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Degradation (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"degradation" |"degradations" |"degrade" |"degraded" |"degradedness" |"degrades" |"degrading"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana cannot be polluted. Just like within the heart of a hog there is Kṛṣṇa. It does not mean Kṛṣṇa's staying in polluted place. The sunshine may be in the filthy place, but sun is not polluted. But the filthy place is purified.

Guest (3): The human society is degrading so fast. You can notice it the last twenty years. Is it... Is it the age of Kali or is it the...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Due to age of Kali. Yes. Due to the age of Kali, it is degrading. So only we can save by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If not all, some of them can be saved.

Guest (3): It can be changed, the age of Kali, by presence of the devotees of Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? It will change in the Satya-yuga. Just like our body is changed, season is changed, similarly, this will also change.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

These professional readers, they won't read. Just like we are reading the philosophical side here. They won't go. People are not interested the philosophy. They immediately jump over the rasa dance, and they think, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is enjoying with the gopīs." Just like we read some novel, one boy is enjoying with another girl. They take it like that. You see? So that is degradation. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī has warned that one who is not actually Vaiṣṇava, a realized soul of this Vaiṣṇava philosophy, one should not hear from him.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Bhārata means India, Bhārata-varṣa. Mahābhārata, greater India. Or at that time the whole world was Bhārata-varṣa. Therefore greater India, history in Mahābhārata is there. So Mahābhārata especially was written for three classes of men. What are those? Strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu. Strī means woman, śūdra means worker class, and dvija-bandhu means persons who have taken their birth in higher caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but they're degraded. They could not keep up their standard of culture. Just like at the present moment. They are introducing themself as brāhmaṇa, but degraded. Actually, they are not brāhmaṇa-degraded. Dvija-bandhu, friends of brāhmaṇa. Just like if I am son of a high-court judge, unless I am qualified to become a high-court judge I cannot say myself, "I am high-court judge." No. Simply by becoming the son of high-court judge, one does not become a high-court judge. He must have the qualification. So when one is simply proud of his high parentage, he is called dvija-bandhu.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

So this Mahābhārata was written for three classes of men: strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu (SB 1.4.25). Women... It is not the question of... Women are generally less intelligent. Less intelligent. Similarly, śūdras, they are also less intelligent, worker class. Similarly, those who are degraded from their high parentage, heritage, they're also. For understanding of these three classes of men, Mahābhārata was written. Now even... In the Mahābhārata this Bhagavad-gītā is included.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata, a chapter only, Mahābhārata. Now we see... Practically, this Mahābhārata was... Mahābhārata, or Bhagavad-gītā is included there. This high literature was meant for the less intelligent class of men, and at the present moment the highest intelligent class of men cannot understand it. So how much you have degraded, just try to understand. Which was written five thousand years ago for the less intelligent class of men, that literature is not understandable even by the highest and elevated, educated persons at the present moment. Try to understand this point. How much you have degraded! Formerly this Vedic literature was not in written pages. As soon as one will hear from... Just like Sūta Gosvāmī. There is no question of taking notes. As soon as they will hear, they'll immediately get it in the memory, and they will never forget.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

So this is Kali-yuga. We are in so many degraded positions; still, falsely we are proud that we are advancing. No that. It is false prestige. Actually, we are very, very much degraded. So the only means of our being elevated to the highest position is this means: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

So our life, this human form of life, should be used for śreyas. It is said, puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas. We should not be attracted by the preyas. Preyas. But modern education is so nasty that they encourage preyas. Especially in the, not in this country, everywhere. That boys and girls are not checked, rather encouraged, encouraged in the matter of immature sex life. Preyas. They want it, "All right, do it, take tablets and enjoy." This is dangerous. For this reason, the generation are becoming degraded, because they are not aiming at the śreyas. They are simply aiming at the preyas, immediate pleasing thing.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:

"It doesn't matter whether he is woman or śūdra or a vaiśya. If he takes shelter of My lotus feet, according to the regulative principle, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, they also go back to home, back to Godhead." Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Then what to speak of the persons who are born in brāhmaṇa family and those who are devotee? They must go, provided he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Even striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ, who are considered less intelligent or born in lower degrade species of life, still, they can go. And what to speak of the persons who have taken in high family, devoted family? They must go. Anityam asukhaṁ lokam imaṁ prāpya bhajasva mām. This world is anityam. Anityam means temporary; asukham, and full of miseries. Imaṁ prāpya... If you want to get relief from this temporary world and the distresses within this world, then bhajasva mām: "Just become a devotee of Me."

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

These Muhammadans who came, who grown in India, they were not imported from Afghanistan or Turkey or any Muhammadan country. They were Indians. But they were not given any facility for spiritual culture. The brāhmaṇas monopolized it. Although they would not do anything. They would all, degraded form. But the state, they would keep these śūdras and the caṇḍālas downtrodden and ill-treated. So therefore, when Aurangzeb passed a law, Jeziar tax.(?) Jeziar(?) tax means all the non-Muhammadans would pay a tax. So these low-class people were so neglected. They thought—it is natural—that "Why should we pay this tax? We are not very much well-treated by the Hindus. So what is the use of remain Hindu and pay the tax?" So the wholesale, this neglected class of men became Muhammadans. This is the history. Otherwise, these Muhammadans did not come from the Muhammadan country.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

In this age if one can maintain his wife and few children, ah, he is very expert. He is to be considered dākṣa, very expert. You have no more to make any sacrifice. Simply if he is somehow or other able to maintain a wife, that is... That has also become impossible. The social system is coming to such degraded position. In Europe and America I have seen, very few men are family men, you see, because it is botheration. They think it is botheration or it is very heavy task. Actually, in their country it is very heavy task by so many laws and so many conventions. So they avoid marriage. So therefore, in the symptoms of Kali-yuga it has been stated, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharanam. Kuṭumba means family. If one can maintain his family, he is to be considered as very successful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. Daiva-netreṇa, by superior examination it is settled up that "This man or this beast is dying..." Of course, for lower than animals, they have got natural process of evolution. But when you come to the human form of body, you have got responsibility. Now you can make your next life better than this or lower than this.

Just like one man is given the chance of become some minister or magistrate. If he does very nice, he is promoted; otherwise degraded. Similarly, this human form of life is meant for understanding God. That is the only business. If we don't understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa and our relationship with Him, then we are missing the point. Then we become entangled, entangled. This entanglement is karma-granthi-nibandhanam, by our karma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān. If you are serious to go to the planets where demigods live, you can go. There are rules and regulations, rituals. Just like if you want to pass law examination, you prepare for that examination, and you pass, you become a lawyer. You become an engineer. Similarly, any planet you want to go, you prepare in this life. Don't degrade yourself to become again cats and dogs, but you prepare yourself to be promoted to the other, higher planetary system... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). You can go there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

Brahmā is the original living creature within this universe; so he worshiped the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead. He worshiped not the impersonal brahmajyoti; he worshiped the person. Yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra—they were the first creation, and the sages Marīci, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya... There are seven great sages, first-born. All of them worship the Personality of Godhead. Bhejire munayo 'thāgre. Agra means in the beginning of creation. Later on they have deviated, or as the ages are going on, people are becoming degraded in their standard of spiritual understanding. In the Satya-yuga, cent percent people were aware of their spiritual necessity of life. Next yuga, seventy-five percent. Next yuga, fifty percent, fifty percent; and this yuga, Kali-yuga, seventy-five percent are rascals, and twenty-five percent, they are little wise. And out of that twenty-five percent, mostly they are fruitive actors. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3).

