Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Pretending (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

So Śaṅkarācārya says, bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate. Mūḍha, mūḍha I've several times explained. Mūḍha means rascal, ass. You are depending on your grammatical understanding, dukṛn karaṇe. Dukṛn, these are grammatical affix and prefix, pratya, prakaraṇa. So you are depending on this verbal root, that verbal root, and creating, interpreting your meaning in a different way. All this is nonsense. This dukṛn karaṇe, your grammatical jugglery of words, will not save you at the time of death. You rascal, you just worship Govinda, Govinda, Govinda. That is the instruction of Śaṅkarācārya also. Because he was a devotee, he was a great devotee. But he pretended to be an atheist because he was to deal with the atheists. Unless he presents himself as an atheist, the atheist followers will not hear him. Therefore he presented Māyāvāda philosophy for the time being. The Māyāvāda philosophy cannot be accepted eternally. The eternal philosophy is Bhagavad-gītā. That is the verdict.

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

Just like Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by His actions, wonderful actions, not that He pretended and cheated some people that "I am God." Actually, from the beginning of His appearance, He played, I mean to say, uncommon activities. Just like at the age of seven years old He lifted the Govardhana Hill. There are so many instances. If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, life of Kṛṣṇa in the Tenth Canto, there is description. And in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, the Bhagavad-gītā. So by His activities, by His knowledge, by His opulence—everything is there. Nobody is supposed to be cheated by a pretender if he is actually intelligent.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Prabhupāda: According to Īśopaniṣad, they are most unfortunate. Because they are keeping the show of spiritual master, but within they have got a different, ulterior purpose. So they are more unfortunate.

Devotee: Because they are pretending?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Those who are not pretending, simple, ignorant, they are not unfortunate. But those who are pretending, they're most unfortunate.

Devotee: Where is that śloka, what, what's Kṛṣṇa say? It starts: brahma-bhūtaḥ...

Prabhupāda: It is Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

You simply become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then your problems will be solved." Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. We are devotee, somebody. But we are not devotee of somebody. We are... We have got some motive. Just like now it is coming to exposure. So many leaders, they got election, pretending themselves devotee of the nation. In everywhere, not only in your country. But actually, they were not devotee of the nation. They were devotee of their own lusty desires. That's all. That "If I occupy this post, then I shall be able to fulfill my lusty desires." Nobody is devotee. Devotion is only applicable to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

Just like this morning we were talking so many things. They have no standard knowledge, no real knowledge. They do not know anything. Still, they present themselves, pretend themselves as philosopher, as scientist, as guru, as father, no. Everyone, those who are guardian... Therefore śāstra has forbidden, gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sa syāt: "One should not become a guru, one should not become a relative, one should not become the father, one should not become the mother, one should not become the husband..." In this way there is a list. Why? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "If he does not know how to guide his disciple or subordinate to stop the cycle of birth and death." He should not do. This is the ultimate goal of life, that we have to stop the cycle. Punar-janma-jayayā. Punar-janma-jayayā, to conquer over next birth. Punar-janma-jayaya.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Just like Kṛṣṇa pretended that He was sick, and many physicians came. He said, "No physician cured Me. If some devotee gives Me the dust of his feet on My head, then I can be cured." So all devotees were asked, and nobody... "Oh! How can I give? My dust on the head of Kṛṣṇa? How it is possible?" Nobody prepared. Then Kṛṣṇa asked that "Go to Vṛndāvana. Just ask the gopīs if they can give. They are My best friends. If they are prepared? Oh, I am very much suffering from headache." So nobody was prepared to go... As soon as gopīs were approached: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is sick. They want, oh, dust of...?" Immediately: "Please take. Please take." She did not care that "We are going to hell by offering our dust of feet on the head of Kṛṣṇa. Never mind. We shall go. Kṛṣṇa will be happy. That's all. Kṛṣṇa will be happy." This is gopī.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Just like Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. He writes in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha
purīṣera kīṭa muñi se lagiṣṭha

So he's not pretending. Actually, a mahā-bhāga, bhāgavata, thinks like that, that "I am the lowest." But he's the highest. One who thinks like that, humble...

