Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction:
We cannot imagine, however, the duration of one breath of Mahā-viṣṇu, for within one breath all the universes are created and annihilated. This is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Lord Brahmā lives only for the duration of one breath, and according to our time scale 4,320,000,000 years constitute only twelve hours for Brahmā, and Brahmā lives one hundred of his years. Yet the whole life of Brahmā is contained within one breath of Mahā-viṣṇu. Thus it is not possible for us to imagine the breathing power of Mahā-viṣṇu, who is but a partial manifestation of Lord Nityānanda. This the author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta explains in the ninth verse.
In the tenth and eleventh verses Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja describes Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, successive plenary expansions of Mahā-viṣṇu. Brahmā appears upon a lotus growing from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and within the stem of that lotus are so many planetary systems. Then Brahmā creates the whole of human society, animal society—everything.
Easy Journey to Other Planets
Easy Journey to Other Planets 1:
Of course man is endowed with free will, and as such if he does not want to free himself of the material world he may enjoy the life of brahma-pāda (occupation of the post of Brahmā) and visit Siddhaloka, the planets of materially perfect beings who have full abilities to control gravity, space, time, etc. To visit these higher planets in the material universe, one need not give up his mind and intelligence (finer matter), but need only give up grosser matter (the material body).
Man-made satellites and mechanical space vehicles will never be able to carry human beings to the planets of outer space. Men cannot even go on their much-advertised trips to the moon, for, as we have already stated, the atmosphere on such higher planets is different from the atmosphere here on earth.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.7:
One has to undergo severe austerities and renunciation, accepting the sannyāsa order of life, in order to reach Brahmaloka. However, we must consider one essential fact: even Lord Brahmā, the presiding deity of that planet, is not immortal. Those who have researched the Vedic scriptures in depth can calculate the lifetime of Brahmā. Human beings count 365 days in their year, and the cycle of four yugas comprises approximately 4,320,000 such years. A thousand cycles of four yugas make up one day-time (twelve hours) of Lord Brahmā's life. In this way his month and year can be calculated, and Brahmā lives for a hundred years of his time. But despite this vast life span—311 trillion 40 billion human years—Lord Brahmā is a mortal being, and this universe created by him is also perishable. Thus it is not strange that human beings, who are also his creation, should perish. As human beings seem immortal to a tiny insect, so Lord Brahmā and the demigods seem immortal to us. In fact, however, no material body of any form is ever eternal.
Sri Isopanisad
All the material planets—upper, lower and intermediate, including the sun, moon and Venus—are scattered throughout the universe. These planets exist only during the lifetime of Brahmā. Some lower planets, however, are vanquished after the end of one day of Brahmā and are again created during the next day of Brahmā. On the upper planets, time is calculated differently. One of our years is equal to only twenty-four hours, or one day and night, on many of the upper planets. The four ages of earth (Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali) last only twelve thousand years according to the time scale of the upper planets. Such a length of time multiplied by one thousand constitutes one day of Brahmā, and one night of Brahmā is the same. Such days and nights accumulate into months and years, and Brahmā lives for one hundred such years. At the end of Brahmā's life, the complete universal manifestation is vanquished.
This unmanifested stage is called avyakta. Again, when the entire universe is vanquished at the end of Brahmā's lifetime, there is another avyakta state. But beyond these two unmanifested states is another unmanifested state, the spiritual atmosphere, or nature. There are a great number of spiritual planets in this atmosphere, and these planets exist eternally, even when all the planets within this material universe are vanquished at the end of Brahmā's life. There are many material universes, each under the jurisdiction of a Brahmā, and this cosmic manifestation within the jurisdiction of the various Brahmās is but a display of one fourth of the energy of the Lord (ekapād-vibhūti). This is the inferior energy. Beyond the jurisdiction of Brahmā is the spiritual nature, which is called tripād-vibhūti, three fourths of the Lord's energy. This is the superior energy, or parā-prakṛti.
As long as this material disease continues, the living entity has to undergo the process of bodily change. Whether he takes the form of a man, demigod or animal, he ultimately has to endure an unmanifested condition during the two devastations—the devastation during the night of Brahmā and the devastation at the end of Brahmā's life. If we want to put an end to this process of repeated birth and death, as well as the concomitant factors of old age and disease, we must try to enter the spiritual planets, where we can live eternally in the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa or His plenary expansions, His Nārāyaṇa forms. Lord Kṛṣṇa or His plenary expansions dominate every one of these innumerable planets, a fact confirmed in the śruti mantras: eko vaśī sarva-gaḥ kṛṣṇa īḍyaḥ/ eko 'pi san bahudhā yo 'vabhāti. (Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.21)
No one can dominate Kṛṣṇa. It is the conditioned soul who tries to dominate material nature and is instead subjected to the laws of material nature and the sufferings of repeated birth and death.
Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)
Narada Bhakti Sutra 7, Purport:
It is said that when conjugal affection between a lover and beloved comes to the point of being destroyed and yet is not destroyed, such a relationship is pure love, or prema. In the material world it is not possible to find this kind of love, for it exists only between Kṛṣṇa and His intimate devotees, such as the gopīs. The sentiment between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa was so strong that it could not be destroyed under any circumstances. Kṛṣṇa praises the gopīs' pure love in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.32.22):
na pāraye 'haṁ niravadya-saṁyujāṁ
sva-sādhu-kṛtyaṁ vibudhāyuṣāpi vaḥ
yā mābhajan durjaya-geha-śṛṅkhalāḥ
saṁvṛścya tad vaḥ pratiyātu sādhunā
"My dear gopīs, I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahmā. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation."
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:
Whose only one plenary portion is Mahā-Viṣṇu. And what is the function of Mahā-Viṣṇu? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). In every universe there is a chief living entity who is known as Brahmā. Brahmā is the original person in each universe. So the life of Brahmā or the life of a universe is existing only on the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Mahā-Viṣṇu is lying on the Causal Ocean and while He is exhaling, millions of universes are coming as bubbles and they are developing again. And when He is inhaling, millions of universes are going within Him. So that is the position of this material world. It is coming out and again going. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said that these material universes are being created at a certain period and again become annihilated. Now this creation and annihilation is depending on the exhaling and inhaling of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Just imagine what is the caliber of that Mahā-Viṣṇu.
Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:
So śāśvatīḥ samāḥ. If you are transferred to the higher planetary system then your duration of life will be increased like that. Here six months, and there one day. By such calculation of one day you live there for ten thousand years. Ten thousand years. That one day our six months. Now imagine. Similarly Brahmā, other higher planetary... Brahmā's life. That is also described.
So Kṛṣṇa said that these transcendentally advanced persons, they're transferred to the higher planetary system and live there for many, many years to enjoy life there. Then again they are transferred again here. This is called karma-kṣetra. And one may ask question that when he's transferred again to this planet what does he become? Does he become any animal? Or man? No. He still becomes a man. And what sort of man? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. Śucīnām means very pious family, righteous family. Just like in India we have got the brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family.
Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:
Now, in the heavenly kingdom, it is said that our six months is... Six months are equal to their one day. And similarly, they live there for ten thousand years. This description we get from Vedic literatures. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you have got the duration of life of Brahmā. That is the highest planet. So Kṛṣṇa says that "After... Even if he is a failure, he gets promotion to the higher planets." But in the higher planets you cannot remain for all the time. Kṣīṇe puṇye punaḥ martya-lokaṁ viśanti: "When your pious balance is finished, then you are again fallen in this earth." Kṣīṇe puṇye punaḥ martya-lokaṁ viśanti. Martya-lokam means, this martya-lokam, this earth. Now, even when he comes back here, He says, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, that "He gets his birth..." Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). He takes his birth in a family, two kinds of families. One family, śrīmatām. Śrīmatām means very rich family, very rich family.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:
Brahmā's duration of life is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by a thousand becomes twelve hours of Brahmā, and similarly twelve hours at night, that is one day and night. Such thirty times makes one month, such twelve times makes a year, and similarly one hundred years is the duration of life of Brahmā. So according to śāstra we understand, once in the day of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa appears.
