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Cessation (Lec, Conv, & Letters)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Madhudviṣa: "Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance and of the eternal there is no cessation. Seers have concluded this by studying the nature of both." Purport: "There is no endurance of the changing body. That the body is changing every moment by the actions and reactions of different cells is admitted by modern medical science, and thus growth and old age are taking place. But the spiritual soul exists permanently, remaining the same in all changing circumstances of the body and mind. That is the difference between matter and spirit. By nature the body is ever-changing and the soul is eternal. This conclusion is established by all classes of seers of the truth, impersonalists and personalists."

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

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both."

Prabhupāda:

nāsato vidyate bhāvo
nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ
ubhayor api dṛṣṭo 'ntas
tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ
(BG 2.16)

There are two things, sat and asat. Sat means which exists, and asat means which does not exist, temporary. It appears and again disappears. That is asat. The example is just like the sky and the cloud. Cloud appears, exists for some time, again disappears. But the sky remains always. This is the distinction between sat and asat, try to understand.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

So one who is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, automatically he becomes freed from lust, anger, and this is the stage of brahma-nirvāṇam. Brahma-nirvāṇam means cessation of material conception of life and be engaged in spiritual, transcendental position. That is called brahma-nirvāṇam.

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

Devotee: Verse number three. "For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means. And for one who has already attained to yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means (BG 6.3)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are two stages. One who is practicing yoga to reach to the perfectional platform and one who has attained the perfectional platform. So, so long one is not on the perfectional platform, just trying to do, at that time there are so many works. That āsana system, yama, niyama. So generally in your country there are so many yoga societies. They display this āsana system. How to sit down, different postures. That helps. But that is the process simply to get onto the real platform.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Devotee: "Yoga practice is not meant for attaining any kind of material facility. It is to enable the cessation of all material existence."

Prabhupāda: So long you require some material facilities, you'll get material facilities, but that is not solution of the problems of your life. Material facilities, I think you American boys and girls, you have got material facilities better than any other nation. At least better than India, that I can say by my experience. And I have traveled in so many countries, in Japan also I have seen, but still you are better positioned. But do you think you have attained peace? Can anyone of you say, "Yes, I am completely in peace." Then why the youngsters are so much frustrated and confused?

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Devotee: "Cessation of material existence does not mean entering into an existence of void, which is only a myth."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So cessation of material existence does not mean void. Because I am not void. I am spirit soul. If I was void, how my development of this body has taken place? I am not void. I am the seed. Just like you sow a seed on the ground, it grows into large tree or plant. Similarly the seed is given by the father in the womb of the mother and it grows like a tree. And this body is that. Where is voidness? Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). In the Fourteenth Chapter you'll see that originally the seed was given by Kṛṣṇa in the womb of this material nature and so many living entities are coming out.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Devotee: "There is no void anywhere in the creation of the Lord. Rather the cessation of material existence enables one to enter into the spiritual sky, the abode of the Lord. The abode of the Lord is also clearly described in the Bhagavad-gītā as that place where there is no need of sun or moon nor electricity."

Prabhupāda: Now you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, we have already, I think in the Second Chapter there is, anyway, that it is said that:

na tad bhāsayate sūryo
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
(BG 15.6)

Now Kṛṣṇa describes, "My abode, how it is. In that sky, where My abode is there, there is no necessity of sunlight, there is no necessity of moonlight, there is no necessity of electricity."

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

The devotee is praying to the Lord, "My dear Lord, when I shall be cent percent, twenty-four hours engaged in Your service?" Bhavantam eva. "Only Yours and nothing more." Bhavantam evānucaran nirantaraḥ. Nirantara means "Without cessation. I shall always be engaged in Your service." And how? Praśānta-niḥśeṣa mano-rathāntaram. Because my mind is agitating, therefore I create so many mental concoctions. I think, "This will make me happy. This will make me happy." So many things I create. They are called mano-rathāntaram. Just like a man on the motor car goes anywhere, everywhere, similarly, the mind is taking us everywhere and anywhere, sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes here. So that shall be stopped. As soon as I engage my mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then my mind will be naturally stopped for loitering hither and thither.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

Therefore one should try to become a devotee. Then everything will be disclosed to him. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). God will be revealed, and he will see everywhere God. Without any cessation twenty-four hours, he will see God. So as it is prescribed in the authorized śāstras and directed by spiritual master, if you follow the principles, it is not very difficult to see God, to understand God. It is very easy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38). Santaḥ, those who are devotees, they are twenty-four hours seeing God. That is to be... That is the highest stage of perfection. And by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, one can be brought to the platform, how to love Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours without any cessation.

