# August 10 ## Spoken on August 10 *Lectures from this day: 13 recordings* --- **[1966: Bhagavad-gītā 4.24–34](spoken/1966/660810bg.ny.md)** > "After many, many births, when a man is actually in full knowledge, he surrenders unto Me," the Lord says. That is the ultimate interest. That is the ultimate knowledge, that one should understand his relationship with Viṣṇu and surrender there. That is... *Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante*: "After many, many births," *jñānavān,* "who has actually acquired knowledge, he surrenders unto Me," the Lord says. > Just yesterday night one of our friend inquired that "How long it takes time to have complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So I replied that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness can take place in a second, and it may not take in thousands of years. Because the point is here that after all, we have to come to this point, that surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, *vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti* —*Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa—"Kṛṣṇa is everything, and therefore I surrender unto Him." *Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.* That person, a great soul, is very rare to be found. --- **[1971: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.2 Purport on Guruvaṣṭakam](spoken/1971/710810sb.lon)** > So *taṁ sarva-bhūta-hṛdayaṁ munim ānato 'smi* : "I am offering my respectful obeisances unto the great sage, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, whose activities is like that. Immediately coming out of the womb of his mother he left home without being..., undergoing any *saṁskāra.*" So *saṁskāra* is required who is impure. So we should not imitate, neither it is in our capability that as soon as we get out of the womb of mother we can walk. > So as it is statewise fire brigade is ready, similarly, universally this material world is also, there is chance of fire at any moment. We do not want it, but it will take place. Therefore this material existence is called *saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka.* And the forest fire is compared, especially mentioned: this fire cannot be extinguished by your fire brigade. You cannot send fire brigade to the forest. I've seen in Nainital. From Katgudang[?] station, about, oh, one mile up in the hill there is fire. So, long ago. So I asked the man, "What is that?" "That is fire." --- **[1972: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.11–12](spoken/1972/720810sb.lon)** > Similarly *brahma-jyoti*, Brahman effulgence, is the effect of the effulgence from the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. *Brahmajyoti*. And within this *brahma-jyoti* there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. *B*rahmeti*... In the *Bhagavad-gītā* Lord says, *brahmaṇo aham pratiṣṭha*. This *brahma-jyoti* effulgence... Just like the sunshine is resting on the sun globe. The sunshine is not so important as the sun globe, because from there the sunshine is coming out. Although the sunshine is universally spread, still it is less important than the sun globe. Similarly, Brahman effulgence is unlimited; still it is less important than the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. > So *yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām*. And *puṇya-karma* is devotional service—there is no comparison. If you offer little fruit, flower, water with devotion to Kṛṣṇa, it is many, many times greater than all kinds of pious activities. That is the version of the *śāstra*. So we remain pure and go on executing devotional service, *puṇya-karma,* and God will be realized. *Svayam eva sphuraty adhaḥ* [*Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*1.2.234]. --- **[1973: Bhagavad-gītā 13.1–2](spoken/1973/730810bg.par)** > Suppose you have given somebody power of attorney to do some business. So after finishing the business, if you see the paper, not very favorable, it has not been done very nicely, still you have to accept, because your representative has signed it. Yes. Therefore *yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ.* Kṛṣṇa [indistinct] not satisfied, but if your *guru* is satisfied, then Kṛṣṇa must be satisfied. This is Kṛṣṇa's obligation. Because He has sent His representative. Kṛṣṇa has... *Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān*. Kṛṣṇa says, "*Ācārya,* that is I am." *Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit.* "Never try to neglect *ācārya.*" *Nāvamanyeta.* Neither think of *ācārya* as ordinary person. *Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta.* Vedic injunction is one must approach... > Not that God or God's representative says, "Thou shall not kill," and I go on killing in the slaughterhouse. And when I am asked why I am killing, I give some interpretation of my own. This rascaldom is going on. Nobody's religious, because nobody's following the orders of God. Neither anybody... *Māṁ ca vetti na kaścana.* Kṛṣṇa says that "I know past, present, future—everything." That is confirmed in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ* means one who knows. And Kṛṣṇa confirms it: "Yes, I know, past, present, future—everything." That is Kṛṣṇa. That is God. Therefore His order is supreme. --- **[1973: Room Conversation With Anna Conan Doyle [Daughter-in-law of Famous Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle](spoken/1973/730810r1.par)** > Therefore nature is very strong. We cannot avoid the control of the nature. If you do something, it must acting..., react in the same way. The same... If you put your finger in the fire, it must react, burn it. Nature is so strong. So as soon as you violate any laws of nature, you'll be punished. That is... Just like God... State police is there, engaged by the government. As soon as you violate law, the police will arrest you and give you punishment. Similarly, material nature means the police of God. As soon as you violate God laws, it will give immediately punishment. That is material nature. It is always punishing us. Because we are, one after another, we are violating the laws of God. Therefore she's always punishing. That is her business. > Mother nature is described as Goddess Durgā, and she has got a trident in her hand. That is punishment. Three kinds of miserable condition: *ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. Ādhyātmika,* pertaining to the body and mind; *ādhibhautika,* miserable condition offered by others; and *ādhidaivika,* miserable condition offered by higher authorities. Just like if there is no rain, you