Expressions researched:
"blade of grass"
|"blade of kusa grass"
|"blade of virana grass"
|"blades of evergreen kusa grass"
|"blades of grass"
|"blades of kusa grass"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 7 - 12
As it is said, not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
BG 7.21, Purport: Both the living entity and the demigods are subordinate to the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the living entity cannot worship the demigod by his own desire, nor can the demigod bestow any benediction without the supreme will. As it is said, not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
As we generally say, not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus everything is moving under His will
BG 9.6, Purport: For the ordinary person it is almost inconceivable how the huge material creation is resting in Him. But the Lord is giving an example which may help us to understand. The sky may be the biggest manifestation we can conceive. And in that sky the wind or air is the biggest manifestation in the cosmic world. The movement of the air influences the movements of everything. But although the wind is great, it is still situated within the sky; the wind is not beyond the sky. Similarly, all the wonderful cosmic manifestations are existing by the supreme will of God, and all of them are subordinate to that supreme will. As we generally say, not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus everything is moving under His will: by His will everything is being created, everything is being maintained, and everything is being annihilated. Still He is aloof from everything, as the sky is always aloof from the activities of the wind.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
Because the Paramātmā feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa destines all actions and reactions, He is the supreme controller also. Without His sanction not a blade of grass can move.
SB 1.8.28, Purport: Kuntīdevī knew that Kṛṣṇa was neither her nephew nor an ordinary family member of her paternal house. She knew perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa is the primeval Lord who lives in everyone's heart as the Supersoul, Paramātmā. Another name of the Paramātmā feature of the Lord is kāla, or eternal time. Eternal time is the witness of all our actions, good and bad, and thus resultant reactions are destined by Him. It is no use saying that we do not know why and for what we are suffering. We may forget the misdeed for which we may suffer at this present moment, but we must remember that Paramātmā is our constant companion, and therefore He knows everything, past, present and future. And because the Paramātmā feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa destines all actions and reactions, He is the supreme controller also. Without His sanction not a blade of grass can move. The living beings are given as much freedom as they deserve, and misuse of that freedom is the cause of suffering. The devotees of the Lord do not misuse their freedom, and therefore they are the good sons of the Lord.
The Paramātmā feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa destines all actions and reactions, He is the supreme controller also. Without His sanction not a blade of grass can move.
SB 1.8.28, Purport: Another name of the Paramātmā feature of the Lord is kāla, or eternal time. Eternal time is the witness of all our actions, good and bad, and thus resultant reactions are destined by Him. It is no use saying that we do not know why and for what we are suffering. We may forget the misdeed for which we may suffer at this present moment, but we must remember that Paramātmā is our constant companion, and therefore He knows everything, past, present and future. And because the Paramātmā feature of Lord Kṛṣṇa destines all actions and reactions, He is the supreme controller also. Without His sanction not a blade of grass can move. The living beings are given as much freedom as they deserve, and misuse of that freedom is the cause of suffering. The devotees of the Lord do not misuse their freedom, and therefore they are the good sons of the Lord. Others, who misuse freedom, are put into miseries destined by the eternal kāla. The kāla offers the conditioned souls both happiness and miseries. It is all predestined by eternal time. As we have miseries uncalled-for, so we may have happiness also without being asked, for they are all predestined by kāla. No one is therefore either an enemy or friend of the Lord. Everyone is suffering and enjoying the result of his own destiny. This destiny is made by the living beings in course of social intercourse. Everyone here wants to lord it over the material nature, and thus everyone creates his own destiny under the supervision of the Supreme Lord. He is all-pervading and therefore He can see everyone's activities. And because the Lord has no beginning or end, He is known also as the eternal time, kāla.
The law of nature is executed under the direction of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord. And whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord.
SB 1.15.24, Purport: According to the anthropologists, there is nature's law of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest. But they do not know that behind the law of nature is the supreme direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that the law of nature is executed under the direction of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord. And whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations. The surest way to the path of peace, therefore, is dovetailing everything to the established rule of the Lord. The established rule is that whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we sacrifice or whatever we give in charity must be done to the full satisfaction of the Lord.
SB Canto 2
The Vedas say that the Supreme Lord has nothing to do personally, as is always the case with superiors, but everything is done by His direction. As it is said, not a blade of grass moves without His sanction.
SB 2.1.33, Purport: The conditioned souls are driven by the reactions of the modes of material nature, which are the activities of the Lord. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.12), the modes of nature act under His direction only, and as such no natural functions are blind or automatic. The power behind the activities is the supervision of the Lord, and thus the Lord is never inactive as is wrongly conceived. The Vedas say that the Supreme Lord has nothing to do personally, as is always the case with superiors, but everything is done by His direction. As it is said, not a blade of grass moves without His sanction.
The Brahma-samhita affirms that Durga-sakti is working by the direction of Govinda, and without His sanction the powerful Durga-sakti cannot move even a blade of grass.
