Greatest gift

Expressions researched:
"greatest gift"

SB Canto 3

Devahūti knew that her husband was expert in offering such gifts, and when she understood that he was offering the greatest gift, she was very satisfied.

SB 3.23.9, Purport: Devahūti's husband was so expert in the transcendental science that there was nothing for him to argue about, and when she heard him speak she was confident that since he was very much advanced in devotional service he had already surpassed all transcendental educational activities. She had no doubt about the gifts offered by her husband; she knew that he was expert in offering such gifts, and when she understood that he was offering the greatest gift, she was very satisfied. She was overwhelmed with ecstatic love, and therefore she could not reply; then, with faltering language, just like an attractive wife, she spoke the following words.

SB Canto 4

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest gift for persons who are actually desiring real liberation.

SB 4.22.35, Purport: Liberation means that after giving up this body one does not have to accept another material body. To the impersonalists liberation means merging into the existence of impersonal Brahman. But factually this is not mokṣa because one has to again fall down into this material world from that impersonal position. One should therefore seek the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in His devotional service. That is real liberation. The conclusion is that we should not stress pious activities, economic development and sense gratification, but should concern ourselves with approaching Lord Viṣṇu in His spiritual planets, of which the topmost is Goloka Vṛndāvana, where Lord Kṛṣṇa lives. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest gift for persons who are actually desiring liberation.

CC Preface and Introduction

Rūpa Gosvāmī thus praises Lord Caitanya as the most munificent incarnation of all, for He gives the greatest gift by teaching the highest form of devotional service.

CC Adi Introduction: As the Vedānta-sūtra says at the very beginning, athāto brahma jijñāsā: “Now let us begin to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth.” Rūpa Gosvāmī thus praises Lord Caitanya as the most munificent incarnation of all, for He gives the greatest gift by teaching the highest form of devotional service. In other words, He answers the most important inquiries that anyone can make.

It is a uniquely high level of friendship in which the devotee actually believes himself to be the father or mother of Kṛṣṇa, however Lord Caitanya’s greatest gift was His teaching that Kṛṣṇa can be treated as one’s lover.

CC Adi Introduction: Instead of taking from God, we give to God. It was in this relationship that Kṛṣṇa’s mother, Yaśodā, told the Lord, “Here, eat this or You’ll die. Eat nicely.” In this way Kṛṣṇa, although the proprietor of everything, depends on the mercy of His devotee. This is a uniquely high level of friendship, in which the devotee actually believes himself to be the father or mother of Kṛṣṇa. However, Lord Caitanya’s greatest gift was His teaching that Kṛṣṇa can be treated as one’s lover. In this relationship the Lord becomes so much attached to His devotee that He expresses His inability to reciprocate.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Rūpa Gosvāmī praises Caitanya as the most munificent incarnation of all, for He gives the greatest gift by indicating the highest form of devotional service.

TLC: In Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa began His teachings by distinguishing the soul from matter and in the Eighteenth Chapter concluded at the point where the soul surrenders to Him in devotion. The Māyāvādīs would have all talk cease there, but at that point the real discussion only begins. It is the Vedānta-sūtra which begins: athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now let us begin to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth." Rūpa Gosvāmī thus praises Caitanya as the most munificent incarnation of all, for He gives the greatest gift by indicating the highest form of devotional service. In other words, He answers the most important inquiries that anyone can make.

Nectar of Devotion

When the mango fruit becomes ripened it is the greatest gift of that tree, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is similarly held to be the ripened fruit of the Vedic tree.

Nectar of Devotion 12: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is considered to be the ripened fruit of this desire-fulfilling tree of the Vedas. A tree is honored by the production of its fruit. For example, a mango tree is considered very valuable because it produces the king of all fruits, the mango. When the mango fruit becomes ripened it is the greatest gift of that tree, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is similarly held to be the ripened fruit of the Vedic tree. And as ripened fruit becomes more relishable when first touched by the beak of a parrot, or śuka, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has become more relishable by being delivered through the transcendental mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "Lord Caitanya is the greatest of all charitable persons because he is offering the greatest boon, the love of Kṛṣṇa, which will get me to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa." This is the greatest gift to the human society.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Prabhupāda: ..............If you actually serious of going to the spiritual sky and Vaikuṇṭhaloka, then take this simple method, Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Guest: I am interested in atheism.

