Jesus Christ Predicts the Appearance of Srila Prabhupada

BY: MAHESH RAJA

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit (Srila Prabhupada)

Holy Bible, John 14:16-18:
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you ANOTHER Counsellor to be with you for ever---the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

Srila Prabhupada the liberated devotee makes his appearance.

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.58:
TRANSLATION
"Since one cannot visually experience the presence of the Supersoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krsna Himself.
PURPORT
It is not possible for a conditioned soul to directly meet Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if one becomes a sincere devotee and seriously engages in devotional service, Lord Krsna sends an instructing spiritual master to show him favor and invoke his dormant propensity for serving the Supreme. The preceptor appears before the external senses of the fortunate conditioned soul, and at the same time the devotee is guided from within by the caittya-guru, Krsna, who is seated as the spiritual master within the heart of the living entity."
Holy Bible, John 14:26:
"But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

Srila Prabhupada is teaching the same message: how to serve Krishna through the transparent via medium -- his books (instructions).

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.35:
"If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is NO DIFFERENCE between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple."
Holy Bible, John 15:26:
"When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me."

Srila Prabhupada testifying about Jesus Christ

Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, June 28, 1974, Melbourne:
"Who will not respect Jesus Christ? He sacrificed everything for God, even his life. So who is that rascal that he'll not respect to Jesus Christ. What did he do wrong to the human society? He did everything for the good of the human society. Oh, I have got very, very, great respect for Lord Jesus Christ."
Srila Prabhupada Appearance Day Lecture, September 23, 1969, London:
"Scriptures are also different. Because scriptures are made according to time, circumstances, people. Just like Bible. Bible Lord Jesus Christ preached in the desert, Jerusalem. Or where it is? People who were not so advanced. Therefore his first instruction is "Thou shall not kill." That means they were very much engaged in killing affairs; otherwise, why is this instruction? And actually, it so happened that they killed Jesus Christ. So that society was not very enlightened society. So a scripture for a society which is not very enlightened and a scripture for a society which is very enlightened must be different. Just like a dictionary. For the schoolboy, a pocket dictionary. And for a college student, international, big dictionary. Both of them are dictionaries. But the small pocket dictionary is not equal to the big dictionary. Because it is different made for different classes of men. So scriptures are made according to different classes of men. There are three classes of men: first-class, second-class, and third-class. The third-class man cannot understand the philosophy and scriptural injunctions of the first-class man. That is not possible. Higher mathematics cannot be understood by the small schoolboys who are simply trying to understand "Two plus two equal to four." But "Two plus two equal to four" is equally good to the higher mathematics student. But still, higher mathematics and lower math is different."

The Work of the Holy Spirit (Srila Prabhupada)

Holy Bible, John 16:7-15:
"Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but If I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

It is significant that Jesus Christ is saying, "unless I go away….". He appears to be very eager to present his SUCCESSOR for the significant change to follow in the impious lives of the people. On this point it is note worthy to remember the prayer offered to Srila Prabhupada: nirvesesa sunyavadi pascatya desa tarine

"YOU are delivering the WESTERN countries, filled with impersonalism and voidism.

Also, "…because men do not believe in me" indicates they were not prepared to give up meat eating ---Thou shall not kill.

Srila Prabhupada broke the four pillars of sinful life (meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex).

Srila Prabhupada Letter to Madhudvisa, January 26, 1970:
"Actually, one who is advanced will not find any contradiction. The Christians teach love of Godhead, and we practically do it. So one has to understand from the practical point of view. A man is judged by his activities. We see that they are engaged in smoking habits, eating meat and indulging in free mixing of boys and girls; these are not the activities of religious persons. Lord Jesus said and the Bible also says, "Thou shalt not Kill." But they are eating meat. So we must see practically if someone is leading a pure life and not be blinded by some sentiment. Our students are strictly observing the four rules or restraints from impure habits and they are factually living according to the highest standard of religious life. So we are actually following the principles of pure living in Krishna Consciousness, but it appears that these followers of the Christian philosophy have fallen down from the transcendental platform.
Holy Bible:
"I have much more to say to you, MORE THAN YOU CAN NOW BEAR. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into ALL TRUTH."

There are two points here (a) they could not bear any more instruction; and (b) guidance in ALL TRUTH. In relation to (a) there is further mention in the Bible:

(i) If you do not understand what is material, how will you understand spiritual?
(ii) I have many things to say unto you but your ears will not bear them as yet. Thus, it evidently clear that the people to whom he preached to were not advanced.

In relation to (b) ALL TRUTH—we find that it is ONLY Srila Prabhupada who actually gave COMPLETE information of the nature of the three features of the Absolute Truth.

Bhagavad-gita 2.2:
"Krsna and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are identical. Therefore Lord Krsna is referred to as "Bhagavan" throughout the Gita. Bhagavan is the ultimate in Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding, namely Brahman, or the impersonal all-pervasive spirit; Paramatma, or the localized aspect of the Supreme within the heart of all living entities; and Bhagavan, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.11) this conception of the Absolute Truth is explained thus:
vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
"The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding by the knower of the Absolute Truth, and all of them are identical. Such phases of the Absolute Truth are expressed as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan." These three divine aspects can be explained by the example of the sun, which also has three different aspects, namely the sunshine, the sun's surface and the sun planet itself. One who studies the sunshine only is the preliminary student. One who understands the sun's surface is further advanced. And one who can enter into the sun planet is the highest. Ordinary students who are satisfied simply by understanding the sunshine--its universal pervasiveness and the glaring effulgence of its impersonal nature--may be compared to those who can realize only the Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth. The student who has advanced still further can know the sun disc, which is compared to knowledge of the Paramatma feature of the Absolute Truth. And the student who can enter into the heart of the sun planet is compared to those who realize the personal features of the Supreme Absolute Truth. Therefore, the bhaktas, or the transcendentalists who have realized the Bhagavan feature of the Absolute Truth, are the topmost transcendentalists, although all students who are engaged in the study of the Absolute Truth are engaged in the same subject matter. The sunshine, the sun disc and the inner affairs of the sun planet cannot be separated from one another, and yet the students of the three different phases are not in the same category.
The Sanskrit word bhagavan is explained by the great authority, Parasara Muni, the father of Vyasadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation is called Bhagavan."
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.47:
TRANSLATION
"We know that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, who manifests His transcendental form in the uncontaminated mode of pure goodness. This transcendental, eternal form of Your personality can be understood only by Your mercy, through unflinching devotional service, by great sages whose hearts have been purified in the devotional way.
PURPORT
The Absolute Truth can be understood in three features—impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma, and Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here it is admitted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the last word in understanding the Absolute Truth. Even though the four Kumaras were instructed by their great learned father, Brahma, they could not actually understand the Absolute Truth. They could only understand the Supreme Absolute Truth when they personally SAW the Personality of Godhead with their own eyes. In other words, if one sees or understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the other two features of the Absolute Truth—namely impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma—are also automatically understood. Therefore the Kumaras confirm: "You are the ultimate Absolute Truth." The impersonalist may argue that since the Supreme Personality of Godhead was so nicely decorated, He was therefore not the Absolute Truth. But here it is confirmed that all the variegatedness of the absolute platform is constituted of Suddha-sattva, pure goodness. In the material world, any quality—goodness, passion or ignorance—is contaminated. Even the quality of goodness here in the material world is not free from tinges of passion and ignorance. But in the transcendental world, only pure goodness, without any tinge of passion or ignorance, exists; therefore the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His variegated pastimes and paraphernalia are all pure sattva-guna. Such variegatedness in pure goodness is exhibited eternally by the Lord for the satisfaction of the devotee. The devotee does not want to see the Supreme Personality of Absolute Truth in voidness or impersonalism. In one sense, absolute transcendental variegatedness is meant only for the devotees, not for others, because this distinct feature of transcendental variegatedness can be understood only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord and not by mental speculation or the ascending process. It is said that one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead when one is even slightly favored by Him; otherwise, without His mercy, a man may speculate for thousands of years and not understand what is actually the Absolute Truth. This mercy can be perceived by the devotee when he is completely freed from contamination. It is stated, therefore, that only when all contamination is rooted out and the devotee is completely detached from material attractions can he receive this mercy of the Lord."

The Bible also says: Blessed are the pure in the heart for they shall SEE God. So this fully corresponds to the above, where the Kumaras SAW God (Bhagavan realization).

Holy Bible:
"He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you WHAT IS YET TO COME. "

Srila Prabhupada the liberated devotee is giving the purports to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, predicting events to happen in the future.

Srila Prabhupada Conversation, August 31, 1973, London:
Hamsaduta: "Actually in the Bible there's, someone mentions there the description that the Lord will come and He will ride on a white steed, on a white horse. And at that time he will kill all the non-devotee people. It's also in the Bible.
Guest (1): Yes.
Prabhupada: So this Kalki, this incarnation of Krsna which comes at the end of this age, He's described, He will come and ride on a white horse all over the world, and He will...,
Prabhupada: Kill."
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.24:
"Srimad-Bhagavatam was composed just prior to the beginning of the age of Kali (about five thousand years ago), and Lord Buddha appeared about twenty-six hundred years ago. Therefore in the Srimad-Bhagavatam Lord Buddha is foretold. Such is the authority of this clear scripture. There Are many such prophecies, and they are being fulfilled one after another. They will indicate the positive standing of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is without trace of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection, which are the four flaws of all conditioned souls. The liberated souls are above these flaws; therefore they can see and foretell things which are to take place on distant future dates.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, at the conjunction of two yugas, the Lord of the creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son of Visnu Yasha. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers.
PURPORT
Here is another foretelling of the advent of Lord Kalki, the incarnation of Godhead. He is to appear at the conjunction of the two yugas, namely at the end of Kali-yuga and the beginning of Satya-yuga. The cycle of the four yugas, namely Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, rotates like the calendar months. The present Kali-yuga lasts 432,000 years, out of which we have passed only 5,000 years after the Battle of Kurukshetra and the end of the regime of King Pariksit. So there are 427,000 years balance yet to be finished. Therefore at the end of this period, the incarnation of Kalki will take place, as foretold in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The name of His father, Visnu Yasha, a learned brahmana, and the village Sambhala are also mentioned. As above mentioned, all these foretellings will prove to be factual in chronological order. That is the authority of Srimad-Bhagavatam."
Srimad Bhagavatam 5.2.1:
"Srimad-Bhagavatam predicts that in Kali-yuga the government will be entrusted with dasyu-dharma, which means the occupational duty of rogues and thieves. Modern heads of state are rogues and thieves who plunder the citizens instead of giving them protection. Rogues and thieves plunder without regard for law, but in this age of Kali, as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, the lawmakers themselves plunder the citizens. The next prediction to be fulfilled, which is already coming to pass, is that because of the sinful activities of the citizens and the government, rain will become increasingly scarce. Gradually there will be complete drought and no production of food grains. People will be reduced to eating flesh and seeds, and many good, spiritually inclined people will have to forsake their homes because they will be too harassed by drought, taxation and famine. The Krsna consciousness movement is the only hope to save the world from such devastation. It is the most scientific and authorized movement for the actual welfare of the whole human society."
Holy Bible:
"He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."