SB 2.4.6, Purport: Those who are under the control of the external energy of the Lord, or in other words those who are in the material world, must first of all know how the external energy of the Lord is working under the direction of the Supreme Personality, and afterwards one may try to enter into the activities of His internal energy. The mundaners are mostly worshipers of Durga-devi, the external energy of Krsna, but they do not know that Durga-devi is but the shadow energy of the Lord. Behind her astonishing display of material workings is the direction of the Lord, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10). The Brahma-samhita affirms that Durga-sakti is working by the direction of Govinda, and without His sanction the powerful Durga-sakti cannot move even a blade of grass. Therefore the neophyte devotee, instead of jumping at once to the platform of transcendental pastimes presented by the internal energy of the Lord, may know how great the Supreme Lord is by inquiring about the process of His creative energy.
SB 2.4.23, Purport: As a fully dependent devotee, Śukadeva Gosvāmī (unlike a mundane man who is proud of his own capability) invokes the pleasure of the Personality of Godhead so that his statements may be successful and be appreciated by the hearers. The devotee always thinks of himself as instrumental for anything successfully carried out, and he declines to take credit for anything done by himself. The godless atheist wants to take all credit for activities, not knowing that even a blade of grass cannot move without the sanction of the Supreme Spirit, the Personality of Godhead. Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore wants to move by the direction of the Supreme Lord, who inspired Brahmā to speak the Vedic wisdom.
SB Canto 3
SB 3.9.23, Purport: In the matter of material creation, maintenance and destruction, there are three incarnations of the material modes of nature—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. But the Lord's incarnation as Viṣṇu, in His internal potency, is the supreme energy for the total activities. Brahmā, who is only an assistant in the modes of creation, wanted to remain in his actual position as an instrument of the Lord instead of becoming puffed up by the false prestige of thinking himself the creator. That is the way of becoming dear to the Supreme Lord and receiving His benediction. Foolish men want to take credit for all creations made by them, but intelligent persons know very well that not a blade of grass can move without the will of the Lord; thus all the credit for wonderful creations must go to Him. By spiritual consciousness only can one be free from the contamination of material affection and receive the benedictions offered by the Lord.
SB 3.22.29-30, Translation: The city of Barhiṣmatī, rich in all kinds of wealth, was so called because Lord Viṣṇu's hair dropped there from His body when He manifested Himself as Lord Boar. As He shook His body, this very hair fell and turned into blades of evergreen kuśa grass and kāśa (another kind of grass used for mats), by means of which the sages worshiped Lord Viṣṇu after defeating the demons who had interfered with the performance of their sacrifices.
SB Canto 4
SB 4.6.45, Purport: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is called the supreme will. It is by the supreme will that everything is happening. It is said, therefore, that not a blade of grass moves without the supreme will. Generally it is prescribed that performers of pious activities are promoted to the higher planetary systems, devotees are promoted to the Vaikuṇṭhas, or spiritual worlds, and impersonal speculators are promoted to the impersonal Brahman effulgence; but it sometimes so happens that a miscreant like Ajāmila is immediately promoted to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka simply by chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa. Although when Ajāmila uttered this vibration he intended to call his son Nārāyaṇa, Lord Nārāyaṇa took it seriously and immediately gave him promotion to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, despite his background, which was full of sinful activities. Similarly King Dakṣa was always engaged in the pious activities of performing sacrifices, yet simply because of creating a little misunderstanding with Lord Śiva, he was severely taken to task. The conclusion is, therefore, that the supreme will is the ultimate judgment; no one can argue upon this. A pure devotee therefore submits in all circumstances to the supreme will of the Lord, accepting it as all-auspicious.
SB Canto 5
SB 5.14.29, Purport: The personal weapon used by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the disc, is called hari-cakra, the disc of Hari. This cakra is the wheel of time. It expands from the beginning of the atoms up to the time of Brahmā's death, and it controls all activities. It is always revolving and spending the lives of the living entities, from Lord Brahmā down to an insignificant blade of grass. Thus one changes from infancy, to childhood, to youth and maturity, and thus one approaches the end of life. It is impossible to check this wheel of time.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
SB 10.11.51, Translation: When Kṛṣṇa, the leader of the Vaiṣṇavas, saw that the demon Bakāsura, the friend of Kaṁsa, was endeavoring to attack Him, with His arms He captured the demon by the two halves of the beak, and in the presence of all the cowherd boys Kṛṣṇa very easily bifurcated him, as a child splits a blade of vīraṇa grass. By thus killing the demon, Kṛṣṇa very much pleased the denizens of heaven.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Lord Brahma analyzed the great good fortune of the residents of Vraja and then personally prayed to be born there even as a blade of grass, a bush or a creeper.
SB 10.14 Summary: Thinking the personal form of Lord Krsna illusory, fools reject His lotus feet and look elsewhere to find the Supreme Self. But the futility of their search is the obvious proof of their foolishness. There is simply no way to understand the truth of the Personality of Godhead without His mercy.
Having established this conclusion, Lord Brahma analyzed the great good fortune of the residents of Vraja and then personally prayed to be born there even as a blade of grass, a bush or a creeper. Indeed, the homes of the residents of Vrndavana are not prisons of material existence but rather abodes envied even by the jnanis and yogis. On the other hand, any home without a connection to Lord Krsna is in fact a prison cell of material existence.
This verse indicates that Lord Brahma desires to take birth even as the smallest blade of grass in Vrndavana so that the holy residents of the Lord's abode may walk upon his head and bless him with the dust of their feet.
