Duty of the guardians

Expressions researched:
"duty of the guardians" |"duty of the guardian" |"duty of guardian" |"guardian's duty" |"guardians duty"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

It is the duty of the guardians of children to revive the divine consciousness dormant in them

BG 7.15, Purport: It is the duty of the guardians of children to revive the divine consciousness dormant in them. The ten processes of reformatory ceremonies, as enjoined in the Manu-smrti, which is the guide to religious principles, are meant for reviving God consciousness in the system of varnasrama. However, no process is strictly followed now in any part of the world, and therefore 99.9 percent of the population is naradhama.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So it is the duty of the state, duty of the parents, duty of the guardians, duty of the husband, duty of the father—everyone's duty is how to elevate a living creature who has got this fortunate human form of life to understand this paramāṁ gatim, highest perfection of life

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966: is the duty of the So aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim. Naradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: [Narada-pancaratra] "One who reaches there, for him, all kinds of penances, austerities -- no more required. And one who does not reach that place, all these austerities, penances -- useless, simply waste of time." So this should be the aim of human life. Human civilization, human society, should be so formed that they should have the opportunity. The human form of life is the opportunity to get this boon. So it is the duty of the state, duty of the parents, duty of the guardians, duty of the husband, duty of the father -- everyone's duty is how to elevate a living creature who has got this fortunate human form of life to understand this paramam gatim, highest perfection of life. That should be the mode of thing. Simply have some eating and sleeping and mating and some defense and quarreling like cats and dogs -- this is not civilization. The human civilization is this, that he should properly utilize this human form of life and take advantage of this knowledge and prepare himself in Krsna consciousness so that always, twenty-four hours, cent percent, he will be absorbed in Krsna and at the time of death at once transferred there. This should be the process of life. Therefore we have taken this movement, Krsna consciousness. Join us. Cooperate with us. You'll... Yourself will be benefited, and the world will be benefited, this Krsna consciousness.

Just like children, they want to play without caring for future life. But it is the duty of the guardians to engage them in education so that in future they may be happy

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973: Just like children, they want to play without caring for future life. But it is the duty of the guardians to engage them in education so that in future they may be happy. Similarly, all the great sages, saintly persons, just like Vyasadeva, Narada, Devala, Asita, many, many great saintly persons, sages... Even Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes to give us instruction so that we can become eternally happy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Father, mother, guardian's duty is to educate the wards, subordinates, in such a way that he becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious and so that he can be saved from this repetition of birth and death

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974: One should not become father or mother... That is real contraceptive method. If one is Krsna conscious, then he knows that "What is the use of producing some children like cats and dogs? What is the use? If I produce any children, then they must be Krsna conscious so that this will be their last birth." Because if you become Krsna conscious then there is no more birth. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. You send to Krsna, back to home -- that is required. Father, mother, guardian's duty is to educate the wards, subordinates, in such a way that he becomes fully Krsna conscious and so that he can be saved from this repetition of birth and death.

And it is the duty of the guardians like guru, like father, like the state, they should look to the interest of the wards, subordinate, that he is developing his Kṛṣṇa consciousness nicely

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974: So this is Krsna consciousness movement. And it is the duty of the guardians like guru, like father, like the state, they should look to the interest of the wards, subordinate, that he is developing his Krsna consciousness nicely. That is the duty. So when that duty is not done... Just like... We have no business to come so far. In Vrndavana I could live very peacefully, there is two room still, in Radha-Damodara Temple. But because there is Krsna consciousness... Krsna consciousness means serving the Lord. That is Krsna consciousness. So Krsna dictated that "You are sitting here very peacefully without any botheration. No, you go to the Western countries. Teach them." So that is also Krsna consciousness, developed Krsna consciousness, to render service to the ignorant of Krsna consciousness.

