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Ideal life

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 4

Gradually as monarchy declined from the ideal life of religion to the godless life of sense gratification, monarchies all over the world were abolished
SB 4.14.16, Purport: Formerly, in practically all parts of the world, there were monarchies, but gradually as monarchy declined from the ideal life of religion to the godless life of sense gratification, monarchies all over the world were abolished. However, simply abolishing monarchy and replacing it with democracy is not sufficient unless the government men are religious and follow in the footsteps of great religious personalities.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Kṛṣṇa’s ideal life as a householder can be followed, but if one wants to imitate Kṛṣṇa by expanding into many forms, that is not possible
Krsna Book 70: We should clearly note this fact: the activities of the Lord should be followed, but they cannot be imitated. For example, Kṛṣṇa’s ideal life as a householder can be followed, but if one wants to imitate Kṛṣṇa by expanding into many forms, that is not possible. We should always remember, therefore, that Lord Kṛṣṇa, although playing the part of a human being, simultaneously maintains the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We can follow Lord Kṛṣṇa’s dealings with His wives as an ordinary human being, but His dealings with more than sixteen thousand wives at one time cannot be imitated. The conclusion is that to become ideal householders we should follow in the footsteps of Lord Kṛṣṇa as He displayed His daily activities, but we cannot imitate Him at any stage of our life.
The Lord has no specific duty to perform in this world, and yet He acts just like an ordinary man living an ideal life within this material world
Krsna Book 70: As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord has no specific duty to perform in this world, and yet He acts just like an ordinary man living an ideal life within this material world. In accordance with Vedic ritualistic principles, the Lord would offer respects to the demigods. The regulative principle by which the demigods and forefathers are worshiped is called tarpaṇa, which means “pleasing.” One’s forefathers may have to take a body on another planet, but by performance of this tarpaṇa system they become very happy wherever they may be. It is the duty of the householder to make his family members happy, and by following this tarpaṇa system he can make his forefathers happy also. As the perfect exemplary householder, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa followed this tarpaṇa system and offered respectful obeisances to the elderly, superior members of His family.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If you follow the ideal life of Lord Jesus Christ, then you get the same result
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966: "We have simply to see that great personalities, as they have taken up, we have to follow. That's all." Just like in your Christian religion you may not understand all the Biblical injunctions or you may not have the time, but you'll simply, if you follow the ideal life of Lord Jesus Christ, then you get the same result. Similarly, the Muhammadans, if they follow the ideal life of Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad, so they get the result.
Kṛṣṇa says that "If I do not place the ideal life, then the population will be saṅkara"
Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966: Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "If I do not place the ideal life, then the population will be saṅkara." Saṅkara means unwanted, creating disturbances always. There will be no peace in the world. And actually we are feeling that there is no peace in the world. Why? Because the population has become unwanted. And by increasing such population the natural sequence will be... There must be. There will be some disease, there will be some famine or there will be some war when the population will be vanquished. That is the law of nature.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Ideal life is lost
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974: Because a class of men, very intelligent, very pure, ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, must be there. That is Vedic civilization. People will see and learn. Because ultimately, human life is meant for elevating to the standard of spiritual consciousness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So unless in the society there is an ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, how people will learn it? That is necessary. You cannot say, "Let us all become technologists, śūdras, that you can get money for purchasing wine and meat." But the ideal life is lost. Ideal life is lost. There must be... Just like if you want to keep your body fit for everything, there must be brain.
That is the ideal life. Wife and husband, combination, both should make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972: Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. One should not be attracted for sex life. Yathārham upayuñjataḥ. But does it mean that husband will not have sex. No. Yathārham. As it is required. As it required means sex life with wife should be performed only for begetting a Kṛṣṇa conscious child. Nothing more. No more attraction. That life is better. That life means not only better. That is the ideal life. Wife and husband, combination, both should make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The brāhmaṇa means to give us the ideal life, what is the goal of life
