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Go to sleep

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.10.21, Purport:

There are two types of dissolution of the manifested cosmos. At the end of every 4,320,000,000 solar years, when Brahmā, the lord of one particular universe, goes to sleep, there is one annihilation. And at the end of Lord Brahmā's life, which takes place at the end of Brahmā's one hundred years of age, in our calculation at the end of 8,640,000,000 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years, there is complete annihilation of the entire universe, and in both the periods both the material energy called the mahat-tattva and the marginal energy called jīva-tattva merge in the person of the Supreme Lord. The living beings remain asleep within the body of the Lord until there is another creation of the material world, and that is the way of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material manifestation.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.1.15, Purport:

The bodily relations extend not only to this body but also to the family members, wife, children, society, country and so many other things which end at the end of life. After death one forgets everything about the present bodily relations; we have a little experience of this at night when we go to sleep. While sleeping, we forget everything about this body and bodily relations, although this forgetfulness is a temporary situation for only a few hours. Death is nothing but sleeping for a few months in order to develop another term of bodily encagement, which we are awarded by the law of nature according to our aspiration. Therefore, one has only to change the aspiration during the course of this present body, and for this there is need of training in the current duration of human life. This training can be begun at any stage of life, or even a few seconds before death, but the usual procedure is for one to get the training from very early life, from the stage of brahmacarya, and gradually progress to the gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa orders of life. The institution which gives such training is called varṇāśrama-dharma, or the system of sanātana-dharma, the best procedure for making the human life perfect.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.8.15, Purport:

This lotus flower is the universal virāṭ form, or the gigantic form of the Lord in the material world. It becomes amalgamated in the Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu, in His abdomen, at the time of dissolution, and it becomes manifest at the time of creation. This is due to Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who enters into each of the universes. In this form is the sum total of all the fruitive activities of the living entities conditioned by material nature, and the first of them, namely Brahmā, or the controller of the universe, is generated from this lotus flower. This first-born living being, unlike all the others, has no material father, and thus he is called self-born, or svayambhū. He goes to sleep with Nārāyaṇa at the time of devastation, and when there is another creation, he is born in this way. From this description we have the conception of three—the gross virāṭ form, the subtle Hiraṇyagarbha and the material creative force, Brahmā.

SB 3.11.22, Translation:

Outside of the three planetary systems (Svarga, Martya and Pātāla), the four yugas multiplied by one thousand comprise one day on the planet of Brahmā. A similar period comprises a night of Brahmā, in which the creator of the universe goes to sleep.

SB 3.11.22, Purport:

When Brahmā goes to sleep in his nighttime, the three planetary systems below Brahmaloka are all submerged in the water of devastation. In his sleeping condition, Brahmā dreams about the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and takes instruction from the Lord for the rehabilitation of the devastated area of space.

SB 3.29.44, Purport:

Demigods are undoubtedly controlling all matter, animate and inanimate, within the universe, but above them the supreme controller is the Personality of Godhead. Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Undoubtedly there are many controllers in the departmental management of this universe, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.

There are two kinds of dissolutions. One kind of dissolution takes place when Brahmā goes to sleep during his night, and the final dissolution takes place when Brahmā dies. As long as Brahmā does not die, creation, maintenance and destruction are actuated by different demigods under the superintendence of the Supreme Lord.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.7.42, Purport:

The devastation indicated in this verse is the partial devastation of the lower planets within the universe when Lord Brahmā goes to sleep. The higher planetary systems, beginning with Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, are not inundated at the time of this devastation. The Lord is the creator, as indicated in this verse, because the energies of creation are manifested through His body, and after annihilation, He conserves all the energy within His abdomen.

Another significant point in this verse is that the demigods said, "We are all Your servants (bhṛtyān). Give us Your protection." The demigods depend on the protection of Viṣṇu; they are not independent. Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, condemns the worship of demigods because there is no need of it and clearly states that only those who have lost their sense go asking favors of the demigods. Generally, if anyone has material desires to be fulfilled, he can ask Viṣṇu instead of going to the demigods. Those who worship demigods are not very intelligent. Besides that, the demigods say, "We are Your eternal servants." So those who are servants, or devotees of the Lord, are not very much concerned with fruitive activities, the performance of the prescribed yajñas, or mental speculation.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.5.1, Purport:

A man travels to earn his livelihood, leaving home early in the morning, catching a local train and being packed in a compartment. He has to stand for an hour or two in order to reach his place of business. Then again he takes a bus to get to the office. At the office he works hard from nine to five; then he takes two or three hours to return home. After eating, he has sex and goes to sleep. For all this hardship, his only happiness is a little sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Ṛṣabhadeva clearly states that human life is not meant for this kind of existence, which is enjoyed even by dogs and hogs. Indeed, dogs and hogs do not have to work so hard for sex. A human being should try to live in a different way and should not try to imitate dogs and hogs. The alternative is mentioned. Human life is meant for tapasya, austerity and penance. By tapasya, one can get out of the material clutches. When one is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service, his happiness is guaranteed eternally. By taking to bhakti-yoga, devotional service, one's existence is purified.

