Srila Prabhupada:

" God is person, His body is spiritual, but we do not accept it." It is the greatest offense. It is the greatest offense. How it is offense? Suppose you are my friend, and if I say, "Oh, you have no eyes. You have no hand. You have no leg. You have no tongue..." "You have no leg" means you are lame man. "You have no eyes" means you are blind man. "You have no hand" means... That means I am calling you by all ill names. "You are blind. You are lame. You are nonsense. You are rascal." So are they not offenses against the friend? If I say, "You have no eyes," it is gentlemanly speaking that "You are blind." If I directly say, "You are blind," oh, will you be very happy upon me? No. If I say, if "You have no leg..." Suppose if I say if "You have no brain," that means "You are rascal. You are fool." So these impersonalists, they are always, I mean to..., trying to understand how God is eyeless, handless, legless, all less. Simply he has got eyes to see beautiful things. He has got his hands to touch nice things. No. These are offenses. According to Caitanya Mahäprabhu these are great offense against God. So therefore they are, life after life, they are studying this impersonalism, but there is no perfection."

Srila Prabhupada :”What is the difference between the two? Those who are eternally free, liberated, they are godly. They are always ready to render transcendental loving service to the Lord. They are satisfied in that way. Just like mother is satisfied simply by loving child, or friend is satisfied simply by loving. Of course, that sort of love is not possible in this material world, but there are some rare instances. At least we can get an idea that... Similarly, the eternal liberated souls, they are satisfied simply by loving Kåñëa. That is their satisfaction.”

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta,
Madhya-lélä 22.11-15
—
January 9, 1967, New York

Srila Prabhupada: "Just like the Vedic religion is called sanatana-dharma because nobody can trace out when this Vedic religion begun. Therefore it is called sanatana-dharma. Every religion in our present experience, it has got a history. Your Christian religion, it has got a history, two thousand years old. Buddhist religion, it has got a history, 2600 years. Muhammadan religion, it has got a history, one thousand years. But if you trace out Vedic religion, you cannot find out the history, date. There is no date. You cannot find out. No historian can give. So therefore it is called sanatana-dharma."

Engagement Lecture -- April 23, 1969, Buffalo

A weekly Quote From His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda :

"one must perform tapasya, austerity, to purify his existence in order to come to the spiritual platform. The tapasya of chanting and glorifying the name, fame and attributes of the Lord is a very easy purifying process by which everyone can be happy."

"Sukadeva Gosvami had already explained how people enter hellish life, and he could also explain how they could be saved from it. Intelligent men must take advantage of these instructions. Unfortunately, however, the entire world is lacking Krsna consciousness, and therefore people are suffering from the grossest ignorance and do not even believe in a life after this one. To convince them of their next life is very difficult because they have become almost mad in their pursuit of material enjoyment. Nevertheless, our duty, the duty of all sane men, is to save them." 

Quote from the 6Canto 1st Chapter By His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada

“The Krishna consciousness movement is not a sentimental religious movement; it is a movement for the reformation of all the anomalies of human society.”

Srila Prabhupada, Purport, C.C. Adi 17.141

 "If one rigidly observes the regulative principle of chanting sixteen rounds of the Maha-mantra every day, his dealings with the material world for the sake of spreading the Krishna consciousness movement are not different from the spiritual cultivation of Krishna consciousness."

 Srila Prabhupada - 5.16.3

`The word vrddhasrayam is very significant in this verse. Vrddha refers to one who is advanced in

knowledge. There are two kinds of old men--he who is advanced in years and he who is experienced in

knowledge. One who is advanced in knowledge is actually vrddha (jnana-vrddha);

one does not become

vrddha simply by                           advancing in age.

Vrddhasrayam, a person who takes shelter of a superior person who is advanced in knowledge, can acquire all the good qualities of a brahmana and be trained in good behavior.`

-Quoted from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (4th Canto Srimad Bhagavatam)

Srila Prabhupada :

"No question of going into a secluded place. We should remaining the congested city and preach this Krishna consciousness movement without being affected by this contamination of city life. That is perfection. They shall not be contaminated, touched by the contamination of the city life, but still, they will go on with Krsna consciousness. That is perfection."

Bhagavad-gita 3.1-5 -- December 20, 1968, Los Angeles

anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu- silanam bhaktir uttama

[Cc. Madhya 19.167] "One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krsna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service." Unless one is completely freed of all material desires, which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always offer our prayers to Lord Nrsimha-deva, who killed Hiranyakasipu, the personification of material desire. Hiranya means "gold," and kasipu means "a soft cushion or bed." Materialistic persons always desire to make the body comfortable, and for this they require huge amounts of gold. Thus Hiranyakasipu was the perfect representative of materialistic life. He was therefore the cause of great disturbance to the topmost devotee, Prahlada Maharaja, until Lord Nrsimha-deva killed him. Any devotee aspiring to be free of material desires should offer his respectful prayers to Nrsimha-deva as Prahlada Maharaja did in this verse."                   SB 5.18.8

Srila Prabhupada: “When you go, preach, talk, put your arguments, logic, to the opposing elements, and you are sometimes forced

backward, sometimes you are defeated. Sometimes in arguments it happens. So

this is... Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura has commented that a devotee, when he goes to preach and he is attacked by the opposing elements, that is also culture of bhakti, devotional service. Not that when you go to preach, don't think that "I am wasting my time. Better to sit down in a place and chant

Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Krsna." These are all nonsense. You have to preach, face the opposing elements. That is better than chanting Hare Krsna.”

 That is my Guru Maharaja's policy.

dusta mana! tumi kisera vaisnava?

pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare,

tava hari-nama kevala kaitava

[Dusta-Mana 1]

["My dear mind, what kind of devotee are you? Simply for cheap adoration you sit in a solitary place and pretend to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, but this is all cheating."]

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.46 -- January 30, 1971, Prayaga

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

"I remember one of our teachers in our school life, he

instructed that "If you always think that 'I shall pass my examination

with distinction,' then you can pass in first division. If you think that 'I

shall pass my examination in the first division,' then you may pass in the

third division. And if you think that 'I shall some way pass my examination in

the third division,' then you will fail." That means if you expect more

than your capacity, then it may be possible that at the time of examination you

get the right number and pass your exam.

So the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, Caitanya Mahaprabhu

has said, sada, kirtaniyah sada harih: not that two hours or one hour, but one

should practice. And that is the recommendation as it was followed by Haridasa

Thakura. But because we cannot do that, therefore we have to engage always in

the service of Krsna. That will make me remembering Krsna. Real fact is how to

remember Krsna."

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.12–14 -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad

Quote from our beloved Srila Prabhupada:

"At the present moment, the world is inclined toward the democratic process, but the people in general are all contaminated by the modes of passion and ignorance. Consequently they cannot select the right person to head the government. " - 5.5.20

Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada, today is the beginning of urja-vrata. Can you describe what thatis, urja-vrata, how it should be observed?

Prabhupada: What is this?Gurudasa: They want to know urja-vrata.

Prabhupada: Uh.

Gurudasa: He wantsyou to describe what it is.

Devotee (1): And how should we observe it,

Prabhupada:Urja-vrata, you chant Hare Krsna twenty-four hours one month (laughter) That's all.

Gurudasa: Hare Krsna,Hare Krsna, Krsna...

Prabhupada: Yes. Don't sleep, don't eat. This is urja-vrata. Can you execute?

Devotee (1): I don'tknow. (laughter)

Prabhupada: Yes.

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

To counteract the distress of this material body, one has to take on another distressed condition. Both situations are only illusion. There is no gain in taking on one trouble to counteract another trouble. The conclusion is that one cannot be perpetually happy as long as one exists in this material world. The only remedy is to get out of this material world altogether and return home, back to Godhead.  4.29.34

Hospitals:

"Everyone can

experience that although we try to keep the body in a comfortable position, it is always giving pain and is subjected to the threefold miseries. Otherwise, why are there so many hospitals, welfare boards and insurance establishments? Actually, in this world there is no happiness. People are simply engaged trying

to counteract unhappiness."

From Srimad Bhagavatam 4.27.29

``The Krsna consciousness movement should perform sankirtana-yajnas one after another, so much that all the people of the world will either jokingly or seriously chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and thus they will derive the benefit of cleansing the heart. holy name

of the Lord (harer nama) is so powerful that whether it is chanted jokingly or seriously the effect vibrating this transcendental sound will be equally distributed.``

- Srila Prabhupada Quote From Srimad Bhagavatam4.24.10

A quote from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada :

``The position of all nondevotees, who are not interested

in going back to Godhead, is very much lamentable, for the human form of life is meant for executing

devotional service and nothing else.``

``All persons in this material world are suffering from

material pains, and if one wants to get rid of them, he must associate with saintly persons, pure devotees

of the Lord, and chant the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama,

Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.``

Cāṇakya-śloka (10).

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu

para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat

ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

"One who considers another's wife as his mother, another's possessions as a lump of dirt and treats all other living beings as he would himself, is considered to be learned."

 "In order to make all human society happy and prosperous, we should accept the standard methods given by liberated persons."  -

Srila Prabhupada 

Therefore the brāhmaṇa says: "My dear Lord, I tried to become master, but I have become servant of my senses. Now I see that I have served so long, but my so-called master, they are not satisfied." Everyone knows. Even up to the end of life, one tries to become master. But that is not possible, because he's not master.

An atheistic person cannot be firm in his word of honor. One who cannot control the senses cannot be steady in his determination. The great politician Canakya Pandita said, "Never put your trust in a diplomat or in a woman." Those who are addicted to unrestricted sense gratification can never be truthful, nor can they be trusted with any faith.

