Religious activities

Expressions researched:
"religious act" |"religious action" |"religious activities" |"religious activity"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 1.40, Purport:

Good population in human society is the basic principle for peace, prosperity and spiritual progress in life. The varṇāśrama religion's principles were so designed that the good population would prevail in society for the general spiritual progress of state and community. Such population depends on the chastity and faithfulness of its womanhood. As children are very prone to be misled, women are similarly very prone to degradation. Therefore, both children and women require protection by the elder members of the family. By being engaged in various religious practices, women will not be misled into adultery. According to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, women are generally not very intelligent and therefore not trustworthy. So the different family traditions of religious activities should always engage them, and thus their chastity and devotion will give birth to a good population eligible for participating in the varṇāśrama system. On the failure of such varṇāśrama-dharma, naturally the women become free to act and mix with men, and thus adultery is indulged in at the risk of unwanted population. Irresponsible men also provoke adultery in society, and thus unwanted children flood the human race at the risk of war and pestilence.

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

Lord Caitanya not only preached the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam but propagated the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā as well in the most practical way. In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is depicted as the Absolute Personality of Godhead, and His last teachings in that great book of transcendental knowledge instruct that one should give up all other modes of religious activities and accept Him (Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa) as the only worshipable Lord. The Lord then assured that all His devotees would be protected from all sorts of sinful acts and that for them there would be no cause for anxiety.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.1.2, Translation:

Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva (in his maturity), is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.7.35, Purport:

All religious activities are meant ultimately to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is the father of all religious principles. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.16), four kinds of pious men—the needy, the distressed, the enlightened and the inquisitive—approach the Lord in devotional service, and their devotion is mixed with material affection. But above them are the pure devotees, whose devotion is not tainted by any material tinges of fruitive work or speculative knowledge. Those who are only miscreants throughout their lives are compared to demons (BG 7.15). They are bereft of all knowledge, in spite of any academic educational career they may pursue. Such miscreants are never candidates for satisfying the Lord.

SB 3.11.20, Translation:

The transitional periods before and after every millennium, which are a few hundred years as aforementioned, are known as yuga-sandhyās, or the conjunctions of two millenniums, according to the expert astronomers. In those periods all kinds of religious activities are performed.

SB 3.12.35, Purport:

Eating, sleeping, defending and mating are the four principles of material bodily demands which are common to both the animals and human society. To distinguish human society from the animals there is the performance of religious activities in terms of the social statuses and orders of life. They are all clearly mentioned in the Vedic literatures and were manifested by Brahmā when the four Vedas were generated from his four mouths. Thus the duties of humankind in terms of the statuses and social orders were established to be observed by the civilized man. Those who traditionally follow these principles are called Āryans, or progressive human beings.

SB 3.21.26, Translation:

The day after tomorrow, O brāhmaṇa, that celebrated emperor, who is expert in religious activities, will come here with his queen, Śatarūpā, wishing to see you.

SB 3.22.36, Purport:

Therefore, one who fully engages in devotional service is always liberated. Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, a great devotee of the Lord, stated: "If I have unflinching devotion to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then Mother Liberation is always engaged in my service. The complete perfection of material enjoyment, religion and economic development is at my command." People are after dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Generally they perform religious activities to achieve some material gain, and they engage in material activity for sense gratification. After being frustrated in material sense gratification, one wants to be liberated and become one with the Absolute Truth. These four principles form the transcendental path for the less intelligent. Those who are actually intelligent engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not caring for these four principles of the transcendental method. They at once elevate themselves to the transcendental platform which is above liberation. Liberation is not a very great achievement for a devotee, to say nothing of the results of ritualistic performances in religion, economic development or the materialistic life of sense gratification. Devotees do not care for these. They are situated always on the transcendental platform of the brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage of self-realization.