Krishna is the property of his pure devotee. Jesus Christ said, "Hallowed be Thy Name" and Srila Prabhupada gives us this Name: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare \ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Srila Prabhupada is the TRANSPARENT VIA-MEDIUM who gives us Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada Interview, July 14, 1976, New York:
Bali-mardana: "In other words, when you decide that someone is to be in charge of a particular temple does Krsna tell you that this person should be in charge.
Interviewer: Or do you by judging him say this person is qualified.
Prabhupada: Yes, because a devotee always consults Krsna and He gives order.
Interviewer: It's a more direct communication.
Prabhupada: Yes. And He gives order.
Ramesvara: Because intelligence, our philosophy is that intelligence comes from Krsna. So if I have some...
Interviewer: And your philosophy is that your daily necessities come from Krsna as well.
Ramesvara: Yes, try to understand. Suppose my intelligence sees that this person is qualified, that means Krsna has told me.
Prabhupada: NO, NOT NECESSARILY, KRSNA WILL TELL DIRECTLY. A DEVOTEE ALWAYS CONSULTS KRSNA AND KRSNA TELLS HIM, "DO LIKE THIS." NOT FIGURATIVELY.
Interviewer: Does that apply then to other kinds of decisions and other kinds of activities as well?
Prabhupada: Everything. Because a devotee does not do anything without consulting Krsna."
Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 5.71:
"One is forbidden to accept the guru, or spiritual master, as an ordinary human being (gurusu nara-mati). When Ramananda Raya spoke to Pradyumna Misra, Pradyumna Misra could understand that Ramananda Raya was not an ordinary human being. A SPIRITUALLY ADVANCED PERSON WHO ACTS WITH AUTHORITY, AS THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, SPEAKS AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD DICTATES FROM WITHIN. THUS IT IS NOT HE THAT IS PERSONALLY SPEAKING. WHEN A PURE DEVOTEE OR SPIRITUAL MASTER SPEAKS, WHAT HE SAYS SHOULD BE ACaitanya-caritamrtaEPTED AS HAVING BEEN DIRECTLY SPOKEN BY THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IN THE PARAMPARA SYSTEM."

Further analysis of John 14:26:

Holy Bible:
"But the counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name will teach you ALL THINGS and will REMIND you of EVERYTHING I HAVE SAID TO YOU."

Now we will be able to see the demonstration by the Holy Spirit (Srila Prabhupada) of the above.

Demonstration

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, September 1, 1972, New Vrindaban:
"So sound is the original element of creation. In Sanskrit language it is called sabda-brahma. Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is first appeared Absolute Truth becomes knowable by sound. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, the Lord says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh, sabdah khe. Sabda means sound. If we want to see God, so let us hear first of all the sound vibration, because that is the beginning. In the Bible also it is said, "The Lord said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So "Let there be creation," this is sound, transcendental sound. So one who says this word, "Let there be creation," He is not within the creation. Because He, God, is speaking, "Let there be creation"
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, January 12, 1974, Los Angeles:
Prajapati: "...from politics to the world of theology. One of the most misunderstood passages in the western scriptures, things that are..., most speculation about, is the beginning of the Book of John, where it is said, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." And that Greek word is logos. And so many people have said so many different things about that passage. No one really understands it.
Prabhupada: They cannot understand the Absolute. GOD AND GOD'S WORD ARE NOT DIFFERENT. OTHERWISE, WHY WE ARE AFTER BHAGAVAD-GITA? BECAUSE BHAGAVAD-GITA IS THE WORDS OF GOD. SO AS GOOD AS GOD.
Umapati: Absolute?
Prabhupada: Absolute, yes.
Svarupa Damodara: We also say that. We say that the beginning the sound vibration om was there. Om.
Prabhupada: Yes. Sabdad anavrtti. In Vedanta-sutra, sabdad anavrtti. Sabdat. By vibration.
Prajapati: But it goes on to say, "Then the word then came down to earth and dwelt with man as Jesus Christ." They say Lord Jesus Christ was the word incarnate.
Prabhupada: That's all right.
Umapati: Incarnate means flesh, having come down in flesh.
Prabhupada: That's all right.
Prajapati: From our Krsna conscious standpoint, this means a person who is jagad-guru, who is fully living sastra, and therefore non-different from the word of God?
Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Because he is following the words of God, THEREFORE HE IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM THE WORDS OF GOD. It is practical. Just like a lawyer is not different from the law. Therefore he is called lawyer."

Prajapati has made a very valid point here. In this context let us take a look at the form of address to Srila Prabhupada:

namo om VISNU-padaya krsna-presthyabhu-tale
srimate BHAKTIVEDANTA-SVAMIN ITI NAMINE

So Srila Prabhupada is worshiped on the level of Lord Visnu (Krsna) because he is a TRANSPARENT VIA MEDIUM representative who accepts our service on behalf of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada Garden Conversation, June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupada: "Krsna's representative means the representative says the same thing as Krsna says. Krsna says "Surrender unto Me," and the representative says "Surrender to Krsna." AND BECAUSE HE DELIVERS THE REAL KNOWLEDGE, HE'S AS GOOD AS KRSNA. THEREFORE SAKSAD-DHARITVENA SAMASTA-SASTRAIR UKTAS TATHA BHAVYATA EVA SADBHIH. THE SPIRITUAL MASTER MAY APPEAR TO BE JUST LIKE A COMMON MAN, BUT HE IS TO BE RESPECTED AS GOD, BECAUSE HE DELIVERS THE REAL MESSAGE OF GOD. That is the qualification of spiritual master. He does not manufacture anything. That is very easy. If I carry your message and educate people in that way, then there is no difficulty for me. Everything is there. Why shall I go to manufacture something imperfect? The perfect thing is already there. Simply I have to carry. A post peon--the money order is there, he has to simply carry and deliver to the person. And if he gets at time of need, he thanks the peon, "Oh, you have saved my life." It is like that. The message is already there. You have to simply deliver to the suffering humanity. Then he'll be relieved. And because he delivers the real reality, therefore he's worshiped as God. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. ACARYAM MAM HI VIJANIYAT. KRSNA ALSO SAYS ACARYA IS..., "I AM ACARYA."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, October 2, 1968, Seattle:
Tamala Krsna: "Can a Christian in this age, without a spiritual master, but by reading the Bible and following Jesus's words, reach the...
Prabhupada: When you read Bible, you follow spiritual master. How can you say without? As soon as you read Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ, that means you are following spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being without spiritual master?
Madhudvisa: I was referring to a LIVING spiritual master.
Prabhupada: Spiritual master is NOT the question of... SPIRITUAL MASTER IS ETERNAL. SPIRITUAL MASTER IS ETERNAL. So your question is without spiritual master. Without spiritual master you cannot be, at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible," when you read Bible that means you are following the spiritual master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question without spiritual master. Is that clear?"
Reservoir of Pleasure:
"Some people argue that Arjuna was talking with Krsna because Krsna was present before him, whereas in my case, Krsna is not present. So how can I get directions? But that is not a fact. Krsna is present by His words--the Bhagavad-gita. In India, when we speak on the Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, we regularly perform worship with flowers, or with other paraphernalia, as is required for worshiping. In the Sikh religion also, although they have no form of the Deity, they worship the book Granthasahib. Perhaps some of you are acquainted with this Sikh community. They worship this Grantha. Similarly, the Moslems worship the Koran. Similarly, in the Christian world, the Bible is worshiped. IT IS A FACT that the Lord Jesus Christ IS PRESENT by His WORDS. Krsna is also present by His words. THESE PERSONALITIES, EITHER GOD OR THE SON OF GOD, WHO COME FROM THE TRANSCENDENTAL WORLD, KEEP THEIR TRANSCENDENTAL IDENTITIES WITHOUT BEING CONTAMINATED BY THE MATERIAL WORLD. THAT IS THEIR OMNIPOTENCE. WE ARE IN THE HABIT OF SAYING THAT GOD IS OMNIPOTENT. OMNIPOTENCE MEANS THAT HE IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM HIS NAME, FROM HIS QUALITY, FROM HIS PASTIMES, FROM HIS INSTRUCTION. THEREFORE, THE DISCUSSION OF BHAGAVAD-GITA IS AS GOOD AS DISCUSSION WITH KRSNA HIMSELF."

Similarly we can still get direction from Srila Prabhupada, WHO IS PRESENT BY HIS WORDS, DEITY TO GIVE US GUIDANCE.

Holy Bible, John 14:18-21:
"I will not leave you fatherless; I am coming to you. A little while, and the world will see me no more: but you will see me; because I am living you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me and I in you. Whoever keeps my commands, and regards them, It is he who loves me; and one who loves me will be loved by my Father: and I will love him, and will make myself known to him."

When Jesus Christ is saying that the world will see him no longer is when he is not physically present; but one can see him through his instructions, which are not different from him (spiritual masters instructions are not different from him).

