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Natural condition

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Having unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord as one's protector, friend and master is the natural condition of eternal life.
SB 1.9.22, Purport:

The Supreme Lord, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, although equal to everyone, is still more inclined to His unflinching devotee who is completely surrendered and knows no one else as his protector and master. Having unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord as one's protector, friend and master is the natural condition of eternal life. A living entity is so made by the will of the Almighty that he is most happy when placing himself in a condition of absolute dependence.

The opposite tendency is the cause of falldown. The living entity has this tendency of falling down by dint of misidentifying himself as fully independent to lord it over the material world. The root cause of all troubles is there in false egotism. One must draw towards the Lord in all circumstances.

The appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa at the deathbed of Bhīṣmajī is due to his being an unflinching devotee of the Lord. Arjuna had some bodily relation with Kṛṣṇa because the Lord happened to be his maternal cousin. But Bhīṣma had no such bodily relation. Therefore the cause of attraction was due to the intimate relation of the soul. Yet because the relation of the body is very pleasing and natural, the Lord is more pleased when He is addressed as the son of Mahārāja Nanda, the son of Yaśodā, the lover of Rādhārāṇī. This affinity by bodily relation with the Lord is another feature of reciprocating loving service with the Lord.

SB Canto 2

Some way or other, one must try to reestablish one's forgotten relation with the Lord if one at all desires to gain real happiness in life, and to reclaim his natural unfettered condition.
SB 2.2.14, Purport:

It is due to their misguided way of living, complicated by sins and virtues. Some of them who are virtuous by deeds begin to reestablish the lost relation with the Lord, but they are unable to understand the personal feature of the Lord. The real purpose of life is to make contact with the Lord and be engaged in His service. That is the natural position of living entities. But those who are impersonalists and are unable to render any loving service to the Lord have been advised to meditate upon His impersonal feature, the virāṭ-rūpa, or universal form. Some way or other, one must try to reestablish one's forgotten relation with the Lord if one at all desires to gain real happiness in life, and to reclaim his natural unfettered condition. For the less intelligent beginners, meditation on the impersonal feature, the virāṭ-rūpa, or universal form of the Lord, will gradually qualify one to rise to personal contact. One is advised herewith to meditate upon the virāṭ-rūpa specified in the previous chapters in order to understand how the different planets, seas, mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, human beings, demigods and all that we can conceive are but different parts and limbs of the Lord's virāṭ form.

SB Canto 3

The living entity is eternal, and the wakeful state of his consciousness, manifested by activities, is his natural condition of life. He cannot stop acting while awake, and thus he acts according to his diverse desires.
SB 3.6.3, Purport:

The individual souls in the material world engage in different activities according to their past unfinished desires. After the dissolution of a particular body, the individual soul forgets everything, but the all-merciful Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart as the witness, the Supersoul, awakens him and reminds him of his past desires, and thus he begins to act accordingly in his next life. This unseen guidance is described as fate, and a sensible man can understand that this continues his material bondage in the three modes of nature.

The unconscious sleeping stage of the living entity just after the partial or total dissolution of the creation is wrongly accepted as the final stage of life by some less intelligent philosophers. After the dissolution of the partial material body, a living entity remains unconscious for only a few months, and after the total dissolution of the material creation, he remains unconscious for many millions of years. But when the creation is again revived, he is awakened to his work by the Lord. The living entity is eternal, and the wakeful state of his consciousness, manifested by activities, is his natural condition of life. He cannot stop acting while awake, and thus he acts according to his diverse desires. When his desires are trained in the transcendental service of the Lord, his life becomes perfect, and he is promoted to the spiritual sky to enjoy eternal awakened life.