SB 10.14.34, Translation and Purport: My greatest possible good fortune would be to take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula and have my head bathed by the dust falling from the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire life and soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, the dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for in the Vedic mantras.
This verse indicates that Lord Brahma desires to take birth even as the smallest blade of grass in Vrndavana so that the holy residents of the Lord's abode may walk upon his head and bless him with the dust of their feet. Being realistic, Lord Brahma does not aspire to directly achieve the dust of Lord Krsna's feet; rather, he aspires for the mercy of the Lord's devotees. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that Brahma is willing to take birth even as a stone in a paved footpath in the Lord's abode. Since Brahma is the creator of the entire universe, we can just imagine the glorious position of the residents of Vrndavana.
Lord Brahma had prayed to take birth as a blade of grass in Vrndavana or even in the area surrounding Vrndavana
SB 10.14.41, Translation and Purport: Having thus offered his prayers, Brahma circumambulated his worshipable Lord, the unlimited Personality of Godhead, three times and then bowed down at His lotus feet. The appointed creator of the universe then returned to his own residence.
Although Lord Brahma had prayed to take birth as a blade of grass in Vrndavana or even in the area surrounding Vrndavana, Lord Krsna, by His silent response to Brahma's prayers, indicated that Brahma should return to his own abode. First Brahma had to complete his personal devotional service of universal creation; then he could come to Vrndavana and get the mercy of the inhabitants there. In other words, a devotee should always be attentive to executing his personal devotional service properly. This is more important than trying to live in the Lord's abode.
This powerful fire would at once burn up every blade of grass that happened to fall into the water.
SB 10.16.5, Purport: "The lake was quite wide -- eight miles across at some points -- and even the demigods could not cross over it. The water in the lake was very deep and, like the immovable depths of the ocean, could not be agitated. Approaching the lake was difficult, for its shores were covered with holes in which serpents lived. All around the lake was a fog generated by the fire of the serpents' poison, and this powerful fire would at once burn up every blade of grass that happened to fall into the water. For a distance of eight miles from the lake, the atmosphere was most unpleasant."
Srila Sanatana Gosvami states that by the mystical science of jala-stambha, making solid items out of water, Kaliya had built his own city within the lake.
Greatly angered by this offense, Lord Balarama killed Romaharsana by touching him with the tip of a blade of kusa grass.
SB 10.78 Summary: When Lord Baladeva heard that the Pandavas and Kauravas were about to go to war, in order to remain neutral He left Dvaraka on the pretext of going on pilgrimage. The Lord bathed in sacred places such as Prabhasa, Tritakupa and Visala, and eventually He came to the holy Naimisaranya forest, where great sages were performing an extended fire sacrifice. While being worshiped by the assembled sages and offered a seat of honor, the Lord noticed that Romaharsana Suta, sitting on the speaker's seat, had failed to stand in deference to Him. Greatly angered by this offense, Lord Balarama killed Romaharsana by touching him with the tip of a blade of kusa grass.
He killed Romaharsana Suta simply by striking him with a kusa straw, which was nothing but a blade of grass.
SB 10.78.28, Translation and Purport: Although Lord Balarama had stopped killing the impious, Romaharsana's death was inevitable. Thus, having spoken, the Lord killed him by picking up a blade of kusa grass and touching him with its tip.
Srila Prabhupada writes, "Lord Balarama had avoided taking part in the Battle of Kuruksetra, and yet because of His position as an incarnation, the reestablishment of religious principles was His prime duty. Considering these points, He killed Romaharsana Suta simply by striking him with a kusa straw, which was nothing but a blade of grass. If someone questions how Lord Balarama could kill Romaharsana Suta simply by striking him with a blade of kusa grass, the answer is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam by the use of the word prabhu (master). The Lord's position is always transcendental, and because He is omnipotent He can act as He likes without being obliged to follow the material laws and principles. Thus it was possible for Him to kill Romaharsana Suta simply by striking him with a blade of kusa grass."
SB 10.78.28, Translation: (Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:) Although Lord Balarāma had stopped killing the impious, Romaharṣaṇa's death was inevitable. Thus, having spoken, the Lord killed him by picking up a blade of kuśa grass and touching him with its tip.
"Those rare, fortunate souls who derive great delight by sporting in the nectar ocean of topics about You consider the four great goals of life (religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation) to be no more important than a blade of grass."
SB 10.87.21, Purport: Many mantras of the Upanisads and other srutis openly declare devotional service to be superior to liberation itself. In the words of the Nrsimha-purva-tapani Upanisad, yam sarve veda namanti mumuksavo brahma-vadinas ca: "To Him all the Vedas, all seekers of liberation and all students of the Absolute Truth offer their obeisances." Commenting on this mantra, Sri Sankaracarya admits, mukta api lilaya vigraham krtva bhajanti: "Even liberated souls take pleasure in establishing the Supreme Lord's Deity and worshiping Him." The great rival of Acarya Sankara, Srila Madhvacarya Anandatirtha, cites his own favorite sruti-mantras in this regard, such as mukta hy etam upasate, muktanam api bhaktir hi paramananda-rupini: "Even those who are liberated worship Him, and even for them devotional service is the embodiment of supreme bliss"; and amrtasya dhara bahudha dohamanam/ caranam no loke su-dhitam dadhatu/ om tat sat: "May His feet, which bountifully pour forth floods of nectar, bestow wisdom upon us who are living in this world."