Reference :  KRSNA BOOK  The Advent of Lord Krsna

This ignorance that "I am this body" is a great burden, a burden upon us. So when you get out of this burden, then you feel relieved. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. Means when actually one understands that "I am not this body; I am soul," then he has to work so hard for maintaining this body, so he gets relief, that "Why I am working so hard for this lump of material thing? Let me execute my real necessity of life, spiritual life." That is great relief. That is great relief.

Atreya-rsi: Prabhupada, when you instruct that the scientists should use their science to discover Krsna, could we as your students acquire scientific knowledge also...

Prabhupada: No. You don't require to acquire scientific... Whatever knowledge you have got, with that knowledge you try to please Krsna.

Atreya-rsi: Yes.

Prabhupada: Main business is to please Krsna. Now, because I am saying the scientists may do this for pleasing, that doesn't mean that you have to become a scientist and then please Krsna. Whatever you have got, please Krsna.

Harikesa: Once they gave the Maharishi four big pills of LSD.

Prabhupada: Who?

Harikesa: His disciples gave him, Maharishi, four big pills of LSD.

Pusta Krsna: Maharishi?

Harikesa: Yes. And he just stood there and said nothing happened. So everybody said, "This is proof that he's already there."

Prabhupada: Huh?

Harikesa: Because he just stood there and said, "Nothing is happening to me," everybody has figured that he is already there.

Prabhupada: "There" means where?

Harikesa: At the ultimate.

Prabhupada: Hell. (laughter)

 Morning Walk -- October 20, 1975, Johannesburg

Devotee (3): [reading from Krsna Book, "Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis"  [KB 47]] "‘So Lord Ramacandra, as a ksatriya, should have fought with Vali face to face but, instigated by His friend, He killed him from behind a tree. Thus He deviated from the religious principles of a ksatriya. Also, He was so attracted by the beauty of Sita that He converted Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, into a ugly women by cutting off her nose and ears. Surpanakha proposed an intimate relationship with Him, and as a ksatriya He should have satisfied her. But He was so selfish that He could not forget Sita-devi and converted Surpanakha into an ugly women. Before that birth as a ksatriya, He took his birth as a brahmana boy, known as Vamanadeva, and asked charity from Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja was so magnanimous that he gave Him whatever he had, yet Krsna as Vamanadeva ungratefully arrested him, just like a crow, and pushed him down to the Patala kingdom. We know all about Krsna and how ungrateful He is, but here is the difficulty: In spite of His being so cruel and hard-hearted, it is very difficult for us to give up talking about Him.  Not only we are unable to give up..."

Prabhupada: This is the difficulty. He is the most sinful, but we cannot give up His talking. That is our difficulty. This is love. [indistinct] all life for Him, I love him [indistinct] all life forms I love. Similarly here, gopis' position is they are finding out so many discrepancies in the life of Krsna, but they cannot give up. The difficulty is they cannot even stop this thought. 

"...I am so glad you are playing music for Krishna. It is a great service of your talent. Anyone's special talent should be engaged in the service of the Lord, and thereby becomes successful in his life. I think that you can go on playing on your guitar and make it successful for Krishna Kirtan. You do not require to learn freshly about sitar. We are not meant for learning something new for the service of the Lord; but we have to engage whatever talents we have already got. Our life is short but any type of education is great and long; so the best part of valor is to utilize properly whatever qualifications we have got for the service of the Lord." 

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore God comes, to give you the information that "You are not this body. You are the soul, spirit soul. And because you are within this body, you are suffering so many distresses." Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises that "These distresses are due to this body." Try to understand. Why you are feeling pains and pleasure? It is due to the body [..] That is problem. That means when you remain in your original body, means spiritual body, and do not come to this gross or subtle body, that is your eternal life. That is... We have to achieve.

... At least some people remember that there is God. But generally, in this age, they are forgetful. That is dharmasya glāniḥ. And by forgetting God the people cannot be happy. That is also another cause. People are thinking that "God is dead. We have no obligation to God. There is no God." This sort of thinking will never make the people happy. And actually, it is happening. They have become atheistic. The modern civilization is Godless, but people are not happy. Therefore God or His representative comes when people forget his relationship with God.

Our real constitutional position is that we are eternal servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. But in this material condition of life, every one of us is trying to become the master. That is the struggle for existence. Everyone is trying: "I shall become the master. I shall become the Supreme." But our position is servant. So this is called illusion. I am not master. I am servant. But I am trying to become master artificially.

That is struggle for existence. 

This is the first instruction. If we want to make progress towards spiritual advancement of knowledge, this preliminary knowledge we must have, that "I am not this body. I am not this body." This is the preliminary standing of spiritual knowledge. This is not advancement. This is simply A-B-C-D, ABCD of spiritual life. 

Guest: Does God still exists?

Prabhupada: Exists in exactly the same way. When your childhood body is no longer, how you are existing?

Guest: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: Well, after all, at the present moment you haven't got your childhood body. Similarly, when you will not have this body, why not another body? What is the difficulty? You have got experience in this life that you were existing in your body when it was baby. Just like this child: when he will grow up the father, mother will not cry or lament, "Oh, where is my son? Where is my son?" You know that "My son has got another body, but he is existing." Therefore the very word is used, dhiras tatra na muhyati. Dhira.

"Śrī Caitanya said: nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ.“God has millions and millions of names, and because there is no difference between God’s name and Himself, each one of these names has the same potency as God.” Therefore, even if you accept designations like “Hindu,” “Christian,” or “Muhammadan,” if you simply chant the name of God found in your own scriptures, you will attain the spiritual platform. Human life is meant for self-realization— to learn how to love God. That is the actual beauty of man. Whether you discharge this duty as a Hindu, a Christian, or a Muhammadan, it doesn’t matter—but discharge it!"

This is the process of attaining peace, śānti. What is that? To understand that God is the proprietor of everything. But that we do not know. We are thinking, "I am the proprietor of everything." This is not knowledge. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ. He is the supreme proprietor and enjoyer, but mistakenly, we are thinking, every one of us thinking, that "I am the enjoyer." 

People are thinking that material advancement is perfection of life. No. That is not perfection of life. Because even if you make nice material arrangement, you cannot enjoy it. At any time you shall be kicked out. Where is your perfection? Suppose you have very nice apartment, very nice good bank balance, very nice wife, children. Everything is all right. But is there any guarantee that you can enjoy them? Is there any guarantee? At any moment you shall be kicked out. This is not perfection. 

"...Why you are so busy for the temporary problem? This is your real problem. So, if you want to solve the real problem of life, then you have to withdraw your attachment from this material world and replace that attachment to Kṛṣṇa (God).This is the solution of problem." 

"...Unless you become a lover of God, God is not exposed to you. Otherwise God is there, always. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (BS 5.38) . Sadaiva means always. Not that simply when we come to the temple we see God. No. God is always visible to the devotee. Sadaiva. Sadā. Sadā means always, twenty-four hours. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness." 

SB 3.27.6

Translation:

One has to become faithful by practicing the controlling process of the yoga system and must elevate himself to the platform of unalloyed devotional service by chanting and hearing about Me.

PURPORT

Yoga is practiced in eight different stages: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. Yama and niyama mean practicing the controlling process by following strict regulations, and asana refers to the sitting postures. These help raise one to the standard of faithfulness in devotional service. The practice of yoga by physical exercise is not the ultimate goal; the real end is to concentrate and to control the mind and train oneself to be situated in faithful devotional service.

Bhavena, or bhava, is a very important factor in the practice of yoga or in any spiritual process. Bhava is explained in Bhagavad-gita (10.8). 

A Sloka from The 3rd Canto:

Your lotus feet are the true vessel to take one across the ocean of mundane nescience. Only persons deprived of their intelligence by the spell of the deluding energy will worship those feet with a view to attain the trivial and momentary pleasures of the senses, which even persons rotting in hell can attain. However, O my Lord, You are so kind that You bestow mercy even upon them.

SRILA PRABHUPADA'S VALUEABLE INSTRUCTIONS ON RUNNING A KRSNA CONSCIOUS TEMPLE

TEMPLE SUCCESS FORMULA

The most important thing is that we must be ideal Krsna Conscious persons, and then we can attract others. This means chanting, reading my books, going on sankirtana, following the regulative principles and worshiping the deity. Whoever take part in these things, no matter what he has done of sinful activities before, will automatically advance in spiritual realization. This is the simple process and if we follow it we will become ideal. Otherwise, they will become victims of women and wealth.

Letter to: Jayatirtha — Bombay 1 May, 1974

Just see that our routine programme such as rising early, cleansing, reading books chanting, street Sankirtana, deity worship, and so on, if these items of regular programme are maintained to the highest standard and not neglected for anything, then everything else we try for will come out successful without fail.

Letter to: Trai — Sridhama Mayapur 1 March, 1972

I have heard that Viçvävasu, the great Gandharva, his mind stupefied with infatuation, fell from his airplane after seeing your daughter playing with a ball on the roof of the palace, for she was indeed beautiful with her tinkling ankle bells and her eyes moving to and fro.