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

In human society at least there is official some restriction. Mātrā svasrā duhitrā. All śāstra says, "There is no..." But there are societies—we do not want to discuss—who have sex relationship even with mother, sister, and daughter. Still. But it was formerly also. Not like that, very common. But śāstra says, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsano bhavet (SB 9.19.17). "You do not sit down in a secluded place even with your mother, with your sister, with your daughter." So people may say, "One becomes agitated by association of mother, sister, and daughter, many fools or most degraded." No. Śāstra says balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati. "The senses are so strong that even one is very learned, he becomes agitated." He becomes agitated, even in the presence of mother, sister, and daughter.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So now, in this age, people are not very intelligent. They are claiming, "We are advancing in science. The brain has advanced and so on, so on." Formerly there was animal brain. The Darwin's theory: "Now the brain has evolved." No. Actually, they are degrading. They are degrading. Formerly the brain was very sharp. Otherwise why it is said, dṛṣṭvā puṁso 'lpa-medhasaḥ? The opposite word of this alpa-medhasa is su-medhasa. Alpa means less, and su means very nice. So su-medhasa. We are all alpa-medhasa, less intelligent, in this age. Out of so many alpa-medhasa rascal... In other, in a harsh words, alpa-medhasa means rascal, less intelligent or no intelligence.

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

Lord Buddha is incarnation of God. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra. His philosophy is "No, there is no God, but you worship me." But the policy is to worship God. But they do not know. They are thinking that "We are worshiping somebody, some great soul," but he does not know that he is God, incarnation of God.

So similarly, when people will be so much degraded that they will not be able to understand anything about God... That time is coming gradually. Already the time is there. People are not at all interested in God's business. In your Western world all the churches are vacant. Nobody is interested now in church.

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So people are being degraded, godlessness. Because godless means animal. What is the difference between animal and man? The animal cannot be instructed anything about God. It is not possible for them to understand. But a man, however degraded he may be, if he is trained up, he can understand about God. Just like five years ago, you did not know about Kṛṣṇa. But because you are being trained up, because you are human being, therefore you are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So the human society is becoming so degraded that they are trying to forget God. That is their advancement of civilization. The more you deny existence of God and become a so-called rascal scientist, then you are advanced. This is the position. So this position will degrade so much after, say, 400,000's of years, gradually degrading, that at time, Kṛṣṇa will come in His incarnation as Kalki. At that time the Kalki's business will be simply to kill. That's all. No more. No more preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply kill them. That is Kalki avatāra.

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

We come to this human form of life, civilized form of life. Now we should know what is God, who is the supreme controller, who is the supreme source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the life for inquiring about Brahman, the Supreme, the great. But we are neglectful. This is called Kali-yuga. And we are so much degraded... Gradually, we are becoming degraded. So 427,000's of years, if we again come and go, come and go... Because after... Dehāntara-prāptiḥ, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). If you continue transmigration from one body to another, then you will have to meet that age. But before meeting that age, try to understand Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. Then, in this life in this very life, after giving up this body, you haven't got to come here again. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). No more coming to this rascal world. Go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

In this age, people will be of short duration of life; manda, very slow; sumanda-matayaḥ, accepting some rubbish theology. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10), almost all of them are unfortunate. Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ: over and above that, they will be disturbed, especially by lack of rain, lack of..., scarcity of food grains, and overtaxed by the government, so much so that people will give up their hearth and home and go to the forest and hills in disappointment and confusion. So these are the symptoms of Kali-yuga, gradually degrading.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

Tree is naked or a animal is, an animal is naked, but they have no sense. But if a human being becomes like that, then he is considered uncivilized. So Nārada Muni says that kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. We should try for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, even if we go in higher standard of life, our, sometimes our consciousness is so degraded that, that that two sons of Kuvera, although they were, they got the body of demigods, still, they had to come down to take the birth of the life of trees, Yamala-Arjuna.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

Those who are too much rich, in consideration of this, they are not attracted. They think that "All right, these boys are chanting in the street. All right." Not, I don't think very rich men contributes. They also, middle class of men, they contribute something. So to become too much rich, too much puffed up with opulence like the two sons of Kuvera, is another chance of being degraded. To remain a little poor is better condition for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

So one who is intelligent, he should try to achieve that thing which is not available—na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ—which is not available even by wandering up and down. This we have already explained in the last meeting, that according to our karma, we are being sometimes elevated to the very high position, and sometimes we are being degraded to become an insignificant creature like ant.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that, if once adopted, he'll not degrade like ordinary man. This is stated here clearly. Na vai jano jātu kathañcanāvrajen mukunda-sevy anyavat. Anyavat, others, as they have become a tool in the hands of material nature, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, because he has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he is not under the jurisdiction of the material nature.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

So mukunda-sevī. Sevī means one, he's engaged in the service of Mukunda, or Kṛṣṇa, Śrīdhara Svāmī says that mukunda-sevī vā jana kadācit kathañcana kujanim gato 'pi saṁsiddhin na vrajet.(?) Even a Mukunda-sevī, by chance... There is chance. Every... Just like Bharata Mahārāja. He began Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but by chance he, at the time of death, he was too much affectionate with a deer cub and he become a deer in the next life. So although it is degraded life, still, he did not forget that "For this reason I have become now deer." So he was very cautious. He was keeping company... Just like here. We have got dogs. They are keeping company with devotees. That is very nice. His dog life also be coming perfect. It may be some pious man. Somehow or other, it has become dog. Now he has... Kṛṣṇa has given them the association of the devotees. He's eating prasādam. He's chan... He's hearing, chanting. He's giving some service to the devotees. So they are not in vain.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

o mukunda-sevī. Similarly, anyone who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if he falls down... Generally, he does not, but even, taking for accepted that he, somehow or other, he fallen, still, he'll not have to suffer like others. Just like here, the animals, under the protection of the devotees, at least he has no fear of his life. No devotee will kill. Here the cows, the horse, the dog, they're assured of their life. Therefore they're not like ordinary dogs. They're not ordinary cows. Therefore it is said, Śrīdhara Svāmī says, mukunda-sevī, even if he's degraded, he's not degraded as ordinary man. He's not degraded as... Mukunda-sevī na vrajet aṅga, anyavat kevala karma niṣṭhavat iti vaidharma niṣṭha.(?) Just like other karmīs. They are, according to their karma, they're given birth in a specific species of life. So their case, a devotee's case, is different.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

So, so here it is said that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even if he is fallen down, he is not so degraded. Śrīdhara Svāmī, here, herewith quotes a verse from Bhagavad-gītā. It is nice.

yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ
saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva
hriyate hy avaśo 'pi saḥ

Just like so many boys and girls come to our association just like somebody forcing him, forcing him, "You just remain in this association." That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. That means in their past life they had been Kṛṣṇa conscious. Some way or other, it was not being fulfilled. Now again the chance is being given. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, that yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau. The percentage up to which he finished in his last birth, that is not lost. That is there, fifty percent or forty percent, thirty percent, whatever one executed in the last birth. Now next, this birth, unwillingly or by force, by Kṛṣṇa's force, he'll have to accept again Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

God is one. That is Kṛṣṇa. Others, they admit that God is one. But they do not know who is that one God. That is their defect. That is the difference between us and others. They do not know... Just like if I say that "Have you got any father?" So he'll say, "Yes, I have got my father." "Now, who is your father?" "I do not know." That's not a very good credit. Because without father, mother, there is no existence. So everyone knows I have got a father. But who is my father, that I do not know. At least, in India, one who cannot say his father's name, immediately he becomes degraded.

