Humility (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"humility"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

Guest (3): I'm asking this question. I'm concerned about the perverted caste system in India, right? I'm asking this question on a brāhmaṇa, the varṇāśrama-dharma system. If one of your brāhmaṇa initiated disciples falls from this platform, leaves the temple and commits offenses, then returns, demanding respect, should he be allowed to keep the sacred thread or should he be engaged in menial service, which never fails to cultivate humility?

Prabhupāda: Well, that is to be judged by the spiritual master. You cannot judge.

Guest (3): Well, I'm asking this because...

Prabhupāda: You cannot judge who is following, who is not following. That is not your jurisdiction. Therefore he has accepted a spiritual master, his jurisdiction. He'll do whatever necessary.

Guest (3): Has there been a case...

Prabhupāda: So that case you cannot judge. The case has to be judged by the spiritual master.

Guest (3): Could you give me an example of a case that has been...

Prabhupāda: Just like if somebody has done something wrong he is taken to the court and the judge gives his decision, whether he is criminal or not. The man who has arrested him, he cannot give the decision. It has to be tried by the higher authority. Then the judgment will be. Anything more?

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

So, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He's speaking the process of acquiring knowledge. Jñānam. So, the first beginning of knowledge is humility. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught,

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

Anyone this humbleness and humility is taught everywhere. Without being gentle, humble, how one can be a man of knowledge? But at the present moment the humility is forgotten. Everyone is proud unnecessarily. Although he's nothing, he's proud. So much so that sometimes a rascal says that "I am God." This is the modern civilization. He's so puffed-up, so proud, that one claims to become God, what to speak of other things. No. The first thing is that one must be very humble.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Even Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. The relationship was father and son, but because the son was a devotee, the father was prepared to kill him. This is the system all over the world. Jesus Christ, because he was preaching God consciousness, he was crucified. Although Jesus Christ preached, "Thou shall not kill," unfortunately he was preaching in such a society that he was killed. So these things are there always. The demons, they are always after the devotees, how to harass him, how to give him trouble. Therefore one has to learn humility, otherwise one cannot make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised,

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

If you want to make progress in the matter of chanting the holy name of the Lord, then you have to learn also toleration. So many people will criticize. So many people will be prepared to unnecessarily put hindrances in your path. So one has to learn if one is serious to make progress in knowledge. Actual knowledge is to understand God, that is actual knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Only in the human society they have created problem because they have no knowledge. The so-called knowledge is useless not unless you can solve the problems (?) what is the meaning of this knowledge? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says knowledge means one must know this is my real acute miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge.

So to begin with knowledge, Kṛṣṇa recommends amānitvam, humility. Because the real disease of material life is that he is not humble. He is always proud. Little possession. Svalpa-mātrena. Just like the big fish in the ocean. They are deep within the water and if you find out a small lake, little water, you'll find small fishes (makes sound) they're doing there. So there is no depth of knowledge. Simply they're perplexed. Therefore this education should be given, how to become humble.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

So we should try to learn, get it by heart, at least one śloka, two ślokas in a week. And if we chant that... Just like you are chanting so many songs, similarly, if we chant one or two verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that will make you very quickly advanced for spiritual realization. We are therefore taking so much trouble to get this transliteration, the meaning, so that the reader may take advanced step, full advantage of the mantra. It is not that to show some scholarship, that "I know so much Sanskrit." No. It is just offered with humility to learn the mantra because one who will chant the mantra... They are all transcendental vibration. Just Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... This is mahā-mantra, but they are also mantras, all the verses from Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, spoken by Kṛṣṇa, spoken by... Bhāgavata also, spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. They're also mantras, infallible instructions. So try to get it by heart, chanting. Either you chant by seeing the book or get it by heart, it is all the same. But try to chant one, two ślokas daily. Chant.

Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

Why should you take such a cheap God? As soon as the God has got some toothache, he goes to the dentist. And he's God! Don't take such cheap Gods. We don't take them. At least, we Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Just to accept Kṛṣṇa as God...

Arjuna, he knew that Kṛṣṇa is God. Therefore he requested Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, can You show me Your form how You are universally working?" And He showed His universal form, how it is working, that is described in the Eleventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Why? Arjuna knew from the very beginning that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord; I am His servant." But either by Kṛṣṇa's yoga-māyā or Arjuna's humility, he played that "My family is more important than Your service." He played like that. At last, he agreed that kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). So, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they're teaching us by playing, because Kṛṣṇa can play with His devotee, not with others. Most confidential devotee. What He wants to teach. So Arjuna presented himself as ordinary human being. He's not ordinary human being; he's personal friend of Kṛṣṇa. He cannot be bewildered, but he played the part of ordinary being, that "I have got attachment with my family. Why shall I kill them by Your order, and what is this, what is that?" so many, you know. Bhagavad-gītā, there are questions and answers. And at last, Kṛṣṇa said that "Give up this foolishness. Surrender unto Me." So he agreed, Arjuna. That is perfection. That is perfection.

Festival Lectures

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Pradyumna: Page 47. " 'Teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī.' In the instructions of Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī, we can understand the science of God in the matter of His transcendental form, His opulences, and His devotional service, for everything is being described to Sanātana Gosvāmī by the Lord Himself. At that time, Sanātana fell at the feet of the Lord and with great humility asked about his own real identity. He spoke as follows, 'I am born of a lower family. My associations are all abominable and I am fallen, the most wretched of mankind. I was suffering in the dark well of material enjoyment, and I never knew the actual goal of my life. I do not know what is beneficial to me. Although in the mundane sphere I am what is known as a great, learned man, I am in fact so much of a fool that I even accept that I am learned. You have accepted me as Your servant, and You've delivered me from the entanglement of material life. Now You can tell me what my duty is in this liberated state of life."

Prabhupāda: So today is the appearance day of Śrī Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Therefore we are discussing this evening Teachings of Lord Caitanya, which is the summary study of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The most important chapters in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, namely, His teachings to Rūpa Gosvāmī, His teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī, His talks with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, His talks with Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, and His talks with Rāmānanda Rāya—these five subject matters are delineated in The Teachings of Lord Caitanya specifically.

General Lectures

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Girl: "In the instructions of Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī we can understand the science of God in the matter of His transcendental form, His opulences, and His devotional service, where everything is being described to Sanātana Gosvāmī by the Lord Himself. By that time Sanātana fell at the feet of the Lord and in great humility asked about his own real identity."

Prabhupāda: Read little slowly so that..., and loudly, so that others can hear.

Girl: "He spoke as follows. 'I am born of a lower family. My associations are all abominable and I am fallen. The most wretched of mankind, I was suffering in the dark well of material enjoyment, and I never knew the actual goal of my life. I do not know what is beneficial to me. Although in the mundane sphere I am what is known as a great learned man, I am in fact so much of a fool that I even accept that I am learned.' "

Prabhupāda: "I am...? I am so much fool that I accept...?" What is that?

Girl: "...that I am learned."

Prabhupāda: "I am learned." Now, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was formerly known as Dabira Khāsa. He was born in a high aristocratic family, brāhmaṇa family, and he was finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Bengal governor of Bengal. It is about five hundred years ago India was governed by the Pathans, Muslims, and in Bengal the governor was known as Nawab Hussain Shah. Under his government this Dabira Khāsa was minister of finance, and his brother also, Sākara Mallika, he was also a departmental minister. So both the brothers were in very high position.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: So what is our next program? (chuckles) That letter is encouraging?

Annapurna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (pause) So on behalf of Kṛṣṇa we have to canvass with folded hands and with all humility, "Please come to our temple and hear." He sādhavā sakalam eva vihāya dūrād caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam. All right. (pause)

Devotee: This rule, "No gambling," does this also include speculation?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Speculation is gambling.

Pradyumna: Swamiji? I was reading a book by Swami Vivekananda. Some letters in the back I was looking at...

Prabhupāda: Vivekananda's books we have nothing to do.

Pradyumna: I was just...

Prabhupāda: Forget him. It is all nonsense.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: No, you have to become little free from the biased ideas of Christian philosophy.

David Lawrence: This is what I thought, yes. This is what I thought.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise you cannot make progress.

David Lawrence: Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise it is impossible.

David Lawrence: Yes. It's humility...

Prabhupāda: You have to come to the platform of general, common sense.

David Lawrence: Yes.

Prabhupāda: If you become biased, then it will be impossible.

David Lawrence: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you cannot make progress. You have to come to the platform... Now, the common sense is that can you distinguish between matter and spirit? Can you distinguish?

David Lawrence: In what, in what respect?

Prabhupāda: That I was speaking, that the distinction between matter and spirit: the spirit is the vital force...

Morning Walk -- December 3, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are saying that they are coming very close.

Prabhupāda: Oh! That is also another foolishness. That is called will o' the wisp. The ass. Ass is trying to get the grass, and the washerman is showing only, and the ass is advancing, the grass is advancing. (laughter) You see. This is their thing.

Dr. Wolfe: But in all humility, Śrīla Prabhupāda, supposing that they would succeed in actually creating the living cell artificially, what would we say?

Prabhupāda: What is the credit there? It is already there. So what credit he can get?

Karandhara: Best they just imitated what has already happened.

Prabhupāda: Imitated. Just like, that I explained also. The example is that when an imitation barking is there, people go and purchase ticket. And when real barking is there, nobody cares. This is their business. They are so fool that their government is purchasing the ticket, and they're hearing the imitation barking. That's all.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But once they are successful they are going to make super beings they are called super beings, superhuman beings, super animals.

Prabhupāda: But they cannot create even an ant, and now they are going to make super beings. This is another foolishness. They cannot create even an ant, moving ant, and they're going to make super being.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany:

Guest: (German)

German devotee: He believes that to understand God is not a question of intelligence but it is a question of humility.

Prabhupāda: Yes. "The humble and meek shall go to the kingdom of God." Is it not? It is Bible statement?

Haṁsadūta: "The humble and meek shall inherit the earth."

Prabhupāda: So nowadays the rascal philosophy has spread that everyone is God, and therefore nobody is humble and meek. If everyone thinks that he is God, then why he should be humble and meek? So they are being educated how to become humble and meek. In the temple, to God, or to the spiritual master, the God's representative, they offer always respect by offering obeisances. That is humble and meek. They are doing very easily progress, you see, only on account of this humbleness and meekness. Even on the road, if they see me, they immediately fall down flat. Never mind there is dust. This very qualification is pushing them towards spiritual realization. In the Vedic scripture it is said,

yasya deve parä bhaktir

yathä deve tathä gurau

tasyaite kathitä hy arthäù

prakäçante mahätmanaù

(ÇU 6.23)

Yasya... "Anyone who has got unflinching faith in God and His representative, the spiritual master, to him only, the purport of the scriptures become revealed."

Room Conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: So nowadays the rascal philosophy has spread that everyone is God, and therefore nobody is humble and meek. If everyone thinks that he is God, then why he should be humble and meek? So they are being educated how to become humble and meek. In the temple, to God, or to the spiritual master, the God's representative, they offer always respect by offering obeisances. That is humble and meek. They are doing very easily progress, you see, only on account of this humbleness and meekness. Even on the road, if they see me, they immediately fall down flat. Never mind there is dust. This very qualification is pushing them towards spiritual realization. In the Vedic scripture it is said,

yasya deve parā bhaktir

yathā deve tathā gurau

tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ

prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

(ŚU 6.23)

Yasya... "Anyone who has got unflinching faith in God and His representative, the spiritual master, to him only, the purport of the scriptures become revealed." (German)

Pater Emmanuel: (German)

German devotee: He is asking if he should not show this humility, attitude of humility, to all others.

Pater Emmanuel: Exercise upon others.

Prabhupāda: But just like special respect and ordinary respect.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 4, 1975, Dallas:

Prabhupāda: The trees are taken to be the most tolerant. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. There is an extreme example of tolerance, this tree life.

Dayānanda: In one of the purports in Bhāgavatam you mention that first comes humility, then nonviolence and then tolerance.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dayānanda: Is it also mentioned that in other places in our śāstra?

Prabhupāda: There are many places. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...is given for practicing God consciousness, and they have become advanced civilized, they are cultivating nudie-ism. Is it not? Nudie-ism. So the punishment is that "All right, you become nudie, you remain standing in one place, for five thousand years." (laughter) That is right. The trees live up till five thousand years. They live.

Viṣṇujana: Prabhupāda? But they argue that if God wanted us to wear clothes He would have made us with clothes. But He made us without clothes, so...

Prabhupāda: The thing is that here material world means that whatever you want, you have to work for it. That is material world. Things are there, but you have to work for it. In the spiritual world there is no need of working. You get all necessities. That is the difference.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: He is good man.

Bahulāśva: He has some humility.

Guru dāsa: You tell everyone that and they come back for more. (Prabhupāda chuckles)

Bahulāśva: So science means observation, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, observation and experiment.

Bahulāśva: And experiment.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is science. (break)

Guru dāsa: To make an experiment by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No. Here is experiment, just like the dead man and living man. First of all, you observe that this man is moving or this animal is moving. There is some moving force. And the experiment is when the man and animal is dead, you can understand that the moving force is gone. This is experiment.

Room Conversations -- July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach:

Prabhupāda: This is knowledge. Etaj jñānam. The items prescribed by Kṛṣṇa, that is knowledge. And everything is no knowledge. Translation, you read.

Satsvarūpa: "Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people, accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge,..."

Prabhupāda: This is knowledge, path of knowledge.

Satsvarūpa: "... and what is contrary to these is ignorance."

Prabhupāda: That's it. There are eighteen or twenty items of knowledge. The human society is not interested with those eighteen items, and they are simply interested in so-called economic development, technology, mental speculation. That is ignorance. That is not knowledge. They do not know what is knowledge. Just like the first item is... What is that? Amānitvam.

Room Conversations -- July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach:

Prabhupāda: That's it. There are eighteen or twenty items of knowledge. The human society is not interested with those eighteen items, and they are simply interested in so-called economic development, technology, mental speculation. That is ignorance. That is not knowledge. They do not know what is knowledge. Just like the first item is... What is that? Amānitvam.

Satsvarūpa: Humility.

Prabhupāda: Humility. So who is teaching? Where is the school teaching humility? This is the first item. Then? Next?

Satsvarūpa: Adambhitvam, pridelessness.

Prabhupāda: Pridelessness. Everyone is proud. Then?

Satsvarūpa: Ahiṁsā, nonviolence.

Prabhupāda: Nonviolence. These are the first three steps toward the path of knowledge, and who is practicing this? Nobody is practicing. You are professor of?

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is meant for the rājarṣis. So Indira is in the position of rāja. If she becomes a ṛṣi, then it will be successful. Then it will be successful. (Bengali) ...that "You have got the position of royalty. You become a saintly lady. Then your scheme will be all successful." That is required. That I can help, how to make her a ṛṣi.

Lalitā: No, she is full of humility... (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: Then not only the people of India will be benefited but also the whole world will be benefited. And you have got that sampatti, Bhagavad-gītā guidance. I will not manufacture anything. That is not my business, concoction thing, hodgepodge, without any knowledge, without any experience. We are not that type of... (Bengali)

Lalitā: We have to set everything. When I phone we should be ready.

Prabhupāda: You make a file. Whatever she says, make a file and keep that.

Lalitā: We have to, yes. (Bengali) ...government scheme. (Bengali) We have to note down what he is saying. That's why I told... That will be written in short letter, short, Guru Mahārāja to (indistinct) us. It is to be...

Prabhupāda: Anyone can? You can read Hindi?

Morning Walk -- November 11, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is a long story. It will take time. So he was sitting on a branch of a tree and cutting. So some intelligent man came, was passing: "Oh, you rascal, you'll fall down." So he did not care. He would go on. And when he actually fell down, he, "Oh, you are so nice astrologer." What is astrology? It is a common sense. If I say, "At six o'clock in the evening there will be no sun," (laughter) is that astrology? Even it is astrology, this astrology is known to everyone. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Indian man (2): ...of anecdote where gopīs, you know? When gopīs' dress were taken by Kṛṣṇa, He wanted these gopīs to give away all their humility and humbleness, to show everything. "Then only, unless you surrender to Me, you cannot have any salvation." So when they took out all their dress and then went prayed before Him without any dress, then only they have become muktas. Like that Draupadi also. When Duhsasana...

Prabhupāda: That is Māyāvādī interpretation.

Indian man (2): No, that is what I...

Prabhupāda: Why should you interpret? Gopīs prayed Kṛṣṇa and all the Katyāyanī devīs that "Let Kṛṣṇa become our husband." So Kṛṣṇa fulfilled their desire because a woman can become naked only before husband. That is the purport, no other interpretation. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when that so many gopīs called, "So you wanted Me as your husband? All right, I become your husband." That's all. Because for a woman there is no shame before husband. So this was acceptance of husband. And so far renouncing everything, they had already done that. Therefore we take everything, śāstra, as it is, no interpretation. Then, simply by making oneself naked, he would have gone to Vṛndāvana.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Yesterday I studied Sixth Chapter of Prahlāda Mahārāja, and...

Prabhupāda: Oh. Prahlāda Mahārāja's...

Dr. Patel: From Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. This morning only I read about this thing.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...becomes humble. God is for the humble and meek. In Bible also it is stated. And because everyone is trying to become God, how he becomes humble?

Dr. Patel: I think Christ taught humility by his own action.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Even Vaiṣṇava...

Dr. Patel: All Vaiṣṇava.... I mean Vaiṣṇava ācāryas suffered extremely than that.

Prabhupāda: Kavirāja Gosvāmī, who has written this immortal Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he is presenting himself, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha: (CC Adi 5.205) "I am lower than the worms in the stool." Just see. He is not hypocrite. He is feeling like that. "Oh, what is my value?" Purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha, jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha. Jagāi-Mādhāi was a...

Dr. Patel: Those two boys Caitanya...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So he says, "I am more sinful than Jagāi-Mādhāi." Mora nāma yei laya tāra puṇya kṣaya: "If anyone remembers me, then whatever pious activities he has done, it is all finished."

Dr. Patel: These Vaiṣṇava ācāryas don't allow their feet to be touched because they feel that he should...

Prabhupāda: So why they do not utilize it proper?

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Guest (4): "...both in heaven and in earth. Believe that He has all wisdom and all power both in heaven and in earth. Believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them and humble yourselves before God and ask Him sincerely of heart that He will forgive you. And now, if you believe all these things, see that you do them. And again I say unto you, as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of His goodness and have tasted of His love and have received the remission of your sins, which causes such exceeding great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember and always retain in remembrance the greatness of God and your own nothingness, and His goodness and long suffering towards you unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come which was spoken by the mouth of the angel."

Prabhupāda: So it is very nice. But.... Let me see that book.

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Bhūrijana: I think the part I found clear, the more introspective points about humility, and changing one's desires...

Prabhupāda: Humility means not to follow the instruction of guru? That is not...

Bhūrijana: No, that is not humility.

Prabhupāda: I'm asking you what is the special attraction? You say... Your wife says it is very clear. What is that clear and ambiguous?

Bhūrijana: You mean what is ambiguous and... (indistinct) what is ambiguous or what...

Prabhupāda: No. You say that is very clear what others are telling you. Now what is that ambiguous, what is that clear?

Bhūrijana: The clearness may be a deeper understanding to want to be humble. A deeper understanding to want to...

Prabhupāda: Humble, but if you do not follow your spiritual master's instruction, you follow others, then where is the humbleness? You say that... Your wife says that what Siddha-svarūpa says it is very clear and and others are not so clear. Is it not? What is that clear what is not clear?

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Jñānagamya: Śrīla Prabhupāda, is that what Lord Caitanya is trying to teach Haridāsa Ṭhākura when he says, "Put away your excess humility."

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Jñānagamya: Haridāsa Ṭhākura is following all the principles, but he's always feeling so fallen. So Lord Caitanya tells him, "Put away your excess humility." Is this what He is trying to teach him? That we should have assurance?

Prabhupāda: Assurance is there. Kṛṣṇa says kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhakta... (BG 9.31). If you remain a pure devotee, you'll never fall down. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). These are assurances. If you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, why does He come, what are His activities. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). Simply.... This is cultivation, to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cultivation. And Kṛṣṇa assures: tyaktvā dehaṁ, you have to give up this body, but for a devotee giving up this body means no more accepting another body. And nondevotees giving up this body, tathā dehāntara prāptir, another body. That is the difference between devotee and nondevotee. One may say both of them are dying. Yes, they are dying, that's all right. They are not dying, nobody is dying, but changing the body. But a devotee's changing not to accept any more material body. The nondevotee's changing to accept another. That is the difference. And if you accept another body you will suffer, more or less, degrees. And if you don't accept material body then you become spiritually situated. Sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1), simply ānanda, eternally blissful.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 2 October, 1951:

In all humility I beg to differ with you that all men should be free to make their choices and interpretations in all things. Less intelligent men are always guided by those who are superior in knowledge in all spheres of life. This principle is applicable everywhere but the guidance must be right and bona fide. But it depends always on the sweet will of the guided to accept this principle or reject it.

I am glad that you have a copy of Gita with you. Apart from the Swamijee's learned interpretations—you can see for yourself what is written in the 18th Chapter 67th sloka. Empiric philosophers may call it a sophistry but is a fact substantiated after all human reasoning offered by Arjuna. It is clearly said here that one should follow Sri Krishna alone. If any body makes his choice not to follow him surely he will have relative result.

Letter to Mathura Prasad -- Vrindaban 23 May, 1964:

The cooperation is possible to be made either by life, wealth, intelligence or words. Every one has got some of the above assets of the above four principles if not at least one of them must we have and we can engage them in the service of the Lord.

Srimad-Bhagavatam gives all informations to attain the highest perfection of life both during the continuation of the present life as well as in the life after death.

I shall request you with all humility to cooperate with this mission and thus be benefited yourself. It is not the least exaggeration but actual fact and to become a member for this mission will to your own interest. And help others also who may be known to you.

I am requesting you to give me at least ten members from Agra as you have already given one yesterday and I am thanking you once more.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Madhavi Lata -- Montreal 20 June, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I am so much pleased to receive your nice letter of June 11, 1968, all full with humility and love and very nice sentiments. Your simplicity is a great asset for Krishna Consciousness. Krishna is very kind to the meek and simple, so dullness of the material world and consciousness about Krishna go well together. Too much intelligence in material activities are detraction from Krishna Consciousness. Better to remain dull and simple as you are, and thus make advancement in Krishna Consciousness. There is a nice story about Bharata Maharaja, who remained just like a dullard, in order to avoid material association. And he was known as Jada Bharata, but when he was tested, Maharaja Rohugan found him highly advanced in Krishna Consciousness, and became his disciple.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Malati -- Los Angeles 6 March, 1970:

I have heard how the new devotees are all executing their devotional services very enthusiastically and with sincerity and humility. Yes, I have asked them to take instruction from you, one of their elder Godsisters. Whatever you have learned—you are one of the old students—whatever you have gathered by experience, you must hand them over to the new students. This is called parampara.

Please offer my blessings to Sarasvati Dasi. Will you send her to our school in New Vrindaban when she is little older. The school is developing nicely there under the headmastership of Hayagriva Prabhu.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

Children will always do as they see others doing, so if by the good association of their parents and the other older persons, they will come out nicely fixed in Krishna Consciousness, and because they are not spoiled by an artificial standard of sense gratification, they will think that performing austerities is great fun, just like in India we see the young brahmacaris are sent out to beg for their spiritual master to teach them humility and non-attachment, and they spend the whole day in the hot sun and come back at night, take a handful of rice, and sleep without blankets on the hard floor—and they take this type of life as very much enjoyable and great fun. This is how we train our children in Krishna Consciousness, just be keeping them always attending our regular program and associating with Krishna devotees, teaching them in spiritual realization by giving them the idea that sacrifice and tapasya for achieving the highest goal of life is a very nice way of life. Not that we shall give them many games for playing, these so-called scientific methods of learning are artificial, unnecessary, and on the whole I do not have much trust in this Montessori system or any other such system of teaching. Your idea for having altars to train the children in deity worship is very nice.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Cyavana -- Dallas 29 July, 1975:

She can work under Brahmananda Swami.

They may have had some disagreement with you, but expert management means to engage all of the devotees and not allow them to split into different parties. Your action of sending a letter to the pleader has disturbed me. Why have you taken this rash action without consulting me or Brahmananda Maharaja? You should immediately withdraw that letter.

I want that you approach Navayogendra with all humility and ask his forgiveness for the beating. In this way you can rectify things. You must bring them back. Otherwise if you cannot do it, then you should come here to me and we shall discuss it personally.