After Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed, the Lord continued to be very angry, and the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, could not pacify Him. Even mother Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, the constant companion of Nārāyaṇa, could not dare come before Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva. Then Lord Brahmā asked Prahlāda Mahārāja to go forward and pacify the Lord's anger. Prahlāda Mahārāja, being confident of the affection of his master, Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, was not afraid at all. He very gravely appeared before the Lord's lotus feet and offered Him respectful obeisances. Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, being very much affectionate toward Prahlāda Mahārāja, put His hand on Prahlāda's head, and because of being personally touched by the Lord, Prahlāda Mahārāja immediately achieved brahma-jñāna, spiritual knowledge.
Go forward
Expressions researched:
"Go ahead, forward"
|"go forward"
|"go on, forward"
|"go step forward"
|"go still forward"
|"goes forward"
|"goes step forward"
|"going forward"
|"going on, forward"
|"gone forward"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
It was He only who withdrew the duration of life from everyone and who, in the battlefield, withdrew the speculative power and strength of enthusiasm from the great military phalanx made by the Kauravas, headed by Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Droṇa, Śalya, etc. Their arrangement was expert and more than adequate, but He (Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa), while going forward, did all this.
SB Canto 2
The Vedas instruct us to get out of the existence of darkness and go forward on the path of light (tamasi mā jyotir gama). The path of light is therefore to satisfy the senses of the Lord. Misguided men, or less intelligent men, follow the path of self-realization without any attempt to satisfy the transcendental senses of the Lord by following the path shown by Arjuna and other devotees of the Lord. On the contrary, they artificially try to stop the activities of the senses (yoga system), or they deny the transcendental senses of the Lord (jñāna system).
SB Canto 4
The great associates of Vaikuṇṭhaloka, Nanda and Sunanda, could understand the mind of Dhruva Mahārāja, and thus they showed him that his mother, Sunīti, was going forward in another plane.
The exact Sanskrit terminology for Kṛṣṇa consciousness is here mentioned: kṛṣṇa-parāyaṇaḥ parāyaṇa means "going forward." Anyone who is going forward to the goal of Kṛṣṇa is called kṛṣṇa-parāyaṇa, or fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. The example of Dhruva Mahārāja indicates that every Kṛṣṇa conscious person can expect to reach the topmost summit of all three planetary systems within the universe. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person can occupy an exalted position beyond the imagination of any ambitious materialist.
The Vedic process of sense gratification is therefore planned in such a way that one can economically develop and enjoy sense gratification and yet ultimately attain liberation. Vedic civilization offers us all knowledge in the śāstras, and if we live a regulated life under the direction of śāstras and guru, all our material desires will be fulfilled; at the same time we will be able to go forward to liberation.
SB Canto 7
Demons or materialists do not at all like the advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and they try to hinder it in many ways. Yet the preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness must go forward—in their Vaiṣṇava dress or any other dress—for the purpose of preaching. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that if an honest person deals with a great cheater, it is necessary for him to become a cheater also, not for the purpose of cheating but to make his preaching successful.
Thereafter Lord Brahmā requested Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was standing very near him: My dear son, Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva is extremely angry at your demoniac father. Please go forward and appease the Lord.
The human body, therefore, may be used in two ways—for going to the darkest regions of ignorance or for going forward, back home, back to Godhead. To go back to Godhead, the path is mahat-sevā, to accept the self-realized spiritual master. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). For liberation, one should accept the direction of authorized devotees who can actually endow one with perfect knowledge.
SB Canto 8
These are restrictions that karmīs very much dislike. Nonetheless, in the presence of so many enemies, this movement is progressing, going forward without impediments. If the devotees continue to spread this movement, dedicating life and soul to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, no one will be able to check it. The movement will go forward without limits. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
The Pañca-tattva is a very important factor in understanding Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are sahajiyās who, not knowing the importance of the Pañca-tattva, concoct their own slogans, such as bhaja nitāi gaura, rādhe śyāma, japa hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma or śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma śrī-rādhe govinda. Such chants may be good poetry, but they cannot help us to go forward in devotional service. In such chants there are also many discrepancies, which need not be discussed here. Strictly speaking, when chanting the names of the Pañca-tattva, one should fully offer his obeisances: śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Arjuna felt tired and thirsty from hunting, and therefore he went to the bank of the Yamunā along with Kṛṣṇa. When both the Kṛṣṇas, namely Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, reached the bank of the Yamunā (Arjuna is sometimes called Kṛṣṇa, as is Draupadī), they washed their hands, feet and mouths and drank the clear water of the Yamunā. While resting and drinking water, they saw a beautiful girl of marriageable age walking alone on the bank of the Yamunā. Kṛṣṇa asked His friend Arjuna to go forward and ask the girl who she was. By the order of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna immediately approached the girl, who was very beautiful. She had an attractive body, nice, glittering teeth and a smiling face. Arjuna inquired, “My dear girl, you are so beautiful with your raised breasts. May I ask you who you are? We are surprised to see you loitering here alone. What is your purpose in coming here? We can guess only that you are searching after a suitable husband. If you don’t mind, you can disclose your purpose. I shall try to satisfy you.”
Message of Godhead
We go forward on the path of knowledge by the mercy of our preceptors—from learning the alphabet up to completing our university career. And if we want to go still further and acquire knowledge transcendental, we must first of all seek qualified transcendental preceptors who can lead us on the path. The knowledge that we gather by our education in the schools and colleges may help us temporarily in the study of some particular subject in the present span of life, but this acquisition of knowledge cannot satisfy our eternal need for which we hanker life after life, day after day, hour after hour.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
This is statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata: "Those who know the Absolute Truth, they know that Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one. It is different phases of understanding only." Just like if you see one hill from a distant place, you will find impersonal, hazy, something cloudy. If you go still forward, then you can see it is something greenish. And if you go actually within the hill, you'll see there are so many animals, trees, men. Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute from distance place or far away, they are realizing, by speculation, impersonal Brahman.
Just like a man is very much enthusiastic that "In this life I must accumulate ten millions dollars in the bank," and he does work with great enthusiasm; similarly, we must have also similar enthusiasm that "In this very life, in this very human form of life, I must make my spiritual life perfect so that after leaving this body I may not come again to this material world." That is called utsāhā, enthusiasm. Utsāhād dhairyāt. Dhairya means patience. Patience. There may be so many obstacles in prosecuting our spiritual life, but we should patiently go forward. We shall not be discertained. Utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt. And with confidence, with confidence that "Because I am following..." Just like Bhagavad-gītā is a standard book. If not Bhagavad-gītā, take Bible or take Koran, whatever you like. Now, there are some formulas for prosecuting spiritual life. So one must have confidence that "Because I am following the standard method, so my spiritual life will really be perfected." We must have this confidence.
