Teachings of The Vedas

Delivered as a lecture by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada on October 6, 1969, at Conway Hall, London, England.

Ladies and gentlemen, today’s subject matter is the teachings of the Vedas. What are the Vedas? The Sanskrit verbal root of veda can be interpreted variously, but the purpose is finally one. Veda means knowledge. Any knowledge you accept is veda, for the teachings of the Vedas are the original knowledge. In the conditioned state, our knowledge is subjected to many deficiencies. The difference between a conditioned soul and a liberated soul is that the conditioned soul has four kinds of defects. The first defect is that he must commit mistakes. For example, in our country, Mahatma Gandhi was considered to be a very great personality, but he committed many mistakes. Even at the last stage of his life, his assistant warned, “Mahatma Gandhi, don’t go to the New Delhi meeting. I have some friends, and I have heard there is danger.” But he did not hear. He persisted on going and was killed. Even great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, President Kennedy–there are so many of them–make mistakes. To err is human. This is one defect of the conditioned soul.

Sankaracarya on Bhagavad-Gita – Srila Prabhupada explains

Through the centuries, India’s greatest philosophers and spiritualists have praised the Bhagavad-gita as the distilled essence of the eternal Vedic wisdom. In his Meditations on the Bhagavad-gita, versified here, the renowned sixth-century philosopher Sankaracarya glorifies the Gita and its divine author, Sri Krishna. Although universally celebrated as an impersonalist, here Sankaracarya reveals his devotion to the original personal form of God, Lord Sri Krsna. And Srila Prabhupada elucidates.

Lord Nityananda’s Appearance day lecture by Srila Prabhupada

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Bhubaneswar, February 2, 1977
Prabhupäda: So today, the appearance day of Nityänanda Prabhu… Nityänanda Prabhu is Baladeva, Baladeva-tattva.

vrajendra-nandana yei, çacé-suta haila sei,
balaräma haila nitäi

“Who was formerly the son of Nanda Mahäräja, He has appeared as the son of Çacédevi.” Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s mother’s name was Çacédevi. So Kåñëa… Kåñëa is Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and Balaräma is Nityänanda Prabhu. Now…

vrajendra-nandana yei, çacé-suta haila sei,
balaräma haila nitäi

Srila Prabhupada’s last words – to HH.Narayana Maharaja

The cassette was kindly provided by the BBT Archives. Srila Prabhupada: Narayana Maharaja. He will come tomorrow?

Tamal Krsna Gosvami: He will come when we…(discussing with others). If we pick him up he might come tonight.

Srila Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamal Krsna Gosvami: If we go just now with the car. Bhakticaru is going just now with the car. Maharaja may come tonight.

(Someone begins to sing govindam adi purusam…)

Tamal Krsna Gosvami: Yeah, Srila Prabhpada. Should we put a little fan on? A little bit.

(The conversation with Srila Narayana Maharaja begins:)

Srila Prabhupada: Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura) had a desire to preach all over the world – in Europe, America…I tried my best to fulfill his desire. Now we should preach together.