One should be satisfied by his natural condition. If by predestination one is put into a certain condition of life which is not very prosperous in comparison to another's position, one should not be disturbed.
SB 3.27.8, Purport:

The exact word used in this connection, yadṛcchayā, means that every living entity has a predestined happiness and distress in his present body; this is called the law of karma. It is not possible that simply by endeavors to accumulate more money a person will be able to do so, otherwise almost everyone would be on the same level of wealth. In reality everyone is earning and acquiring according to his predestined karma. According to the Bhāgavatam conclusion, we are sometimes faced with dangerous or miserable conditions without endeavoring for them, and similarly we may have prosperous conditions without endeavoring for them. We are advised to let these things come as predestined. We should engage our valuable time in prosecuting Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In other words, one should be satisfied by his natural condition. If by predestination one is put into a certain condition of life which is not very prosperous in comparison to another's position, one should not be disturbed. He should simply try to utilize his valuable time to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not depend on any materially prosperous or distressed condition; it is free from the conditions imposed by material life. A very poor man can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness as effectively as a very rich man. One should therefore be very satisfied with his position as offered by the Lord.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

Artificially trying to become one with the Absolute is suicidal. One cannot annihilate his natural condition.
CC Madhya 20.135, Purport:

The mystic yoga process is compared to a black snake that devours the living entity and injects him with poison. The ultimate goal of the yoga system is to become one with the Absolute. This means finishing one's personal existence. But the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an eternal individual existence. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms that the individual soul existed in the past, is existing in the present and will continue to exist as an individual in the future. Artificially trying to become one with the Absolute is suicidal. One cannot annihilate his natural condition.

A yakṣa, a protector of riches, will not allow anyone to take away riches for enjoyment. Such a demon will simply create disturbances. In other words, a devotee will not depend on his material resources but on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can give real protection. This is called rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsaḥ or (in the Bengali poetry of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Śaraṇāgati) "avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa"—viśvāsa pālana. The surrendered soul must accept the fact that his real protector is Kṛṣṇa, not his material acquisitions.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

We are not so much disturbed in the land as we are disturbed in the ocean because we know that our position in the ocean is not our natural condition.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

All right. Here a very nice word is used: dhīra. Dhīra. Dhīra means undisturbed. Undisturbed. So this we should, we should carefully note, that our mind in the material condition is always disturbed, always disturbed. And this is due to our unfavorable condition. Because we are actually spirit in identity and we have been put into material conditions. We can very well experience. And we have, I got experience, and here is Captain Pandia. He has also experienced. He may be more than experienced than me. When we passed through the sea on the ship, although we are on the sea, quite safe, still, when there is some storm, when there is some disturbance on the ocean, we also become very much disturbed, because that situation is foreign to us. We are not so much disturbed in the land as we are disturbed in the ocean because we know that our position in the ocean is not our natural condition. So we should know that disturbance is due to our unnatural condition. Otherwise, there is no question of disturbance.

Just like a person, he's diseased, attacked by fever. Fever is not his natural condition, but somehow or other, he has got fever. Similarly, we are immortal.
Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

And the Bhāgavata says also that you do not become a spiritual master, you do not become a father, you do not become a mother, you do not become a friend, a relative, in this way, if you cannot make your subordinate immortal. Pitā na sa syāt, gurur na sa syāt, gurur na sa syāt, jananī na sā syāt pitā na sa syāt. In this way, there is a list. You become father of hundreds of children. That's all right. No restriction. You beget children. But you must make your children immortal. That is the injunction. You have become guru. That's all right, Guruji Mahārāja. That's all right. But make your disciples immortal. Otherwise, don't, don't cheat others. Cheaters. Illicit father, illicit mother. As we say, illicit sex. Similarly illicit father, illicit mother. Who is illicit father, illicit mother? Who cannot make his children immortal. That is the aim of human life. How to become immortal. How... Not to become, we are immortal. Just like a person, he's diseased, attacked by fever. Fever is not his natural condition, but somehow or other, he has got fever. Similarly, we are immortal. That will be explained. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. The living entity never takes birth, never dies. Therefore immortal. Immortal means no birth, no death. That is immortal. Whenever there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. That is immortality.