But others, they cannot see. Why they cannot see?

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

No, no. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca, tyāgena satya-śaucābhyām (SB 6.1.13). This is a process, how to become perfect. The rascals cannot become perfect. These are the process. One has to undergo austerity, penance, brahmacaryeṇa, completely cessation from sex life, brahmacaryeṇa. Not that any rascal doing everything and he has realized Kṛṣṇa, he has seen Kṛṣṇa. These are all rascaldom.

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

So sometimes they are not visible even in the body of the first-class devotee for certain circumstantial reasons. Therefore real, steady bhāva is definitely displayed in the matter of cessation of material desires (kṣānti), utilization of every moment in the transcendental loving service of the Lord (avyārtha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19)), eagerness for glorifying the Lord constantly (nāma-gāne sadā ruci (CC Madhya 23.32)), attraction for living in the land of the Lord (prītis tad-vasati sthale), complete detachment from material happiness (virakti), and pridelessness (māna-śūnyatā). One who has developed all these transcendental qualities is really possessed of the bhāva stage, as distinguished from the stonehearted imitator or mundane devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

The advanced devotee who chants the holy name of the Lord in a perfectly offenseless manner and is friendly to everyone can actually relish the transcendental taste of glorifying the Lord. And the result of such realization is reflected in the cessation of all material desires, etc., as mentioned above. The neophytes, due to their being in the lower stage of devotional service, are invariably envious, so much so that they invent their own ways and means of devotional regulations without following the ācāryas. As such, even if they make a show of constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord, they cannot relish the transcendental taste of the holy name. Therefore, the show of tears in the eyes, trembling, perspiration or unconsciousness, etc., is condemned.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

Yuktāhāra vihāraś ca. We don't say, "Don't sleep," but we say, "Reduce sleep as much as possible. Reduce your eating as much as possible." So this is called tapasya. And brahmacaryeṇa. Brahmacaryeṇa means completely cessation of sex life. So that is not possible to completely give up eating or completely sex life, but make it regulated. That is tapasya: eating, sleeping, mating, and defense as much as it is required. The aim should be to make it nil. That is called tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Brahmācārya means, strictly. Brahmācārya means that one should not look upon woman, "Oh, here is a very beautiful girl."

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

There are innumerable universes. Here Kṛṣṇa is born. Now Kṛṣṇa is taken by Vasudeva to Vṛndāvana. Same thing—immediately here born, Kṛṣṇa has gone to Vṛndāvana—in another universe Kṛṣṇa is born. Kṛṣṇa is born again. In this way His līlā is going on. There is no cessation, neither there is any discrepancy of time. Exactly. Just like Kṛṣṇa comes upon this earth once in Brahmā's day. So so many millions of years, Kṛṣṇa will appear again, if not personally, by His expansion, aṁśena. Caitanya Mahāprabhu will appear exactly in due course of time. Lord Rāmacandra will appear. So rāmādi mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). So this līlā, Nṛsiṁha-deva, that is also exactly in time.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

Purify your senses. That is called bhakti. Bhakti means the process of purifying the senses. That's all. And as soon as your senses are purified, transcendentalized, you see God face to face.

Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38). Sadaiva means constantly, without any cessation, you can see God always, everywhere. Everywhere. Sthāvara jaṅgame dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti. You will see tree, but you will not see the tree; you will see there Kṛṣṇa. You will see a bird, but you will see there Kṛṣṇa. That stage will come. Premāñ... When your loving spirit is developed fully like the full moon, then in the full moon night, as you can visualize the whole city, similarly, by raising yourself to the platform of loving service of Kṛṣṇa, you will see God face to face.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

Constantly, without any cessation. Is it very difficult? You can chant while you are walking in the street, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Who checks you? There is no tax, there is no price, and if there is some gain, why don't you try it? If there is any gain by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, oh, it is better to give it a trial. We are not charging anything; the government is not taxing anything. You can chant: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Just see the result. At least for one week you chant. It is very nice thing. One does not require to be highly educated or very rich or very beautiful or very famous.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