PURPORT

It is understood that not only at the present moment but in those days also there were skyscrapers. Herein we find the word harmya-påñöhe. Harmya means a very big palatial building. Sväd vimänät means "from his own airplane." It is suggested that private airplanes or helicopters were also current in those days. The Gandharva Viçvävasu, while flying in the sky, could see Devahüti playing ball on the roof of the palace. Ball playing was also current, but aristocratic girls would not play in a public place. Ball playing and other such pleasures were not meant for ordinary women and girls; only princesses like Devahüti could indulge in such sports. It is described here that she was seen from the flying airplane. This indicates that the palace was very high, otherwise how could one see her from an airplane? The vision was so distinct that the Gandharva Viçvävasu was bewildered by her beauty and by hearing the sound of her ankle bangles, and, being captivated by the sound and beauty, he fell down. Kardama Muni mentioned the incident as he had heard it.

From - SB 3.22.17

Bali-mardana: ...used to say that they can control the weather. They used to make big propaganda, "We are now going to control."

Prabhupāda: Another foolish propaganda.

Bali-mardana: Now they have given up.

Prabhupāda: You see? They want to draw some salary, big salaries, by bluffing the government and the public. This is their business. They are failing. They have finished their business on this planet; now they are going another planet. These are nonsense. [break] They know that "We... So as far as possible, we have bluffed. Now our business in this planet is finished. So let us go to another planet." This is going on.

Paramahaṁsa: Even if they wanted to stop this space project, they couldn't stop because they've already spent billions of dollars for making equipment and rocket ships and launching pads and rocket bases and so many employees. If they stop, then so much would be wasted, so many people would be unemployed. So they have to continue even if they know that it's a bluff.

Prabhupāda: That is the way of falsehood. If once you speak something false, then to protect that falsehood you have to take to so many other falsehoods. This is the way of falsehood.

selected from teachings of His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The Vedic system of acquiring knowledge is the deductive process. The Vedic knowledge is received perfectly by disciplic succession from authorities. Such knowledge is never dogmatic, as is ill-conceived by less intelligent persons. The mother is the authority to verify the identity of the father. She is the authority for such confidential knowledge. Therefore, authority is not dogmatic. In the Bhagavad-gītā this truth is confirmed in the Fourth Chapter (Bg. 4.2), and the perfect system of learning is to receive it from authority. The very same system is accepted universally as truth, but only the false arguer speaks against this system. For example, modern spacecraft fly in the sky, and they say that they travel to the other side of the moon, and men believe these stories blindly because they have accepted the modern scientists as authorities. 

 So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is all-pervasive. It is including science, philosophy—everything that we require. Everything complete. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, everything becomes completely known. Prakāśa. Prakāśa. Because as soon as we become in touch with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa gives us all intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam [Bg. 10.10]. If we engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in devotional service, sincerely, and seriously, then all intelligence will come from within. Because Paramātmā is there, Kṛṣṇa is already there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. So simply... Just like the television set is there already. You can get so many news from outside, but you have to know how to tackle it. As soon as you push some button, electronic button, immediately the picture and the speaking immediately become manifest. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is already there within your heart. You are also there. If we simply connect or link with Kṛṣṇa, that is called yoga. Yoga means connecting the link. So there are different processes of yoga system. The best yoga system, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: always think of Kṛṣṇa within your heart. Always think. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ [SB 9.4.18]. This is the example given by Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. You haven't got to practice so many aṣṭāṅga-yoga process—that is also one of the process—but this process, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa... Satataṁ cintayanto mām. Satataṁ cintayanto mām, satataṁ kīrtayanto mām [Bg. 9.14]. These words are there. If we engage ourself always chanting, hearing about Kṛṣṇa,

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

[SB 1.2.17]

Hanumān: In your books you say that the world is like a dream.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is dream.

Hanumān: How is it a dream?

Prabhupāda: Dream, just like last night you had some dream.

Hanumān: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Well, it has no value. It is gone. And again, this night, when you'll sleep, you'll forget all these things. You'll dream. You don't remember during night, when you are dreaming, that "I have got my house, I have got my wife I have..." You all forget. So it is dream.

Hanumān: It is true or is not true?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Where is true? You forget at night. Do you remember when you sleep that you have got your wife and you are sleeping on bed? You have gone some three thousand miles away and seeing something else. Do you remember that you have got a place to reside?

Pradyumna: "Chance." It's a noun and adjective. "1. The way things fall out. Fortune, undesigned occurrence, opportunity, possibility, probability. Especially in plural, as 'the chances are against him.' Absence of design or discoverable cause. Course of events regarded as a power, fate. 'By chance': as it falls or fell out; without design. 'On the chance': in view of the possibility. 'Take one's chance': let things go as they may. Consent to take what comes."

Prabhupāda: So it can be adjusted with the meanings of chance and necessity. I want something; that is my necessity. And it will come by chance? Or I have to endeavor for it, and then I get it? Shall I depend on chance? I have a necessity for something. So should I wait for the chance?

Śyāmasundara: We've always been taught, "No. You must work very hard toward..."

Prabhupāda: So where is the waiting for chance? There is plan. If I have to work, to get the thing, then it is plan.

Pradyumna: If they follow their philosophy to the conclusion, they would have to be completely dependent, if they followed the philosophy to the conclusion.

Prabhupāda: If the chance comes as soon as the necessity is there, then we have to admit immediately God.

From a Class on

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.12 Vindavana, September 11, 1976:

So how prakati is directed, how Krishna is directing praka to make a nice flower... Just like here, they're painting flower on the wall. It takes so much time, so much arrangement. Still, it is not as good as a natural flower. Here you have painted one rose flower, and here are roses. There is art also, and here is art also. Without art, without artistic sense, how this nice thing, beautiful thing, can come in? You'll find a beautiful flower bloom in a plant, you appreciate it. And don't think, as the rascal says, "By nature it has come automatically." 

Jackie Vaughn: My work, I try to do more for people, especially poor people. Prabhupäda: Everyone tries. That is not a particular job for you. Everyone is trying; the cats and dogs, they are also trying. The cat also very much anxious to give protection to the cubs, innocent, helpless. The dog also giving. The birds, they're bringing food for the offspring, and as soon as the mother comes, they become very much engladdened, "Oh, here is food, here is food." And they, with the mouth, they.... So this kind of sentiment is there even in the cats, dogs, animals, birds, beasts. That is natural. But we do not know how to do actual welfare activity. Somebody's engaged with his family. Somebody is engaged with his own body. Somebody.... This is only development of consciousness. The animals, they are interested with the body, himself. The human being, they are interested with the extension of the body. Just like I am alone now. Now when I become, you young men, then I have got my wife, then my interest is also for my wife. The wife's interest is for the husband. In this way, children, then interest extended, husband, wife, children. Then, this is family-wise. Then little advancement, of the society. Little advancement, community. Just like in your country, the sense of black community, white community. Then, above that, for the nation. When there is war between America and other nation, then you black and white people forget the small interest for national interest. You advance to fight, to lay down your life. So in this way we can make progress, but such progress is not perfection. Such progress is not perfection. The example is given, just like there is tree, and the whole tree is full of branches, twigs and leaves and flowers and fruits. So somebody is watering the fruit, somebody is watering the leaf, somebody is watering the branches, somebody the twigs, but everyone is improper. One who is watering the root, he's perfect. He knows how to do things. If you water the root of the tree, it will go to the twigs, it will go to the leaves, it will go to the fruit, it will go to the flower. One who does not know the root, however he might be working very diligently for the poor humanity or community or society, they will never be successful to gain the result, peace and prosperity. They are forgetting the root. And root is God. So they must put water in the root. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, it will be all failure. The history of the world is like that. They are trying for the nation, for the society, for the community, and for the family, but everything has become unsuccessful. Interview with Jackie Vaughn (Black Congressman) -- July 12, 1976, Detroit

 A Letter From Srilla Prabhupada to 

Mr. Bailey, In  1953:

Sages of India realized it by a perfect deductive process which descends on human consciousness by a transcendental chain of unbroken bona fide disciplic succession that material civilization is a temporary gigantic demonstration of a rabid process of sense gratification. The sense organs are given uncertain liberty to gratify their desires and the whole show of science, education, trade, industry, economy and politics are but different spheres of activities in the realm of gratifying the senses. Above these senses or sense organs is a diametric force which is subtler than the sense organs and is known as the mind but acts in terms of thinking, feeling and willing. The empiric philosophers speculating on an imperfect process of induction generally indulge in intellectual feats without knowing that behind the mind there is human intelligence which is able to analyze the process of psychology but is unable to find out the ultimate force or spirit behind their intelligence.

So the spirit that conducts even intelligence is the primeval root of everything and there is an adjustment of spirit and matter as much as there is an adjustment of smoke and fire. The smoke is a conditional state of fire and therefore smoke is nothing but fire and yet we cannot compare smoke and fire on the same platform. Smoke emanates from fire but it is the disturbing condition of fire. We need fire and not the smoke. The present smoky material or sensual civilization has to be kindled into the fire of reality or spiritual civilization. It is neither difficult nor impossible. It is just a simple process of fanning the fire in order to get rid of the disturbing smoke. The fanning process is eternally the same and one and the empiric speculators have nothing to invent new into it. It must be actually a fanning in spiritualized process and nothing else.

From our morning class here ,by His Divine Grace

Srila Prahbupada :

 “...For a devotee, there is no need of controlling senses. It automatically becomes controlled. Just like we have taken the vow we are not going to eat anything except kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Oh, the sense is already controlled. There is no question of asking a devotee, "You don't drink, don't this, don't this, don't this." So many don'ts. Simply by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, all don'ts there, already there. And it becomes very easier. Others, if one is requested that "You don't smoke," it will be very difficult job for him. For a devotee, he can give up at any moment. He has no problem. Therefore the same example, that these senses are very strong undoubtedly, as strong as the snake. But if you break the poison teeth, the poison teeth, then it is no more fierceful. Similarly, if you engage your senses in Kṛṣṇa, no more controlling. It is already controlled. Protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate.”

