# August 23 *Lectures from this day: 5 recordings* --- **[[spoken/680823le.mon|Lecture [partially recorded] — August 23, 1968, Montreal]]** **Prabhupāda:** So to love Kṛṣṇa, we don't require anything. *Ahaituky apratihatā* [[sb/1/2/6|[SB. 1.2.6] ]]. It is open for everyone. But we should learn to sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa. That is the sign of love. *Yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi* [[bg/9/27|[Bg. 9.27] ]]. If you... You are eating. If you simply decide that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa," then Kṛṣṇa will understand, "Oh, here is a devotee." "I shall not see anything except Kṛṣṇa's beauty," Kṛṣṇa can understand. "I shall not hear anything except Hare Kṛṣṇa and topics on Kṛṣṇa..." These things are there. It does not require that you become very wealthy, very beautiful or very learned. You have to decide that "I shall not do this without Kṛṣṇa. I shall not do this without Kṛṣṇa. I shall not mix with any man who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. I shall not talk anything which does not speak about Kṛṣṇa." So your... "I shall not go anywhere except Kṛṣṇa's temple. I shall not engage my hands in anything except Kṛṣṇa's business." In this way, if you train your activities, then you love Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is purchased—simply by your determination. Kṛṣṇa does not require anything from you. Simply He wants to know whether you have decided to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. --- **[[spoken/720823sb.la|SB 1.2.20 — August 23, 1972, Los Angeles]]** **Devotees:** All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. All glories to Śrī Guru and Gauranga. **[devotees offer obeisances] Prabhupāda: Hmm. **Pradyumna:** *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* --- **[[spoken/730823bg.lon|Bg 2.17 — August 23, 1973, London]]** **Pradyumna:** *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* *avināśi—*imperishable; *tu—*but; *tat—*that; *viddhi—*know it; *yena—*by whom; *sarvam—*all of the body; *idam—*this; *tatam—*widespread; *vināśam—*destruction; *avyayasya—*of the imperishable; *asya—*of it; *na kaścit—*no one; *kartum—*to do; *arhati—*able. --- **[[spoken/730823le.lon|Lecture, “What is Religion?” — August 23, 1973, London]]** **Prabhupāda:** Today's subject matter is "What is Religion?" So we are reciting some verses from the Sixth Canto of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* where the subject matter, *dharma,* is discussed. It is said that *dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam* [[sb/6/3/19|[SB. 6.3.19] ]]. Dharma,* it is Sanskrit word, and the English translation, generally it is made as "religion." Religion is accepted as a kind of faith. But faith may be wrong or right, according to the different time, persons, climate, condition—so many consideration. But *Śrīmad-Bhāgavata* says, *dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. Dharma,* or religion, means the law given by God. Simple formula. As there are laws given by the state, similarly, the supreme state, supreme governor is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God means the supreme being, supreme person. So... Or the supreme authority. Supreme means the greatest authority. As in a state the greatest authority is the government, similarly, throughout the cosmic manifestation, throughout the whole creation, there must be some supreme authority. So that supreme authority is God, and whatever He gives, the rules and regulation, that is called religion. You cannot change it. That the law whimsically, you cannot change. Then you will be punishable. Similarly, the laws or the words are the regulative principles given by God. That is religion. And if you do not follow it, then you'll be punished. Actually, the Sanskrit word *dharma* means the constitutional position. We may try to understand what is the meaning of *dharma*. Just like fire. Fire means there must be heat and light. Without heat and light, there is no meaning of fire. If you say that "We have got fire," but there is no heat and no light, so what kind of fire it is? So that fire and light of..., heat and light of fire is to be understood as *dharma*. You cannot change it. This is no possibility. Otherwise, there will be no meaning. And water, water is liquid. Any water, any parts of the world, when you take water it is liquid; therefore this liquidity is the *dharma* of water. You take anything. Actually, *dharma* means characteristic—anything you take. Just like I am speaking before this microphone. So if it does not produce the sound, then what kind of microphone it is? The sound production from the microphone is the *dharma,* is the religion, natural characteristic. --- **[[spoken/760823mw.hyd|Morning Walk in Public Gardens — August 23, 1976, Hyderabad]]** **Mahāṁsa:** There's a path over here. Why don't you go around here? This is an archaeological museum, Prabhupāda. **Mātaṅga:** Before it was an archaeological museum. Old carvings of various temple deities, but they just keep it like that, so. **Prabhupāda:** That is a fact. *Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā.* That is the verdict of *Bhāgavata* also. *Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. Kṛpaṇā na iha tṛpyanti.* One or two child, children, they are not satisfied. They want to produce more and invite distress more. *Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ.* But they are practicing in a different way. And *Bhāgavata* recommends *brahmacārī.* --- ## Letters - [[../../letters/1968/680823_bon_maharaja.md|Letter to Bon Maharaja, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/680823_kirtanananda_hayagriva.md|Letter to Kirtanananda Hayagriva, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1968/680823_unknown.md|Letter to Unknown, 1968]] - [[../../letters/1970/700823_gargamuni.md|Letter to Gargamuni, 1970]] - [[../../letters/1970/700823_himavati.md|Letter to Himavati, 1970]] - [[../../letters/1970/700823_umapati.md|Letter to Umapati, 1970]] - [[../../letters/1971/710823_tamala_krsna_gurudasa.md|Letter to Tamala Krsna Gurudasa, 1971]] - [[../../letters/1972/720823_giriraja.md|Letter to Giriraja, 1972]] - [[../../letters/1973/730823_giriraja.md|Letter to Giriraja, 1973]] - [[../../letters/1973/730823_tamala_krsna.md|Letter to Tamala Krsna, 1973]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_g.l._kapoor.md|Letter to G.L. Kapoor, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_gurukrpa.md|Letter to Gurukrpa, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_krsna_mahanu_bhava.md|Letter to Krsna Mahanu Bhava, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_lokanatha.md|Letter to Lokanatha, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_pusta_krsna.md|Letter to Pusta Krsna, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_ramesvara.md|Letter to Ramesvara, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_sri_paramanand_patel.md|Letter to Sri Paramanand Patel, 1976]] - [[../../letters/1976/760823_tusta_krsna.md|Letter to Tusta Krsna, 1976]]