People generally cannot understand the actual meaning of chanting and dancing. Describing the Gosvāmīs, Śrī Śrīnivāsa Ācārya stated, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau: not only did Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates demonstrate this chanting and dancing, but the six Gosvāmīs also followed in the next generation. The present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement follows the same principle, and therefore simply by chanting and dancing we have received good responses all over the world. It is to be understood, however, that this chanting and dancing do not belong to this material world. They are actually transcendental activities, for the more one engages in chanting and dancing, the more he can taste the nectar of transcendental love of Godhead Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.22 : PURPORT
In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 195, it is said that Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī was formerly Vilāsa-mañjarī gopī. From his very childhood Jīva Gosvāmī was greatly fond of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He later came to Navadvīpa to study Sanskrit, and, following in the footsteps of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, he circumambulated the entire Navadvīpa-dhāma. After visiting Navadvīpa-dhāma he went to Benares to study Sanskrit under Madhusūdana Vācaspati, and after finishing his studies in Benares he went to Vṛndāvana and took shelter of his uncles, Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana. This is described in the Bhakti-ratnākara. As far as our information goes, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī composed and edited at least twenty-five books. They are all very celebrated, and they are listed as follows: (1) Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa, (2) Sūtra-mālikā, (3) Dhātu-saṅgraha, (4) Kṛṣṇārcā-dīpikā, (5) Gopāla-virudāvalī, (6) Rasāmṛta-śeṣa, (7) Śrī Mādhava-mahotsava, (8) Śrī Saṅkalpa-kalpavṛkṣa, (9) Bhāvārtha-sūcaka-campū, (10) Gopāla-tāpanī-ṭīkā, (11) a commentary on the Brahma-saṁhitā, (12) a commentary on the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, (13) a commentary on the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, (14) a commentary on the Yogasāra-stava, (15) a commentary on the Gāyatrī-mantra, as described in the Agni Purāṇa, (16) a description of the Lord’s lotus feet derived from the Padma Purāṇa, (17) a description of the lotus feet of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, (18) Gopāla-campū (in two parts) and (19-25) seven sandarbhas: the Krama-, Tattva-, Bhagavat-, Paramātma-, Kṛṣṇa-, Bhakti- and Prīti-sandarbha. After the disappearance of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī became the ācārya of all the Vaiṣṇavas in Bengal, Orissa and the rest of the world, and it is he who used to guide them in their devotional service. In Vṛndāvana he established the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, where we had the opportunity to live and retire until the age of sixty-five, when we decided to come to the United States of America. When Jīva Gosvāmī was still present, Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī compiled his famous Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Later, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī inspired Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and Duḥkhī Kṛṣṇadāsa to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Bengal. Jīva Gosvāmī was informed that all the manuscripts that had been collected from Vṛndāvana and sent to Bengal for preaching purposes were plundered near Viṣṇupura, in Bengal, but later he received the information that the books had been recovered. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī awarded the designation Kavirāja to Rāmacandra Sena, a disciple of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya’s, and to Rāmacandra’s younger brother Govinda. While Jīva Gosvāmī was alive, Śrīmatī Jāhnavī-devī, the pleasure potency of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, went to Vṛndāvana with a few devotees. Jīva Gosvāmī was very kind to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, the Vaiṣṇavas from Bengal. Whoever went to Vṛndāvana he provided with a residence and prasāda. His disciple Kṛṣṇadāsa Adhikārī listed all the books of the Gosvāmīs in his diary. Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 10: The Trunk, Branches and Subbranches of the Caitanya Tree : Adi 10.85 : PURPORT :
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We had one CIA agent. Previously, he was a CIA agent. I was told this story; I don’t know. Anyway, might as well relate it. So they were doing an experiment in the Bahama islands off Florida. They were all very high intellects. They were developing a certain radio beam to measure the beams which are given off from other planets, thinking that maybe these intelligent beings, they are sending some message out. So they developed this way of sensoring the beams which were coming from the North Star. Anyway, he said—and he was serious, I was told this; he’s in India now, one of our devotees there—he said that when they focused on the North Star and they got the beam back, when they translated it, it came out to be the mahā-mantra. Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And so they went to the Department of Intelligence, [laughter] and they went to the United States Army, because this was an Army project, and when the Army got hold of it they said, “Oh, you people are all nonsense. Disband this project.” Prabhupāda: That is… Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung = golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. Hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana is not the mundane sound. It is coming from there. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. It is not material. Had it been material, then how it is so effective? That’s a fact. The sound is…, beam is coming from there.
