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Abnormal

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

SB 3.28.44, Purport:

After Brahman realization, one can engage in the activities of Brahman. As long as one is not self-realized, he engages in activities based on false identification with the body. When one is situated in his real self, then the activities of Brahman realization begin. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that after Brahman realization, all activities stop, but that is not actually so. If the soul is so active in its abnormal condition, existing under the covering of matter, how can one deny its activity when free? An example may be cited here. If a man in a diseased condition is very active, how can one imagine that when he is free from the disease he will be inactive? Naturally the conclusion is that when one is free from all disease his activities are pure. It may be said that the activities of Brahman realization are different from those of conditional life, but that does not stop activity. This is indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54): after one realizes oneself to be Brahman, devotional service begins. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām: (BG 18.54) after Brahman realization, one can engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore devotional service of the Lord is activity in Brahman realization.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.20.21, Purport:

Ever since Gandhi's noncooperation movement, Bombay has been kept dry and has not allowed its citizens to drink. But unfortunately the citizens are so clever that they have increased illicit distillation of liquor, and although not being sold publicly in shops, liquor is being sold in public lavatories and similar abnormal places. Unable to check such illicit smuggling, the government has decided to manufacture the liquor at cheaper prices so that people can have their supply of intoxication directly from the government instead of purchasing it in public lavatories. The government failed to change the hearts of the citizens from indulging in sinful life, so instead of losing the taxes they collect to inflate the treasury, they have decided to manufacture liquor to supply to the citizens who hanker after it.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 2:

Every living entity under the spell of material energy is held to be in an abnormal condition of madness. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, "Generally, the conditioned soul is mad, because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering." Spirit soul in his original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge. Only by his implication in material activities has he become miserable, temporary and full of ignorance. This is due to vikarma. Vikarma means "actions which should not be done."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 47:

We have now fallen and merged into an ocean of distress. Please, therefore, come back to Vṛndāvana and deliver us from this pitiable condition.’ ”

Uddhava minutely studied the transcendental abnormal condition of the gopīs in their separation from Kṛṣṇa, and he thought it wise to repeat again and again all the pastimes they had enjoyed with Him. Materialistic persons are always burning in a blazing fire of material miseries. The gopīs were burning in a transcendental blazing fire due to separation from Kṛṣṇa. The blazing fire exasperating the gopīs, however, is different from the fire of the material world. The gopīs constantly wanted the association of Kṛṣṇa, whereas materialistic persons constantly want the advantage of material comforts.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

The Vaiṣṇava, they are also śakta, because they are also accepting another pure energy, personal energy, or internal energy of Kṛṣṇa. That is also śakti. And the materialist also, they are also accepting another energy. The one energy, spiritual energy is in our normal condition, and material energy in..., is our abnormal condition. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice means you have to transfer yourself from this material energy to the..., under the control..., from the control of material energy, under the control of spiritual energy. That's all. That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. You have to become under the control. That, I'll give you one concrete example. Just like a person is always under the control of government as citizen.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Anyway, that's an abnormal condition. In abnormal condition sometimes we can see one thing into two, divided into two. So now that ignorance, you cannot apply to Kṛṣṇa because He's all-perfect. And if He is not all-perfect, then there is no value of His instruction. A man with defect in knowledge cannot impart instructions. His instructions... Therefore the whole Vedic process is paramparā system. Paramparā system means that I cannot deviate. I cannot make any interpretation. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). You'll find in the Fourth Chapter. Now we are reading Second Chapter.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Yes. Just like a man is in a normal condition, but if he becomes mad, the same senses are there, but he's in abnormal condition. So when we are in this material world we using our senses in abnormal way. So when we cure the senses, we get into normal condition. That is spiritual life. So sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). We have to give up all these designation of life and we have to become purified. Then we come to our normal condition.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