SB 5.11.17, Purport:

Gradually the mind should be trained to obey the orders of the soul. It is not that one should obey the orders of the mind. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that to control the mind one should beat it with shoes many times just after awakening and again before going to sleep. In this way one can control the mind. This is the instruction of all the śāstras. If one does not do so, one is doomed to follow the dictations of the mind. Another bona fide process is to abide strictly by the orders of the spiritual master and engage in the Lord's service. Then the mind will be automatically controlled. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

When one receives the seed of devotional service by the mercy of the guru and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one's real life begins. If one abides by the orders of the spiritual master, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa he is freed from service to the mind.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.18.60, Translation:

Having grown weak and thin because of strictly following the principles of the vow, Diti once unfortunately neglected to wash her mouth, hands and feet after eating and went to sleep during the evening twilight.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.1.9, Purport:

This material world is created, it stays for some time, and then it is annihilated. Throughout these changes, however, the Supreme Being remains awake. In the material condition of all living entities, there are three stages of dreaming. When the material world is awake and put in working order, this is a kind of dream, a waking dream. When the living entities go to sleep, they dream again. And when unconscious at the time of annihilation, when this material world is unmanifested, they enter another stage of dreaming. At any stage in the material world, therefore, they are all dreaming. In the spiritual world, however, everything is awake.

SB 8.24.37, Purport:

This particular devastation actually took place not during the night of Lord Brahmā but during his day, for it was during the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu. Brahmā's night takes place when Brahmā goes to sleep, but in the daytime there are fourteen Manus, one of whom is Cākṣuṣa Manu. Therefore, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments that although it was daytime for Lord Brahmā, Brahmā felt sleepy for a short time by the supreme will of the Lord. This short period is regarded as Lord Brahmā's night. This has been elaborately discussed by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta. The following is a summary of his analysis. Because Agastya Muni cursed Svāyambhuva Manu, during the time of Svāyambhuva Manu a devastation took place. This devastation is mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa. During the time of Cākṣuṣa Manu, by the supreme will of the Lord, there was suddenly another pralaya, or devastation.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.15.46, Translation:

After dining sumptuously on the delicious food given Them by Their mothers and being pampered in various ways, the two brothers lay down upon Their excellent beds and happily went to sleep in the village of Vraja.

SB 11.8.25-26, Translation:

As the prostitute Piṅgalā stood in the doorway, many men came and went, walking by her house. Her only means of sustenance was prostitution, and therefore she anxiously thought, "Maybe this one who is coming now is very rich...Oh, he is not stopping, but I am sure someone else will come. Surely this man who is coming now will want to pay me for my love, and he will probably give lots of money." Thus, with vain hope, she remained leaning against the doorway, unable to finish her business and go to sleep. Out of anxiety she would sometimes walk out toward the street, and sometimes she went back into her house. In this way, the midnight hour gradually arrived.

SB 11.8.44, Translation:

Material desire is undoubtedly the cause of the greatest unhappiness, and freedom from such desire is the cause of the greatest happiness. Therefore, completely cutting off her desire to enjoy so-called lovers, Piṅgalā very happily went to sleep.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 5.22, Purport:

Throughout his life, the gross materialist who is constantly after sense gratification spends all day earning his livelihood to maintain his family, and at night he wastes his energy in sex enjoyment or else goes to sleep thinking about all he has done in the daytime. That is the monotonous life of the materialist. Although differently graded as businessmen, lawyers, politicians, professors, judges, coolies, pickpockets, laborers and so on, materialists all simply engage in eating, sleeping, fearing and sense gratification and thus spoil their valuable lives pursuing luxury and neglecting to perfect their lives through spiritual realization.

Yogīs, however, try to perfect their lives, and therefore the Bhagavad-gītā enjoins that everyone should become a yogī. Yoga is the system for linking the soul in the service of the Lord. Only under superior guidance can one practice such yoga in his life without changing his social position.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 12.151, Translation:

Seeing that Jagadānanda Paṇḍita was indeed eating, Govinda informed the Lord, who then became peaceful and went to sleep.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 30:

It may be questioned why devotees of Kṛṣṇa should be attacked by dizziness, which is usually considered a sign of the mode of ignorance. To answer this question, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has said that the devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are always transcendental to all the modes of material nature; when they feel dizziness or go to sleep, they are not considered to be sleeping under the modes of nature, but are accepted as being in a trance of devotional service. There is an authoritative statement in the Garuḍa Purāṇa about mystic yogīs who are under the direct shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: "In all three stages of their consciousness—namely wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep—the devotees are absorbed in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, in their complete absorption in thought of Kṛṣṇa, they do not sleep."

