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Disrespect (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Son of God and God, we respect everyone. If I respect your father, I respect you also. Do you mean to say if I disrespect your father, you'll be pleased upon me? No. That is our philosophy.
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: Well, then how would you adapt the Kṛṣṇa chanting to Christianity? By seeing Kṛṣṇa as Christ or Christ as Kṛṣṇa and sounding Christ's image in Kṛṣṇa's name?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa, Christ... Of course, this question was several times put to me. Christ says that "I am son of God." And Kṛṣṇa says "I am God." So there is no difference. Son of God and God, we respect everyone. If I respect your father, I respect you also. Do you mean to say if I disrespect your father, you'll be pleased upon me? No. That is our philosophy. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that I am servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80). So if anyone loves Kṛṣṇa, he must love Lord Jesus Christ also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus Christ he must love Kṛṣṇa. If he says, "Why shall I love Kṛṣṇa? I shall love Jesus Christ," then he has no knowledge. And if one says, "Why shall I love Jesus Christ? I shall love...", then he has also no knowledge. If one understands Kṛṣṇa, then he will understand Jesus Christ. If one understands Jesus Christ, you'll understand Kṛṣṇa.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is not the question of disrespecting, but that is not full surrender. You think that you know better than me.
Morning Walk -- March 23, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I am doing praṇipāta to you. Do you think I am disrespecting you? If you take, then you pardon me.

Prabhupāda: No, no. No, no. It is not the question of disrespecting, but that is not full surrender. You think that you know better than me.

Dr. Patel: I don't think so.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: No, no, that is wrong.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you talk of all this...

Dr. Patel: No, no. If you go on with that, I will not talk from tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Dr. Patel: I want to learn myself.

Prabhupāda: But that will be very good. If you don't talk, simply hear, it will be beneficial.

No, no. I know that. I know that. And therefore I am pointing out your defects.
Morning Walk -- March 23, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Then I... You are simply patient. Then if you cannot understand, you'll inquire. Not that you will think, "I know better than him. Therefore I shall talk." It will never help you to understand.

Dr. Patel: Well, if you run away with the idea that I am thinking that, it is wrong.

Prabhupāda: No, no. You are, you are habituated to think like that.

Dr. Patel: I am habituated.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is your...

Dr. Patel: Habit is... Habit is habit. But I have got all respect for you. Don't say that I am thinking that.

Prabhupāda: No, no. I know that. I know that.

Dr. Patel: That is... Don't run away with that idea that I am disrespecting you.

Prabhupāda: And therefore I am pointing out your defects.

Dr. Patel: That's all right. I am prepared to correct it.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: But you, you keep mum. If I don't excite, you don't speak. So which way I shall excite you? (laughter throughout)

God's mercy is also God, the Absolute. So how can you disrespect a thing which is given by God?
Room Conversation -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: We were taught, "There is a grain of rice on the ground, and if it is touched by your feet, you should pick up the grain and touch on your head." This was our training. The idea behind—that the grain of rice is not man-made. It is sent by God. "O God, give us our daily bread." So here is the bread. It is God's mercy. Just see how idea, great idea. What is given by God, that is also God. This is God consciousness. You are asking God's mercy. So God's mercy is also God, the Absolute. So how can you disrespect a thing which is given by God? You cannot produce rice. You cannot produce bread. It is given by God.

They appreciated so much. We have no disrespect for Christianity.
Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. San Francisco also. Fifteen thousand people attended my lecture silently. So they are seeing now there is something in this movement, and if this movement, it is allowed to go on without any objection, then Christianity will be finished. That is the conspiracy behind it. That lecture is recorded? The, which I gave in the, that society of the priests and...

Satsvarūpa: The fathers?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: Yes, I...

Prabhupāda: So you can hear that lecture, how it was. They appreciated so much. We have no disrespect for Christianity.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

We have no disrespect for anyone.
Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Dr. Copeland: You don't know about the Ba'hai religion.

Prabhupāda: (To devotees) Do you know the Ba'hai?

Madhudviṣa: They have more or less... They accept all religions, and part of their worship is Kṛṣṇa. They have the person of Kṛṣṇa. But the difference is that we accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the Ba'hais...

Prabhupāda: That and many others, they also do that. They also worship Jesus Christ. That is... (break) We have no disrespect for anyone.

Dr. Copeland: And you've been rather successful in institutionalizing your religion, getting a large number of temples constructed or built or taken over, and a large number of followers.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Copeland: Why do you think you are so successful?

Prabhupāda: I don't think I am successful, but people say.

Dr. Copeland: (laughs) Very good.

Prabhupāda: I will be successful when everyone will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

"Oh, they are now disrespecful, they have not given salt." So one went away. And next day, something else, something else, something else, shortened, shortened. So those who were intelligent, they went away.
Morning Walk -- July 3, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: There is a Indian proverb that "Disease and unwanted guest, if you don't give food, they will go away." If some guest has come whom you do not want, don't give him food. Then he will go away. (laughter) Similarly, disease, if you fast, it will go away. (break) ...another story: prahareṇa dhanañjaya. One gentleman had eight or nine daughters and son-in-law. So when they came, he was giving them good food and shelter, everything. So then they saw, "We are very comfortably living at father-in-law's expense." So they did not want to go. The father-in-law saw, "It is very dangerous that all the son-in-laws are not going." Then he began to... First day he did not supply salt. So one son-in-law say, "Oh, they are now disrespecful, they have not given salt." So one went away. And next day, something else, something else, something else, shortened, shortened. So those who were intelligent, they went away. The last one, he was not going. Then his brother-in-laws thought that "Give him good beating." Then he went away. Prahareṇa dhanañjaya. Others, those who were intelligent, they, when they thought that "Now there is disrespectful dealing, they are not giving everything," so they gradually... The last one, he was a rascal. He was beaten severely; then he went away.

