Not my business (Prabhupada)

Expressions researched:
"not my business"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

My only credit is that I am presenting Kṛṣṇa as He is. That's all. I am not diluting Kṛṣṇa. That is not my business.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

People say so much about me, that I have done some wonderful thing. But I say that I am not a magician. I'm not a magician. My only credit is that I am presenting Kṛṣṇa as He is. That's all. I am not diluting Kṛṣṇa. That is not my business. And therefore, because it is pure, pure ghee, therefore everyone accepts. And if you place dalda, mixing with ghee some rascal thing, then nobody will accept. Therefore, so many swamis went before me in the Western countries, and they presented adulterated, and there was not a single person became a kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Now, by thousands they are becoming. Why? Because it is presented pure thing. Pure thing will be accepted everywhere.

I did not go there to turn the Christian to become Hindu. No, I never said that. Did I say, any, anyone, that "You are Christian. You become a Hindu"? No, never I said. That is not my business.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

If one is learned paṇḍita, he does not see Hindu, Muslim, Christian. I went to America, I did not go there to turn the Christian to become Hindu. No, I never said that. Did I say, any, anyone, that "You are Christian. You become a Hindu"? No, never I said. That is not my business.

As we are servant of Kṛṣṇa, it is our duty to present the real thing. Now you accept, not accept. That is not my business.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying little bit. Success or no success does not matter. As we are servant of Kṛṣṇa, it is our duty to present the real thing. Now you accept, not accept. That is not my business. I can request you that you accept this principle and be liberated from these sufferings of material life.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If I make a motive that "I shall render service to the Lord so that I will be very much satisfied..." No. No. That, that becomes motivated. That "I will be satisfied," that is the first consideration. There should be no motive at all. I may be satisfied, not sati..., that is not my business. But still, I'll have to serve the Lord.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Actually, devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord not for my satisfaction, but rendering devotional service to the Lord, the self is automatically satisfied. If I make a motive that "I shall render service to the Lord so that I will be very much satisfied..." No. No. That, that becomes motivated. That "I will be satisfied," that is the first consideration. There should be no motive at all. I may be satisfied, not sati..., that is not my business. But still, I'll have to serve the Lord.

If you are actually intelligent, if you are disgusted, that "This is not very good business. This is anartha, unwanted business. I have been forced, yayā sammohitaḥ... Being bewildered, being illusioned, misdirected by this material energy, I am trying to be happy here in this material..., and it is not my business." If one comes to this sense...

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

So anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. If we want to stop this unwanted business... If you don't want, go on with your business: bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Now take this life, this body, of human being or Indian and then American, then cat, then dog, then hog, then tree—so many, eight million—you go on if you like. But if you are actually intelligent, if you are disgusted, that "This is not very good business. This is anartha, unwanted business. I have been forced, yayā sammohitaḥ... Being bewildered, being illusioned, misdirected by this material energy, I am trying to be happy here in this material..., and it is not my business." If one comes to this sense... That is stated in the Bhagavad..., bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births. After many, many births, jñānavān, one who is actually in knowledge, wise..." Then what does he do? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: He surrenders to Kṛṣṇa.

So our business should be not to be attached by the car or the body, but to maintain it for our work, and our real business is to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our... Just like we move by the car to go some business. So car is not my business. I have got a different business.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

Māyā has given us this car for satisfying our desires. Sometimes it is called field. Kṣetra. We want to work on this, just like agriculturist work on his field and produce some results. Similarly, we are working on this field, we are moving by this car, but I am not this field, I am not this car. If one has understood this philosophy that "I am not this body..." But "I am not this body," that does not mean I shall neglect it. I must maintain it because ... The same example: if I want to move nicely, my car must be maintained very nicely. So our business should be not to be attached by the car or the body, but to maintain it for our work, and our real business is to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our... Just like we move by the car to go some business. So car is not my business. I have got a different business. Similarly, our real business is this human form of life, how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our real business. And to execute that real business, we take help of this car. That's all. Maintain it nicely. Cleanse it, give gasoline and Mobil oil, and tire tube. That is required because you have to move. So don't, we don't say that "It is mithyā, it is false."

Somehow or other we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa and trying to enjoy this material world under different position. That we have to forget. This is not my business. When we understand this position, that is called self-realization.