Because we are now in a condition which is not natural condition. So we have to put ourself in the natural condition and the service attitude will go on. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
660715 - Lecture BG 04.06-8 - New York:

So similarly, the master also, he thinks, "I am giving you $25 because I am exacting some service from you." So here there is no question of... The service is there, but it is perverted, perverted, in a different way. That is not real service. Service is there. Because I cannot live without service. That is my nature. Just exactly the same way: the water is always liquid, either it is designated black, or designated white. That doesn't matter. But water is there.

What is this? (sound of footsteps walking away) Is that clear? (laughs) Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Just see. Natural tendency—to give some service. Just see. He's not in order, but he thought that "Here is something. Let me give me some service." Now, just see, automatically come. So this is the natural...

A child also, he'll try to serve the father, his mother. He'll try to assist mother. Mother is cooking. He'll try to assist the mother. So this is the position, that our natural position is to render service. Now, where to render service and how the service is being misused. That we have to understand. That's all. Because we are now in a condition which is not natural condition. So we have to put ourself in the natural condition and the service attitude will go on. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

When we are engaged in transcendental loving service of God, that is our healthy condition. That is our natural condition. That is our situation in Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi.
Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

This is the science. How it is? Now, it is said here that "Who is self intelligent, unbewildered, and who knows the science of God." How do you know the science of God? The same example, that this finger, when it is in healthy condition it serves the whole body... When it is not in a healthy condition it cannot serve. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God or Kṛṣṇa. When we are engaged in transcendental loving service of God, that is our healthy condition. That is our natural condition. That is our situation in Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is self-realization. Just like this finger. If it thinks, "I am finger of this body. My duty is to serve this whole body," this is healthy stage. Similarly, when we are fully convinced that "I am part and parcel of God..."

There are many examples. Just like you are American citizen. If you think yourself that "I am part and parcel of the state..." Sometimes there is some advertisement that "If you spoil this thing, you must know you are spoiling your own thing because the state is yours." Similarly, if I know the science of God, if I know science of Kṛṣṇa, then I am, my duty is to utilize everything for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, just like the same citizen who is conscious that "I am part and parcel of this state. I shall see that everything is nicely done for the interest of the state." In Communist state they are very much strict. In other state they are not so much strict but in Communist state, if you go a little against the state, you are immediately punished.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like water is liquid. You cannot change water to become solid. You can say, argue, that water sometimes becomes solid, ice. But that is not its natural condition. That is artificial.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

Just like water is liquid. You cannot change water to become solid. You can say, argue, that water sometimes becomes solid, ice. But that is not its natural condition. That is artificial. By the temperature going down artificially, it becomes solid. But at the same time, it begins to become liquid. The ice does not remain solid. From the solidification, after refrigeration, it becomes to, become liquid because that is its natural state. So that... As liquidity is natural state of water, similarly, dharma is our natural state, the living entity. The living entity being part and parcel of God, it has got a natural position. Natural position. Just like the finger is the part and parcel of your body. It has got a natural position. The natural position is that finger, as you wish to work, the finger works, serves you. The different parts of your body, limbs, they are meant for serving the whole body. The finger catches a nice foodstuff, cake, but the finger does not use it. The finger takes it to the mouth. That means finger serves the body. Similarly, dharma means the living entity, being part and parcel of God, the living entity must serve God. That is dharma. That service attitude is there in every living entity, but somebody is serving himself, somebody is serving his family, somebody is serving his society, somebody is serving his country.

