Personalist lectures

Personalist (Lectures) - Vaniquotes

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Generally, they are two: Māyāvādī, impersonalists; and personalists. The personalist school, philosophers, they are divided into four.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

So here is an authority, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Authority. His authority, authorityship, is accepted by all over the world. In, in our India there are five different disciplic succession of authorities, just like the Śaṅkarites, followers of Śaṅkarācārya, and Vaiṣṇavites. Generally, they are two: Māyāvādī, impersonalists; and personalists. The personalist school, philosophers, they are divided into four: Rāmānuja-sampradāya—that means followers of Ācārya Rāmānuja; Madhvācārya-sampradāya, or the followers of Madhvācārya; Nimbārka-sampradāya, followers of Nimbārka Ācārya; and Viṣṇu Svāmī-sampradāya. They, their conclusion is the same. Although they are four in number, their conclusion is the same. And another sect is Śaṅkarite sampradāya. So all these four, I mean, five different section of the Hindus, they accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All of them. There is no denial. Although they are five, they have got different theses and philosophies, little, little difference, not, I mean, conclusion, but still...

So far the constitution of the spirit is concerned, it is eternal. That is accepted by all philosophers, personalists and impersonalists.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Madhudviṣa: "By nature the body is ever-changing and the soul is eternal. This conclusion is established by all classes of seers of the truth, impersonalists and personalists."

Prabhupāda: This is... So far the constitution of the spirit is concerned, it is eternal. That is accepted by all philosophers, personalists and impersonalists. The only difference is that the impersonalist says that after liberation, after getting freed from this bodily contamination, the spirit soul mixes with the Supreme Soul, all-pervading, without any individual existence. Just like the same example, that the small sky within the pitcher. When the pitcher is broken, the small sky within the pitcher mixes with the big sky. The Vaiṣṇava philosopher says that the small sky is individual. It mixes with the big sky, but it keeps its individuality. The example is given in this connection: just like a green bird entering a green tree. So when the bird enters the tree, nobody can find out where is the bird because the leaves of the tree are green and the bird is also green. Nobody can trace out. But that does not mean the bird has lost its individuality. The individuality is there.

The devotees, they are not satisfied simply by seeing the light. They want to enter within the light to see wherefrom the light is coming. That is the difference between impersonalist and personalist. They are farther advanced.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "This Supreme is the Personality of Godhead for the devotees and liberation for the impersonalists."

Prabhupāda: Then what is that Supreme? The conception of Supreme... For the impersonalist, the impersonal Brahman effulgence is the Supreme. Just like light. When you come to the sunshine, that is light, but the devotees, they are not satisfied with the sunshine. They want to penetrate into the sun planet and see the sun-god. That is devotee's position. And one who cannot do so, he is satisfied with the sunshine. Everything is light. Sunshine is light, sun globe is light, and if you enter in the sun globe, there is also light.

So these are all spiritual position, impersonalist or personalist. But the impersonalist goal is partial because they are satisfied simply by seeing the light. And the devotees, they are not satisfied simply by seeing the light. They want to enter within the light to see wherefrom the light is coming. That is the difference between impersonalist and personalist. They are farther advanced.

The impersonalist means simply to see light, knowledge. And personalist means to direct, to be in direct touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The Lord is full bliss, eternal knowledge. So the impersonalists they are satisfied with only knowledge, jñāna, light, that's all. Knowledge is light. But farther advanced, say, the yogis, they want to see the localized, just like the sun globe. And the devotees, they want to see the person who is predominating over the sun globe. This is a crude example.

So the goal, ultimate goal, it is described, "The Supreme is the Personality of Godhead for the devotee, and liberation for the impersonalist." The impersonalists, they simply want to be free from this material atmosphere and go to the spiritual atmosphere. Just like one who is in the darkness of a room, his aspiration is how to see light. That's all. The impersonalist means simply to see light, knowledge. And personalist means to direct, to be in direct touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krodha means there are other persons who are neither impersonalists nor personalists. They are what are called more or less atheists.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

Krodha means there are other persons who are neither impersonalists nor personalists. They are what are called more or less atheists. Atheist means they don't believe in any transcendental nature. Even they do not believe in the existence of the soul. They simply concern themselves with this material body. Just like Buddha philosophy. Buddha philosophy does not accept the existence of the soul. Buddha philosophy says that this material body is a combination of matter. Now, as soon as the matter is dissolved, then the feelings of happiness and distress is gone. But according to Bhagavad-gītā, the existence of soul is accepted in the Vedic literature.