When he says I will not leave you Fatherless----he is giving the world Srila Prabhupada who like him is the Spiritual master the transparent via medium through whom we get Krsna. This identical philosophy which Jesus Christ talked is called acintya-bhedabheda-tattva (simultaneous oneness and difference). Jesus is talking as a pure devotee and SIMULTANEOUSLY CHRIST(KRSNA) IS ALSO TALKING THROUGH HIS PURE DEVOTEE. This "I am coming to you " is also referring to Krsna's appearance as the Holy spirit (Visnu, Supersoul ) who manifests EXTERNALLY AS THE LIBERATED DEVOTEE. ALSO SINCE SRILA PRABHUPADA IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM HIS INSTRUCTIONS(HIS BOOKS) DEVOTEES ARE SAVED FROM APPROACHING SOME CHEATER WHO IS POSING AS SPIRITUAL MASTER. THEREFORE "EXTERNAL SENSES" QUOTED BELOW IS CORRECT.

Remember Lord Visnu the Paramatma (Holy spirit) feature, He appears as the external manifestation, as Srila Prabhupada, LIBERATED DEVOTEE.

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.58:
TRANSLATION
"Since one CANNOT VISUALLY EXPERIENCE THE PRESENCE OF THE SUPERSOUL, HE APPEARS BEFORE US AS A LIBERATED DEVOTEE. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krsna Himself.
PURPORT
It is not possible for a conditioned soul to directly meet Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but if one becomes a sincere devotee and seriously engages in devotional service, Lord Krsna sends an instructing spiritual master to show him favor and invoke his dormant propensity for serving the Supreme. THE PRECEPTOR APPEARS BEFORE THE EXTERNAL SENSES OF THE FORTUNATE CONDITIONED SOUL, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE DEVOTEE IS GUIDED FROM WITHIN BY THE CAITTYA-GURU, KRSNA, WHO IS SEATED AS THE SPIRITUAL MASTER WITHIN THE HEART OF THE LIVING ENTITY."

Acintya-bhedabheda-tattva (philosophical truth of simultaneous oneness and difference)