Those who are too much attached with bodily pleasure, bodily enjoyment, and tayāpahṛta-cetasām. Apahṛta-cetasām means those who are illusioned. Because bodily pleasure is not my pleasure. My pleasure is different because I am not this body. Just like a man in a feverish condition or in feverish delirium, speaking something. That is not his normal speaking. That is due to the delirious condition. So to bring him to the normal condition, the physician treats him to get out of that delirious condition. So similarly, our position is: because we have got..., some way or other, we have been entangled with this material body; therefore our conception of happiness is just like a man in the delirious condition.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

You can be in relationship with God as father and son. There are so many relationships. As we have got relationship within this material world, this is only perverted reflection of that five relationship with God. But we have forgotten that. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to revive that consciousness. It is nothing new. To forget God means that is abnormal condition, and to have relationship with God is normal condition. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to be reestablished in our normal condition of life. Go on. "Arjuna is..."

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Without knowing this, whatever I do, that is perverted action. Just like in diseased condition this finger cannot act according to my order. "Oh, there is some pain. If I want to make it stand like that, oh, I feel pain," because there is diseased condition. Similarly, when we do not act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that is our diseased condition of life. That is not normal condition. In normal condition we shall be all prepared to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That we should know. Then our action will be right.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

This finger is part and parcel of my body. His business is to serve the whole body. I ask the finger, "Come here"; immediately... This is the normal, healthy condition of the part and parcel. Just like leg is my part and parcel of the body. As soon as I ask leg, "Please take me there..." That is normal. And if the leg cannot take me there—I have to take some stick—that means this is an..., not normal. It is diseased condition. It has to be treated. Similarly, as soon as we find that we do not abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, we must know that you are in ignorance and in abnormal condition, madness. That is my duty.

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Bombay, February 20, 1974:

When the energy of Kṛṣṇa, the spiritual energy of Kṛṣṇa or the living entity, works for Kṛṣṇa, that is healthy condition. Just like part and parcel of my body, this finger. When this finger works for me... I want the finger: "Come here. Work some here." But if the finger is not in healthy condition, it is painful, it cannot work, that is not normal condition. The normal condition is the finger is to work for my body. Similarly, we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, when we are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is our normal condition, our healthy life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "These foolish creatures, mūḍhāḥ, who are thinking that 'We shall work for sense gratification,' they are mūḍhas." Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Therefore the part and parcel duty is to serve the whole. Just like this finger, part and parcel of this body, its duty is to serve the whole body. When it is..., there is some defect, then it cannot serve. Then anyone, any living entity who is not engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is in abnormal condition of his life. That is not.... That is called conditional life. And as soon as he gives up this conditional life, he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and begins serving Kṛṣṇa, that is mukti. That is mukti. Svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ (SB 2.10.6), mukti. This is the definition of mukti. Muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Mukti means you give up your abnormal condition of life and you be situated in your own constitutional life. That is mukti.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

"I am now Muhammadan; I become Hindu." Or "I am Hindu, I become Christian." But I remain the same man. I may change my faith from this to that. So religion does not mean that. Religion means you cannot change it at any circumstance. That is religion. That is the meaning of dharma. If you change, that is your diseased condition. That is not normal condition. So that is the meaning of religion. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). When human being changes his normal condition of life, that is pollution of...

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

So Nārada Muni is instructing his disciple Vyāsadeva to write books specially by which one may be helped, everyone will be helped, to cross over the nescience, akhila-bandha-muktaye, to become liberated from all conditional stage. We are spirit soul. We cannot be under any material condition. Just like our normal condition is healthy life, not under feverish condition. That is abnormal life. If one is attacked with fever, that is not his normal life. That is temporary, abnormal life. Actual life is healthy life. We should nicely eat. We shall nicely sleep. We shall work very nicely. We..., our brain must work very nicely. These are healthy signs. But when I cannot work nicely, I cannot sleep nicely, I cannot work nicely, I cannot act my brain very nicely, that means abnormal condition. So at that time, he requires to be treated by expert physician.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

When you are diseased. That is not normal. And if you have to take food from rectum for many days, then you finished.