 "A true yogi observes me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed the self-realized man sees Me everywhere [Bg. 6.29]."

Prabhupāda: "A true yogi observes Me in all beings." How he can see? They interpret that all beings are Kṛṣṇa. So therefore there is no use of worshiping Kṛṣṇaseparately. They take therefore to the humanitarian activities. They say this is better. Why Kṛṣṇashall be worshiped. Kṛṣṇasays that one should see in every being Kṛṣṇa. So let us serve but they do not know the techniques. That requires training under bona fide spiritual master. This, "A true yogi observes Me in all beings." A true yogi, devotee. Just like these devotees are going to preach Kṛṣṇaconsciousness outside. Why? They see Kṛṣṇain all beings. How? Because they see that all beings are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. They are under forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. So let us awake them to Kṛṣṇaconsciousness. A devotee sees others whose not in Kṛṣṇaconsciousness. Just like sometimes some missionary activities are there to give education to the uneducated community. Why? Because they see they are human beings. They should be educated. They should know the value of life. That is their sympathy. Here also the same thing. That everyone should know that he's part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Forgetting this consciousness he suffers. That is to see Kṛṣṇa in everything. Not that everything has become Kṛṣṇa.Don't see like that, then you'll be mistaken. Every being is, just like if I see somebody, that this boy is the son of such and such gentleman. That means I see such and such gentleman in this boy. Is it clear? If I see every living being is son of God or Kṛṣṇa, then that means I see God in every beings. Is there any difficulty to understand?

He's full, fully conscious. He knows. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni [Bg. 7.26]. "I know everything," Kṛṣṇa says, "past, present, future." Just like Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, aham avyayam: [Bg. 4.1] "Formerly I spoke to the sun-god." So because He does not forget past, present, future... Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ. He's always conscious, fully conscious. Whatever was done in the past, what will happen in the future, and what is happening, everything is known to Kṛṣṇa. Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ. But we have lost our consciousness. We have lost our memory that we have past, that we are parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, and we are identifying with this material world in different capacities. Somebody's identifying with this body; somebody's identifying with the society or community or nation or country. But Kṛṣṇa does not become such materially affected. Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ. He's always conscious.

Prabhupāda: You can sit down. So everyone is working. Never mind in whatever occupation one is engaged. That doesn't matter. But one has to test whether he is becoming successful. Because everyone wants success. We are not animals that without any success we shall work hard labor. That is animals' business. Just like several times I have given the example, dophara gadha, the ass of the washerman. That kind of business and work is no use. Dophara gadha, ass of the washerman. Here, of course, you have no experience. In India there is a class who are called washermen. In India there are different castes. Washerman, a class; barber, a class. I mean to say... So many departmental. So each and every one, there is a class who take up that work. Sweeper, a class. All the necessities. The clerk, even clerk, there is a class; priest, there is a class; the fighter, there is a class. That is nice arrangement.

Los Angeles, May 14, 1973

yathā paṅkena paṅkāmbhaḥ
surayā vā surākṛtam
bhūta-hatyāṁ tathaivaikāṁ
na yajñair mārṣṭum arhati
 [SB 1.8.52]

Translation: "As it is not possible to filter muddy water through mud, nor purify a wine-stained pot with wine, it is not possible to counteract the killing of men by sacrificing animals."

Prabhupāda: So here one of the most important points is surākṛtaṁ bhūta-hatyām. Surākṛtam means things becoming impure simply by touching liquor. Liquor is so impure. Just like you have got a very big pot of milk, but if you put one drop of wine in it, it becomes immediately impure. You can analyze chemically—immediately impure. That surā, liquor, has become our daily affair. We are so impure. And bhūta-hatyā, and killing of animals. The modern civilization means large-scale arrangement for killing animals and large-scale arrangement for distilling liquor, especially in the Western countries. And India is also now following. So this is the position of the world. What is being condemned by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that, those items at the present moment are being encouraged by the government. This is the difference between this government and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's government. You can just imagine.

You can see that we human being, civilized man, we have got business, industry, to solve our economic problems, but we human beings are very small quantity. Out of 8,400,000 species of life, forms of life, only 400,000 species of life are human being. Out of them, mostly seventy-five percent are uncivilized, maybe twenty-five percent civilized. So except these so-called civilized twenty-five percent human being, other living entities have no problem for eating, sleeping, mating. We have created. Because we are so-called civilized, we have created the problems for eating, sleeping, mating. Otherwise there is already arrangement for everyone by God. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. In Africa there are thousands of thousands of elephants. They are eating at a time fifty kilos of foodstuff. But they are eating; God is supplying. They are also living. They have got sleeping accommodation. They have got mating arrangements.

So these are not problems actually. An actually advanced educated man should understand that "If God has provided food-eating, sleeping, mating arrangement is made for them—why not for me?" Therefore Bhāgavata says,

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ
kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā
 [SB 1.5.18]

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan

asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ

kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

 [SB 12.3.51]

So this is also recommended, prāyeṇa... In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in another chapter, Twelfth Canto, it is said, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan. These instructions were given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. So he addressed the king, "My dear king, in this age the faults are like the ocean," kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan. Doṣa-nidhe. Nidhi means ocean. "There are so many faults in this age that it can be accepted as the ocean of faults." Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. "There is one great opportunity. Although it is full of faulty things, still there is one hope. That hope is," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet [SB 12.3.51], "if one simply chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, then gradually he becomes purified from the contamination of this age." Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ: "He becomes free from the contamination of this age." It is just like vaccine. In contagious disease, there is vaccine, cholera. So this mantra, mahā-mantra, this is not ordinary sound. This is spiritual. So by chanting this mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—one becomes free from the contamination of this age. And not only he becomes free from the contamination of this age, but paraṁ vrajet, he goes back to the spiritual world.  We have no information in this age, at the present time, what is that spiritual world, but they are all stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ [Bg. 8.20]. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of spiritual life, ABCD of spiritual life. The people cannot understand even the ABCD of Bhagavad-gītā, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the graduate study. So everything is there. Unfortunately it was not distributed. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has started to distribute this literature, especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Hayagrīva: Spinoza. Spinoza says that "The infinite God must possess infinite attributes." He is saying that God, being the basis of all existence, cannot be described in a material way. He is a pantheist in the sense that he believes in the one substance. However, he believes that God has infinite divine attributes, and only two of these attributes fall within the realm of human experience, and these are thought and extension, or mind and matter.

Prabhupāda: So, so far God is concerned, and undoubtedly He is unlimited and His qualities are unlimited. So His one of the most important quality is called Bhakta-vatsala. He is very much dear to His devotee, Bhakta-vatsala. So He has unlimited devotees and unlimited dealings with them; therefore He is unlimitedly expanded. That is pantheism. But it does not mean because He is unlimitedly expanded, His personality is lost. He is person always, even though He is unlimitedly expanded. That is the Vedic version: pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate [Iso Invocation]. He is complete, and if another complete form expands from Him, still He remains complete. He is not lost. The material conception is if one unit, if something is taken from it, then it becomes less of that thing. But God is so complete that you can go on taking from Him unlimitedly, still He remains unlimited. That is pantheist. I think they are impersonalist.

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your long letter how you are appreciating this philosophy. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that out of thousands of men, only one takes an interest in the perfection of human life. The perfection of human life is to develop one's dormant love for God, and thus be released from the terrible cycle of birth and death. People are so foolish that they simply waste time in temporary pursuits of material happiness, eating, sleeping, defending and enjoying sex life. Especially sex life. The sum and substance of material life is attraction for the opposite sex. The sum and substance of spiritual life is attraction to Krishna.

So to develop attraction for Krishna is not difficult, you simply have to hear about Krishna, his activities, his name, his form and his teaching in Bhagavad-gita. Naturally you will develop love for Krishna, because we are all part and parcel of Krishna. The beginning process is to Chant Hare Krishna, follow the four regulative principles and associate with devotees, and take Prasadam of Krishna. I think you are now living in the temple of Krishna, so these things will be very easy for you to practice.

 Letter to: Bhakta Steven Knapp — Bombay 18 December, 1975

Young woman (1): I have a question. I would like to know your beliefs concerning who Jesus Christ was. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She wishes to know what your beliefs are concerning Lord Jesus Christ. Prabhupāda: Yes. He is representative of God, son of God. That's all. Young woman (1): Do you believe in the blessed trinity? Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you believe in the blessed trinity? Prabhupāda: I do not know what is that. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Father, son, and holy ghost. Madhudviṣa: Holy spirit. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Holy spirit. Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? (laughter) Young woman (1): Thank you. Prabhupāda: Yes? Young man (2): What is the outcome of continuous practice of the chant "Oṁ?" Prabhupāda: Oṁ is also another form vibration of Lord. Oṁ. That is also accepted in Bhagavad-gītā. So Hare Kṛṣṇa or oṁ, practically the same value, but this is easier. Yes. And because Hare Kṛṣṇa was chanted by Lord Caitanya specifically. Oṁ is generally added (when) just beginning one mantra. That is the Vedic way. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paś... Oṁ is also addressing the Lord. Oṁ. And Hare Kṛṣṇa is also addressing. But this is easier and recommended for this age. Otherwise, transcendentally or spiritually, there is no difference. Young woman (3): What do you believe in reference to Ramakrishna? He was in the Hindu faith. Prabhupāda: Not Hindu faith. What is your belief of Ramakrishna? Young man (2): Well, I've read a little about him, and he supposedly... Prabhupāda: What he is? What you have studied about him? Young man (2): He was an incarnate of God. He believed in Jesus Christ, he believed in Buddha, he believed in yoga. I just wondered if you had anything to do with him. Prabhupāda: We have got original Kṛṣṇa. So original Kṛṣṇa includes everyone. Kṛṣṇa, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So if you believe in the original, the categories automatically come. But the categories, under the influence of māyā, becomes different. So if you want to study any person, you have, you must have some standard way of studying. How you have accepted this Ramakrishna as incarnation? What is the authority? Simply suppose if somebody says, "I am incarnation." Will he be accepted? If somebody comes here and says that "I am President Johnson," will it be accepted like that? And if somebody believes in that way, is he very intelligent man? So what is your basis of taking Ramakrishna as incarnation? So far Vedic literature is concerned, we cannot accept. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ yajante 'nya devatāḥ [Bg. 7.20]. If somebody is lost of his intelligence, then he worships demigods. What is that?