In summary, Srila Sridhara Svami prays,
- tvat-kathamrta-pathodhau
- viharanto maha-mudah
- kurvanti krtinah kecic
- catur-vargam trnopamam
"Those rare, fortunate souls who derive great delight by sporting in the nectar ocean of topics about You consider the four great goals of life (religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation) to be no more important than a blade of grass."
A brahmana, free from false ego, thus feels himself lower than a blade of grass and tolerantly offers respect to all living entities.
SB 11.23.22, Purport: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments as follows. "Human birth is better than that of the demigods, ghosts, spirits, animals, trees, lifeless stones, and so forth, because the demigods simply enjoy celestial pleasures, and in other forms of life there is excessive suffering. It is only in human life that one deeply considers one's ultimate benefit in life. Human birth is therefore more desirable than even that of the demigods." Within human life the position of a high-class brahmana is certainly most desirable. If a brahmana, however, gives up the devotional service of the Lord and works hard like a sudra simply for the prestige of his community, he is certainly on the platform of material sense gratification. The special qualification of the brahmanas is the spiritual knowledge by which they recognize every living entity to be an eternal servant of the Lord. A brahmana, free from false ego, thus feels himself lower than a blade of grass and tolerantly offers respect to all living entities. All human beings, and especially the brahmanas, should avoid becoming killers of their own self-interest by neglecting Krsna consciousness, the loving service of the Lord. Such neglect paves the way for future suffering.
SB 11.27.19, Translation: After cleansing himself and collecting all the paraphernalia, the worshiper should arrange his own seat with blades of kuśa grass whose tips point eastward. He should then sit facing either east or north, or else, if the Deity is fixed in one place, he should sit directly facing the Deity.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Antya-lila
CC Antya 7.47, Translation: This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.47.61) was spoken by Uddhava. When Uddhava was sent by Kṛṣṇa to see the condition of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, he stayed there for a few months in their association and always talked with them about Kṛṣṇa. Although this greatly pleased the gopīs and other residents of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana, Uddhava saw that the gopīs were severely afflicted by their separation from Kṛṣṇa. Their hearts were so disturbed that their minds were sometimes deranged. Observing the unalloyed devotion and love of the gopīs for Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava desired to become a creeper, a blade of grass or an herb in Vṛndāvana so that sometimes the gopīs would trample him and he would receive the dust of their lotus feet on his head.
CC Antya 7.47, Translation and Purport: “"The gopīs of Vṛndāvana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to become one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vṛndāvana, for the gopīs trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet."
This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.47.61) was spoken by Uddhava. When Uddhava was sent by Kṛṣṇa to see the condition of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana, he stayed there for a few months in their association and always talked with them about Kṛṣṇa. Although this greatly pleased the gopīs and other residents of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana, Uddhava saw that the gopīs were severely afflicted by their separation from Kṛṣṇa. Their hearts were so disturbed that their minds were sometimes deranged. Observing the unalloyed devotion and love of the gopīs for Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava desired to become a creeper, a blade of grass or an herb in Vṛndāvana so that sometimes the gopīs would trample him and he would receive the dust of their lotus feet on his head.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
If one also eats a small blade of grass he will not taste it, nor will he care to distinguish what its taste is like.
Nectar of Devotion 49: In the same way, a rasa which is actually prominent may sometimes appear to be manifested in a subordinate way, although its actual position is as the main or prominent loving feeling of a devotee.
When an unconstitutional ecstasy of devotional service is manifested prominently at a certain time, it is still accepted as the part. If it is not very prominently manifested, it appears only slightly and merges quickly back into the whole. At such times of slight appearance, no consideration is given to it; when one is eating some palatable dishes, if one also eats a small blade of grass he will not taste it, nor will he care to distinguish what its taste is like.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Just as a child very easily splits a blade of grass.
Krsna Book 11: He was still the original father of Lord Brahmā, the creator of the universe. Mother Yaśodā’s child, who is the reservoir of pleasure for the demigods and who is the maintainer of saintly persons, caught hold of the great gigantic heron by the two halves of his beak and, before His cowherd boyfriends, bifurcated his mouth, just as a child very easily splits a blade of grass. From the sky, the denizens of the heavenly planets showered flowers like the mallikā, the most fragrant of all flowers, as a token of their congratulations. Accompanying the showers of flowers was a vibration of bugles, drums and conchshells.
When the boys saw the showering of flowers and heard the celestial sounds, they became struck with wonder. And when they saw Kṛṣṇa freed from the mouth of the great demon Bakāsura, all of them, including Balarāma, were so pleased that it seemed as if they had regained their very source of life.
If I am given the chance to grow as a humble blade of grass in this land, that would be a glorious birth for me.