Srimad Bhagavatam 2.6.13-16:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His partial representation, measuring not more than nine inches as Supersoul, expands by His potential energy in the shape of the universal form, which includes everything manifested in different varieties of organic and inorganic materials. The manifested varieties of the universe are therefore not different from the Lord, just as golden ornaments of different shapes and forms are nondifferent from the original stock reserve of gold. In other words, the Lord is the Supreme Person who controls everything within the creation, and still He remains the supreme separate identity, distinct from all manifested material creation. In the Bhagavad-gita (9.4-5) He is therefore said to be Yogesvara. Everything rests on the potency of Lord Sri Krsna, and still the Lord is different from and transcendental to all such identities. In the Vedic Purusa-sukta of the Rg mantra, this is also confirmed. This philosophical truth of simultaneous oneness and difference was propounded by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is known as acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. BRAHMA, NARADA AND ALL OTHERS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY ONE WITH THE LORD AND DIFFERENT FROM THE SUPREME LORD. We are all one with Him, just as the gold ornaments are one in quality with the stock gold, but the individual gold ornament is never equal in quantity with the stock gold. THE STOCK GOLD IS NEVER EXHAUSTED EVEN IF THERE ARE INNUMERABLE ORNAMENTS EMANATING FROM THE STOCK BECAUSE THE STOCK IS PURNAM, COMPLETE; EVEN IF PURNAM IS DEDUCTED FROM THE PURNAM, STILL THE SUPREME PURNAM REMAINS THE SAME PURNAM. THIS FACT IS INCONCEIVABLE TO OUR PRESENT IMPERFECT SENSES. LORD CAITANYA THEREFORE DEFINED HIS THEORY OF PHILOSOPHY AS ACINTYA (INCONCEIVABLE), AND AS CONFIRMED IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA AS WELL AS IN THE BHAGAVATAM, LORD CAITANYA'S THEORY OF ACINTYA-BHEDABHEDA-TATTVA IS THE PERFECT PHILOSOPHY OF THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH."
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles:
Paramahamsa: "Srila Prabhupada, when you are not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions, for example, on questions that may arise?
Prabhupada: WELL, THE QUESTIONS... ANSWERS ARE THERE IN MY BOOKS.
Paramahamsa: Other than that, for example, that we would ask you in...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Paramahamsa: Do you direct us also through the heart? Besides the Paramatma?
Prabhupada: IF YOUR HEART IS PURE. Everything depends on purity.
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Sivananda, April 19, 1968:
"Regarding the Christian's Trinity, I believe it is called God, the Holy Ghost, and the son. Person in Krishna Consciousness accepts this by the name Visnu, Paramatma, and Jiva. God is a Person, the holy spirit or the supersoul is a person, and the living entity is also a person. Also, Mary is the representation of the energy of God. Either as internal energy Radharani or as external energy Durga, the energy of Godhead can be considered the mother of the living entities. But there is no clash between the Bible and the Vedas, simply some people formulate their personal ideas and cause quarrelings. Nobody can say the Bible was meant for the same class of men as the Bhagavad-gita. And Bhagavad-gita is the ABC's of Spiritual knowledge. Beyond that is Srimad-Bhagavatam. How great Srimad-Bhagavatam is nobody can imagine. And beyond that is Caitanya Caritamrta. But beginning from the Bible or Koran, on up the principle remains the same. Just like beginning from the pocket dictionary"
Srimad Bhagavatam 6.5.20:
"In the Bible, which is also sastra, one will find the same advice: one should cease materialistic life and return to the kingdom of God."
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.13.62:
"He who appeared before Brahma as a human child was in fact the Absolute Truth, Parabrahman (brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate). The Supreme Lord is narakrti; that is, He resembles a human being. It is not that He is four-armed (catur-bahu). Narayana is catur-bahu, but the Supreme Person resembles a human being. This is also confirmed in the Bible, where it is said that man was made in the image of God. Lord Brahma saw that Krsna, in His form as a cowherd boy, was Parabrahman, the root cause of everything, but was now appearing as a human child, loitering in Vrndavana with a morsel of food in His hand."
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, 3:
"Srila Prabhupada: He supplies everything to everyone. He is supplying food to everyone. So He is the Father. So why should you not pray, "Father, give me this"? Just as in the Christian Bible there is, "Father, give us our daily bread." That is good--they are accepting the Supreme Father. But grown-up children should not ask from the father; rather, they should be prepared to serve the father. That is bhakti [devotion]."
Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 17.168:
"In our practical preaching work we meet many Christians who talk about statements of the Bible. When we question whether God is limited or unlimited, Christian priests say that God is unlimited. But when we question why the unlimited God should have only one son and not unlimited sons, they are unable to answer. Similarly, from a scientific point of view, the answers of the Old Testament, New Testament and Koran to many questions have changed. But a sastra cannot change at a person's whim. All sastras must be free from the four defects of human nature. The statements of sastras must be correct for all time."
Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 17.169:
"Sometimes Christian priests come to us inquiring, "Why are our followers neglecting our scriptures and accepting yours?" But when we ask them, "Your Bible says, 'Do not kill.' Why then are you killing so many animals daily?" they cannot answer. Some of them imperfectly answer that the animals have no souls. But then we ask them, "How do you know that animals have no souls? Animals and children are of the same nature. Does this mean that the children of human society also have no souls?" According to the Vedic scriptures, within the body is the owner of the body, the soul. In the Bhagavad-gita (2.13) it is said:
dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
"As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change."
Because the soul is within the body, the body changes through so many forms. There is a soul within the body of every living entity, whether animal, tree, bird or human being, and the soul is transmigrating from one type of body to another. When the scriptures of the yavanas--namely, the Old Testament, New Testament and Koran--cannot properly answer inquisitive followers, naturally those advanced in scientific knowledge and philosophy lose faith in such scriptures. The Kazi admitted this while talking with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Kazi was a very intelligent person."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Vrndavana Candra, July 19, 1970:
"Question the fifth: If Mohammed as the servant of God and Lord Jesus Christ is the son of God, then where is the break of the disciplic succession. After all the disciplic sucession is beginning from God, so how do you find that there is no disciplic succession? If the original tree has branches, twigs and leaves and they are in touch with the original tree, it is alright. The test is whether the line is in touch with the Supreme--that is all.
Although Mohammed and Jesus Christ appeared in the Kali Yuga their instruction is as it is because the persons to whom they had to speak could not understand any more and they find it difficult to understand even that much.
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Aniruddha, November 14, 1968:
"Your next question, "Is a pure devotee eternally liberated and if so is he at any time a conditioned soul? We are eternally conditioned, but as soon as we surrender to Krishna do we then become eternally liberated? When Lord Christ appeared he seemed to be conditioned in his growth. Was he a specific incarnation or a conditioned soul who became liberated?" You are not eternally conditioned. You are eternally liberated but since we have become conditioned on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it appears that we are eternally conditioned. Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise the living entity is not actually conditioned. A living entity is always pure. But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned, but that is not permanent. Therefore a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side. These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good. But best thing is that one should know he is in conditioned life and try to cure it. When a man is in diseased condition he should try to get out of diseased condition without harassing his brain when the disease has begun. But it is to be understood that the disease is not our constant companion, it is temporary. So the best thing is to cure the disease, and not waste our time to find out the date when it began. Forgetfulness of Krishna is the disease, so let us keep ourselves always in Krishna Consciousness, and get out of the disease, that is healthy life. Yes, Lord Jesus was jivatattva. He is not Visnu tattva. When a jiva tattva becomes specifically empowered by the Lord, he is called saktyavesa avatara. LORD BUDDHA AND LORD JESUS CHRIST WERE IN THIS GROUP OF SAKTYAVESA AVATARA. But they were not in conditioned state when they appeared; they came to teach here."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Bhagava, March 2, 1970:
"Regarding the end of devotees of Lord Jesus Christ, they can go to heaven, that is all. That is a planet in the material world. A devotee of Lord Jesus Christ is one who is strictly following the ten commandments. Now just like in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" this is a moral instruction for the sinful man. Similarly Lord Buddha also emphasized ahimsa paramadharma "the highest religion is nonviolence." So these instructions are for the sinful men. When one is pious, instead of being sinful, he is promoted to the higher planetary systems like Janaloka, Mahaloka, or Tapaloka and they are above the planet Svargaloka. So persons who are cleansed of sinful life become eligible for spiritual life. FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS OF LORD JESUS CHRIST WE FIND THAT THE STRESS IS GIVEN TO MAKE MEN FREE FROM SINFUL LIFE--SUCH AS "THOU SHALT NOT KILL" "THOU SHALT NOT COVET"--LIKE THAT. THEREFORE THE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE DEVOTEES OF LORD JESUS CHRIST ARE PROMOTED TO THE HEAVENLY PLANETS WHICH ARE WITHIN THIS MATERIAL WORLD."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Satsvarupa, October 31, 1969:
"Now coming to some other points discussed in the Cathedral Sermons pamphlet, we may take notice of the writer's statement which may help us in understanding the real position of Christian religion. In one of the statements he says the Bishop Dean, the former Executive Officer of the Anglican Communion, said to the general Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada last month that he gives the church as it exists today ten more years of life. The reason the church was dying he said was because it had become irrelevant. This means that the church people no more can convince the advanced, educated men of the present day. In another place he says in discussing the Ten Commandents of the Bible about the sanctity of (human life). INSTEAD OF EXACTLY QUOTING THE COMMANDMENT "THOU SHALT NOT KILL," HE REPLACES BY HIS OWN WORDS "THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER". BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW HIS OWN WORDS REFLECT TO THE THEN SOCIETY WHEREIN LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS PREACHING. TO SAY TO HIS AUDIENCE, "THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER" MEANS THEY WERE VERY MUCH ACaitanya-caritamrtaUSTOMED TO COMMIT MURDER. SO WHAT IS THE POSITION OF THAT SOCIETY WHERE THE MEMBERS ARE ACaitanya-caritamrtaUSTOMED TO COMMIT MURDER, AND WHAT CLASS OF PREACHING CAN BE MADE TO SUCH PERSONS? As we see in another religious principle there is instruction that henceforward you shall not co-habit with your mother. So we have to judge such societies where there are murderers and those having sex life with their mothers, what kind of men they are. In the Bhagavad-gita the religious principles are divided into three categories: in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Generally, all so-called principles are in the modes of passion and ignorance. Maybe there are some moral instructions, but moral instructions without God-consciousness is impossible to follow. In another place the gentleman quotes one book written by Prof. Charles Smith. The book's name is "The Paradox of Jesus in the Gospels". In this book it is admitted that all the statements in the Bible are not directly spoken by Jesus. Some of them are staged through the mouth of Jesus Christ; and specifically this passage: "I am the way, the Truth and the light. No man comes unto the Father but by me." This gentleman admits that it is put into the mouth of Jesus because that is the literary convention of the author of the 4th Gospel. Such kinds of observations definitely suggests that there are many passages in the Gospel which are later on set up to be spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, but actually they were manufactured by different devotees. So far as our Bhagavad-gita is concerned, we do not find any such thing. Everywhere it is stated sri bhagavan uvaca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead said. And all the acaryas have accepted these words as they are spoken by the Lord. No authorized acharya has ever commented that it was put into the mouth of Krishna by Vyasadeva or Sanjaya or any other person."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Govinda, February 10, 1969:
"Regarding Karatieya, I am sorry to inform you that all of a sudden he has been captivated by maya, and since yesterday, he has left my company. The day before yesterday afternoon, he was absent for more than three hours and when he came back, he explained that he was out walking in the street. Later on, it was found that he went to see a Christian priest who had impressed upon his mind that one can drink wine after offering it to Lord Christ on the first Friday of every month. I had been informed by Karatieya that before his coming to our Krishna Consciousness camp he was drinking too much. So now he wanted to give me evidence that drinking was good when it is offered to Lord Christ. I tried to convince him that drinking is not at all good. The very fact that one should drink on the first Friday of each month means it is rigidly restricted; one can drink only once every month, but in the case of bread, it is said that one should pray daily for bread from the Lord."
Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 15.163:
"My dear Lord, let me suffer perpetually in a hellish condition, accepting all the sinful reactions of all living entities. Please finish their diseased material life."
PURPORT