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

And simply when I feel asleep, I go to bed. Otherwise, always, I don't feel fatigued. You can ask Mr. Paul whether I am not doing this. So I take, I take pleasure in doing that. I don't feel fatigued. Similarly, when one will have that spiritual sense, he won't feel... Rather, he will, he will feel disgusted to go to sleep, to go to sleep, "Oh, sleep has come just to disturb." See? He wants to lessen the time of sleeping. Then... Now, as we pray, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. These six Gosvāmīs, they were deputed by Lord Caitanya to discuss this science. They have written immense literature about it. You see? So you'll be surprised that they were sleeping only for one and half hours daily, not more than that. That also, sometimes they forego. You see. Now, so much busy in spiritual activities, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau...

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

I had my children. I had my home. I had my father. I had my everything. But can you remember any of these things, what you were in your previous life? Either human, human-born life or either animal life, you cannot... Death means forgetful. We have forgotten everything. Actually, there is no death for the soul. Just like you are... At night, you go to sleep. So that is a sort of death. And again you get up in the morning. So death is something like that. Death is sleeping for seven months. That's all. Without any consciousness. For three, three months without any consciousness. Or, say, seven months. Death means forgetfulness. Just like at sleep, we forget everything, what I am, where I am sleeping, who I am, what is my identity, identification, everything forgotten. Then again, as soon as I rise up in the morning, I remember, "Oh, I am such and such officer. I am such and such father, such and such husband, and I have got to do such and such things."

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Ekākī yata-cittātmā. Ekākī. Ekākī means alone. Śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means very sanctified place. Samaṁ grīvam. This body and the, I mean to say, neck, and the śiraḥ, śiraḥ means this head—they should be in a straight line. And you cannot close your eyes fully. You have to half-close and see the top of your nose. In this way, you sit down always. Never go to sleep. I have seen in my childhood yogi in Calcutta, Kālīghāṭa. He was twenty-four hours sitting. When he was feeling uncomfortable, he had a wooden cot,(?) like that. But he was never sleeping. That is yoga practice. Who is going to do that? It is very difficult. Therefore Arjuna said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending this yoga practice, but it is impossible for me to do." Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, "Oh, it is not possible for me." And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible. Yes.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

The hog is whole time engaged how to maintain his body, how to have nice sexual intercourse, and how to eat anything he likes. You will find the hog life, practically. In our country, in India, in the villages the village hogs they are loitering whole day and night, "Where is stool? Where is stool?" So if human life is meant for that purpose, from early in the morning till one goes to sleep, simply find out where is money, "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" then where is the difference between this pig life and the human life? If human life is meant for that purpose, "Where is money? Where is money?"... Of course, for the human being the money is very sweet; similarly, to the hog the stool is very sweet. So it is the question of sweetness, not the matter. Taste. So he finds good taste in stool, and we find good taste in money.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

No. They would take care himself.

That was children's sport, to go to the forest, take the calves and cows and carry some tiffin. Eat there, dance there, play there, and again come in the evening. Then they will take bath and change their dress and take their meals and immediately go to sleep. This was the boy's, children's, engagement. So how they would grow healthy because they go outside and play and work and very happily, they enjoy the company. So there is no question of becoming contaminated. Yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī. Yāmuna-tīra, on the bank of the Yamunā... Just like we go to the seaside, the beach, similarly, there is bank of Yamunā, very nice river, and there are trees. So these boys, Kṛṣṇa and His friends, with their cows they will go and loiter on the bank of the Yamunā and sport and frivolities, everything, so nicely. So there was no question of education at that time. After the child is grown up, healthy, nice, then he goes to school.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

How it is sleep... Sometimes you may dream something very ferocious, and the dog may sleep without any agitation, sound sleep. Sometimes you have to take tranquilizer pill for sleeping. So impartially studying, your sleep is not as nice as dog's sleep. Is it not? The dogs sleep without any anxiety. And I go to sleep with so many anxieties that the sleeping is disturbing unless I take one pill. At least, in America we have seen. In your country, in Paris, you do not? You sleep without pill? Is it? That's a good credit. Anyway, every one of us, we sleep at night. And another, our, means, advantage is that at night we enjoy sex life. Sleep or sex life. Nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena. Vyavāyena means sex. Vyavāya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Therefore these things are strictly prohibited for public seeing. These things... Everyone knows that when there is man and woman or husband and wife there is..., but not to be publicly exhibited. According to Hindu system—we have seen it—the wives go to the husband at night and nobody could see. Everyone... When everyone has gone, all elderly people has gone to sleep, then the wife goes. And he (she) comes early in the morning so that nobody can see when she has come out from the husband. This was the system. And at daytime no wife was allowed to see the husband, especially young wife. So this sex affair, according to Vedic civilization, is strictly regulated. It is not that cat's and dog's sex life. Because if you allow the sex life like cats and dogs, then the society will be cats and dogs. So these things are to be taken lesson from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. All right.

Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) (break)

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

This is called moha. Actually there is no fact, but on account of being entangled in three stages of pollution... The pollution is that intelligence. The intelligence is polluted in three ways: jāgriti, svapna, and suṣupti. Jāgriti means just like we are now awakened; we are not sleeping. This is one stage. And another stage, at night when you go to sleep, and you sleep with dream, that is another stage. And another stage is suṣupti, so deeply, just like when a man is intoxicated or chloroform during surgical operation, he does not understand that "Surgical instruments are being applied on my body." He remains silent. This is another stage. So these three stages are there for polluting our intelligence.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

He went to the riverside. Oh, there was no boat, and it was, river was waving. The waves were very furious. And he thought that "How can I go to the other side?" He was daily going to the other side of the river. Then, anyway, he swimmed over, crossed over by swimming. Then the prostitute thought, "Oh, it is today raining, and he may not come." So he (she) blocked the door and went to sleep. And when he came to the house he saw, "Oh, the door is blocked," and it was raining still. "So how can I go?" So he crossed over the wall by catching one snake. Just see how much intensely he was attached. And he went to the prostitute, and she was astonished: "Well, Bilvamaṅgala"—his name was Bilvamaṅgala—"how do you dare to come here like this?" Oh, he described, "Yes. I did this, I did this, I did this, I did this." Oh, the prostitute was astonished. Her name was Cintāmaṇi. So the prostitute said, "My dear Bilvamaṅgala, if you have got so intense love for me, oh, had it been for God, for Kṛṣṇa, how would have been, your life, sublime." Oh, that struck him: "Yes." He at once left and went away: "Yes, you are right."

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Hayagrīva: Death as the ultimate goal of pleasure.

Prabhupāda: That's all, then commit it immediately. Why you are writing so many book? Commit suicide, that everyone can do that.

Hayagrīva: After, after having sex, most people simply go to sleep, and he felt that this was the, sort of the ultimate extinction.

Prabhupāda: That means Freud is a most imperfect person. He is taking sex as very important thing, which the dog enjoys. As a dog's life and a hog's life, the hog has got very good facility. The monkey has got very good facility for sex life, and he is thinking this is ultimate goal, and then sleep. So that is going on. So if sex life is so big thing, the hogs, they have got good facility. The pigeons, they have got very good facility. I think every hour they have four times sex life, these pigeons. So if that is, then you become a pigeon.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: In childhood there are many incidents. Another incident... That is a very important incident. When He was very small, crawling, so one brāhmaṇa came as their guest. And the brāhmaṇa, after preparing food, when he would offer to Kṛṣṇa, this boy, a child, crawling and take the prasāda and eat. And the brāhmaṇa will cry, "Oh, everything is spoiled. This boy, child has touched." Then His father would request him, "I should take care of Him. Please cook again and offer to Kṛṣṇa." He said, "It is too late now. I'll eat some fruits." "No. Please cook." So twice He spoiled in that way. Then it became night, so all the ladies, they went to sleep with the child and locked the door of the room. And at night at about eleven o'clock the brāhmaṇa, when he was offering to Kṛṣṇa, and the child came and took the prasādam. The brāhmaṇa again began to cry, "Oh, here again the child has come. How you are taking care?" And nobody heard him because everyone was sleeping. One letter is left here?

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:

Prabhupāda: No. You are welcome. You are welcome.

Devotee: Then how do you... Suppose, for example, last night. I was chanting, and then I thought to myself, "Oh, I'm not concentrating on the chanting any more. Now I should go to sleep." Then how...

Prabhupāda: Therefore you are, we have prescribed rules for chanting. You must finish sixteen rounds, then go to sleep, whole day sleeping. You finish that sixteen rounds and sleep whole day. I have no objection. (laughter)

Devotee: But then...

Prabhupāda: There is no then. Don't talk nonsense. If you are so much addicted to sleeping, you simply chant sixteen rounds and whole day sleep. But don't take food also. (laughter) Don't get up taking prasādam. "Now I have to honor prasādam. Let me eat sumptuous, then again sleep more."

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Because you are pure.

Lord Brockway: I, uh... (Prabhupāda laughs)

Prabhupāda: You are little advanced.

Lord Brockway: I would not want death through suffering. I should love to go to sleep and die. When I have an operation, I would like to die under the anaesthetic. It would be quite beautiful. And I say that, though I have no picture in my mind at all of what would happen after death or if anything happens. I love the description which was given by my friend Bertrand Russell, that life is like being born in a spring on the hillside, and the stream becoming a river... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...so many tossings. That is the problem of life. It is not that it begins and goes. Going to the end, oh, we have to face so many tossings. That is the problem of life.