Everything is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is question of degrees. Mama vart..., pārtha... What is that verse? Vartante mānuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Everyone is searching after Kṛṣṇa, but they are forward to some step. Suppose Kṛṣṇa is there on the top, and it is one hundred steps. So somebody has covered five steps, somebody has covered ten steps, somebody has covered hundred steps, like that. So everyone is searching after Kṛṣṇa, but there is degrees of realization of Kṛṣṇa. So either Christian, Mohammedan, or any, they are searching after Kṛṣṇa. That's all right. But it is a question of degrees, how far they have gone forward. The last stage is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the final stage.
Aparā and parā. Aparā means inferior, or material, and parā means superior, or spiritual. The spiritual force behind is moving the material world. Yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat. Jagat means gacchati iti jagat, which is moving or going forward. Everything is moving. All these planets are moving. Your earthly planet is also moving—within twenty-four hours covering 25,000 miles, day and night. The whole material planets, earthly planets, you have 25,000 miles, and this is rotating. Similarly every planet is rotating.
So here is the chance of getting freedom from this evolutionary process. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births, we have got. Why? Now, to become civilized. What is civilization? Civilization... The Aryans are called civilized. Why? Aryan means going forward. And what is the destination of going forward? The destination is to understand the original cause of creation, God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedānta philosophy. Janmādy asya yataḥ. The original cause from where everything is coming into being, by whose management everything is maintained, and after annihilation everything will enter into Him—that is the original person.
The basic principle is to go forward in our spiritual understanding. That is the basic principle. We are suffering in this material world. We may say that "We have no suffering. It is very pleasing," but actually, in every step we are suffering. Just like this is winter season.
So similarly, there are different processes. But all the processes are not the same. They're aiming at the same goal, karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti, but bhakti is the highest step. Because when you come to the platform of bhakti, then you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Not by karma, jñāna, yoga. That is not possible. You are trying, you are going towards that aim, but Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). He does not say, "By jñāna, by karma, by yoga." No. That you cannot understand. You can go forward, steps. But if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). This is the process. Therefore mama vartmānuvartante means "Everyone is trying to come to Me, according to their capacity, ability, but one who actually wants to understand Me, the simple process..." Just like the staircase is there, but not in this country, in Europe and American countries, side by side, there is lift, elevator.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So the spirit soul is still more subtle. And the speed of spirit soul is very, very great. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Tyaktvā deham. "Just after giving up this body, he immediately comes to Me in the spiritual world." These are the Vedic statement. You can try to understand. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) we accept another body immediately after death. It is said just like go forward, when the first step, you find it is secure, you take up the second step. Similarly, as soon as the next body is arranged by superior arrangement, we give up this body and enter into another gross body. Immediately. Immediately we are transferred to a mother's womb for manufacturing another gross body. This is the law.
So to accept the supreme controller is a must question. You must! Without it, you cannot go forward. You must have to accept. We can, we can appreciate the brain of a scientist, but how, what the is who has created that brain? We are seeing to that person, who has created, not to the brain. Just like a child appreciates a motorcar, how it is running.
If you are a jñānī, a philosopher, speculating what is the truth, so the truth is, ultimate truth is Kṛṣṇa. So if from the very beginning you try to search out by your philosophical knowledge or if you try to prove the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa by your philosophical speculation, that is perfection. That is your perfection. Otherwise it is simply laboring, waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). If you cannot go forward up to Kṛṣṇa by your philosophical and scientific research, then all the labor you have taken, that is almost simply waste of time. The limit of knowledge, the limit of scientific research, will be confirmed when you have surrendered to God.
If I would have possessed, I would have been happy," he's immediately fallen. Because within the mind, he's associating with yoṣit. Suppose we go to see some rich man. I see that he has got money, nice motor car, nice building. If I think, "Oh, I have taken sannyāsa. If I would have possessed all these things, I would have been...," then immediately fall down. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu strictly prohibits that if you have become niṣkiñcana, renounced order, with a idea of going forward, bhava-sāgarasya, on the other side of the ocean, then aspiring after money and women is lower than dying, committing suicide. Hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu. If you take poison, that is criminal. Similarly, He says, "A man in renounced order of life, if he's thinking of woman and money, then he's committing suicide more than ordinary suicide." Viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu. Viṣa-bhakṣaṇa.
The master and servant after many, many years, if they again meet, they become very delighted. So we have got our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways, śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. Śānta, śānta means neutral, simply to understand the Supreme. Dāsya means a step forward. Just like we say "God is great." That is śānta, to appreciate the greatness of God. But there is no activity. But when you go step forward, that "God is great, so I am serving so many society, friendship, loves, cats, dogs and so many I'm loving. Why not let me love the greatest?" that is called dāsya. Simply to realize God is great that is also very good. But when you voluntarily go forward, "Now why not serve the great?" Just like from ordinary service, those who are engaged in service, they want to try to change from the inferior service to the superior service. Service is there. But superior service is somebody gets government service. He thinks it is very nice. So similarly, as we serve, when we desire to serve the great, that will give us peaceful life. That is śānta, dāsya.
Devotees: Yes, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Before coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, see the photograph of your face and now see. Practical. But if you deviate, if you fall down again, that is your business. But if you strictly follow the rules and regulations and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you'll go forward, nobody can check it. Thank you very much.
To understand Kṛṣṇa is not easy job. But Kṛṣṇa in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so compassionate, not only He's giving Himself, Kṛṣṇa, but He's giving kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's avatāra. Dayā. Mahā-vadānyāvatāra. So whatever Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going forward, it is due to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's magnanimous compassion for the poor people suffering in this Kali-yuga. Otherwise, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very easy job, is not easy job.
In this way you practice one mantra daily. Each mantra will purify you hundred yards daily. Go forward. These mantras are very powerful, given by Vyāsadeva Gosvāmī, vibrated. And spoken by... Śuka-mukhād drava-saṁyutamrtam. That is explained in the beginning. Just like a ripened fruit in the tree is already very sweet, and if it is touched by the beak of the parrot, it becomes sweeter. These are natural course. If the parrot touches the fruit, he cuts little by his beak, beak. Beak, you call beak? Then it becomes still sweeter.
