From frying pan to the fire

Expressions researched:
"From frying pan to the fire"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Unless you come to the point of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be any peace. That is the point. Simply by changing from frying pan to the fire will not save you.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa did not come to establish the so-called Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion. No. He came to establish real religion. Real religion means we have to submit, surrender, to the real person. That is real religion. We are surrendering. Everyone has got some ideas. He has surrendered there. Either political, social, economical, religious, anything—everyone has got some idea. And the leader of that ideal is also there. So our business is to surrender. That is a fact. But we do not know where to surrender. That is the difficulty. And because the surrender is mistaken, or misplaced, therefore the whole world is chaotic condition. We are changing this surrender to that surrender. "No more Congress Party. Now Communist Party." Again, "No more Communist Party. This . . . this party, that party." What is the use of changing party? Because this party or that party, they are not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. So unless you come to the point of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be any peace. That is the point. Simply by changing from frying pan to the fire will not save you. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's last instruction is:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi . . .

(BG 18.66)

So the discrepancy of religion means . . . this is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ, first-class or superior dharma. Paraḥ means superior, transcendental. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). When we surrender to the Adhokṣaja . . . adhokṣaja means the supreme transcendence, or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja. Ahaituky apratihatā. Ahaitukī means without any cause. Without any cause. Not that, "Kṛṣṇa is such and such; therefore I surrender." No. Without any cause. Ahaituky apratihatā: and it cannot be checked. Nobody can check. If you want to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no checking, there is no hindrance. You can do it in any position. You can do it. Ahaituky apratihatā yenātmā suprasīdati. Then you will, ātmā, your ātmā, your soul, your mind, your body will be satisfied. This is the process.

Competition. That is material disease. Now there is competition in between the capitalist and the communist. Now the communist or the laborer class men, they are thinking that "Why the capitalist should gain? We must gain. The industry is being conducted by us. The profits shall be divided between us. Why to the capitalist?" So that is not the solution. That is from frying pan to the fire.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is teaching in this Fourth Chapter how to work. Yadṛcchā-lābha. Don't be greedy so, "This man is millionaire, so I have to become a millionaire." Competition. That is material disease. Now there is competition in between the capitalist and the Communist. Now the Communist or the laborer class men, they are thinking that, "Why the capitalist should gain? We must gain. The industry is being conducted by us. The profits shall be divided between us. Why to the capitalist?" So that is not the solution. That is from frying pan to the fire. Either the world is run on on the principle of communistic philosophy or capitalistic philosophy, it will never be happy. Here is the formula, that everyone should be satisfied with the profit that he can easily make. That's all. Yadṛcchā-lābha.

Not that everyone will have the same profit. In material world everyone is working. Somebody is getting per hour thousands of rupees, and somebody is getting not even morsel of food. But still, one has to be satisfied, "Because one is getting thousands of rupees per hour, I will have to get also," no. Then you will never be happy. You be happy what you are gaining. Because everyone is making profit and losing according to his past karma. Pūrva-janmarjitaṁ dhanaṁ pūrva-janmarjitam vidyā, agre dhāvati dhāvati. This is the śāstric injunction. One man is trying with a little capital to do some business, and within few years he becomes very multi-millionaire. And one man is trying to elevate himself to a prosperous condition, but he cannot get even sufficient food. Why? Pūrva-janmarjitaṁ vidyā pūrva-janma. One boy is passing examination, standing first class. Another man, boy, is failing. Everyone is trying. Everyone should try his best, but he should be satisfied with the result which comes without any very much strain, yadṛcchā-lābha. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ.

That is lacking in the present civilization. Not only at the present moment, because Kṛṣṇa was speaking five thousand years ago, and before that, He spoke Bhagavad-gītā millions and trillions of years ago to the sun-god. This is the way of material civilization or material conditioned life, competition.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

So frying pan. From frying pan to the fire.

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: They actually, by destroying the Manchester millionaires, Gandhi gave opportunity to the Ahmadabad millionaires. And the consumers, instead of purchasing Manchester cloth at one rupee per pair, now they're purchasing at thirty rupees per pair.

Reporter: Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: This is advantage. I know. My father had cloth business. The Manchester cloth, very nice cloth—one rupee six annas per pair, retail sale.

Reporter: Hm. Hm. Now same thing for thirty rupees.

Prabhupāda: Just see. And where the money is going? To the Ahmadabad capitalists. That's all.

Reporter: Hm. Yes.

Prabhupāda: So frying pan. From frying pan to the fire.

Reporter: (laughs) Yes. Very true.

Prabhupāda: Everything is due to lack of God consciousness.

Reporter: Quite true. And therefore, nothing is working.

Prabhupāda: No. (pause)

Reporter: I'm not going by car, as you said. (everyone laughs)

Prabhupāda: Are you not plucking your hairs?

Reporter: I was plucking. Eighteen times, all these hair. Two times in the one year, plucking all hair.

Devotee: The whole head, you pull your...?

But you are already suffering from cancer. What you have done? (laughter) Instead of cholera, you have got cancer. Is that very good exchange?From frying pan to the fire.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: We were preaching in Mexico that, "You simply perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa will supply all energy."

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is the source of all energy.

Karandhara: Most economists, they realize that the economy is very faulty and superficial, but they say: "Well, that's the way it is. So I'm going to take advantage of it while I can."

Prabhupāda: Why not take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try it? As you are trying so many method, why not try this?

Viṣṇujana: They say: "We want to regress and become like India." If everyone becomes devotees, then they'll all walk around like us and regress.

Prabhupāda: There is no devotee in India, real devotee, at the present moment.

Viṣṇujana: So they classify us like that. They say: "You Hare Kṛṣṇa people, you want to take us back to cholera and dysentery and everything."