Prabhupāda: (without hearing or noticing guest) This is the gift of Lord Caitanya. Namo mahā-vadānyāya. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "You are the greatest of all charitable persons because You are offering the greatest boon." Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. "You are offering love of Kṛṣṇa, which will get me to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa." This is the greatest gift to the human society. But the foolish persons they do not understand it. What can I do? Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī [Bg. 7.14]. The māyā is very strong...............

In this age, it is very difficult to follow all the rules and regulations of sacrifices for one who is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore it is the greatest gift of Lord Caitanya that you come directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything will be done.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968: Similarly, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness in seriousness, then it is to be understood that he has performed all kinds of sacrifices. That is the result. But one who is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he must abide by the rules of sacrifices. But in this age it is very difficult to follow all the rules and regulations of sacrifices. Therefore it is the greatest gift of Lord Caitanya that you come directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything will be done. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Immediately you rise to the transcendental platform simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes.

This is the greatest gift to the humanity, that even if the person is in the fallen condition, the most degraded position, the person can be raised to the highest position simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. This is the only remedy.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968: In this age, everyone is a śūdra. Nobody is brāhmaṇa, nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is vaiśya. Śūdra. So in this age, you won't find anybody following the varṇāśrama-dharma. Therefore this is the panacea, to engage everyone in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. He comes above the highest principle of brahmanism. This is the greatest gift to the humanity, that even he is in the, I mean to say, fallen condition, the most degraded position, he can be raised to the highest position simply by chanting. This is the only remedy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The greatest gift to the human society given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa-prema. Simply by loving Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted. This is the greatest gift.

Lecture on SB 2.9.11 -- Tokyo, April 27, 1972: So those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is a chance. You had previously some advantage of executing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Somehow or other, you could not... Not you or you—all of us, we could not. So Kṛṣṇa has given another chance. So don't miss this chance. Make it complete. Make it complete and go to Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka. Such a nice proposal. Where it is? Who can give this? Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī adored Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: [Cc. Madhya 19.53] "Oh, You are the greatest of the munificent." Namo mahā... Vadānya means the greatest munificent, who gives charity in the greatest... So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving that. What is that? Kṛṣṇa-prema. Simply by loving Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted. This is the greatest gift. The human society is so rascal, they cannot understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The greatest gift to the human society given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So those who are intelligent, those who have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should be very serious to execute the, I mean to say, program. Very nice. We should always pray to Kṛṣṇa that "Kṛṣṇa, You have given this chance. Please have Your grace upon me—I may not miss it. By māyā's influence I may not miss it. You have given me so great chance." This should be our business. If you have got to pray anything... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu prayed,

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to save the living entity from anxiety and bring him to the platform of no anxiety, to Vaikuṇṭha. That is the greatest gift to the human society.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975: So everyone is anxiety in this material world, māyā. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to take a person or all of them from this māyā to Vaikuṇṭha. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to save the living entity from anxiety and bring him to the platform of no anxiety. That is the difference, from anxiety to no anxiety. That is the greatest gift to the human society. Everyone is full of anxiety because he is in this material world. He must be full of anxiety.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

We are giving that information, how you can keep yourself eternal. This is the greatest gift to the human society.

Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Mercy killing. It will be merciful if one is killed. So this is coming. But the point is that if you have come to show me the mercy of killing, but I am not prepared to be killed. Why? You have come to show me mercy, but I am not prepared to take your mercy. Why? What is the psychology?

Kīrtanānanda: No one wants to die.

Prabhupāda: That is. So that means he is eternal. This death is artificial. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. He does not die. He is not killed. There is one verse that "If one thinks that 'I am killer,' and one thinks, 'I am killed,' both of them do not know what is life." In the Bhagavad-gītā there is a verse. So I am eternal. That's a fact. Therefore I do not wish to be killed. But I do not know how to keep myself. That I do not know. We are giving that information, how you can keep yourself eternal. This is the greatest gift to the human society. He wants to live eternally, but he does not know how to live eternally. His energy is being spoiled by this skyscraper building construction. But he is not very serious to construct his body eternal.