Now, although we are two classes, impersonalist and personalist, we take Veda as the medium of knowledge. We may give different interpretations. That is another thing.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

Anywhere, any, I mean to say, person who is interested in the transcendental feature of the Absolute Truth, they must be either these impersonalists or the localized or must be devotee of the Lord. So these three features are there, presented of Kṛṣṇa conception, and how they are conceived and what are the different results, we shall try to explain in the next meeting. Now you can put your questions. (break)

They have to take shelter of the Vedas. Just like Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya is impersonalist, and we, the Vaiṣṇavas... There are two classes of philosopher in India. One is impersonalist and the other is personalist. So we, so far we are concerned, we are personalist, and Śaṅkarācārya is impersonalist. Now, although we are two classes, impersonalist and personalist, we take Veda as the medium of knowledge. We may give different interpretations. That is another thing. But either party of Śaṅkarācārya or the party of Vaiṣṇava and ācāryas, they take the Vedānta-sūtra, the Vedānta philosophy, as the medium.

Because we are personalist. We are not impersonal. This is spiritual varieties.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

Guest: I'm new here. I've never been here before, so forgive me if my questions are naive. But if all it requires is chanting to be pure, then why do you require musical instruments, an altar, and flowers and things of this sort?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Viṣṇujana: If all that is required is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, why do we have the pictures and the clothes and the instruments and the altar and Lord Jagannātha?

Prabhupāda: Because we are personalist. We are not impersonal. This is spiritual varieties. You are talking of no varieties. Is it not? You were asking me, "Why there are so many varieties?" This is your plain question.

Somebody is impersonalist. Somebody is localized. Somebody is personalist. But actually, if we ask every man, "What is your conception of God?" I think hardly anyone will be able to explain what is the meaning of God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

This yoga has to be practiced. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Then what will be the result? Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam. We have got vague idea of God. We do not know actually what is God. There is saṁśaya, doubts. Somebody is impersonalist. Somebody is localized. Somebody is personalist. But actually, if we ask every man, "What is your conception of God?" I think hardly anyone will be able to explain what is the meaning of God. They have no clear idea. Is it not a fact? Can any one of you give me a clear idea what do you mean by God? No. Therefore if you want clear idea of God without any doubt, asaṁśayam, and samagram... Samagram means full, not partially.

If an impersonalist becomes in association with a personalist devotee, then there is chance of siddhi.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973:

The ultimate, the last word of the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Unless one realizes Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no question of perfection. And because one is not in complete perfection, there is chance of coming down. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has said, kaścit, kaścid vetti mām. But there is chance. If an impersonalist becomes in association with a personalist devotee, then there is chance of siddhi. Otherwise there is no chance. This siddhi, the so-called siddhi, vimukta-māninaḥ, "I have become liberated," (break) ...that he can fall down. And that we see practically. Big, big sannyāsīs—brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā—they give up this world as mithyā, but again they come to these worldly activities: opening schools, opening hospital and politics and sociology, so many things. But if it is mithyā, why you are engaged in this?

In India the impersonalists are known as Māyāvādī, and the personalists, they are known as Vaiṣṇavas.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

The controversy about the Absolute Truth, whether the Absolute Truth is form or formless... There are many philosophers. They, some of them are impersonalists, and some of them are personalists. They... In India the impersonalists are known as Māyāvādī, and the personalists, they are known as Vaiṣṇavas.