So God, or the Absolute Truth, is not formless. He has his form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). But that can be seen only by persons who underwent severe austerities, penances, or engaged in devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Otherwise, they will remain impersonal. The conclusion is, those who are impersonalists, their knowledge is imperfect. They have still to go forward.
Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births of continued impersonal views, when he actually comes to the right platform of knowledge, he surrenders to Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "That mahātmā, that saintly person, is very rare." All the so-called swamis or yogis, they are all impersonalists.
And how one can be saved? The saved means if the father and mother together gives education to the son about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he can be saved. The father-mother's duty is... The same, apavarga-vartmani. Apavarga-vartmani. To give education in such a way that no more pavarga. No more pariśrama, no more phena, no more bhaya, no more vyarthatā, no more maraṇa. That is called apavarga-vardhanam. This is here real human life—human society cultivating knowledge in such a way that apavarga-vardhanam, gradually we are going forward for liberation. That is human civilization. Otherwise it is cats and dogs civilization. The same thing. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Again eating, mating, sleeping... That's all. Fearing and dying. This is general process.
You know the elephant is captured for sense gratification. You know that? Elephant is captured. A big elephant, to capture, it is very difficult. But a female elephant goes there, and he comes for sex, and the female elephant goes forward. Then she brings in a place where there is a big pit and he falls down, the male elephant. Then he becomes captured. Yes. These are the nature's example, how for... And not only sex. Just like the bees. They enter into the lotus flower for eating honey, and they are enjoying.
That is the nature of this material world, "How to kill God," "God is dead." This is their attempt. So from the life of Kṛṣṇa we can understand that so many attempts were made by the demons and the rākṣasas to kill Kṛṣṇa, but actually Kṛṣṇa killed them all. So if you are sincere, if you follow the principles and push on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, nobody can kill you. You'll go forward, rest assured. We are not going to be killed. That they are perceiving, that this movement is spreading like epidemic, and the young men of Europe and America, they're taking seriously.
Sometimes bhakti is observed as similar to the activities of the karmīs, but there is difference. One is bhakti, one is going back to home, back to Godhead; and the other is going forward to the hellish condition of life by the same activities. This is the technique. How it is possible? It is possible. By practical example, it is said in the śāstras... Just like if you take more quantity of milk preparation, you get diarrhea. But the same milk preparation, yogurt, is there. It will stop diarrhea. Both of them are milk preparation.
So one day Nārada Muni asked his friend, Parvata Muni, "I have got a disciple. Let us go and see him." (to translator:) Parvata Muni, his friend. Yes. So when Nārada Muni and Parvata Muni was coming to the same hunter who had become now a Vaiṣṇava, so he was going to receive his spiritual master by going forward. So while he was going forward towards his spiritual master to receive him, on the way he was jumping in so many places. So Parvata Muni asked him that "Why you are jumping on your way while coming to us?" The hunter, the Vaiṣṇava, he replied, "Sir, there were so many ants on the ground. Therefore I was trying to avoid trampling them." So Parvata Muni was surprised, that "This man was hunting and killing animal half. Now, because he has become a Vaiṣṇava, he is not prepared to kill even an ant."
There are so many Indians in this country. They're not helping me. But these boys, these girls, because they have come to the transcendental platform, they're helping me so nicely. Therefore the Movement is going forward. This is practical. Kevalayā bhaktyā. Simply by taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service.
That is your foolishness." They were smiling that "What these foolish persons are asking us question?" Our position is like that. Anyone who is preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you may protest against Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we shall smile, that's all. (laughter) We know our duty. Yes. We shall simply smile, that "What these nonsense speaking?" We shall go on, forward, because we are carrying the order of Kṛṣṇa. We shall be protected in every respect. Nobody can supersede our order. This is our position.
Who knows? Bring any big, big leaders. Ask him that "Do you know what is the problem of life?" They do not know. Therefore it is said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31).
Therefore this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is preaching back to Godhead, not go forward for meeting again and again birth, death, old age, and disease. That this portion of problem, we have already discussed yesterday. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānāṁ (SB 7.5.30). Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām means chewing the chewed. You have got sugarcane, many quantity.
This is the vision of devotee. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjana evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam. Ātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam. A devotee never accuses Kṛṣṇa that "Kṛṣṇa, I am serving You so nicely, and You are giving me so much suffering?" No. This is not devotee's view. Devotee will take that "This so-called suffering is also Kṛṣṇa's favor." Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ. So those who are going forward with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not be, I mean, a debtor to any condition of life.
Hṛdayānanda: Oh. "Thereafter Lord Brahmā requested Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was standing very nearby, and asked Prahlāda Mahārāja to go forward and said, 'My dear son, Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva is very, very angry upon your demonic father, and you can go forward and appease Him, the Lord.' "
Prabhupāda:
- prahrādaṁ preṣayām āsa
- brahmāvasthitam antike
- tāta praśamayopehi
- sva-pitre kupitaṁ prabhum
- (SB 7.9.3)
So all of them, all the demigods, they wanted to pacify. The Lord was very angry, but they failed. Then, at last, they requested Lakṣmījī to pacify the Lord. She could not dare to approach Him; what is the speaking of pacifying? Then, at last, they decided that "This five-years-old boy, the Lord may be compassionate upon him. And for him He has appeared, so let him be engaged in pacifying the Lord."
So all of them, all the demigods, they wanted to pacify. The Lord was very angry, but they failed. Then, at last, they requested Lakṣmījī to pacify the Lord. She could not dare to approach Him; what is the speaking of pacifying? Then, at last, they decided that "This five-years-old boy, the Lord may be compassionate upon him. And for him He has appeared, so let him be engaged in pacifying the Lord." So Brahmā, the head of all the demigods presented there, he decided, prahlādaṁ preṣayām āsa. He pushed him forward: "My dear Prahlāda, my dear son, better you go forward and pacify." It is something like to push a little child in the cage of the lion. It is something like that. Nobody dared. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he knew very well that "However ferocious He may be, I am not afraid. He is my Lord. I am not afraid." He was jolly, innocent, pure devotee. He had no fear. So he was sent: "My dear Prahlāda, you try."
This simplicity is very valuable. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was in that position. Therefore Brahmā selected him, that "My dear Prahlāda, my dear child, please approach the Lord. You can try to pacify Him." Prahrādaṁ preṣayām āsa brahmāvasthitam antike, tāta: "My dear child, my dear boy," tāta praśamayo upehi, "please go forward and try to pacify Him." Sva-pitre kupitaṁ prabhum: "Our Lord, Prabhu, He has become very, very angry." Nobody can excess in His anger. Just like nobody can excel the Supreme Personality of Godhead in anything, similarly, when He is angry, nobody can excel Him. He becomes so angry. So He is always... "God is great" means great in everything.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: Thereafter Lord Brahmā requested Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was standing very near him: My dear son, Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva is extremely angry at your demoniac father. Please go forward and appease the Lord."