Brahmānanda: One of our devotees... I was speaking to him. He was formerly in the air force, an electrician. And he was saying how there are so many wires in an airplane, and actually, when he was electrician, they would put the wires together very hastily in order to get the job done. And he said one of those wires could go wrong and then...

Prabhupāda: Finish everything.

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Brahmānanda: He said the tendency is when you have a job is that you try to find some shortcut.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: So everyone is looking for that some shortcut, how to do it quicker, faster.

Prabhupāda: [break] ...working sincerely? Nobody. In the material world they cannot work sincerely. [break] ...experienced when any enterprise goes under government supervision, it immediately spoiled. Nobody work sincerely. When it is a private concern, one is sincere because it is his business. If it goes wrong, he will suffer. But when it is government concern, they become irresponsible. That is the experience. Immediately, "Oh, my service is secure. I cannot be kicked out suddenly. So I may do or not do." This is going on.

Morning Walk -- July 2, 1975, Denver

Prabhupāda: Mind is subtle matter. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir.... Bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā [Bg. 7.4]. They are separated five material energies. Apareyam. They are inferior. Those who are in the mental platform, they are also inferior. The so-called philosopher, scientist and others, they are on the mental platform. Therefore they're inferior. Apareyam. These eight elements, those who are dealing with these eight elements, apara, inferior. And they are advertising that "We are superior." "The spiritual consciousness is brainwashed. We are superior." This is the fault. Of the inferior position, they are claiming superior position. Apareyam itas tu... And Kṛṣṇa is giving practical example: "Apareyam: this is inferior. Beyond this there is a superior nature. What is that? Jīva bhūta." Immediately. And still the rascal cannot understand what is superior, inferior. (Indian lady converses in Hindi with Prabhupāda) Chase after them, "Get out! Get out! Your visa is finished." (Hindi) Hundred cases. Hundred times hundred. (Hindi) [break]

Rāmeśvara: That is our argument.

Dr. Patel: It would be the brainwash. To have washed it against...

Prabhupāda: I am thinking of Kṛṣṇa, and if you stop me to think of Kṛṣṇa, is it not going against my thought? Bhagavad-gītā, it is recommended, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. So this is a standard thing. So I thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Why you should stop me? Is it not infringement my freedom?

Srimad Bhagavatam

SECOND CANTO

“The Cosmic Manifestation”

Chapter 4 卐 Text 18

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā

ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ

ye ’nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ

śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ

TRANSLATION:

Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, Yavana, and the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.

PURPORT By His Divine Grace :

Kirāta: A province of old Bhāratavarṣa mentioned in the Bhīṣma Parva of Mahābhārata. Generally the Kirātas are known as the aboriginal tribes of India, and in modern days the Santal Parganas in Bihar and Chota Nagpur might comprise the old province named Kirāta.

Hūṇa: The area of East Germany and part of Russia is known as the province of the Hūṇas. Accordingly, sometimes a kind of hill tribe is known as the Hūṇas.

Āndhra: A province in southern India mentioned in the Bhīṣma Parva Mahābhārata. It is still extant under the same name.

Pulinda: It is mentioned in the Mahābhārata, (Ādi 174.38), viz., the inhabitants of the province of the name Pulinda. This country was conquered by Bhīmasena and Sahadeva. The Greeks are known as Pulindas, and it is mentioned in the Vana Parva of Mahābhārata that the non-Vedic race of this part of the world would rule over the world. This Pulinda province was also one of the provinces of Bhārata, and the inhabitants were classified amongst the kṣatriya kings. But later on, due to their giving up the brahminical culture, they were mentioned as mlecchas (just as those who are not followers of the Islamic culture are called kafirs, and those who are not followers of the Christian culture are called heathens).

Regarding your question about why we do not eat meat and yet we eat plant life, the answer is that we do everything as Krishna recommends. Everything we eat is first offered to Lord Krishna, and because Krishna does not eat meat, therefore we also do not eat meat. The fruits, grains, and vegetables which we offer to the Lord are not caused any suffering by our offering them to Krishna. Rather they are greatly benefited because to be offered for the pleasure of the Lord will grant for the living entity within the plant body certain liberation in the near future. Everything that we do in Krishna Consciousness is ultimately beneficial to all living creatures because we are working under the recommendations of the Lord Himself who is the well-wisher of all His part and parcel children. I hope this will sufficiently clear up this matter for you.

Srila Prabhupada’s letter to: Ann Clifford — Los Angeles 2 August, 1969

Everything here in the material world is temporary. Anything you take, anything material, that is temporary. Similarly this body is temporary, this house is temporary, this country is temporary. Say some five hundred years ago, this was not Canada. It was something else. Similarly, in some other time, it will be different. So nothing is fixed up or permanent in this material world.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.10-11

—

Montreal, July 14, 1968

Devotee (4): I can't seem to get a grasp on this at all. If we in our original constitutional position as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and in that position, that original position of full knowledge and full bliss and being in our eternal nature... Now I have some experience of how strong this material energy is and how māyā works somewhat, but if I had known this and had this full knowledge, then I would have had this knowledge of how māyā works and how I might fall.

Prabhupāda: You read the life of Jaya, Vijaya, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Hiraṇyākṣa? They were Kṛṣṇa's doorkeepers. How they fell down? Did you read it? Did you read the life of Hiraṇyakaśipu or Hiraṇyākṣa?

Devotee (4): Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So how they did fall? They are from Vaikuṇṭha. They are Kṛṣṇa's personal associates, keeping the doorkeepers. How did they fell down? Anyway, there is chance of falling down at any moment.

Devotee (4): Well, in his family they wanted to enjoy the material world.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, the falldown is there. So because we are living entities, we are not as powerful as Kṛṣṇa, therefore we may fall down from Vaikuṇṭha at any moment. Icchā-dveṣa samutthena sarge yānti parantapa. Find out this verse.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa:

icchā-dveṣa samutthena

dvandva-mohena bhārata

sarva-bhūtāni sammohaṁ

sarge yānti parantapa

 [Bg. 7.27]

"O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate."

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "The real constitutional position of the living entity is that of subordination to the Supreme Lord, who is pure knowledge. When one is deluded into separation from this pure knowledge, he becomes controlled by illusory energy and cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The illusory energy is manifested in the duality of desire and hate. Due to desire and hate the ignorant person wants to become one with the Supreme Lord and envies Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pure devotees, who are not so deluded or contaminated by desire and hate, can understand that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa appears by His internal potencies. But those who are deluded by duality and nescience think that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is created by material energies. This is their misfortune. Such deluded persons symptomatically dwell in dualities of dishonor and honor, misery and happiness, woman and man, good and bad, pleasure and pain, etc., thinking 'This is my wife, this is my house; I am the master of this house, I am the husband of this wife.' These are the dualities of delusion. Those who are so deluded by dualities are completely foolish and cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Devotee (1): The Christians say that Christ ate meat himself, that there's nothing wrong with it.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Christ ate meat? I don't think so.

Hari-śauri: They say fish.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you should maintain slaughterhouse. Very good reasoning. Because Christ ate fish, therefore we should maintain big, big slaughterhouse? Is that good reasoning?

Dr. Sharma: Meat-eating is not useful from three points of view.

Prabhupāda: No, no, apart from that. He said that Christ ate fish, therefore we should maintain big, big slaughterhouse. What do you think? Is that good reasoning?

Devotee (2): No, it's demoniac by common sense if you maintain large slaughterhouses, it's completely irreligious.

Prabhupāda: When Christ said "Thou shalt not kill," does it mean that he wanted to maintain slaughterhouse? What is the answer, hm?

Devotee (1): No.

Vṛṣākapi: The Christians say that you kill the vegetables, you slaughter the vegetables.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we shall kill father, mother. You kill vegetables, therefore I shall kill my father and mother. Is that reasoning?

 Evening Darśana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Devotee (1): This is a new picture of Mars, just came in the Washington Post today. Here is what the scientists say the mountains are on Mars. Big crater they are talking about. This is a recent photo.

Prabhupāda: So? What do they say?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Says it's a Grand Canyon. Just like in Arizona there's a canyon called Grand Canyon.

Prabhupāda: So might be from Arizona? (laughter) Like Arizona, that means Arizona.

Rūpānuga: Just like Arizona, the same rocks you find in Arizona.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: This is called Martian Grand Canyon, and an ocean meandering gorge ten times the size of Arizona's Grand Canyon.

