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Pet dog

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

SB 3.30.15, Translation and Purport:

Thus he remains at home just like a pet dog and eats whatever is so negligently given to him. Afflicted with many illnesses, such as dyspepsia and loss of appetite, he eats only very small morsels of food, and he becomes an invalid, who cannot work any more.

Before meeting death one is sure to become a diseased invalid, and when he is neglected by his family members, his life becomes less than a dog's because he is put into so many miserable conditions. Vedic literatures enjoin, therefore, that before the arrival of such miserable conditions, one should leave home and die without the knowledge of his family members. If a man leaves home and dies without his family's knowing, that is considered to be a glorious death. But an attached family man wants his family members to carry him in a great procession even after his death, and although he will not be able to see how the procession goes, he still desires that his body be taken gorgeously in procession. Thus he is happy without even knowing where he has to go when he leaves his body for the next life.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.26.24, Translation:

If in this life a man of the higher classes (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya) is very fond of taking his pet dogs, mules or asses into the forest to hunt and kill animals unnecessarily, he is placed after death into the hell known as Prāṇarodha. There the assistants of Yamarāja make him their targets and pierce him with arrows.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.30 -- London, July 23, 1973:

So we remain servant of māyā on account of my sense gratification. That's all. I remain servant of my wife because I want to satisfy my senses. I want to remain servant of my husband because I want sense gratification. Here is the disease. Everyone. Even the servant of the servant or servant of the dog (CC Madhya 13.80). Because I like it, a pet dog. So actually, instead of becoming master, we become servant. This is the fact. And servant of whom? Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. Servant of lust, servants of greediness. Kāma, krodha, moha, mātsarya. Servant of all these senses. Therefore one who is intelligent... There was a brāhmaṇa. He said like this: "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am now servant. I have served so much." Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā durnideśāḥ.

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

That is wanted. Attraction is there. Nobody can say that "I have no attraction for anything." That is false. Everyone has got attraction. If you have nothing to be attracted, then you keep a cat and a dog to be attracted. That is the nature. Especially in the Western countries we see. He has no family, but he keeps one pet dog or pet cat because he wants to be attracted by somebody. This is nature. So here Kṛṣṇa says that "You have got already attraction, but in false things which will not exist. You turn that attraction unto Me. Then you'll get pleasure." You are attracted to something for getting some pleasure. So that pleasure is interrupted because we have posed our attraction in some false things. You have to change that attraction to the real thing, Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Mayy āsakta. Mayy āsakta. Mayi: "Unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says personally.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Then you have to follow the devotees of Vāsudeva. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Guru, who requires a guru? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive to learn about the transcendental science, he requires a guru. It is not a fashion that we keep a guru. Just like sometimes we keep a dog. Yes. A pet, pet dog, pet cat. So that is for my sense gratification. Guru, I keep a guru, a poor man guru, and guru wants some money from me. Then guru, śiṣya says, "My dear guru, if I do not eat meat and fish, my health will fail." "All right, I order you. Under my order you can do that." This kind of compromise is not there. That is not guru. The guru thinks that "If I say 'Don't eat meat,' then this disciple will go away, and there is no chance of getting money from him." That kind of compromise is not required. And nobody requires to have a guru if he has got such attitude.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "Now we are not talking as friends. I accept You as guru." When one accepts somebody as guru, he cannot argue. That is the condition. Praṇipātena, sampūrṇa, fully surrendered. Otherwise there is no meaning of making a guru. It is not like that, a pet dog, that "Everyone makes guru, and let me guru, let me have a guru." But that is not the... Guru means first of all the condition is praṇipāta, fully surrendered. Not that "If I like, then I shall carry your order. And if I don't like, then I shall not do it." That is not acceptance of guru. Praṇipāta. First of all, we must agree. So because friends and friends talking... A friend may agree with his friend. He may not agree with... That is friendly talk. But Arjuna became śiṣyas te 'ham: "I am now Your śiṣya, disciple. Now there is no question of disagreeing with You. Whatever You'll say, I will accept." So at last Kṛṣṇa said, "Surrender unto Me." And Arjuna did it. That is the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

This service-rendering process is going on everywhere. Nobody is absolute that he does not render service to anyone. That is not possible. I have repeatedly explained that if somebody has no master to serve, he voluntarily accepts a cat or dog as his master to serve. The nice name is pet dog, but it is serving. The mother serves the child. So one who has no child, he takes the cat as her child and serves.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