[Except taken from Srilā Prabhupāda’s Room Conversation- 15 June 1976, Detroit]
Link to the conversation: https://causelessmercy.com/t/?P=760615r3.det&PLFN=Detroit
NOTE: North Star refers to pole star or Dhruv tara, the residence of the great devotee Dhruva Maharaj
I was there when you passed away I remember how I was crying and how I did pray I felt I didn’t know how I would go on so I prayed please stay I’ll die if you are gone.
I prayed to you Prabhupada please you take over my body for I am useless with out you and I believe you did Jagat Guru.
Because I don’t know how I’m writing these poems and keep on writing although thousands were destroyed I have concluded that you have remained in my heart and the only reason I’m alive is you never did depart.
But this conclusion is confirmed by scripture that he never leaves the pure devotee of Krishna as long as by instructions we try to abide we can feel our spiritual master always by our side.
You said you never felt seperate from your spiritual master and you gave all the credit of your accomplishments to him you said infact Bhaktisidhanta forced you to take sanyass coming to in your dreams by his mercy all victory you did win.
And so I have been praying to you since 72 please force me to surrender to Krishna and you I have no qualifications I realize more and more I must keep praying to you to open up the door.
For I keep closing the door you opened for us to make spiritual advancement and conquer over lust and so I must be honest if that is all I can really do I have yet to keep my promise still all I know is you.
You said even if your like a dog you can make progress just like the pet dog of Shivananda Sen indeed because that dog was very dear to Shivananda Sen Lord Chaitanya delivered that dog to Krishna’s lotus feet.
So I confess I’m like that dog but I’m yours Prabhupad I’m your beggar birth after birth please drag me back to God I now know I am not writing without your guiding hand and only by your causeless mercy I am blessed to understand.
I must just pray to you and that is my perfection infact praying is in shastra as a path thats authorized and so I pray to you Prabhupada keep forcing open my eyes to the fact I’m not this gross disguise and become self realized.
And I pray to you Prabhupada please send me your servants for thats the highest perfection you said being the servant of your servant alone we can not stand you said therefor please cooperate together for me like many sticks together can’t be broken when shall we see?
On this your disappearance day I can’t help but remember when I prayed to you to take my body so I would surrender so I believe you really did or I would not be here to preach that its you Prabhupada all must take shelter of your lotus feet.
And thus your very house that all can fit in will stay alive with devotees cooperating for you in bliss they will dive until I see this happening I shall repeat it till we know to show our love for you we must know your the way to go.
For you said you shall be our initiator for the next ten thousand years through your very lawbooks Krishna spoke to you so with ecstatic tears you translated the purport of the Vedas and all the greatest sages we must surrender to Krishna to know our soul is blissful and ageless.
So death shall not conquer us and there is no material impediment we must just somehow or other fix our mind on Krishna by chanting His names always to stop offenses and be transcendent we can cross over birth and death to fulfill Krishna’s wishes.
That we have full faith in Prabhupada who never will cheat us and we shall know all victory where no one can defeat us we must just know Prabhupada is the perfect person to lead us for he said everything in his books and in Krishnaloka he’ll greet us.
Jayatīrtha: So, the wars and the crime are a direct result of the cow slaughter.
Srila Prabhupāda:Oh, yes. Oh, yes. It is a wholesale reaction. All these crises are taking place. They are killing their own child. Own child means that child is criminal; therefore, it is being killed within the womb. Nature will take action. Prakṛteḥkriyamāṇāniguṇaiḥkarmāṇisarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. You are not independent. So, if you work independently, then you will have to suffer. The law of nature is there. You cannot avoid it. If you infect some disease, you must suffer from the disease. You cannot avoid it. This is the law of nature. Law of nature is working in such a way that as you are infecting… Kāraṇaṁguṇa–saṅgaḥasyasad-asad-janma–yoniṣu. Find out this verse. Why there are varieties of life. One is tree, one is cat, one is dog, one is human being, one is blind, one is lame, one is educated, one is foolish—why? Why the difference, varieties? And that is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā, kāraṇaṁguṇa-saṅgo ‘sya: “As you are infecting the modes of material nature, you are getting your birth.” Otherwise, how you can explain by nature there are so many varieties of life, 8,400,000 species of life?