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena...

He wants to give respect to everyone, but he doesn't expect any respect for him, himself. That is mahā-bhāgavata. And if one wants respect for him, that means he's still in kaniṣṭha adhikārī. A mahā-bhāgavata is ready to give respect to, even to the ant.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

That treatment is to invoke your dormant love for God. That is the treatment. We have got love for God. We want to love somebody, either man or woman, even animals. You'll find between the two dogs, there is love. They are jumping over one another, playing very nicely. Sometimes the mother dog is pretending to bite the cub, but it actually it is not biting.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

If a person is not willing to take medicine, how he can be cured? He'll go to death. He must be willing to. That is a, I mean to say, explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So that is very dangerous position, one who does not take care. Suppose if one wants to be educated without going to school. How it is possible? If somebody says, "Oh, I don't care for any school, colleges. I'll be educated at home," this is nonsense. Is it possible? Or will anybody recognize you? Then what is the use? Waste of time. That is the disease. Everyone thinks, "Oh, I am everything. I am perfect." That is the disease, material disease. Everyone is thinking, "I am independent. I am perfect. Whatever I think, oh, that is all right." This is going on. First of all, if anyone wants advancement, he must first of all think just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is pretending, that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)." So one must agree to become a great fool and study these scriptures from bona fide spiritual master. Then there is hope of advancement.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.118-121 -- San Francisco, February 24, 1967:

Just like a madman. He forgets his identity. He forgets the identity of his family. Either you take this forgetfulness is madness or due to madness, he's forgetful, whatever you say. Similarly, the, this forgetfulness is also energy, another energy. Then whose energy? Avidya. This is living entity's energy. The Māyāvāda philosophers, they cannot answer. They claim that "We are God," but when they are asked, "Why you have become dog?" they say, "We do not know." But here is the answer. They hide the reason. They know, and because they have to establish the Māyāvāda philosophy that "There is no God. We are all God," therefore they pretend that "We do not know."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

You have read in the Bhagavad-gītā: a paṇḍita means he sees everything on equal eye. Why? Because he is brāhmaṇa, he has known what is Brahman and what are these living entities. He has got such knowledge. That is called paṇḍita. So Sanātana Gosvāmī has no such knowledge. At least, he is pretending like that. So he says that grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita: "By social etiquette I am addressed as 'paṇḍita,' but..." Tāi satya māni: "And I also accept that I am paṇḍita." If somebody falsely calls me that "Your Majesty," so it is an insult. It is not honoring him. I am an ordinary man. If somebody calls me, Your Majesty," so a man who has no qualification, if he is eulogized in that way, that is an insult.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

Advaita Prabhu, when He found that people are simply engaged in eating, sleeping, and they are not, they have no concern with Kṛṣṇa, and their life is being spoiled, so He wanted to start this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, say, about six hundred years ago, but He considered Himself as unable to take up this movement seriously because the condition of the people was so wretched. He thought that "If Kṛṣṇa Himself comes, then it can be done. Otherwise it is not possible." So Advaita Prabhu called Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His call, He appeared, Kṛṣṇa appeared. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was almost like grandson of Advaita Prabhu. But when He was young man, a very beautiful youth, so at that time nobody knew, but Advaita Prabhu knew that "He is Kṛṣṇa. He has come." So He was simply... Sometimes devotees pretend to be not in knowledge. So He was praying Kṛṣṇa, "This boy is very nice. If He takes up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then it will be very successful. He is very intelligent, beautiful."

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: You must be sure that whatever knowledge you are giving, that is perfect. Then you are teacher.

Mr. Wadell: Well, you see, what you are... In that case, I should have to pretend, you see. I would have to pretend to know something which I did not know at all. Then I should be a cheater, wouldn't I. And that would be wrong. And there must be many things which I do not know.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is better to become honest. If I do not know anything perfectly I should not be teacher. That is right thing. And if I have got doubtful knowledge, perhaps, maybe, why shall I be teacher. I should, "No, no I cannot teach. The subject is unknown." That is our process.

Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: If... When you know...

Mr. Wadell: Oh, yes, I don't pretend. If I know something, I say I know, but...

Prabhupāda: Then you say that..., you say, "I know."

Mr. Wadell: But when I do not know something then I admit that I do not know it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That admission, that's all right. But in that case, one should not take the post of the teacher. That is our Vedic injunction. One must know perfectly.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Biochemist, Dr. Sallaz -- June 4, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: They are trying. They are trying, but they have not reached. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says he doesn't pretend to have found it.

Prabhupāda: That's it. But then the next step is just to now find it. Here is the truth, Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa. So why don't you accept this truth? If you are actually trying to find out the truth, here is the truth. It is accepted by all learned scholars and ācāryas of India: the Supreme Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa, so why don't you study Kṛṣṇa?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: No, dharma is duty, varṇāśrama-dharma. That is also given up. That means the only duty becomes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya. In the beginning He said that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Yes. Yuge yuge sambhavāmi. Now, He said that "I appear to reestablish the principle of religion." So at the last stage He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya. That means the so-called dharmas, or religion, which is going on in the world, they are not real. And the Bhāgavata therefore says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2), that "All kinds of pretending religion is rejected here." Pretending religion, what is that? Pretending... Just like gold. Gold is gold. If the gold is in the hand of some Hindu, then will it be called Hindu gold? Similarly, religion means obedience to God. So where is Hindu religion? Where is Christian religion? Where is Muslim religion? God is everywhere, and we are just meant for obeying God. That is one religion, obedience to God. Why they have manufactured this Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, this religion, that...? Therefore they are all pretending religion. Real religion is obedient... Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like law. Law is made by the state. The law cannot be Hindu law, Muslim law, Christian law, this law, that law. Law is meant for everyone. Obedience to the state. That is law. Similarly, religion means obedience to God. Then one who has no conception of God, no idea of God, where is religion? That is pretending religion. Therefore in the Bhāgavata you'll find, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) "All pretending type of religion is rejected." And Kṛṣṇa also said the same thing, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all this pretending religion. You simply surrender unto Me. That is real religion." What is the use of speculating on pretending religion. That is not religion at all. Just like pretending law. Law cannot be pretending. Law is law, given by the state. Similarly, religion means the order given by God. That is religion. If you follow, then you are religious. If you don't follow, then you are demon. Make things very simplified. Then it will be appealing to everyone. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for making things very simplified. Accept God, accept your position as God's servant and serve God. That's all, three words.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that if you admit then you will get knowledge. But that is not the position. You are falsely proud that you are very advanced in knowledge.

Guest (1): No Swamiji, no...

Prabhupāda: Then you are qualified.

Guest (1): Even for a small experiment, I don't pretend that we know anything, whatever it is.

Prabhupāda: Actually that is the position, therefore our business is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa demands that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Then Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence how to become perfect.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- March 13, 1975, Tehran:

Guest: Can the profit of the manufacture of something which is manufactured purely for profit be turned to good?

Prabhupāda: Yes, if he gives to Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. He fought. He killed. Killing is not good business, but he killed on the advice of Kṛṣṇa, and he became a bhakta by killing. Kṛṣṇa said, bhakto 'si. And what did he do? He killed, that's all. This is an example. Of course, bhakta never kills. Kṛṣṇa... Arjuna was not willing to kill. But when he saw that "Kṛṣṇa wants it, so this is my first business. Never mind I shall go to hell," that is Kṛṣṇa conscious. "By killing my brother I may go to hell. It doesn't matter. But Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. That is my first business." Kṛṣṇa sometimes pretended to be sick. And many physicians came, they could not cure Him, headache. So He suggested that "I think if My devotee gives their dust of foot on My head, then I'll be cured." Then every devotee was approached that "Give your dust of feet. Kṛṣṇa wants it." Even Nārada. So Nārada said, "How it is possible I shall give my dust of feet to Kṛṣṇa? No, no, no, it is not possible." But when the person, messenger, approached gopīs in Vṛndāvana and they were informed that "Kṛṣṇa is sick. So He wanted the dust of feet of the devotee to be applied on His head. Nobody gave it. So we have come last to you," so immediately: "Yes, yes, take it, take it." Immediately. So so much dust was collected. And Kṛṣṇa was cured. So this is gopīs.