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

We have to learn how to forget to serve this material nature. That is bhakti-mārga. It is forced because we have kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. Somehow or other we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa and trying to enjoy this material world under different position. That we have to forget. This is not my business. When we understand this position, that is called self-realization, that "I am not servant of anyone. I am not servant of my country, of my society, of my friend, of my dress, of my cat, of my dog. I am nobody's servant. I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is self-realization.

Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was requested, when he was, rather, offered any benediction he wanted to take from Nṛsiṁhadeva, he refused: "My dear Lord, please do not induce me in that way. I am born in a family, demonic family. To gain some material profit is my natural propensity. And You are the offerer. You are offering me. I can take anything from You. But this is not my business.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

Suppose if your father is killed before you and if you stand only, if you don't speak any protest to protect the father, who will agree with your endeavor? Nobody. Everyone will say, "You are such a coward that your father was killed before you. You did not protest. You did not try to give any protection?" This is superficial. But actually, the son, Prahlāda Mahārāja, was giving the best service to his father, best service. Because in the śāstra it is said that if a person, if a demon, is killed by God, he immediately is liberated. Even though he was not liberated, thinking that he was very, very sinful... Of course, he was liberated. But Prahlāda Mahārāja was thinking that "My father was so sinful, so much against God consciousness. He might not be liberated."

So therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was requested, when he was, rather, offered any benediction he wanted to take from Nṛsiṁhadeva, he refused: "My dear Lord, please do not induce me in that way. I am born in a family, demonic family. To gain some material profit is my natural propensity. And You are the offerer. You are offering me. I can take anything from You. But this is not my business. Because I have rendered service to You, it does not mean that I will take some remuneration for You. This is business." Vaṇik. Sa vai vaṇik: "This is mercantile man's... But I am Your eternal servant. I do not expect any reward from You." But that Prahlāda Mahārāja, later on he asked Nṛsiṁhadeva, "My dear Lord, one thing I may ask from You." "What is that?" "Now, my father was atheist number one, and he has committed so many offenses at Your lotus feet. Now he is killed. So I want that he may be excused and given liberation." So he was already liberated. Still, as affection son, he was anxious to know, "Whether my father will be liberated or not?" So this was confirmed by the Lord: "Not only your father, his father's father, his father, his father, up to fourteen generations, everyone is liberated—because a Vaiṣṇava son like you is born in this family."

Everyone is busy. Everyone is busy in different plans, forgetting his real business. This is called māyā. Māyā means..., ma means not; ya means this. Therefore māyā means when you understand, "This is not my business," then you are out of māyā. "This is not," mā-yā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

So my real problem is how to become again eternal, not accepting any more birth, death, old age. That is my real business." But because I am infected with the material modes of nature, we are making different plans. Everyone is busy. Everyone is busy in different plans, forgetting his real business. This is called māyā. Māyā means..., ma means not; ya means this. Therefore māyā means when you understand, "This is not my business," then you are out of māyā. "This is not," mā-yā.

Festival Lectures

"The order of my spiritual master is my life. I do not know whether I get liberation or not. That is not my business. My business is to carry out the order of my spiritual master."

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

So if you don't follow the spiritual master, then how you can get his mercy? Mercy is always there, but if you don't take it, then what spiritual master or his father will do? You have to take it. That is seriousness. Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura said that "The order of my spiritual master is my life. I do not know whether I get liberation or not. That is not my business. My business is to carry out the order of my spiritual master." Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura said. If one is serious on this point, then he is serious. First of all we have to approach a spiritual master who is actually a spiritual master, and then, if we carry the orders of spiritual master, then everything is guaranteed. The same example: First of all you find out a right physician, and you put yourself under his treatment, follow his instruction, and the disease is cured. But if you go to a false physician or if you are false, then the result will not take place.

General Lectures

Then, after some arguments, Arjuna thought it wise that "Actually, I am a military man and I have come to fight a decision that we shall fight. Now what I am trying to do, to avoid this fighting? Actually it is not my business. I am deviating from my duty."