So this is the philosophy taught by Nārada Muni to Vyāsadeva, and Vyāsadeva taught to Madhvācārya. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is on that authority and Kṛṣṇa also. Kṛṣṇa taught Brahmā, Brahmā taught Nārada, Nārada taught Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva taught... In this way, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). In the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "By this disciplic succession..." So our business is not to make any research work, not to invent something, not to write voluminous books, something mental concoction.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

Therefore I love the soul. This is the fact. This is ātmavit, ātma-tattva-vit. And why I love soul? Because I love Kṛṣṇa. Soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So why I am so much fond of soul? Because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, ultimately, I love Kṛṣṇa. This is the conclusion. And if I do not love Kṛṣṇa, that is my abnormal stage. And the normal stage is I love Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are trying to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as one is fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and begins to love Kṛṣṇa, then he doesn't want to love anything more. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "Now I am fully satisfied." So otherwise, we'll have many questions, many answers so long we are not self-realized, and our time will be spoiled.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Honolulu, May 9, 1976:

So there are different varieties of sinful activities, just like there are different varieties of diseases. To become diseased is not our normal life. To remain healthy is our normal life. When we become diseased, that is abnormal condition of life. Therefore we want to treat, get out of the disease. Similarly, this material life is the diseased condition of the living being. We are all living beings, but because we have accepted this material body, we are suffering. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). Now we require this fan. Why? Because feeling some pains on account of heat. That heat is felt by the body, not the soul. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Yes. You are now curing physical disease, but when you take up curing material, I mean to say, spiritual disease... Yes. Try to bring all people to the normal spiritual life. All their suffering is due to abnormal spiritual life, all suffering. Because, I was discussing with my disciples just now, nature's law is so subtle and so acute, that a little violation will be punished immediately. You know. You are medical man. Little violation will immediately subjected to the punishment. This is God's law. There is a word in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Uru. Uru means very strong and dāmni means rope. Just like if you are tied up with a strong rope, hands and feet, as you are helpless, our position is like that. This very word is used, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Na te viduḥ... And such baddha, conditioned souls, they are declaring freedom: "I don't care for anyone. I don't care for God."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body, so I say, "Finger, please come here." He immediately comes. This is the normal condition of the finger. Similarly, if you are really healthy, in normal condition, then you must be ready to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is your sva-dharma. If the finger cannot come immediately on my order on my head, that means it is not in normal condition; it is in diseased condition. (applause) Similarly, when you cannot serve Kṛṣṇa, that is your diseased condition. (laughter-applause)

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Similarly, the living entities, they're marginal energy, between the external and internal energy. The living entities are called marginal energy because the living energy has to act under another energy, that either material energy or spiritual energy. So when the living entity is under spiritual energy, that is his normal condition, and when he's under the material energy, that is his abnormal condition. We should always remember. Material energy means forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. Just like in this material world, everything is there, but it is lacking in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You travel all over the world, you'll see there is profuse arrangement of sense gratification, but there is no arrangement for understanding Kṛṣṇa. This is called material energy. But if you bring in Kṛṣṇa in the so-called material energy, it becomes spiritual energy.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Sādhana-bhakti, rāga-bhakti, prema-bhakti—these three divisions. So first of all we have to accept sādhana-bhakti. Means practicing. Go on.

Devotee: "Every living entity under the spell of material energy is known to be in an abnormal condition of madness. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, 'Generally the conditioned soul is mad because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering.' Spirit soul in its original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge. Only by his implication in material activities has he become miserable, temporary and full of ignorance. This is due to vikarma. Vikarma means actions which should not be done.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

Just like when a man becomes ghostly haunted, he does something abnormal. He cannot recognize his own men. He calls his father by ill names. So many disturbances. So nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). They are so mad that they are engaged only in sinful activities. There are three karmas: karma, akarma, vikarma. Karma does not mean whatever you like you can do. No. Karma means prescribed duties. Janma karma, uh, guṇa karma. As you are under the spell of certain material modes of nature... Someone is under the modes of goodness, his karma will be different from the person who is under the spell of the modes of ignorance. That will be decided by the teacher, or by the ācāryas.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Every living entity under the spell of material energy is held to be in an abnormal condition of madness. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, 'Generally, the conditioned soul is mad because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering.' Spirit soul in its original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge."