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

So Drauṇi, Droṇācārya's son, a brāhmaṇa, but he took the profession of a kṣatriya. That is degradation. When a brāhmaṇa takes the occupation of a kṣatriya, it is degradation. So this Drauṇi, although he belonged to the brāhmaṇa family and he accepted the profession of a kṣatriya, he degraded so much that he cut off the heads of five sons of Draupadī while they were sleeping. So much degradation. A kṣatriya never slains anybody who is sleeping. Kṣatriya's business is to challenge, and if the other party has no weapon, he supplies weapon. Then there is fight, then it is decided. One must die. That decision is there. When there is fight between two kṣatriyas, the decision is that one must die.

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

A brāhmaṇa became a servant of kṣatriya, that is degradation. A brāhmaṇa cannot become servant. Nobody can become servant. Only the śūdras can become servant. Brāhmaṇa never becomes servant. They are instructed, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is brāhmaṇa's qualification. They will train the brahmacārīs and the gṛhasthas how to become perfect, discipline. First discipline is truthfulness. A brāhmaṇa will never speak lies. That is the first qualification. So who is going to take training in that way? Nobody is interested. This is Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

The Māyāvādī philosophers, they foolishly say that when God becomes entangled by māyā, He becomes a living entity-jīva-bhūta. Jīva means when He forgets that He is God, then he becomes a jīva, living entity. This is Māyāvādī philosophy. But how God can degrade to become a man or an animal? He is Acyuta; He never falls. Otherwise how He is God? If God also falls... Just like we fall down... Aśvatthāmā, he is son of a brāhmaṇa, but he is fallen to become a butcher because he's a living being, he's different from God. In another place we find Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that both Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa was present when the Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to sun-god millions of years ago. Kṛṣṇa said that "You have forgotten. I did not." So this is Acyuta. He never falls down from any standard. He is always perfect, complete.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

A spark falls down from the original fire, so it can fall down on the dry grass, it can fall down on the water, it can fall down on the ground. There are three chances. Similarly, when the living entity, originally part and parcel of God, the same quality... Not the same quantity. Just like spark and fire, they are same quality but not same quantity. Fire is very big; therefore the big fire is acyuta. It is never degraded. But the small fire is degraded.

So when Kṛṣṇa comes, big fire comes, He is not degraded. He's acyuta. He is... Don't think that because Kṛṣṇa has come in this material world, so He is also affected by the material qualities. No. In Bhāgavata it is said, etad īśanam īśasya. This is controlling power. Although He comes in this material world, He's not affected by the material qualities. He's not fallible; He's Acyuta.

Lecture on SB 1.7.20-21 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1976:

Don't spoil your life because you have got so much money for nothing or every enjoyable thing. You should always think, "It is all Kṛṣṇa's mercy that we have got this opportunity. We are honored as Americans." Now because the Americans, they have misused their opportunity, now they are degrading. To save your country, take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and enlighten them. Enlighten them. That is your service, actually service of the country. Push this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. They have got good opportunity. And it will be very successful, materially and spiritually.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

Here Aśvatthāmā, although he's born of a brāhmaṇa father, he did not possess the quality of a brāhmaṇa, neither the work of a brāhmaṇa. He degraded himself. First of all, he was engaged as a soldier to assist, to flatter Duryodhana. He wanted to please Duryodhana by killing the Pāṇḍavas. But he was such a fool, instead of killing the Pāṇḍavas, he killed the five sleeping sons of the Pāṇḍavas. How much abominable he is, just imagine. Here it is said, suptān avadhīn niśi bālakān. First of all, they were minor aged, and they were sleeping, and they were killed at night. Just see. What kind of brāhmaṇa he is! A brāhmaṇa's business is not to kill.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

So, so long people are materialistic, the burden will increase. And so long people are spiritualistic, there will be no burden. So bhārāvatāraṇāya anye bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if there is a boat, then you can cross over the sea or the river with the help, so when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you can cross over the sea of nescience very easily. Bhuvo nāva iva udadhau, sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa (SB 1.8.34). Bhūri-bhāreṇa, very heavily burdened. So she was lamenting, "My Lord, save me." So the conclusion is that if people become simply atheistic or materialistic... Materialistic means atheistic. And then the weight of the earth, or any planet, will increase and the situation will degrade, and everyone will be unhappy and there will be restlessness.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

So Vaiṣṇava position is not very easy thing, above all qualities. Therefore Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura introduced not to become an imitation of Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana, the Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, they are paramahaṁsas. And in Vṛndāvana you'll find so-called bābājīs, they have imitated the dress of Rūpa Gosvāmī—half loincloth—but a biḍi in the mouth. What is this nonsense? Rūpa Gosvāmī used to smoke biḍi? (laughter) Not only that. You'll find in Vṛndāvana so many Rūpa Gosvāmīs are making biḍi. Have you seen in the Gopīnātha Bazaar? They're making trade, biḍis, and shameless. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja introduced this. Of course, sannyāsa is there in the Vaiṣṇava... All the ācāryas, they were sannyāsa, but later on, it so degraded that these biḍi-smoker, gāñjā-smoker, they imitated Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, he presented, both of them presented themself by Caitanya Mahāprabhu as nīca-jāti. Nīca. Nīca means lowest, lowest grade; jāti, born. But actually they were born of very high-grade brāhmaṇa family of Karnatak. But why they presented themselves as nīca-jāti? Because that is explained in Bhakti-ratnākara, that because their behavior on account of mixing with the Muhammadan kings degraded, therefore they considered themself as nīca. That is confirmed by the śāstras. You may take birth in high brāhmaṇa family, but by association and culture, if you become degraded, then you have to be designated as such degraded person. Not that you become degraded, at the same time, you keep yourself as brāhmaṇa. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

So this rascal civilization, they do not understand what is bhava-sāgara, what is bhava. Nothing. They are so rascal. And they're passing on as civilized men. No knowledge. So when one is intelligent, actually, then he considers that "If I am eternal, why should I accept repetition of birth and death?" That is intelligence. But they have given (in) to birth and death—"Never mind." Even university students, they say, "If next life, if I become animal, what is the wrong?" Just see. How much degraded. In Hawaii University, one student said that "Even if I become an animal, what is the wrong there?" Just see how much degraded the human society has become. They are prepared to become animal, cats and dogs, trees, anything.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

By the destruction of this body, the soul is not dead. It is living. So this is called self-realization. One must be sober to think over that "If I am eternal, if I do not die after the destruction of this body, and I do not like to die, how to stop it?" This is intelligence, how to stop the repetition of birth and death. But the human civilization, the so-called human being has become so much degraded, they have no brain even to think over these matters, that how to stop this repetition or if there is any means to stop this repetition of birth and death. They do not..., they have no knowledge. Still they are going on as human being. They're like animals. Even big, big professors in Europe, they say, "Swamiji, after death, everything is finished." You see. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Even these plain words, the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, they do not understand. Not only they. Here, also. So many politicians, so many rascals, they take Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not understand. They're busy with politics.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

