Spoken September 2
Bg 6.1-4 Lecture
Prabhupāda: We have finished the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. Today we shall begin the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter you’ll find the process of yoga. You have heard many times of the yoga system. That yoga system is approved by Bhagavad-gītā. But the system of yoga as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is specially meant for purifying your status. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. To control the senses and to purify the process of work, that is the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to purify the process of our activities and to control the senses. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. The other day we have explained who is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahma-jyotir effulgence.
Interview with the New York Times
Prabhupāda: When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, we mean God. Everyone has some vague idea of God, but no clear idea. Therefore God descends to show what He is. If we speculate on God, someone will think one thing and another person will think another. This is the result of speculation. But if God Himself comes and shows Himself as He is and speaks about Himself, that is perfect knowledge. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading that message. God Himself is speaking about Himself: “I am like this; I am like this. My form is like this. My activities are like this. My address is this and that. If you like, you can come back to Me. This is the situation. Everyone can come to Me.” All this information is there in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. In Bhagavad-gītā God speaks about Himself and presents Himself as He is. We have simply to take that information; then we can understand God. As soon as we understand God, we can go home immediately.
Śrī Vyāsa-pūjā Address
Ladies and gentlemen, this ceremony… Of course, those who are my students, they know what is this ceremony. Those who are visitors, for their information, I may inform you something about this ceremony, otherwise, it may not be misunderstood. A outsider may see it that “Why a person is being worshiped like God?” There may be some doubt. So this is the etiquette. This ceremony is called Vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa. Vyāsa means the original author of Vedic literature. He is incarnation of Nārāyaṇa. He gave us all Vedic knowledge. He received the knowledge from Nārada. Nārada received the knowledge from Brahmā. Brahmā received the knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. So in this way, by disciplic succession, we get transcendental knowledge. So Vyāsadeva… Formerly, before Vyāsadeva, say five thousand years ago, before that time there was no need of written literature. People were so sharp in their memory that whatever they would hear from the spiritual master they would remember for life. The memory was so sharp. But in this age—it is called Kali-yuga—we are reducing our bodily strength, our memory, power of memorizing, our feelings of sympathy for others, compassion, age, duration of life, religious propensities. In this way, in this age we are reducing everything.
Bg 2.32 Lecture
Prabhupāda: So, it is the duty of the kṣatriya to see that everyone is executing his proper professional or occupational duty. We have discussed this point yesterday, sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya. Sva-dharma. This is very important. At the present moment there is no sva-dharma. Therefore according to Vedic injunctions, dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ: one who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma. A brāhmaṇa, it is the duty of the brāhmaṇa to see that his son is being properly trained up as a brāhmaṇa: satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. Everything is there. The brāhmaṇas should be taught how to become truthful, first of all. A brāhmaṇa will never speak lie, at any cost. It is stated that even if his enemy inquires something confidential from him, he’ll say, “Yes, this is my position.” This is truthfulness. He’ll not even, I mean to say, guile against his enemy. He should be truthful. Even kṣatriyas, they are also truthful men. Truthfulness is so valuable. That makes one powerful brāhmaṇa. Satyam.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests
Prabhupāda: …but spiritual, satisfaction of spiritual starvation. Because we are spiritual being. That I was trying to explain, that we have bodily necessities, at the same time we have spiritual necessities. This Western civilization, they are simply after the bodily necessities. Just like here is a qualified medical man. He’s made… What for, medical man? He knows how to satisfy the medical necessities of the body. He has no information of the spirit soul. Is it not a fact? Have you got any idea what is spirit soul? Guest (2) [Indian Doctor]: Not from the medical knowledge, certainly not. Prabhupāda: Therefore I say that these universities, educational institution, all over the world, they are simply concerned with this body. According to our Vedic culture, to remain satisfied with the bodily necessities of life is the business of animals. Sa eva go-kharaḥ.
SB 6.1.66
So this is the beginning of saṁsāra. So there is attraction between man and woman, and as soon as the attraction becomes little intimate, they unite. Then they have children. Then they require money, apartment, so many things. This man became sinful. He gave up his real wife, married wife, coming from very good family, but he became attracted with that śūdrāṇī, fourth class. Śūdra means fourth class, worker class. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So śūdra women, they are not chaste. Some of them are practically professional prostitute. But that is not in higher caste family—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. But at the present moment it is very difficult to distinguish who is brāhmaṇa and who is śūdra. But formerly this is the system of Vedic civilization—ideal character, ideal behavior of the brāhmaṇa; less, little less, kṣatriya; little less, vaiśya; and less than the vaiśya, the śūdra; and less than the śūdras are called caṇḍālas. First class, second class, third class, fourth class and then fifth class.
Morning Walk [partially recorded]
Prabhupāda: Chain is broken when there are false spiritual masters. Otherwise it is not broken. Chain is broken if a so-called spiritual master speaks something manufactured. Then the chain is broken. Otherwise, chain is not broken. Devotee: [indistinct] Prabhupāda: No, you could not. [break] Uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: “The spiritual master is as good as God because he’s very dear to Kṛṣṇa.” He’s preaching Kṛṣṇa’s mission, and Kṛṣṇa is very, very pleased with him. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ [Bg. 18.69]. That is spiritual master’s qualification. He’s trying his best to deliver the soul from these clutches of māyā. That is a great service. Therefore he is very dear. One who is chanting or executing devotional service for his personal benefit and one who is trying to deliver others for others’ benefit, there is difference.
Letters September 2
Kathmandu My dear Gargamuni Swami, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. I hope you have received my last letter dated 27th August, 1971 and Bali Mardan and Madhavananda should have arrived there by now.
Toronto My dear Jagadisa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 27th August, 1971 and I thank you very much for the same. It is very much encouraging to hear that you have opened one center in Ottawa and soon will start another in London, Ontario. You have got complete capacity to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement. That is a fact. So work enthusiastically...
Jayapataka Calcutta My dear Jayapataka Maharaja, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25th August, 1971 along with trial balance and balance sheet but I do not follow the debit and credit side. Generally debit side means receiver
My dear Madhudvisa Swami, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 22nd August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. There is some contemplation for my going to Africa on my way to India so if that settlement is made then I shall go there for a few days and then come to Bombay. If no settlement is made then I am coming directly to Bombay and I shall let...
Sivananda Berlin My dear Sivananda, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 29th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. Vanaprastha asrama can be taken even in the presence of the wife. Not that because your wife has left you have to take vanaprastha. That depends on your choice. In one sense if your wife has actually left you it is a blessing. Better to...
Lalitananda Kenmore, New York My dear Lalitananda, Please accept my blessings. Thank you very much for your letter dated August 26, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully, along with your check for , which has been duly deposited in my Book Fund. Thank you very much. As for your questions, Lalitananda means one who takes his pleasure from Lalita, who is one of the chief Gopis around Krishna....
Los Angeles My dear Omkara dasi: Please accept my blessings. I have seen your letter dated August 17, 1975 and have noted the contents. I never said there should be no more marriage. By all means legally you can get married. How can I object? They misunderstand me. Unless it is there from me in writing, there are so many things that

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