Krsna Book 14: "My dear Lord, I am therefore not interested in either material opulences or liberation. I am most humbly praying at Your lotus feet for You to please give me any sort of birth within this Vṛndāvana forest so that I may be able to be favored by the dust of the feet of some of the devotees of Vṛndāvana. If I am given the chance to grow as a humble blade of grass in this land, that would be a glorious birth for me. But if I am not so fortunate to take birth within the forest of Vṛndāvana, I beg to be allowed to take birth outside the immediate area of Vṛndāvana so that when the devotees go out they will walk over me. Even that would be a great fortune for me. I am just aspiring for a birth in which I will be smeared by the dust of the devotees' feet, because I can see that everyone here is simply full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No one here knows anything but the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, or Mukunda, for which the Vedas themselves are searching."
Just as a blade of grass floating on the waves of a river may by chance come near the shore and gain shelter, a conditioned soul carried away by the waves of material existence may sometimes be saved by the grace of Kṛṣṇa."
Krsna Book 38: He considered himself as unfit for seeing Kṛṣṇa as a materialistic person is for understanding the science of God or as a fourth-class person (a śūdra) is for studying the Vedas. But then Akrūra began to think, "By the grace of Kṛṣṇa everything is possible, and thus if He likes, I will be able to see Him. Just as a blade of grass floating on the waves of a river may by chance come near the shore and gain shelter, a conditioned soul carried away by the waves of material existence may sometimes be saved by the grace of Kṛṣṇa." Akrūra thus thought that if Kṛṣṇa willed, he would be able to see Him. Akrūra considered himself most fortunate that he was going to see Kṛṣṇa, whom great mystic yogīs desire to see. He was confident that on that day all the sinful reactions of his past life would be finished and his fortunate human form of life would be successful. Akrūra also considered that he was very much favored by Kaṁsa, who was sending him to bring back Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and thus enabling him to see the Lord.
Being captivated by a few blades of grass, the animals fall into a dark well and meet death.
Krsna Book 51: The example of a dark well is given because in the fields there are many wells, unused for years and covered over by grass, and poor animals, not knowing of them, fall into them, and unless rescued they die. Being captivated by a few blades of grass, the animals fall into a dark well and meet death. Similarly, foolish persons, without knowing the importance of the human form of life, spoil it simply for sense gratification and die without any useful purpose.
“My dear Lord, I am not an exception to this universal law of material nature. I am also a foolish person who has wasted his time for nothing. And my position is especially difficult. On account of my being situated in the royal order, I was more puffed up than ordinary persons. An ordinary man thinks he is the proprietor of his body or his family, but I began to think in that way on a larger scale.
He killed Romaharṣaṇa Sūta simply by striking him with a kuśa straw, which was nothing but a blade of grass.
Krsna Book 78: Lord Balarāma had avoided taking part in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, and yet because of His position as an incarnation, the reestablishment of religious principles was His prime duty. Considering these points, He killed Romaharṣaṇa Sūta simply by striking him with a kuśa straw, which was nothing but a blade of grass. If someone questions how Lord Balarāma could kill Romaharṣaṇa Sūta simply by striking him with a blade of kuśa grass, the answer is given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by the use of the word prabhu ("master"). The Lord's position is always transcendental, and because He is omnipotent He can act as He likes, without being obliged to follow the material laws and principles. Thus it was possible for Him to kill Romaharṣaṇa Sūta simply by striking him with a blade of kuśa grass.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
They do not follow Lord Caitanya's injunction to be "more humble than a blade of grass."
Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.9: Without genuine devotional service, even opening hospitals and feeding the poor in the name of Lord Kṛṣṇa is futile. Spiritual groups that do not strictly follow in Lord Caitanya's line cannot comprehend this because they do not wish to abide by the instructions of the mahātmās. They do not follow Lord Caitanya's injunction to be "more humble than a blade of grass." If they were that humble, they would give up their pride in being the doer of good deeds, the wisest person, the most devoted, and so on.
Those who strive to emulate the mahātmās never fall prey to passivity and regression. Their eagerness and determination to serve the Lord steadily increase. Such followers observe spiritual occasions like Janmāṣṭamī and Ekādaśī for the pleasure of the Lord, in the way that the previous ācāryas and mahātmās have recommended. This is devotional service proper. Because the mahātmās are more humble than a blade of grass, they worship Lord Kṛṣṇa and everything in relation to Him.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
"Not a blade of grass moves without the will of God.
Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966: It is already settled. It is already settled. Now if you want to take the credit, you can apply your hands for fighting. That's all."
So anything that is going on in this world, it is under the supreme supervision of the Lord. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). In every... There is a philosopher's saying, "Not a blade of grass moves without the will of God." It is actually the fact. Everything... Now, we have to dovetail ourself with that plan of the Supreme Lord. That is called karma-yoga. That is called karma-yoga. So Arjuna understood it, and he dovetailed himself with the supreme will of the Lord. And when he was inquired, "Whether you are going or fight or not? What you have settled after hearing Bhagavad-gītā?" he said, "Yes Kṛṣṇa. My illusion is now removed by Your grace, and I have decided to fight. That's all."
"Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." It is a fact.
Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966: So unless Kṛṣṇa desires, unless He allows, we cannot do anything. We cannot do any... This is the fact. So tattva-vit... Tattva-vit means one who knows the truth. He thinks like that, that "I cannot do anything. I am always dependent on Kṛṣṇa. I cannot..." Mahatma Gandhi he used to say that "Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." It is a fact. It is a fact. Nothing can be done without His sanction.