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

Even nowadays, all the nations, they make a group. Some of them forming were forming one group; another some of them, they formed another group. Exactly the same thing was done. Now Kṛṣṇa was the charioteer, but when the chariot was brought in front of the two soldiers' party, Arjuna became little bit disturbed that "I have to fight. On the other side they are my brothers, they are my nephews, they are my gurus, Dronācārya, and they are my grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva. So what kind of fight this is that I have to fight with my friends and relatives and family members?" So he hesitated, that "Kṛṣṇa, what kind of fight this is? They are not my enemies; they are all family members. So I am not interested in this fight." So he practically decided not to fight. And Kṛṣṇa said that "What is this nonsense? You are a military man, and you have come to fight here, and you are My friend and My relative also, and if you decide not to fight, what people will say?" This is the beginning. Then, after some arguments, Arjuna thought it wise that "Actually, I am a military man and I have come to fight a decision that we shall fight. Now what I am trying to do, to avoid this fighting? Actually it is not my business. I am deviating from my duty."

My position is that, that under the supreme order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in disciplic succession, I am just trying to preach this kṛṣṇa-kathā. That's all. I am not manufacturing anything. Don't think that I have manufactured something new, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No. That is not my business.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

So you may question, "What you are? What is your position?" Our... My position is that, that under the supreme order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in disciplic succession, I am just trying to preach this kṛṣṇa-kathā. That's all. I am not manufacturing anything. Don't think that I have manufactured something new, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No. That is not my business. My business is just like the peon. The orderly. The message from Caitanya Mahāprabhu as it is, I am delivering. That's all.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

At least, if one understands that "This is my business. My business is not to work hard and end it by sense gratification. This is not my business." That is saṁsiddhi. That is success.

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

At least, if one understands that "This is my business. My business is not to work hard and end it by sense gratification. This is not my business." That is saṁsiddhi. That is success. If, at least, one understands this aim of life, even little understands, he gets next human body. That is guaranteed. At least, he is not going to get any cats' and dogs' body.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Not that I was trying to directly contact Kṛṣṇa. That was not my business. This is required. If anyone wants to contact directly Kṛṣṇa, that is not possible.

Room Conversation -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:

Harikeśa: So all of my activities, unless they are directly following your order, are more or less a concoction of my mind.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...office, you cannot contact the proprietor directly. There are subordinate officers. Through them you have to take the proprietor's help. The office master is there. You have to satisfy the office master. You cannot directly approach the proprietor. If you satisfy the office master, then your promotion and other things is all right. But if you want to... I have got practical experience. One of my friend, he was working in office. So the proprietor was there and many other employees were there. So that my friend, he suggested something to the proprietor, and the proprietor immediately dismissed him: "Oh, this man want to suggest me. Dismiss immediately. Give him his pay he will require." In that I have got practical experience. He later on became so sorry. Now it is the process. So this is practical. We should not try to approach directly Kṛṣṇa. That is not the right way. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of." So you have to serve your immediate master, dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ, servant of the Supreme Lord. If you want to jump over the original master, that is not good. Then you will be dismissed like, like my friend.

Harikeśa: Associating with you is so wonderful, and yet...

Prabhupāda: Just like here in Vṛndāvana, I was here, as I am sitting here. I was sitting here in this very place. That was (indistinct). And when I was hungry I could take my food there, same place. So that is one thing. Just like there are many persons, but because my spiritual master wanted, so I, at seventy years old, when I thought, "Now I shall go," I went, to serve the order of my spiritual master. Otherwise I am sitting here in Vṛndāvana. I am old man, I was chanting. Therefore, because that is my first business.

Harikeśa: Were you just waiting to finish your books?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I was just creating the situation how I shall serve my spiritual master.

Harikeśa: Oh.

Prabhupāda: Not that I was trying to directly contact Kṛṣṇa. That was not my business. This is required. If anyone wants to contact directly Kṛṣṇa, that is not possible.

No, I can order. But that is not my business.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: :...-thirty they open. We have to wait.

Dr. Patel: You will have to order them to open early. You have the...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Why shall I? Their duty must be finished. You cannot ask God that "You... God... God! Please open. I want to see you."

Dr. Patel: Yes. You order God... The, the...

Prabhupāda: No, I can order. But that is not my business.

Dr. Patel: That is, that is... He understands the word. Even though you don't say by mouth, God understands. He's not...

Prabhupāda: No, no. It is not my order to order God.

One should not imitate. Just like a physician is operating. I should not imitate, to take the knife and operate. That is not my business.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: Simplicity is not considered a bad quality?