Lord Brockway: Yes, and I acknowledge I don't know. And I am personally satisfied with trying to do what I can while I'm living in this life for the betterment of mankind. And I believe that's the best preparation for any future life, if there is a future life.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 13, 1974, Vrndavana:

Devotee: No.

Guru dāsa: No?

Devotee: I wasn't here. I went to sleep for a few minutes.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. You have come from where?

Guest (1): Just now from the Hanumān Mandir, just down the road there, not far, but I'm, we're all from America.

Prabhupāda: Here you are remaining there?

Guest: We live there during the day, and at night we stay at the Jaipuria Bhavan(?), a guesthouse just down (indistinct).

Devotee: He's living (indistinct).

Guest: Nim Karoli Baba. We were just now with Nim Karoli, taking darśana of Baba Nim Karoli.

Prabhupāda: Nim Karoli?

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, if you miss on account of busy-ness, then next day you must finish it. You should not go to sleep. You should not... Yes, that day you should forget all other business. First of all compensate this.

Satsvarūpa: Some devotees have it as a chronic condition, though.

Prabhupāda: Then he is animal.

Satsvarūpa: But still, he's doing lots of good devotional service.

Pañcadraviḍa: He may even be manager.

Prabhupāda: Then they will get some chance later on. What is that devotee, if you do not follow the regulative principles? The business is that if one day you cannot, but finish. The next day you must finish. Now, for eating, he is very eager, and for sleeping, he is very eager, and for finishing chanting, he has no eagerness. Then he is animal. It is simply an excuse. Yesterday you had no time? You were very busy? All right. Today you forget your sleeping and eating. Finish it. That is wanted. (break) And only for chanting, you have no time. This is not allowed. This is not allowed. This is cheating, that "I am so busy."

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: No, in the creation, according to your karma. As you stopped your activities in the last creation, it is, it is just like... It is called suptottitha-nyāya: "A man is sleeping, and when he's awakened, he immediately remembers, 'What I have to do.' " So the annihilation means all living entities sleeping, and as soon as there is creation again they begin from the point where they last lost their life. That's it. It is the same example. Just when you go to sleep, you have a standard of thinking, and as soon as you are awakened, the same standard of thinking again begins. From the point where you slept and when awakened, you again begin from that point. It is like that.

Satsvarūpa: So when Lord Brahmā created this planet, did he immediately put all the species here?

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: There is a verse. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). If one is God realized soul, he is not afraid of anything. Svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ. So actually, if one is self-realized, he is no more fearful or concerned with the bodily necessities of life. That is liberation. Just like as you mentioned sleeping. Sleeping also, a bodily necessity. When you are tired, you sleep. That is bodily necessity. But it is not spiritually necessary. About the Gosvāmīs it is said, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau: ** "Conquered over sleeping, eating, mating." That is also one of the symptoms of self-realization. These things are necessities of the body. So the more one is advanced in self-realization, these things will be minimized: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. And gradually it will come to nil because this is bodily necessities. Self, the active principle, that is different. The active principle necessity is different. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness. But these are bodily necessities: eating, sleeping, mating. So, so long this body is there, of course, we must eat, we must sleep. That is required. But the more we advance, these necessities diminished. Yes. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Then sleeping will be considered a waste of time. A self-realized man goes to sleep. He thinks that "I am going to waste so much time, because still I am subjected to the necessities of this body." He regrets.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Rūpānuga: So all the different species are created again simultaneously.

Prabhupāda: That is... He died with that mentality. It is there. Just like we go to sleep, but all your mental activities are reserved. In the morning again you begin.

Mādhava: Prabhupāda, you say that the living entity, he is thinking about a particular kind of body and a particular activity...

Prabhupāda: Not particular body—particular desire. And according to the desire, Kṛṣṇa is giving him facility through the material machine to give him a particular type of body. Just like one man is thinking of eating anything nonsense. So Kṛṣṇa says that "You give him this body of hog. He can eat even stool." That's all. You want to be naked, nudie? So Kṛṣṇa gives him, "So he is very much anxious to become nudie. Make him a tree. Stand up for five thousand years naked." This is going on.

Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was therefore called king. But he was a vaiśya. He engaged his land for agriculture and cow keeping. And Kṛṣṇa took charge of the cows, the calves, although still calf, He, (indistinct) This is the system. He was going with the calves whole day, playing with the boys and taking care of the cows, in the evening come back. Mother then washes and bathes and gives nice food. And immediately goes to sleep. And Kṛṣṇa is clever. At night He goes to the gopīs. (laughter) Then Mother Yaśodā did not know, when she thought, "My good son is sleeping." And the gopīs also would come at a place and they'll dance. This is called life, childhood life. And when He was grown up, then He was brought to, I mean to say, Mathurā and He fought with His maternal uncle, killed him, and then His father Vasudeva, took care, sent Him to, what is that? Sāndīpani Muni. He was educated. He was learning every subject every day. Then He was taken to Dvārakā, married so many queens, and became king. In the Kṛṣṇa's life, He's always busy.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes.

