Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Alternatives

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.12, Purport: We have previously discussed that the transcendentalist is required to be self-sufficient and should not beg from the rich blind persons to fulfill the bare necessities of life. Śukadeva Gosvāmī has suggested some alternatives for the bare necessities of life, namely the problem of eating, sleeping and shelter, but he has not suggested any alternative for sex satisfaction. One who has the sex desire still with him should not at all try to accept the renounced order of life. For one who has not attained to this stage, there is no question of a renounced order of life. So by the gradual process of devotional service under the guidance of a proper spiritual master, and following the principles of the Bhāgavatam, one must be able at least to control the gross sex desire before one accepts the renounced order of life factually.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973: So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging, inducing Arjuna to observe the duty. You cannot deviate from duty. That was the point. When there is fight, you must fight regularly, and kill the enemies. That is your credit. When you are fighting with the enemies, if you become compassionate, "How shall I kill?" that is cowardice. Therefore Kṛṣṇa concludes here: hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm. There are two alternatives. For a fighter, for a kṣatriya, to fight in the battle, either gain victory or die. No via media. Fight to the last point if you are able, then become victorious. Or die. No stoppage. All this fighting were meant like that. According to the Vedic culture, the kṣatriyas... Not the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas are not encouraged to fight or kill. No. They should remain always nonviolent. Even there is required violence, a brāhmaṇa will not kill personally. He will bring the matter to the kṣatriya, royal order. Just like Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra was being disturbed by some demons in the forest. They used to live in the forest. So Viśvāmitra was able to kill such demon, many demons, by his will. But he did not do so. He went to Mahārāja Daśaratha, father of Lord Rāmacandra, to request him that "Give your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. I will take them with me. They will kill that demon." The killing is there, but the brāhmaṇa is not going to kill personally. Or the vaiśya is not meant for killing, neither the śūdras. Only the kṣatriyas. The kṣatriyas should be so trained up.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Swedish devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if meeting you here now would make sure that he would get a human form in his next life?

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even though you cannot finish it properly, still, you get the chance of getting a human, a higher standard human form of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate [Bg. 6.41]. One who could not finish this yoga system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gets his life again as a human being in very rich family or in a very pure family. So at least human body is guaranteed, even one fails to complete the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he gets another chance. To get birth in a rich family means he has no economic problem. He can completely engage himself to understand what is God. But people are not doing that. As soon as he gets birth in a rich family, he thinks that "For nothing I have got so much money. Let me engage in sense gratification." No guide. Otherwise there is a chance. Similarly, in a pure brāhmaṇa family also, the family is already enlightened. Just like the children of our students. From the very beginning they are getting chance to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is a very good chance. From childhood. Fortunately, we got such father and mother. So two alternatives. If a Kṛṣṇa conscious person could not complete the course, then he gets another chance. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. Yoga-bhraṣṭa, means one who falls down... But there is no cause of falling down if we are strict.
Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976: So there are two ways, as I have already explained, that if you like you can become free from this bondage of material body. If you like. And if you don't like you can continue your material way of life, changing different material bodies. Changing different material body is described here: mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Mṛtyu. Because with any body, material body, either cat's body, a dog's body or human being's body or demigod's body or even Brahmā's body, you have to die. There is no escape. Therefore it is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. And the, another path is, aprāpya mām, this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani means you don't get Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says aprāpya, not getting mām, Me. Two alternatives. Either you get Kṛṣṇa and go back to home, back to Godhead, this is one path. And the other path that you remain in this material world and repeatedly get a body and die again, get again another body. This is going on. Repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. So Kṛṣṇa is, because He is our supreme father, supreme friend... suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973: I spoke in Hindi. Now today I speak in English. If required I shall again speak in Hindi tomorrow. In this way, alternatively... So we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa. His simple business is, as we have described, Rādhā-Mādhava, He is lover of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa means lover. This very word Kṛṣṇa means "all-attractive." You can attract by your love, not by anything else. Therefore His name is Kṛṣṇa. I have read one book, Aquarian Gospel, among the Christians. In that book it is said that the word Christ has come from the word Christo, Christo, it is a Greek word, and the meaning of Christo is "lover, anointed." So I think the word Christ is apabhraṁśa of Christo, and Christo... In India still, if one's name is Kṛṣṇa, we call him Kriṣṭo, or sometimes Keṣṭo. My younger brother, his name was Kṛṣṇa. So in family we were calling him "Keṣṭo." That is very current. So actually love, the word love, has come from Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. Therefore you will see always Kṛṣṇa always with Rādhārāṇī. We worship Kṛṣṇa-Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Sītā-Rāma. This is Vaiṣṇava's worshipable Deity. We do not worship alone God. We Vaiṣṇava, we want to see Kṛṣṇa and His energy, potency. That is the Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973: So two alternatives. One alternative, this step by step; another alternative is, as it is suggested here, kecit kevalayā bhaktyā [SB 6.1.15]. There is one step, one side, that you observe austerities, penance, and control your mind, senses, and become religiously minded, sober, so many things. Another: kevalayā bhaktyā, simply by engaging yourself in devotional activities. Devotional activities. Devotional activities mean the first beginning of devotional activities is to hear, śravaṇaṁ. Śravaṇam. Just like you are kindly hearing. This is the beginning of devotional life. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam [SB 7.5.23]. Śravaṇam about whom? Sravanam not of politics. If there is political meeting, thousands of men will go to hear. That is also śravaṇam. Therefore in the śāstras it is recommended, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, to hear about Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, not other thing. If you say, "Yes, I am śravaṇam. I am hearing a politicial meeting," not that hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Everything pertaining to Viṣṇu.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973: Now, there is two alternatives offered. One side is austerity, penance, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, and giving in charity. So many formulas are given, the tapa-ādibhiḥ. Because the other side, the tapasya, therefore tapa-ādibhiḥ, "beginning with tapasya, austerity." So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "My dear King," na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ, "if one is practicing the other side, namely tapasya, brahmācārya, celibacy, austerities, yogic principle, controlling the mind, the senses, charity, so many things, so they are also purifying, but they are not so strong. They are not so strong as this devotional service is strong." That is tapa-ādibhiḥ. Na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ, yathās kṛṣṇa-arpita-prāṇaḥ. One who has dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa, he is very strong. Kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇaḥ. Yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa niṣevayā. Or dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative. He is very strong than the other man who is undergoing austerities, penances, and He is also making progress, certainly. But better process is this: one who has surrendered completely to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or his representative. Kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇaḥ tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The rasas derived from our feeling in social life, in family life, or in the greater family life of altruism, philanthropism, nationalism, socialism, communism, etc., do not guarantee that one's next life will be as a human being."