Unless there is some natural favorable condition, you cannot produce. There are five causes. The land, labor, capital, organization, and Bhagavad-gītā accepts daiva, another cause.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

He accumulated some money, but now he wants to satisfy God constructing a big temple or constructing... You'll find in India some old temples. There are so many nice workmanship in stone. That means spent thousands and thousands of dollars. In here also I find so many nice churches, they have been spent by persons. What is the idea? The idea is anyone who has got some money, he wanted to satisfy God. So it doesn't matter what you are doing, but the test of your success will be considered as successful if you try to satisfy God. Because we are, whole life, we are dragging from God. "God give us our daily bread," and God is supplying daily bread. Otherwise, where you are getting bread? You say, "I am purchasing from the market." Oh, where the storekeeper got this wheat? It is produced by agriculture. But do you think that simply by machine it is now produced? No. Unless there is some natural favorable condition, you cannot produce. There are five causes. The land, labor, capital, organization, and Bhagavad-gītā accepts daiva, another cause. Daiva means godly. You may arrange everything but if God is against you, in spite of your all arrangement, everything will be failure. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. They have searched out five causes for success. So out of the five causes, daiva, daiva means the favor of God, that has been taken as the means for any successful thing.

Instead of serving the senses, if you serve the Lord of the senses, then you are in natural condition, and that is called bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

So intelligent man, he thinks that "Throughout my whole life I have given service to the lust, anger, and desire, and so many things." We are serving. Always remember that whenever we serve somebody, we do not serve that person, but we serve our lust. Because the person will pay me something, and out of that payment I shall be able to gratify my senses, therefore I am not serving anyone, but I am serving my senses. That is the sum and substance. That is the sum and substance. Similarly, if you serve Kṛṣṇa, the same service is there. Only difference is that it is not service to the sense grati..., senses, but it is the service to the sense proprietor, Hṛṣīkeśa. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka means senses, and īśa means the Lord. Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of the senses. Therefore His another name is Govinda. So instead of serving the senses, if you serve the Lord of the senses, then you are in natural condition, and that is called bhāgavata-dharma. So bhāgavata-dharma is nothing unnatural, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is nothing unnatural. It is very natural. Simply you have to change from one platform to another. Instead of serving your senses, you have to serve the senses of God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhāgavata-dharma. Thank you very much.

General Lectures

So long we are not again reestablished in our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa, we shall remain restless. That is our natural condition.
Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

This is very important verse. Śrī Yamunācārya says, "My dear Lord," bhavantam evānucaran nirantaraḥ, "when I shall be fully engaged in Your service?" This is the process of being freed from all anxiety. Just like this child. This child is restless. He's going here, going there. But if the child is given some engagement, toy, which he likes, then she will remain there pacified and will not disturb anyone. That is natural. Similarly, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. So long we are not again linked up with His service, with His... So long we are not again reestablished in our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa, we shall remain restless. That is our natural condition. Just like the child is crying, restless. But as soon as the mother takes the child on the lap, the child is immediately pacified. Why? Because the child wants that. She cannot express what she wants. She is crying. But she has no language to express, but she can express her feelings. As soon as she is on the lap of the mother, she understands, "Now I am fully satisfied." You can also understand. So even there is no language, there is a stage of satisfaction. That stage is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as one comes to the stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he'll be satisfied. And unless he comes to that stage, he'll always be disturbed, full of anxieties.

Philosophy Discussions

Then development of hair is not only the existent; there are other many conditions. You cannot say that development of hair is due to the condition as he says, natural condition.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Then development of hair is not only the existent; there are other many conditions. You cannot say that development of hair is due to the condition as he says, natural condition. That is not a fixed-up...

Śyāmasundara: I was just using that as an example of how a species can adapt to its environment.

Prabhupāda: The question is that this development of body, is there any plan that this body should exist in certain condition of nature, and therefore he must have these equipments, either you say, tissues or veins or hair? Who has made these arrangements? That is the question.

Śyāmasundara: His answer to that is chance variation.

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. There is no such chance. If he says chance, that means he is a nonsense.

Śyāmasundara: He examines that...

Prabhupāda: He examines what is already existing. But our question is, who has made these circumstances, different circumstances for the existence of different animals? That is our question.