Prabhupāda: No, no. For him it is all right. And anyone, sva-dharma... He is a vaiśya, He should believe like that. A politician should act like that, that... para-dharmabhāvaḥ. One should not imitate. Just like a physician is operating. I should not imitate, to take the knife and operate. That is not my business.

Girirāja: "After this incident, when Yaśodā was once nursing..."

Prabhupāda: But one thing is that Vasudeva was also thinking of Kṛṣṇa and he is also thinking of Kṛṣṇa. As a simple agriculturist, he is also thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And Vasudeva also, when he was asking him, "Go and take care of your children there," that was thinking of Kṛṣṇa. If the thinking of Kṛṣṇa is there, then either kṣatriya or vaiśya or brāhmaṇa, it doesn't matter. Everyone gets the same benefit.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Why shall I force? What is my... That is not my business. I am Kṛṣṇa's servant. I simply say, "Here is good thing. You take it."

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:

Hanumān: You cannot force anybody to say, "I am the guru. I'm the (indistinct). Fall in love with me."

Prabhupāda: Why shall I force? What is my... That is not my business. I am Kṛṣṇa's servant. I simply say, "Here is good thing. You take it." Now, Kṛṣṇa also says that. He does not force. Kṛṣṇa is God. He can force, but He does not do that.

Just like here in America I have come to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am not interested for sight-seeing. That is not my business.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Harikeśa: So we should not try to meet these scientists on any scientific platform? Rather, on...

Siddha-svarūpa: Why not on the platform of not being the body? Why should you...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Siddha-svarūpa: Why not speak on what we're trying to speak about instead of overly indulge in that which is beyond debate actually?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Siddha-svarūpa: Ask them, "Are you the body?" If they say, "Yes," and then ask them to show how...

Prabhupāda: Just like here in America I have come to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am not interested for sight-seeing. That is not my business. Whatever you say, "It is here like this," "All right, That's all, finished." Why should we try to confirm it? Whatever you say, that's all right. Now, we are seeing the other part; if somebody there, "It is like this," that's all right. I'm not going to test it. So what is the use of arguing? I have no interest.

No, what I learn from Kṛṣṇa I say. I don't say independently. That is not my business. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I don't speak any nonsense except the instruction given in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is my credit. That's all. People say that I have done wonderful, but I do not know any magic. The wonderful thing I have done is that I don't speak any nonsense thing. (Bengali)

Lalitā: What you say, you act according to that.

Prabhupāda: No, what I learn from Kṛṣṇa I say. I don't say independently. That is not my business. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction.

Bhagavad-gītā guidance. I will not manufacture anything. That is not my business, concoction thing, hodgepodge, without any knowledge, without any experience.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) This is meant for the executive head of the state. It is meant for. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter, it is stated,

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ

proktavān aham avyayam

vivasvān manave prāhur

manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt

(BG 4.1)

Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣayo. 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)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

A man is put into the prison house, and his engagement is breaking the bricks. So he has forgotten that "This breaking of bricks is not my business. I am meant for living freely outside the prison house."

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: The almost the whole world, and all civilizations, look down upon the varṇāśrama-dharma as a system in which hierarchical and stratified conditions prevent human beings from progressing. They think of our system as...

Prabhupāda: They do not know what is progress. That I was talking with your Associated Press, press reporter. Just like they do not know that their material life means they are in the prison house for being punished. They are so dull headed they are taking the activities of punishment as regular life. A man is put into the prison house, and his engagement is breaking the bricks. So he has forgotten that "This breaking of bricks is not my business. I am meant for living freely outside the prison house." So these people, less intelligent people, they think that this material life of working hard day and night, just like the hogs and dogs, is general life. That is due to their ignorance.

Whatever it may be, I don't decry medicine. That is not my business.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Now then, Arjuna was so advised that he should fight out. So in that case, I mean we all consider he was right to follow Kṛṣṇa advice? Then if a man is overtaken by disease and if he fights out that...

Prabhupāda: No, no, I don't say that, that he should not fight. It is my personal... Not that one should not take care of the body or one should not eat medicine, that is not. I like this, let me do without medicine. That is my personal... It is...

Dr. Patel: What is medicine? Any herb is a medicine, even food is a medicine.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, I don't decry medicine. That is not my business.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Aurobindo also, the same thing. With woman's money they became rich, not like me, with hard labor of writing books and selling. I could also do. There was chance. But this is not my business to make intimate relation with woman and get money.