Prabhupāda: Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). These materialistic persons, they are mad. Mad.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Dallas, March 4, 1975:

This is our hospital. We are therefore not interested with this kind of hospital. Our this hospital is treating the materially affected patient to get out of his four kinds of miseries: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). One type of disease is to take birth; another, death; another, old age; another, disease. So we want to stop. This is not our normal condition of life. Because we living entities, soul, we are spiritual. Our identity is that we are eternal. It is not that because my body is annihilated, therefore I am finished. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the instruction. The living entity, the soul, is not destroyed after the body being destroyed. The body is destroyed. It is being destroyed every moment. From scientific point of view we are changing our blood corpuscle and another body like the, what is called, film.

Festival Lectures

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

This is scientific division, pravṛtti-mārga and nivṛtti-mārga. Why the scientific? Because it is the fact. Science means fact. I am not this body. I am spirit soul. That is, just like a man suffering from some disease, so that is not his normal life to suffer from some disease. Normal life is to keep healthy life, no disease. That is normal life. So in order to keep to the normal life, we must know how to cure the disease. Just like when you have got fever, you go to the doctor, he says, advises "You do this" and "You do not do this." The "do not do this" means nivṛtti-mārga, and "do this," pravṛtti-mārga. If you are serious to cure your disease, then you must know what you should do and what you should not do. But just like a man, a very foolish man, he is suffering from disease but he does not know how to cure the disease, what to do and what not to do, similarly an animal-like man, a two-legged man, he does not know what to do and what not to do. This is explained here.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Detroit, July 16, 1971:

You will be happy." So we are planning for happiness. Why? Why you are searching after happiness? Because constitutionally you are happy. Just like when we fall diseased we go to the doctor, physician, to cure the disease. Why? Because constitutionally we are healthy. To remain healthy is our normal life, and to fall diseased condition, that is not normal; that is abnormal. Therefore we go to the physician, take medicine, ask treatment, "How shall I be cured?" Similarly, we are searching after happiness. Why? Because constitutional position is we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, who is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He is by nature full of bliss. But our blissfulness has been disturbed. Now we shall have to find out why our happiness has been disturbed so that life after life, we are searching after happiness but we are becoming frustrated. That is our business, not to make the temporary place very comfortable.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

So there is supreme control. The modern civilization, they do not understand it due to lack of knowledge. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten people to come to this point of knowledge. They're all crazy, conducted by the influence of the three modes of material nature. They're not in normal condition. So it is very important movement. We invite... This morning also I said at the press representative meeting at the airport that there are so many universities and, especially in your country, department of knowledge, but why they are not discussing this point? Where is the department of knowledge?

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: They say that somehow the cell has been changed, and they say that it has been done by mutation, so they try to prove it in the laboratory by changing the structure of the cell, and that is called mutation. So they say why the cancer is formed because cancer is an abnormal cell, this is a normal cell. In answering why these elements are formed from these basic four chemicals-carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen—they try, they say that somehow this nitrogen and hydrogen, they combine forming ammonia. That is called ammonia, from nitrogen and hydrogen. They say somehow this has formed, and somehow, by combination of hydrogen and oxygen, water is formed. And somehow by combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, these so-called carbohydrates, or these are formed. But they say somehow these are formed, but they do not know how it is formed.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Devotee: Freud's case is interesting, that he formed all of his conclusions by his observations of what he calls neurotic and psychotic patients. He observed mentally ill people, neurosis and psychosis, and he drew his conclusions about both sick and normal psychology from his observation of abnormal. He observed the normal behavior of neurotic people, psychotic people, crazy people, and from their behavior he tried to infer all about human psychology. So not only was he on bodily platform, but his only subject matter was the insane. So how can he draw valid conclusions about behavior?

Prabhupāda: So what is your answer?