If there is no mother at home and the wife is not very suitable, does not speak very nicely with husband, disrespectful, then he is recommended to leave home and go to the forest.
Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: (laughing) But your mother is very good. Yes, son inherits the quality of mother. And the daughter inherits the quality of father. Yes. So if the mother is good, naturally the son is good. That is Vedic calculation.

Woman: I'm sorry you said that.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) This is all physiological. And we have seen, studied, that any big man of the world, behind that big man is either a strong mother or a strong wife. That is the general statistics. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, mātā yasya gṛhe nāsti bharyā cāpriya-vādinī. If there is no mother at home and the wife is not very suitable, does not speak very nicely with husband, disrespectful, then he is recommended to leave home and go to the forest. Araṇyam tena gantavyaṁ yathāraṇyam tathā gṛham. Such person should immediately leave home and live in the forest because for him the forest and home is the same. Mātā yasya gṛhe nāsti bharyā cāpriya-vādinī. So women should be trained up to be very faithful and chaste. Then the life will be very happy.

Not offensive, but it should not be disrespectful. So better just show him and keep it. Not have it.
Room Conversation with Bernard Manischewitz -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Pratyatoṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, can I ask you a question? My son likes pictures of Kṛṣṇa. Is it all right to give him pictures to play with, or is that too offensive? They could be covered with plastic or something?

Prabhupāda: Not offensive, but it should not be disrespectful. That, he cannot do that. He has no sense now. So better just show him and keep it. Not have it.

It is not that we disrespect Śiva. We offer our utmost respect to Lord Śiva. But that does not mean that he is the Supreme Lord.
Morning Walk -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Indian man (7): No, but do we offer the prayer first to Śiva...?

Prabhupāda: That you do. There is no harm. Lord Śiva is also called Mahādeva. Amongst the demigods, he is the chief. So if you worship Lord Śiva... We also worship Śiva. It is not that we disrespect Śiva. We offer our utmost respect to Lord Śiva. But that does not mean that he is the Supreme Lord.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone should understand, "This food grain is supplied by Kṛṣṇa for our living. How can I disrespect?" This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Morning Walk -- March 5, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: ...how to respect food grain. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone should understand, "This food grain is supplied by Kṛṣṇa for our living. How can I disrespect?" This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore we say, prasāda-sevā, not "prasāda eating." Prasāda-sevā. Prasāda should be accepted as Kṛṣṇa. And our eating means to serve Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa has given. Eat them. Yes. That's all."

kṛṣṇa baḍa dayāmaya, karibāre jihvā jaya
sva-prasāda-anna dila bhāi
sei prasāda-annāmṛta khāo, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-guṇa gāo

And at the same time also chant, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so kind. We are hungry, we are so greedy, and He has given so nice prasādam." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

We accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of God. Show in our books that we have got all respect for Buddha. We do not disrespect Lord Buddha, neither go against him.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee (1): So they will not make some objection if they think we are thinking we have come to preach Hinduism in a Buddhist country?

Prabhupāda: It is not... Don't establish Deity. Talk on philosophy.

Devotee (1): "God is the supreme controller."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of God. Show in our books that we have got all respect for Buddha. We do not disrespect Lord Buddha, neither go against him. Anyway, if we get one house to live and a supporter, a big supporter, then our position will be secure. And if our cause is honest, then nobody can check.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

None of our disciple is disrespectful to father and mother. Why? I never said that "You become disrespectful to your father and mother."
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: I could have no relation with them before, but now that I am a devotee, I actually want to help them, so the relationship...

Prabhupāda: And there are so many fathers, mothers; they very much appreciate. And the... Our... None of our disciple is disrespectful to father and mother. Why? I never said that "You become disrespectful to your father and mother."

Hari-śauri: The only time there's any argument is if...

Prabhupāda: But if the father is demon...

I never said, "Disrespect." But in particular case, if the father and mother is demon, he must give up their...
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: The devotees sometimes are disrespectful out of immaturity.

Prabhupāda: That is a individual fact. But...

Rāmeśvara: But they cannot condemn the movement because of that.

Prabhupāda: We never said that "You be..." I never said. And when Brahmānanda was initiated, his mother was standing. I asked Brahmānanda, "Take the dust of your mother's feet first. Then you offer me obeisances." Ask Brahmānanda. So he first of all offered his obeisances to his mother. I told him like that, "You have got good mother." I told him like that, "Otherwise how she has got a son like you?" I always say like that. I never said, "Disrespect." But in particular case, if the father and mother is demon, he must give up their... It is not our business to...

Whenever there was question of Jesus, I never disrespected Jesus. Never criticized him, because I know that he is powerful representative of God.
Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You remember in that book you were reading, The Aquarian Gospel. It mentioned how he learned yoga when he came to India.

Prabhupāda: We admit. Guru Mahārāja said śaktyāveśa-avatāra, powerful incarnation. Therefore whenever there was question of Jesus, I never disrespected Jesus. Never criticized him, because I know that he is powerful representative of God. We took it from Guru Mahārāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your Guru Mahārāja would sometimes...

Prabhupāda: He said that Christ is śaktyāveśa-avatāra, as Buddha. How he can be otherwise? He sacrificed everything for God. He cannot be ordinary man.

Page Title:Disrespect (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Labangalatika
Created:21 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=15, Let=0
No. of Quotes:15