That inquisitive must Guru means To accept guru means the disciple should be very very eager to know. Sad-dharma pṛcchāt. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Why you accept a guru? "It is a fashion." Fashion. Nowadays they accept a guru fashion. "Everyone has guru. Everyone has a dog. Well, let me keep a dog." Like that. A pet dog. So similarly, to keep a pet guru, that is not One should be very inquisitive: sad-dharma pṛcchāt. And everywhere the same thing. Paripraśna. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). But don't make inquiries cheap: "Here is my guru, and he's meant for answering all my questions. Let me go on questioning, questioning, questioning." No. Sevayā. You must serve. You must be ready to serve him. Then you have got right to make question.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

In Western countries they accumulate millions of dollars and at the last moment he gives to his dog. (laughter) There are many instances, you know better than me. He has no, nobody even, because they do not marry, no children, no friend, so the dog is the best friend in Western country. Every gentleman must have this best friend, pet dog. So ultimately, because there is nobody to give, he gives it to the dog. Makes a will that my dog will get it and they'll give him jewelry, ornaments and so on, so on, so on. We have got practical experience, the big palace which we have purchased in Detroit, the man did not marry, so ultimately he bequeathed the whole estate to the dog. (laughter) And there is a tomb of the dog. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

Otherwise there is no saving. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You will have to accept another body. And what is that body? That is not stated. That will be decided at the end of your life, at the time of your death, at the condition of your mind and intelligence at that time. If, at that time, you are thinking of your pet dog, "What will happen to my pet dog? How he will live? Let me leave some of my property in his name," (laughter) then you can leave the dog with some property, but you are going to be dog. This is laws of nature. You may love your dog very nicely and leave some property, but where you are going, sir? That is under the nature's law. You cannot say that "I given so much property to the dog. Why shall I accept the...?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

"Oh, I am coming from such a respectable person, I am so much learned, and my guru is asking me to 'Brush my shoe'? No, I am not doing it." No, then you are not disciple. Nīcavat. That is the training. So praṇipāta, if you find out somebody where you can fully surrender, then accept guru. Don't make guru a fashion, just like you keep a dog, fashion, pet dog. People, they generally do that, that "Everyone has a guru. Let me collect. Let me pick up some guru who will be dancing dog." That kind of guru will not help you. You must be convinced that "Here is a guru where I can surrender." So then you can make praśna, or question. Then the question will be answered. Otherwise it is waste of time. That is not the Vedic system, simply waste of time. And if there is really talk between one philosopher to another philosopher...

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Then he has the necessity of searching out or approaching a spiritual master. If there is no such demand, then there is no necessity of going to a spiritual master or accepting a spiritual master. A spiritual master should not be accepted as a matter of phobia(?). Just like you keep some pet dog or cat, similarly if you want to keep one spiritual master, there is no profit. You see? You must be qualified to in..., inquisitive to understand the spiritual science, and the spiritual master should be also qualified to answer your inquisitiveness. Then the relationship is nice, not one-sided. Yes?

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

These are the Vedic evidences. So actually nobody can be master; everyone is servant. Either we are servant of God or we are servant of dog. That's all. Nobody can be master. If anyone has no master, then he keeps a pet dog to become his servant. That is nature, we can see. One is servant of his wife, one is servant of his pet or government service or this service. Nobody can claim that "I am the master." That is not possible. That is also temporary. So actually this is the position of all living entities. Everyone is servant. But in the material sense, he is servant of māyā, servant of senses. Servant of māyā means servant of senses. And spiritual life means instead of becoming servant of māyā or servant of senses, we become the servant of Kṛṣṇa or God. That is the position. Servant we shall remain.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:

Just like we become..., sometimes we take a pet dog with shackles on the neck, similarly we are under the spell..., we are pet dogs of the illusory energy, with shackles. You see? So why? Now, 'kṛṣṇa-nitya-dāsa'-jīva tāhā bhuli' gela: "That the living entity is eternally servitor of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, that he has forgotten." That he has forgotten. Therefore... (break) ...galāya bāndhila. Just like the dog is shackled on the..., we are in that way shackled.