It is the duty of guardian to save the dependents from the impending danger of death, repeated birth and death

Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972: It is the duty of guardian to save the dependents from the impending danger of death, repeated birth and death. So if you cannot save these children, then it is useless. Save them. So we have got our center in Dallas. All children should go, and the advanced girls, they should go there and take care. Just produce a new generation, just like Pariksit Maharaja. Produce a new generation. Bala-kridanakaih, from the very childhood, thinking of Krsna, playing of Krsna, eating of Krsna, Krsna, Krsna... Then he cannot become otherwise. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja, he was child, five-years-old child, he was teaching his class fellows. So they refused that "Prahlada, why you are bothering with this? When we shall get old, we shall think of this Krsna." "No," he insisted. "No. Kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha, durlabham manusam janma... [SB 7.6.1]. You cannot get again such opportunity. So you immediately begin. Immediately you try to become Krsna conscious." All right, kirtana.

One should not become guru, one should not become kinsmen, one should not become father, one should not become mother"—na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum—"if one cannot give lesson to the children how to avoid death." This is the duty of the guardians, of the government, how to avoid death

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975: Bhagavata-dharma means to understand God and our relationship with God and act accordingly. That is called bhagavata-dharma. So kaumara acaret prajna dharman bhagavatan. If you want... We might have done mistakes in our life, but if we train our children in the brahmacari system and gradually they understand the bhagavata-dharma, at least their life becomes perfect. And in the Bhagavata it is ordered that... You will find all this in this Rsabhadeva's instruction. Pita na sa syat janani na sa syat sva-jano na sa sya..., guror na sa syat: "One should not become guru... One should not become guru, one should not become kinsmen, one should not become father, one should not become mother" -- na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum -- "if one cannot give lesson to the children how to avoid death." This is the duty of the guardians, of the government, how to avoid death. Where is that education? So that is the defect of the modern education. There is no training. So, gardulika pravaha.(?) It is going on, very risky civilization.

Therefore it is the duty of the guardians, of the government, of the father, to protect the civilization from degradation

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975: So this man, Ajamila, 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. We are suffering the consequence of our own degraded life. So how we can protect ourself from degradation? The sastra is there. Sastra, 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 sastra. Lord Krsna also recommends that you must follow the sastric injunction.

How to save the dependent from the clutches of death. This is the duty

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975: That is the position at the present moment, that people are not educated to distinguish or to become pious. They are not educated. They are being... Now, at the present moment, education means you learn technology and learn how to earn money, and then, after earning money, you spend it for sense gratification: eating meat, eating wine, going to the brothel, prostitute. This is modern civilization. So therefore it is the civilization of pasu, animal civilization, polished animal. It is not civilization. It is the duty of the guardian, father, guru, government or elderly relative. Everyone should be compassionate with the dependent. The father should be compassionate to the children, that "My children, they have come to me. They are now innocent. If I do not train them nicely..." What kind of training? Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. That is the duty of the father, of the guru, how to save the dependent from the clutches of death. This is the duty. The government also. Because death is sure. As soon as we get this material body, the death is sure.

It is the duty of the guardians, family, natural guardian, father and mother, and political guardian, the government, the teacher, the guru; it is the duty to give facility, facility for achievement of the highest goal of life

Lecture on SB 7.6.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 28, 1976: So our business is how to become yogi, bhakta-yogi. That is the mission of life. Unfortunately, we are not given the opportunity. It is the duty of the guardians, family, natural guardian, father and mother, and political guardian, the government, the teacher, the guru; it is the duty to give facility, facility for achievement of the highest goal of life. Unfortunately, it is always... But at the present moment, on account of Kali-yuga, they do not know what is the aim of life, how the dependents should be trained up. It is the duty of the king to train up the citizens. This is... Everything is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. And the first business is how to lead men to the highest perfection of life. That is called siddhi. Siddhi means highest perfection of life. Samsiddhim paramam gatah. There are different kinds of siddhis. (noise in background) (aside:) What is that? Samsiddhim paramam gatah. There are different kinds of siddhis. The yogis, the mystic yogis, they also try to possess some siddhi-anima, laghima, mahima, prapti, isita, vasita. Eight kinds of siddhis. But such siddhis, all material.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Is it not the duty of the guardians who are taking care of the people or their son, to educate human being in such a way that they can get better body

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Scholar: No, I think it's up to God and karma-kāṇḍa.