The impersonalists, they imagine that this is the form of Viṣṇu, or the Lord. But those who are personalists, they do not imagine; they see actual form of the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

At the time of death, point of death, "Ommmm," if he can pronounce om, oṁkāra... Oṁkāra is the concise form of transcendental vibration, oṁkāra. So om ity ekākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan. If he can vibrate this sound, oṁkāra, at the same time, mām anusmaran, plus he remembers Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu... The whole yoga system is to concentrate his mind to Viṣṇu. But the impersonalists, they imagine that this is the form of Viṣṇu, or the Lord. But those who are personalists, they do not imagine; they see actual form of the Supreme Lord.

Hose who are not personalists, they cannot enter into the spiritual planet. They remain outside.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

But those who are not personalists, they cannot enter into the spiritual planet. They remain outside. Just like the sunshine and the sun disc. The sunshine is not different from the sunshine, sun disc, but still, the sunshine is not the sun disc. Similarly, those who are transferred in the spiritual world, they remain in the effulgence of the Supreme Lord, which is called brahmajyoti. Brahmajyoti. So those who are not personalists, they are placed in that, into that brahmajyoti as one of the minute particles.

Those who are personalists, they prefer directly to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

So those who are impersonalists, they prefer these three processes. And those who are personalists, they prefer directly to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So they're all transcendentalists. They're on the line. But here in the Bhagavad-gītā, those who are directly worshiping the Supreme Lord, they have been described as mahātmā. And those who are worshiping in other processes, they have been described, anye. Anye means others. So they have not been given so much importance, although they have been accepted. They have been... Because they have come to the line.

The Vaiṣṇavas, those who are personalists, they take it in a different way. Why? Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said by the Lord, "Everything is resting on Me, but I am not there."

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

But the Vaiṣṇavas, those who are personalists, they take it in a different way. Why? Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said by the Lord, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "I am spread all over the universe, all over the manifestation, in My impersonal feature." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, but I am not there." Paśya me yogam aiśvaram. So this simultaneously one and different, this philosophy, is accepted by Lord Caitanya, but it is also accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā; mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). But this form, these two hands, with flute, Kṛṣṇa, form of Kṛṣṇa, there is nothing beyond this. So one has to come to this point. You may go in different way, accepting yourself as God, accepting everything as God, accepting the universal form of God. If you make actually progress, then you have come to this point.

In India all schools of, I mean to say, transcendentalists, the impersonalists and the personalists, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa is the best and foremost ācārya, and He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In India all schools of, I mean to say, transcendentalists, the impersonalists and the personalists, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt about it. So here the Lord says Himself that "I eat." So we cannot say that He does not eat. "He does not eat"—in favor of my conclusion, there is no evidence. But here is the evidence, accepted evidence, that God eats.

Just like in the present age also, we are different parties, the impersonalist and the personalist.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

So about the soul and Supersoul, ṛṣibhiḥ, great sages, saintly persons, they have also discussed. Just like in the present age also, we are different parties, the impersonalist and the personalist. Śaṅkara-sampradāya, they ascertain the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirviśeṣa, and the Buddhists, they ascertain, "The Absolute Truth is zero."

For the impersonalists, He is the Supreme Brahman. And for the personalists, devotees, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that these boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is brahma-sukhānubhūtyā, the origin of brahma-sukha. It is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā: "The Brahman, the impersonal Brahman, is situated on Me." Because Brahman is the bodily effulgence of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "These boys, they are not ordinary boys. They are playing with the Supreme Brahman." Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. And dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. And those who are devotees, those who have taken their position as eternal servant of God, dāsyaṁ gatānām, for them, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For the impersonalists, He is the Supreme Brahman. And for the personalists, devotees, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. And those who are under the influence of the illusory energy, māyā, for them, this Kṛṣṇa is ordinary boy. Māyāśritānām. They cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Those who are mūḍhas, not sufficient knowledge, poor fund of knowledge, they accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We transcendentalists, we personalists, we also, from the materialistic point of view, are living in a so-called wretched condition. But those who are simply attached to the impersonal feature, their trouble is more painful.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