Initiation Lectures

Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:

Sometimes we take pleasure in serving a dog, but the same service attitude, when transferred to Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. Our... Everyone is giving service. Somebody is giving service to a country, to his society, to his wife, the children. And if he has nothing to serve, then he keeps a pet dog and gives it service. So service we must give. That is our constitutional position. But that service is meant for rendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So long we remain forgetful where our service should be given, that is called material life. When we come to that consciousness, that "I have to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is spiritual life. That is difference between material life and spiritual life. We are serving. There is no doubt.

General Lectures

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

Yes, this is very important point, that a spiritual master should not be accepted as a matter of fashion. Somebody thinks that "Everyone gets a spiritual master, so I may also have some spiritual master." Or "I may keep some spiritual master as my pet." Just like somebody keeps some pet dog or pet cat. So they want also, "Somebody must be my spiritual master, and whatever I order him, he'll carry." So such kind of fashionable spiritual master is useless. A spiritual master, it is defined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Who requires a spiritual master? That is stated: tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tasmād. Tasmād means "therefore." "Therefore one should approach a spiritual master." What is that "therefore"? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the spiritual existence, then he requires a spiritual master.

Lecture -- Laguna Beach, September 30, 1972:

Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. Īśvara means controller. So every one of us is controller to some extent. Somebody is controlling his family, controlling his office, business, controlling his disciples. At last, he is controlling a dog. If he hasn't got to control anything, he keeps a dog to control, a pet dog, a pet cat. So everyone wants to be controller. That's a fact. But the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Here the so-called controller is controlled by somebody else. I may control my disciples, but I am controlled by somebody else, by my spiritual master. So nobody can say that "I am the absolute controller." No. Here you will find the so-called controller, certainly controller to some extent, but he is controlled also. But when you find somebody that He is controller only, not controlled by anyone, that is Kṛṣṇa. To understand Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult. Try to understand that everyone is controlling, every one of us, but at the same time being controlled by somebody else.

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

Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. You fall down. Therefore the system is: the disciple falls flat before the spiritual master. That is the etiquette, praṇipātena. And if you think that you know better than Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative, the guru, there is no necessity of accepting guru. Do not keep a guru as a pet dog. No. You must be submissive. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). This is wanted. That Kṛṣṇa... That is the example given by Arjuna. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). This prapannam is required.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is the process. Because here it is said na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu (BG 18.69). You have got a son, and if I love the son.... There is an English word: "If you love me, love my dog." So the spiritual master is dog-God. He's dog of God, therefore he's dog-God. He's to be worshiped. He's the pet dog of God. Therefore if you love the dog, you love God. Spiritual master will not claim that "I am God," but it is our duty, because the dog is pet.... Here it is said, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu (BG 18.69). You have to love that dog. Then you'll get perfection. This is the secret.

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was one story that this family came, they were touring the world, and they came to Hong Kong, and they were carrying their pet dog with them also. So they went to one restaurant and they left their dog tied up on a leash outside the restaurant, because that is the custom in America. So they told the man at the door, the doorman, they pointed to the dog, just to take care of the dog. So anyway, then they went in and they had their dinner and they came out, and the dog was gone. They said (laughter) "Where's my dog?" And the man said, "Well, you pointed to him, we have prepared him for you."

Prabhupāda: Yes, they do that. He thought that he has pointed out this dog.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes, cats and dogs they are eating. Yes. Hong Kong. they are eating. Who said that one gentleman came to Hong Kong hotel? Eh?

Hari-śauri: One of the devotees in America. Some man came with his pet dog. So in America they tie up the dogs outside the restaurant, so he did that and he went in. And then he pointed, he showed the doorman his dog, meaning that he was liable to look after him. So after he'd eaten his meal he went out and his dog was gone. So after some inquiry they found out that when he showed the doorman the dog, he misunderstood and thought that he wanted to eat it, that he was bringing his lunch with him, so he took the dog and killed it and served him. He ate his dog.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, he's not ignorant. This body, next body is achieved according to the consciousness. At the time of, if you are thinking of something to which you are very much attached, then you get that similar body. If you are thinking of your pet dog, then you get the dog's body. And if you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa, God, then you'll get the body like Kṛṣṇa. That will be decided at the time of your death. Because at the time of death you'll be absorbed with thinking which you have done throughout the whole life. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). Just like the whole day you are working with some business, at night also dreaming that, subtle body. So you have to train up yourself within this life how to think of Kṛṣṇa. Then there is chance of thinking of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death and go back to home. It is not difficult. Very easy.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Not disciples. They are masters.