Morning Walk -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Marwaris are little religious. They...

Gargamuni: They never talk about Vivekananda. They don't like him.

Prabhupāda: He was rascal number one. He brought three women with whom he had intimate connection. That is very easy to make intimate connection with woman in America. With money also. He brought. And with their money. Aurobindo also, the same thing. With woman's money they became rich, not like me, with hard labor of writing books and selling. I could also do. There was chance. But this is not my business to make intimate relation with woman and get money. I could do. There was chance. When attempt was failed, the man who introduced that woman to me, he one day said, "I have seen many swamis, but none like you." (laughter)

I am not manufacturing anything. That is not my business.

Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Koshi: Servant of Bhagavān. Are you happy with the way the movement has really spread? The...

Prabhupāda: Why not? Because I am giving the standard movement. I am not manufacturing anything. I am giving what is said by Kṛṣṇa. I am just distributing that. Why shall I not be happy? I am not manufacturing anything. That is not my business.

Arjuna went to see in the battlefield to Duryodhana. And Duryodhana immediately said, "Come here, my brother. You have come. What do you want? How can I help you? You want your kingdom without fight? I can give you." He said, "No, no, that is not my business." This is kṣatriya. He... He thought that "He has come to beg." "No, no, that already... That we shall decide in the battlefield."

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Bhīma went to Jarāsandha to fight. Whole day it was fight. It was kṣatriya's fight. Unless one is dead, the fight will continue. So Bhīma and Jarāsandha were equally powerful, so no decision. But still, he was guest at Jarāsandha's house. At night they were eating together, talking together. This is India's culture. They forgot. Arjuna went to see in the battlefield to Duryodhana. And Duryodhana immediately said, "Come here, my brother. You have come. What do you want? How can I help you? You want your kingdom without fight? I can give you." He said, "No, no, that is not my business." This is kṣatriya. He... He thought that "He has come to beg." "No, no, that already... That we shall decide in the battlefield." This is kṣatriya. But when he's at my place, I offer, "All right, if you want without fight, you can take." This is... They... This is India's culture.

So many well-wishers, I cannot refuse. This is not my business.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where is kavirāja?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's out again getting medicine. This man, Śrīla Prabhupāda, Adri-dhāraṇa says he sits up all night worried about you, thinking, taxing his mind how to give you just what you require.

Prabhupāda: No.

Bhakti-caru: Yesterday, when I went to call him at 4:30, I saw him sitting on his bed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All night. He goes in the jungle four, five hours looking for roots, herbs to give you. He's so sincere.

Prabhupāda: So many well-wishers, I cannot refuse. This is not my business. (Bengali) All right. You take Bābājī Mahārāja. That will be my going. (laughter)

Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī: Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, the bullock cart will go tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To Govardhana.

Prabhupāda: Yes, other devotees can go. I cannot go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they'll go on your behalf, but you will go one day. That we promise you.

Prabhupāda: All right.

1969 Correspondence

From your statement, it appears that you do not expect to do anything with BTG after #29, because it is in the hands of he (Brahmananda). I cannot follow what you mean by this. Everything is Krishna's business. It is not my business, nor Brahmananda's, nor Hayagriva's. It is the business of Krishna, and we want to serve Him in the best way.

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

From your statement, it appears that you do not expect to do anything with BTG after #29, because it is in the hands of he (Brahmananda). I cannot follow what you mean by this. Everything is Krishna's business. It is not my business, nor Brahmananda's, nor Hayagriva's. It is the business of Krishna, and we want to serve Him in the best way.

1972 Correspondence

I am so much disgusted by this troublesome business of marriage, because nearly every day I receive some complaint from husband or wife, and practically this is not my business as sannyasi to be marriage counsellor, so henceforward I am not sanctioning any more marriages.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

One must be convinced that sex-life without exception means trouble, therefore he is able to stop it at the thinking stage by not allowing it to be felt, much less willed and acted. I am so much disgusted by this troublesome business of marriage, because nearly every day I receive some complaint from husband or wife, and practically this is not my business as sannyasi to be marriage counsellor, so henceforward I am not sanctioning any more marriages, and those who want to marry must know in advance and be prepared to make outside income to support wife and home separately from the temple, and in the temple husband and wife shall live separately, that must be or what is the meaning of spiritual society like ours? I made a concession, but how can I encourage something which has proven to be so much trouble?