Therefore, as I was saying the other day, that many sannyāsīs, they say that "This world is false; Brahman is truth." So in spite of their rising to that platform of Brahman understanding, they again come down. That is described in the Bhāgavatam, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "After undergoing severe penances and austerities, they may rise to the Brahman platform but again falls down." Why falls down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they do not enjoy Your association." They have neglected the association of Kṛṣṇa and company. Therefore they have no, I mean to say, shelter. The same example can be explained: just like if you go on a plane or sputnik very high, very high, it is void, all side void. If you go very high, 25,000 miles, you'll see void. But that, there you cannot stay. You can travel for many years in that void, but if you don't take shelter in a planet, then you'll come back again to this planet. Similarly, the impersonalists, they cannot stay in their impersonal understanding. Simply they suffer some trouble. Kleśa... Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are attached, those who are attached to that impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, they undergo greater trouble. We transcendentalists, we personalists, we also, from the materialistic point of view, we are... Our standard of living is not very opulent. We lie down anywhere. We are... Our dresses are not so clean. Our rooms are not clean. From the materialistic point of view, somebody comes. He says, "Oh. How wretched these people are living!" That is also another kind of austerity. They have adopted. But that is pleasing. Even they are in so-called wretched condition, they are happy. They are happy. So they're in both ways. But those who are simply attached to the impersonal feature, their trouble is more painful. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So we are personalists. We believe... Not believe, not the question of believe, but actually the ultimate truth of Absolute is a person. That is the statement of Vyāsadeva.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

So we are personalists. We believe... Not believe, not the question of believe, but actually the ultimate truth of Absolute is a person. That is the statement of Vyāsadeva.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

Tattva-vit, those who are in knowledge of the tattva or the Absolute Truth, they know that ultimately the Absolute Truth is manifested as a person like you, like me. Not exactly like you, like me, but so far personality is concerned, individuality is concerned, He is like us. In the Bible it is said, "Man is made after God." Because God is person, therefore we are person. Otherwise, where from our personality comes? God is the origin of everything. Therefore He is the origin of personality, individuality, otherwise how we are persons? How we are individuals? Wherefrom we get this personality, individuality?

These Kumāras, they were first of all impersonalists, but after smelling the tulasī leaves which were offered to the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, they become personalists. So this is an opportunity.

Lecture on SB 2.3.23 -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1972:

The nostrils... We smell. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness smelling means we should offer all nice flowers and tulasī on the lotus feet of the Lord. And we shall accept prasādam. The priest will offer, and if we smell that, then our smelling power is fulfilled. That means... These Kumāras, catuḥsana Kumāras, Sanaka-kumārādi, they were first of all impersonalists, but after smelling the tulasī leaves which were offered to the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, they become personalists. So this is an opportunity. If anyone comes, smells the flowers and the tulasī offered to Viṣṇu, tastes the viṣṇu-prasāda, and sees the Lord's form, in this way he develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this is opportunity. This temple means an opportunity, a process, a simple process. Not simple for ordinary man, but actually it is simple. Anyone can smell the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. Anyone can eat the foodstuffs offered to Kṛṣṇa. Anyone can see the Deity so nicely decorated. Anyone can hear Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

We Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they differ little with Śaṅkarācārya. Impersonalist and personalist. But Śaṅkarācārya even, even though he was impersonalist, he accepted Kṛṣṇa in his commentary on Bhagavad-gītā.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

So that was five thousand years ago. Later on, all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, even Śaṅkarācārya. We Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they differ little with Śaṅkarācārya. Impersonalist and personalist. But Śaṅkarācārya even, even though he was impersonalist, he accepted Kṛṣṇa in his commentary on Bhagavad-gītā. Sai bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt about it. By all authorities. And Kṛṣṇa Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is no more superior authority than Me."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Generally, that is the system still. The impersonalists, as soon as they see some personalist, they begin to attack by argument.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although He was in the renounced order of life, sannyāsī, still, He was avoiding the company of the Māyāvādīs, who are impersonalists. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is personalist. So generally, that is the system still. The impersonalists, as soon as they see some personalist, they begin to attack by argument. So those who are not very highly developed, they avoid. But those who are conversant, they argue, so on. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, while He was staying at Benares, He was not very enthusiastic to mix with this Māyāvādī class of sannyāsīs. Therefore this man who invited all the sannyāsīs for a dinner, he also came to Caitanya Mahāprabhu and asked Him that "I know that You do not associate Yourself with the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. Still, I have come to invite You. Please accept my request."

Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought that this is an opportunity to meet the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and to talk with him, to talk with them, how they criticized the personalists.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

Prabhu hāsi' nimantraṇa kaila aṅgīkāra. Now there were two incidences. One incidences, one incident is that His two devotees were very sorry because the other party was criticizing Him. And the meantime, another brāhmaṇa came to invite Him. So it was coincidence. Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought that this is an opportunity to meet the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and to talk with him, to talk with them, how they criticized the personalists.

prabhu hāsi' nimantraṇa kaila aṅgīkāra

sannyāsīre kṛpā lāgi' e bhaṅgī tāṅhāra

So although previously He did not associate with the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, still, to please His devotees, who were very sorry to hear the criticism, He accepted the invitation so that He could meet them and talk with them.

There are many impersonalists, and there are many personalists also. The personalists, impersonalists, and the localized Paramātmā worshipers, they are worshiping the same Absolute Truth in different features.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So we are discussing three kinds of energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yesterday the question was, some gentleman, that whether the ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, is a person or imperson. There are many impersonalists, and there are many personalists also. The personalists, impersonalists, and the localized Paramātmā worshipers, they are worshiping the same Absolute Truth in different features. Impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā and Personality of Godhead, They're one and the same. It is the process of realization only, that somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as imperson and somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as all-pervading Paramātmā, Antaryami, and some persons are realizing the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. But they are advaya-jñāna, identical, the same thing. It is our power of perception only that makes the difference. The object is the same.

There is no quarrel between the impersonalists or personalists or the Paramātmā-ists.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So there is no quarrel between the impersonalists or personalists or the Paramātmā-ists. There is no question of quarreling. The example is present daily in our daily experience. Just like the sunlight, sun, sun globe, and the sun-god. Within the sun globe, there is sun-god. So which one is the chief? That we have to consider. The sun-god or the sun globe or the sunshine? Everything is light. Sunshine is also light, sun globe also light, and the original source of this light, the sun-god, is also light. So sunshine is impersonal, sun globe is localized, and the sun-god is personal. If you be satisfied that "I am in the sunshine," be satisfied. That is called sāyujya-mukti. The sunshine means combination of different molecular shining parts. Any scientist knows it that what is the sunshine. The sunshine appears to be a homogeneous thing, but actually, in minute analysis it will be found that there are innumerable shining sparks, molecular sparks only—their combination.

Generally, two parties: the Māyāvāda philosophers and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, or the impersonalists and the personalists. Otherwise, there is no difference.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Generally, two parties: the Māyāvāda philosophers and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, or the impersonalists and the personalists. Otherwise, there is no difference. Ultimately, the Māyāvādī philosophers they say that God, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is impersonal, and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, they say in the ultimate end, the Absolute Truth is Person and He is, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). This is little difference, and they stick to their position and they fight. Fight means by philosophical arguments. That is going on since a very long time. But both of them belong to the sanātana Hindu dharma because both of them will talk on the Vedānta philosophy. They'll simply, they can give different interpretation, but they cannot say that "We don't accept Vedānta."

Although Vṛndāvana is a, is a place for the personalists, now all the impersonalists school of India, they're making their āśrama at Vṛndāvana because they have failed to achieve the sense of God anywhere, they are coming to Vṛndāvana. It is such a nice place.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Now, gokula, gokula dhāma-'vibhu' kṛṣṇa-sama. Because the Lord is absolute, therefore His name, His fame, His qualities, His form, His associates, His paraphernalia—everything absolute, nondifferent. God and God's name, nondifferent. God and God's place, nondifferent. And for that reason, when Kṛṣṇa comes, the Absolute, the Vṛndāvana, the place where He descends, that is nondifferent. Actually you can see that, that Vṛndāvana-dhāma, that place is a small spot of land, say about eighty-four miles area, but any person, and however atheistic he may be, and however nonsense he may be, if he goes to that place, he'll feel Kṛṣṇa's presence. Still. Still, simply by going there, he'll at once change his mind that "Here is God." He'll accept it. Still. If you like, you can go to India and you can see, make an experiment. So, although Vṛndāvana is a, is a place for the personalists, now all the impersonalists school of India, they're making their āśrama at Vṛndāvana because they have failed to achieve the sense of God anywhere, they are coming to Vṛndāvana. It is such a nice place.