Girirāja: Right. that's right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Guru is a pet, you always say.

Prabhupāda: Yes. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "They keep a pet dog. Their guru is keeping a pet dog."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Swami Cinmayananda's like that.

Girirāja: They all are. This... When I was at Poona, so I was meeting this man, Mr. Trelaskar. So the next house is very wealthy widow, very wealthy widow, Sindhi lady, and one of the big gurus of Poona, this Baswami, Sadhu Baswami, so he comes and spends time at her house. It's really bad. And then here at... This morning on the beach, I went to chant my rounds. So there's another big swami, Swami Muktananda, and he was sitting on the beach. Some followers were there. And he's also staying with some, you know, rich disciple.

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Actually, spiritual life means questioning. (Hindi) Who requires a guru? Guru is not a fashion, as you keep some pet cat, pet dog. (chuckles) Guru is not like that. (Hindi) So when you require a guru? Aiye. (Hindi)

Indian man (1): (Hindi) That is why I spoke some words yesterday without your permission, sir, just to explain to them in Hindi. Some ladies were sitting in the back. And they were more interested in that picture, "Kṛṣṇa likes Rādhārāṇī," so I had explained.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) English boliye.

Indian man (1): I think that will be better. It will suit many.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Seattle 15 October, 1968:

After all, this class of men, they are falsely puffed up that they know something about mysticism, but actually they want to be flattered by somebody. So they are keeping some spiritual master or instructor, means to keep them as pet dog and cat. I think Mahapurusa may not have spoken anything which is very offensive, but he was so intolerant that he could not give him shelter even for one day. So he was so angry. That is not the sign of a mystic. Anyway, please try to deal with him softly because he has got some tendency for spiritual upliftment of his life, but he is misguided or without any knowledge in the line. Neither he is ready to accept any bona fide instructor, this is his position so far I can understand. There is a proverb in Sanskrit that you speak truth but don't speak unpalatable truth.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Ahmedabad 14 December, 1972:

Your next question is, should we love Krishna or love the spiritual master: You cannot go to Krishna directly, loving Him. It is common sense that if Krishna is the object of your love, His pet dog is also the object of your love. Friends meet friends and if the friend is with his dog the gentleman pats his dog first, is it not? So the man becomes automatically pleased, his dog being patted. I have seen it in your country. The conclusion is this: Without pleasing the spiritual master he cannot please Krishna. If anyone tries to please Krishna directly, he's fool number one.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

That is the process. Just like when two friends meet and, if the friend is also with his dog, the gentleman pats his dog first, is it not? So the friend becomes automatically pleased, his dog being patted. I have seen it in your country sometimes when I used to walk in the Regents Park early mornings. So it is like that, the spiritual master is the pet dog of Krishna, and if he is pleased so Krishna is also pleased. That is the process.

I can understand by your activities that you are making good spiritual progress, by Krishna's grace.

Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

"Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend." So to become the friend and the devotee of Krishna, that is required. Just become the pet dog, that is surrender.

What is that friendship? At the end of 12th Chapter of Gita Krishna describes that the person "who is very dear to Him, or His best friend, is one who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me . . . He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anxiety, who is steady in happiness and distress . . .

Letter to George -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

And how is that? If we become simply engaged in His preaching work, trying with whatever talent or education or experience or material advantages we have got, to spread Krishna Consciousness message all over the world. That is best friend of Krishna, that is Krishna's pet dog.

So I am pet dog of my Guru Maharaja, and you have helped him so nicely to push on the message of Lord Krishna or Krishna Consciousness Movement, and I am very much pleased by your serious and sincere attitude, so you will get all the full blessings of my Guru Maharaja, that you may know for certain. And if you have ever got any questions or difficulties, I am always your humble servant, you may please write to me wherever I am. I have heard that your good wife, Patty is growing Srimate Tulasi devi there at your house with good success. That is another very auspicious sign.

Page Title:Pet dog
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, RupaManjari
Created:04 of Apr, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=16, Con=6, Let=5
No. of Quotes:29