Brahmānanda: At the present moment, I was reading, there is one girl in America, New Jersey, teenage girl. And for some unknown reason she went to sleep one night, and in the morning she did not wake up. So they then rushed her to the hospital, and they have an artificial machine that is keeping her alive, and this has been going on for one month. All of her bodily functions are becoming more and more diminished, but still, by this machine, she is alive. Now this has gone on for one month. So now they don't know what to do with her. Should they keep her like this, just running on the machine, or should they stop the machine and then she will die? This is a big legal problem. They don't know what... If they stop the machine, they'll be accused of manslaughter.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Some Catholic priest said that better to let her die, because this is God's way.

Prabhupāda: Then he has to accept the God's way and give up the machine.

Morning Walk -- December 23, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no. He has put himself to the shelter of material nature. As soon as you come to India or you come to some other country, you must be under the laws of that country. So why do you come here? Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīva bhagavān sa kari. You have come to the material world to enjoy, so you must suffer also.

Kīrtanānanda: We've seen the example used, Prabhupāda, that just like a man, if he goes to sleep at night and he dreams that he has committed some murder or some...

Prabhupāda: So why does he dream?

Kīrtanānanda: ...he enjoys or suffers the activities, but actually he is...

Prabhupāda: Yes, but why he dreams like that? One is dreaming like that, another is dreaming a different way. That is due to his practice. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīdhara: People say then that the soul must be impure. If the soul can, not...

Prabhupāda: Impure in this sense: that he has come in touch with the impure. And if he becomes untouched with the impure, then he is no more impure.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 3, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: That is very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not only that, but he's not going to sleep in anyone's home either. They want to camp out by the riversides.

Prabhupāda: Very good idea.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says that he finds it very.... From reading your books it is very clear that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very careful and strict to only eat prasādam cooked by proper persons.

Prabhupāda: No, purchase from Jagannātha temple. People would come to offer Him prasādam, so what is the cost of the prasādam, that was taken, and He purchased. Formerly, the system was, there was no hotel, but there were temples. You go and you can purchase very cheap price. I went with my father in my childhood in a place. My father would never take food at anyone's house or in the hotel. He will find out some temple and pay them and take prasādam. Still there are many temples. So I was about ten years old at that time, say, seventy years ago. So he paid two annas to the pūjārī and he gave us so much. It can be eaten by five, six men. Kicheri, vegetables, varieties. So much. Two annas.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Lokanātha: Again in the evening they have to drive back. (break)

Pañcadraviḍa: ...I saw that these big men, they were taking so many pep pills during the day to do their work, and in the evening they had to take tranquilizers to go to sleep.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have seen so, so many advertisements. One has to take at least five to six types of.

Pañcadraviḍa: No peace of mind.

Madhudviṣa: In this way the Kali-yuga will progress, and they'll eat less and less food and take more pills, and they will think it is advancement.

Prabhupāda: Mm. Yes.

Madhudviṣa: Housewives think like that already. They take some pills, and they become very slim and they don't have to eat so much. They just smoke cigarettes and drink coffee and take pills. And they're saving money, they think. They don't have to buy so much food, and they're able to remain slim and trim. So in Kali-yuga, as the food supply runs out, so people won't notice.

Lokanātha: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says they will be starving.

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, sometimes earlier.

Dr. Patel: I get up at three-thirty. It is not possible to get up at one o'clock. You must not be sleeping...

Prabhupāda: Not more than three hours. I go to sleep at ten and I get up at one.

Dr. Patel: (Hindi) You get less sleep when... (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is, ultimate success is, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **, when you can conquer over nidrā, sleeping, āhāra, eating, because animal life means āhāra nidrā bhaya maithuna. And spiritual life means you have to conquer over this. That is spiritual life. (Hindi) In spiritual life...

Dr. Patel: You'll have me drinking tea.

Prabhupāda: No, everyone, not you.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Day?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: How do we.... What do we do during the day? What are our activities?

Prabhupāda: We have got activities day and night, but because the body is there, we have to eat, but we eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. And naturally we go to sleep, to take some rest. Otherwise we are always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business. We have no other business. So I go in the morning for little morning walk because the body, whole day if I sit down, it may be jammed. Therefore, for body's sake, I go for little walking. And then, whole day and night, I am sitting here, either chanting or writing books or talking with you, giving them direction. That's all. We have no other business than Kṛṣṇa's business. That is the peculiarity of this movement. Even if you take it is a religious movement, there is no religious movement in the whole world which has got twenty-four hours' engagement. You'll never find. The Christians go to the church once in a week for one hour, then closed. That is also not very regularly. Even if you take.... Our engagement. Twenty-four hours.