Why does He appear? Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati..., tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, dharmasya glāniḥ (BG 4.7). What is that dharmasya glāniḥ? Disobedience to Kṛṣṇa's order. That is dharmasya glāniḥ. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya. Dharma is one. As God is one, similarly dharma is also one. There cannot be many dharmas. There are many dharmas practically we see: Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, Buddha dharma, this dharma, so many dharma. But real dharma is one. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Para means transcendental. These are material dharma.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973:
So if you can conquer over this miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, that is siddhi. Otherwise it is not siddhi, that if I can construct a skyscraper building or even if I go to the Brahma-loka to get millions and millions of years as duration of life... Brahmā's life, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Millions of years. That is only twelve hours of Brahmā. Such twelve hours, night. Sahasra-yuga again, that is night. That is complete twenty-four hours. Then add thirty days like that. Then one year, twelve months. Such one hundred years is the duration of life of Brahmā. So you may go to the highest planetary system or in the heavenly planets. You can have better standard of life than this earthly planet or you can live for long, long years, but that is not the solution of your problems. That is not solution. But they do not know it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has described them as mūḍhas. Mūḍhas. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:
This is only one night. And such... There is another day also of the same period. Then together, day and night, such thirty day and night makes their month. And such 12 months make their year. And such hundred years they live." So how the fly will understand? Similarly, we cannot understand. When the duration of life of Brahmā is described, we think it is story. Similarly, they will think also story. Nothing is story. In the Vedic literatures all informations are there. Their relative life, big and small, smaller than the smallest, bigger than the biggest. Don't think that these description in the Vedas, they are stories. They are not stories. They are facts. But we cannot accommodate in our poor teeny brain. That's all. So what we shall understand about God? It is not possible. Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). In our present senses we always think of seeing. But we forget, what seeing power we have got? It is nothing. It is simply under certain condition we can see a little portion. We cannot see perfectly, so we should not believe in our seeing power.
Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:
They, we see, every night, there are so many planets, stars, but from the śāstra we can understand that the higher planetary system means the material comforts available there, many, many times more than in this planet. You live in this planet, at most, for one hundred years. But in the higher planetary system you can live which you cannot calculate. Just like Brahmā's life, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Brahmā's twelve hours even you cannot calculate with your mathematical figures. But one has to die. Nobody can live permanently within this..., even if you have got a long duration of life.
So these facilities you can get in higher planetary systems, if you prepare yourself. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Similarly, you can go to the Pitṛlokas. You can meet there your forefathers if they are, of course, eligible. And bhūtejyā... If you want, you can remain here. And mad-yājino 'pi mām: "And if you become a devotee of Me, then you can come to Me."
Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:
That is not knowledge. These things are there in the animals. The animals also know very well how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life and how to defend. No. That is not... Human life is meant for different business, and that is brahma-jijñāsā. So brahma-jijñāsā, if one begins the life of brahma-jijñāsā, brahma-jñāna, and when it ends in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). The, the one who is actually jñānavān, in knowledge, such person... Not so-called. There are two classes of men. One class of men is called jñānavān, and another class of men is called māyayā apahṛta-jñāna. All these words you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is not my manufacture. So māyayā apahṛta-jñāna means he's rascal number one, but he's thinking that he's vastly learned. He has advanced his knowledge so much. Simply he is puffed up falsely. That is called māyayā apahṛta-jñāna. Or jñānavān means one who has actually knowledge.
Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:
Still we shall go." This is their proposal. Either you go to the moon planet or sun planet or any Venus planet, this planet, anywhere within this material world... Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. There are so many planets. The topmost planet is Brahmaloka, Brahma planet, where Lord Brahmā lives. And you know the duration of life of Brahmā. You cannot calculate his one twelve-hours day. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). This is the Brahmā's twelve hours. That is Brahmaloka. You cannot calculate what is the duration of life there. But even if you go there, the problem, death will be there. The problem death will go. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). The problem which is here... Just like the birth-death problem is within the ant society, birth-death problem is there within the animal society, birth-death problem is there in the human society, similarly, birth-death problem is in the moon society or sun society or Brahmaloka society, anywhere in this material world. That is real problem.
Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:
There are many creations. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Just like this body: it is created, everyone knows. It is created by the father and mother. And it will be annihilated in due course of time by nature's way. Similarly, anything material... This whole universe, cosmic manifestation, is also created. This is a bigger body, that's all, virāṭ body. And it stays for millions and millions of years during the lifetime of Brahmā. We have got information, Brahmā's one day: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). We cannot calculate even one Brahmā's day. Such one day means daytime, twelve hours; then night, twelve hours. In this one day, such month, such year, such hundred years, Brahmā lives. So this cosmic manifestation, brahmāṇḍa, universe, will stay up to that time. So there is no difference in the manipulation with this body and the Brahmā. It is the same principle. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). So this is saṁsṛtiḥ, anādi-bahirmukha.
Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:
Similarly, in the dormant stage after annihilation, we living entities, we forget everything. Just like at night we are forgetting everything of this bodily activities, and again, during daytime, we are forgetting everything of the night dream. This is going on. Similarly, at the time of annihilation, prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām. Kalpa-kṣaye. When this millennium will be ended, at the end of Brahmā's life, at that time the living entities will stay in the body of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. (aside:) What is that sound? And again, when we are let loose from the deha, and there is creation, our old remembrances all come in, and we begin our life. This is the process of going... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Sva-tejasā apibat tīvram ātma-prasvāpanaṁ tamaḥ.
So the darkness is there, and the light is also there. Simply we have to be awakened. Therefore Vedas, they instruct us that "Don't sleep! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata prāpya varān nibodhata jāgrata. Similarly, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura also sings, kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole. Jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole. Gauracānda means Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, "O the living entities, you get up! Be awakened!"
Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:
That is God, that by breathing, unlimited number of universes are coming out and going in. And the duration of existence of each and every universe is the duration of life of Brahmā. That we cannot calculate. Even we cannot calculate his twelve hours. So that is God. We accept such kind of God, not a little magician. No. That is not possible. We cannot accept such cheap gods. We accept Kṛṣṇa, the sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), and we want to be eternal servant. That is our actual position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). By His unlimited potency, energy, unlimited universes are coming out with unlimited number of varieties of planet, and each planet is differently situated, different atmosphere, different temperature. So in this way varieties. That is ānanda. Kṛṣṇa has created these varieties because He is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Ānandamaya. Unless there is variety.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969:
So these sixty-four qualities, they have analyzed that we living entities, we have got in minute quantities. And amongst the living entities, the highest perfection is to be seen in the life of Brahmā, who is the chief living entity within this universe. So similarly, Lord Śiva has got fifty-five. Lord Nārāyaṇa has got sixty. But Kṛṣṇa has got in full sixty-four. Cent percent, hundred percent all the qualities. Therefore either Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā or the living entities, nobody can be equal to Him. This is the conception of God. Asamordhva. And in the Bhagavad-gītā you have seen that Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Dhanañjaya, My dear Arjuna, there is nobody superior to Me." So just like some heating agent. You have got several heating agent. You have got heater in your apartment, oven in your apartment.
Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:
Unusual, what experience you have got? You have no experience. Have you got any experience of other planetary system, what is there? Then? Your experience is very teeny. So you should not calculate Brahma's life and other things by your teeny experience. Now, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the duration of life of Brahma, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ... (BG 8.17). Now, Brahma's life, it is stated in the śāstras. We have already explained that we accept the authoritative statement of śāstra. Now, Brahma's life is stated there. Arhat means his one day is equal to our four yugas. Four yugas means 4,300,000 years, and multiply it by one thousand, sahasra-yuga-paryantam. Sahasra means one thousand. And yuga, yuga means the 4,300,000 years makes a yuga. And multiply it by one thousand: that period is Brahma's one day. Similarly, he has got one night. Similarly, he has got one month. Similarly, he has got one year. And such hundred years he will live. So how you can calculate? How it is within your experience? You will think something mysterious. No. Your experience is nothing. Therefore you have to take experience from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. Then your knowledge is perfect.
Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:
So generally, the 25,000 miles, this earth, it takes long, long time, even you go by aeroplane But when you have got a better machine, it is finished within one hour, twenty-five minutes. So as you go higher, higher, the time duration becomes different. This is called relativity. We hear from the Bhagavad-gītā the duration of life of Brahmā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Our some millions of years is equal to twelve hours of Brahmā.
So in this way, if you like to go to the other, higher planetary system, there is system, how to go there. As we have got system here in this world... If anyone wants to come to America, he has to arrange for visa and passport and so many things. Without going through the system, you cannot enter by force. So these foolish people are thinking that "There is no living entity. It is lying vacant, and by force, we can go there." And after spending millions of dollars, we come back with some dust, that's all. (laughter) And become proud that we have gone to moon planet.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:
The three-fourth portion of Kṛṣṇa's creation, God's creation, is in the Vaikuṇṭha jagat. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, which is permanent. Within this material nature, all these universes, they stay during the lifetime of Brahma; and as soon as Brahma dies, everything is finished. Such Brahma, such powerful Brahma, they also offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, here it is said, brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā. Brahmādayaḥ, not only Brahma, but others. Brahma, Siva, and Indra, Candra, Varuna, so many. There are many crores of demigods, as many planets there are.