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974: So in Kali-yuga they will take charge of the administration or government, but they are not real kṣatriya. They are less than śūdra. So how the government will be nice? Therefore it is lamentable, that those who are not kṣatriyas, they are taking the position of government officers. And further it is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Twelfth Canto: kriyā hīnā... They are not following the rules and regulation of kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa. Still they are claiming to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya. And there is a mercantile class nowadays, interested in business, but business is one of the items of the vaiśya. The first business is to become agriculturist. Vaiśya. Vaiśya class, they are meant for making arrangement for our eating. That is also required. Kṣatriya is meant for give us protection. And the brāhmaṇa means to give us the ideal life, what is the goal of life, and śūdras, they cannot do anything of these... Therefore they are śūdra.
This is the ideal life. One should seek the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa
Lecture on SB 5.5.15 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1976: So there are two different, I mean to say, controller. One is guru and the other is the king or the government. When the... Now it is government. Government or the king, the same thing. Whatever government orders, you have to accept. There is no question of disobedience. So the aim... What is the... Why he should order and why one should accept the order? What is the purpose? The purpose is mal-loka-kāmo mad-anugrahārthaḥ. This is the ideal life. One should seek the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. This is the aim of life.
Those who are fortunate, they're taking to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this ideal life, hopeful life, pleasant life, blissful life, life of knowledge
Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971: Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kono bhāgyavān jīva: "Only one who is fortunate." So because... Why fortunate? Because if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the problems of his life become solved. But he'll not take to it due to his unfortunate condition. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "Only the fortunate persons..." There are many fortunate persons all over the world, and many unfortunate persons also. So those who are fortunate, they're taking to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this ideal life, hopeful life, pleasant life, blissful life, life of knowledge. They're taking to it. But it is the duty of Vaiṣṇava to go door to door to make them fortunate. Although they are unfortunate, but you have to go door to door to make them fortunate. That is your duty.
On account of bad association he fell down from the standard of human ideal life
Lecture on SB 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975: So without obeying the instruction of the śāstra, he has fallen down. Although he was born in the brāhmaṇa family and educated nicely, but on account of bad association he fell down from the standard of human ideal life. Therefore he is punishable. Not only he, every one of us. The human fom of life is specially meant for going back to home, back to Godhead. The animal life... By progressive evolution, they come to the human form of life, and when one is, the living entity is on the platform of human form of life, he has got his responsibility.
Nature will supply you sufficiently, provided you follow ideal life
Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975: Just like it is described, during the reign of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there was no trouble at all of the citizens. They were free from even ordinary minor diseases. It is said there, in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. And so far production is concerned, it is said that the land was producing all the necessities. Sarva-dughāṁ mahī. Sarva-kāma-dughāṁ mahī. Actually we get everything from the earth, all supplies. We are getting these flowers from earth. We are getting these fruits from earth. We are getting foodstuff from the earth. We are getting minerals from the earth—everything. Sarva-dughāṁ mahī. So nature will supply you sufficiently, provided you follow ideal life. Otherwise nature will punish you. There will be no supply.
Here in New Vrindaban we are trying to establish an ideal life—plain living and advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976: So here in New Vrindaban we are trying to establish an ideal life—plain living and advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real business. People, they do not know that Kṛṣṇa consciousness business is essential, imperative. We must take to it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. They do not know this. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Out of false hope they are trying to be happy materially.