There are three material modes of nature. If you keep yourself in touch with the material modes of nature of goodness, then you will be promoted to the higher standard of life. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Therefore at least, you may enjoy material life, but you should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called bhūr-loka. Bhūr-loka. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat-savituḥ. You have gāyatrī-mantra. This is called bhū-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

Caitanya philosophy has nothing to do with this body, external body. Caitanya philosophy is concerned with the soul. This movement is the movement of elevating the soul, saving the soul from degradation. Therefore people sometimes are surprised. The bodily concept of life, the same activities will be karma. And on the platform of spiritual life, the same karma will be bhakti. Same karma will be bhakti. So bhakti is not inactivity. Bhakti is all active. Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27). This is bhakti, bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says to everyone, "If you cannot give up your karma, then that's all right. But the result of your karma, give to Me. Then it will be bhakti."

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

We have to get out of this intoxicated condition of life, which is called māyā. Instead of getting out of this intoxicated life, if we more increase our intoxication, big, big signboard, "Beefeaters" and this, "Whiskey," then how much we are degrading the whole population, we have to imagine. You see? People are already in forgetfulness. And the government, the society, they are still giving impetus: "You forget more, you forget more..." And he doesn't know. Viśatāṁ tamisram. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram (SB 7.5.30). And they do not know that "I will have to take next birth, and according to my mentality, because I am infecting a certain type of material qualities, in that way I am creating my next body." That he does not know. This is due to intoxication.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

Attention is diverted and they declare war, and again become defeated. So this kind of war is not required. This kind of war is not required. But war is there already, struggle for existence. Just like here, when Kṛṣṇa saw that the Yadu dynasty is becoming... On the strength of Kṛṣṇa, they have become so powerful that they (are) unnecessarily fighting, so Kṛṣṇa wanted that His family, may be..., it may not be degraded farther, so He wanted to kill them. And who can kill them? No outsider can kill them, they are Kṛṣṇa's descendants, that is not possible. Therefore yadūn yadubhir anyonyaṁ bhū-bhārān sañjahāra ha, they fighting amongst themselves, they reduced the burden of the world.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So as in the unconscious stage surgical operation takes place, you have no hand in it, you simply do not know what is happening, similarly, you are creating a condition of next life by your karma. Just like a clerk in a big establishment, he is creating situation by his work whether he will be promoted to a higher official position or he'll be degraded or he'll be (indistinct). He is creating. Similarly, we are creating our next life. This life is a chance for creating next life.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Why one is born in low-grade family, one is born high-grade family, one is born animal, one is born human being, one is born as demigod? Why? What is the cause? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Kāraṇam. The cause is as he has infected the modes of material nature. The material nature is going on in three modes, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. It is up to you if you associate with tamo-guṇa, then you become next life animal or tree or fish. There are so many degraded condition. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are in the darkness modes of material nature, they go down, adhaḥ. Adho gacchanti, degraded.

Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:

Now you have got nice, beautiful American body, but by your work, if you are going to accept next life dog's life, then what is the benefit of your activities? Because there is no guarantee that you will again get the American body. Even if you get the American body again, but there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to live. If you get the American body of a cow, you will be slaughtered, even though you are American. So this is ignorance. Therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja has accepted mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), to follow the footprints of great personality. That is advancement. Otherwise degradation, degradation.

Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:

We are reading kalinādharmeṇa. Kalinā adharma. The two are mixed together becomes one, a sandhi. Kalinādharmeṇa. So kali. Kali means quarrel, unnecessarily quarrel. Kali... Kalinā, "by the age of Kali." This is the age of Kali. There are four ages-Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, Kali-degrading, gradual degrading. This nature's way is to degrade. That is the nature's way, time factor. Just like you construct a very nice house today, good looking, fresh, but by ages it will become old. Your body, my body, in youthhood it is very beautiful, and in due course of time it will be ugly like me. So this is the work of the time. Similarly, nature's way, there are four ages: Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Kali-yuga. Seasonal changes.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

Nowadays the so-called advanced civilization, they are avoiding religion. That means they are coming to the platform of cats and dogs. And actually, they have come. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga...

Yesterday we were discussing about this Kali-yuga. The most fallen age. People are most degraded. So there is, by calculation, that seventy-five percent irreligion and twenty-five percent religion in comparison to other ages. But this twenty-five percent religious life also will reduce.

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

Kali-yuga has entered all over the world. Not now. Five thousand years ago, during the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Gradually, people are degrading, only on these principles: illicit sex, animal slaughter, intoxication and gambling. These are the four pillars of the platform of Kali.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

So this age of Kali, we have discussed in the previous verses, is very degraded age. In the beginning, there is Satya-yuga; and next, Tretā-yuga; next, Dvāpara-yuga; and this is the Kali-yuga. The aggregate of all these four yugas is called yuga: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). The duration of Satya-yuga is 1,800,000's of years; and the next, Tretā-yuga, roughly 1,200,000's of years; and Dvāpara-yuga, 800,000's of years; and this Kali-yuga, 432,000's of years. So we are in this Kali-yuga. In this Kali-yuga we have passed only five thousand years. Out of 432,000's of years we have passed only five thousand. Since the Battle of Kurukṣetra, which took place five thousand years ago, the Kali-yuga has begun.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

Prabhupāda: Brahmacārī means to learn how to restrict himself from sense gratification. That is brahmacārī life—the student, student life. Nowadays, in every college, university, the students are allowed to mix, intermingle, both sex. What is called? Co-education?

Sudāmā: Co-ed. Yes.

Prabhupāda: But this is not the process of human civilization. Therefore, at the present moment, the population is so much degraded. There is no restriction. That is the difference between animal life and human life. Human life is meant for restriction. The more you restrict your material sense gratification, the more you are advanced. This is the standard. Not that "Because I have got the tendency to act like this, let me do it unrestrictedly." That is not human civilization; that is cats' and dogs' civilization. Human civilization means tapasya, austerity. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Sattva. We have to purify our existence. That is the aim of human life. We have to purify our existence.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1974:

If you are situated in the modes of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary systems. And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ, and if you are in the modes of passion, then you'll remain within this bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, three worlds. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ, and if you are simply in darkness, you do not know how to enjoy spiritual life or material life, just like cats and dogs, then you are degraded. You take the body of trees, plants, lower animals, insects, worms of the stool, and so many things. So one should know that.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Those who are narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, always engaged in sinful activities, and rascals, may be very educated-māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ, their educational value has been taken away by māyā... As, just like nowadays it has become. The more one is educated, the more one is atheist. We have received one report just now, Bombay. They are... That singing, Hare Kṛṣṇa singing, nuisance, they say. You see. How degraded human being has become: "Hare Kṛṣṇa singing is nuisance. And cinema singing is very good." Just see. They have become simply rascals, dogs and hogs.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