SB 3.31.12, Purport:

The word calac-caraṇāravindam refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who actually walks or travels upon the surface of the world. For example, Lord Rāmacandra actually walked on the surface of the world, and Lord Kṛṣṇa also walked just like an ordinary man. The prayer is therefore offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who descends to the surface of this earth, or any part of this universe, for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that when there is an increase of irreligion and discrepancies arise in the real religious activities, the Supreme Lord comes to protect the pious and kill the impious. This verse indicates Lord Kṛṣṇa.

SB 3.32.6, Purport:

Here the word nivṛtti-dharma-niratāḥ means "constantly engaging in executing religious activities for detachment." There are two kinds of religious performances. One is called pravṛtti-dharma, which means the religious activities performed by the gṛhamedhīs for elevation to higher planets or for economic prosperity, the final aim of which is sense gratification. Every one of us who has come to this material world has the sense of overlordship. This is called pravṛtti. But the opposite type of religious performance, which is called nivṛtti, is to act for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Engaged in devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has no proprietorship claim, nor is one situated in the false egoism of thinking that he is God or the master. He always thinks himself the servant. That is the process of purifying consciousness. With pure consciousness only can one enter into the kingdom of God. Materialistic persons, in their elevated condition, can enter any one of the planets within this material world, but all are subjected to dissolution over and over again.

SB 3.32.22, Purport:

Devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only means for attaining the highest perfection of life for the human being. This is recommended herein by Lord Kapila to His mother. Bhakti is therefore nirguṇa, free from all tinges of material qualities. Although the discharge of devotional service appears to be like material activities, it is never saguṇa, or contaminated by material qualities. Tad-guṇāśrayayā means that Lord Kṛṣṇa's transcendental qualities are so sublime that there is no need to divert one's attention to any other activities. His behavior with the devotees is so exalted that a devotee need not try to divert his attention to any other worship. It is said that the demoniac Pūtanā came to kill Kṛṣṇa by poisoning Him, but because Kṛṣṇa was pleased to suck her breast, she was given the same position as His mother. Devotees pray, therefore, that if a demon who wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa gets such an exalted position, why should they go to anyone other than Kṛṣṇa for their worshipful attachment? There are two kinds of religious activities: one for material advancement and the other for spiritual advancement. By taking shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, one is endowed with both kinds of prosperity, material and spiritual. Why then should one go to any demigod?

SB Canto 4

SB 4.6.44, Translation:

My dear lord, Your Lordship has introduced the system of sacrifices through the agency of Dakṣa, and thus one may derive the benefits of religious activities and economic development. Under your regulative principles, the institution of the four varṇas and āśramas is respected. The brāhmaṇas therefore vow to follow this system strictly.

SB 4.14.23, Purport:

King Vena was so foolish that he accused the saintly sages of being inexperienced like small children. In other words, he was accusing them of not having perfect knowledge. In this way he could reject their advice and make accusations against them, comparing them to a woman who does not care for her husband who maintains her but goes to satisfy a paramour who does not maintain her. The purpose of this simile is apparent. It is the duty of the kṣatriyas to engage the brāhmaṇas in different types of religious activities, and the king is supposed to be the maintainer of the brāhmaṇas. If the brāhmaṇas do not worship the king but instead go to the demigods, they are as polluted as unchaste women.

SB 4.27.1, Purport:

A sinful life can be counteracted by various processes of religion such as yajña, vrata and dāna—that is, the performance of sacrifices, the taking of a vow for some religious ritual, and the giving of charity. In this way one may become free from the reactions of sinful life and at the same time awaken his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By coming home, taking his bath, eating nice foodstuffs, getting refreshed and searching out his wife, King Purañjana came to his good consciousness in his family life. In other words, a systematic family life as enjoined in the Vedas is better than an irresponsible sinful life. If a husband and wife combine together in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and live together peacefully, that is very nice. However, if a husband becomes too much attracted by his wife and forgets his duty in life, the implications of materialistic life will again resume. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore recommended, anāsaktasya viṣayān (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255). Without being attached by sex, the husband and wife may live together for the advancement of spiritual life. The husband should engage in devotional service, and the wife should be faithful and religious according to the Vedic injunctions. Such a combination is very good. However, if the husband becomes too much attracted to the wife due to sex, the position becomes very dangerous. Women in general are very much sexually inclined. Indeed, it is said that a woman's sex desire is nine times stronger than a man's. It is therefore a man's duty to keep a woman under his control by satisfying her, giving her ornaments, nice food and clothes, and engaging her in religious activities. Of course, a woman should have a few children and in this way not be disturbing to the man. Unfortunately, if the man becomes attracted to the woman simply for sex enjoyment, then family life becomes abominable.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.37, Purport:

The Yamadūtas were surprised to see that the Viṣṇudūtas, although polite, were hindering the rule of Yamarāja. Similarly, the Viṣṇudūtas were also surprised that the Yamadūtas, although claiming to be servants of Yamarāja, the supreme judge of religious principles, were unaware of the principles of religious action. Thus the Viṣṇudūtas smiled, thinking, "What is this nonsense they are speaking? If they are actually servants of Yamarāja they should know that Ajāmila is not a suitable candidate for them to carry off."

SB Canto 7

SB 7.2 Summary:

As described in this chapter, after the annihilation of Hiraṇyākṣa, Hiraṇyākṣa's sons and his brother Hiraṇyakaśipu were very much aggrieved. Hiraṇyakaśipu reacted very sinfully by trying to diminish the religious activities of people in general. However, he instructed his nephews about a history just to diminish their aggrievement.

SB 7.9.11, Purport:

In bhakti-yoga it is recommended that a devotee follow nine principles; śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam/ arcanam. vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam (SB 7.5.23). This service of glorifying the Lord by hearing, chanting and so on is not, of course, meant for the benefit of the Lord; this devotional service is recommended for the benefit of the devotee. The Lord is always glorious, whether the devotee glorifies Him or not, but if the devotee engages in glorifying the Lord, the devotee himself automatically becomes glorious. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). By glorifying the Lord constantly, the living entity becomes purified in the core of his heart, and thus he can understand that he does not belong to the material world but is a spirit soul whose actual activity is to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that he may become free from the material clutches. Thus the blazing fire of material existence is immediately extinguished (bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam). A foolish person is amazed that Kṛṣṇa orders, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Abandon all varieties of religious activities and just surrender unto Me." Some foolish scholars even say that this is too much to demand. But this demand is not for the benefit of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rather, it is for the benefit of human society. If human beings individually and collectively surrender everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all of human society will benefit. One who does not dedicate everything to the Supreme Lord is described in this verse as aviduṣa, a rascal. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.15), the Lord Himself speaks in the same way:

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvamāśritāḥ

SB 7.14.34, Purport:

Whenever we perform some religious act in terms of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, we must perform it according to the time, place and person (kāla, deśa, pātra). Nārada Muni has already described the deśa (place) and kāla (time). The kāla has been described in verses twenty through twenty-four, beginning with the words ayane viṣuve kuryād vyatīpāte dina-kṣaye. And the places for giving charity or performing ritualistic ceremonies have been described in verses thirty through thirty-three, beginning with sarāṁsi puṣkarādīni kṣetrāṇy arhāśritāny uta. Now, to whom everything must be given is decided in this verse. Harir evaika urvīśa yan-mayaṁ vai carācaram. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the root of everything, and therefore He is the best pātra, or person, to whom everything must be given. In Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) it is said:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

If one wants to enjoy real peace and prosperity, he should give everything to Kṛṣṇa, who is the real enjoyer, real friend and real proprietor. It is therefore said:

yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena

tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ

prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ

tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā

(SB 4.31.14)

By worshiping or satisfying Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, one can satisfy everyone, just as one can water the branches, leaves and flowers of a tree simply by watering its root or as one satisfies all the senses of the body by giving food to the stomach. Therefore, a devotee simply offers everything to the Supreme Personality of Godhead to receive the best results of charity, religious performances, sense gratification and even liberation (dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90)).