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gives the following commentary on this verse. In the Western countries, Christians believe that Lord Jesus Christ, their spiritual master, appeared in order to eradicate all the sins of his disciples. To this end, Lord Jesus Christ appeared and disappeared. Here, however, we find Sri Vasudeva Datta Thakura and Srila Haridasa Thakura to be many millions of times more advanced even when compared to Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ relieved only his followers from all sinful reactions, but Vasudeva Datta is here prepared to accept the sins of everyone in the universe. A Vaisnava is so liberal that he is prepared to risk everything to rescue conditioned souls from material existence. Srila Vasudeva Datta Thakura is universal love itself, for he was willing to sacrifice everything and fully engage in the service of the Supreme. Srila Vasudeva Datta knew very well that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the original Personality of Godhead. He was transcendence itself, above the material conception of illusion and maya. Lord Jesus Christ certainly finished the sinful reactions of his followers by his mercy, but that does not mean that he completely delivered them from the pangs of material existence. A person may be relieved from sins once, but it is a practice among Christians to confess sins and yet commit them again. By getting freed from sins and again engaging in them, one cannot attain freedom from the pangs of material existence. A diseased person may go to a physician for relief, but after he leaves the hospital he may again be infected due to his unclean habits. Thus material existence continues. Srila Vasudeva Datta wanted to completely relieve the conditioned souls from material existence so that they would no longer have an opportunity to commit sinful acts. This is the difference between Srila Vasudeva Datta and Lord Jesus Christ. IT IS A GREAT OFFENSE TO RECEIVE PARDON FOR SINS AND THEN COMMIT THE SAME SINS AGAIN. SUCH AN OFFENSE IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE SINFUL ACTIVITY ITSELF. Vasudeva Datta was so liberal that he requested Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to transfer all offensive activity upon him so the conditioned souls might be purified. This prayer was certainly without duplicity."
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, 6:
vancha-kalpa-tarubhyas ca
krpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo
vaisnavebhyo namo namah
["I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls."] He takes responsibility for all the fallen souls. That idea is also in the Bible. Jesus Christ took all the sinful reactions of the people and sacrificed his life. That is the responsibility of a spiritual master. Because Krsna is Krsna, He is apapa-viddha--He cannot be attacked by sinful reactions. But a living entity is sometimes subjected to their influence because he is so small. Big fire, small fire. If you put some big thing in a small fire, the fire itself may be extinguished. But in a big fire, whatever you put in is all right. The big fire can consume anything.
Bob: Christ's suffering was of that nature?
Srila Prabhupada: Mm-m?
Bob: Was Christ's suffering--
Srila Prabhupada: That I have already explained. He took the sinful reactions of all the people. Therefore he suffered.
Bob: I see.
Srila Prabhupada: He said--that is in the Bible--that he took all the sinful reactions of the people and sacrificed his life. But these Christian people have made it a law for Christ to suffer while they do all nonsense. [Bob gives a short laugh.] Such great fools they are! They have let Jesus Christ make a contract for taking all their sinful reactions so they can go on with all nonsense. That is their religion. Christ was so magnanimous that he took all their sins and suffered, but that does not induce them to stop all these sins. They have not come to that sense. They have taken it very easily. "Let Lord Jesus Christ suffer, and we'll do all nonsense." Is it not?
Bob: It is so.
Srila Prabhupada: They should have been ashamed: "Lord Jesus Christ suffered for us, but we are continuing the sinful activities." He told everyone, "Thou shalt not kill," but they are indulging in killing, thinking, "Lord Jesus Christ will excuse us and take all the sinful reactions." This is going on. We should be very much cautious: "For my sinful actions my spiritual master will suffer, so I'll not commit even a pinch of sinful activities." That is the duty of the disciple. After initiation, all sinful reaction is finished. Now if he again commits sinful activities, his spiritual master has to suffer. A disciple should be sympathetic and consider this. "For my sinful activities, my spiritual master will suffer." If the spiritual master is attacked by some disease, it is due to the sinful activities of others. "Don't make many disciples." But we do it because we are preaching. Never mind--let us suffer--still we shall accept them. Therefore your question was--when I suffer is it due to my past misdeeds? Was it not? That is my misdeed--that I accepted some disciples who are nonsense. That is my misdeed.
Bob: This happens on occasions?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. This is sure to happen because we are accepting so many men. It is the duty of the disciples to be cautious. "My spiritual master has saved me. I should not put him again into suffering." When the spiritual master is in suffering, Krsna saves him. Krsna thinks, "Oh, he has taken so much responsibility for delivering a fallen person." So Krsna is there.
kaunteya pratijanihi
na me bhaktah pranasyati
["O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."]
Because the spiritual master takes the risk on account of Krsna.
Bob: Your suffering is not the same kind of pain..
Srila Prabhupada: No, it is not due to karma. The pain is there sometimes, so that the disciples may know, "Due to our sinful activities, our spiritual master is suffering."
Bob: You look very well now.
Srila Prabhupada: I am always well... in the sense that even if there is suffering, I know Krsna will protect me. But this suffering is not due to my sinful activities.
Bob: But let us say when I--in the town I live in, I take boiled water because some of the water has disease in it. Now, why should I drink boiled water if I have been good enough not to get a disease? Then I may drink any water. And if I have been not acting properly. then I shall get disease anyway.
Srila Prabhupada: So long as you are in the material world, you cannot neglect physical laws. Suppose you go to a jungle and there is a tiger. It is known that it will attack you, so why should you voluntarily go and be attacked? It is not that a devotee should take physical risk so long as he has a physical body. It is not a challenge to the physical laws: "I have become a devotee. I challenge everything." That is foolishness.
Bob: But let us say when I--in the town I live in, I take boiled water because some of the water has disease in it. Now, why should I drink boiled water if I have been good enough not to get a disease? Then I may drink any water. And if I have been not acting properly. then I shall get disease anyway.
Srila Prabhupada: So long as you are in the material world, you cannot neglect physical laws. Suppose you go to a jungle and there is a tiger. It is known that it will attack you, so why should you voluntarily go and be attacked? It is not that a devotee should take physical risk so long as he has a physical body. It is not a challenge to the physical laws: "I have become a devotee. I challenge everything." That is foolishness.
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, 9:
Srila Prabhupada: "That's all right. He may eat anything. He is powerful. But he has ordered, "Thou shalt not kill. You must stop killing." He is powerful. He can eat the whole world. But you cannot compare to Jesus Christ. You cannot imitate Jesus Christ; you have to abide by his order. Then you are guided by Jesus Christ. That is actually obedience. That is explained in the Bhagavata. One who is isvara, who is empowered, can do anything, but we cannot imitate. We have to abide by his order: "What he says to me, that I will do." You cannot imitate. You say that Jesus Christ ate meat. Admitting that, you do not know in what condition he ate meat. He is himself eating meat, but he is advising others not to kill. Do you think that Jesus Christ was contradicting himself?"
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, June 15, 1974, Paris:
Yogesvara: "He says, for example, the verse you read yesterday, that was similar to what is taught in the Vedas, but if we take the rest of that chapter from the Bible, we find some discrepancies, differences.
Prabhupada: What is that? (French)
Yogesvara: For example, in that chapter, it also says that the word of God became flesh and that flesh was the son of God, Lord Jesus Christ.
Prabhupada: But that means Jesus Christ is transcendental, not of this material world. (French)
Yogesvara: They say... They accept... They think that Lord Jesus, however, was a human being. He was spiritual, but also he was part of this material world.
Prabhupada: No, material world is part of Jesus Christ, but Jesus Christ is not part of material world. (French)
Yogesvara: He says that they had a human body, he had a material body.
Prabhupada: That human body appears like that, but he had no this material flesh and blood. A material body, how there can be resurrection?
Yogesvara: If it was material body, how is it possible for him to be resurrected? (French)
Prabhupada: Is that all right?
Jyotirmayi: They said it is by the acintya power of God.
Prabhupada: These, these rascals, they thought that "Jesus had a material body. Let us kill him." So Jesus Christ bewildered them more, to remain rascal, that they will continue to think that Jesus had a material body.
Jyotirmayi: Bewildered them?
Yogesvara: Yes, he bewildered them more by saying: "All right, go on thinking like that."
Prabhupada: That is their punishment. They remain always in darkness that Jesus had a material body. (French)
Jyotirmayi: So he's saying that he respects your explanation, but that the Christians, they have another explanation, and that if we...
Prabhupada: But we must come to the reason before giving explanation. You cannot explain...
Yogesvara: What is the reason for his incarnation?
Prabhupada: You cannot explain whimsically. You cannot explain whimsically. If Jesus Christ is son of God, he has... That means he has got spiritual body. You...
French Woman: Yes, we accept that he got the has got spiritual body, but we say that he assumed also a material body.
Prabhupada: Now, then, then, another thing is: you accept Jesus Christ the only son of God, is it not? So when you pray in the church, you address God, "Oh Father." Then why "only son"?
French Woman: We say that the son is...
Prabhupada: Then everyone is son.
French Woman: Yes, we say that this is the same God, yes.
Prabhupada: If I address God, "My father," then I am his son. So why there should be "only son"? (French)
French Woman: Yes, we say that we are adopted sons. (laughter) (French) Jyotirmayi: They say that they are sons, that all living beings are sons, but by adoption.
Yogesvara: Adopted son. Yes.
Prabhupada: So therefore these sons' body and Jesus's body cannot be equal. So adopted son has got material body, not the real son. (French)
Yogesvara: Their idea is that: Yes, of course, Lord Jesus, being the son of God, his body is spiritual, but because he wanted to take part in the life of the human beings on earth, he actually accepted a material body just to live among men.
Prabhupada: Why he should accept?
French Woman: But we have a vesper that says that he was died, that he was suffering, and things which show that...
Prabhupada: But his death... You think that he was died, but he resurrected.
French Woman: But the gospel says that he had died.
Prabhupada: That's all right.
French Woman: You cannot... We accept the totality of the word, as you accept your word.
Prabhupada: No. No, no. "Died" means that is similar death. Janma karma me divyam. Just like Christ take birth from the womb of Mary. It appears like that, but actually that is not. (French)
French Woman: No, it is very important that the death of Christ is a real death. For us, it is the center of our faith.
Yogesvara: They say that the central point of their philosophy is that Lord Jesus actually died. (French)
Prabhupada: No, according to Vedic conception, even ordinary living being, he does not die. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire. You understand Sanskrit? French Woman: No, I don't understand it by hearing it. You have to read it. Prabhupada: Na hanyate, does not die, hanyamane sarire, apparently, the body being dead, the soul is never dead. (French)
Yogesvara: So... Shall I explain that one? What the good Pastor--are they called Pastor?--describes is that in order for there to be a dialogue, we have to respect each others' positions, not that we will try to convert the other. He says just as we respect you have an absolute faith in the Vedic philosophy, so also there must be respect that the Christian interpretation of the life of Lord Jesus and his death...
Prabhupada: Oh, I think I have better respect than him to Jesus Christ. I say he does not die. He says he dies. (French) So far respect is concerned, I have more respect than them. They want to see Jesus Christ dead. I don't want to see him dead.
French Woman: No. Death and resurrection after, Jesus.
Yogesvara: There's a resurrection.
Prabhupada: Yes."
Teachings of Queen Kunti, 12:
"In the Bible it is said that man was made in the image of God, and this means that we are reflections of God's image. It is not that we invent or imagine some form of God according to our own form. Those who adhere to the Mayavada philosophy of anthropomorphism say, "The Absolute Truth is impersonal, but because we are persons we imagine that the Absolute Truth is also a person." This is a mistake, and in fact just the opposite is true. We have two hands, two legs, and a head because God Himself has these same features. We have personal forms because we are reflections of God. Furthermore, we should philosophically understand that if the original person benefits, the reflection also benefits. So if we decorate Krsna, we also shall be decorated. If we satisfy Krsna, we shall become satisfied. If we offer nice food to Krsna, we shall also eat the same food. Those who live outside the temples of Krsna consciousness may never have imagined such palatable food as the food we are offering to Krsna, but because it is being offered to Krsna, we also have the opportunity to eat it. So we should try to satisfy Krsna in all respects, and then we shall be satisfied in all respects."
Science of Self-Realization, 4:
Srila Prabhupada: "Humility means intelligence. The humble and meek own the kingdom of God. This is stated in the Bible, is it not? But the philosophy of the rascals is that everyone is God, and today this idea has become popular. Therefore no one is humble and meek. If everyone thinks that he is God, why should he be humble and meek? Therefore I teach my disciples how to become humble and meek. They always offer their respectful obeisances in the temple and to the spiritual master, and in this way they make advancement. The qualities of humbleness and meekness lead very quickly to spiritual realization. In the Vedic scriptures it is said, "To those who have firm faith in God and the spiritual master, who is His representative, the meaning of the Vedic scriptures is revealed."
Father Emmanuel: But shouldn't this humility be offered to everyone else, also?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but there are two kinds of respect: special and ordinary. Sri Krsna Caitanya taught that we shouldn't expect honor for ourselves, but should always respect everyone else, even if he is disrespectful to us. But special respect should be given to God and His pure devotee."
Science of Self-Realization, 4:
Srila Prabhupada: "But the Bible does not simply say, "Do not kill the human being." It says broadly, "Thou shalt not kill."
Cardinal Danielou: We believe that only human life is sacred.
Srila Prabhupada: That is your interpretation. The commandment is "Thou shalt not kill."