In the Western countries, big, big, professors, they do not know how the soul is existing, how the transmigration of the soul is taking place, how the body is changed, what is the purpose of life, what is the perfection of... Nothing they... Simply like cats and dogs. Work very hard like an ass and enjoy like cats and dogs, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. This life is most degraded life, that at the present moment we see that people are suffering because they have simply become animals, all over the world. Simply taking care of this body. But here Parīkṣit Mahārāja, now he knows that "Taking part of the body is now finished; I have to take care of the soul." Therefore he wanted to ask from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "Now what I have to do? Shall I fully think of Kṛṣṇa?" Because he was a Kṛṣṇa devotee. Naturally, he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). A devotee, he always thinks of Kṛṣṇa. That is devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

Formerly, the society was not so much degraded. They, as soon s you give evidence from the Vedic literature, they would accept. So these Gosvāmīs therefore were making research from the Vedic literature, from the Purāṇas, from the Vedas, from the Vedānta-sūtra, and Upaniṣads, like that, Mahābhārata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Sāma Veda, Ṛg Veda. You'll find in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu evidences... Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. What is the, what was the purpose? The purpose was to establish real religious principles. If actually Gosvāmī principles were followed strictly and real gosvāmīs would preach, then there would not have continued the so-called religious systems, or increase the so-called... Because any religious system which... That is the verdict of Bhāgavata. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). Religion means by following the system one will become a great lover of God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is religion.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

People are indulging in killing even his own son, abortion. Because people are degrading, they are killing live thing. So that will be reacted. In the womb the man, the person, will be killed. Reaction. Why so many abortions are taking place nowadays? Because the child which has come into the womb of the mother, he is sinful. He has done previous life so many killings. Now he has to be killed so many times. He has to be killed so many times. As many times he has killed other poor animals. This is the law of nature. Just like in the state laws, if you kill somebody, the state law will kill him. Life for life. Similarly, God's law, how even if you kill one ant even, you will be responsible for this, and it will have to be punished. They do not know this.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So the God consciousness is there. "God is great," the God consciousness there. Now these Christmas holidays you have begun in your country. Throughout the whole month of December you'll observe nice festivals, festivities. Why? Where it began? God consciousness. Lord Christ he came to give you God consciousness, and in his relationship these festivities are going on. It may be degraded in another form. The beginning is God consciousness, but we have lost it. So people cannot be happy without reviving God consciousness. It may be named in a different way—"Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That means God consciousness. That is the necessity. He's trying to love somebody. That somebody's love will be perfected when he loves Kṛṣṇa or God. We are teaching that. Try to love God, and if you love God, if you love Kṛṣṇa, then automatically you love everybody. That is the perfection of love.

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

If he's associating with tamo-guṇa, then next life he's preparing in the lower animal kingdoms or most degraded family. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. If one is associating with tamo-guṇa, ignorance—no knowledge, in the darkness—then he is gliding down to the lower species of life: animal, birds, beast, trees, plants, aquatics, insects, serpents, so many. Adho gacchanti. Adhaḥ means going down. Tāmasāḥ. And ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are in the goodness, those who are associating with the modes of material nature in goodness, just like satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42), brahminical qualification, truthful, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, simplicity, tolerant, full faith in scripture and God, full knowledge, practical application of knowledge... This is called sattva-guṇa. So if you cultivate sattva-guṇa, then you are elevated to the higher planetary system. Why there are so many planets? The moon planet, the sun planet, so brilliant planets—why there are? There are also different places for different kinds of living creature.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

In the Kali-yuga this memory is declining, and they are proud, "We are advanced." There is no question of advancement. It is simply degraded. But this is māyā. Falsely they are thinking, "We are advanced." In this age, memory will be reduced, duration of life will be reduced, people's merciful tendency will be reduced, strength of the body will be reduced. In this way everything will be reduced. Now we do not find very strong men, very strong memory, living for a long time, bodily strength. No. These are reducing. Now people are not merciful. One man is being killed before you in the street; nobody takes care. This is the sign of Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

The Vedic system of human life is divided into eight departmental activities, and that is going on under the name of Hinduism. It is now broken and degraded and so many things have happened. But actually, what is called Vedic system, that Vedic system is not meant for a particular class of men, but it is meant for the human society. Actually, human activities actually begins when they observe these eight principles of social divisions. More or less, they observe in any human society. What is that? Brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men of the society. Philosophers, scientists, astronomers, so many, intelligent class. So in every society there is a class of men who are very intelligent than ordinary men. Then kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means... Kṣat means harm. One who protects others from being harmed. Suppose I am trying to harm you. And the person who protects you, he's kṣatriya. And who protects you? The king or the government. Therefore, those who are engaged in governmental affairs or takes the administrative charge, they are called kṣatriyas. So the kṣatriyas, they are in every human society, the administrator class, politicians, diplomats. Next vaiśya, mercantile class. That is not to be explained. In your country there are so many mercantile class. And śūdras. Śūdra means neither intelligent nor administrator nor merchant. General laborer. Give them something, they'll work. They have no intelligence.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

That is the whole subject matter of the Sāṅkhya philosophy, Kapiladeva, how we are becoming degraded from the original state of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So our only business is how to revive again. That revival is possible only by this process, bhaja vāsudevam. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Sudurlabhaḥ mahātmā, not ordinary mahātmā. Mahātmā, mahān ātmā yasya iti mahātmā. Not cripple ātmā: "This is my community. This is my nation. This is my family. I have to maintain it. I have to make them..." This is not mahātmā. Mahātmā means one who is broader, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-yoniṣu. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father of all living entities, and they are suffering.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

So this mind is material because it is the product of transformation of the modes of goodness. Then, gradually, being contaminated by different kinds of material desires, it becomes degraded. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ. When it is deteriorated, then, from the standard of goodness, it comes to rajo-guṇa. And rajo-guṇa means lusty desires, unending desires. And if desires are not fulfilled, then there is krodha, anger. In this way, kāma krodha lobha moha mātsarya—everything becomes very prominent, and we become servant of these propensities, kāma, krodha, moha, mātsarya, mada, lobha. This is called illusion, gradually degraded mind. And the business of the mind is saṅkalpa and vikalpa. Saṅkalpa means decide to do something, and vikalpa means again to reject it. That is the business of mind. Everyone desires the peacefulness of mind, but the material mind—the nature is saṅkalpa and vikalpa, restlessness. You cannot fix up.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969:

In the last meeting we are discussing about the life of a fallen brāhmaṇa, Ajāmila. He was addicted to prostitute. Therefore his high standard of life became degraded. This morning also we were reading in the Īśopaniṣad that God is apāpa-viddham. "A" means not, and pāpa means sin, and viddham, infected. The God is never infected by sin, sinful activities. Common sense. Just like a king orders somebody to be killed, "This man should be killed." This killing is sinful for the ordinary citizen, but killing by the order of the supreme executive head, the president or the king, that is not criminal. If you say that "Killing by me is criminal. Why it is not criminal for you, you, the president or the king?" I am giving a crude example. Similarly, if you go higher and higher, when you come to God...