Prabhupāda: That we can photograph it and make ten times, hundred times. Their business is in Arizona.

In our Krsna consciousness movement, the guru-kula plays an extremely important part in our activities because right from childhood the boys at the guru-kula are instructed about Krsna consciousness. Thus they become steady within the cores of their hearts, and there is very little possibility that they will be conquered by the modes of material nature when they are older.

sb 7.5.56-57

Will the Christian say, "No. We don't want to love God"? Will the Christians say? Will the Mohammedans say, "No, no. We don't want to love God"? So religion means how to love God, and any religion which teaches how to love God, that is perfect. It doesn't matter whether he's Christian or Muslim or Hindu. It doesn't matter. You have to be educated to take your degree. It doesn't matter from which college you take degree. Similarly, religion means you have to learn how to love God. If you have no love for God, it is all useless.

 Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976

Kuladri: Prabhupāda? They say why do you worry so much about death? We are living. We are enjoying life, why do you worry about death?

Prabhupāda: Because we are intelligent. I love you. Therefore you'll die and you'll become a dog, so I am taking sympathy on you that "Don't become a dog." Every human being is anxious. The example is given just like a child flying kite and is going this way, this way, on the roof. Now on the edge of the roof, so one gentleman standing, "Hey, you'll fall down." That is his duty. He says, "Why you are checking me?" (laughter) "Why you are checking me?" "Because I am human being. You are foolish boy. Therefore I am checking you." That is natural. Even a child, or the boy is not his son, but because he is a gentleman, he wants to give him some protection. It is the duty of gentleman. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to the Indians, that "You become perfect and go and give this knowledge to the rest of the world. They are all rascals." Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra [Cc. Ādi 9.41]. It is para-upakāra, humanitarian. You may say "Why do you bother?" But as a human being, I bother. Every human being will do that. Kṛṣṇa comes, bothering Himself. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata [Bg. 4.7]. "When these have become rascals, fools, I come, again advise them." So those who are servants of God, they are also doing the same thing, on behalf of God. Their position is therefore exalted. They should be worshiped as God because they are doing the work of God. They are not cheating public.

 Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban

Regarding your questions about how and from where did the conditioned souls fall, your first question if someone has a relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka, does he ever fall down? The souls are endowed with minute independence as part of their nature and this minute independence may be utilized rightly or wrongly at any time, so there is always the chance of falling down by misuse of one's independence. But those who are firmly fixed up in devotional service to Krsna are making proper use of their independence and so they do not fall down.

Regarding your second question, have the conditioned souls ever seen Krsna? Were they with the Lord before being conditioned by the desire to lord it over material nature? Yes, the conditioned souls are parts and parcels of the Lord and thus they were with Krsna before being conditioned. Just as the child must have seen his father because the father places the child in the womb of the mother, similarly each soul has seen Krsna or the Supreme Father. But at that time the conditioned souls are resting in the condition called susupti which is exactly deep sleep without dream, or anesthetized state, therefore they do not remember being with Krsna when they wake up in the material world and become engaged in material affairs. I hope this will satisfy your questions.

 Letter to: Jagadisa — Los Angeles 25 April, 1970

Prabhupada answers frequently asked questions

First question: What is the true aim of human life?

Answer: The real aim of life is to go back to Home, back to Godhead. We all living entities in different forms of body numbering 8,400,000 forms beginning from the aquatics up to the best advanced form of human life, there is a regular evolution by the laws of nature.

Pradyumna: Purport: "Religion includes four primary subjects, namely pious activities, economic development, satisfaction of the senses and, finally, liberation from material bondage." [SB 1.1.2]

Prabhupāda: There is complete facility because pūrṇam, whatever is done by Kṛṣṇa, that is complete. You cannot find out any flaw in it. His potencies are so complete that svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca.Just like a child, if you laugh, immediately crying response. So these things are not to be learned.Svābhāvikī, automatically. Similarly, because Kṛṣṇa, or God, is complete, whatever He does, it is complete. You cannot find out any flaw. You cannot say, "Oh, why God has done this?" Just like sometimes some foolish persons, they say, "Why God has made somebody poor and somebody rich?" This is most foolish question. Yes. If God has done it, then it is complete. There is no flaw. Just like if the state orders somebody to be murdered, to be killed, that is complete. You cannot find out any law, er, any flaw. That is complete execution of the law. So if we cannot find out in man-made laws, how we can find out a fault in God-made laws? That is not possible.

Prabhupāda: So you must be aware what is going to happen after death. Then if you become fearless, that is secure. But without knowing, if you are not afraid, that is risk.

Richard: Okay, are you familiar with the writings of Descartes?

Prabhupāda: We don't read anyone's books except Bhagavad-gītā.

Richard: Oh, I thought you said you studied other philosophies.

Prabhupāda: Study, there are so many books we study.

Richard: Right, okay, well anyway, there was a French philosopher in the 1700's named Rene Descartes, and his...

Prabhupāda: I think we have discussed this philosopher.

Richard: You have discussed him? All right, one of the things he said was that.... Oh, I'm sorry, it's Pascal. Anyway, same thing practically. Ah, he said that as far as an afterlife goes, as far as proving it, it's impossible to prove it.

Prabhupāda: Why impossible? He does not know.

Richard: Okay.

Prabhupāda: We can prove immediately.

Richard: Okay, but it's just a wager, it's a moot argument, the proofs are of a spiritual kind rather than a...

Prabhupāda: It requires little brain; otherwise, it can be proved immediately.

Richard: Pardon me, I didn't catch the last part.

Prabhupāda: This, that the spirit soul is there, that can be proved immediately provided one has brain to understand.

Satsvarūpa: Sometimes there's a question that I'm asked, that we say we're imperfect so we have to receive perfect knowledge, but they say if you're always imperfect, then how can you know that it's perfect, what you're hearing?

Prabhupāda: Yes, we are receiving knowledge from the perfect. Just like a child does not believe, a boy, he has not seen his father. He does not believe that there is father. But if the mother says, "Yes, my dear child, there is father," so then his knowledge is perfect. With his imperfect knowledge, he was disbelieving that there is father, but when the mother says, he has to accept it. Then his knowledge becomes perfect. He has not seen who is father. That's a fact, maybe. And, but the mother is authority. She says, "Here, my dear child. There is father." Then his knowledge perfect. So we may be imperfect, the child is imperfect, but when he gets the knowledge from the perfect source, mother, then it is perfect. Similarly, we, we never say that we are perfect. If you are perfect, then why you are learning? You are trying to become perfect. So our process is that we are receiving knowledge from the perfect. Therefore whatever we say, it is perfect. A child does not know, "What is this, father?" The father says "My dear child, it is called microphone." So after that, if he takes it and declares to anyone, "This is microphone," that is perfect, although he's a child. Because he's learned it from the perfect father. This is our process. We don't speculate. We don't speculate whether there is father or not. That is not our process. We ask from the mother, "Mother, they say I have got father. I have never seen." So mother says, "Yes, my dear child, you have got a father." Then finish. Knowledge is perfect. And the child cannot challenge, "I have never seen my father. How can I believe you?" This is nonsense. Your mother says, that is fact. That's all, finished. You cannot challenge mother: "Mother, I have never seen my father; how can I believe?" That is nonsense! This is going on. "I have never seen God. Can you show me God?" This rascaldom is going on. First of all you must know you are a rascal. How can you see God? You hear from the authority who knows God. That is the injunction.

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

 [Bg. 4.34]

You have to approach tattva-darśī, who has seen God through spiritual eyes. So one has to approach such a person who actually knows God, seen God, and approach him, praṇipātena. Not like that childish challenge. By surrender, praṇipātena. Then question. First of all surrender. Praṇipātena, paripraśnena. Not by challenging. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Therefore one has to go to guru, where there is no challenge. There is no question of challenging. You can make question. That is another thing. But not challenge. Then you'll be deceived. Therefore first condition is praṇipātena. Without praṇipāta, you cannot make advancement.

Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit

Richard: Reality is a series of moments or a moment perceived by the senses.

Prabhupāda: That I have already explained. The drunkard is feeling by drinking his senses are very satisfied, that is reality.

Richard: Sure, it's his reality.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then why should you canvass him, "Please come to the church and accept Christianity"?

Richard: Frankly, I don't know. I don't really know why he should be asked to go to church.

Prabhupāda: Therefore.... Then there is no need of church. Everyone can do whatever he thinks reality. That is no standard reality.

Richard: No, reality is not in itself a goal. It just is.

Prabhupāda: Then what is the goal?

Richard: I would say, you know, we discussed this earlier, it's a, it's trying to find what makes one's life worthwhile.

Prabhupāda: Trying to find, that means you do not know.

Richard: No, I think life is a pursuit, I don't think it...

Prabhupāda: What is that pursuit if you have no aim or objective? You are going to school, the object is you become a graduate. If you do not know what is the ultimate goal, what is this pursuit?

Richard: Why pursue something?

Prabhupāda: You are going to school, college, suppose you are going to be graduate, but if you do not know what is the ultimate end of pursuit, then what is this pursuit? Simply blind?

Richard: No, it's, it's just trying to make your life work.

Prabhupāda: There must be some goal, ultimate goal. That we must know. That is called pursuit. If you do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, then there is no meaning of pursuit.

Richard: Um.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda is talking about an absolute reality, not a relative reality.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Richard: What is your definition of an absolute reality?

Prabhupāda: That is final.

Richard: A goal.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Richard: Okay, and what is the absolute reality?

Prabhupāda: Relative means it is understood in two ways. Absolute means there are no two ways, final. Final. So what is the final aim of our life? That we must know.