Every living creature is the son of the Supreme Lord, and He does not tolerate even an ant’s being killed. One has to pay for it. So, indulgence in animal killing for the taste of the tongue is the grossest kind of ignorance. A human being has no need to kill animals because God has supplied so many nice things. If one indulges in meat-eating anyway, it is to be understood that he is acting in ignorance and is making his future very dark. Of all kinds of animal killing, the killing of cows is most vicious because the cow gives us all kinds of pleasure by supplying milk. Cow slaughter is an act of the grossest type of ignorance. In the Vedic literature the words gobhiḥ prīṇita-matsaram indicate that one who, being fully satisfied by milk, is desirous of killing the cow, is in the grossest ignorance. There is also a prayer in the Vedic literature that states:
“My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and world.” The purport is that special mention is given in that prayer for the protection of the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇas are the symbol of spiritual education, and cows are the symbol of the most valuable food; these two living creatures, the brāhmaṇas and the cows, must be given all protection-that is real advancement of civilization. In modern human society, spiritual knowledge is neglected, and cow killing is encouraged. It is to be understood, then, that human society is advancing in the wrong direction and is clearing the path to its own condemnation. A civilization which guides the citizens to become animals in their next lives is certainly not a human civilization. The present human civilization is, of course, grossly misled by the modes of passion and ignorance. It is a very dangerous age, and all nations should take care to provide the easiest process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to save humanity from the greatest danger.https://prabhupadabooks.com/bg/14/16
The King will consider all embodied living entities as dear as his own self, and he will always be increasing the pleasures of his friends. He will intimately associate with liberated persons, and he will be a chastising hand to all impious persons.
PURPORT
The word dehinām refers to those who are embodied. The living entities are embodied in different forms, which number 8,400,000 species. All of these were treated by the King in the same way he would treat himself. In this age, however, so-called kings and presidents do not treat all other living entities as their own self. Most of them are meat-eaters, and even though they may not be meat-eaters and may pose themselves to be very religious and pious, they still allow cow slaughter within their state. Such sinful heads of state cannot actually be popular at any time. Another significant word in this verse is mukta–saṅga–prasaṅgaḥ, which indicates that the King was always associating with liberated persons. https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/4/16/18
Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali–yuga. In Kali–yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gītā, advises go-rakṣya, which means cow protection.
Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service.
As one can derive fire from wood, milk from the milk bag of the cow, food grains and water from the land, and prosperity in one’s livelihood from industrial enterprises, so, by the practice of bhakti–yoga, even within this material world, one can achieve Your favor or intelligently approach You. Those who are pious all affirm this.
PURPORT
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nirguṇa, not to be found within this material world, the entire material world is pervaded by Him, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (mayātatamidaṁsarvam). The material world is nothing but an expansion of the Lord’s material energy, and the entire cosmic manifestation rests upon Him (mat–sthānisarva–bhūtāni). Nonetheless, the Supreme Lord cannot be found here (na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ). A devotee, however, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the practice of bhakti–yoga. One ordinarily does not begin to practice bhakti–yoga unless he has practiced it in previous births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti–yoga only by the mercy of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. Guru–kṛṣṇa–prasādepāyabhakti–latā–bīja. The seed of devotional service is obtainable by the mercy of guru, the spiritual master, and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Only by the practice of bhakti–yoga can one achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face (premānjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣuvilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]). One cannot see the Lord by other methods, such as karma, jnāna or yoga. Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must cultivate bhakti–yoga (śravaṇaṁkīrtanaṁviṣṇoḥsmaraṇaṁpāda–sevanam [SB 7.5.23]). Then, even within this material world, although the Lord is not visible, a devotee can see Him. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (bhaktyāmāmabhijānātiyāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg. 18.55]) and in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (bhaktyāham ekayāgrāhyaḥ). Thus, by devotional service one can achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is not visible or understandable to materialistic persons.
In this verse, the cultivation of bhakti–yoga is compared to many material activities. By friction one can get fire from wood, by digging the earth one can get food grains and water, and by agitating the milk bag of the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared to nectar, which one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply drinking milk will not make one immortal, but it can increase the duration of one’s life. In modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, and therefore they do not live very long. Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali–yuga. In Kali–yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gītā, advises go-rakṣya, which means cow protection. The cow should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one’s life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean milk from their milk bags.