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

So human civilization should be so arranged that never mind, it is so mixed up, you have to gradually draw him again to the sattva-guṇa. That is human civilization. Not that drag him again to the tamo-guṇa. Somebody, by pious activities, by good work, he's already in the sattva-guṇa, but the arrangement The social, political, economical arrangement is so bad that one is dragged to the tamo-guṇa. This is not civilization. This is degradation. Civilization means elevation. The aim is how to become disconnected with this material body. This is civilization. Otherwise that is not civilization. It is animal life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He delivered Jagāi-Mādhāi... This Jagāi-Mādhāi was debauch, drinking, illicit sex, meat eating and these things, degradation. These four principles are the four pillars of degradation. Therefore we prohibit. That if you want to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you must give up these four principles. So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu made this condition, that if you promise that you will give up these four principles of sinful life, then I will accept you. Never mind whatever you have done in the past. Every man is sinful, there is no doubt about it, more or less. That is not disqualification. If he agrees to give up that, then immediately he becomes liberated.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

People are coming to India for so many: for knowledge, for philosophy, for trade, for money. Why these Britishers came? They came for money. And now, India being exploited for so many thousands of years and their standard of civilization deteriorated, the condition is now... Still, India's position is unique, still, in this fallen condition. Now people are degraded from their high standard of living, from spiritual point of view, material point of view. And still, they stand, previous social construction, their living condition, their feelings of religion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Haṁsadūta: It must be very difficult to get a birth in a civilized society.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Certainly. Therefore it is said, labdhvā sudurlabham. (SB 11.9.29) It is very rare, now, especially to take birth in India in the Vedic society. India means within this planet, the civilized Aryan family. Now Aryan families have degraded. Otherwise Aryan means progressive. So all over the world the Aryan families they have degraded. Otherwise the Vedic civilization was Aryan civilization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

To improve our condition there are different processes. One is called karma. Just like generally people are trying to elevate his position, economic condition, working day and night very hard. Similarly, we can also work very hard for our future happiness. We can promote ourself in the heavenly planets and we can degrade ourself to the hellish planets also—both ways. Because as soon as we are engaged in karma, unknowingly or knowingly we commit some sinful activities. This is the position. Just like even if I do not like to kill any animal, still, while walking we are killing many animals, many ants on the street, unwillingly. So that is also taken into account. You cannot kill even an ant. So the karma, karma-kāṇḍa, is not very safe. Even if we want to act very piously, the danger is not over.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

We are not only living very unhappy while we are in life; after death there are so many miserable conditions, hellish conditions, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That is also very miserable condition. And to remain in the body of a dog or hog, that sort of degradation is also there. And again to come even in the human body, in the womb of the mother, that is also very miserable condition. Now this child, the small child, he's protesting that "I'm not in comfortable condition. Mother, take me in this way." So mother is trying to satisfy him. So always, always. That thing has to be understood, that so long we are in this material world, the miseries will continue.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

...and, according to the activities of that particular person, he's awarded promotion, increment of pay, or sometimes degraded and fired off. Two things are there. Similarly, for all our activities, which we are doing, there are witnesses. The sun is witness, the moon is witness, the day is witness, the air is witness and, above all witnesses, God Himself as the Supersoul, He's sitting in everyone's heart. He's also witness. So we cannot hide any activity from the eyes of God. So according to our work... Therefore in the śāstra it is said, daiva-netreṇa. Daiva means God, and netra, netreṇa means under supervision. So karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Jantu. Jantu means living entities. Deha means this body; upapattaye, "for manufacturing." Now we have got this human body. Next life it may not be human body—something else, better or lower. That will be decided by the superior examination.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

In the last portion of the Fifth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given description of different hellish planets down this universe. There are many hellish planets. As there are heavenly planets, similarly there are hellish planets. Those who are pious, in the modes of goodness, they are promoted to the higher planetary system, and those who are very much abominable, condemned, they are degraded to the lower planetary system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

Everywhere there is life—but the life of different grades. Just like here also we see. In this planet some of them are very well situated, and some of them are very much degraded in every respect, by birth, janma aiṣvarya, by opulence, and by education, by beauty. There is such arrangement, by nature's law, that you are promoted or degraded.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

Now, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, being Vaiṣṇava, he became very much sympathetic with the persons who are degraded in the hellish planet. So his question was, "My dear sir," Śukadeva Gosvāmī his spiritual master, that "how these people could be saved from this hellish condition of life?" This is Vaiṣṇava's concern. Vaiṣṇava is not a pickpocket, that he will exploit others for his benefit. No. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava's business is: he is very unhappy by seeing others unhappy.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Brahmacaryeṇa means restricted sex life. Real meaning is no sex life, no sex, celibacy, completely. This is tapasya. Therefore, according to Vedic culture, the first beginning of life is brahmacārī. (break) But in the brahmacārī life there is no sex life. Only in the gṛhastha life there is sex life, married life. I was reading the other day a magazine, Watch... What is that? Watchtower. So this paper was criticizing so many immoral activities in the Christian world. And one item I was surprised to read that a Christian priest has sanctioned marriage between man to man. That was written there. I do not wish to discuss all those things, but people are degrading for want of this tapasya. People are not taught how to execute tapasya life, tapasvī life. Simply by criticizing will not do. Practically you have to be trained in the life of tapasya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976:

So the Vedic civilization means everything under rules and regulation. That is Vedic civilization. Animal cannot be brought under rules and regulations. That is not possible. Therefore that is the speciality of human society, that the more one society follows the rules and regulation, he is to be considered civilized. Just like throughout the whole history there are civilization, Aryan civilization, Aryan and non-Aryan. What is the difference? Aryan means progress. One who is progressing towards the perfection of life, they are called Aryans, and those who are degrading towards animal propensity, they are non-Aryans. This is the difference. Aryan culture.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 and Room Conversation -- Bombay, November 15, 1970:

Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-duṣitaḥ: because he was contaminated by that illicit sex life. And at the present moment a gentleman keeps woman and goes there, and still, he passes on as brāhmaṇa. He does not know that he has fallen down. (Hindi) For this reason the present Hindu society is so degraded.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

When you take your birth, that birth is not significant—a śūdra, fourth-class man. Everyone is born fourth-class man. So if you keep them fourth class and degrade them into fifth class, sixth class, then how there will be peace? How there will be peace? Therefore in your country, in America, they are now perplexed, "Crime, Why and What to Do?" Because you kept them fourth class, and they are going down to be fifth class, sixth class, how you can expect peace? It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

They are now thinking, "Why there is crime, and why, what is the remedy?" They are think in the material way. They are thinking that "We have got enough everything. Why there should be crime?" But they do not know that unless you make first-class men by training, the fourth-class man will degrade more and more. Just like a child, if you don't send him to school to get education, he will be street boy and degrade more and more. So this is the problem. So how to train first-class man, that method is here, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And take it seriously, and if you actually love your countrymen, raise them to the standard of first-class man.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976:

You have to die. You have to take birth within the womb with so much risk that even your mother can kill you. Is it very happiness? At the present moment the mother... When the child sleeps very peacefully, that "I am on the lap of my mother," now the time has come when the mother is killing the child. So is it very happiness place? That you cannot trust even your mother, what to speak of others. The time has come, degraded, that... Naturally a child, he thinks, "I am safe now with my mother." But the Kali-yuga is so cruel that even with mother you are not safe. And still you say it is a place of happiness? This is called illusion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976:

There are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and he will be given a certain type of body. This is called transmigration of the soul.

And so Śukadeva Gosvāmī is going to give example from the history about the Ajāmila, how he was in the beginning very good boy, brāhmaṇa, and then, under the influence of a prostitute, he fell down and became most degraded, and then again, because in the past he had some good asset of spiritual life... That is described in the Bhāgavata, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Spiritual life is so nice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one has executed even for a short time, it may help to deliver him from the greatest dangerous way of life, and that history will be recited by Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

At the present moment to become attached to a prostitute is no fault. The society accepts: "Oh, that's all... Young man goes to that." Does not mind. But he does not know that this association will make him fall down to the lowest stage of human life. And that is stated next, that he used to live on these principles—beg, borrow, steal and gambling—and he was degraded. And how he was degraded? That will be explained. So people do not take care of their śāstras. They make their own interpretation and therefore India's position is so fallen.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

If you don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then whatever you are doing, that is adharma, means nonreligious. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. Kaitava means cheating, false, pretentious. So all kinds of cheating religion is kicked out. Cheating religions, they are teaching that "We can create God. As we can create television, similarly, we can create God." They are teaching, "This is dharma." Just see how degraded they have... And these things are going on as dharma.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Detroit, June 13, 1976:

So, so far the Kali-yuga is concerned, the future is very dark. There, everything is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The future of this Kali-yuga, as it will advance, Kali-yuga... We have only passed five thousand years out of thirty-two hundred thousands of years. We have only passed five thousand years, and the miserable condition, situation, will degrade more and more, more and more. So if you have to take again birth in this material world, then we'll have to suffer more and more. Best thing is that let us finish our business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead, so that we haven't got to come again to this nonsense material world. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

So this embracing of young man and young woman on the public street was strictly prohibited, especially for the higher castes. But the śūdras, the lower class, fourth-class men, they used to do such things sometimes, not always. And what was their position? Pitvā ca madhu maireyaṁ madāghūrṇita-netrayā. They were not only embracing but they were drunken. And their eyes were rolling in a different way. Mattayā, and being mad, almost mad, mattayā, or intoxicated, viślathan nīvyā vyapetaṁ nirapatrapam, the dress of both of them were loose and they did not care for it. So in this posture—krīḍantam, doing their own business; anugāyantam, singing; hasantam, laughing, cheering, hasantam; anayāntike, in a place in the forest—so he saw, this young man. So after seeing that, he also become inclined, lusty, and that will be explained next, that he became a victim of this lusty woman and then he lost his good character and left home and his young wife, coming of very respectable family. He forgot everything. Then, in association with this prostitute, he gradually became degenerated, degraded. He became a thief. He became a rogue. He became a cheater.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

So this Ajāmila's past qualification is described in this, that he was well qualified brāhmaṇa, well trained, because these qualification became manifested in his life. Then his degradation began.

ekadāsau vanaṁ yātaḥ
pitṛ-sandeśa-kṛd dvijaḥ
ādāya tata āvṛttaḥ
phala-puṣpa-samit-kuśān
(SB 6.1.58)
dadarśa kāminaṁ kañcic
chūdraṁ saha-bhujiṣyayā
(SB 6.1.59)

That, this, we may describe later on and how degradation begins even to exalted person, as described, Ajāmila. So the degradation began—dadarśa, he saw on the way... Kāminaṁ kañcic chūdram. Chūdram, these male-female behavior... Nowadays, not so much in India, but in the Western countries it is very usual thing—a young man is embracing another young woman or kissing. So there is no fault. But according to Vedic civilization, this is fault because it will give chance to others.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

The young men, they are seeing daily in the cinema, on the road, in their school, college. But this Ajāmila, although he was so exalted a brāhmaṇa, simply by seeing one śūdra... Śūdra means who has no training, fools, rascals. So he was embracing another woman, and that became attractive to this Ajāmila, and then he wanted to do the same thing and he became degraded.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

This is Vedic instruction. Whatever you are allotted you can "A brāhmaṇa, you can earn like this. A kṣatriya, you can earn like this. A vaiśya, you can earn like this." But don't encroach upon others' property. But he became sinful, yena tena prakāreṇa. Nyāyataḥ anyāyataḥ. Nyāyataḥ is finished because he was a brāhmaṇa. No more he is brāhmaṇa. So anyāyataḥ, simply unlawfully. Anyāya. Why? Babhāra, maintaining, asyāḥ kuṭumbinyāḥ, the family members, wife and children. Kuṭumbaṁ manda-dhīr ayam. Manda-dhīḥ. Manda means very bad, very bad intelligence. In this way he began to earn his money and gradually he degraded and that will be described, how he became degraded.

So beginning, his degradation, is the association. He was a brāhmaṇa, but by chance he became associated with a prostitute. So this association is very, very important. By association... Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. If you associate with good association, then you become good. And if you associate with bad association, then you become bad. Therefore we are establishing Kṛṣṇa conscious society.

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

Degradation. The first degradation is undesirable association, the first degradation; then no more respect for scriptural injunction, second degradation; and then the third step, aghāyur aśuciḥ, you become infected with the low-grade quality. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. The first grade qualification is sattva-guṇa, second rajo-guṇa, and the third, tamo-guṇa. So they believe in the evolution. Now, in this human form of life, what is further evolution? The further evolution is that if you are keeping in sattva-guṇa, in goodness, then you can be promoted, elevated, to the higher planetary system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

So this man, Ajāmila, by his association with the prostitute, he degraded. Therefore it is the duty of the guardians, of the government, of the father, to protect the civilization from degradation. But nobody cares for that. Therefore, at the present moment, everything is chaotic. They are degraded. Prostitution is allowed freely, bad association, and they are encouraging by opening liquor shop, brothel, restaurant, meat-eating. So how you can expect a very nice civilization? That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

We are suffering the consequence of our own degraded life. So how we can protect ourself from degradation? The śāstra is there. Śāstra, the scriptures, are there. Never mind whatever scriptures you have got—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddha, or any. Every religion has got scripture. Just like the Christians have got Bible, the Muslims have got Koran, and Hindus, they have got Vedas. They should abide by the injunction of the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

The argument was that "This man, Ajāmila, born of a brāhmaṇa father, although acquired all qualification... He was qualified brāhmaṇa, not simply born of a brāhmaṇa father, but qualified brāhmaṇa, with full knowledge of Vedic instruction, nice character, very gentle and silent and offering respects to elderly persons, spiritual master, father. In this way he was perfect brāhmaṇa. But due to his contact with a prostitute he lost his all good qualification. And later on, he had to earn money by hook and crook, and thus he degraded more and more, and therefore his sinful activities are now responsible for his punishment, and we shall take him to the court of Yamarāja." That was the summary of the speech of the Yamadūta.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

He is not free from the material identification. And this proud, this pride, when increases, then there is falldown, which has caused this falldown of the brāhmaṇas of this age. Unnecessarily they became pride and tried to dominate over the other classes. And they saw... Gradually they degraded in their qualities, and they saw, "Why this class of men..." That is being protested still—who are known to be brāhmaṇas, they should go over everyone. "We are also qualified." Therefore, instead of cooperation there was misunderstanding, and the whole structure of Vedic society became dismantled. The whole Vedic society. They are simply now proud: "I am brāhmaṇa. I am kṣatriya."