Richard: Do you know?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, we know, everyone, all of our students.

Richard: What is that absolute reality that is the absolute goal?

Rāmeśvara: The absolute goal is to understand that within this body there is a living force which is spiritual, and that spiritual force is a servant of God. It has a relationship with God. Apart from how you perceive the world through your senses, beyond that there is a soul which has a relationship with God. That is the absolute reality. You may perceive the world in so many ways through your senses, but beyond that, within your body there is a soul which is yearning for a relationship, a loving relationship with God. And if you neglect that relationship due to your senses...

Prabhupāda: Ignorance.

Rāmeśvara: ...or ignorance, then you're missing the reality of life and you're living in an illusion. Due to your senses you're living, you could live, be living in illusion. The senses are not perfect instruments for understanding reality. There is another process for understanding reality. The senses are not perfect. Therefore one should not depend upon the senses to understand reality. There is a greater process.

 Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles

Vedic civilization gives protection to all the living creatures, especially the cows, because they render such valuable service to the human society in the shape of milk, without which no one can become healthy and strong. In your country the dog is protected, and the cow is killed. The dog is passing stool and urine in the street, he is considered the best friend of man, and the cow is all pure, stool, urine, and milk, but they are taken to the slaughter house and killed for food. What kind of civilization is this. Therefore we have to preach against all this nonsense.

Srila Prabhupada's letter to: Rupanuga — Vrindaban 7 December, 1975

Interviewer: I mean you say that people identify themselves, the body as the self.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interviewer: And that this is ignorance to identify the self with the body.

Prabhupāda: That I have already explained, that the driver...

Interviewer: But does that mean a sort of rejection of the body as unimportant?

Prabhupāda: Not rejection. Again, you come to the...

Interviewer: But the body is important to the self isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just try to understand. That we have already explained. The driver and the car are two different identities, is it not?

Interviewer: Yes.

Prabhupāda: The driver can exist without the car and the car without the driver has no value.

Interviewer: Well, in that sense...

Prabhupāda: So why don't you understand first of all this?

Interviewer: ...in keeping with that analogy can the self exist, does the self exist without the body in this world?

Prabhupāda: Yes, oh yes.

Interviewer: In this life?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Life is always there.

Interviewer: As a spirit apart from the body.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is the ideal life.

Bali-mardana: That is the goal.

Prabhupāda: That is the goal. When the soul lives without this material body, that is his liberated life. Just like the criminal, he can live within the jail and without the jail. But he's thinking wrongly that without jail he cannot live. But his life without jail is real life.

Interviewer: That reflects the old, the Hindu view that...

Prabhupāda: Why you again bring Hindu view?

Interviewer: Or, the, at least the Eastern religious view, that to leave this life...

Prabhupāda: Why we are bringing Hindu and Muslim view?

So far keeping Deity in your separate house, I think there is no need for this. Because if you keep Him there, you have to take proper care, with aratis and attention, and thus divert attention from the Deity in the temple, and from chanting and so many other forms of service, like your writing and sewing, etc. So I think it best if everyone centers his attention on the Deity in the temple, and in that way the temple worship will pull on nicely. Of course, if the temple is unapproachable, or too far, or something like that, that is different thing, but if the temple is easily accessible then this is the best program—for all to go there and attend arati and kirtana etc. Letter to: Satyabhama — Hawaii 30 March, 1969 Worship of Radha and Krishna is no cheap thing. It cannot be done whimsically, but it must be very carefully executed under strict regulation. Not that there can be LSD taking and all sinful activities, and then Deity worship. I have made it a point that unless one is able to keep to the same standard that is kept here at the temple, he should not worship the Deity separately. Best thing is to keep a Guru-Gauranga altar at home and take part in the Deity worship program at the temple. Letter to: Caitanya — Los Angeles 25 April, 1973 In the Viṣṇu-dharmottara there is a statement about touching the lotus feet of the Lord. It is said: "Only a person who is initiated as a Vaiṣṇava and is executing devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has the right to touch the body of the Deity." In India there was agitation during Gandhi's political movement because the lowborn classes of men like street-sweepers and caṇḍālas are prohibited, according to the Vedic system, from entering the temple. Due to their unclean habits they are prohibited, but at the same time they are given other facilities so they may be elevated to the highest grade of devotional service by association with pure devotees. A man born in any family is not barred, but he must be cleansed. That cleansing process must be adopted. Gandhi wanted to make them clean simply by stamping them with a fictitious name, Hari-jana (children of God), and so there was a great tug of war between the temple owners and Gandhi's followers. But anyway, the present law is the law of all scripture-that if anyone is purified he can enter into the temple. Actually, that is the position. Only one who is properly initiated, who is properly following the rules and regulations, can enter and touch the Deity-not all. And one who touches the body of the Deity, following such regulative principles, is immediately delivered from the contamination of material sins, and all of his desires become fulfilled without delay. NOD: Touching the Deity

Material life means attachment for women, children, friends, countrymen, position, wealth, and good name. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam material existence is compare to a forest full of plunderers, dacoits, jackals, tigers and other ferocious animals. The jackals are compare to one's wife and children. In the dead of the night jackals cry very loudly, and similarly one's wife and children in this material world also cry like jackals. The children say, "Father is wanted: give me this, I am your dear son.'' Or the wife says, "I am your dear wife. Please give me this. This is now needed.'' In this way one is plundered by the thieves in the forest. Now knowing the aim of human life, one is constantly being misguided. The aim of life is Visnu, or Krishna (Na te vidhu svartha-gatim hi visnum) Everyone works very hard to earn money, but no one knows that his real work is to serve Krishna, the supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead of spending money to advance the cause of Krishna consciousness, one spends his hard earned money on clubs, brothels, liquor, drugs cigarettes, slaughterhouses and so forth. All these activities are sinful, and because we are engaged in such sinful activities constantly we are constantly reaping the result of our sinful work, which is suffering in one way or another.

But even if one is pious he cannot escape from the sufferings of material existence in the shape of Birth, death, old age and disease. Therefore the only solution to all problems of life social economic, or political is to surrender to Krishna. Krishna says "the material nature is very difficult to overcome, but one who has surrendered unto me can very easily cross beyond it.'' So to surrender to Krishna is not difficult all we have to do is follow the instructions given by Krishna in Bhagavad-gita under the guidance of his representative, the spiritual master.

So you are already chanting Hare Krishna, now simply try to give up these four habits of sinful life, and the best way to be successful in this attempt is to associate with the devotees of the Lord. Therefore we have established so many temples of Krishna. You simply go there, the devotees are very kind, you will be welcome and by their association automatically you will make advancement and purify your life.

 Letter to: W.J. Carpenter — New Delhi 30 November, 1975

Prabhupāda: Religion means the order of God. Simple definition. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like law, we keep to the right or left, order of the government. One who obeys this law, he's good citizen. One who disobeys, he's rascal. Similarly, dharma means the order of God. So one who obeys the order of God, he is really religious. One who does not, he's rogue, duṣkṛtina. This is simple. [break].... Christian. Now, what is the order of God? The Ten Commandments. If one abides by the Ten Commandments, he's really Christian. Take Buddhism; if he abides by the order of Lord Buddha, then he's right. Take Muhammadans even. So it may be one is Muhammadan, one is Christian, or one is Buddhist, one is Hindu, but if he abides by the order of God, then he's religious. Otherwise bogus. We are concerned Vedic religion. Our conclusion is that to approach Lord Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. This is Vedic, Ṛg-mantra. Or Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. If one abides by this, then he's religious, or really religious. If he does not obey, then where is the religion? There is no religion. The instruction is here. One has to understand the philosophy from Bhagavad-gītā rightly and appreciate, himself, and preach. This is wanted.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes we hear that, from different religions, one should have faith in God. One should have faith in God.

Prabhupāda: Unless one has faith, how he'll surrender?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But we see that persons, they speak of having faith without actually following the instruction of God.

Prabhupāda: That means he's rascal! What is the meaning of faith? If you don't surrender, where is the meaning of faith? He's a rascal. When the surrender comes? When I have got full faith—"Oh, Kṛṣṇa is God, He's saying surrender. All right, let me surrender"—that is faith. "Yes, I have faith, but I don't surrender." What is this nonsense?

Guru-kṛpā: "But we have weaknesses. Temptation is very strong."

Prabhupāda: That is another. You strongly pray to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Then it will be possible. And if you have got less faith, then it will..., you'll have to suffer. You'll have to suffer.

Upendra: We sometimes see that those who have faith in their religious process, but because in their...

Prabhupāda: But that is not faith, that is rascaldom. If you have faith, you must abide by the religious process. If you don't follow, that means you have no faith.

Upendra: But sometimes we meet a rare soul who does follow, but because there's no mention of Kṛṣṇa in his scripture...

Prabhupāda: No, it is not the question of Kṛṣṇa religion.... If he believes in God and the God's word is religion, so he must follow the God's law. It doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa is another name of God. But God is the same, one, either you call Kṛṣṇa, or Govinda, or this or that. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. First of all, one must be faithful to God. That you may call God or Allah, it doesn't matter. But you must know what is God and what is faith to God, what is definition of God, what do you mean by "understand God." These things are required.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So that must become the practice of...

Prabhupāda: Practice is no question. We have to talk with science. Practice, you have practiced something which is against religion. That should not be taken.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's become the fashion of world...