Cornerstone Ceremonies

People are in ignorance, without any knowledge of God, without the ideal of life
Cornerstone Laying -- Bombay, January 23, 1975: This is paropakāra movement, to do welfare to others, not like cats and dogs, simply bring money and sense enjoy. This is not human life. Human life is for paropakāra. People are in ignorance, without any knowledge of God, without the ideal of life. They are simply working like cats and dogs and hogs. So they should be educated. Human life is the chance for getting such education. So this is the center for educating the human society to become actually human being and make his life successful.

Philosophy Discussions

Ideal life is eternal body
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant: Prabhupāda: Yes. Ideal construction... Here we are frustrated because everything is temporary; therefore ideal is eternal. That much we can understand. Temporary. Just like I want to live; that is my tendency. Nobody wants to die. But I am hopeless, because this body is not eternal. Therefore ideal life is eternal body.
They should eat peacefully, sleep peacefully and sense gratification peacefully and, making the mind peaceful, inquire about the Supreme Absolute. This is ideal life
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner: Prabhupāda: We are giving knowledge about Brahman, or the Supreme. We are not concerned about giving you some scientific invention, some this invention, that invention. We are giving the ultimate benefit. Now, just like I have come to America with this hope, that "Americans are not properly (indistinct), they have no (indistinct) problems. If I go there, if I speak to them about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be able to take." So if we, the human society, has come to such standard, then the next point is, now they should eat peacefully, sleep peacefully and sense gratification peacefully and, making the mind peaceful, inquire about the Supreme Absolute. This is ideal life.
That is ideal life, family life, conceived in the Vedic way of life
Philosophy Discussion on Auguste Comte: Prabhupāda: That is found in, still in Hindu family: the man is worshiping the Deity and the woman is helping about the paraphernalia Deity worship, helping the husband so that he can immediately come into the Deity room and begin worshiping comfortably. So woman should always be engaged to assist the man in every respect in his religious life, in his social life, in his family life. That is real benefit of conjugal life. But if the woman does not agree with the man, and the man treats the woman as his servant, that is not good. The man should give the woman all protection and the woman should give all service to the man. That is ideal life, family life, conceived in the Vedic way of life.
That is ideal life, family life
Philosophy Discussion on William James: Prabhupāda: So every living being should be satisfied in the condition given by God. Man should live in his own condition, the animal also should live in his own condition. Why the man should encroach upon the rights, living right of other living entities like the animals? No. Nobody should encroach upon other's right. Everyone is son of God. Let him be maintained by the orders of God. That is ideal life, family life. All living entities are the members of the same family.
Does it mean that is ideal life, eating stool and having sex without discrimination?
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud: Prabhupāda: The pig has got good facilities for sex. Does it mean that is ideal life, eating stool and having sex without discrimination? They have no discrimination, whether mother or sister or daughter. That is hog life. So if sex life is final pleasure, then hog is in the greatest pleasure. He has no social obligation. He has no discrimination. But our philosophy says "Don't become a hog, become a sane man." There, there, there is a difference between his philosophy and our philosophy.
That is missing, that what is their ideal life, what is the aim of life
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau: Prabhupāda: They are, difficulty, that is missing, that what is their ideal life, what is the aim of life. So he is prescribing so many things. That will not help the human society. And women, about women, this idea that (s)he should be married at sixteen years old, that is good, but it is not that women stops child breeding by the twenty-two years age. No. There are many women and they can beget children in, in advanced age.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Therefore the highest, ideal life, according to Vedic civilization: brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇava
Room Conversation -- October 27, 1968, Montreal, With First Devotees Going to London On Evening of Their Departure: Prabhupāda: So the modern civilization, they are trying to increase the degree of material fever, and they have come to the point, 107 degree-atomic bomb. Now they are going to die. You see? The American atom bomb or the Russian atom bomb will kill the whole material scientists' advancement. You see? So this is the... So, and devotees, they want to decrease the fever. Decrease the fever. Therefore the highest, ideal life, according to Vedic civilization: brāhmaṇas, Vaiṣṇava. They decrease their demands of the body.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Make a small unit of community and show ideal life, not idle life
Morning Walk -- March 12, 1974, Vrndavana: Prabhupāda: Therefore they do not want to increase the number of temples, increase the number of devotees. They do not want. Because they say, "These are a class of idle men. They cannot do anything, and they take to this religious life." That is the tendency. They are feeling like that. But if you show that you are actually doing something ideal, then they will appreciate. Make a small unit of community and show ideal life, not idle life. Ideal life.
They do not know what is the ideal of life, what is the aim of life
Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome: Prabhupāda: They are creating simply, the so-called advancement of civilization, creating problems, that's all. And that is due to these rascal leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know what is the ideal of life, what is the aim of life. They are creating hodge-podge civilization and putting the mass of people in chaotic condition. This is the sum and substance. I do not know whether you'll agreed with me, but this is my study of the whole situation.
Instead of begetting cats and dogs, you just beget one child, Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the ideal life
Morning Walk -- May 27, 1974, Rome: Prabhupāda: Go back to home. This is our idea. Instead of chanting twenty-five rounds, you chant hundred rounds. That is utilization of proper time. Instead of begetting cats and dogs, you just beget one child, Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the ideal life. What is the use of using sex life unnecessarily? Therefore only for begetting nice child one should have sex life. This is ideal life.
But why the western people, those who are on the top of educational and social position, they try to understand what is spirit life and follow them, and place an ideal life so that others may follow
Room Conversation with Biochemist, Dr. Sallaz -- June 4, 1974, Geneva: Prabhupāda: That is a fact. People, especially in the western world, they are actually looking after some spiritual emancipation, but they think that from India... Actually, that is a fact. Therefore, any rascal comes, they go around him. But why the western people, those who are on the top of educational and social position, they try to understand what is spirit life and follow them, and place an ideal life so that others may follow.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