"The first-class yogi is he who is always seeing Me within his heart." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ. There are different types of yogis. The first-class yogi is he who can see Kṛṣṇa within his heart constantly, without any cessation. Smartavyaṁ satato viṣṇuḥ vismārtavyaṁ na jātucit. This is the process. One has to observe Viṣṇu within the heart always. Smartavyaṁ satato viṣṇuḥ vismartavyam na... This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One has to think of Kṛṣṇa or see Kṛṣṇa within the heart twenty-four hours. That is perfection of yoga. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatena āntarātmanā.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

This is our philosophy. Once we go to Kṛṣṇa, we live forever with Him in either of these capacities. Let me live at Vṛndāvana in any capacity. It doesn't matter. But live there. Therefore he says that "He further prays that by residing in that ocean of nectar he may always feel eternally continually, without any cessation..." Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). To remain ānandamaya. That is the principle of Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Bhavānanda: "A pure devotee never cares for liberation. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu prayed to Kṛṣṇa, 'My dear son of Nanda, I do not want any material happiness in the shape of many followers, nor immense opulence in wealth, nor any beautiful wife, nor do I want cessation from material existence. I may take birth many times, one after another, but what I pray from You is that my devotion unto You may always remain unflinching.' "

Prabhupāda: This is, I've already explained. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prayer:

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

This is pure prayer. So pure devotional service is another great science. One has to learn it. Then his life will be successful.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

Just like we achieve something in this material world, but that does not stop our desire to achieve something more. I may achieve millions of dollars, but that does not make me satisfied. I want further ten millions of dollars. And when I get further ten millions of dollars, then I desire for further hundred millions of dollars. There is no cessation. So here is a thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is perfect in that system, bhakti-yoga system, the Bhagavad-gītā says, yam labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ. Adhikam means "greater than this." We want, we desire something which is greater than what I possess now. Therefore I desire. I have got hundred millions dollars, and I want million millions of dollars, because that amount is greater than what I possess now. But one who possesses this devotional service, he does not think anything there is in the world which is more valuable than this. So why should he inquire?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

This is the form of Kṛṣṇa. Form of Kṛṣṇa means there is no shadow of any material contamination. Ānanda-mātram. Ānanda-mātram avikalpam aviddha-varcaḥ. And not that... Suppose we are sometimes happy and next time I am unhappy, but this ānanda is eternal. There is no cessation. Ānanda-mātram. Paśyami viśva-sṛjam ekam aviśvam ātman. "So I am seeing now personally viśva-sṛjam, the creator of the whole manifestation." Viśva-sṛjam, viśvam ātman. "And You are the soul of all manifestation." Bhūtendriyātmakam adas ta upāśrito 'smi. "So You are the original source of all creation, all body, all ātmā, all soul, everything. So I surrender unto You." This is one nice verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

General Lectures

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 13, 1971:

One should be engaged twenty-four hours in the business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is possible. It is not that it is impossible. You can engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness twenty-four hours without any cessation, but you have to know how to do it. That is being taught in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But you can do it. And as soon as you take to it, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa should be worshiped with prīti, love, not officially. Of course, in the beginning, we have to be officially. In the beginning, we have to act by the direction of the spiritual master, by the direction of the śāstras. But when you practice it by the direction of guru and śāstra, sādhu guru śāstra vā, then gradually you become attached to it.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: No. There is no cessation because the soul is eternal, so his consciousness is also eternal. But it is changing according to the circumstances, association, time, place, and the party changes. Therefore good association required. Sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). It is called sādhu-saṅga, association with the devotees. By good association the consciousness can be changed from material to spiritual. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how to change the consciousness from matter to Kṛṣṇa. So that requires guidance. The guidance is Kṛṣṇa's instruction and the spiritual master.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That richness comes to perfection when one thinks of Kṛṣṇa constantly, without any cessation. That is recommended in the yogic chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gata āntarātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate
yo māṁ sa me bhak...
(BG 6.47)
Uh...

Hari-śauri: Yuktatamo mataḥ.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Hari-śauri: Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ?

Prabhupāda: Hm, yes. You can find out that verse.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Hayagrīva: He wrote a book called Beyond the Pleasure Principle, and in it he wrote, "The goal of all life is death." For him death is the cessation...

Prabhupāda: But why...