Prabhupāda:
- prahrādaṁ preṣayām āsa
- brahmāvasthitam antike
- tāta praśamayopehi
- sva-pitre kupitaṁ prabhum
- (SB 7.9.3)
So Nṛsiṁha-deva was very, very angry. Now the atheist class of men, who do not know what is the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they will say, "Why God should become angry?" So God, why He should not be angry? God must have everything; otherwise how He is God complete? Pūrṇam. The anger is also another quality of living symptom.
So Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, he is supposed to be the first living being within this universe. Lakṣmī became afraid; Brahmā also became very afraid. Therefore Brahmā requested Prahlāda Mahārāja that "You go forward, my dear son, and appease the Lord. You can do because for you He has appeared in this fierceful feature. Your father offended Him in so many ways by teasing you, by punishing you, by putting you into difficulty. Therefore He has appeared in very angry. So you can appease Him. We cannot. It is not possible." Prahlāda preṣayām āsa brahma avasthita antike. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, being very exalted devotee, he could appease the Lord. Bhaktyā, by bhakti, you can control the Supreme Lord.
So intelligently, he pushed forward Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, you just try to pacify your Lord, because the Lord has appeared to protect you, for you only. So we could not pacify Him. I think if you go forward and pray and pacify the Lord, He may agree." That is a fact.
So before that, we have already described, even Lakṣmījī, he (she) could not go forward. Although she had daily affairs with Nārāyaṇa, she could not dare to go forward. Brahmā, Lord Brahmā offered their prayers, other, Lord Śiva offered their prayers, but nobody could pacify him. Therefore he is in doubt that "I am born in the family of demons," ugra-karma, ugra-jāti. "If Brahmā failed, Lakṣmījī failed, Lord Śiva failed to pacify Him, how it is possible by me to pacify the Lord?" That he's doubting. Brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā-munayo 'tha siddhāḥ. "All they are exalted persons and siddha." There is a Siddhaloka.
The foolish man may think like that, "automatically." No, there is no automatically, no accident. Therefore, yena yasmād yataḥ yad uta, superior, inferior—everything is systematically being done according to the desire. They say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the desire of Kṛṣṇa." That's a fact. Without Kṛṣṇa's desire... Every step we are going forward, it is guided by Kṛṣṇa. It is not directly by Kṛṣṇa but through the instrument of Kṛṣṇa. This is nature. Nature is nothing but instrument. Durgā. Durgā. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). This Durgā energy. Durgā energy means this material energy. Durgā. Durgā means fort.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The under, after being in the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, that devotional service is very sound. Parā bhakti. Otherwise, if we stick to the devotional service of temple worship... Just like one is performing temple worship, regulative principles... That is also... We should go forward. This is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Not that we are not moving, but we are moving, but agati—we do not know what is the destination of the movement in this age. The trees are not moving, but we are moving. But that movement has not very much improved our condition. Real movement means to go forward to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Svārtha-gatim. This gatim again. As it is said gatim, the same word is used in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, svārtha-gatim.
He was so learned scholar, logician. So the elderly scholars of Navadvīpa, they designed that "This Nimāi Paṇḍita should be forwarded first to talk with Keśava Kāśmīrī because He is a boy. But He is a very nice boy. He is a very learned boy. If He becomes victorious, then our Navadvīpa will be glorified, that 'Keśava Kāśmīrī was defeated by a sixteen-years-old boy in Navadvīpa.' And if Nimāi Paṇḍita is defeated, then we shall go forward. We shall say, 'Oh, you have defeated a boy. Let us..., come to us.' So we get second chance." So that was the plan, Bengali plan, second chance: first chance, second chance. So it was arranged like that, that Lord Caitanya, Nimāi Paṇḍita, would talk, would discuss with Keśava Kāśmīrī.
Festival Lectures
That is in your front, you can see every day, every night, how many lokas and planets are there. But you cannot go there. You are simply trying to go to the nearest planet. That is also failure. So what is your scientific improvement? But there is possibility. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān. You can go. The material scientists' calculation is that if one goes forward for forty thousands of years in the light speed, light-year speed, then one can approach the topmost planet of this material world. So at least in the modern scientific calculation, it is impossible.
General Lectures
So I was thinking, "What is this?" So I had very, days of very tribulations, but it was all meant for good. So don't be afraid of tribulations. You see? Go forward. Kṛṣṇa will give you protection. That is Kṛṣṇa's promise in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "Kaunteya, My dear son of Kunti, Arjuna, you can declare throughout the whole world that My devotees will never be vanquished.
Self-realization does not mean that for a few minutes I think that "I am not this body. I am something extra." But what is that extra? That should be clearly understood, that "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. "I am Brahman." Then? Is that finish? Simply by understanding that I am Brahman? No. That is not finish. You have many other steps to go forward.
So simply by Brahman realization, you cannot stay on the platform of understanding that "I am not this body." You'll fall down again. You'll fall down again and accept this body, "Yes, I am this body." Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). After much meditation or hard work, you realize that you are Brahman. But if you do not go further—Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān—then you'll fall down again.
It is not different. Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. The Absolute Truth is one, but He is realized by different persons differently. Just like there is a big hill. So from very distant place you see that hill just like something like cloud. But if you go forward, then you see something green. And if you go actually to the hill, you see there are so many trees, so many houses, so many living entities. The object is the same, but realization from different angle of vision is different. That is the description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Absolute Truth is called tattva. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). When I see the hill as a cloud, it is the same hill.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being conducted or was started by single-handed, myself. If all the Indian sages and saintly person, they take Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and preach all over the world, there is great, great demand for it. Unfortunately, so many persons go there. One big swami, he said that "Kṛṣṇa means black, and black means unknown." Of course, nobody cares for his speech. Kṛṣṇa is going on, forward. Everyone is accepting Kṛṣṇa. But this is the most unfortunate thing, that our men go there to deprecate Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should very carefully try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is presented by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). This should be preached, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme, ultimate.