There should be ideal life, at least the leaders, the president, the GBC
Morning Walk -- February 3, 1975, Hawaii: Prabhupāda: Yes, that is helping one another. If I am deficient, by seeing your example I shall correct myself. This is the idea, not that a fool's paradise: all fools and join together. Not like that. There should be ideal life, at least the leaders, the president, the GBC. They will show the example, and they will follow. Then it is beneficial. And all of them are fools? Then it is fool's paradise. At least, in the blind association, at least if one man has got eyes, then he can lead all the blind men. But if all of them are blind, then it is fool's paradise. So somehow or other, we have got now a position. People likes us. So we should not spoil by personal sense gratification. That is my request. If we can maintain this institution rigidly according to the order, then many people will be benefited. By seeing our behavior, by character, they will become. Apani ācāri prabhu jīveri śikṣāya. The leader should be ideal.
This is the ideal of life, living with hope that "I have got my master who will give me protection"
Morning Walk -- November 4, 1975, Bombay: Prabhupāda: This is the ideal of life, to become sa-nātha-jīvitam, living with hope that "I have got my master who will give me protection." That is ideal life. Others, they are living independently-anātha, no master. Just like a child without having father and mother is called anātha. So-called independence means anātha. Anātha. What is the independence? At any time nature's law will come and kick it out.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Plain living, high thinking, ideal life
Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Less disease. Less brain taxing. Everything is less. So balance time, utilize for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you have got temple, it is very happy life. Just for your food work little, and balance time engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is ideal life. Just see minute fibers on the flower. Can anyone manufacture this? So small fibers. And how brilliant it is. If you study only one flower, you become God conscious. There is a machine which we call nature. From that machine, everything is coming. But how machine is perfect? And who has discovered this machine?

Kulaśekhara: In London you said they do not know that the butterflies and flowers are painted, but Kṛṣṇa paints them with thought.

Prabhupāda: Yes. How you can expect without painting it has come so beautiful? This is foolishness, "nature"—what is this nature? Everything is being done by the machine of Kṛṣṇa. Parāsya śaktir vividaiva śrūyate. Anyway, improve this mode of life. Live in open place, produce your food grains, produce your milk, save time, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Plain living, high thinking, ideal life. Artificial necessities of life do increase your so-called comforts, but if you forget your real business, that is suicidal. We want to stop this suicidal policy.
Make this ideal life here
Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupāda: You can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Make this ideal life here. America has got good potency. We have got so much land here. We can have hundreds of New Vrindabans or farms like that. And people will be happy. And invite all the world, "Please come and live with us. Why you are suffering congestion, overpopulation? Welcome here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Make that. Indian culture and American strength make the whole world happy.
That is the ideal life
Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: ...in keeping with that analogy can the self exist, does the self exist without the body in this world?

Prabhupāda: Yes, oh yes.

Interviewer: In this life?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Life is always there.

Interviewer: As a spirit apart from the body.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is the ideal life.

Bali-mardana: That is the goal.