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no guarantee. That... Yes. Now today I am very great leader, minister. That's all right. But after death there is no guarantee that you'll become again minister or big man, big business man. There is no such guarantee. That we'll have to accept another body according to your karma. Suppose as business man, I've done very nicely. I have given in charity. That's nice. You get better life. But for business sake, I have earned money by hook and crook, my mentality's just like crocodile or dog; then I have to become a crocodile. That's all. Because after death you are in the hands of nature. You cannot dictate that "Give me this and that body." No. That you have to prepare in this life. If you prepare yourself in this life to go back to home, back to Godhead, you go back to home, back to Godhead. If you prepare your, this life as a crocodile, then you become a crocodile. So God is very kind. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. So it is your business to what kind of body you are going to get next. Just like the example I was giving last night. That we are staying in this room, and suppose after a month we have to give it up. So we must find out another apartment. It may be better or it may be lower. There is no guarantee. But if we can arrange, we can better apartment than this. And if we cannot, we may go to hellish apartment. This is the way. But for the devotee, at least it is guaranteed that he gets next life as a human being. Not only human being, but in the family of a devotee, or in the family of rich man. These alternatives are there.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972: So next morning, when Bhīṣmadeva asked that "Where are those five arrows? Give me," So Duryodhana said, "Sir, this is the story. It has been taken away by Arjuna." So he could understand it is the trick of Kṛṣṇa. So immediately he, out of devotion, became angry. Yes. So devotion, devotional service can be executed in anger also. Not by simply flowers. If he, there is a devotee, he can serve Kṛṣṇa by becoming angry. So he promised immediately that "Today Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise." Because Kṛṣṇa promised that "Although I shall be in the battlefield, I shall simply drive your chariot, but I shall not fight." That was His promise. Now Bhīṣma said that "Kṛṣṇa has broken my promise. So I shall fight in this way today that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His own promise or His friend Arjuna will be killed." Two alternatives.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand: You accept Kṛṣṇa the Supreme, you follow instruction, you become a great mahātmā. And if you don't accept,
aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā
dharmasyāsya parantapa
aprāpya māṁ nivartante
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani
[Bg. 9.3]
If you don't accept aśraddadhānāḥ, then you'll never understand what is God, and you'll be rotating in the cycle of birth and death. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. You have to accept this path. There are two paths. Either you accept Kṛṣṇa, go back to home, back to Godhead, or you accept the path of repetition of birth and death. Two alternatives in this human life. Now it is up to you to make your choice which way you want to go.