Devotee: Yes, his observation is correct, but at the same time it doesn't invalidate Freud's use of psychology for supposedly normal people.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) psychology.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: That, that information we are giving that in reality everyone is servant, but he is under misconception, he's thinking he's master and he's forced to serve māyā. This is reality. Just like a outlaw, he is thinking that free from the state law but he's forced to abide by the state law in the kingdom. Similarly my position is I must carry the order. I am inferior. I must carry out the order of the superior. The superior, the supreme superior is Kṛṣṇa. If I voluntarily become the servant and carry out His order, then it is my normal life. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja (BG 18.66). Otherwise it is abnormal life. I have to serve māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā will kick upon my face and force me to do something, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). So I will be servant of prakṛti, material nature. That means I will be servant of my senses. By nature, my senses dictate, "Now you do this," I will be forced to do it. This is my position.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

"So you stop this business of repeated birth and death. You make your this human form of life successful and get release from this disease of birth and death." Birth and death is a sort of disease for the living entities. It is not the normal condition. Due to our this abnormal encagement in the material body, we are put into the birth and death. Otherwise, I am not subjected to birth and death. I am eternal. I am eternal. So he is requested that "Don't waste your time, my dear mind." Because mind is taking me here and there. So he's requesting mind. It is very philosophical. This is concentration, requesting the mind, "Don't put me into the ocean of birth and death. Please save me, and just make your life successful in the association of saints and sages. That is my request."

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: He takes spiritual body, or develops a spiritual body and goes back to home, back to Godhead, which means eternal, blissful life of knowledge our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose. We are trying to bring all men..., of different dimensions, different divisions, to come to this position, always thinking that I am part and parcel of God. My real position is to serve God. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. The business of the finger is to serve the body. So long it is in normal condition, the finger is meant for serving the body. When the finger is painful or in abnormal condition it cannot serve the body. Similarly, the living entity, being part and parcel of God, when we cannot serve God that is his abnormal condition. And when he serves God that is his normal condition. That is designation-less position. That is our program.

Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: That is the duty. Just like these fingers. Suppose if this finger is not working, I have got another finger. But if this finger does not satisfy me, that means it is diseased condition. It is not a normal condition. Similarly, we are parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). So we are parts and... If we do not satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that means we are in diseased condition, unhealthy.

Dr. Singh: We are not fulfilling our true dharma.

Prabhupāda: If this finger does not satisfy my body... Suppose I want to scratch here, a finger is doing it. If it cannot do it, that means it is diseased. So anyone who is not satisfying Kṛṣṇa, he is diseased condition. That is material life.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all we have to know ourselves. To know ourselves means self-realization: "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." Then what is this spirit soul? Naturally, part and parcel of God. Therefore as spirit soul my duty is to serve God. That is religion, plain thing. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. It is serving me. That is healthy condition. If there is any pain—"Oh, this finger cannot scratch. I'm feeling pain"—that is irreligion. So long the part and parcel of my body, the finger, cannot serve me, it is not normal condition. So every living being is part and parcel of God. So long he's unable to serve God, that is his material condition. But as soon as he's engaged actually in the service of God, that is his real liberated position. Same example: If the finger is diseased, it cannot serve.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Guest (2): Should it affect the normal duties?

Prabhupāda: Real duty is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is normal duty. All, all other duties are abnormal duties, crazy duties. Just like pāgala, they're all crazy.

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya

Anyone who's under the clutches of māyā, or madness, what is the value of his duty? Śrama eva hi kevalam. He's simply spoiling his time. That is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They think if you don't think of a woman, then that is not good.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're abnormal.

Indian guest: That's right. They think you are abnormal. That's right. Over there something like divorce and the crisis, one woman marrying ten husband or going around..., those kind of... I don't anybody in India who has been divorced. I don't know personally. So it's different level.

Prabhupāda: No, amongst the mass of people in India, still there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not vanished. Because by culture, by taking birth in India that is inherent. India is so great.