Morning Walk -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: (in car) So do these people know what is the science of God?

Jayatīrtha: No. But they pretend that they do.

Prabhupāda: Well, pretending will not do. You must explain what is God. "Something," "perhaps," this is not science. (break)

Jayatīrtha: ...if no one else knows, they're able to fool them.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes.

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...can be solved by understanding these three items: God is the proprietor; He is the enjoyer; He is friend of everyone. They are acting just the opposite way: "I am the proprietor; I am the enjoyer; I am the friend. Because I am God." This is their... Everyone is becoming friend—ultimately proves to be enemy of the country because he is not friend. President Nixon took votes by pretending friendship, and later on, he proved enemy. This is going on. Everyone knows. Gandhi pretended to become friend, but he proved to become an enemy. Otherwise why he was shot down? Unless one thought him as enemy, why he was shot down? This is going on. Nobody can become friend except Kṛṣṇa.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Carol Jarvis: So for the moment I'll pretend to be asking you some questions for the purposes of cutting the interview.

Prabhupāda: No, you note down that we are asking that you are so expert in manufacturing big, big machine. Why not manufacture a pilot? That is my question.

Carol Jarvis: As I just said, they probably will some day.

Prabhupāda: That "probably" again. That is not possible.

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: Therefore we say that one who has no faith in God, he's a rascal, miscreant.

Guru-kṛpā: But they pretend.

Prabhupāda: Pretend? Kick them! Why you should accept pretension? Then you are a fool also. You say "pretend," and still, you have to talk about them. That means you are also faithless. Why should you talk about the pretension? Pretension is pretension. That is faithlessness. Sometimes they pretend honest, but he's a thief. What is this philosophy? Thief is thief. That's all. (break) ...thoroughly the science of God. That is Bhagavad-gītā. The words which is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā, that can be spoken only by God. Nobody else can speak like that. Who can say? Who has the right to say that "You surrender unto Me"? Nobody has right. Only God can say. That is God. (break)

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You promise no illicit sex, no, before God, before spiritual master, before fire, and you play hypocrisy. So māyā is not seeing that? How you can avoid? māyā is always there. Yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. You cannot escape the eyes of God in so many different agencies. And still He is personally sitting within your hearts. How you can escape? You may pretend to be a very great devotee, but the Person, Supreme, He is within yourself, He's seeing everything. No cheating with Him. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. "Oh, I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so even I do something wrong, it will be adjusted." Adjusted, when you are sincere, by chance you have done something. That can be adjusted. But not intentionally. As soon as there is intentional cheating, that you'll have to suffer the effect.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Indian man (1): Prabhupāda, a devotee, very often after chanting why they develop very, very high. I see a lot of devotees, they falls down back to the māyā. What is the reason?

Prabhupāda: He is not devotee. He's pretending to be devotee. One who is devotee never falls down. There are so many false devotees. He falls down.

Garden Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh:
Prabhupāda: So everyone can be raised to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no difficulty. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So from early in the morning He is teaching. Udilo aruṇa pūraba-bhāge dwija-maṇi gorā amani jāge. He was not lazy. He was very busy. From early in the morning. So if we at least pretend to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we cannot sleep. We must rise early in the morning. If you want to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is no question of sleeping in the morning. One must get up at least one and a half hours before the sunrise. That is maṅgala-ārati.
Garden Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh:
Prabhupāda: I was questioned by some gentleman sometimes in 1940. He charged that the Vaiṣṇava, "This Vaiṣṇava means a lazy fellow." He said like that. (laughs) So I said, "You have never seen a Vaiṣṇava." I told him, "You have never seen a Vaiṣṇava." "No, I have seen these Vaiṣṇavas. They do not do anything and taking mālā and pretending to be very highly elevated and sleep and snore." That's... You have seen... "But you have not seen. You might have seen these pseudo-Vaiṣṇavas, but real Vaiṣṇava you have not seen." "What is that real Vaiṣṇava?" And I said that in India there were two big wars. One war was the Rāma-Rāvaṇa, and another war Kurukṣetra. So in these two wars, the hero is Vaiṣṇava. One is Hanumān and another is Arjuna. Have you seen them? Have you heard about them?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: Now, one of their arguments is... Their main thing is to try to pretend that it is not a question of religion.