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: But that is not sleeping. After sleeping you have to awake, and you have to bark like dog, "Give me food. Gow! Gow! Gow!" You are not going to sleep after death. You are awakening like a dog, and bark and disturb others. That is your mistake, that you are sleeping forever. No sleeping. You have to wake up again.

Rādhāvallabha: (break) ...told me that he was.... He said that spirit and matter are the same. So I grabbed him and threatened to punch him in the nose. He said, "No, no, that is different."

Devotee (1): (break) So if we have to wake again, then there's no really.... Why should we have to stop birth and death?

Prabhupāda: So you have no experience? Do you sleep perpetually, whole day and night? Why do you wake up? Is it not your experience that you sleep at night and wake up at daytime?

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (1): Yes. But if I'm going to wake again, then why should I want to stop it? I go to sleep; I wake up.

Prabhupāda: No, but your waking.... You are going to wake up like a dog. That is the privilege. You sleep perpetually..., not perpetually, for seven months, and then you wake up as a dog. The body is changed. And go on barking. That you do not know. That is ignorance.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That's amazing. You go to sleep in a human body, and you wake up in a dog body.

Prabhupāda: Ah, that's it. What is this conglomeration?

Devotee (1): (break) ...wakes up the next morning. I am not afraid to go to sleep because I know that I will wake up. So if I'm going to die and I know...

Prabhupāda: Die means you sleep as a man and wake up as a dog. That is dying.

Devotee (1): But it is okay to be a dog. It is okay to be a dog.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They all fell asleep. I was chanting. You were sitting, you didn't even go to sleep that night (laughs). Even though it was late at night, it was about eleven, twelve, one o'clock at night, you didn't want to stay at that bhogī yogi house. I remember that. And he drove very, very fast back to Portland. That was a very nice engagement.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. That was Śyāmasundara's father's car. So he's a good driver, (laughter) but very dangerous driver. I do not know, Śyāmasundara, his father is a rich man, lawyer, got good estate and he's the only son. He did not like to stay with father.

Hari-śauri: No one in the West likes to stay with their parents.

Prabhupāda: Two sisters, very beautiful girls. They're unhappy.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They're unhappy?

Prabhupāda: Yes. His two sisters.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I heard he was preaching to them. At least one of them that came to the temple that time. She came to that program.

Prabhupāda: She first of all came in London.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: There are different, when Brahmā goes to sleep, that is one kind of devastation, and when he dies there is one kind. And during Brahmā's days there are other devastations, manvantara.

Sadāpūta: After a devastation, do the...

Prabhupāda: Different classes of devastation. There are many devastations during Brahmā's day, and there is another devastation during Brahmā's sleep, and another devastation when Brahmā dies.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And during different Manus also.

Prabhupāda: That is day. Such devastation takes place during Brahmā's day. Fourteen Manus.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Do we know that in detail, Śrīla Prabhupāda? What type of species are extinct? Not all the species extinct. As it is during Brahmā's day, that partial annihilation, devastation, now some species are extinct?

Prabhupāda: No species extinct. What you are reading? This is garbage.(?)

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Guest (2): Well, when you leave this planet you go to sleep.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that is another thing. Studying, that a child is grown to become a boy, he has changed his body. Does it mean the living entity who was in the child's body is different from the living entity within the boy?

Guest (2): No difference.

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is a fact that the living entity is eternal and the body is changed. So where is the difficulty to understand this?

Vipina: They can understand it, but their scripture doesn't accept reincarnation.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you should give up your philosophy and science. That "Because my scripture does not allow me to become educated, I shall remain a fool." (laughter) What is this?

Guest (2): A beautiful example is where a caterpillar will be, a cocoon will form over a caterpillar, and when the cocoon breaks, it's a butterfly.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, transmigration.

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Ādi-keśava: For five days he hasn't gone to sleep.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Five days and nights he's worked continuously.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...this city, this will be a small parade with some hand-pulled floats. Another trick of the Hare Kṛṣṇas.

Prabhupāda: Bali Mahārāja was asked for three feet of land. "Very good. You speak so nicely, such intelligent, but You are boy, You do not know how to ask. I can give You a big island." "No, I must be satisfied as I require. I don't want more. Only three feet, that's all."

Rāmeśvara: That story is in the Eighth Canto, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. I'm going now with that story. (break) "Rascal, if you give like that, where you will stay? He'll take everything!" Smārta brāhmaṇa. Simply considering "How I shall live?" (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Materialist.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: I take little rest during daytime. So on the whole, three to four hours. But actually I do not like to sleep.

George Harrison: No, it's a waste of time.

Prabhupāda: I think it is, when I go to sleep, I think that now I'm going to waste my time. I actually think like that.

George Harrison: What's the word for..., the call it a little, little death. Sleep is the little death.

Prabhupāda: The śāstra also, Prahlada Mahārāja describes the sleeping is waste of time. You find out that verse.