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: Other senses are not yet developed. So the child, he knows taste with tongue and eats. That he knows. So immediately anything he captures, he brings to the mouth, naturally. He hasn't got to be educated. So our position is like that. We being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our natural tendency is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Natural tendency. It is not artificial. When you forget Kṛṣṇa, that is artificial. So our normal life means to love Kṛṣṇa, to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is our normal life. Without serving Kṛṣṇa our life is abnormal, madman's life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... When you forget Kṛṣṇa, He comes to preach the normal life. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). This is normal life. So Kṛṣṇa does not require your help. He can create many helpers. But for your good Kṛṣṇa comes, that "If you want normal, happy life, then surrender unto Me."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: When the finger is unable to give any service, then it is diseased. If there is some pain in the finger, I want to use this finger for some purpose, to pick up this flower, I cannot do it, that means it is diseased. Similarly, we living entities, part and parcel of God, when we are unable to give service to the Supreme, that is our diseased condition. That is not normal condition. And when we are actually able to give service to God, that is our healthy condition. So in the materialistic way of life we are diseased. Because we are diseased, therefore we have to accept birth and death. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). So we have to get free from this diseased condition. Śuddhyet sattvam. Yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam.(end)

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: No. You should be, should be senses. Just like this aṅguli, I am asking, "Do like this." It is my servant. After all, it is part of the body, it is my servant. If it cannot serve my body then it is diseased. Similarly we are part and parcel of God. If we cannot serve God, that is our diseased condition. The same example. This finger is part and parcel of my body. But I ask finger, "Please come here, to my nostrils." If it cannot do, then it is diseased. It is not in normal condition. So anyone who does not serve the whole, part and whole, he is diseased. He is not in normal condition. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Therefore because we have forgotten this relationship with God, declared ourself as God, that is diseased condition. Therefore God comes and He orders, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "Surrender unto Me.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Killed his own son because he was smoking marijuana. He couldn't stand that the boy was smoking marijuana. Then after killing him he went to the police and turned himself in. So he came before the judge, woman judge, and he said that "I could not help it. This boy is my son, and look what he was doing. It is abominable. I had to kill him." And the judge said, "Yes, I can understand your feelings. It was intolerable." And she let the man go without one day jail sentence. No reprimand even. So this is the thing that is starting to happen now, that they are lobbying in the Congress in the United States to pass laws that if someone is abnormal, then the parents should have the right to commit him to psychological treatments. Even the child may be fifty years old and the parent may be seventy years old, if the parents think that child is not sane, then they have the right to get the child committed. So this is being passed in a couple of states, and already in California...

Prabhupāda: This is very dangerous.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Canada, Australia. The problem is that... Actually it's a fact that many of these groups are bad. They're cheating. Of course, ours is not, but because they're not very intelligent, they cannot see the distinction. Probably as a result of this court case, we will make them aware that now the other groups are bogus but we are not. That they'll have to admit. That will be the effect. But at least up until now we are being lumped in with these other bad groups. Cults, they call them. But it's a very dangerous thing. Therefore the lawyers and all of the scholars and intelligentsia of the United States is very alarmed that this is a great treading on human rights. This is a great danger to human rights because the Fifth Amendment of the... The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion. But according to these laws that they want to pass, a parent can say, "It is not a question of religion. My son has become abnormal." So who is to say what is religion and what is abnormal? They are saying, "This is not religion." So we have to prove, "No, this is... Hare Kṛṣṇa is a religion." Otherwise they are saying this is abnormal. Now, just... Our lawyer has pointed out that if you say that the devotees' preaching is brainwash, then you must say that every single Christian priest who preaches, he is also brainwashing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Abnormal. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Upset in Fiji. The Fijian government formed by the National Federation Party, which draws its support mainly from the people of Indian origin, will have to tread warily if it is to avert racial tension in the islands. It was by no means easy, even for the multiracial alliance party which hitherto ruled the South Pacific republic, to maintain harmony between the people of Indian origin who form fifty-one percent of the population, and the indigenous Melanesians. Its leader and the former Prime Minister Ratu Sir Pamish Nara had to strain every nerve to keep the extremist Melanesians in check."

