Those who are self-realized
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
BG 5.26, Translation: Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 5
Those who are self-realized simply take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to get out of this dangerous material existence. Without accepting the devotional path, one cannot get out of the clutches of material existence.
SB 5.14.38, Translation: The path of this material world is full of material miseries, and various troubles disturb the conditioned souls. Sometimes he loses, and sometimes he gains. In either case, the path is full of danger. Sometimes the conditioned soul is separated from his father by death or other circumstances. Leaving him aside he gradually becomes attached to others, such as his children. In this way, the conditioned soul is sometimes illusioned and afraid. Sometimes he cries loudly out of fear. Sometimes he is happy maintaining his family, and sometimes he is overjoyed and sings melodiously. In this way he becomes entangled and forgets his separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead since time immemorial. Thus he traverses the dangerous path of material existence, and on this path he is not at all happy. Those who are self-realized simply take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to get out of this dangerous material existence. Without accepting the devotional path, one cannot get out of the clutches of material existence. The conclusion is that no one can be happy in material life. One must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Although the Lordis the Supersoul of all living entities, He is specifically manifest to those who are self-realized, and He is especially dear to the hearts of His transcendental devotees.
SB 5.19.6, Purport: Since the Lord is always spiritually qualified, He is attached to servants who always render transcendental loving service unto Him. He is attached to the truth in life, not to brahminical qualities. Indeed, He is never attached to any material qualities. Although He is the Supersoul of all living entities, He is specifically manifest to those who are self-realized, and He is especially dear to the hearts of His transcendental devotees. Because Lord Rāmacandra descended to teach human society how dutiful a king should be, He apparently gave up the company of mother Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. Factually, however, He could not have given them up. One should therefore learn about the activities of Lord Rāmacandra from a self-realized soul. Then one can understand the transcendental activities of the Lord.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
These siddhas, those who are self-realized, athāto brahma jijñāsā...
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973: This is siddhi, to know Kṛṣṇa, to know Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself, what He is. The foolish person, they do not take to Kṛṣṇa's instruction. They manufacture their own way of explanation. He thinks that he has become Kṛṣṇa. This is foolishness. This is foolishness.
Therefore people do not know what is siddhi. It is not my version. Kṛṣṇa says. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasre... What is siddhi? If you do not know what is siddhi, what is the use? Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. You do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, what is siddhi, and you're working so hard. So Bhāgavata says, śrama eva hi kevalam: "He is working uselessly, laboriously." That's all. They do not know siddhi. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām [Bg. 7.3]. Yatatām api siddha, siddhānāṁ kaścit. These siddhas, those who are self-realized, athāto brahma jijñāsā... Even if he thinks that "I am the supreme," that is partially in the... That is also light. Just like if you come to the sunlight, sunshine, that is also light, but that is not perfection. If you can go within the sun globe and see the origin of shining, brightening principle, the sun-god, that is siddhi. Similarly, to merge into the Brahman is not siddhi. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Actually, it is a fact. Bhāgavata, whatever it says, that is real fact.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Those who are self-realized, they will understand, they will approve of it. Because it is transcendental.
Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974: This kṛṣṇa-praśna, question about Kṛṣṇa and answer about Kṛṣṇa, this is not ordinary question and answer. It is ātmavit-sammataḥ. Those who are self-realized, they will understand, they will approve of it. Because it is transcendental.
The whole world is full with questions and answers, so these questions and answers are approved by ātmavit, those who are self-realized, not bodily realized, ātmavit.
Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969: "O my dear king, you are very fortunate. Your question about Kṛṣṇa is welcome." Varīyān. Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ: "You are inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. So this very question is very important." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa: [SB 2.1.1] "And this is not good for you only; it is good for all the human society because you have questioned and I shall reply." So Kṛṣṇa questions and answers are so important that in future these questions and answers will be discussed in the human society. Actually it is being done so now. We are discussing the same incidents. And he said, ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsām: "And this question is so authorized that ātmavit, those who are interested in self-realization, they have got their approval, 'Yes. This is nice question.' " Ātmavit-sammataḥ. Sammata means approved. It is not bogus question. It is approved. This sort of question should be inquired, Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa. And if you speak about Kṛṣṇa... The whole world is full with questions and answers, so these questions and answers are approved by ātmavit, those who are self-realized, not bodily realized, ātmavit. There are two classes of men. Ninety-nine point nine percent, they are bodily realized men, always thinking of the body. And just there is another class; they are called ātmavit, self-realized, Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. Śrotavya means worth hearing. There are many kinds of subject matter for hearing, but this is the sublime subject matter of hearing, kṛṣṇa-praśna.
So those who are self-realized soul, who know what is Bhagavān, so instead of speaking kapiladeva uvāca, he says, Vyāsadeva says...
Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974: So animittā bhāgavatī bhaktiḥ siddher garīyasī. That is better than siddhi. Siddhi means self-realization or Brahman realization. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says also. What Kṛṣṇa says and what Kapiladeva says, they are the same thing. Therefore here it is also said, bhagavān uvāca. And in the Bhagavad-gītā also, you will find, bhagavān uvāca. Never said, kṛṣṇa uvāca or kapila uvāca, because They are Bhagavān. So those who are self-realized soul, who know what is Bhagavān, so instead of speaking kapiladeva uvāca, he says, Vyāsadeva says... Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is compiled by Śrīmad Vyāsadeva. So as Bhagavad-gītā also, it was heard by Arjuna, it was released to Sañjaya, and then, from Sañjaya heard Vyāsadeva, and he made it recorded in writing in Mahābhārata... So he says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means that is the perfect version. There is no mistake. If some ordinary says, there will be so many defects and cheating, because ordinary person has no perfect knowledge. He may be very, very advanced scholar, but that does not mean he is perfect. Perfection is different thing. Perfection means there should be no mistake, no illusion, no cheating, and no imperfections of the senses. That is perfection. And therefore it is said here, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān is all-perfect. Therefore we should take knowledge from Bhagavān or one who speaks according to the version of Bhagavān. We should not hear anybody else. That is imperfect.
When I know that "I am not this body. I am the spirit spark, spirit soul. I am encaged within this body," that is knowledge. That is knowledge. So those who are self-realized spirit soul, they can see.
Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974: . So long I am thinking, "I am this body," then I am cats and dogs. They are thinking like that. But when I know that "I am not this body. I am the spirit spark, spirit soul. I am encaged within this body," that is knowledge. That is knowledge. So those who are self-realized spirit soul, they can see.
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- [Bg. 18.54]
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Those who are self-realized, they are prasannātmā. Any condition of life they are happy, jolly.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh , -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. (Dr. Singh laughs) So humbleness is very good qualification. And in the Bible also it is said the humble and meek will reap the kingdom of God. I think you will find.
Śyāmasundara: Inherit the earth.
Prabhupāda: Ah, yes.
Śyāmasundara: The meek shall inherit the earth.
Prabhupāda: So this is..., because our puffed up condition on account of this body is illusion, because I am not this body. Therefore, brahma-bhūtaḥ, those who are self-realized, they are prasannātmā. Any condition of life they are happy, jolly.
Dr. Singh: Swamiji, if Īśa is everywhere, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1], then surely He is in the body also.
Prabhupāda: Yes.