Then you can ask, "Then why somebody is doing bad work and why somebody is doing good work? In both ways Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned?" Yes, in both ways Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned. Without sanction he cannot do it. But how both ways Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned? Now Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned in this way. He has given you liberty. He has given you independence. Not full independence, but... You cannot become full independent. But you have got independence.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
If you take one blade of grass in your, between your lips and approach somebody, it is to be understood that you are approaching with great humbleness.
Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969: So that Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī (is) teaching us how to preach. In this age, simply by fighting, argument, it is very difficult to preach. Better to become humble and meek. Just like Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī is teaching us: dante nidhāya tṛṇakam. In India there is a system to become humble. If you take one blade of grass in your, between your lips and approach somebody, it is to be understood that you are approaching with great humbleness. Therefore he said, dante nidhāya tṛṇakam. Tṛṇakam means blade of grass. Dante means teeth. Padayor nipatya: "And falling down on your feet." Kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā: "And flattering you hundred times, 'My dear sir, you are so great. You are so big. You are so learned. You are so rich. You are so beautiful,' and everything," although he may be not. So dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca. Śatam. Śatam means "Hundred times flattering, I have come to you to say something." "Why you are so humble? What is the... What do you want to talk? " "No, I am..." He sādhavaḥ. "You are very religious man.
"Not a blade of grass moves without the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Lecture on SB 1.7.12 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1976: The direction is there. Direction is there actually. But because we cannot conceive how in this plan the direction of the Supreme Lord is there so that a nice flower is coming with so beautiful feature. But direction is there we should know. In ordinarily we say sometimes that "Not a blade of grass moves without the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So everything is going on under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Don't think that it is taking automatically. There is no such thing as automatical. But the direction is so quick, so sufficient and so perfect. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Automatically, immediately. There are so many machines we have. Just like the computer. There is machine working, but it is so minute that simply by pushing one button, so many things immediately done. This is a material machine, manufactured by a human being. And how much perfect the machine of Kṛṣṇa will be, just imagine.
"Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." This is the position.
Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973: If Kṛṣṇa does not sanction, in spite of very rich parents, the child is suffering. Why? Because there is no sanction. Similarly, if one is diseased, you can engage first-class physician and you can use first-class medicine; still he dies. Why he dies? You have got so advanced medicine, advanced physician. Why the man dies? Because Kṛṣṇa wanted. That's it. Similarly, we have created so many countereffects for all our miserable condition. That is called struggle for existence. But if there is no sanction from Kṛṣṇa, these counteractions will not be useful. You'll have to starve. You'll have to die. All these methods cannot help you. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. So everything, without Kṛṣṇa's sanction... They say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." This is the position. Go on.
Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord.
Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973: In the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that the law of nature is executed under the direction of the Lord. Whenever therefore there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord, and whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations. The surest way to the path of peace is, therefore, dovetailing everything to the established rule of the Lord. The established rule is that whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we sacrifice, whatever we give in charity, must be done to the full satisfaction of the Lord. No one should do anything, eat anything, sacrifice anything, or give anything in charity against the will of the Lord. Discretion is the better part of valor, and one must learn how to discriminate between actions which may be pleasing to the Lord and those which may not be pleasing to the Lord.
"Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God."
Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974: Therefore you are conditioned. It is called conditioned. We cannot go, we cannot move freely, without being sanctioned by the superior authority. So we generally say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." Similarly, we cannot do anything. Daivī hy eṣā. God does not take as the supervision personally. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate—in the Vedas, Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad. He hasn't got to do personally, but He has got so many agents to do. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. He has got so ma... They will do. You are not free even to twinkle with your eyelids. That is also being controlled. That information... You are moving this hand very freely. It can be immediately paralyzed. I am claiming that "I... It is my hand." What is your hand? It can be stopped immediately. Your eyes, it can be stopped.
"Not a blade of grass can move without the sanction of God."
Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974: So there is no limit of these living entities. And still, Kṛṣṇa has to live within the heart of every living entity. Just see. And every living entity has different business. And He has to sanction and witness.
There is a common saying that "Not a blade of grass can move without the sanction of God." Actually, that is the fact. Everyone has got different propensities, and he cannot do it without the sanction of God. This is God's business. Just see. Ananta-koṭi, innumerable jīva, and He has to give sanction and see his business and witness, also give the result. He is witness, and He has to give the result also. Because he is doing independently, he must enjoy or suffer the activities. That is going on. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. He has to give different types of body. Suppose I want to eat everything—never mind how much nonsense and nuisance it is. There are so many men, they eat everything. So he has to be offered the body of a pig, no discrimination, even stool accepted. So who is giving this body?
A neophyte devotee, he may think it might be very nice to be Kṛṣṇa's friend, but he may actually be a blade of grass and he'll be fully satisfied when he comes to that stage.
Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971: Haṁsadūta: So Prabhupāda, a neophyte devotee, he may think it might be very nice to be Kṛṣṇa's friend, but he may actually be a blade of grass and he'll be fully satisfied when he comes to that stage.
Prabhupāda: No. If he thinks like that, then he should cultivate that knowledge in that way. Yes. That is described in The Nectar of Devotion and Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Haṁsadūta: But that may not be his actual position. It may be something else.
