Present activities (Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"present action" |"present activities"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

The spiritual life there is enough activity for even scientists. That they do not know. They mean spiritual life is void. That is negation of the present activities only, negative idea. But actually when you stop material activities your real activity begins.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Dr. Weir: The trouble is, aren't you going to lead yourself into this difficulty: if you are spiritually satisfied you would sit down and do nothing and if everybody were doing that we should be rather back to where we started rather than have enough food or music or transport.

Prabhupāda: That is for the voidist, not for the spiritualist. The spiritual life there is enough activity for even scientists. That they do not know. They mean spiritual life is void. That is negation of the present activities only, negative idea. But actually when you stop material activities your real activity begins. That is spiritual life. The spirit, spirit soul is active. You cannot stop it. You cannot stop it. Now it is acting through the coverings of material, matter, therefore it is imperfect activities. But if the activity is uncovered by material things that is real activity.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Future destiny depends on present action.

Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban:

John Nordheimer: They are good men who were raised in a bad society.

Prabhupāda: No, they were raised in a bad society, but they have chosen to become good.

John Nordheimer: Is that preordained, or is it by free choice?

Prabhupāda: Free choice. What is preordained? You are here of your free choice. If you like, you can sit down and talk with me, and if you don't like, then you can go. That is your free choice. Free choice makes destiny; if I act in goodness, then my future is good. And if I act badly, my future is bad. That is destiny. Man is the architect of his own destiny. If you are educated, your future is nice, and if you remain foolish, then your future is bad. Future destiny depends on present action. This life is an opportunity to make the next life, and if we behave like human beings, then in our next life we will go back home, back to Godhead. But if we behave like animals, then in the next life we will take animal bodies. That's all. All this is very nicely described in Bhagavad-gītā. The conclusion is that human beings are meant for understanding God, but if we waste our time understanding dog, and if we become attached to dog, then we will become dogs in our next life. And if we are attached to God, we become like God, in our next life. The choice is ours.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

You'll create your body by your present activities, and nature will simply award you that body.

Room Conversation With David Wynne -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So this material life is not good. Material life is not good in this sense, because you have to change your body. Sometimes good birth, sometimes not good birth. Sometimes Englishman, sometimes cats, dogs. Because after death you'll get a body that will be chosen not by you but by the material nature. You'll create your body by your present activities, and nature will simply award you that body. So, so long we have got this material body, the four kinds of miserable conditions, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, you have to suffer. Therefore, this human life should be utilized in such a way that we do not become subject to these four tribulations, birth, death, old age and disease. That is perfection.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

They do not know that there is life after death, and we get our next life according to our present activities.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Unfortunately, the present education does not provide knowledge of next life. There is no such education. They are kept in darkness like cats and dogs. They do not know that there is life after death, and we get our next life according to our present activities—karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). These things are unknown. Very risky life. If I am prime minister in this life or president, and if I am going to become a dog next life, then what is the benefit of becoming prime minister or president? And nature's law is that you get your next life according to the mentality at the time of death. So if I have acted like cats and dogs throughout whole life, naturally I shall think like cats and dogs at the time of death. Then next life is cats and dogs. So I may be worshiped here in a statue, that "Here is our beloved prime minister," and next life, I'm barking as a dog. Then what is the benefit?

1967 Correspondence

I know you are a sincere devotee of Krishna and He will give you proper intelligence how to prosecute your present activities.

Letter to Jadurani -- Stinson Beach, Calif 8 July, 1967:

You have asked me how many hours you should work. Our life is dedicated to Krishna, and you should work for Him 24 hours. We have different varieties of service. For you, you should work on painting as long as you think yourself fit; don't overwork. Balance time should be spent for chanting and reading S.B. So far remembering me and Krishna, it should be simultaneous. I am your Spiritual Father, and Krishna is your Spiritual Husband. A girl can never forget either her father or her husband. In the Sastras it is said that Spiritual advance of life is achieved thru the combined mercy of the Spiritual Master and Krishna. Those who are sincere souls, Krishna helps them to have a bona fide Spiritual Master, and the bona fide Spiritual Master helps the disciple to approach Krishna. This is the process. I know you are a sincere devotee of Krishna and He will give you proper intelligence how to prosecute your present activities. I can simply pray to Krishna that He may bless you with all energy for serving Him. I am very much appreciative of your work, which you are doing for the society, and I wish you may continue to do like that.

1968 Correspondence

Continue your present activities and chant your beads; whenever there is some difficulty consult Brahmananda or write to me, and Krishna will help you more and more on the path of perfection.

Letter to Kancanbala -- Los Angeles 14 January, 1968:

Regarding love affairs in the material world: they are only shadows or reflections of the real love with Krishna. If you love Krishna in any capacity, you shall never be frustrated because everything in Krishna is perfect, eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. So continue your present activities and chant your beads; whenever there is some difficulty consult Brahmananda or write to me; and Krishna will help you more and more on the path of perfection. Hope you are well.

The present activities which you are performing there, chanting and preparing Prasadam for the Deity, is very nice program.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Montreal 14 July, 1968:

Our only life and soul is Kirtana and by the Grace of Krishna, you are Kirtanananda. So the present activities which you are performing there, chanting and preparing Prasadam for the Deity, is very nice program. This chanting of Hare Krishna and our sincere desire to serve Krishna will make everything clear, even if there is some impediments, because from Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that a system of religiousity is to be understood as the most perfect if by following such system, we enrich our tendency to love God. Actually that tendency is in everyone, but on account of not being associated with pure devotees, our love is placed on something non-God. The whole process of Krishna Consciousness is to replace our love to Krishna. So any process that helps us to increase our love of Krishna, that is the best system of religiousity. Such system cannot be checked by any material impediments, and such development of love of Krishna is without any cause. Chanting of Hare Krishna is not meant for achieving any other better thing than Krishna. But when we chant Hare Krishna without any offense, we relish Krishna, the Reservoir of all pleasure.

Now by the Grace of Krishna, you have got a nice place, a nice atmosphere. So I quite approve your present activities. Continue it sincerely, and when the time will be favorable, people may come to you and take advantage of the transcendental facility for chanting Hare Krishna.

1974 Correspondence

You can be very much help to our present activities, so you can be better than others invited from India.

Letter to Dr. Santosh Kumar -- Bombay 20 December, 1974:

You are an educated Indian. According to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhus order every Indian should learn properly the Vedic conclusion and preach all over the world. That is the best welfare activities. You can be very much help to our present activities, so you can be better than others invited from India. I request you to read our books and whenever you find difficulties you can ask me for clearance and it will be my duty to serve you. I thank you once again for your very kind appreciation of our Hare Krsna Movement.