Still, they like this kind of life. But one who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are no more interested, no more interested. They are interested back home, back to Godhead. Back to Godhead. Therefore our magazine is Back to Godhead. They are no more interested in front. They are going back to... (laughter) Therefore this name was given, Back to Godhead. They are trying: "No more we are so foolish. To go forward, material civilization..." And where you'll go? You are packed up within this universal atmosphere. Just like they are running for the moon planet, for the Mars planet. And where the rascals running, they'll come back.
Long, long ago, when Rabindranath Tagore came here, so when he saw that people are running, so he wrote one poetry, "Where these people are running? This country is very small, all around seas, so where they will go, running? They'll fall down." So our running has no meaning. It is dog's running. But people are still busy, trying to go here, there. But we are conditioned souls, baddha-jīva, bound up by the laws of nature. We cannot surpass, but still, we are thinking we are advancing, we are going forward. So we can go forward, up to the limit of this universe, Brahmaloka, but ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16)—again you have to come back. You are not free. Those who are free, liberated, so they go beyond this universe.
There is a verse in this connection. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). When there is difficulty a devotee thinks, "It is a good fortune that Kṛṣṇa has given us some difficulty to counteract my previous bad action." So in this way, if we live, then mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk. If one is not opposed by all these difficulties and with determination he goes forward, then for him going back home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. Dāya-bhāk. Dāya-bhāk means it is hereditary or herent. Eh? What is called?
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Yes, but spirit is, according to our philosophy, the spirit is realized in three phases, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The supreme spirit is realized in three phases. An example is given, just like you see from a distant place the mountain, you see just like a hazy cloud. You go forward, you will see something, substance, green, and if you enter it you'll see so many trees, so many animals. So you are seeing the same object but according to your understanding, somebody is saying, "Oh, it is a cloud." Somebody is saying, "It is some green (indistinct)," and somebody is saying, "No, it is very nice place."
Prabhupāda: Whimsically. Whimsically. Whatever you do, you do it whimsically. Does he mean to say like that?
Śyāmasundara: No. Whatever you do, you do courageously.
Prabhupāda: Courageously... Just like the example I gave, the insect goes very courageously into the fire. Is that a very nice decision, to go forward courageously into the fire? He'll go courageously.
Śyāmasundara: He has another definition of this bad faith, that bad faith means treating oneself as an object instead of a person; that I feel myself like a thing, or an object, instead of a person. This a bad faith.
Prabhupāda: Bad faith means?
Prabhupāda: And you crush this brick, it becomes mortar. And mix with lime and water. Then it becomes cementing plaster, and put the bricks after bricks with that cement and it becomes house. So ultimately earth, water, and fire. Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayam, exchange of earth, water, and fire.
Śyāmasundara: And he says that nothing remains at rest, that everything is in perpetual transition.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is accepted. That is called jagat. Gacchati. Everything is going on, forward. That is called jagat.
Śyāmasundara: Even the activities of the spiritual world are like that?
Prabhupāda: No. Spiritual world is different. We are speaking of material world. In spiritual world the activity is eternal. In material world activity is not eternal.
Purports to Songs
So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this point. When He was talking with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, Rāmānanda Rāya suggested various methods of self-realization. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not reject them. He said, "Yes, it is also nice, but you go farther above. Go forward still." So in this way, when Rāmānanda Rāya quoted this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, He said... No, in the beginning He had, eho bāhya, āge kaha: "This process is not very important; it is external. If you know better than this, say." So in this way, after many rejections, when Rāmānanda Rāya came to this version, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not say that it is useless.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śyāmasundara: We are so foolish that we are always thinking, "In the future I'll be happy."
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is māyā, illusion. That is an ass. You sit down on the back of the ass and just take a morsel of grass. He'll go. The ass is thinking, "Let me go forward little, and I shall get the ass, er, grass." But it is... One feet distant it always remains. That is ass-ism. (laughter) That is not... Everyone is thinking, "Let me go a little forward, and I'll get it. (break) ...get it, be very happy." (break)
Bob: I thank you so much for...
Prabhupāda: Hmm? (break) Don't talk l-e-a-v-e. But talk l-i-v-e.
Bob: I, I, I cannot yet, but I was thinking now of returning tomorrow to my town. But...
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: We are teaching people this intelligence. That's all. We don't decry that your studying of the laws of nature is useless. We don't say that. We say: "Not so much. This is imperfect. Go forward still." And that is perfection. You are a science student. By your scientific knowledge, you prove that behind these laws, there is Kṛṣṇa. Then your scientific knowledge is perfect. Either from the chemical department or physical department or electrical department. Any department. It doesn't matter. Through that department you go to the ultimate center. Just like here is center. And there are so many spokes. So many spokes.
Prabhupāda: ...also know how to keep pace with the big, big waves. They know how to do it. They're not afraid of big waves.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They know that the wave is coming. They run because they know that the wave is coming.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And they know how to go forward and come back. Who has taught them this discipline? Kṛṣṇa is there, within. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭho mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is dictating: "Now you go forward. Now you come back. Here is your food." He's giving intelligence. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭho mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He's giving direction in every living entity, but when a human being, He gives direction, if he surrenders, that: "Go this way. You'll come to Me."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa jantor deha upapattaye. A living entity is getting body by, as a result of his karma. And supervised by higher authority. Now when we speak of karma, or result of karma, there must be somebody who will judge. Just like one has stolen something, and the magistrate is judging the karma, the criminal activity, and he's putting him either in the prison house or getting him released. "No, he's not culprit." So as soon as we speak of karma, there must be somebody else to judge. And that judgement is said: daiva netreṇa. Daiva means divine supervision. So what is that divine supervision? Next question immediately comes. As soon as you accept karma, and the resultant action, and it is supervised by the divine authority, then next question will be: what is that divine authority? In this way, we have to go forward. So that sort of education is nowhere in the world.
Prajāpati: Actually they are so demoniac, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they are advocating so many birth control, and so many things, and they say this...
Prabhupāda: Simply rascaldom. Simply. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram (SB 7.5.30). They are going to the darkest region. Because they are killing, they will have to suffer. That they do not know. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The blind man going forward will fall into the ditch. So this is their rascaldom.
Bali Mardan: Can a person who eats meat obtain a human birth? Or he must be put back into animal species, meat-eaters?
Prabhupāda: No, he'll become animal, and he'll be killed.
Bali Mardana: So that means practically all the population.
Prabhupāda: I am thinking by going a few steps, mirage, I will get the water. But there is no water at all. It is simply illusion. And as soon as you go a few steps forward, you see that the water has gone away, again, few steps forward. You go again. Again you see. This is going on. So animal, they go forward after the mirage. But a sensible man, he knows that "This is not water. It appears like water, but it is not water." Therefore we are making revolution, changing one authority from another, but we do not know they are not authorities.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Hṛdayānanda: Delhi.