Dāsyaṁ gatānām, those who have accepted the Supreme Lord as master, that means devotees, for them this Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. For the impersonalists He is Supreme Brahman, and for the personalists He is Supreme Lord.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī has written a very nice verse, that these boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, in their past lives they had accumulated heaps of pious activities. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). Sākaṁ vijahruḥ. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. Now, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is writing. These boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, they are playing with whom? They are playing with the Supreme Absolute Truth, who is considered as impersonal by the great sages. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma... Brahma-sukha. Brahma, transcendental Brahman realization. The reservoir of Brahman realization is here, Kṛṣṇa. So these boys who are playing with this Kṛṣṇa, He is the reservoir of that Brahman realization. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. Dāsyaṁ gatānām, those who have accepted the Supreme Lord as master, that means devotees, for them this Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. For the impersonalists He is Supreme Brahman, and for the personalists He is Supreme Lord. And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. And those who are under the spell of materialism, for them He is ordinary boy. Māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). With Him these boys, who had accumulated millions and millions births of pious activities, now they have got the opportunity of playing with Kṛṣṇa face to face just like ordinary boys play. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa is very much fond of playing with His young boyfriends.

The difference between the personalists and impersonalists is that impersonalists, they take that shining as final. But the personalists, they take, "No. Kṛṣṇa is final." That is their difference of opinion.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967:

From the spiritual planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana, the glowing effulgence, brahmajyoti, is coming out. How it is coming out? That we can very easily understand. As the sunshine is coming out, emanating incessantly from the sun disc, similarly the real sunshine, brahmajyoti, is coming out of the spiritual planet Goloka Vṛndāvana incessantly. That is called brahmajyoti. Yasya prabhā prabhavato (Bs. 5.40). And due to that incessant shining, all the shining which you are experiencing, even this lamp, even this electricity, fire, moonshine, sunshine, any shining, that is due to that brahmajyoti. So yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). In that shining, this material world, the spiritual world, they are resting. So impersonalists, they are concerned with the shining, that's all. The difference between the personalists and impersonalists is that impersonalists, they take that shining as final. But the personalists, they take, "No. Kṛṣṇa is final." That is their difference of opinion. Otherwise, both of them in the spiritual realm.

Nobody will like, transcendentalists, māyā. Either personalist or impersonalist.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967:

Māyā cannot come before Kṛṣṇa. Because... Just like the sun. Sunshine, there ignorance or darkness cannot come, cannot approach. So he saw. Vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣā-pathe amuyā. The māyā is ashamed to come before Kṛṣṇa because she is entrusted with very thankless task. Māyā is entrusted by Kṛṣṇa to take the conditioned souls and take charge of them. And māyā has taken charge of all us conditioned souls, and her task is to punish, simply beating. So that is a very thankless task. She is discharging the duty entrusted to her by Kṛṣṇa, but everyone, especially the transcendentalists, oh, they are hating, "Oh, māyā, māyā, māyā." Nobody will like, transcendentalists, māyā. Either personalist or impersonalist. But she's engaged. Just like police. Police is engaged by the state, but nobody likes police. Everyone will criticize police. Thankless task. Because they, unless they become strict, unless they become red-hot iron (?) they cannot execute their duty. That is their way of punishing. But people do not like them. Nobody likes police. You see. Even a police comes all of a sudden here to sit down here to hear us, we'll suspect, "Oh, he has come with some purpose." (laughs) It is such a thankless task. Similarly, māyā is entrusted with thankless task. She cannot approach Kṛṣṇa, neither she is liked by the conditioned souls.