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Any part of the body is important. Comparatively, the head is most important. But other parts, you cannot say they are not important. But when there is competition, that "I am the most important. You are nothing," or "I am something. You are nothing," in this way we forget to serve the whole, and that becomes the cause of our falldown. Na bhajanty avajānanti. Gradually, by their degradation, they forget service of Kṛṣṇa. Simply they fight for their position. Then they fall down their position. Sthānād bhraṣṭaḥ patanty adhaḥ. They are no more brāhmaṇas or kṣatriyas; they are all rascals. One who forgets the service of the Lord, in spite of His appearing in a brāhmaṇa family or a kṣatriya family, he is rascal. He is nothing.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

A sannyāsī, Vaiṣṇava, should be given charity. That is sāttvika charity. And rājasika charity means to open hospital, schools. These are rājasika charity. And tāmasika charity means without any discrimination, a Bowery man given one rupee and immediately purchase a bottle of wine. So this is tāmasika charity. By tāmasika charity, one is degraded.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

he gentleman, the head of the family, his relationship with wife and his relationship with servant is as much palatable. Maybe some degradation, but it is palatable. There is no question of changing. Not that "I am tasting this rasa at the present moment. Then I will get better rasas." No, that is not. Everyone thinks, "My rasa is the best." Although there is comparative gradation, but everyone thinks. These things are explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

If one is devotee, he cannot sit down silently. He wants to preach God's glories to others, even at the risk of life, like Lord Jesus Christ did it. Even at the risk of life, he preached God consciousness. That is the duty of a devotee. Lord Nityānanda did it, Haridāsa Ṭhākura did it. There are many instances; a devotee risked even life for preaching glories of God. So Prahlāda Mahārāja also did that. He knew that "My father is nothing but a ferocious animal, Hiraṇyakaśipu." Even big, big demigods would be threatened by his red eyes. He was so powerful. Still, he was executing devotional service at the risk of life. And he was put to so many dangerous condition of life. Still, he did not give up. Then, if we try to understand Prahlāda Mahārāja's character... Now, at the present moment the teacher said that, naisargikīyaṁ matir asya rājan. "My dear king, your boy, this tendency of God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is by nature. We never taught him. Please don't be angry with us unnecessarily." Niyaccha manyum. "Please give up your anger." Niyaccha manyuṁ kad adāḥ sma mā naḥ. "Don't degrade us in that way."

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

If one is sinful he cannot become perfect devotee. So according to śāstra, this animal-killing is sinful. Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūtā yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā (SB 1.17.38). These four kinds of sinful activities, namely illicit sex, striya... That is also... In our Vedic culture this is common morality. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita even says that mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Anyone, any other woman, the wife of other gentleman, she should be considered as mother. This is civilization. So what to speak of illicit sex? But people are degrading. That is another thing. But this is our standard of civilization.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Vrndavana, December 4, 1975:

There are many rascals, they say that once you come to the human form of life there is no more degradation. That is rascaldom. When Kṛṣṇa says that dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntaram-prāptir (BG 2.13), He says that "As you have changed bodies, similarly, at the end also you'll have to change the body." He never says that "You'll get again human body." Never says.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

The regulating processes are lost now, and neither it is possible to reintroduce it. It is not possible. People have become so much degraded that it is not possible. Therefore direct method. Direct method: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will revive your old consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: "In this age there is no other alternative, there is no other alternative." The so-called meditation, yoga or karma, jñāna, mental speculation—everything will fail. They are, of course, standard processes, but that is not possible to execute in the present age.

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976:

The Darwin's theory, a rascal theory, that there was no life, but according to Vedic knowledge there were the best life, Brahmā. From there begins life, and gradually they become degraded, material contamination. Not that there was no life. From low type of living condition one is elevated higher and higher. That is a wrong theory.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

Even if you have got very much affection for India, all right, according to your karma you'll get body. Even if you get the Indian body of a tree, then you will stand up for five thousand years. What is the benefit? Kṛṣṇa says tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. He does not say that a human being is going to be again a human being. There is no guarantee. Some rascals they say that once getting this human body, he does not degrade. No. That is not the fact. The fact is that out of 8,400,000's of different species of life, according to your karma you'll get a body. That's all. No guarantee that you have And even if you get Indian body, who cares for you?

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

Except brāhmaṇa and kṣatriyas, everyone is considered to be lowborn, according to the Vedic injunction. But not that because he is lowborn, he cannot elevate himself. That is not the fact. The present, so-called Hindu society is degraded because if one is born in higher family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya—he may be less than a śvapaca—he's accepted as a brāhmaṇa. That is the fault.

Lecture on SB 7.9.17 -- Mayapur, February 24, 1976:

As soon as one child is born, he is separated from the former life, and he is connected with another new life, new body, viyoga-samyoga. Maybe the former body was very pleasing, and this body is not very pleasing, degraded. That is possible. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). It is not that you'll always get a body very pleasing. But the illusory energy is so strong, even one gets the body of a pig, he thinks, "It is very nice."

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

Prabhupāda: So if the human society has no discrimination of eating anything... Now I understand they're eating..., they are killing their own child, and the child is also being eaten. Who was telling?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I was telling.

Prabhupāda: Just see how much the human society has degraded. One side, they're killing their own child, and after killing it, they're cooking it, and it becomes a very good delicacy. Just see. So this is the surety of become a pig, less than a pig. You see? But they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). This human life was meant for understanding Viṣṇu, God, but they did not use it. So thus, try to understand how much important is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how we are trying to save the whole human society from their irresponsible life.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply a very scientific movement that will help the human society not to be degraded again, to be elevated.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

This asuric civilization will degrade the human society. He got the opportunity of elevating himself, even going back to home, back to Godhead. But for want of real civilization they are going again back to monkey and cats and dogs. This is a fact. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save them from going back to become cats and dogs. Instead of going back there, they are trying to send him back to God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

The function of human activity is to know oneself, what he is, and then begin his work. And if he works simply just like animal, eating, sleeping, mating and defending... These are animal activities. If you simply endeavor for eating whole day and night, and if you are satisfied whatever you like to eat, and you think that "My mission of life is finished, now my belly is full with foodstuff," that is not human civilization. But in this age people are degrading so much that at the end of the day, if he can have a full belly meal, he says, "Oh, I am now satisfied." Just like animal. Or "If I can sleep in a nice apartment, oh, I am very happy." Or "If I can mate with a beautiful opposite sex, oh, I am happy." These are animal happiness. Actual human happiness is not simply to meet the bodily demands.

Lecture on SB Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972:

So these senseless, shameless persons who are advancing in their knowledge by becoming naked, they are going to be tree next life. The naked tree is standing naked for many thousands of years. Or animals. They have no shame. So if human being becomes so shameless, then next life is to become animal and trees.

But in the universities they say that "What is the wrong if I become an animal?" I asked them, "Do you like to be animal?" "Yes." "Then all right, next time you become animal. (laughter) This is your I give you this blessing. That's all." (laughter) Flatly said, "Yes, yes I will be happy." All right, say it. Kṛṣṇa is so kind: "You want to be naked? All right, you become naked for ten thousand years and stand up." So therefore to save ourself from degradation, to save our, this life We are Actually, we are all eternal, but because we don't want Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we want animal consciousness, tree consciousness, animal consciousness.

Page Title:Degradation (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Priya, Mayapur
Created:17 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=108, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:108