Prabhupāda: But you are already suffering from cancer. What you have done? (laughter) Instead of cholera, you have got cancer. Is that very good exchange?

Viṣṇujana: One out of eight men has venereal disease.

Prabhupāda: From frying pan to the fire. Cholera has got some remedy, but here there is no remedy. Hmm? What is that?

Viṣṇujana: In this country they have the venereal disease. One out of ten men is suffering gonorrhea.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Long ago one professor, medical professor, he said—he was Englishman—that in our country, seventy-five percent students are suffering from venereal disease. Colonel Megor. Yes. Colonel Megor. There must be venereal disease, because sex life is so cheap. There must be venereal disease. And venereal disease, once infected, it brings so many other diseases, one after another, one after another. The cancer is also due to that.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

First of all, people should know what is the aim of life, what is culture, how the human activity should be directed. The people should know first of all this. Otherwise, changing from frying pan to the fire, it is useless. That is going on.

Morning Walk -- March 7, 1974, Mayapura:

Śyāmasundara: Something like that. It's called a "think tank," she's named it. It's presided over by Lord . . . Lord Goodman.

Prabhupāda: No, no. The thing is, unless the people are Kṛṣṇa conscious, either this board or that board, that will not help. First of all, people should know what is the aim of life, what is culture, how the human activity should be directed. The people should know first of all this. Otherwise, changing from frying pan to the fire, it is useless. That is going on. That change, revolution, is going on. Just like the Russian people, they changed the Czarist government into Communist government, revolution, but still they're unhappy. They're trying to change by another revolution. This is going on. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). This is described in the śāstra as "chewing the chewed." Or the same simple philosophy: "This side of stool is better than that side." So he keeps the whole thing, stool. "This side, the dry side, is better, and the moist side, wet side, is bad." This is no philosophy. It . . . it must not be stool. It must be gold. Then it is all right, this side or that side. That philosophy, that the dry side of stool is better than the wet side, this will not help. So first, first of all, human society must know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu (SB 7.5.31). We are part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. We are suffering on account of our relationship with God. This is the cause of our suffering. Then we have to make plan how to revive our lost relationship with God. Then the . . . everything is there in the Vedic literature. All directions are there. So we have to . . . just like when we are in danger, we consult some learned man or physician or a lawyer, similarly we have to consult the Vedic culture, how perfect it is. This way?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

They were thinking of greater freedom, to get out of the clutches of the laws of nature. That is real freedom. What is this freedom? From frying pan to the fire? (chuckles) Now we have freedom means from frying pan to the fire. Formerly there was one viceroy. Now in each state three dozen viceroys, and you have to maintain that. So many legislators, so many secretaries, so many ministers. All, they are sucking our poor blood. That's all.

Morning Walk -- September 29, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Sixteenth Chapter. "I am . . ." Aḍhyo 'smi dhanavān asmi ko'sti mama samaḥ: "Who is there like me, intelligent? I will do this. I will do that." These are all . . .

Indian man (5): Continues delusion.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has imposed death, that "You may make your plan as free man, but you'll not be allowed to stay. I'll kick you out." These poor men, they did not think of it, that "I am making so nice plan, but at any moment I'll be kicked out. So where is my freedom?" Dull brain does not think of it. A prisoner, if he thinks that he is free to act, is it not foolishness? A prisoner, in prison, and if he thinks that he is free to act, is it not foolishness? So that they do not think. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has grouped them: mūḍha, these rascals, mūḍha. They conduct freedom movement. Just like in our country also, before this British Empire or this Muhammadan Empire there was no knowledge about this freedom. Indian people never thought of freedom. They know that "We are not free. Where is the question of freedom?" These things have come from the foreign countries, "freedom movement." What is freedom? Where are you free? You are completely under the laws of nature. Where is your freedom? So they were thinking of greater freedom, to get out of the clutches of the laws of nature. That is real freedom. What is this freedom? From frying pan to the fire? (chuckles) Now we have come freedom means from frying pan to the fire. Formerly there was one viceroy. Now in each state three dozen viceroys, and you have to maintain that. So many legislators, so many secretaries, so many ministers. All, they are sucking our poor blood. That's all. Hare Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you approach them for some grievances, "All right, give me application," and, after six months, "No." So we are maintaining for this purpose? Yes. "I say no." That's all. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break) . . . speaking of freedom, but we have no freedom even to stay in this body.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

That means another condition. From frying pan to the fire. (laughter) Dharmena hīna paśubhiḥ samaḥ. As soon as you give up religious principles, you are no better than animal. That means he will manufacture. The same disease. "I'll not follow the traditional." This is their death block.

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Bugs.

Prabhupāda: Ha, just like ordinary insects. He is also living entity. He is enjoying in his own capacity, he's enjoying. Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate yat-kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhava-vatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ. "It happens so by the little fragmental mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore I offering my obeisances unto you." Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate yat-kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhava-vatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ(Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy. A little mercy will render all this. So what he will do now that he has not said?

Girirāja: He just said that "I will not follow religion in the traditional sense."

Prabhupāda: That means another condition. From frying pan to the fire. (laughter) Dharmena hīna paśubhiḥ samaḥ. As soon as you give up religious principles, you are no better than animal. That means he will manufacture. The same disease. "I'll not follow the traditional." This is their death block. That they always think that "I am independent. I can manufacture my way. I can become happy in that way." They're always thinking like that. And in a meeting with hundreds of men claps, that he is his liberated. "Now it is approved." Who is approving? That is criticized by Bhāgavatam. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). This. They are animals and they are applauding another animal. That's all. Big animal. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ. These ordinary persons, they are paśu and they are applauding. The man who is applauded, he's another big paśu. That's all.