Prabhupāda: So if you simply push on our literature, then our movement is going, you must know. It is really going forward. And there will be no scarcity. You'll get everything. (break) Our neighbors they inquire, is it not? That, "You are living so happily, where do you get money?"
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: The storekeepers, they inquire. They're envious, that "How these people enjoying life without earning, without working hard?" Now whole Bombay is surprised when you purchased this land.
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Dr. Patel: That is the law. I give this warning.
Prabhupāda: That is the law of breaking temple. And when we want, that is the law, "No sanction." (Hindi) This is our position. If we go forward, then we are culprit. And if we remain backward, then we are culprit. Both ways. (Hindi)
Dr. Patel: Now, camp of the sin of these people is now filling up, and Kalki-avatāra must come out. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...gentlemen. Otherwise, how they could reign for eight hundred years? At that time Hindus were very strong. They were rigid. And there were many native princes. Still, they ruled over India for eight hundred years. As soon as the Aurangzeb showed his bigotry, it was failed. Muslim... As they're advertised, Muslims are not like that.
Prabhupāda: This is another instruction. That I explained, that before accepting a so-called incarnation of God, one should ask him to show that "How you are God?" But they do not ask him. A group of persons... Because he is accepted by a group of persons, not by all... There are so many avatāras. But who knows them?
Dr. Patel: Shall I read?
Prabhupāda: Let us understand it. Don't be anxious to go forward. This is the..., that... Suppose a man declares himself that "I am avatāra." So intelligent man should test him, how he is avatāra. We accept Kṛṣṇa or Lord Rāmacandra for their uncommon activities. But what is the uncommon activities, so many avatāras? Simply being praised by a group of persons. That's all. Yes.
Pañcadraviḍa: So where will we get kṣatriyas and...?
Prabhupāda: That is in the śāstra. Anyone can learn it. Just like if you want to be doctor, so you must have this qualification. Similarly, these things are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṣatriya means if there is fight, he must go forward first of all, risking his life. That is kṣatriya.
Pañcadraviḍa: So we have men who could teach this? Do we have men...?
Guru-gaurāṅga: (French)
Robert Gouiran: Yes, yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: So on the wrong platform you may go, go forward more and more, but it will be dismantled because it is wrong.
Yogeśvara: What is the... Is there a... What is the nuclear physicist's idea about the origins of creation?
Robert Gouiran: Well, nuclear physics...
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So if you can get enlightenment of the sun, we should not restrict ourselves that we have to study with this jurisdiction of my university, or my country, or my society. If the knowledge is there, we should be prepared to go forward. Mm.
Lady: If we believe in God as the Supreme Being... I have a question. Why do we wish to God, to Kṛṣṇa movement in chanting worldly name because the name of God is something which is eternal. If Kṛṣ...
Prabhupāda: Hold on, then, what is the name of God?
Devotee: 1945.
Prabhupāda: Forty-five. (To passerby:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. So how many years they have...
Devotees: Thirty years.
Prabhupāda: Thirty years. Uselessly. Wasting money and time... (break) ...that this movement is very good. He goes step forward, simply by saying this, that "These people are doing very nice." Ajñāta sukṛti. Kṛta-puṇya-puñja.
Prabhupāda: So the division is already there. If you come to attack me with a knife, I don't push my head. I push my hand. So when there is attack, the brāhmaṇas are not expected to go forward; the kṣatriyas. So this is training. Everything is perfectly there. People are not accepting. You don't require conference. You simply accept the standard knowledge. Then everything is there. I am speaking to you because you are leader of the society. So if we take Bhagavad-gītā seriously and train people from all over the world —not that Bhagavad-gītā is meant for the Hindu or for the Indians—for everyone, then there will be all right. Otherwise difficult...
Prabhupāda: By evolutionary process we come to the human form of life, and here we have got developed consciousness. We can decide now which way to go forward. There are different planetary system. That we can experience. We can see innumerable planets, upwards and downwards. So the upper planetary system is called Svargaloka, or the heavenly planets, and the middle planetary system is called Martyaloka or Bhurloka, in which we are staying at the present moment, and the down planetary system is called Pātālaloka or downwards.
Brahmānanda: Scientists will say that "We cannot find this jīva particle in our atom-smasher machines."
Prabhupāda: But you are blind. Therefore you have to hear. A blind man is going forward towards the sea, so one who has got eyes, he'll say, "Don't go there." Then, if you go, go to the sea, you'll die. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Because you are blind, therefore I am giving you the information. You take it. You don't go there. You'll not find.
Prabhupāda: So, then Kṛṣṇa is speaking, otherwise how he heard? Hm? This nonsense is going on. Everywhere, it is very difficult position. So many rascals. And we have to push on our movement through so many obstacles, but still we are going on, that is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Otherwise we are simply meeting with obstacles. What can be done? We have to go, forward. I, I met in... same idea! Impersonalism, bogus thought and no clear idea.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Ātreya Ṛṣi: So we pay a little attention to Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa gives us a lot of attention.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: That is mercy.
Prabhupāda: If you give.... If you go forward, Kṛṣṇa, one step, He comes forward ten steps.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: He runs.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is His mercy.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Then, in Boston, I stayed on the sea, on the only, but I saw the Boston city. Then I was brought to New York. So I had one friend in Butler, Pennsylvania. Hm. After my arrival, I was received by some representative of my host. So he took me to Butler, and there I stayed for twenty days. Then I came to New York. (break) One (indistinct), one Dr. Miśra, so that is the beginning of my life in New York. Then struggling, then gradually, when these boys came to me, I got some relief. And in this way, we are propagating, opening branches, and the movement is going forward.
Reporter: Are there many decisions that people asked you to make, about whether the movement should do this, or should do that, or do they bother you of that now, or are you just busy writing and translating?
Prabhupāda: No, we do not accept any—what is called?—defective suggestion. We do not accept. We have got our program. This program is coming directly from Kṛṣṇa. The Bhagavad-gītā is there.
Prabhupāda: Pavitram idam uttamam.
Jayādvaita: Pavitram idam uttamaṁ pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam.
Prabhupāda: Uttamam. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. You can directly understand whether you are going forward. These boys, they are educated, they are coming from rich family—at least, in rich nation. They are not fools and rascals. Unless they feel pratyakṣa avagamam, how they can stick? Just like you are hungry, you are eating. Unless you feel that you are eating, "Yes, I am getting strength, satisfying my appetite," then you can go on eating.
