1. How to attain knowledge and detachment

    Srila Prabhupada: My students in the Krsna consciousness society are following these principles: They are cooking for Krsna, dancing for Krsna, singing for Krsna, talking for Krsna, going around the world for Krsna -- everything for Krsna. Anyone can adopt these principles. Where is the difficulty? Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah [SB 1.2.7]. And if you practice Krsna consciousness in this way, the result will be janayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam: Very soon you will automatically attain knowledge and...
  2. Official control and power politics in ISKCON

    ...too much official control is not good in spiritual life. The centers should remain spiritually fit and independent. Some control must be there as is now. Too much control means so many vouchers. Gradually it will become a mundane institution. All our managers should be spiritually advanced simple and honest in carrying out the orders of the spiritual master and Krsna. That will be a nice standard. Democracy in spiritual affairs is not at all good but breeds power...
  3. What is materialism?

    You have rightly pointed out that people are becoming more materialistic in this age on account of their forgetfulness of Krsna consciousness. Actually, there is nothing like materialism. Materialism means forgetfulness of Krsna or God. We are preaching therefore Krsna consciousness. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the first-class religion is that which teaches love of Godhead. At the present moment, one professes a type of religion, but does not develop the real purpose of religion, namely love...
  4. First one must control the tongue

    ...because of the greed for tongue the whole world is going on; all the work in the world is going on because of the greed for the tongue. Some places have restaurant, some have tea, somewhere bidis, somewhere cigarettes, somewhere there is meat eating and intoxication and what is there, this tongue, everything is because of this tongue. If you can control your tongue and engage it in God's service, then you can see God. This is the instruction...
  5. Krsna is providing — no question of scarcity

    Krsna is providing for millions and trillions of living entities by supplying all their necessities, and even if all the innumerable living entities wanted to become Krsna conscious, there would be no scarcity of love of Godhead, nor would there be insufficiency in providing for their maintenance. Our Krsna consciousness movement was started single-handedly, and no one provided for our livelihood, but at present we are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars all over the world, and the movement...
  6. Technological knowledge is not knowledge

    Now, one can say that "All these people are mudhas, or rascals, who have passed this university education, B.A.C., D.A.C. and so many things? They are all mudhas?" Krsna says, "Yes, they are mudhas." Why? Now, mayayapahrta-jnana. They have struggled for education, for so many things, but he does not know what is God. Therefore real knowledge is taken away. He is proud of his false knowledge. Real knowledge is, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. Etaj...
  7. We only care for Krsna

    When Jagadisa suggested that the impersonalist mentality might create problems for us in our efforts to get support from the Indian community, Prabhupada responded with his bottom line. "No, we don't care for Indians and Europeans. We care for Krsna, that's all. I didn't care for anyone. I simply care for Krsna, that's all. And my Guru Maharaja, that's all. I went to your country, not supported by Indians and Europeans. I went on the order of my Guru...
  8. Maya in the temple

    Hrdayananda: [translating question] She says at the temple there is much maya and that the people who live in the temple are phonies. Prabhupada: And where there is no maya? Tell me a place where there is no maya. We shall go there. [much laughter and cheering] In the temple there is no maya. Because I am in maya, I am thinking that temple is maya. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te...
  9. Go on more and more

    Srila Prabhupada said: "The devotees all over the world are doing the greatest service to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There is no comparison to their service. I am only an instrument to give you guidance. Actually you are all born to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world. Go on more and more. The books are selling. That is our greatest success. I am very much pleased."