cannot do anything. Your so-called science and advancement of knowledge will not be able to help. Or if there is overflood. That also you cannot do anything. Therefore you have to accept there is a controller of this raining. It is not under my control. That is nature. But nature is working under the direction of God. Behind the background of nature is God. Just like background of police force is the government, similarly, background of the stringent laws of nature is God. --- **[1973: Room Conversation with French Journalist, Maurice Rougemont](spoken/1973/730810r2.par)** > At the present moment, the society's working under the influence of passion and ignorance. The brain is lacking now. Therefore we are creating Kṛṣṇa conscious men who has got real brain, intelligent class of men. So other classes of men, who are acting under influence of passion and ignorance, they should take direction from us. And for our directing business, we don't charge anything. And if they follow our direction, they have no loss. >...that he's not disturbed by mental anxieties, bodily disease, natural disturbances and fighting or quarreling with other living entities. So when he's perfectly in peaceful condition of life, he can save time for advancement in spiritual consciousness. --- **[1973: Room Conversation with Dr. Inger UNESCO Worker](spoken/1973/730810r3.par)** > If, actually, anyone wants *śānti,* peace, he must know these three things. The Lord, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the enjoyer, *bhokta.* What is called? Beneficiary? Yes. Because He's the owner. *Sarva-loka-maheśvaram.* And He's friend of everyone. *Suhṛdaṁ-sarva-bhūtānām. Jñātvā.* "Knowing this," *mām,* "Me", Kṛṣṇa says, *śāntim ṛcchati,* "there is *śānti."* There is *śānti.* Otherwise, this, this so-called conference, and big, big office, big, big salary, big, big officer, it will never be successful. > The only religious books that have come out are those that have been translated. Old books like the *Sacred Books to* [of] *the East*, for instance, Max Muller's books. And they have been reprinted. And occasionally a few translations have been done from Tulasidas or some other philosophers, rewritten, like Śaṅkara later on. But, but all of those have been done because somebody else has commissioned them. But otherwise, there isn't that. Except they have had some meetings in various places. But at none of these meetings do they really discuss the problem that..., of the... Well occasional people, occasional philosophers, they never really discuss that. I think because the word *religion* I think probably is the stumbling block. --- **[1974: Bhagavad-gītā 7.4](spoken/1974/740810bg.vrn)** > So Kṛṣṇa says that *ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭa...* Everything is finer. Just like the earth is grosser than the water. Water, finer. Earth you cannot move, but water can move; therefore it is finer. And finer than the earth is the fire, and finer than the fire is air, and finer than the air is ether, and finer than the ether is the mind, and finer than the mind is intelligence, and finer than intelligence is my identity, *ahaṅkāra.* And finer than the *ahaṅkāra* is the soul. You have to study soul—finer, finer, finer, finer, finer. It is also stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā* in another place that *indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhiḥ...*. > Kṛṣṇa, by His one plenary portion... When we say of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Kṛṣṇa has unlimited expansions. Just like one expansion is Paramātmā. *Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati*. Kṛṣṇa expands Himself. There are millions and trillions of living entities. *Anantyāya kalpate.* The living entities... *Sa ca anantyāya kalpate.* So Kṛṣṇa's expansion is also *ananta.* Not only within the heart of all living entities, but He is within the atom also. *Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara.* But this is only one plenary portion, expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the morning we were studying—or yesterday—that to understand Kṛṣṇa philosophically or in truth, it requires a little intelligence. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, *manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām .* --- **[1974: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.29](spoken/1974/740810sb.vrn)** > So you don't want to..., if you don't want to become a rascal—if you want to become a *mahātmā—*then you accept what Kṛṣṇa says and preach that. Kṛṣṇa says, *mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat* : "There is no more superior authority than Me." You say that. You say, *vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti.* "Here is... Kṛṣṇa is the cause." You understand or don't understand, if you simply pick up the words of Kṛṣṇa and talk like that, then you become *mahātmā.* There is no difficulty to become *mahātmā.* But these *durātmās,* the rascals, they talk differently from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are not *mahātmās;* they are all *durātmā.* Therefore the process is that if you want to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to find out a *guru* who is *mahātmā. Ādau gurvāśrayam.* That is the first business. *Ādau,* in the beginning, *gurvāśrayam,* to take shelter of a bona fide *mahātmā guru*. That is the Vedic instruction. *Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet* [Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad* 1.2.12].* > Out of many millions of person, one is perfect, and out of many millions of perfect person, one can hardly understand what is Kṛṣṇa. And these rascals understand Kṛṣṇa. They remark that "Kṛṣṇa is like this. Kṛṣṇa is like this." How much rascaldom it is. This is the... Kṛṣṇa says personally, and Lord Brahmā says, *vedeṣu durlabham. Vedeṣu durlabham* [Bs. 5.33]. --- **[1976: Evening Darśana](spoken/1976/760810ed.teh)** > Nobody. Do you think your king, Shah, is also happy? No. --- **[1976: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.22.21](spoken/1976/760810sb.teh)** --- ## Letters on August 10 *Letters from this day: 2* --- **[1968: Letter to Wendy Weiser](letters/1968/680810_wendy_weiser)** > And when you are in Boston, it is not very far from Montreal, so you can come here to visit. And when you come here, we shall talk together, and I shall initiate you as my disciple if you so desire. --- **[1974: Letter to Sudama Vipra](letters/1974/740810_sudama_vipra)** > My advice to you is that whatever instruction you have received from me, just try to follow to your best. ---