Prabhupāda: If you are actually eating, the result you will feel. That is pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyam. Other process, you do not know whether you are actually making progress or not. You are simply going to the ritualistic ceremonies, but whether you are actually going forward, that you cannot understand. But you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will understand directly, "Yes, I'm making progress. What I was and what I am now?" Everyone will tell their life history. Pratyakṣam means directly. Pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyam. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). These things are there. Asaṁśayam. There will be no doubt.
Prabhupāda: That you have to increase. Simply the preliminary faith, that is very good, but unless that faith is increased more and more, then there is no progress.
Parivrājakācārya: There is danger of losing that faith.
Prabhupāda: Yes, if you do not try to make progress and go forward progressively, then there is danger whatever little faith you have got, that will diminish.
Hari-śauri: Your understanding of God tends to remain somewhat theoretical until one actually does something practical. Then it actually manifests as something solid, as a reality.
Prabhupāda: So this material world is... Temporary we can know it is. But it is useless, that we do not know. Therefore we struggle. "Let me go, let me fight, fight, fight, fight." That is māyā. (Hindi) You know that? A man is sitting on the ass. And his hand just on the front of the gādhā, ass, he's putting some grass. And the gādhā is thinking, "I will eat this grass," he's going forward. But the grass is also going forward. This is very instructive. The grass is, say one feet above his head. And the man is sitting on his back. But because this gādhā does not know that "Actually this man is sitting on my... As soon as I go forward, the grass also goes forward." But because he's ass, he does not know. He thinks that "If I go a little forward I'll get the grass." But he has no knowledge that the arrangement is so made that as you go forward the grass also goes forward. Another example is that meerage, myrage? There is no water.
Harikeśa: Mirage.
Prabhupāda: Mirage. There is no water. It appears there is water, and the animal goes forward and it goes forward, it goes forward. So this material world is like that. Ask anybody, any so-called successful. Unless he's an ass, nobody will say that this is very comfortable. So best thing is to become niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhāgavata-bhajana... This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction. Bhāgavata-bhajana means niṣkiñcana. You make nothing this material world. That is real Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And so long I'll make this material world something, then I'll suffer. Best thing is make it... Just like Draupadī.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Bank of America will give.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (break)
Prabhupāda: (referring to Kumbhamela?) When I was in midst of the crowd, the crowd was so big that I was afraid: "If there is any rush, this child will be finished." Because if there is little rush, you cannot go back; you cannot go forward.
Hari-śauri: Yes, if you go in a crowd.
Prabhupāda: It is very dangerous. And if there is some force, you become suffocated. So still, people were going slowly. By grace of Kṛṣṇa nothing happened. But same thing happened later years when Jawaharlal Nehru was present. So many people crashed and fallen in the river Yamunā and died.
Hari-śauri: Drowned in the river.
Prabhupāda: So it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. "You can do all kinds of opposition, but we shall go forward. The caravan will pass. You may bark." So take all these things as Kṛṣṇa's mercies and engage more enthusiastically. Why should we be defeated? Yuddhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). Just remember Kṛṣṇa and fight. Bas. Fighting is... This material world is fighting. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). The karṣati is struggle, but struggle for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. That's all
Rāmeśvara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Stick to our principle, and see our GBC is very alert. Then everything will go on, even I am not present. Do that. That is my request. Whatever little I have taught you, follow that, and nobody will be aggrieved. No māyā will touch you. Now Kṛṣṇa has given us, and there will be no scarcity of money. You print book and sell. So everything is there. We have got good shelter all over the world. We have got income. You stick to our principles, follow the... Even if I die suddenly, you'll be able to manage. That's all. That I want. Manage nicely and let the movement go forward. Now arrange. Don't go backward. Be careful. Āpani ācari prabhu jīveri śikṣāya. Some eau de cologne smell? Eau de cologne?
Prabhupāda: Hm? Stryadhīśa. So after getting that shelter, I began to grow. Everything was very precarious condition-vagabond. I was selling some books. I thought that "This boy will be trained up" when I got that place. He invited me to "Come to my loft." It was very big loft. I was holding class, collecting ten dollars. Then he was not paying rent. He gave me the charge of paying rent. So Kṛṣṇa was giving by collecting. It was on the top. Still, people were coming. Great story. Never mind. Now we... From my part, whatever is possible. Now you take care. That is my request. Don't spoil it. Now it is up to you. My, this ailment... I can pass away at any moment. My health is not good. I am old man. It is not surprising. Now you GBC, young boys, all, American, expert, you have got all intelligence, resources, so don't spoil. Let the movements go forward more and more. Now you have got nice places, filled with devotees. Don't be anxious for me. That, Kṛṣṇa will take. And even if I go, where is the harm? Old man. I have given my ideas and direction in my books. People appreciate. I think from my side I have done everything. Is it not? Do you think or not?
Prabhupāda: But he agree or... Who cares for his agreement?
German man: With chanting and...
Prabhupāda: We don't care for anyone agrees or not. We push on. That's all. Do you think in India they agree Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person? Then? We don't care for them. We have to go forward. That is our business. If Kṛṣṇa agrees, that is all right. We don't care for anyone else, agrees or not agrees. If our master agrees—we are servant—that is our satis... We don't care for ordinary...
Indian man (3): Unfortunately, that this training ground all over the world, excluding India, the birthplace of... There the movement should be increased. In present you have got temples in here...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Eighty-one years, five months, and twenty-eight days.
Prabhupāda: That is the..., according to calculation of my horoscope. Eighty-one years will be completed, and eighty-second year will begin. It doesn't matter I leave this body. Even in death I'll live. One year before or one year after... Now as far as possible, I have trained you. Try to follow the principles. And go ahead. Don't be set back by māyā's tricks. Go ahead, forward, at any cost. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said... So many obstacles are coming. Māyā is strong. And still, we are going forward. That's all right.
Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Correspondence
1966 Correspondence
Regarding the Jhansi incidence referred to by your Guru maharaj I may inform you that the donor of the house did not like to hand over the estate to any individual person. I therefore registered a society (The League of Devotees) and I invited your Guru maharaj to join it as the head man. But he, as he was with the then Kunjada desired to have the property in the joint name of him and Kunjada. So I became silent and I left the whole scheme. Let us now forget all these past incidences and go forward with present responsibility.