Prabhupāda: No. But when, at the time of devotional service, if such impetuses come, that means he has got such relation. It is to be developed. That's all. That means the actual relationship with Kṛṣṇa is coming out gradually. It is being developed. So one has to develop it, following the footsteps of the Kṛṣṇa's friends in Vṛndāvana. These are described here. Yes. Not directly. No. You cannot say that "I have become Sudāmā." No. You have to follow the footsteps of Sudāmā.
They say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the desire of Kṛṣṇa." That's a fact.
Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976: The foolish man may think like that, "automatically." No, there is no automatically, no accident. Therefore, yena yasmād yataḥ yad uta, superior, inferior—everything is systematically being done according to the desire. They say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the desire of Kṛṣṇa." That's a fact. Without Kṛṣṇa's desire... Every step we are going forward, it is guided by Kṛṣṇa. It is not directly by Kṛṣṇa but through the instrument of Kṛṣṇa. This is nature. Nature is nothing but instrument. Durgā. Durgā. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). This Durgā energy. Durgā energy means this material energy. Durgā. Durgā means fort. We are packed up within this fort. You see the round sky. It is just like a football. And within, we are packed up. Just like the soldiers, they are within the fort or there are other persons also, similarly, this is a durgā. Durgā. Duḥ means difficult, and ga means going. Dur-gā.
General Lectures
"taking a blade of grass on my mouth and falling down on your feet with flattering and informing you, 'My dear sir, you are very learned man.
Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969: So our business is to inform you. Just like one of the devotees of Lord Caitanya, he said that padayor nipatya, "Falling down on your feet," padayor nipatya, dante nidhāya tṛnakaṁ padayor nipatya, "taking a blade of grass on my mouth and falling down on your feet with flattering and informing you, 'My dear sir, you are very learned man. I know that. But for the time being, please set aside all your learning. Kindly hear what Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says.' " We belong to that sect, Lord Caitanya's disciplic succession. So our business is falling down on your feet and flattering you and making many, I mean to say, salvation(?), I mean simply we request you that try to understand this philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You will be benefited. The so-called knowledge, so-called elevation, so-called upliftment, oh, this will be all finished as soon as your body is finished. But you are pure soul.
The word that "Not a single blade of grass moves without the sanction of God," that's a fact.
Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972: So what is the value of these eyes? It is conditional. If there is sunrise, then we can see. That condition is made by God. Therefore in the Upaniṣad it is said, "When God sees, you can see. When God walks, you can walk." These are the description in the Upaniṣad. Practically, that is the fact. We are completely helpless, simply dependent upon God. The word that "Not a single blade of grass moves without the sanction of God," that's a fact. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am living in everyone's heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "From Me there is remembrance and forgetfulness." We sometimes forget and sometimes remember. That is by God's grace. We are practically under the... Not exactly directly, but through His agent, the material agent.
Philosophy Discussions
"Absolutely no human reason can hope to understand the production of even a blade of grass by mere mechanical causes."
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant: Hayagrīva: He writes, "Absolutely no human reason can hope to understand the production of even a blade of grass by mere mechanical causes."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore he has to know everything from the person or authority who knows that thing. That means this is perfect way of understanding, to take knowledge from the authority who is actually cognizant and knows things as they are.
Hayagrīva: He believes that behind nature or mechanical laws, he says that crude matter, or prakṛti, should have originally formed itself according to mechanical laws or automatically; that life should have sprung from the nature of what is lifeless. That matter should have been able to dispose itself into the form of a self-maintaining purpose is contradictory to reason. Simply by using our reason we can intuit the creator behind the creation.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Some saintly person comes to him and he gives some money to him. He does not know that "I am doing very pious activity," but because he has given, he becomes pious.
Morning Walk -- March 14, 1976, Mayapur: Prabhupāda: No chance. Just like a sinful man. Some saintly person comes to him and he gives some money to him. He does not know that "I am doing very pious activity," but because he has given, he becomes pious.
Revatīnandana: If not even a blade of grass moves unless Kṛṣṇa sanctions it, then why does someone have the opportunity to perform such ajnata-sukrti, another person not?
Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa wants.... Suppose a saintly person comes to a very sinful man. He needs some money. Immediately Kṛṣṇa says, "Give him some money. He requires." So he says, "All right, sir, take it." So Kṛṣṇa's desires, he gives. Unless Kṛṣṇa dictates from within, how he can give?
Whatever you make, it will cause inconvenience. And if you follow God's plan, you'll make progress.
Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran: Prabhupāda: It is not God's plan, it is your plan. Whatever you make, it will cause inconvenience. And if you follow God's plan, you'll make progress. Where is in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said by Kṛṣṇa that you make motorcars like this? He has never said.
Hari-śauri: They get a bit confused because God has to... Like that man last night was saying not even a blade of grass can move without God's sanction. So they think because God sanctions...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is so many times explained. Just like a child wants to do something. The father says, "Don't do it," I have said several times. Reluctantly, "All right, do it." I have given this example of my practical experience in 1925 or '26 when my son was two years old. There was a table fan, "I would like to touch it." And I said, "No, no, don't touch." This is child. So but it's a child. He again tried to touch it. So there was a friend, he said, "Just slow the speed and let him touch." So I did it, slowed the speed and he touched-tung! Then he would not touch.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
Without whose sanction, according to Mahatma Gandhi, "not a blade of grass moves."
