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Fate (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

When they were building this costly skyscraper, they forgot that this skyscraper will be the same fate as there were big, big Roman buildings two thousand years ago.
Morning Walk -- May 29, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: When they were building this costly skyscraper, they forgot that this skyscraper will be the same fate as there were big, big Roman buildings two thousand years ago. Because I will have to leave. Although the building is very solid, it will not be destroyed within five thousand years, but you are not going to live here for five thousand years. You can live for fifty years sir. Then go away. Then it will be relic. That's all. So why don't you make guarantee, that "I have made this strong building to stand for five thousand... Let me live also." Where is your that knowledge? This is illusion. They know it, that "I shall not be able to live in this house. I shall not get the duration of life as big as this building will have. Then why am I wasting my energy in this way? I shall be zero after fifty years." What is this knowledge? You are not also going to enjoy. Then he is pleased that "My sons and grandsons and..." Who is your grandson? Who is your son? That he does not know. Nobody's son, nobody's grandson. Everyone is coming just like we have come, and they will go away. So similarly, they are coming and going. This is... No knowledge.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

If the leading men of the world, they think there is no driver, the body is automatically going, then what is the fate of the civilization?
Room Conversation with Psychiatrist -- February 22, 1975, Caracas:

Psychiatrist (Hṛdayānanda): He feels that there are different philosophies and different methods...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. There are different medical men and difficult diagnoses, but the urgent case is: cure the driver, and then car will go on nicely. Unfortunately, modern civilization, they do not know what is the driver. And how he will keep him sane? He does not know what is the driver? He thinks the car is automatically going on. Just like child. A child sees the car is going automatically, but that's not a fact. There is a driver. So if our vision is childish, how we can solve the problems of life? I talked with big, big professor, Kotovsky, in Moscow. He said, "There is no driver." This is a big professor, and he is teaching others. So if the leading men of the world, they think there is no driver, the body is automatically going, then what is the fate of the civilization?

You have to accept some superior authority. As soon as you accept fate, destiny, then you have to accept superior authority.
Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: What is that fate?

Cyavana: Predetermined, predestined.

Prabhupāda: Who made it, the predestination?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Higher controller.

Prahupada: Then you have to accept some higher authority, God.

Cyavana: But he is not a person. He is not a person.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be. That is another thing. That is another question. But you have to accept some superior authority. As soon as you accept fate, destiny, then you have to accept superior authority.

Cyavana: They also say "nature." They say "by nature."

Prabhupāda: Whatever it... Whatever it may be. You have to accept some superior authority. That means you are not independent. You are under the control of the superior authority.

"Now you have got svarājya, you give up this nonsense. Preach Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise you will meet the fate of Mussolini." And actually it was done.
Morning Walk -- November 14, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Those who are intelligent Indians, they should combine together and present Indian culture as it is. Then the country is glorified. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...kari karo paropakara. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. The whole world is in darkness. Give them some light. First of all you yourself take light; then you distribute. (break) ...letter, that "Now you have got svarājya, you give up this nonsense. Preach Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise you will meet the fate of Mussolini." And actually it was done.

Yaśomatīnandana: It seems that it is better that he did not preach Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yaśomatīnandana: With his understanding.

Prabhupāda: Of course, one cannot preach Bhagavad-gītā unless he is empowered by Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa śakti vinā nahe nāma pracaraṇa. It is not possible.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Fate is the cause, destiny. Otherwise, so many people are working hard. Why not everyone is becoming rich by chance?
Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Pañca-draviḍa: What about two people born in the same circumstance? Each has equal education and equal background, but one becomes rich and one remains poor. That's chance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the fate. Fate is the cause, destiny. Otherwise, so many people are working hard. Why not everyone is becoming rich by chance? Kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. This is the instruction in the Bhāgavatam. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. There are two things—happiness and distress—and they are being controlled by the time. You have infected some disease. In time, it will come out, manifested, and the doctor say, "Oh, you infected this disease. Take this injection." The time factor. It.... You have to wait to see the result. It is not chance. As soon as you do something, immediately the reaction begins. But you do not see the result immediately, but wait and you'll find. Yes.

One after another, one body after another, one body after another. This will continue. If you don't come to Kṛṣṇa, then you have to return again to that karma-cakra.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Mr. Malhotra: So that means that I am bound by my past karmas. My destiny, my fate is tied with the past karmas. So I have no other goal but to have the phala of past karmas. Or can I change my fate?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are enjoying the past karmas, and you are creating new karmas.

Mr. Malhotra: But this means a circle that I'll always be.

Prabhupāda: Karma-cakra.

Mr. Malhotra: So how can one be out of this cakra?

Prabhupāda: That cakra, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Mr. Malhotra: Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. And put all the karmas...

Prabhupāda: Yes, He says, "You surrender. I square up all your karma."

Mr. Malhotra: Then only square up. Otherwise, no. Otherwise continue in this vicious circle.