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Brother -- Jhansi November 1958:

I can challenge you that you are not happy in the present set up of your affairs. You may have in your possession your so called accumulated material wealth, health or happiness but still you are always feeling some insufficiency and frustration and thus you are not happy as you ought to have been. If you do not feel like this, then you must be either an abnormal man or a liberated saint or in gross ignorance of lower consciousness. Should you feel yourself abnormally happy, I shall ask you the following plain questions.

Letter to Brother -- Jhansi November 1958:

Have your vast resources of material knowledge helped you in solving these seemingly common but very big problems? Do you think that you shall ever be able to solve the above problems at any length of time? If you say so, I shall again call you in abnormal condition.

So do not become a madman in false conviction. Do not remain in ignorance for your problems. Be just like a fully developed conscious man and acknowledge that you have never been happy in the true sense of the term neither your ideal of happiness has ever been fulfilled.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Vrindaban 22 August, 1967:

Please therefore let me know what is the fate of the contract. I am also anxious to know if you saw personally the Ambassador Mr. B.K. Nehru with my books. These things are very important for our future. Regarding my health, everyone says that I am much improved, and I also feel that way, except that I'm not in normal condition of movement, but the doctor says that that is mainly due to the heat, not my heart. So far my eating is concerned, I am doing it with more relish than N.Y. If the improvement goes on at the present rate, I think I shall be able to return by the end of October.

Letter to Mukunda -- Delhi 7 October, 1967:

Your letter dated 30th September 1967 duly in hand. I understand that you are all very anxious to know about me. By the Grace of Lord Krishna I am now 90% well although the basic difficulty namely that I cannot walk very long distance is there. While sitting on my seat I do not feel anything abnormal; even nowadays I can type letters. I am eating also more than what I was eating in the states. On the whole I am now fit to go back to your country.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Lilavati -- Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969:

Regarding your question about our relationship with Srimati Radharani, She is the internal energy, we are marginal energy. Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy; we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Ekayani -- London 31 August, 1971:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated 20th August, 1971 and have noted the contents. In spite of all your faults you will go to Vaikuntha because you are a great devotee. Don't create some abnormal condition. Please go back to your husband and live peacefully and execute Krishna Consciousness together. He will also not take sannyasa order out of frustration. You are an intelligent girl and an advanced student. You should know that our main business is Krishna Consciousness. So fighting between husband and wife is not to be taken very seriously. So if you have any respect for me, I request you not to quarrel with your husband. Live peacefully, chant Hare Krishna and try to serve the cause as best as possible. I am very glad that your mother is also taking interest in Krishna Consciousness. That is very good.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Mangalamaya, Madhupuri -- Calcutta 20 February, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of January 30, 1972, along with the very nice poem entitled "Birth of Lord Krsna." I am very pleased to hear that you are feeling yourselves very much satisfied in Krsna Consciousness. One thing, in Nairobi, I went there with Madhudvisa Swami who is not my normal secretary, and because of that by mistake he has recommended to initiate Tom and Carol Woolfe from Philadelphia Temple, but he did not know that I had already initiated them from India a few weeks before, but because some of my disciples are sending two or three copies of the same letter to various places where I might be, he found their request-letter in Nairobi and the mistake was made. So you can disregard the second initiation and the beads may be kept by you, because I have chanted on them, and at the appropriate time I will inform you where to send them to some new initiates.

Letter to Secretary to Minister of Education and Culture -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1972:

Our institution, as above mentioned, is a philosophical and cultural movement originating long ago in the Vedic period of history of your friendly neighbor, India, and it is meant for awakening peoples' dormant acceptance of the absolute truth, or God-consciousness, without which a human society is no better than animal society. By the progressive evolutionary process, the human being is enriched specifically with dormant obeisances for the supreme authority. We cannot deny logically and scientifically the supreme authority of the whole cosmic manifestation. In abnormal conditions only we deny this authority, but normally it is not possible to deny this fact.

Page Title:Abnormal
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:09 of Nov, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=28, Con=11, Let=8
No. of Quotes:51