SB 7.15.37, Purport:

A sannyāsī is one who has clearly understood, through advancement in knowledge, that Brahman—he, the person himself—is the soul, not the body. One who has this understanding may take sannyāsa, for he is situated in the "ahaṁ brahmāsmi" position. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Such a person, who no longer laments or hankers to maintain his body and who can accept all living entities as spirit souls, can then enter the devotional service of the Lord. If one does not enter the devotional service of the Lord but artificially considers himself Brahman or Nārāyaṇa, not perfectly understanding that the soul and body are different, one certainly falls down (patanty adhaḥ). Such a person again gives importance to the body. There are many sannyāsīs in India who stress the importance of the body. Some of them give special importance to the body of the poor man, accepting him as daridra-nārāyaṇa, as if Nārāyaṇa had a material body. Many other sannyāsīs stress the importance of the social position of the body as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra. Such sannyāsīs are considered the greatest rascals (asattamāḥ). They are shameless because they have not yet understood the difference between the body and the soul and instead have accepted the body of a brāhmaṇa to be a brāhmaṇa. Brahmanism (brāhmaṇya) consists of the knowledge of Brahman. But actually the body of a brāhmaṇa is not Brahman. Similarly, the body is neither rich nor poor. If the body of a poor man were daridra-nārāyaṇa, this would mean that the body of a rich man, on the contrary, must be dhanī-nārāyaṇa. Therefore sannyāsīs who do not know the meaning of Nārāyaṇa, those who regard the body as Brahman or as Nārāyaṇa, are described here as asattamāḥ, the most abominable rascals. Following the bodily concept of life, such sannyāsīs make various programs to serve the body. They conduct farcical missions consisting of so-called religious activities meant to mislead all of human society. These sannyāsīs have been described herein as apatrapaḥ and asattamāḥ—shameless and fallen from spiritual life.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 11.2.44, Translation:

Mahārāja Nimi said: Now please tell me in greater detail about the devotees of the Supreme Lord. What are the natural symptoms by which I can distinguish between the most advanced devotees, those on the middle level and those who are neophytes? What are the typical religious activities of a Vaiṣṇava, and how does he speak? Specifically, please describe those symptoms and characteristics by which Vaiṣṇavas become dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 11.3.27-28, Translation:

One should hear, glorify and meditate upon the wonderful transcendental activities of the Lord. One should specifically become absorbed in the appearance, activities, qualities and holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus inspired, one should perform all of one's daily activities as an offering to the Lord. One should perform sacrifice, charity and penance exclusively for the Lord's satisfaction. Similarly, one should chant only those mantras which glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And all one's religious activities should be performed as an offering to the Lord. Whatever one finds pleasing or enjoyable he should immediately offer to the Supreme Lord, and even his wife, children, home and very life air he should offer at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 11.3.44, Translation:

Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive activities, although the actual goal of life is to become free from such activities. Therefore, the Vedic injunctions indirectly lead one to the path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing fruitive religious activities, just as a father promises his child candy so that the child will take his medicine.

SB 11.7.26, Translation:

Śrī Yadu said: O brāhmaṇa, I see that you are not engaged in any practical religious activity, and yet you have acquired a most expert understanding of all things and all people within this world. Kindly tell me, sir, how did you acquire this extraordinary intelligence, and why are you traveling freely throughout the world behaving as if you were a child?

SB 11.14.10, Translation:

Some say that people will be happy by performing pious religious activities. Others say that happiness is attained through fame, sense gratification, truthfulness, self-control, peace, self-interest, political influence, opulence, renunciation, consumption, sacrifice, penance, charity, vows, regulated duties or strict disciplinary regulation. Each process has its proponents.

SB 11.14.22, Translation:

Neither religious activities endowed with honesty and mercy nor knowledge obtained with great penance can completely purify one's consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to Me.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 9.13-15, Purport:

When Lord Caitanya accepted the renounced order, Paramānanda Purī offered Him the daṇḍa. Paramānanda Purī was always engaged in meditation, and Śrī Svarūpa was always engaged in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered full respect to His spiritual master, Īśvara Purī, He similarly respected Paramānanda Purī and Svarūpa Dāmodara.” It is described in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa, Chapter Three, that when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first saw Paramānanda Purī He made the following statement:

āji dhanya locana, saphala āji janma

saphala āmāra āji haila sarva-dharma

prabhu bale āji mora saphala sannyāsa

āji mādhavendra more ha-ilā prakāśa

"My eyes, My mind, My religious activities and My acceptance of the sannyāsa order have now all become perfect because today Mādhavendra Purī is manifest before Me in the form of Paramānanda Purī."

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8.90, Purport:

Impersonalists cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore it is not possible for them to enter into the spiritual kingdom of God and return home, back to Godhead. Actually one attains different results by different means. It is not that all achievements are one and the same. Those interested in the four principles of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa cannot be compared to those interested in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.2) therefore says:

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ

vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śiva-daṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam

śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ

sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate ’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt

"Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Śrī Vyāsadeva, is sufficient in itself for God realization. As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, he becomes attached to the Supreme Lord."

CC Madhya 12.135, Purport:

Even though all dirty things may be cleansed away, sometimes subtle desires remain in the mind for impersonalism, monism, success and the four principles of religious activity (dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa). All these are like spots on clean cloth. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also wanted to cleanse all these away.

CC Madhya 25.121, Translation:

The devotional activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are completely transcendental to material considerations. As far as different faiths are concerned, religions may be of different types, but on the spiritual platform, everyone has an equal right to execute devotional service. That is the platform of oneness and the basis for a classless society. In his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura confirms that one has to learn from a bona fide spiritual master about religious principles, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately liberation. These are the four divisions of regulated life, but they are on the material platform. On the spiritual platform, the four principles are jñāna, vijñāna, tad-aṅga and tad-rahasya. Rules, regulations and restrictions are on the material platform, but on the spiritual platform one has to be equipped with transcendental knowledge, which is above the principles of religious rituals. Mundane religious activity is known as smārta-vidhi, but transcendental devotional service is called gosvāmi-viddhi. Unfortunately many so-called gosvāmīs are on the platform of smārta-vidhi, yet they try to pass as gosvāmi-viddhi, and thus the people are cheated. Gosvāmī-viddhi is strictly explained in Sanātana Gosvāmī’s Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, wherein it is stated:

yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ

tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām

"By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is properly initiated, he can acquire the qualities of a brāhmaṇa."

CC Madhya 25.149, Translation:

“"Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva (in his maturity), is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart."

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 3.184, Translation:

“With the first glimpse of sunlight, fear of thieves, ghosts and demons immediately disappears, and when the sun is actually visible, everything is manifest, and everyone begins performing his religious activities and regulative duties.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 30:

The difference between ordinary religious activities and devotional service is very great. By executing religious rituals one can achieve economic development, sense gratification or liberation (merging into the existence of the Supreme), but the results of transcendental devotional service are completely different from such temporary benefits. Devotional service of the Lord is ever green, and it is increasingly transcendentally pleasing. Thus there is a gulf of difference between the results derived from devotional service and those derived from religious rituals. The great divine energy known as Jaḍādhiṣṭhātrī, or Mahāmāyā, the superintendent of the material world, and the material departmental directors, the demigods, as well as the products of the external energy of the Supreme Lord, are but perverted reflections of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. The demigods are actually order carriers of the Supreme Lord, and they help manage the material creation. In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.44, 52, 49) it is stated that the workings of the supremely powerful superintendent, Durgā, are but shadows of the workings of the Supreme Lord, that the sun works just like the eye of the Supreme Lord, and that Brahmā works just like a jewel reflecting the light of the Supreme Lord. Thus in the material world all the demigods, as well as the external energy herself, Durgādevī, and all the different departmental directors are but servants of the Supreme Lord.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 16:

The Nāgapatnīs began to offer their prayers as follows: "O dear Lord, You are equal to everyone. For You there is no distinction between Your sons, friends or enemies. Therefore the punishment which You have so kindly offered to Kāliya is exactly befitting. O Lord, You have descended especially for the purpose of annihilating all kinds of disturbing elements within the world, and because You are the Absolute Truth, there is no difference between Your mercy and Your punishment. We think, therefore, that this apparent punishment of Kāliya is actually some benediction. We consider that Your punishment is Your great mercy upon us because when You punish someone it is to be understood that the reactions of his sinful activities are eradicated. It is already clear that this creature appearing in the body of a serpent must have been overburdened with all kinds of sin; otherwise, how could he have the body of a serpent? Your dancing on his hoods has reduced all the sinful results of actions caused by his having this body of a serpent. It is therefore very auspicious that You have become angry and have punished him in this way. We are very much astonished to see how You have become so much pleased with this serpent, who evidently performed various religious activities in his past lives that pleased everyone. He must have undergone all kinds of penances and austerities, humbly honored others and executed universal welfare activities for all living creatures."

Krsna Book 45:

Vasudeva and Devakī were full of anxieties for Kṛṣṇa's and Balarāma's protection, but they could not enjoy Their childhood pastimes. Kṛṣṇa said, "Unfortunately, being ordered by Our fate, We could not be raised by Our own parents to enjoy childhood pleasures at home. My dear Father and Mother, a man cannot repay his debt to his parents, from whom he gets this body, which can bestow upon him all the benefits of material existence. According to the Vedic injunctions, this human form of life enables one to perform all kinds of religious activities, fulfill all kinds of desires and acquire all kinds of wealth. And only in this human form is there every possibility that one can get liberation from material existence. This body is produced by the combined efforts of the father and mother. Every human being should be obliged to his parents and understand that he cannot repay his debt to them. If, after growing up, a son does not try to satisfy his parents by his actions or by an endowment of riches, he is surely punished after death by the superintendent of death and made to eat his own flesh. If a person is able to care for or give protection to old parents, a chaste wife, children, the spiritual master, brāhmaṇas and other dependents but does not do so, he is considered already dead, although he is supposedly breathing. My dear Father and Mother, you have always been anxious for Our protection, but unfortunately We could not render any service to you. Until now We have simply wasted Our time; due to reasons beyond Our control, We could not serve you. Mother and Father, please excuse Us for Our sinfulness."

Krsna Book 80:

On hearing this, the learned brāhmaṇa replied, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme Lord and the supreme spiritual master of everyone, and since I was fortunate enough to live with You in the house of our guru, I think I have nothing more to do in the matter of prescribed Vedic duties. My dear Lord, the Vedic hymns, ritualistic ceremonies, religious activities and all other necessities for the perfection of human life, including economic development, sense gratification and liberation, are all derived from one source: Your supreme personality. All the different processes of life are ultimately meant for understanding Your personality. In other words, they are the different parts of Your transcendental form. And yet You played the role of a student and lived with us in the house of the guru. This means that You adopted all these pastimes for Your pleasure only; otherwise there was no need for Your playing the role of a human being."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Dharma. This is real dharma. To execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is real dharma. We cannot manufacture dharma, I have several times explained. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma. All adharma. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), "Give up all nonsense dharma. Simply surrender unto Me"? This is dharma. Therefore it is said, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. You are acting some religious activities, you do not know whether it is pious or impious. But when you act under the order of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, it is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, directly to understand, that is dharma. This is dharma: pratyakṣāvagamaṁ and su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam. The spiritual master says, that God says, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

hare nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

This is direct order. We execute this direct order; therefore we know that "I am carrying out the direct order of Kṛṣṇa, of Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Then, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ: directly you can understand, "Yes. We are right." There is no difficulty.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:

Pradyumna: "Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Śrī Vyāsadeva is sufficient in itself for God realization. As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, he becomes attached to the Supreme Lord."