Heathen means being disobedient to the orders of the commandments. Thou shalt not kill is a clear commandment which does not require interpretation.

Path of Perfection, 8:
"Purification of consciousness is the purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement. Presently we are preparing this divine consciousness, for our consciousness goes with us at the time of death. Consciousness is carried from the body just as the aroma of a flower is carried by the air. When we die, this material body composed of five elements--earth, water, air, fire, and ether--decomposes, and the gross materials return to the elements. Or, as the Christian Bible says, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." In some societies the body is burned, in others it is buried, and in others it is thrown to animals. In India, the Hindus burn the body, and thus the body is transformed into ashes. Ash is simply another form of earth. Christians bury the body, and after some time in the grave, the body eventually turns to dust, which again, like ash, is another form of earth. There are other societies--like the Parsee community in India--that neither burn nor bury the body but throw it to the vultures, and the vultures immediately come to eat the body, and then the body is eventually transformed into stool. So in any case, this beautiful body, which we are soaping and caring for so nicely, will eventually turn into either stool, ashes, or dust."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, November 14, 1972, Vrindavan:
"The solid fact is the Lord created. In the Bible also it is said that God said, "Let there be creation." So it is from the person. Here also, we find the creation begins from the person. In the Vedas it is said, sa aiksata. Sa asrjata. Aiksata, "By the glance, He looked over, God looked over, and He created." The reference is to the person. We also find from our experience that whenever there is something manufacturing, or creation, we do not find automatically some matter comes into being. We don't, we haven't such experience. Whenever there is anything manufactured or created, there is a person behind it. So this is not a very good theory that from the chunk, or some matter exploded, and immediately the universe came into existence."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, January 10, 1968, Los Angeles:
"Now, the whole material world is produced from sound. That is scientific fact. Scientists are researching the importance of sound, physical science. Sound, light, and transmission of sound and light. There are so many things, electronics. So this sound vibration, this is material sound. They have got so much wonderful power. And just try to understand what is the power of the spiritual sound. Real sound is coming from the spiritual world. It is simply just like gramophone. The sound is coming originally from the person; the gramophone is reproducing. That is not the original source of the sound. Similarly, whatever sound is there in this material world, the original sound is produced by God. Just like in your Bible it is said, "Let there be creation." It is, simply it was sound and there was creation. So spiritual sound is so powerful. And we are trying to catch you directly from that sound vibration, Hare Krsna, and I am sure it is acting. Simply, sabdad anavrttih."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, June 20, 1973, Mayapur:
"In the Bible, it is said the animals are given under the control of human beings, man. Is it not? They have taken it. And because the animals are given under the control of man, therefore man should open slaughterhouse and eat them? Suppose if somebody gives his son, "Sir, will you take my son? Keep him under your control." Does it mean I shall eat him? These rascals interpret in that way. Because the animals are given under the control of man, therefore there should be slaughterhouse, the animals will be killed, and they will eat. This is their interpretation of the Bible, is it not?"
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, August 13, 1972, Los Angeles:
"So Krsna and His pastimes, His name, quality, paraphernalia, entourage, everything is spiritual. That is accepted by great scholars like Sankaracarya. He says: narayana para. "Narayana, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond this material world." There are many examples. In your Bible also, those who are Christians, God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this world, this word is not vibration of this material world. In the material world, if I say, "Let there be some mango," so no. That is not possible. BUT IN THE SPIRITUAL VIBRATION, THAT IS POSSIBLE. That is possible. So the study is that God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this word existed before the creation, because "Let there be creation" means when God is speaking there was no creation. And the creation means this material world. Therefore this vibration is not material. So when God is saying, "Let there be creation," then He's a person. Therefore His personality is also transcendental, spiritual. Otherwise how He speaks?"
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, January 3, 1970, Los Angeles:
"Now, in the Bible, Lord Jesus Christ is described as the son of God. Now, so far I have heard, that it is claimed that he is the only one son of God. Now according to Bhagavad-gita, every living entity is son of God. Now how to adjust? If the Bible says that Lord Jesus Christ is the only one son, then how these so many innumerable sons can be adjusted? There is adjustment. There is very nice adjustment. One should know it. He is the only one son means one who can sacrifice his life for God, he is real son. And one who is simply taking from father, "Oh, God, give us our daily bread," and He is supplying and eating and enjoying sense enjoyement, he is not real son. The real son is he who sacrifices his life for glorifying his father. Similarly, anyone who will sacrifice his life... Of course, it is not required that everyone shall be crucified like Lord Jesus Christ, but he should sacrifice his energy for the Supreme Lord. And that person who has devoted his energy for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, he is called Krsna conscious person."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Nectar of Devotion, October 23, 1972:
"Even a maha-bhagavata, when he becomes preacher, he comes down to the second platform. He does not remain on the topmost platform. He plays the part of second platform. And sometimes it is stated in the Bible, I think, that Jesus Christ said, "I had many things to say, but I am not saying." Is it not? So actually, the maha-bhagavata, he has many things to say, but because he's preacher he does not say everything to the neophyte devotees. Because they are not competent to accept that."
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, March 9, 1975, London:
Reporter: "Can you tell me how your teaching relates to the Bible, to the Christian teaching?
Prabhupada: Christian teaching is good. It is giving idea of God. But who is following Christian teaching? That is the problem. Nobody is following. Christ says, "Thou shall not kill," and the Christian people are very expert in killing. Do you admit or not?
Reporter: I admit.
Prabhupada: Just see. Then who is a Christian? If one does not follow the instruction of Christ, then would you call him a Christian?
Reporter: No.
Prabhupada: That's it. That is the problem.
Reporte: Is there any reason why you teach your followers the Bhagavad-gita rather than the Bible?
Prabhupada: The teaching is the same. The teaching is the same. What Lord Jesus Christ taught and what we are... (aside:) Aiye. The teaching is the same. But who is following? That is the difficulty.
Reporter: I see. So you don't think that...
Prabhupada: The difficulty has arisen--I am claiming to be Hindu, but I am not following the Vedic rules. You are claiming to be Christian, but you are not following the Christian rules. This is going on all over the world."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rayarama, October 22, 1971:
"I am so glad to learn that you are eager to preach but we should know it that we cannot preach without being solid in our standing as devotee. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "apani acari prabhu jivare sikhaya." This means that Lord Caitanya wanted that one should preach by behaving himself exactly what he preaches. So our Krsna consciousness movement, preaching, depends on personal behavior. If you want to preach the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ on the principles of Bhagavad-gita you will find so many differences. Those who are following Jesus Christ, let them follow strictly to the principles of the Bible. "Thou shalt not kill" is now being misinterpreted by Christian priests. Now they say "Thou shall not murder." This means trying to save themselves from the crime of animal killing. So you cannot teach such unscrupled followers the message of Bhagavad-gita."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Syamasundara, August 31, 1969:
"Actually our Krishna Conscious movement is genuine Christian movement. CHRIST MEANS KRISHNA, LOVE OF GODHEAD, WHO HAS HIS FACE ANNOINTED WITH TILAK. There is a word Kristos in the Greek dictionary, and this word is supposed to be borrowed from the Sanskrit word "Krishna," and Christ is derived from Kristos."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Caitanya-caritamrta, January 8, 1968, Los Angeles:
"So my request to you (is) that don't accept Krsna as something Indian god or Hindu god. No. Krsna is the original father of all living entities. He claims. If you don't accept... If the father says, "You are my son," and the son says, "No, I am not your son," oh, that is son's prerogative. He may deny it if he doesn't believe his mother. Now what is the proof that one man is my father? The mother is the proof. There is no other source of understanding who is my father. If a boy wants to understand, "Who is my father?" the only authority is the mother. Mother will say, "My dear boy, my dear child, here is your father." You have to accept. If you say, "I don't accept. I must have proof that he is my father." How it is possible? It is not possible. Similarly, the Vedic literature is to be considered the mother and Vedic literature says, janmady asya yatah: "The Supreme Absolute Truth is that who is the source of all generation, all emanations." And what is that source? Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that "I am the father." So if you believe scriptures, Vedic literatures, if you believe Bhagavad-gita, then you have to accept Krsna as the supreme father because the mother... Vedic literature is considered to be the mother. She gives evidence that Krsna is the father. Just like mother gives evidence who is your father, similarly, the Vedic literatures is compared to a mother, and the Vedic literature says that Krsna is the father. In your Christian literature, Bible, Jesus Christ is accepted as the son of God. He presented himself as son of God. And here Krsna says that "I am the father." So there is no contradiction. The son of God also says about God, and the father also says about the God, Himself. The son of God says that "You surrender unto God," and God says, "You surrender unto Me." Then where there is contradiction? There is no contradiction."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Caitanya-caritamrta, December 31, 1966, New York:
"So before His coming, some of His devotees, they come first, just to become His father, become His mother, become His family members, like that. Because He does not do anything which is against the process of this world. A man is born out of his father and mother, so He has to take His birth from a father and mother. So these fathers and mothers were, are first sent. I think in the Bible they call messiahs, or what you have? Similarly, nobody can become the father and mother of God. But, when He manifests Himself in this material world, He shows that "He's My father." Just like Krsna accepted father, Vasudeva, Vasudeva as His father and Devaki as His mother. Or His foster-father, Nanda Maharaja, and His foster-mother, Yasoda. So they are all devotees. Krsna's friend, Krsna's father, Krsna's everyone, when He displays Himself, they are all devotees. He's the Supreme. Nobody can be father of Krsna."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam, June 10, 1968, Montreal:
Prabhupada: "Body of Christ is not ordinary body. That is spiritual body. Krsna, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam, dharma-samsthapanarthaya yuge yuge sambhavami atma-mayaya. So this is a very subtle point. One has to understand that when God comes or God's son comes or God's representative comes, they do not accept a body like us. They have their spiritual body."
Srila Prabhupada "Lecture on Bhagavad-gita, January 3, 1969, Los Angeles:
Devotee: Prabhupada? Does Lord Jesus Christ appear in the spiritual sky with the body he manifested on the earth?
Prabhupada: Yes. Otherwise how there can be resurrection? Ordinary body cannot be resurrected. He appeared in his spiritual body, certainly. Jesus Christ told, if I remember, that "Lord, excuse these persons," who were crucifying him. Is it not? He knew that "These rascals, they are killing me, but... They are offending certainly. So they do not know that I cannot be killed, but they are thinking that they are killing." You see? But that was offensive, therefore he begged Lord to be excused because God cannot excuse to the offenders of the devotee. He can excuse one who is offender to God, but if somebody is offender to the devotee, God never excuses. Therefore he prayed for them. That is devotee's qualification. He prays for everyone, even of his enemy. And he could not be killed. That he knew. But those rascals, they thought they were killing Jesus Christ."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, June 29, 1968, Montreal:
Prabhupada: "He was protected. Devotees are not under the karma. In the Brahma-samhita it is stated, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam. Prahlada Maharaja was tortured by his father in so many ways, but he was not affected. He was not affected. Superficially... Just like in the Christian Bible also, that Lord Jesus Christ was tortured, but he was not affected. This is the difference between ordinary man and the devotees or transcendentalists. Apparently it is seen that a devotee is being tortured, but he is not tortured. There is one example, nice example. Just like the cat. The cat carries the kitties in the mouth, and it carries a mouse also in the mouth. So apparently it is seen that a cat is carrying its kitties in the mouth means it is in pain. But it is not in pain. That is a fact. Rather, she feels very comfortable. You see? But when the cat, the same cat, catches one mouse, his life is gone. But you see that she is carrying in the mouth both of them. Similarly, whenever you'll find that a great devotee is placed into torturing condition, he does not feel. But the demon thinks that "I am torturing him." Yes?"
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, October 2, 1968, Seattle:
Prabhupada: "So where do you find the difference? If Lord Jesus Christ says, "Through me," that means he's representative of God, and hari-nama is God. So either through the representative of God or God, the same thing. God and God's representative, there is no difference. Even in these ordinary dealings, if I send some representative, if he signs something on my behalf, I have to accept that, because he is my representative. Similarly, God has to be approached through God or through His representative. The same thing. Only the difference may be of understanding. Because Lord Jesus Christ spoke to a society that was not very much advanced. You can understand that such a great personality, God conscious person, was crucified. Just see the condition of the society. In other words, they were low-grade society. So they were not able to understand the whole philosophy of God. That is sufficient. "God created. Just take it." They were not intelligent to understand how the creation took place. Had they been intelligent, they would not have crucified such a great personality like Jesus Christ. SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THE SOCIETY. Just like in the Koran it is said by Muhammad that "From this day you have no sex intercourse with your mother." Just find out the condition of the society. So we have to take account of the time, circumstances, society, and then preaching. So to society like that it is not possible to understand the high philosophical things as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. But the primary fact, the authority is God, that is accepted both in Bible and Bhagavad-gita. Bible begins, "God is the supreme authority," and Bhagavad-gita concludes, "You surrender." Where is the difference? Simply the description is according to the time, society, and place and people. That's all. They are not Arjuna. You see? So the things to be understood by Arjuna is not possible by the persons who had crucified Lord Jesus Christ. You have to study in that light. The same thing. A dictionary, a pocket dictionary, child's dictionary, and the dictionary, international dictionary, both of them dictionary, but the value is different. That dictionary is meant for a class of children, and that dictionary is meant for high scholars. But none of them you can say it is not dictionary. That you cannot say. Both of them are dictionaries. So we have to take consideration of the time, place, persons, everything. Just like Lord Buddha, he simply said that "Stop this nonsense animal killing." That was his propaganda. They were so low-grade people, simply taking pleasure in animal killing. So in order to elevate them, Lord Buddha wanted to stop this nonsense: "Please stop killing." So in every time a different representative of God or God comes to teach people at different circumstances. So according to the circumstances there may be some difference in explanation, but the primary factor remains the same. Lord Buddha said, "All right, there is no God, but you surrender to me." Then where is the difference? That means one has to accept the authority of God either this way or that way."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, October 9, 1968, Seattle:
"Now in our childhood... Not childhood. We were at that time college student, Scottish Churches College in Calcutta. So that is Christian college, Scottish Churches. So we had to read Bible also. There was a Bible class from 1:00 to 1:30. So I remember our professor, he was a great philosopher also, Dr. W.S. Urquhart. He was very nice man, very friendly. So he was explaining from Bible. I do not know... The Christians, they do not believe in karma. Is it a fact? They do not believe in karma? Govinda dasi: They have a verse that "You reap what you sow," which means whatever you do, you receive the reaction of. It's sort of... Prabhupada: So... But karma is accepted? But I do not know. Dr. Urquhart was arguing that if I am suffering or enjoying as the effect of my previous life, so who is the witness? His argument was like this. Just like if I have committed some criminal act, in the court there is need of witness.
Then one has to prove that somebody has seen that he has done this. This is simply a legal formality. Who is going to steal while keeping one witness? Nobody's going, but court wants that who has seen that he has stolen. Anyway, Dr. Urquhart's argument was that "Who is the witness? I am suffering the reaction of my previous bad or evil activities, but who is the witness?" But at that time we were not so intelligent. We could not answer. But later on, when we were grown up and studied Bhagavad-gita, then here, in the Bhagavad-gita, we saw that upadrasta. The Lord is upadrasta, He is witness. Upadrasta. Anumanta. Anumanta means ordering. You cannot do anything without being sanctioned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You have no power. Therefore we are, in all respect, we are dependent. That we have got very nice experience. This hand is moving, but if the power is withdrawn, I cannot move my hand. Therefore I am not independent to move my hand. So upadrasta anumanta. We cannot do anything without being sanctioned by the Supreme Lord. There is an English word, that not even a grass moves without the sanction of the Lord. So that is a fact. So how one is doing nice thing and how one is doing evil things if He is the order giver? That is our independence. We can take sanction from the Lord. If we want to do something evil, I cannot do it without the sanction of the Supreme. Or even if I do something very nice, that also I cannot do without the sanction. So how the Lord gives such sanction? The sanction is like this: just like a child is crying to get something from the parent, and the parent, being disgusted, gives him something, "All right. Take it." Such kind of sanction. When we do something evil, the sanction is from the Lord, but it is not willing sanction. Against the will of the Lord. And when you do something in cooperation with the Lord, that is called bhakti. We are doing everything... In the material world we are doing everything, all nonsense for sense gratification. There is also sanction of the Lord, but that is unwilling sanction. But when we execute devotional service, loving devotional service, that is very pleasing to the Lord."
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, May 15, 1976, Honolulu:
Pusta Krsna: "They counter that if God is all-powerful, He can do anything. So why not He can create a soul and that soul can then be eternal from that point?
Prabhupada: Hm?
Pusta Krsna: The Christian may argue that God is all-powerful, so God has created the soul, and from that point the soul is eternal.
Prabhupada: Soul is eternal, we admit.
Pusta Krsna: But only from that point, not in the past.
Prabhupada: Not in the past?
Pusta Krsna: Yes, because according to Biblical philosophy you only have one lifetime in this world.
Prabhupada: Then who goes to heaven?
Pusta Krsna: Persons who adopt the principles.
Prabhupada: And if one life, then who goes to heaven and who goes to hell?
Pusta Krsna: Very few go to heaven.
Prabhupada: ANYONE, IF HE GOES TO HELL OR HEAVEN, THEN WHY DO YOU SAY "ONE LIFE"? THEN ANOTHER LIFE. OTHERWISE WHAT IS THE MEANING OF GOING TO HEAVEN OR HELL?
Hari-sauri: No. They get one chance to good or bad, and then finish.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Hari-sauri: They get one chance. Do good or bad. Then you either go to heaven or to hell. But you don't get another chance.
Prabhupada: But if he goes heaven means there is another life. How do you say "one life"? This is defective philosophy.
Pusta Krsna: But this is what God has said in the Bible; therefore we must accept.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Pusta Krsna: This is what God has said in the Bible; therefore we must accept.
Prabhupada: God, if He says something unreasonable, how it can be accepted? You say, "one life." Then who goes to the next life? That is defective. Why do you not talk back?
Pusta Krsna: (break) ...cannot explain why some people are born in a more pious setting and some people are born in a more impious setting.
Prabhupada: Because they do not know the karma. Karmana daiva netrena. According to one's activities, pious or impious, he gets the next birth. That is quite reasonable. But they do not believe in karma. When I was student in Scottish Churches College, so we had to attend class, half an hour, Bible. So the Dr. Urquhart, he did.... The argument was: "So if karma is there and I am suffering for my karma, who is the witness?" But because they do not know that the witness is God.
Pusta Krsna: He asked that question?
Prabhupada: Yes, he asked that question. (break) Paramatma.... They say "Holy Ghost." What is that Holy Ghost?
Pusta Krsna: The Holy Ghost is supposed to give knowledge to persons who have embraced the teaching.
Prabhupada: Therefore He is seeing what you are doing. So according to your action, the Holy Ghost gives you another birth. (break) ...sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati. (break)...dictating everyone's heart, and He is observing. Bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarudhani mayaya.
Pusta Krsna: (break) ...contends that if a person does not become fully aware in this lifetime of God, then they don't have another chance, and they are condemned to hell for eternity.
Prabhupada: The hell or heaven doesn't matter. The next life is there. How you say "one life"? That is defective theory. Therefore this philosophy cannot be accepted. Anything which is defective is not to be accepted."
Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.42:
"The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity.
PURPORT
The members of some religious sects, especially Christians, do not believe in the reactions of karma. We once had a discussion with a learned Christian professor who argued that although people are generally punished after the witnesses of their misdeeds are examined, where are the witnesses responsible for one's suffering the reactions of past karma? To such a person the answer by the Yamadutas is given here. A conditioned soul thinks that he is working stealthily and that no one can see his sinful activities, but we can understand from the sastras that there are many witnesses, including the sun, fire, sky, air, moon, demigods, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and the Supersoul Himself, who sits with the individual soul within his heart. Where is the dearth of witnesses? The witnesses and the Supreme Lord both exist, and therefore so many living entities are elevated to higher planetary systems or degraded to lower planetary systems, including the hellish planets. There are no discrepancies, for everything is arranged perfectly by the management of the Supreme God (svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca)."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, April 26, 1969, Boston:
"And the Bhagavata says, parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam: "A man is supposed to be defeated in all his activities if he does not inquire what he is." This statement is also in Bible, you know, that "If one loses his own self and he gains all material prosperity, what does he gain?" Actually, this is the fact."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, June 28, 1976, Melbourne:
"Just like in Bible also there are so many commandments that "You shall not do this," because they are sinful. A sinful man cannot approach God. That is the verdict of Vedic literature.
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
One who is completely free from the reaction of sinful life, he can completely devote in the service of the Lord. So the common platform is there. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim, nor the method of approaching God may be different, but the ultimate end is how to love God or how to serve God."
Srila Prabhupada Lecture, March 2, 1975, Atlanta:
Devotee: "In the Bible they say that the animals don't have soul; therefore it's not the same as killing.
Prabhupada: I do not know whether it is said. (break) ...expert in calling Bible, but where it is said, he does not know. He is so expert in Bible (laughter) How do you know? Now, apart from Bible or any scripture, how do you find that the animal has no soul? How do you consider it? What is the symptom of having soul? That is very easy, but you do not know. When the soul is gone from the body, it does not move. And when the soul is there, it moves. This is the understanding of soul. So do you think the animal does not move? The animal has no blood? The animal has no bone? How do you say that animal has no soul? This is foolishness. The soul is there. Even one small ant, there is soul. Otherwise how it is moving? So long the soul is there, the dull material body is moving. And as soon as the soul is gone, you will cry, "My father has gone away." Why your father gone? It is lying there. Why do you say, "My father has gone away"? This is ignorance. We do not know what is soul. We see the body. So long I have seen the body of my father. Now the soul has gone. I am crying, "My father has gone away." But did you see your father? "Yes, that body." The body is there. Why you are crying? So it is very common sense affair to understand where there is soul. A big stone, a big mountain, it cannot move although it is so big. And a small ant is moving. Why? There is soul. So how can you say the animals have no soul? This is ignorance. Tatha dehantara-praptih. The soul being within the body means it is changing the body from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, like that. And if the child is born dead--no more change of body. That is the proof that there is soul. Soul means the living force which is moving the body. That is soul. How you can say the animal has no soul? Everyone has soul. Even the grass has soul, because it is growing, changing body. (break) ...simple thing. Ceto-darpana-marjanam. Because all dirty things are within our heart. On account of dirty things we are thinking that "I have got soul, and the animal has no soul." This is due to dirtiness of the heart. So if you chant Hare Krsna, the heart will be cleansed. Just like a mirror with a dust, you cannot see, but if this dust is cleansed, then you can see your face very nicely. Similarly, because on account of material contamination our heart is unclean, we cannot see things as they are, but the chanting process will cleanse your heart, and then you will see everything in order. Then you will not say the animal has no soul."
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Yamuna, May 27, 1969:
"We are compared as the shadow of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as it is stated in the Bible also, man is made after God. We understand from the scriptures that Krishna has His Vigraha, or Spiritual Body, exactly like a man who has two hands, two legs and all similar features. If you decorate your face, you do not see directly how your face has become beautiful, but when you see the reflection of your face in the mirror, then indirectly you can see the beauty. Therefore, by serving Krishna directly the result of the service indirectly comes to us. Just like we offer very nice prasadam directly to Krishna, but indirectly we enjoy the nice taste of the prasadam. So we should always remember this, that Krishna is always full in Himself; He does not want a pinch of our help for his satisfaction, but if we try to satisfy Him in so many ways as directed by acaryas and scriptures, indirectly we become benefited by such activities."
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, July 12, 1973, London:
Hamsaduta: "In the Bible also, in the very beginning page, there's a verse. After God created everything, the animals and the trees and everything, then He gave allotment of food to the human society. It says very plainly that "The seed-bearing plants and trees of the earth shall be your meat, or shall be your food."
Prabhupada: Just see.
Hamsaduta: And it says nothing...
Prabhupada: Vegetables."
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, June 11, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupada: "That is still lower grade man. But so far experience that "I have not... God is beyond my experience." Another point that in the Bible, Christ, Lord Christ says that "My Lord, Thy be hallowed..." What is that?
Devotees: "Hallowed be Thy name."
Prabhupada: So God has name.
Pusta-krsna: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name."
Prabhupada: Eh? So he admits God has His name. But it may be that he did not disclose or did not like to say, but there is already name. So it is up to the followers to know what is that name."
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, June 15, 1976, Paris:
Prabhupada: "Christians, they cannot say that God is impersonal. (French) Because, because Christ is son of God. So the son is person. How the Father can be imperson? And in the Bible it is said, "There was word in the beginning." That is God's word. So if one has a word, then He's a person. Word comes from the tongue and mouth. As soon as there is word, background is tongue and mouth. And then... The Christians pray in the church, "Oh, God, give us our daily bread." So God has got ear so that He will hear and supply. But His personality, His word, His hearing, they're all transcendental, nonmaterial."
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, June 15, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupada: "Yes. Just like in the Bible it is said, "There was only word in the beginning." So in the beginning, there was word. That means that word is not the word of this material creation."