Impersonal realization of Brahman, that is not also a joke. It may be impersonal, but that position is very high. That is accepted. That Vaiṣṇavas, or the personalists, they also accept, "Oh, their position is very high."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:

Supreme position means to come to the point of realization of Brahman. Impersonal realization of Brahman, that is not also a joke. It may be impersonal, but that position is very high. That is accepted. That Vaiṣṇavas, or the personalists, they also accept, "Oh, their position is very high." But the difficulty is that Bhāgavata says, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). Although they come to the almost nearer, but, anādṛtaḥ patanty adhaḥ. Anādṛta, because they have no shelter. Just like... It is not joke. If you go up by a sputnik some few hundreds and thousands of miles, that is not joke. That is not to be ridiculed. But the danger is that if you do not have shelter, then you come down. If you have no shelter, then what is the use of going up? That shelter is Kṛṣṇa, that supreme abode or Vaikuṇṭhaloka, kingdom of God. So because they have no idea that there is kingdom of God or God is person, you can reach there, you can talk with Him, therefore they have no shelter and their intelligence is not purified, because they have not still completed what is actual knowledge.

Festival Lectures

We are completely personalist. Kṛṣṇa is person, Rādhārāṇī is person, the devotees are person, the demigods are person, the cats person, the dogs person, the cows person, the calves person.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means variety of service to the Supreme. The example is just like, the varieties of different parts of the body: the head is there, the hand is there, the brain is there, the leg is there. The head cannot work like the leg, neither the leg can work like the brain. The hand cannot work the belly, or belly cannot work like the hand. Varieties. Similarly, there are varieties of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and if we serve Kṛṣṇa with our varieties, sa karmaṇā manasā vācā, then it is everything peaceful. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We do not want to stop the varieties. Varieties must be there. We are not nirveśeṣa-vādī, impersonalist. No. We are completely personalist. Kṛṣṇa is person, Rādhārāṇī is person, the devotees are person, the demigods are person, the cats person, the dogs person, the cows person, the calves person. But what is the meaning of Vṛndāvana? Vṛndāvana means everyone—the father and mother of Kṛṣṇa, Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodāmāyī, the gopīs, the girlfriends of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī and others, and the cowherd boys, and the cows, the calfs, the trees, the flowers, the fruits, the water. Everyone is for serving Kṛṣṇa. This is Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana means there is variety, and varieties of service and everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana.

Initiation Lectures

You are still impersonalist or personalist?

Initiations -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Are you still impersonalist? (japa) What is this?

Pravīnacandra: Uh, this is an (indistinct). I brought it for you.

Prabhupāda: You are still impersonalist or personalist?

Pravīnacandra: Not still impersonalist ... For the learning, I am learning still. I am not yet... I want to learn more.(?)

Prabhupāda: All right. So, you know the rules and regulations?

Pravīnacandra: Chanting sixteen rounds, no meat eating, no illicit sex life, no gambling and no drinking wine.

Wedding Ceremonies

There are two classes of philosophers, namely the impersonalist and personalist. The Vaiṣṇava, they accept that the Absolute Truth is person, and the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that Absolute Truth is impersonal. That is the difference.

Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:

There are two section of philosophers in India, approved; not, I mean to say, manufactured philosopher, mental speculators, but actually those who are counted valuable. There are two classes of philosophers, namely the impersonalist and personalist. The Vaiṣṇava, they accept that the Absolute Truth is person, and the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that Absolute Truth is impersonal. That is the difference. Otherwise their process of other paraphernalia, execution of understanding, is almost the same. Now our Vaiṣṇava philosopher's argument is that how the Absolute Truth can be impersonal? Because here, in this world, in our experience, we see everything personal. So unless the personality, the individuality, or the individual attraction is there in the Absolute Truth, how they can be represented here in the relative truth?