Letter to Gandhi Memorial Fund -- Calcutta 5 July, 1949: These sacred centres were meant for diffusing spiritual education and by this process of spiritual culture the disturbed mind could be trained up in concentration for higher duties which every human being must do. By such education in practice can help man in realizing the existence of God without whose sanction, according to Mahatma Gandhi, "not a blade of grass moves."
A part of this movement is the harijana movement. The harijana means the God's man or the godly man as distinguished from the satanic devils. How a man of satanic principles can be turned in to a God's man is enunciated in the Bhagavad-gita. The way of karma-yoga i.e. doing everything for God's sake should be the principles of life. The activities of the general public may not be stopped but may diverted in the manner stated in the Bhagavad-gita. By doing so any one in the world can be turned into a God's man. Thus the harijana movement started by Mahatma Gandhi should not be taken absolutely for the benefit of the bhangis and ___ so to say but it should be utilized for all who have the mentality of the bhangis etc.
1969 Correspondence
A Vaisnava is expected to be humbler than the blade of grass, so when you train some new man you should not get agitated with him.
Letter to Upendra -- Hawaii 11 March, 1969: I thank you very much for your letter of March 5, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, a new man may commit blunders in the beginning, but that does not mean we may be too impatient with him. After all, training means the man does not know, so you should train him nicely. A Vaisnava is expected to be humbler than the blade of grass, so when you train some new man you should not get agitated with him. After all, we are preachers, and we do not expect our audience or candidates completely respondent to our call. If everyone is trained then what is the use of our preaching. I receive daily so many odd letters, still we have to reply them properly. So you are in charge of the Seattle branch. You should try to develop and manage this temple as your life interest. Don't be flickering, thinking of going here and there. Whatever charge given from Krishna through the medium of Spiritual Master you should be carrying out very faithfully. I have come to your country in this old age with this interest. We should not mind where we are kept or where we have to discharge our duties. But we should accept and do them nicely.
1971 Correspondence
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that one should be humbler that a blade of grass and should be more tolerant than a tree for chanting Hare Krishna Mantra.
Letter to Niranjana -- Gorakhpur 22 February, 1971: I am glad to receive your letter dated 15th Feb. 71. I am so glad that you are performing devotional service seriously by chanting 16 rounds daily. Do not be agitated with the criticism of your friends because Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that one should be humbler that a blade of grass and should be more tolerant than a tree for chanting Hare Krishna Mantra. So stick to the principle of chanting 16 rounds daily and reading our books regularly, and one day you will be a great preacher of this cult.
1972 Correspondence
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has already advised us to be tolerant more than the tree and humbler than the blade of grass and give all respects to Karmis without expecting any respect.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972: There will be so many impediments in pushing on our movement, therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has already advised us to be tolerant more than the tree and humbler than the blade of grass and give all respects to Karmis without expecting any respect. These instructions mean that pushing on this Krsna Consciousness movement is not very easy, but we have to face them and push on this movement.
1974 Correspondence
We have to become humbler than the blade of grass and more tolerant than the tree, and then we can execute our service and chant Hare Krsna.
Letter to Caitya-guru -- Vrindaban 7 February, 1974: Why you should be sorry if someone says you are Indian, he is American, Indians are no good, Americans are good. Why be affected by bodily relationships? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised us—and as an older, grownup student you should know it—that we have to become humbler than the blade of grass and more tolerant than the tree, and then we can execute our service and chant Hare Krsna.
If Indians are bad then I am also bad, as I am an Indian. But they have accepted an Indian as their guru. So Indians are both bad and good according to the behavior. If they have accused you as bad because you are Indian, yet they have accepted a bad Indian as guru. Don't be afflicted by all these external features of our bodily relationships. Be steady in Krsna Consciousness and do your duty so you may be blessed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Krsna and make your life successful.
Being humbler than a blade of grass, and stick to our duties to the spiritual master.
Letter to Sri Ballavh -- Geneva 4 June, 1974: We must stand united. If the few men we have in a far away place like Taiwan become scattered, then we will not be able to stand. I know you are always experiencing difficulties in living with devotees, but we must be tolerant and endure the personal differences, being humbler than a blade of grass, and stick to our duties to the spiritual master.
From your enclosed brochures I see you were developing a very promising business for selling incense, but if you are apart from the society, then how can you continue. I cannot send you five thousand dollars for your business as you request. You must again join with the devotees in our ISKCON community.
We must be tolerant like the tree and humble like the blade of grass. Such persons can chant the Hare Krishna mantra and preach.
Letter to Subala -- Bombay 25 November, 1974: So far your health is concerned, so far the body is there the question of health and unhealth will always be there. Sometimes there will be complaints, and sometimes not. In the Gita Krishna says these things come and go like the seasonal changes. So we have to tolerate. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises trnad api sunicena/taror api sahisnuna. We must be tolerant like the tree and humble like the blade of grass. Such persons can chant the Hare Krishna mantra and preach. In Bombay we are undergoing so many tribulations. What can be done?