Transmigration of Soul to Another Destination

Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, June 10, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupada: "Otherwise what is the meaning of going to God? They believe it.
Siddha-svarupa: Yes.
Prabhupada: What is, the Bible says, "Come to kingdom of God"?
Siddha-svarupa: Yes.
Prabhupada: So if you have no next life, how you are going to there?
Siddha-svarupa: Yes. They accept another life.
Prabhupada: Then that is... Another life means soul."
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, April 1, 1975, Mayapur:
Ravindra-svarupa: "In the Bible they give twelve names for God.
Prabhupada: No, let me finish this. If you do not accept Krsna is the name of God,... I have explained what is the idea of Krsna. The Krsna means all-attractive. The example is given: Just like gold. Gold is attractive to everyone--to the educated, the uneducated, to the black, to the white, man, woman, everyone. One who knows God, er, one who knows gold--gold is attractive. Similarly, God is all-attractive. There cannot be that "It is black gold," "It is white gold," "It is Christian gold," "It is Hindu gold." No. Gold is gold. So we present Krsna that "Here is God, all-attractive." Now you say, "No, He's not God." Then you present your God.
Pancadravida: Well, I know just the...
Prabhupada: You cannot say, reject. They cannot reject Krsna unless you present an alternative.
Pancadravida: Well, here's the argument. Part of the thing I remember in the Judeo tradition, Judeo-Christian tradition, in the... Whenever we used to go to service and all that, they used to have in the prayer books... They would never write out the name of God because they say...
Prabhupada: Oh, that means you do not know.
Pancadravida: No, they say God's name should never be spoken out loud.
Prabhupada: Why?
Pancadravida: I don't know.
Prabhupada: This is nonsense. If you know somebody, why should you say, "His name should not be explained"?
Brahmananda: They say that God's name is so pure and we are so impure that to utter His name is to make it impure.
Ravindra-svarupa: Is blasphemy.
Acyutananda: No, I heard the explanation that a nonbeliever should not know it.
Prabhupada: That is all right.
Acyutananda: So they don't say it out loud.
Prabhupada: No, when we come to argument that... We are supposed to be all believers in God. We are not nonbelievers. We simply want to ascertain who is that God. We are not nonbelievers. Then some persons who believe in God come together so to ascertain who is God. So just like when we come to a meeting to elect a president, so they are not nonbelievers. They are not nonbelievers. As there are so many personalities, candidate for president, now who is the right person to become the president? That is wanted. To the nonbelievers, he has no access. About discussion in God he has no access. When we discuss about God, it is supposed they are all believers. So if you say... Just like we are holding meeting to ascertain... There are so many names of God. Now we ascertain who is real God. God means there should be no more above Him. Mattah parataram nanyat. That is God.
Visnujana: Christians have such a name. They call Him Yahweh.
Acyutananda: Yahweh.
Visnujana: Yahweh means "I am that I am. No one is beyond Me."
Acyutananda: Yahweh.
Visnujana: They will say Yahweh is God.
Prabhupada: No, Yahweh, what is...? That is the name?
Visnujana: Name. "I am that..." It means in English, "I am that I am."
Prajapati: Some people translate that as jehovah.
Visnujana: jehovah.
Prajapati: But it's the same word. In fact, everyone agrees they do not know what the real name is. Some say Yahweh; some say jehovah. The Jewish tradition replaces completely and says Adonai, instead.
Prabhupada: That's all right. He may not say. But we have to take from the meaning. What is the meaning?
Visnujana: "No one is beyond Me."
Prabhupada: THAT'S ALL RIGHT. "NO ONE IS BEYOND ME." THEN HE COMES TO OUR CONCLUSION, ALL-ATTRACTIVE. THIS IS... THEY COME TO OUR CONCLUSION, ALL-ATTRACTIVE. BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY IS BEYOND HIM, THEN HE SHOULD BE ATTRACTIVE. BUT IF HE'S FINAL ATTRACTIVE, THEN ALL-ATTRACTIVE, KRSNA. KRSNA MEANS ALL-ATTRACTIVE. What do you think?"

Denying the Master

There are a number of strikingly similar parallels which both Srila Prabhupada and Jesus Christ encountered. For instance, Jesus Christ could foresee that his disciples would deny him or betray him. Srila Prabhupada could also foresee the same DENYING BY HIS OWN DISCIPLES.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.48:
"Whenever an acarya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gita. Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme personality of Godhead. Religious principles begin from the time one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the acarya's duty to spread a bona fide religious system and induce everyone to bow down before the Supreme Lord. One executes the religious principles by rendering devotional service, specifically the nine items like hearing, chanting and remembering. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE ACARYA DISAPPEARS, ROGUES AND NONDEVOTEES TAKE ADVANTAGE AND IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO INTRODUCE UNAUTHORIZED PRINCIPLES IN THE NAME OF SO-CALLED SVAMIS, YOGIS, PHILANTHROPISTS, WELFARE WORKERS AND SO ON."
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, May 3, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupada: "And Lord Jesus Christ was killed. So they may kill me also."

Srila Prabhupada's "passing away" was under VERY suspicious circumstances. It appears from the statements of Srila Prabhupada in the conversation tapes (Hindi/English) he was poisoned by his leading "disciples". Murder is a very stong possibility. In fact, Srila Prabhupada in reference to his being poisoned said, "Its possible". (Hear From Srila Prabhupada (the essence of the poison issue).

Was Christ referring to Lord Caitanya or previous Acaryas?

Various persons have stated that Jesus Christ could be referring to Caitanya Mahaprabhu as that Holy Spirit. Some say it could be one of the previous acaryas. Interesting enough, – even some Muslims claim Mohammmed was that Holy Spirit. So In this section, I will refute ALL those claims.

Holy Bible, John 14:26:
"But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. "
Holy Bible, John 15:26:
"When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. "

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not speak about Jesus Christ. The Acaryas, e.g., Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur just briefly touched on topics of Jesus Christ. It is ONLY Srila Prabhupada who EXTENSIVELY lays claim of THAT Holy Spirit. The CLEAR evidence is his books, CD's, tapes.

a) will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you
b) he will testify about me."

As for the claim Mohammed is that Holy Spirit – that does not apply since he did not guide into ALL TRUTH namely (Srimad Bhagavatam1.2.11):

"The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding by the knower of the Absolute Truth, and all of them are identical. Such phases of the Absolute Truth are expressed as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. "

Furthermore, the set-up of the Ritvik system (July 9th 1977) runs parallel to the Christians:

Srila Prabhupada Lecture, October 2, 1968, Seattle:
Madhudvisa: "Is there any way for a Christian to, without the help of a spiritual master, to reach the spiritual sky through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings?
Prabhupada: I don't follow.
Tamala Krsna: Can a Christian in this age, without a spiritual master, but by reading the Bible and following Jesus's words, reach the...
Prabhupada: When you read Bible, you follow spiritual master. How can you say without? As soon as you read Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ, that means you are following spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being without spiritual master?
Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living spiritual master.
Prabhupada: Spiritual master is not the question of... Spiritual master is ETERNAL. Spiritual master is ETERNAL. So your question is without spiritual master. Without spiritual master you cannot be, at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible," when you read Bible that means you are following the spiritual master REPRESENTED by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question without spiritual master. Is that clear?"

Srila Prabhupada is teaching the same message: how to serve Krishna through the transparent via medium -- his books(instructions).

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.35:
"If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is NO DIFFERENCE between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple.
Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 24.330:
"Similarly, a disciple's qualifications must be observed by the spiritual master before he is accepted as a disciple. In our Krsna consciousness movement, the requirement is that one must be prepared to give up the four pillars of sinful life-illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. In Western countries especially, we first observe whether a potential disciple is prepared to follow the regulative principles. Then he is given the name of a Vaisnava servant and initiated to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, at least sixteen rounds daily. In this way the disciple renders devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master or HIS REPRESENTATIVE for at least six months to a year. He is then recommended for a second initiation, during which a sacred thread is offered and the disciple is accepted as a bona fide brahmana."

Further evidence of his set-up of HIS REPRESENTATIVE: Ritvik - **Representative**".

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada