False pretender

Expressions researched:
"false pretender"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

For self-realization, one can live a controlled life, as prescribed in the śāstras, and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and in that way make progress. A sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show—bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public.

BG 3.7, Purport:

Instead of becoming a pseudo transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment, it is far better to remain in one's own business and execute the purpose of life, which is to get free from material bondage and enter into the kingdom of God. The prime svārtha-gati, or goal of self-interest, is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole institution of varṇa and āśrama is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization, one can live a controlled life, as prescribed in the śāstras, and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and in that way make progress. A sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show—bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who meditates only for the sake of making a living.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If we take it, "Oh, it is very easy method for living without working. We are getting money for our livelihood," this is not wanted.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Sudāmā: "...or goal of self-interest is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole varṇa and āśrama system is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization one can live a controlled life as prescribed in the śāstras and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and that will lead him gradually to the progressive path. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who works only for the sake of making a living."

Prabhupāda: Yes. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that don't accept spiritual life for living. Just like we are sending the saṅkīrtana party. If we take it, "Oh, it is very easy method for living without working. We are getting money for our livelihood," this is not wanted.

Arjuna, he cannot be a false pretender.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Now, you can understand how much time could be, I mean to say, allowed for this discussion. That was a battlefield. Immediately has to be fight. Everyone is ready. And utmost, one hour... I don't think... That is utmost. So within this one hour the whole Bhagavad-gītā was discussed, and Arjuna changed his decision and he fought. Now, within that time He is also instructing Arjuna about the yoga system. Now, after hearing the details of yoga system, how to sit down, how to keep the body straight, how to keep the eyes half-closed and how to see the uppermost part of the nose without diverting your attention, and in secluded place, in a sacred place, alone—all this paraphernalia is described for performing perfect yoga system. Now, Arjuna, after hearing everything from Kṛṣṇa, he is replying.

arjuna uvāca

yo 'yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ

sāmyena madhusūdana

etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi

cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām

Now, Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, the details which You have..., not very details, but a summary of yoga system which You have prescribed and You ask me to follow, I think it is very difficult for me on account of my agitated mind." Cañcalatvāt. Cañcalatvāt means agitated mind. We must always remember that we are in a circumstances, material circumstances, where every time, every moment, our mind is agitated. We are not in a very comfortable situation. We are thinking that "This situation will save me for further anxieties of my mind," but when I reach to that point I feel that the anxieties have increased. It has not decreased, because the nature of the material world is like that, you cannot be free from anxiety. That is the nature. So we are simply trying to make a solution of our anxieties by different method, but the place is that, that it is not possible to make a solution of anxieties.

Now, Arjuna, he cannot be a false pretender. He frankly says, "My dear Arjuna, the system of yoga which you have prescribed," yo 'yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ, "the summary description of yoga system which You have described," sāmyena madhusūdana...

1970 Correspondence

We do not want any false pretenders in numbers, but we want a single sincere soul.

Letter to Lalita Kumar -- Los Angeles 2 February, 1970:

My open advice is that if any one can remain a Brahmacari, it is very nice, but there is no need of artificial Brahmacaris. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that one who exhibits outwardly as self restrained, but inwardly he thinks of sense gratification he is condemned as mithyacara which means false pretender. We do not want any false pretenders in numbers, but we want a single sincere soul. There is no harm in accepting a wife and living without any disturbance of the mind and thus sincerely advancing in Krishna Consciousness.