General Lectures

Just like in India there are two classes of transcendentalists: the impersonalist and the personalist. That is not contradiction. The Absolute Truth is both impersonal and personal, but somebody is stressing on the impersonal point of view and somebody is stressing on the personal point of view.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

There are innumerable Vedic scriptures. So we cannot come to the conclusion what is right or wrong, because sometimes you will find contradiction from one... Of course, there is no contradiction, but because we are not advanced in knowledge, sometimes we will find contradiction. Just like in India there are two classes of transcendentalists: the impersonalist and the personalist. That is not contradiction. The Absolute Truth is both impersonal and personal, but somebody is stressing on the impersonal point of view and somebody is stressing on the personal point of view. But we Vaiṣṇava, we know what is the meaning of impersonalism and what is the meaning of personalism. We take it for understanding, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is simultaneously Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. It is simply different stages of understanding. In the first stage, it is Brahman realization. In the second stage, it is Paramātmā realization. And at the last stage, it is Bhagavān realization.

Yes. You are personalist or impersonalist? He is personalist.

Subha Vilasa Home Engagement -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

Indian man (1): Most fortunate men try to follow Kṛṣṇa. The unfortunate...

Prabhupāda: So anyway, now it is Śubha Vilāsa Prabhu's duty to bring these imitation Kṛṣṇas.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Guest: Many, many good bhaktas are being spoiled by impersonalists nowadays...

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are personalist or impersonalist? He is personalist. (laughter) Hari-nāma karo (Hindi).

Philosophy Discussions

Śakta, sauriyam, gāṇapatya, then śaiva, you go on. Then Vaiṣṇava. Impersonal then personalist.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: The atheists, simply artificially they cover. Naturally he has belief. Naturally he has belief. Even in this primitive stage, as soon as there is something wonderful, natural phenomenon, they offer respects, the primitive man. The man in the jungle, as soon as he sees a big ocean, he offers his respects. As soon as he sees a big mountain, he offers his respects. As soon as there is a thunderbolt... This is called realization of the śakti. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śakti. So this is śakta stage, realization of God by seeing something wonderful. That is śakta stage. Then after this state, śakta, saurīyam. Śakta stage, worshiping the energy of God—everything is energy; then śaktyopāsanam, then śaktasaurīyam, then suryopāsanam, worshiping the sun, because it is the reservoir of all energies according to the material world. Śakta, saurīya then gāṇapatya. The gāṇapatya means that is humanitarian. That energy is distributed-pantheism, humanitarian. Śakta, sauriyam, gāṇapatya, then śaiva, you go on. Then Vaiṣṇava. Impersonal then personalist.

The personalist, without any risk, trouble, or difficulty, approaches the Supreme Personality directly.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

So, for a devotee, there is no difficulty in approaching the Supreme immediately and directly, but for those who are following the impersonal way to spiritual realization, the path is difficult. They have to understand the unmanifested representation of the Supreme through such Vedic literatures as the Upaniṣads, and they have to learn the language, understand the nonperceptual feelings, and they have to realize all these processes. This is not very easy for a common man. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engaged in devotional service, simply by the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, simply by offering regulative obeisances unto the Deity, simply by hearing the glories of the Lord, and simply by eating the remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily. There is no doubt that the impersonalists are unnecessarily taking a troublesome path with the risk of not realizing the Absolute Truth at the ultimate end. But the personalist, without any risk, trouble, or difficulty, approaches the Supreme Personality directly.

There is no question of inaction, sitting idly and gossiping about God imagination. Even an impersonalist or personalist, they are fully engaged.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Hayagrīva: ...but how can you have action without action directed toward a person or toward...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like here in India, impersonalist, they have got also action. Just like the Māyāvādīs, they have also the same principle. The Śaṅkarācārya is teaching vairāgya, "Sit down under the tree, take thrice bath," so many vairāgya instruction. Rather, their instruction are more difficult than Vaiṣṇava. So vaivāgya-vidyā's teaching. Ours is also, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught by His personal example. There is no question of inaction, sitting idly and gossiping about God imagination. Even an impersonalist or personalist, they are fully engaged. Just like the impersonalist in India, they are reading Vedānta-sūtra, they are trying to understand. They are not idle.

taken from: https://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Personalist_(Lectures)