Prabhupāda: Fashion? Your fashion, kick on the face! No fashion! (devotees laugh) It is a science. It is not the question of fashion, a false faith, belief. These are all rascals. Science is science. Two plus two equal to four. That's all. There is no question of "I have no faith in this. I say five!" That will not be accepted. Two plus two equal to four. It is neither five nor three. If that truth is there, then there is faith. "God is this, and sometimes God is this"—that is no understanding of God. You must have clear understanding of God.

卍 Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne 卐

Carol Jarvis: Many people find it very difficult to reconcile the spiritual way of life in the Kṛṣṇa movement with the great financial resources the movement also has. Why do you need any great financial...?

Prabhupāda: It doesn't.... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not depend on any material condition, any material condition.

Carol Jarvis: But you make a lot of money out of the sales of your books, etc.; there is begging in the street each day.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But there are many beggars. They do not get money. We get money. We are not beggars. We are giving books, knowledge. Do you think we are beggars?

Carol Jarvis: If I could use the example, perhaps, of your temple, which has a lot of very rich material things in it. I wonder what significance that plays in your spiritual life.

Prabhupāda: So what do you mean by spiritual and material? Do you know the distinction? Then I'll show you spiritual. And do you know?

Carol Jarvis: Well, the material...

Prabhupāda: I say that in the temple there is nothing material, all spiritual, but you have no eyes to see to it.

Devotee (2): Prabhupāda, the education is to teach the students how to find out on their own. They say if you take authority from somebody else, it just stifles their growth, and that is not actually knowledge, that is not learning. But you encourage them or give them the facility...

Prabhupāda: But why the rascal is called to the school? He may learn at home.

Devotee (2): Well, they want to condition them...

Prabhupāda: What?

Devotee (2): ...with various values.

Prabhupāda: What is the value? If you are calling him to take education from the school, that means he is accepting authority. Let him be educated at home. Why the college?

Devotee: But in the classrooms, they simply...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no, first of all, the principle? What is this principle?

Rāmeśvara: To train him in the methods of...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that means authority. You are teaching him to accept the authority. And you are teaching against authority. Everything contradictory. One side, contraceptive; one side, illicit sex. And the.... But Vedic civilization says, "All right, as soon as woman is widow, let her remain as a saintly woman—no more sex." But "No, you can marry and you can have sex hundred times daily, but use contraceptive." Is that civilization? To train one woman not to have any more sex, this is also contraceptive. And another way that "You can have sex any amount, as many times as you like. Take this contraceptive." Whose civilization better? And you call him to be trained up to accept authority and teach him, "Don't accept any authority." Is that education? Nonsense.

Haṁsadūta: They're doing that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are doing that.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This is the idea of the secular state, though...

Prabhupāda: Well, secul.... Whatever you name it, you're all set of rascals. That's all. (laughter) You can change the name in different way, but on the whole, you are all set of rascals. This is the whole world's beauty.

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Māyāpura

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we understand that in the Satya-yuga one hundred percent of the population was God conscious. But then again, we see many times it is stated that, for example, there were always prostitutes or there was always this or...

Prabhupāda: No, there were no prostitute in Satya-yuga.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No meat-eaters.

Prabhupāda: No meat-eaters.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: None whatsoever.

Prabhupāda: All paramahaṁsas. In the Satya-yuga they are all paramahaṁsa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Every single person.

Prabhupāda: Every person was perfectly, spiritually...

Harikeśa: On the earth.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then in Tretā-yuga one-fourth diminished. And then Dvāpara-yuga, half diminished. And in Kali-yuga, three-fourth diminished. Seventy-five per cent are all rogues, and twenty-five per cent... That is expected, but that is now diminishing. They are all rogues with the advancement of Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]. Therefore there is no other method to save them. Harer nāmaiva kevalam. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift. Incorrigible. Everyone will be incorrigible. Only hope is Hare Kṛṣṇa. The whole Vedic system is to make human being correct. Being incorrect, they are suffering in this material world repetition of birth, death. Sometimes man, sometimes dog. So to correct him so that he comes to his original position, Kṛṣṇa conscious, and go back to home. This is the whole Vedic civilization, to correct him. Therefore it is called saṁskāra. Saṁskāra means correction. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ.(?)To correct him and bring him to the brahminical stage. From pig stage to brahminical stage. This is Vedic civilization. Everyone is like pig in this material world. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says, "Now don't live like pig." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁnṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: [SB 5.5.1] "Now, you, My children... " He was advising, instructing His son that "Now this life is not to live like pig." This is the first instruction, because everyone is more or less pig, living like pig. Pig means he has no discrimination of eating and he has no discrimination of sex. That is pig. And everyone is like that. No discrimination of eating, especially in the Western. And no discrimination of sex. Pigs. Big pig or small pig, that's all. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, "Now My dear sons, don't spoil your life living like pigs." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁnṛloke. Nṛloke means "In the human society you should not live like pig and very hard labor." So the whole civilization at the present moment they want to live like pig, and to live like pig they are working like an ass. And that is civilization, working like ass to become a pig. You tell them!

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada boldy speaks against the wide spread philosophy of limited oneness

So these things are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yesam anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam, te dvandva-moha-nirmukta [Bg. 7.28]. Duality. Actually, we are monists. We do not know anything except Krsna. The Mayavadis, they say they are monists, but they're dualists. They say, brahma satyam jagan mithya. Why? Wherefrom the jagat come? If Brahman is satya, if the Absolute Truth is truth, then janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], this world has emanated from the Absolute Truth. Then how it can be untruth? Does it mean that truth produces untruth? This is the defect of Mayavada philosophy. They are not actually monists. They are dualists. They are distinguishing Brahman and maya. But we say that only Krsna. Ekale isvara krsna ara saba bhrtya [Cc. Adi 5.142]. Maya is the servant of Krsna. That is a, that is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, in Brahma-samhita. In all the Vedic literature this is confirmed. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: [Bg. 9.10] "This prakrti, this maya, this material energy, is acting under My superintendence, under My guidance."

So we don't accept this material nature as final. We have Krsna on the background, that He is, only, the master. So therefore we are monists. Simply we know Krsna and everything emanating from Krsna. That is described everywhere. In the Brahma-samhita the same truth is... Srsti-sthiti, srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. This material energy is called Durga, but she is so powerful... Srsti-sthiti.... She can create wonderful things. She can maintain wonderful things. She can dissolve wonderful things, so powerful, but she is acting under the direction... Chayeva yasya bhuvanani bibharti durga. Chayeva. Just like shadow moves by the movement of the reality, similarly, this material nature is working under the direction of the Supreme.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969

Guest (3): Is it possible for any entity to do something until the Lord hears him?

Prabhupada: Yes. God sanctions, but you desire. "Man proposes, God disposes." Whatever you desire, if you insist, God will sanction. And without His sanction you cannot do. Therefore your doing something is dependent on God's sanction. But you desire something out of your own will. You are not a stone. You are a living entity. So you can desire anything. Krsna conscious, they do not do anything without Krsna's sanction.

Guest (3): The Krsna consciousness say, you cannot do anything unless the Lord desires it.

Prabhupada: Yes. Not God desires. God sanctions. Don't say like that. Desire is yours, but sanction is God's. Just like you want to do some business. You must take sanction from the government. You take license. You cannot do out of your own will. Similarly, you can desire and propose, "God, I want to do this," and God will sanction. So those who are not Krsna conscious, they want. "I want this. I want this. I want this. I want this." Krsna says, "All right. Take this." But Krsna says that "You give up all this nonsense," that we do not take. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam: [Bg. 18.66] "Simply take Me." But that we do not do. We ask Krsna, "Please let me do this." "All right, do it." Yathecchasi tatha kuru [Bg. 18.63]. Krsna inquires from Arjuna after teaching him Bhagavad-gita, "Now I have spoken to you everything. What you want to do, you can do." That is Krsna's proposal. Krsna says that best thing is that you simply take to Krsna. But Krsna gives you the opportunity, liberty, that whatever you do, whatever you like, you can do. Now it is your choice. Just like father, (and) grown-up son. He says, "My dear boy, you do like this. That is my opinion." But when the son says, "No. I shall do like this." "All right, you do whatever you like." But without father's sanction, as the son cannot do anything, similarly, without Krsna's sanction you cannot do anything. But the proposal is yours. Therefore this maxim: "Man proposes, God disposes." So God is not responsible for your work. If you act according to the order of God, then He's responsible. And if you act against the will of God, then you are responsible. Yes?

Guest (4): (indistinct)

Prabhupada: I cannot hear him.

Devotee: Is desire, desire is due to the material contamination, or is it...?

Prabhupada: Yes. Desire is according to association. You mix with the drunkards, you'll desire to drink. And you mix with us, you'll desire to worship Krsna. Therefore we are giving you facility. You associate with us and desire only Krsna. That's all. Yes.

Indian man: But why there is so..., there is duality in this world?

Prabhupada: There is no duality. There is one, Krsna. But you have created duality. That is maya. When you forget Krsna, that is duality. When you think that there is something else other than Krsna, that is duality. So people are not coming to Krsna consciousness, that is duality. They are thinking that "We can be happy without Krsna." That is duality. If they know it perfectly well that "Krsna is one, and therefore my interest is with Krsna. My interest should not be different from Krsna's interest," that is oneness. Just like in a family the head is the father. So if anyone acts according to the head of the family, there is no duality. If some of the members says, "No. I'll act like this," there is duality. So if every one acts according to the desire of Krsna, there is no duality. There is oneness. But we don't act; therefore there is

duality. Therefore duality is maya.

 Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3  -- London, August 4, 1971