So they offered Nṛsiṁha-deva their prayers to pacify Him, but they could not. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that if brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā siddhāḥ. Here Śrīdhara Swami says munayo manana śīla siddhyaḥ jñanino 'pi (?). Manano śīla, manano śīla means speculator, philosophers. Muni means one who can think very deeply, manano śīla.
Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:
And what is the time difference? Niśvasita-kālam. Just like we exhale and inhale, a second, similarly, this creation—annihilation is a second for Mahā-Viṣṇu. So millions and millions of years stays... Everything is created, and it stays for some time. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti pralaya, three stages. So between the sṛṣṭi, creation, and pralaya, annihilation, there is one period which is called sthiti. That sthiti means the life of Brahmā. When the life of Brahmā is finished, then there is no more sthiti; it is now annihilated. Now you can calculate what is the life of Brahmā. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Our one thousand years and multiplied by the years of yuga... The yuga year means forty-three hundred thousand of years, and, multiplied by one thousand, that period is Brahmā's twelve hours, day. Now you can imagine. It is beyond your mathematical calculation, but still, there is calculation in the śāstra, and that is, such hundreds years, is the duration of sthiti. But that sthiti, before Kāraṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, is the moment, just like we exhale and inhale.
Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:
Even one who believes in the śāstra, believes in the Brahmā's āyuḥ... Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). His one day, twelve hours, is forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand—means forty-three crores of years, our calculation. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). We cannot calculate the duration of life of Brahmā. And when Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādiḥ, "I am the father of Brahmā," so ordinary man, how he'll understand? He'll not understand. He cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "Some forty millions of years ago I spoke this philosophy to the sun-god." So ordinary man, how he'll understand? They'll say "Mythology." It is not mythology; it is fact. This was cleared by Kṛṣṇa, er, Arjuna, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You said that You have spoken, You had spoken so many years ago to the sun-god. How can I believe it? You are my contemporary, of my age. How can I believe it?" Kṛṣṇa said that "Yes, you cannot believe it, but you and..., both you and Me, because you are My eternal friend, so you were also present that time when I spoke to sun-god. But you have forgotten, I have not forgotten." That is the difference. The difference is man and God, so God knows everything eternally and we forget. This is our nature.
Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:
Everyone in this material world, even this bird, a small bird, he is also always anxious that "So many people are here, and there is so many daṇḍas. They may not kill me." Therefore they're very cautious. As soon as you raise the daṇḍa, immediately they go away because anxiety is there. Or either in Brahma's life or ant's life, this is the material nature. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asat... Why? Asad-grahāt. Because you have accepted this material body, this means you have accepted anxiety.
So we have to do in such a way that no more material body. And that is Kṛṣṇa's advice. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). And if you have got a pinch of material desire, Kṛṣṇa is ready to give you a type of body so you can satisfy your desires. But the material desire is never satisfied, one after another, one after another, one after another. In this way at the time of the death we are not satisfied. We desire some thing... (break) ...and then it is to be very easy.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:
Of course, we do..., we do not know what kind of temporary. But temporary means even if you live for many millions of years, that is also temporary, because you are eternal. So somebody's living for one year, somebody's living for one minute, and somebody's living for one million or more than that. Just like Brahma's life: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). That is also temporary. Our problem is to get our eternal life again. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāmaṁ pa. (BG 15.6).. This is the process. One should go to such a place that he'll not have to come back again to this temporary world. So karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa means you can be elevated to the heavenly planet by karma-kāṇḍīya process, or even to the Brahmā planet, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, but what Kṛṣṇa says? Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:
Similarly, in one year of Brahmā there is 5,040 Manus in one year, and he lives for hundred years. So 5,040 Manus in one year. Now hundred. So 5,040 plus two zeroes. So it comes to pañca-lakṣa cāri-sahasra manvantarāvatāra. Pañca-lakṣa means fifty millions. Not fifty millions. Ten millions a lakṣa. That means five millions and four thousands of Manus are there in one Brahmā's life. Five million and four hundred thousand of manvantarāvatāra, incarnation of Manu, in one brahmāṇḍa. And Lord Caitanya... Ananta brahmāṇḍe aiche karaha. And there are innumerable brahmāṇḍas, universes. Now you can calculate how many Manus are there. Therefore you cannot calculate. He said, "innumerable."
ananta brahmāṇḍe aiche karaha gaṇana
mahā-viṣṇu eka-śvāse brahmāra jīvana
And all these Manus and Brahmās, they are living only on the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Mahā-viṣṇura niśvāsera nāhika paryanta. And just imagine what is that breathing? Eka manvantarāvatārera dekha lekhāra anta.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.11-15 -- New York, January 9, 1967:
We are eternally conditioned. Eternally conditioned means we do not know when we have been conditioned like this. It is not possible to trace out the history. Because living entity, by nature, he is not conditioned. But actually we see that we are conditioned, and there is no possibility to trace out the history. Many, many Brahmā's life... Not only one Brahmā's, there are so many Brahmās changed, and we are conditioned. So therefore we are called eternally conditioned.