Hayagrīva: ...of suffering.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That means you, why you are afraid of death? Why go to the medical man? Huh? When you are diseased you are afraid of dying. Why go to the medical man? If death is ultimate happiness, then why you are trying to avoid death? What is the psychoanalysis?

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Prabhupāda: They have got rational speech.

Hayagrīva: "...that accumulates and organizes experience which is almost lost with the cessation of indi..., with every individual life in other animals." In other words, man has a history due to language, but animals may be able to articulate certain basic facts to one another, but they have no culture or history.

Prabhupāda: Then those who speak in Sanskrit language, they are only human beings; all other animals. If he says like that, Sanskrit language is the oldest...

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: After nirvāṇa, or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service of the Lord, known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the words of the Bhāgavatam, svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ: this is the "real life of the living entity." Māyā, or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated by material infection. Liberation from this material infection does not mean destruction of the original eternal position of the living entity. Patañjali also accepts this by his words kaivalyam svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti. This citi-śakti or transcendental pleasure, is real life.

Morning Walk -- December 13, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So there is no more necessity of revolution because that is the ultimate peaceful condition. So if you do not come to the ultimate condition of peace, then this revolutionary method will go on, continue. There will be no cessation of revolution, one after, one... That is māyā, illusion. I am thinking by going a few steps, mirage, I will get the water. But there is no water at all. It is simply illusion. And as soon as you go a few steps forward, you see that the water has gone away, again, few steps forward. You go again. Again you see. This is going on. So animal, they go forward after the mirage. But a sensible man, he knows that "This is not water. It appears like water, but it is not water."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Monsieur Roost, Hatha-yogi -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Aṣṭāṅga-yoga, aṣṭāṅga.

M. Roost: Yes, aṣṭāṅga-yoga. The last part of the evolution. I think first we must through the body find the balance. With the balance of our body, we can go after the balance of our ego, of cessation, and after this, perhaps, we are able to sacrifice all to the Lord.

Prabhupāda: Sacrifice for whom?

M. Roost: Yes. Without intention.

Satsvarūpa: The Lord, he said.

M. Roost: Without personal intention.

Prabhupāda: I'll speak.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 17, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: No, no, in future if you become a shrub like this, what you are going to do for that? This may be also your future. Now there are so many hells for different kinds of sinful activities. Everything is described.

Paramahaṁsa: I was reading in the Bhagavad-gītā last night. In Chapter Two there was a verse where it says, "Of the existent, there is no cessation, and the nonexistent, there is no continuation," something like that. But in the purport it says that one can understand the Supreme by studying himself. What does that mean? By analytical study of oneself one can understand the Supreme.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Siddha-svarūpa: See, the materialist is seeing that everyone is agitated, so the goal in their life is cessation of that agitation. They want to merge or cease their existence. They want to go into nothingness. So...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is their...

Siddha-svarūpa: ...this is what they're looking for. The transcendental meditator goes in so that the gauge doesn't make any motion. But a rock, if you put that same gauge on a rock it also doesn't make motion. Does that mean the rock is spiritual or that he's more advanced than someone else?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- September 6, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Brahmācarya. Brahmācarya means completely cessation from sex life. This is brahmācarya. Tapasya begins, austerity. This is the greatest austerity, to cease sex. Tapasa brahmācarya. Our Vedic civilization, the boys are trained how to become brahmacārī from the very beginning of life.

Indian: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Ha. (break) ... putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva. Our existentional position should be purified. How? Tapo, by tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). "And we are enjoying life. Why we should undergo tapasya?"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This clearance is actually liberation, or bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. The theory of nirvāṇa—also preliminary—corresponds with this principle. In the Bhāgavatam this is called svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). The Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this situation in this verse. After nirvāṇa, or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service of the Lord, known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the words of the Bhāgavatam, svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ: this is the real life of the living entity. māyā, or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated by material infection.

Correspondence

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda -- Bombay 8 May, 1974:

Whoever told you that is a rascal, saying it in my name. I never said that. Rather sankirtana movement will expand, continuing so long as we are sincere. When I came in the beginning I began to expand it and it is now going on and there is no question of it stopping. Therefore go on with your life time plans making secure in distributing of books. There is no cessation. This movement is eternal.

Page Title:Cessation (Lec, Conv, & Letters)
Compiler:SunitaS, RupaManjari
Created:07 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=27, Con=7, Let=1
No. of Quotes:35