Initiation Lectures

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968: So take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and be happy in this life and next life. If you can finish your loving affairs to Kṛṣṇa in this life, then you have done cent percent. If not, whatever percentage you have executed in this life, that will remain with you. It will not go. That is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā, that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga bhraṣṭo sañjāyate [Bg. 6.41]. One who cannot execute this yoga process completely cent per cent, he is given next birth a chance to take birth in a rich family or to get birth in a very pure family. Two alternatives. So either you take birth in pure family or in rich family, at least your birth as a human being is guaranteed. But if you don't take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you do not know what is your next birth. There are 8,400,000 different species of life, and you can be transferred to any one of them. If you are transferred to become a tree... Just like I've seen in San Francisco. They said that "This tree is standing for seven thousand years." They stand up on the bench for seven thousand years. The boys are sometimes punished by the teachers in the school, "Stand up on the bench." So these trees are punished, "Stand up," by nature's law. So there is chance of becoming a tree, there is chance of becoming a dog, a cat, or even a rat. So many lives there are. Don't miss this opportunity of human form of life. Perfect your love of Kṛṣṇa and be happy in this life and next life.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1976, Melbourne:

Devotee (1): This philosophy's alien to everything they heard, so it's different than everything they heard.

Prabhupāda: No, no, the.... A fact is that. Why it is alien?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Well, the Western religions have taught that whatever you do in this lifetime will determine whether you go to heaven or hell, and there's no second chance.

Prabhupāda: So.... So they are not afraid of going to hell? There are two alternatives, either heaven or hell. But if he's going to hell?

Guru-kṛpā: That's why they have confession.

Prabhupāda: Oh, finished everything.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana: Prabhupāda: Nonsense comfortably... They have changed the season? Is it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That's all right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit. Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9]. Real unhappiness is this, that you are: "Why I am struggling? I don't want death." Actually why I am taking massage and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists' guarantee, "No, you'll not die"? Has he any...? You'll struggle only. That's all. The scientists cannot guarantee, "No, you'll not die." That is real guarantee. "You'll die comfortably." Hm? Die comfortably? Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, "Take"? What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some... Nothing they have given. It is simply bluff. Things without which we could do, such things are there. There were no motorcars. There was horse carriage and bullock carriage. Things were going on. Not that without this horseless motorcar society would have been vanquished. No. There are other alternatives. Rather, they were complicated. As soon as you ride on a car, there is anxiety, especially in your country, so many cars. When you ride on a car, full of anxiety... At any moment there may be accident. It is not comfortable. If you are full of anxiety. Aeroplane may be. At any moment you can die. It is your time only. They're going in good faith: "I shall go there." But before rising to the sky, finished, crash. So many airplane has been... So where is the comfort? As soon as you get on the aeroplane, you are in full anxiety that at any moment there may be crash. Is it not? Then where is comfort? Real comfort is without anxiety. That is real comfort. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has given, real comfort means, arni akyavad(?): "One who is not out of home and one who has no debts, he is happy." Nowadays people are going out of home, and everyone is debtor to the bank and so many... The economic machine is so made that one is put always in debts for some so-called comforts, and he's full of anxiety. The whole month he has to work to pay debts.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- New Vrindaban 5 June, 1969: The government is enamored by the glittering civilization of the West, and it was a definite policy of our late prime minister, Mr. Nehru, who wanted to see India overnight as rich and materially advanced as America. It was, of course, Gandhi's policy to concentrate his organization in village life, taking to simple life and cow protection. But just after Mahatma Gandhi's disappearance, his chief disciple, Pandit Nehru, planned for up-to-date organized cow-slaughter house. So this is our position. If you have understood Krishna Consciousness science, then you will try to revive this cultural life in India. Of course so long I shall live I shall give you all assistance. But if you concentrate your energy in a city like Bombay for propagating Krishna Consciousness amongst the younger generation, as I am doing here in the Western World, it will be great service to Krishna and to your country. I have already asked you to think on the project how you can push on our books and literature. I cannot suggest any other alternatives, but if you can execute this will of mine, I shall remain ever-obliged to you.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1972: So far your question regarding Deity worship, during arati everything should be offered first to the Guru. Regarding the three alternatives for our Hare Krishna Housing Society, the alternative, namely, place the flats in the housing society in the names of our various disciples so that they will hold all the votes, and let them sublet or sell their flats, this alternative is very nice.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Hyderabad 24 March, 1973: You will be refunded the loan with interest by the Mayapur Fund. The Bombay project will in turn pay the Mayapur construction expenses. For the future of New York Temple expansions I have discussed different alternatives with Atreya Rsi, who will discuss them with you upon his arrival.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Puranjana -- Melbourne 21 April, 1976: Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 8 April, 1976 and I have noted the contents with care. Concerning the alternatives, it sounds like the printing cost of $1.25 is best as this will keep the price down and will also allow the full purport to be there. The general practice in deciding such matters shall be to have the BBT trustees discuss amongst themselves, and then they can submit their plan to me for final sanction.
Page Title:Alternatives
Compiler:Archana, Serene
Created:28 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=10, Con=2, Let=4
No. of Quotes:17