General Lectures

If you want to get out from the darkness of ignorance, then surrender to Kṛṣṇa. You'll get it. This is the greatest service to the human society.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 20, 1968: So if you want to become guḍākeśa, master of this ignorance, then surrender to Kṛṣṇa. You'll get it.

daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadante

māyām etāṁ taranti te

[Bg. 7.14]

"It is very difficult to surmount this darkness of ignorance, but anyone who surrenders unto Me, he immediately surmounts."

So this is the greatest service to the human society, to get out them from the darkness of ignorance. That is the greatest gift.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

The greatest gift of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī is that he composed very scholarly books know as Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha.

Room Conversation Vaisnava Calendar Description -- March 11, 1972, Vrndavana: So Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī became a great scholar in grammar and then he studied all Vedic literatures, and after that he approached his uncle Rūpa Gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana. He became a disciple of his uncle by proper initiation and remained with him. He was assisting his uncle and after hearing from him he composed very scholarly books know as Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha. These Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha are recognized as the most scholarly work in the world. There is no comparison of his philosophical approach to the Vaiṣṇava school. Generally, the impersonal Brahman is discussed there, then Kṛṣṇa is discussed there, Bhāgavata is discussed there, love of Kṛṣṇa is discussed there. In this way, all subject matter, very elaborately discussed in Ṣaṭ-Sandarbha. That is his, the greatest gift (of) Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The greatest gift to the humanity is varṇāśrama-dharma not by the ancient culture of India, but it is given by God.

Morning Walk -- February 22, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Dharma does not mean so-called some religious fanaticism. Dharma means occupational duty. Just like you are medical man. You have practiced medical dharma. Medical dharma.

Dr. Patel: So I went yesterday early, after quarreling. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's all right. No, that's all right. One must... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a fighter. His dharma was to fight.

Dr. Patel: (Hindi) Fighter... I am wrongly placed in the medical profession. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No. Dharma means one's sva-kar... Just like varṇāśrama-dharma.

Dr. Patel: That is the real dharma.

Prabhupāda: Yes. According to varṇa and āśrama. That is called varṇāśrama-dharma.

Dr. Patel: The greatest gift to the humanity is varṇāśrama-dharma by the ancient culture of India.

Prabhupāda: No, it is given by God.

Dr. Patel: Whatever it is... But I mean, that is the greatest gift.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Varṇāśrama-dharma. And I don't know why people don't follow it.

1969 Correspondence

Krishna Consciousness movement is all good from all sides. From social , political, economical, hygienic and many other points of view. And at last it is the greatest gift because at the end, we become associated with Krishna.

Letter to Mr. Mottissey -- Montreal 16 July, 1969: Sometimes I think when I see on the street strewn cigarette butts, that if people in general give up cigarette smoking, how much money they can save daily without any effort. And if they contribute the money for spreading Krishna consciousness, we can prosecute so many activities to change the face of the world. So Krishna Consciousness movement is all good from all sides. From social , political, economical, hygienic and many other points of view. And at last it is the greatest gift because at the end, we become associated with Krishna. I am very glad that you are attending Kirtana and eating prasadam and transcendentally enjoying the association of the devotees in the temple. Kindly continue this method and you will be more and more enlightened.

Our movement is the greatest gift to the human race. They may not immediately appreciate it, but time will come and history will give evidence that this movement saved the human society from being fallen into barbarianism.

Letter to Jayasri -- London 13 November, 1969: I am so glad to learn that you are thinking of sleep as a waste of time. This is not an ordinary thing. So I have become very much pleased to hear this statement from you. Be blessed by Krishna. Just as you have already understood the benefits of this Krishna Consciousness Movement, try to realize and assimilate it more and more and distribute it to the suffering humanity. Our movement is the greatest gift to the human race. They may not immediately appreciate it, but time will come and history will give evidence that this movement saved the human society from being fallen into barbarianism.