Now this... What is the difference between the two? Those who are eternally free, liberated, they are godly. They are always ready to render transcendental loving service to the Lord. They are satisfied in that way. Just like mother is satisfied simply by loving child, or friend is satisfied simply by loving. Of course, that sort of love is not possible in this material world, but there are some rare instances. At least we can get an idea that... Similarly, the eternal liberated souls, they are satisfied simply by loving Kṛṣṇa. That is their satisfaction. Everyone wants to love.
Wedding Ceremonies
Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:
There is evolution of life from lowest animal in the water and up to the highest platform or highest planetary life, where the duration of life is many, many millions of years. The highest planetary system is called Brahmaloka, or where the first created being, Brahmā, lives. The duration of Brahmā's life is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand makes one twelve hours of that Brahmaloka. Just like there is distinction of the duration of life between the microbes and the human being, similarly, there are different grades of different duration of life in different stage of planetary system. So the life is evolving. Now after evolutionary process from the lower animals, from the aquatics to plant life, vegetable life, then microbes, reptiles, birds, beasts, then we come to the human form of life, this civilized form of life. Now here it is just like crossing. Where we should go next life? Whether I shall promote myself to the higher planetary system or into the spiritual sky, Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or I shall go down again in the evolutionary process of lower animals?
General Lectures
Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:
Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya (Bs. 5.48). His life, his duration life, although so long, still, it is said that that life is only a breathing period of Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu. Niśvasita-kālam. Just like we are breathing, exhaling and inhaling, coming out and again taking. So when Mahā-Viṣṇu exhales, all the universes coming, and when He inhales, it goes again within. And the duration of Brahma's life you can calculate.
So that God, that Mahā-Viṣṇu, is stated (He) is one portion of the portion of Kṛṣṇa. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ viṣṇur mahān (Bs. 5.48). He is called Mahā-Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo. This Mahā-Viṣṇu is portion of the portion of Kṛṣṇa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. In this way, there are different description of God, how great He is. That greatness cannot be had by any nonsense rascal. You see. So don't be misled in that way. Even you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, don't be misled by cheap Gods. That is our request. God is great, and try to understand how great He is.
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:
That is the beginning of history. But time is immemorial, I mean to say, eternal. It is all relative truth. The history is relative. Just like my life begins, this body begins somewhere in 1896—something like that—and it ends somewhere. That time limit is relative to my body. Similarly, there is Brahmā's body. That relative time is long, long duration. As you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahmā's life is described by Kṛṣṇa, sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). This Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, Kali, four yugas, it comes to about forty-three lakhs of years. So combine together, if you multiply it by one thousand, that is the duration of one day's life of Brahmā. Similarly, he has got night. This is only daytime, twelve hours. The similar period, night, that makes twenty-four hours. Then again one month, thirty days and nights. Similarly, one year, twelve months. Similarly, one hundred years. So his duration of life is also one hundred years, but because it is a different person, that truth is relative according to that person. That is scientifically admitted: everything is relative truth, nothing absolute truth.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 9 July, 1968:
If Brahma would not have posed himself as not knowing the whole truth, then some truths about the transcendental position of Krishna would not have been explained. Besides that, we cannot calculate even one day's duration of the life of Brahma. So, Krishna appears only once in a day of Brahma, and that takes a rotation of unlimited trillions of solar years. So some incidences take place in one day, and other incidents take place in another day. Just like we do something today, something else in a week, and we forget today's action tomorrow, and tomorrow's action after a week. And that is the nature of conditioned life. Therefore, Brahma being a big conditioned soul, this forgetfulness of one's affairs in the next day are not uncommon. Just as we are forgetful, Brahma also is subject to forgetfulness. Our so much so-called knowledge is nothing in comparison to Krishna's full knowledge. That is admitted by Brahma there in that verse, that people may say they know You very well, but so far I am concerned, I admit I do not know even a farthing of You!
taken from here