Hari-śauri: It's in Seven, Two?

Prabhupāda: Seventh Canto. He's estimating you have got hundred years at most. Out of that, fifty years lost, sleep. And then twenty years playing as child, a boy. And in old age, another...

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jagadīśa: They've been getting up at that time for years.

Prabhupāda: If they are accustomed, that is all right. But otherwise it is not needed, so early. When they go to sleep?

Jagadīśa: At 8:15.

Prabhupāda: Oh, then it is all right. That is all right. At least they must have rest, six hours, complete.

Jagadīśa: Oh, they get more than that.

Prabhupāda: Then it is...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are very clever. But even now they're coming under great criticism. They're starting to become criticized also. But they are much... He has so much watered down the whole thing that it doesn't disturb hardly anybody. It's no... It's like ten minutes a day. "Keep your job. Keep your position. Do everything you're doing. Just ten minutes a day go to sleep. Say some mantra and sleep." So no one is very much upset by it. It doesn't demand anything, doesn't demand very much at all, like taking a pill.

Prabhupāda: He's very clever.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. A good businessman. They outright... This they outrightly say. "This is not religion. No question of religion, nothing about God." They advertise like that. "It is not religion."

Prabhupāda: That is true.

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Restrict, that instead of myself, he has to restrict: "Do this way."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Including go to the court. This boy writes further. He says, "They claimed I was brainwashed by Śrīla Prabhupāda and the devotees, and they were here to get me to think for myself again. They kept me up for ten hours at a time for so-called deprogramming, just blaspheming Śrīla Prabhupāda and Kṛṣṇa and telling lie after lie. Finally they let me go to sleep, and in the morning it was time for more blaspheming and lies. But by Kṛṣṇa's mercy I was able to escape out the front door of the house," he says, "which was unguarded. I ran down my block barefoot and was able to get to my friend's house. I told him the story. He gave me enough money to get to a nearby temple. There I served Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and had the association of my Godbrothers, who are most dear to me. There I spent the happiest time of my life as a devotee with the association of the Brajabāsīs. Being a devotee of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, there's nothing like it-singing, dancing, taking prasādam, being happy and free from anxiety all the time.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 1 February, 1968:

That prayer "Jagannatha Swami, nayana pathagami, bhava tu me." For the time being, the Jagannathas can be transferred there, chanting this prayer. But if you can wait until my arrival that is better. It is nice to hold a special ceremony for that purpose. I would like to do it when I go to N.Y.

Yes, when Jagannatha goes to sleep and when He rises up, to ring the bell is the custom. Ringing of bell is required even for offering prasadam. That is the system in all the Temples in Vrindaban. Your question; Does the Lord go to sleep so early and before everyone, and wake up so late, after everybody? The Lord is independent and complete. He has nothing to do with everyone. He is Lord. After He wakes up He is washed, not before.

Letter to Aniruddha -- San Francisco 9 April, 1968:

Stop the idea of casting for the present, unless we see one pair nicely made, we cannot order 17 pairs. If actually he has made such statues nicely, never mind in other forms, made of yellow brass, I shall be glad to see it.

There are two kinds of dissolution. One is when Brahma goes to sleep, and another is when Brahma dies. When Brahma goes to sleep, the highest planetary system does not dissolve, the lower planetary systems, beginning from heavenly planets downwards, everything is dissolved. And when the day comes out, they are again created. When the living entities enter into Brahma, or into the Body of Narayana, they keep their own spiritual body, that is very small, 1/10,000 of tip of hair, and when there is again material creation, they manifest again with different kinds of body. Just like a man sleeps at home without any dress, and when he goes out to work, he dresses himself.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1969:

You say that your mind unfortunately runs away now and then. That is the business of the mind, but if you simply fix up your mind on the Lotus Feet of Krishna, the rascal mind cannot disturb you anymore. My Guru Maharaja used to say that just rise early in the morning and then kick the mind with a shoe one hundred times. Then while going to sleep, one should take a broomstick and strike the mind another hundred times. The mind is so restless, that it can be brought to tameness only by the process suggested by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. So you should try this process and stop the mind from running away now and then. If you follow the process of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, naturally He will help you in controlling the mind and bestow all His blessings upon you.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- London 14 August, 1971:

Thank you very much for them and offer my thanks and blessings to all the nice boys and girls there in Boston.

There is a story about one man, a cook, who bought a nice new pair of shoes. But all morning long he was in the kitchen cooking and so he couldn't wear his shoes. Similarly, all afternoon he was cooking. So what did he do? At night, when he went to sleep he wore the shoes. So these shoes are so nice, but I don't know when I shall be able to wear them. So when taking rest at night I shall wear them.

Page Title:Go to sleep
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:27 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=15, CC=2, OB=1, Lec=10, Con=25, Let=4
No. of Quotes:57