Prabhupāda: Dharmasyāsya parantapa mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Karma-cakra, this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. One after another, one body after another, one body after another. This will continue. If you don't come to Kṛṣṇa, then nivartante, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, you have to return again to that karma-cakra.

I wrote one letter to Gandhi that, "Mahatmaji, you have got some respectability throughout the whole world. Now you struggled for so-called svarāja. Now you have got it. Better retire from this life and preach Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise you'll meet the fate of Mussolini."
Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no, I did not say. I wrote one letter to Gandhi that, "Mahatmaji, you have got some respectability throughout the whole world. Now you struggled for so-called svarāja. Now you have got it. Better retire from this life and preach Bhagavad-gītā."

Guest (1): I think he listened to your advice because before he was murdered, on that day...

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Otherwise you'll meet the fate of Mussolini."

Guest (2): And what was his reply?

Prabhupāda: He did not reply.

Guest (1): He drafted that statement that Congress should be dissolved. It should be.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. He was implicated. This is māyā, that although he got svarāja, he was not free. He was full of anxiety, and he he was not at all... (aside:) Ayi. Jaya. So long one is absorbed in material thoughts, he'll be full of anxieties.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

They are not taking very seriously. That very remark shows that "It is going to be meet the same fate." So many fantastic ideas.
Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: How they can fabricate in their own way? From... (pause) Rather, they have criticized that "This fantastic thing, it is going to be like Aurobindo's city, list of fifty thousand, 404 acres." They are not taking it very seriously. Otherwise why he has remarked? Indirectly he has said, "This man is speaking like lunatic." They are not taking very seriously. That very remark shows that "It is going to be meet the same fate." So many fantastic ideas.

It will be fantastical. Therefore they, "It is going to meet the same fate."
Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it says that "The Hare Krishna movement is responsible for promoting knowledge of India and India's culture abroad." I mean, it is farce, because according to this article, we have to now come up with seventy crores of rupees and spend seventy crores in three years. So we cannot come up with seventy crores of rupees. Neither anyone could build that quickly. I mean, it's a farce. How could anyone build a temple of that proportion, a planetarium of that size, in three years' time. I mean, anybody who knows about building will know. We can't even build this building in three years.

Prabhupāda: It will be fantastical. Therefore they, "It is going to meet the same fate."

Whatever it may be... If you leave me to my fate, I'll feel comfortable.
Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But that's only temporary, this discomfort. It's only temporarily until one gets better. Medicine is only required until one gets better. Then he can throw out the medicines.

Prabhupāda: Ah. AHHH! Jaya Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. Now I am feeling don't force.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now that he's not eating or drinking anything and no medicines is...

Bhavānanda: But your urine is cloudy again.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be... If you leave me to my fate, I'll feel comfortable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said, "If you leave me to my fate, then I feel comfortable. But if you force me, then I feel uncomfortable." Is that right, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

There is survival or whatever it may be, but whether there is arrival? The best thing is no medicine and kindly give me some (sic:) circumambulation and leave me to the fate.
Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Risk is there, and risk is here. So better take the risk here.

Bhavānanda: And chance of survival is here and chance of survival is there. But where is the...

Prabhupāda: No. Provided you reach there. There is survival or whatever it may be, but whether there is arrival? The best thing is no medicine and kindly give me some (sic:) circumambulation and leave me to the fate.

Bhakti-caru: But, Śrīla Prabhupāda, don't you think that the medicine is working, is having some good effect?

Prabhupāda: If it is working, then why I'm not feeling any strength?

Bhakti-caru: That will come slowly, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Ah. That means I have to take the medicine and not that risking. The best thing is, whatever service you can give, you arrange. Leave me without medicine.

Bhavānanda: Why is that the best thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Why is that the best thing?

Prabhupāda: Because all, everything has failed.

That depends on Kṛṣṇa. But for me, if you give me this facility—one parikrama, and then leave me to my fate—you'll give me...
Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. I am welcoming death.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know. That's the... That's why we're talk...

Bhavānanda: But we are not. We are not welcoming the idea of your death, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You say, "What is the harm?" There is no harm for you. Your return to Kṛṣṇa has been assured from your very birth.

Prabhupāda: So why not allow me to do that?

Bhavānanda: We are thinking of the harm for us and the rest of the world.

Prabhupāda: That depends on Kṛṣṇa. But for me, if you give me this facility—one parikrama, and then leave me to my fate—you'll give me... Because I am not eating, so keep me whole day as I am. But if you think that I have become burden, then... (whispering) Hm?

Bhavānanda: I was just saying, Śrīla Prabhupāda, something must have happened that you're feeling somehow that we think that you have become a burden. But we don't feel that way at all, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Jayādvaita: You've given the example in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that when a capitalist has money, that's also a burden. And when the woman has a child, that child is a burden. So in the same way... But that burden is a burden of love. So you're that kind of burden, the kind of burden that's wanted.

Page Title:Fate (Conversations)
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:21 of Mar, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=12, Let=0
No. of Quotes:12