The people of this age are inclined toward industrial enterprises for comfortable living, but they refuse to endeavor to execute devotional service, by which they can achieve the ultimate goal of life by returning home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, as it is said, nateviduḥ svārtha-gatiṁhiviṣṇuṁ durāśayā yebahir–artha–māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. People without spiritual education do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. Forgetting this aim of life, they are working very hard in disappointment and frustration (moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo moghajnānāvicetasaḥ [Bg. 9.12]). The so-called vaiśyas—the industrialists or businessmen—are involved in big, big industrial enterprises, but they are not interested in food grains and milk. However, as indicated here, by digging for water, even in the desert, we can produce food grains; when we produce food grains and vegetables, we can give protection to the cows; while giving protection to the cows, we can draw from them abundant quantities of milk; and by getting enough milk and combining it with food grains and vegetables, we can prepare hundreds of nectarean foods. We can happily eat this food and thus avoid industrial enterprises and joblessness.
Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):
“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” The majority of people in this age of Kali are sinful, short-living, unfortunate and disturbed (mandāḥsumanda-matayo manda–bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]). For them, CaitanyaMahāprabhu has advised:
“In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.”
Srila Prabhupada: Tulasi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna and she should be treated with the same respect given to all Krishna’s pure devotees. Simply by worshiping her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free of from all material miseries. In the Nectar of Devotion I have given two verses from the Skanda Purana, one of which is: “Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing the tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.”
So from this verse we can understand how pure is the service which Tulasi offers to Sri Krishna. So we should always endeavor after becoming servant of Tulasi Devi. I do not know who has taught you that part of a Tulasi plant may be cut off and then replanted? From the Tulasi plant you can cut off only leaves for offering them to Krishna, never for cutting and planting. That is an offense. The manjaris (seeds) can be offered in water and it makes the water fragrant and tasteful. And the manjaris can be planted for growing new Tulasi plants. Yes, the prayer you have enclosed is bona fide. Tulasi Devi never goes back to Godhead, she is always with Godhead. She is a pure devotee and thus she has appeared on this planet to render service to Krishna by being offered in all temples throughout the world by being offered up to the lotus feet of Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Radhavallabha — Bombay, India. 6 January, 1972)
O most empowered preacher of Krishna your most divine grace Prabhupada please impart to me Krishna’s wishes to reveal to all Krishna is God.
So today on Lord Krishna’s appearance day I pray Krishna appears Himself in every heart and attracts everyone to hear about Him and Krishna reveals He never ever does part.
Lord Krishna appeared on this planet 5000 years ago to reveal He is the all attractive love of every soul that He is the supreme person that all can behold and only by our loving service Krishna we may know.
Lord Krishna melts the hearts of those who are pure and reveals to them their love that forever does endure this was seen by all when Krishna appeared here all could see to Krishna’s servants Krishna is most dear.
Krishna is not known by those who do not seek to fully know their Lord and their love they keep and Krishna does reveal Himself to the sincere seeking to see God and know everything clear.
Krishna was seen as God and the dearest love for those with pure hearts and had risen above all tempory pleasures to the eternal joy within by serving Krishna beyond all darkness and sin.
But all could see Krishna is most rare indeed a person with powers most rarely seen Krishna appears to all as they surrender to him Krishna can become our son, lover or friend.
Still unknown to most here Krishna assist all in everything they do seated in all hearts we can not do a thing without Him supreme still no one can know Him until he gets smart.
Krishna says after many births and deaths a rare one when he finally becomes wise surrenders unto Krishna to never forget Krishna and his transcendental pastimes.
Krishna performed pastimes here to attract all back to their eternal home to reestablish dharma and annihilate the demons who defy Krishna as not the only supreme one.
Krishna came here mostly to please His devotees all the residents of Vrindavana especially the gopis Krishna and Balarama came here as Gaura Nitai to deliver all the fallen souls back to the spiritual sky.
Lord Krishna also came most recently as our eternal guru Srila Prabhupada to reveal everything about Krishna and every souls union with God.
This is life’s very duty here to reveal these eternal truths now from hearing from Prabhupada living in his unchanged books.