Just like to become feverish, that is not my natural state. Under certain circumstances, I have become weak (indistinct) fever, but that is not my natural condition.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just like to become feverish, that is not my natural state. Under certain circumstances, I have become weak (indistinct) fever, but that is not my natural condition. If medicine is given, the fever is gone. Then I am (indistinct), and that is called mukti. Mukti, liberation, means to get out of this feverish condition. That's all. (indistinct) mukta, in Sanskrit it is called. Roga is not natural. It comes, disease comes. So whatever disease... Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), that all these four things are disease, externally. Otherwise the living entity has no birth, no death, no disease, no illness. Nitya sasta (Sanskrit). How they're getting older? These are externalities. People are so ignorant that they don't know how to drive away these external (indistinct) conditions. They think it is natural, "Let me suffer." That is their ignorance.

Śyāmasundara: One of Jung's favorite techniques for improving a person's personality is to force that person to bring up the demonic force in himself and treat it as another person. If the demon within me is not really me, it's another personality which causes...

Prabhupāda: That is not very important, how one becomes affected by some disease. But when the disease is there, the treatment must be there. That is natural. Instead of tracing out the history, what is the use? That the disease is there, make treatment and be cured, that's all.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

A living entity, when he cannot serve God, that is his material condition, or unhealthy condition. When he serves God, that is his natural condition. Because he's part and parcel of God.
Room Conversation with Father Tanner and other guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: No, that is real freedom. Just like this, my finger, is part and parcel of my body. So long the finger serves the body, it is healthy. If it is painful, it cannot serve, then it is unhealthy. Similarly, a living entity, when he cannot serve God, that is his material condition, or unhealthy condition. When he serves God, that is his natural condition. Because he's part and parcel of God.

Father Tanner: Where did we lose the contact with God?

Prabhupāda: When you misused your freedom. You have got little freedom.

Father Tanner: But at what point did I... No. Or, a child lose its contact with its Creator?

Prabhupāda: It is said... Suppose I am serving my master. I can think of, "Oh, why shall I serve him? I shall become independent." That is my freedom, little freedom. So I cannot become independent. That is not my healthy stage. Just like... Take for example, a dog. A dog is healthy when he has got a good master. And if he hasn't got a good master, he's a street dog, neglected. He's not healthy. Similarly our position is like that, that we must be dependent on God. Therefore in your Christian Bible also you go for your bread: "God, give us our daily bread." So you are dependent. So it is better to remain dependent on God than to use your so-called little freedom.

The business of the part and parcel is to serve, render service to the whole. This is natural condition.
Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body, but its business is to serve the body. I ask the finger: "Come here." It is doing like that. I ask the finger to: "Come here." It is doing like that. So it is the business of the finger is to serve the whole. It is part. And the body is the whole. Therefore the business of the part and parcel is to serve, render service to the whole. This is natural condition.

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: I agree with this...

Prabhupāda: Let me finish.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes. And I think that the vocation of each creature is the service of God, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Cardinal Danielou: The service of God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So when the living entity forgets this business, that is material life.

Cardinal Danielou: That is...?

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: (agrees in French)

Prabhupāda: Therefore in this material world we find almost everyone has forgotten God.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know how to get liberty. Neither they are interested. They want to stay here and subjected to the natural material condition, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.
Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is liberty. But they do not know it. They simply make a show that they are scholar of Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know how to get liberty. Neither they are interested. They want to stay here and subjected to the natural material condition, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). There is another verse, mām aprāpya? Aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, in the Ninth Chapter, I think. Aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā... (BG 9.3).

Hari-śauri: Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā, Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa...

Prabhupāda: Aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. "The teachings that I am giving, if one is not faithful to accept it, the result will be aprāpya mām, he'll never get Me, and he'll remain in the cycle of birth and death." They do not know it, what is cycle of birth and death, how one can get out of it. Going on. Just like the flies with great force falls in the fire. They are very busy. What is their busy-ness? Falling in the fire. So this is going on. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to save the people who go down by the force, enforced by the laws of material nature in the cycle of birth and death.

Page Title:Natural condition
Compiler:Matea
Created:03 of Sep, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=4, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=10, Con=3, Let=0
No. of Quotes:18