Prabhupāda: So, one thing is that if you have proved a swine, what is the value of your arguments? You have proved that you are a swine. So better stop arguing. What I say, you accept. That is good for you. Because you are descendants of swine, and actually you are doing that.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

Sripada Sridhara Swami the most authorized commentator on the Bhagavatam has said that by the prefix of "PRA" in the sloka the desire of liberation (Moksa Vanohha) is also stopped herewith. A person who is not a pure Vaisnava cannot understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. A mayavadi may pretend to become a so-called Vaisnava but because he cherishes at heart to merge into the Supreme, he is unable to develop the devotional cult which is a necessary qualification for understanding Srimad-Bhagavatam. And to qualify the Mayavadis and other common men who indulge in the mental speculative transactions, Srimad-Bhagavatam gives them instructions from the 1st to the 9th canto about the transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari -- New York 16 July, 1966:

So the controversy is now closed and there is no need of help from any one else. We are not always successful in our attempts in preaching work but such failures are not certainly ludicrous. In the Absolute field both success and failures are glorious. Even Lord Nityananda pretended to be a failure to convert Jagai and Madhai in the first attempt, rather he was personally injured in such attempt but that was certainly not ludicrous. The whole thing was transcendental and it was glorious for all the parties concerned.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 14 March, 1967:

A female is never awarded the order of Sannyasam. Because a female is never considered independent and Sannyasam was never awarded to any female in the past by the great Acaryas like Sankara, Ramanuja etc. The female Sannyasins are to be immediately understood as pretenders or prostitutes. In India they have organized so many organizations where specially young females are maintained to attract rich women-hunters who pretend to pose as righteous in the society. This is the age of Kali which plunders away spiritual sense of the human being and it is only the Divine Grace of Lord Caitanya Who can protect us from all these dangerous pitfalls.

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 29 December, 1967:

When Krishna came to see Bhismadeva.. on his death bed, Bhismadeva.. remembered Krishna in His fighting feature at the battlefield of Kuruksetra. Bhismadeva.. wanted to see Krishna angry, he knew that Krishna was very kind upon him, but to make a front he displayed a chivalrous mood, pretending to kill Arjuna, although he knew it very well that no power in the world could kill Arjuna while he was shielded by Krishna Himself as his charioteer. Yet he tried to agitate the mind of Krishna, but Arjuna he almost killed. Actually, Krishna thought it that Bhismadeva.. was to see Him in His angry mood and supposed to be broken in His promise, to fulfill the desire of Bhismadeva.. He got down from the chariot and took a wheel of the chariot, going forward as if to kill Bhismadeva.. Bhismadeva.., as soon as found Krishna in that angry mood, he gave up his fighting weapons and prepared himself for being killed by Krishna.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

The Buddhists plainly declare that they do not accept the authority of the Vedas, but the impersonalists masquerade themselves as followers of Vedas, but actually they are hidden Buddhists. The idea is, if a person is actually fast asleep, it is easier to awake him but if a person pretends to be sleeping but actually is awake, then it is very difficult to wake him up. So from all Sastric point of view, the living entity and the Supreme Lord, or the Supreme Living Entity are always simultaneously different and one. One in quality, and different in quantity. this simple thing is understandable by any common man, but these impersonalists, they will simply invent jugglery of words to mislead innocent people. Therefore Lord Caitanya has warned not to associate with these impersonalist mayavadis because they will spoil one's life by diverting one from devotional service.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 9 July, 1970:

So far the conditioned soul is concerned the same opportunities are there, but if he does not take advantage of the opportunity to elevate himself to Krsna Consciousness and chooses to misuse his independence for taking the opportunity to enjoy some material happiness, then he will remain conditioned as the Lord will allow him to fulfill those desires. The opportunity is always there, just as we are offering so many ways to become Krsna Conscious, but if you don't take the opportunity what can I do. That is purposeful negligence of duty. The example may be given of a man who is sleeping. If he is actually sleeping, he may be wakened by various means, but there is no doubt that he must wake up. However, if a man is pretending to be asleep there is no way at all to rouse him up.