So we may know just who we are and the supreme star of every star and set the perfect example for humankind living lives that are sinless perfect and divine.
And so I pray I clearly did convey what every human being needs to know the only solution to all war and dismay is obeying Krishna in supreme control.
And so I pray Krishna’s holy names are sung loudly by every human being coming together to reveal life’s only aim Krishna we are always hearing and seeing.
It is Krishna we must always remember it is Krishna we must never forget to cross beyond this world of only misery only suffering repeated births and deaths.
Devotee (1): God created the earth, in the Bible. God started on a Monday. He created the earth. It says in the Bible in the Old Testament that it took Him seven days, or six days, and on the seventh day He rested. But still there is some dispute whether He started on a Sunday or a Monday. So, the Jewish, the Hebrews, they hold the Sabbath on a Saturday, and the Christians and the Catholics they have the Sabbath on the Sunday. But on the seventh day God rested after creating the heavens and the earths.
Śrutakīrti: It was always very bad to engage in any type of work on the Sabbath day. It was used only to glorify the Lord.
Prabhupāda: My point is: if the moon is the first planet nearer, why they did not start Monday? If the sun is after, then Sunday. This is the proof that first sun, then moon, not that first moon and then sun. Hm? That is the description in the Bhāgavatam. One after another, one after another. Sixteen thousand, sixteen hundred thousand miles apart. First of all, the sun, then moon, then, what is called? Mars. You have seen it.
Amogha: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When people in the street hear Kṛṣṇa’s name, the chanting, or they get some literature, does that mean they will not take birth as an animal? Srila Prabhupāda: No. They’ll get birth in a good family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe [Bg. 6.41]. If they simply appreciate “It is very nice,” then in the next life, human life is guaranteed. In a very nice family. Simply if he appreciates, “Yes, it is very nice”—that’s all. Then he’ll get another chance. Amogha: Many people think the pictures are very nice. Srila Prabhupāda: Anything they say nice, that means it is guaranteed, next life. Or even in this life it will definitely help. As soon as he reads some pages, then it is guaranteed. Those who are enquiring, that means they are liking. Their life is guaranteed. Amogha: One man who joined us about Rathayātrā time last year was a solicitor. He used to buy our books but he never read them. But he would keep them on his bookshelf. And he used to always think, “Those are such beautiful books.” He used to think like that. Srila Prabhupāda: This is appreciation. Amogha: He never got time to read it. Srila Prabhupāda: It doesn’t matter. If he keeps the books with appreciation, that makes his life sure, insured. He immediately becomes in touch with God. Who keeps the book with reverence and love, immediately he becomes in touch with God. Because these books are representative of God. [Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, May 9, 1975, Perth, Australia]
compiled by Aprakrta dasa [vedaveda@vedaveda.com] “Translation: Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one must not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.” Prabhupāda: Now, here is a statement that everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. What you are, inanimate or animate? Devotees: Animate. Prabhupāda: Animate. Do you think you are controlled or not controlled? Devotees: Controlled. Prabhupāda: Is there any person here who is not controlled? Devotees: No. Prabhupāda: Or anywhere within this universe who is not controlled? Can anyone say that “I am not controlled”? Nobody can say. So, if you are controlled, then why you are going to declare yourself that “I am uncontrolled. I am independent. I am God”? Why this nonsense? If you are controlled… Is God, does it mean that He is controlled? They are claiming that “I am God.” Is there any meaning? If I am controlled, then how I can become God? This is commonsense affair. Therefore, this Māyāvādī philosophy that “Everyone is God. I am God; you are God…,” Just like the other, who was speaking, that Meher Baba’s… Yes. That he was speaking, “I am God, you are God.” So, God is never controlled. If somebody is controlled, immediately he is not God. This is simple definition, that God is not controlled. If somebody claims that he is God, then first of all question “Whether you are controlled or not controlled?” Common sense. Nobody can say that he’s not controlled. I have seen a rascal, he has got a society and he is preaching this, that “I am God.” But one day I saw him, he had some toothache, and he was doing, “ohhh.” (laughter) So I questioned him that “You claim that you are God, and now you are simply under the control of toothache. So, what kind of God you are?” (laughter) You see. So, these societies, those who are claiming that “I am God. You are God. Everyone God”—God has become so cheap that everyone is God—you immediately should know he’s a rascal number one. Immediately. As soon as he says, “I am God,” you must know that “Here is a rascal number one.” So nobody is uncontrolled. Now, so many big, big planets, huge planets… This earth planet is only… It’s a minute, small planet, and still, you’ll see, on this planet there are so big oceans like Atlantic and Pacific, and so big mountains, and what to speak of your skyscraper buildings. With all this load it is floating in the air just like a swab of cotton. Who is controlling? Can you float even a small piece of grain in the space? You can say “Law of gravity” and so many other things, but you cannot utilize it. Or you can put it in… Your machine, airplane, is running on the space—but so long the machine is working. As soon as your petrol is finished, immediately it will fall down. Immediately. But these big, big planets… This is only one of the small. The sun planet is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this planet. So that is also… We can see the sun is floating in one corner of this big space. So how you can say that it is not controlled, it is floating out of its own self? No. The answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that “I enter into this material planets, and then I keep it floating.” Gām āviśya aham [Bg. 15.13], dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Something mak… Just like you float this airplane; so somebody has entered within it, that driver or pilot. So actually, he is keeping this airplane floating, not the machine. This is simple truth. So, if you take this analogy, then this planet is floating, there must be somebody entering here. Somebody must have entered. So Kṛṣṇa says, “I have entered.” So, what is the difficulty to understand how it is keeping floating? The analogy is there. Everyone can understand that this big airplane is floating in the sky because the pilot has entered within it. Similarly, if this planet is floating, then somebody, either you or somebody, God, has entered it. And that answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that “I enter into these planets and therefore I keep them floating.” That is our answer. And the scientists, they say the law of gravitation… How far it is true… This is a lecture from the book Sri Isopanisad (Mantra 1) that Srila Prabhupada gave on April 29, 1970 in Los Angeles.
Srila Prabhupada states that HE is the representative of God.Pṛthu-putra: …to show me. They were telling me that “You are going to see the representative of God.” And when I came to that vision, I saw the person. At that time I didn’t know who (it) was. But I had some doubts in my mind, and I was thinking, “Oh, that’s probably another kind of propaganda.” This was all in the dream. But when I came to that person sitting on the elevated seat in that forest, surrounded by many, many devotees, that person looked at me and proved to me that he was the representative of God. But after, I forgot. Maybe one year or something like this. One or two years after… Srila Prabhupada: So there is no doubt about it that I am the representative of God. Pṛthu-putra: Yes. But when I was… Srila Prabhupada: Either you dream or not dream, I claim. Pṛthu-putra: Yes. But this thing was just confirming. When I saw you the first time in Amsterdam, you were the same person that I saw in my dream one or two years previously. Srila Prabhupada: That… You have read Caitanya-caritāmṛta? Guru-tattva. Guru-tattva. So there it is clearly said that guru is the manifestation of God. So it is confirmed in the śāstra. And all the ācāryas accept it. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Devotee: But is it possible to also learn spiritual truths from this…, from representatives on the subtle plane? Srila Prabhupada: There is no question of subtle plane. You are on the gross plane. You first of all study gross things, and subtle, we shall see later on. [Srila Prabhupada Conversation, January 28, 1977]
Amogha: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When people in the street hear Kṛṣṇa’s name, the chanting, or they get some literature, does that mean they will not take birth as an animal? Srila Prabhupāda: No. They’ll get birth in a good family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe [Bg. 6.41]. If they simply appreciate “It is very nice,” then in the next life, human life is guaranteed. In a very nice family. Simply if he appreciates, “Yes, it is very nice”—that’s all. Then he’ll get another chance. Amogha: Many people think the pictures are very nice. Srila Prabhupāda: Anything they say nice, that means it is guaranteed, next life. Or even in this life it will definitely help. As soon as he reads some pages, then it is guaranteed. Those who are enquiring, that means they are liking. Their life is guaranteed. Amogha: One man who joined us about Rathayātrā time last year was a solicitor. He used to buy our books but he never read them. But he would keep them on his bookshelf. And he used to always think, “Those are such beautiful books.” He used to think like that. Srila Prabhupāda: This is appreciation. Amogha: He never got time to read it. Srila Prabhupāda: It doesn’t matter. If he keeps the books with appreciation, that makes his life sure, insured. He immediately becomes in touch with God. Who keeps the book with reverence and love, immediately he becomes in touch with God. 