Prabhupāda: So then they must know what is karma-phala. This is a fact. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. But they are..., do not know how to execute karma. They're doing all kinds of sinful activities. So, suppose after this body, on account of my sinful activities, I am going to become a rat or cat or snake or a tree, then what is the use of my so much, how you'd say, jumping over nationalism and this ism and that. If by nature I am going to accept next life the body of a cat and dog, or a tree, then what is the meaning of my, this so-called nationality at the present moment? Is it not the duty of the guardians who are taking care of the people or their son, to educate human being in such a way that they can get better body? What is that education? You are darkness, nobody knows what kind of body he's going to accept next life.

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: They will benefit. Yes, actually.

David Lawrence: I hope so.

Prabhupāda: And it is the duty of the guardians to see that the children are actually spiritually benefited. There is a verse... Pitā na sa syāt gurur na sa syāt. You have got Bhāgavata?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is the duty of the parents, guardians, to cr..., synchronize his activities so that he may not waste his time

Morning Walk -- January 5, 1974, Los Angeles: Prabhupāda: This is the difficulty. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. Because they are rascal, they do not know how to utilize time, what is the aim of life, where you have to go. These things they don't know. So they must waste time. So it is the... Just like child. He wastes time in so many ways. It is the duty of the parents, guardians, to cr..., synchronize his activities so that he may not waste his time. It is the duty of the guardians. Similarly these rascals, they're wasting time. You have to engage them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then their time will be utilized.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

But it is the duty of the guardian to see that this is not pleasure, this is spoiling; a child may think something pleasure, but the guardian should not think that this is pleasure

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran: Prabhupāda: Pleasure... So that is child. The child also feels pleasure with something. But it is the duty of the parent to train him to the right point of view. The child takes pleasure playing the whole day. But the father does not allow him. If you leave, let the child seeks his own pleasure, then you are spoiling him. Then there is no need of becoming your father, guardian, let him be spoiled by his whimsical pleasure. There is no need of training, schooling, colleges. There is no need. In my childhood I was not willing to go to the schools. My mother forced, by force she used to... My father was lenient and my mother kept a special man, yamadhara(?), that, "Your duty is to take him by force to the school." Yes. My father, my mother would complain that "Your boy did not go to school." "Oh, he did not go to school?" And I was sure he was very affectionate. "Why?" "No, I shall go tomorrow." Then father, "All right, he will go tomorrow, that's all right." But that tomorrow will never come. This is my practical. My mother forced me. So I thought, "It is pleasure. Why shall I go to school? Let me play whole day." But it is the duty of the guardian to see that this is not pleasure, this is spoiling. A child may think something pleasure, but the guardian should not think that this is pleasure. This is spoiling him. Otherwise why the guardians are required? Why government is needed, why king is needed, why father is needed, why guru is needed? Just to guide. Therefore whatever you think whimsically it is pleasure, the guru, the father, the king, the government, they should guide—"No, it is not pleasure, it is ruining. You should take like this." If the guru and father and the government, they are themselves rascals and fools, how they will guide? And that is the position. General public, they require guidance, but the guides themselves are rascals and fools, cheaters, bluffers. Therefore the condition, social condition... (passerby says something) He said in English?

It's the duty of the guardians to give education to the dependents about the spiritual knowledge

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: And people are kept in ignorance. There is no school, no college, no institution to give instructions about this science. This is the position of modern civilization. People are kept in ignorance. They got the chance of human body to understand the value of life, but they are not given education by the father, by the guardian, by the king, by the guru. Nobody is giving. Therefore śāstra says you should not become a guru, you should not become a father, you should not become a king unless you are able to save him from these laws of nature, repetition of birth and death. Then you should not become. It's the duty of the guardians to give education to the dependents about the spiritual knowledge. But who is doing that? We are trying our bit because we are ordered by superior that "You do it." So we are trying as far as possible, that's all.

Ali: Is there a time limit for this spiritual growth?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is the guardians' duty to find out a suitable husband or a suitable wife

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: And that they're not allowed to mix freely. They say, "Well how do you know who you want to marry unless you can mix with that person?"

Prabhupāda: There is no question of "how do you want?" You require, and the parents is the best selector. It is not the question, "How do you like?" It is the guardians' duty to find out a suitable husband or a suitable wife. Nowadays the boys and girls, they do not take parents' guidance, and they are not happy.