should realize the politicians...

Prabhupāda: It is not a question of politician or economics. It is general education, that you must know your identity, what you are. Then knowledge...

Brahma-bhūta means first of all you understand your identity.
Garden Conversation -- October 14, 1976, Chandigarh:

Prabhupāda: How you can do unless you understand your position? When you understand your position, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you can do that. If I say immediately, "Mr. Such-and-such, you give up everything. You become... Surrender unto me." Will you do? No, you'll not do. But when you understand your position—"Yes, it is my duty"—then you'll do it.

Indian man (4): No, brahma-bhūta is...

Prabhupāda: Brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) means first of all you understand your identity. You are now identifying yourself as Indian, or as brāhmaṇa, or as kṣatriya, or white, or black, and so many things.

Indian man (4): My first identification is my own body.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

We are teaching that identifying yourself with this body, you have lost your identity. That is brain.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Ādi-keśava: So we'll challenge them like that, "What is this loss of identity? You don't have anything to lose."

Prabhupāda: "Who are you? What is your identification? That you do not know. Rather, we are teaching that identifying yourself with this body, you have lost your identity. That is brain. (pause) If you say 'beyond our intelligence,' that means you have no brain. And we can explain. Therefore we have got brain. (pause) You have so many technical insti..." That I challenged in the M.T. (M.I.T.), that "Where is your..., that technology that when a dead man is stopped, you can replace life by technology? Where is that department?" They could not answer. Technology means the car has stopped. Go to the expert. He will repair it and do the needful. Again you will run on. That is technology. And where is that technology? As soon you say "beyond our intelligence," then don't talk nonsense. Your intelligence is not perfect. So where is your brain? This very point will solve. "You have no brain."

Then you do not know what is your identity. Identify that the thing which has gone out of this body, that is your identity.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Ādi-keśava: But we can say that... Their accusation is that one loses identity. They say we are brainwashing, lose our identity.

Prabhupāda: Then you do not know what is your identity.

Ādi-keśava: So they don't know that identity.

Prabhupāda: You are falsely identifying with this body. You do not know. Therefore you have no brain or intelligence.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What would you have us identify with? How would you have us identify?

Prabhupāda: Identify that the thing which has gone out of this body, that is your identity.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is that?

Prabhupāda: That is that soul.

You have no idea what is spirit, and where is spiritual platform. Therefore Kṛṣṇa begins from this point, that the spirit is within, not this body. That is your identity.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Hari-śauri: Yes. They say, "Think for yourself," but they don't know what themselves are. They don't know "Who am I," so how can they think for themselves?

Prabhupāda: That you have to prove, that "You have no brain, no intelligence. Therefore you are finding out completely different. On which platform we are speaking, you do not know. So that platform, first of all you have to distinguish—it is matter or spirit? Then spiritual. You have no idea what is spirit, and where is spiritual platform. Therefore Kṛṣṇa begins from this point, that the spirit is within, not this body. That is your identity."

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

"Back to Godhead" is a guaranteed literature to awaken your spiritual identity. It is essential and authorized.
Letter to BTG Friend -- (Mathura U.P.) Dated as Postmark:

You have to realize, therefore, the message of perfect life through your submissive aural reception and get it fixed up in your spiritual identity. By doing so you shall be happy both in this as well as in the next life. Please do not be carried away by the misgiven mind to conclude that the present life is all in all. You are eternal, and the present form of human life is a chance of realizing your eternal life. Do not spoil your life simply by serving the misgiven mind and the uncontrolled senses. Please do not become your own enemy by your own self.

"Back to Godhead" is a guaranteed literature to awaken your spiritual identity. It is essential and authorized. If you feel any doubt, please inquire from me, and I shall clear it up.,

Page Title:Your identity
Compiler:Labangalatika, Serene
Created:03 of Apr, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=4, CC=1, OB=5, Lec=26, Con=12, Let=1
No. of Quotes:49