Prabhupāda: That is the goal. When the soul lives without this material body, that is his liberated life. Just like the criminal, he can live within the jail and without the jail. But he's thinking wrongly that without jail he cannot live. But his life without jail is real life.
Lost Vedic culture, ideal life, goal of life
Morning Walk -- December 29, 1976, Bombay: Prabhupāda: The human life is meant for purifying. They have lost this goal of life. Temporarily we are thinking if we make some comfortable arrangement for body, and that is sufficient. That is sufficient. Lost Vedic culture, ideal life, goal of life. (Hindi) At least in India it should... In other places they are... Therefore this movement's against them. Because we are preaching this philosophy just opposite to their views, they are taking it "brainwashed."

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

By your ideal life, ideal teaching, you'll get
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: But if we can get a mass following, it is only possible by preaching to them little bit at a time.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By your ideal life, ideal teaching, you'll get. This Christian or any religion, what is the use of that? It's not at all religion. It's simply rubber-stamp.
We shall live like this. This is the ideal life
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara: Prabhupāda: Yes. Whatever it may be... We should be satisfied locally by our food, by our cloth, by our milk. That's all. Let the whole world go to hell. We don't care. If you want to save yourself also, you do this. Here is an example. If you want artificial life, city life, and hellish life, you do. But we shall live like this. This is the ideal life.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

if you can develop this place to that ideal life and the residents become ideal Krishna Conscious men, in that part of your country, I think not only many philosophically minded people will be attracted, but they will be benefited also
Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 14 June, 1968: People in the spell of maya are trying to squeeze out gross pleasure from the senses, which is not possible to derive to our heart's content. Therefore we are confused and baffled in our attempt to eschew eternal pleasure from gross matter. Actually, joyful life is on the spiritual platform, therefore we should try to save our valuable time from material activities and engage them for Krishna Consciousness. But at the same time, because we have to keep our body and soul together to execute our mission, we must have sufficient (not extravagant) food to eat, and that will be supplied by grains, fruits, and milk. So if you can develop this place to that ideal life and the residents become ideal Krishna Conscious men, in that part of your country, I think not only many philosophically minded people will be attracted, but they will be benefited also.

1969 Correspondence

That is my ideal of life, to form a nice group of devotees to perform Sankirtana
Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1969: I thank you very much for your assurance that I will find London a most flourishing center for our world Sankirtana movement. That is my ideal of life, to form a nice group of devotees to perform Sankirtana and to distribute our books in wider circles.
To marry and to become an exemplary householder is the ideal life of Krishna Consciousness
Letter to James Doody -- Los Angeles 10 July, 1969: In spiritual life also there are men and women. They are very beautiful and attractive, but they are all so much absorbed in thought of Krishna that in the spiritual world there is no sex life. That means that Krishna Consciousness is so sublime and happy that it surpasses the pleasure of sex life. In the material world, because there is no information of Krishna Consciousness, sex life is taken as the highest pleasurable situation. Anyway, in our philosophy we prohibit illicit sex life and not sex life itself. In Krishna Consciousness there are many illustrious householders. So to marry and to become an exemplary householder is the ideal life of Krishna Consciousness.

1974 Correspondence

We must be very careful in the flow of the political movement we may not forget our ideal life
Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974: In the absence of competent leaders we may take the post. But we must be very careful in the flow of the political movement we may not forget our ideal life. For example, Parasaram was a Brahmin but when he found the ksatriyas were mismanaging he killed them twenty one times and some of them fled to European countries. This is the history. So far we are concerned we shall keep ourselves in ideal brahminical position and if need be if no ksatriya or Vaisya is here we can take up their work as emergency.
Let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style
Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 18 December, 1974: Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty. So develop these farm communities as far as possible. They should be developed as an ideal society depending on natural products not industry. Industry has simply created godlessness, because they think they can manufacture everything that they need. Our Bhagavad-gita philosophy explains that men and animals must have food in order to maintain their bodies. And the production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style. We do not condemn modern civilization but we don't like to get it at the cost of God Consciousness, that is suicide.
Page Title:Ideal life
Compiler:Matea, Toufik
Created:23 of Jul, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=17, Con=13, Let=5
No. of Quotes:38