1967 Correspondence
Yet he tried to agitate the mind of Krishna, but Arjuna he almost killed. Actually, Krishna thought it that Bhismadeva was to see Him in His angry mood and supposed to be broken in His promise, to fulfill the desire of Bhismadeva. He got down from the chariot and took a wheel of the chariot, going forward as if to kill Bhismadeva. Bhismadeva, as soon as found Krishna in that angry mood, he gave up his fighting weapons and prepared himself for being killed by Krishna. This attitude of Krishna pleased Bhismadeva very much, and at the time of his death he recalled back the angry feature of Krishna. He was a military man so he was pleased to see Krishna in military spirit, as much as the Gopis wanted to see Krishna as the most beautiful lover.
1969 Correspondence
So I am coming very soon to New York by the end of the first week of April, and we shall chalk out our program. In the meantime try to recoup your health, depending on Krishna, because after all, He is the ultimate Master of all situations. It is not the doctor, or the medicine, or the place, but it is ultimately Krishna Who is the Master to do every thing. With this viewpoint we shall go forward. It will also be better if Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi are within the staff of BTG activities, but to adjust these things, we require Krishna's help.
1970 Correspondence
Regarding Swami Tirtha, this is just a rumor because in the past there where such symptoms. Now you should forget about the past, and go forward straight for preaching this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Before preaching of your Spiritual Master as God, you never consulted me whether it was right. This means you were inspired by some external influence. Subala said that it was a mystic influence. Why that was wasn't cleared up until now. That mystic influence was widely spread which I clearly saw in Honolulu, Tokyo or in other words, wherever Brahmananda went. Now we have to forget the past incidences and shall have to go forward with clear consciousness.
So these books will supply clear idea of God, not only that but anyone who will read this KRSNA book in two parts, Nectar of Devotion, and if possible Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I'm sure he cannot go away from becoming a devotee of Krishna. So try to push our books, especially Bhagavad-gita As It Is, TLC, KRSNA, NOD, backed by a regular supply of our magazines and regular performance of sankirtana. Then I'm sure Krishna Consciousness Movement will go forward without any hindrance. You have a strong governing body, all determined to push forward this movement and I'm sure of success in the future.
1971 Correspondence
It is so much encouraging that you have got a very nice temple and that already there are six students living there and following the regulative principles. Anyone who you recommend, I shall immediately initiate him. So take advantage and enchant those who are coming by your chanting of Hare Krishna Mantra. You will be victorious. And try to introduce our books there and it will be a great missionary success. One Krishna book sold means we go forward one step in our Krishna Consciousness. We should always remember this. Now the second part of KRSNA book is available, so take them from Karandhara.
I don't know what kind of photos you used, but they are looking especially nice. All of you are such fine looking Vaisnavas. So be blessed and go forward in Krishna Consciousness. You are looking so nice. And your altar is looking very nice also. Thank you very much.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. It is good news that Ocean City temple, started by Baltimore and Washington centers as a summer project, has succeeded and even one devotee has come from there also. And BTG distribution is solving all financial difficulties there in Washington. So go on selling them vigorously. Sankirtana and BTG distribution are our backbone for preaching and all other things are secondary. If you can distribute one BTG you go forward one step for our preaching advancement, what to speak of distributing our books also. So do it enthusiastically and Krishna will bless you more and more.
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 6, 1971, and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. I am especially pleased that your Gurukula project is going forward nicely. I consider that this is one of our most important projects, because people in general are only suffering due to poor fund of knowledge. So if we have facility to give them the right knowledge of how to make an end to suffering condition of life, then we shall be performing the highest type of welfare work.
1972 Correspondence
I am very much encouraged by the results of your re-organizing of temples, so go forward in this way, never mind we may sometimes have to concentrate in order to make further progress. I have heard from Srimati dasi that she has purchased your deities in Jaipur and they are being shipped to you from Bombay. Now I want the worship of Sri Sri Radha Krishna to be very seriously undertaken by you, and try to see they are always satisfied in every way.
I am pleased you are selling many Krishna Books daily. All our men should go with books. There is sufficient engagement. If Indira devi has approved Rs. 4700/- for that job, that's all right, pay it. One thing: Don't rent tarpaulin, that is money lost. Better to purchase and get for cheaper price. What is the Rs. 7,500/- paid to Mr. Nair. On what account that is paid? So far the building plans, they are nice. I have already sent telegram to Cyavana reading as follows "Fully approve your plans. Go forward immediately," and I have sent you the copy of plan with sketch of domes on the temple roof. So do the needful.
Somehow or other __ has to render some service, so if you can collect money from ___ that means practically they are becoming our disciples. So do not become spiritual depressed, actually these things are going forward very progressively there in India and I am very much thankful to you all my sincere disciples, especially the elder disciples and Sannyasis like your good self, for assisting me in this great mission of reviving the original Krishna Consciousness atmosphere in India. Do not worry, in time we shall be completely successful.
I have several items told you to pay the printer, Mr. D. L. Patel, whatever Harjibhai Patel approves. Why you do not settle this business and go forward? Whatever Mr. Harajibhai Patel considers should be fair price for the printing work, that much we will pay immediately and be finished with the business.
Sometimes I go to the bank, sometimes keep accounts, sometimes preach, hold the class, write books, sometimes cook—sannyasi should be expert in all departments, and he should distribute his experience to others, that's all. So I think you are the right man for assisting me in this way in European continent, and Krishna has brought you to the right place, so with great enthusiasm go forward. Thank you very much.
1973 Correspondence
That they have gone away is not good thing and it is a deviation from our line of parampara. Rather, avoiding faultfinding and anarchy, they should keep our standards and work maturely and not cause factions and splitting. I am not at all pleased at what they have done, but if they return let us forget what has happened and go forward. As Sannyasins they may preach and you may manage affairs. That will be very nice. We have got so much vital spiritual knowledge to distribute to the public and they are in desperate need of it. The whole world is going to hell and everyone is suffering.
1976 Correspondence
I am happy to hear of our great victory at the Chicago airport. Do not mind the dogs barking to get us out of the temple in Chicago. Stay in the temple and prolong as far as possible. In Bombay they tried to evict us in so many ways, but Krsna allowed us to stay and now we are going forward.
Regarding your library work, yes you simply have to try your best. We simply have to work sincerely. Success or no success, that is up to Krsna. Duhkhesv anudvigna-manah/sukhesu vigata-sprhah/Gita 2.56.
| Page Title: | Go forward |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, JayaNitaiGaura |
| Created: | 09 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=10, CC=1, OB=2, Lec=48, Con=30, Let=16 |
| No. of Quotes: | 107 |