Letter to Jananivasa -- Calcutta 29 September, 1970:

Regarding your proposed marriage, if you think it is nice then you have all my blessings upon you both. If you do not think you can remain brahmacari, then it is better to remain in Krsna Consciousness as householder and not pretend to brahmacarya artificially. From your description the girl seems very qualified and sincere, so you continue to train her in our Krsna Conscious way of life and she will work together with you as your helpmate in Krsna's service.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Patty Dorgan -- Delhi 17 November, 1971:

As far as your questions, Krishna is not in need of anything, He is purnam, the Complete Whole. And yet He appreciates our love for Him, just like everyone appreciates if someone exhibits love for them. So He kindly allows us to show that love by considering that if I do not feed Him, Krishna will go hungry, if I do not give Him rest, He will be tired, like that. He reciprocates by pretending to be dependent on me, my slave, just to give us opportunity to find the real object of our loving propensity and to take pleasure by pleasing and serving Him. Everything we do should be for the reason that it gives pleasure to Krishna. Because Krishna's intimate associates give Him the most pleasure, and because they are His favorites, it pleases Him to see that these associates and close friends are also offered all respect by the devotees.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Bombay 31 December, 1971:

I have also received your letter through Gopala Krishna. I noted the contents. If Purusottama comes, please try to save this foolish boy. I like him very much; unfortunately he pretends now as the incarnation of St. Paul? Try to save him.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

It is just like a child. A child may play with the imitation of another child and the child will hold the doll and play with it as if it is real. But the parents who gave the child the doll, they know good and well the child is nonsense but they tolerate and enjoy sometimes. Just like my sisters used to prepare for me some imaginary puris from their toys of very small cooking things, and I used to pretend I was eating them and we were quite happy that this was the same thing just like our parents were doing. We did not know we were nonsense, one nonsense cooking, another nonsense eating, but our father knew we were nonsense. So it is like that in this material world, everyone is acting more or less like children clinging to some play things provided by the Father and taking them very seriously.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

First thing is, you have made promise when you took initiation that there will be no illicit sex connection. If still you are unable to fulfill that promise to your spiritual master, then what is the use of calling yourself devotee and disciple? That is simply pretending. So you should think like this, that I have promised my spiritual master this, now I must obey him without any exception, otherwise I have no business calling myself his disciple. That will be your austerity or tapasya for forcing you to make very rapid advancement in Krsna conscious understanding.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Mayapur 22 January, 1976:

All of the leaders should study my books books very carefully, since now everyone will have to appear for the examination. But I don't get any time to go into seclusion. My Guru Maharaja also did not approve of seclusion. He used to say: "Dusta mana, tumi kisera Vaisnava? Pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nama kevala kaitava." My dear mind, what kind of Vaisnava are you? Simply for cheap adoration you sit in a solitary place and pretend to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, but this is all cheating.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

Now I am old man, I have become a little weakened, and I do not know how much longer I shall be able to push on this Krsna Consciousness movement in active preaching capacity. Therefore I have entrusted my right hand men, like GBC, sannyasis and men like yourself, to take up where I had left off and continue expanding and propagating KC all over the world as per the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In this way, you have got the opportunity of being favored by Krsna to become responsible leader of the human society, therefore I am simply surprised that you have again fallen under the spell of old bad habits. If you are actually intelligent and not simply pretending intelligence, then you will take this as a lesson and make repentance. If Krsna sees that you are sincerely repenting, He will excuse you. As austerity, you should forget these things and never again think about them in your mind. That will make you very strong.

Page Title:Pretending (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)
Compiler:Rishab, Serene
Created:18 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=12, Con=15, Let=13
No. of Quotes:40