Prabhupāda: So dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Dharma, religiosity; kaitava, pretension or cheating. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). These four things are supposed to be meant for spiritually or advanced people, advanced in civilization. Not spiritually, but advanced in civilization. So the first thing is dharma. Dharma is the basic principle of civilization. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If there is no dharma, then it is the society of the animals. That is the distinction between human society and animal society. There are eight million different species of life below the human society, but there is no question of God consciousness. In the human society, either they execute religious principles rightly or not, at least there is a symbol, in the civilized society. There are Hindus, there are Muslims, there are Christians, there are Buddhists and so many others also. Because it is in human society, there must be some idea or some principle of understanding God. That is called religion. But in the name of religion, there are..., so many things are going on. That is called kaitava, cheating. We don't want to discuss, but more or less, at the present moment in whichever category of religion one may belong to, nobody is following strictly the religious principles. That's a fact. That is called kaitava.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

Then one day all the brāhmaṇas and the sages, they came to give him instruction: "My dear king, it is not your duty to stop all kinds of religious activities." Just like the Communist government. Yes. But who hears? He said, "No. Why you are trying to pacify God? I am God. You just act. If you are actually God conscious, then you act according to my order." So when the sages and brāhmaṇas became disgusted, he was killed by the brāhmaṇas, by their order. You see? The brāhmaṇas were so strong. By simply cursing, they could kill anyone. So the Veṇa was killed. Then again the rogues and thieves came out. Then from the body of Veṇa, they created two sons. One son was black, and he was ordered that "You go to the forest." Because they could know that he was exactly son of the father. Niṣāda. Niṣāda. They were sent... He was sent to the forest. And then the King Pṛthu was born. The King Pṛthu, He is incarnation of, power incarnation of God. Śaktyāveśāvatāra So he proved himself as a great king on this earth. He produced foodstuff, foodgrains, profusely.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So there was such a time because Pṛthu Mahārāja's father was a demon. He stopped all religious activities. Therefore people became demonic, and there was restriction of food supply. Then Pṛthu Mahārāja made arrangement, and there was sufficient foodstuff. Dugdhemām oṣadhīr viprās tenāyaṁ sa uśattamaḥ. Since Pṛthu Mahārāja arranged the whole society to be religious, to be God conscious, everything become beautiful. This can be done even now. If people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the whole world will become beautiful, Vaikuṇṭha, without any anxiety. That is possible. Because that is nature's law. Just like if you become criminal, the state police force will always harass you. You cannot get out of it. He'll harass you. But that is expensive job for the government. Because it requires extra police, extra management, extra everything. But if the people become honest, God conscious, so many expenditure will be reduced. And money will be saved for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness or for Kṛṣṇa's service. Then the whole world will become exactly as it was in the Pṛthu Mahārāja's day.

So Pṛthu Mahārāja was very nice king. He not only helped producing enough foodstuff, but he was examining each man, whether he is employed or not. There was no unemployment in Pṛthu Mahārāja's time. Everyone must have employment, engagement. Nowadays, in spite of so much advancement of science, there are thousands and thousands of unemployed people. They have no sufficient engagement. Of course, in your country, although there is employment, they have denied to accept employment. In India, for employment... There is employment bureau by the government. So if you go to any employment bureau, you will find thousands of men are standing in line to get a job. Unemployment. But it is the duty of the government to see that nobody is unemployed. Everyone must have some means of earning. That is good government.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So Pṛthu Mahārāja did it. The brāhmaṇas... Not that a brāhmaṇa will be employed as a śūdra. No. A brāhmaṇa must be employed as a brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya must be employed for a kṣatriya. A vaiśya must be employed for a vaiśya. And śūdra... That was the system. The brāhmaṇas are rejected in the present society because they have no more interest in religious activities. They don't care for the śāstra, sādhu. No, don't care. They simply sense grati... Dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. Udaraṁ bharita. At the present moment people will be satisfied... Just like animal. If animal has got sufficient food to fill up the belly and sufficient arrangement for sex, then he is satisfied. He doesn't want anything.

So man has become like that. If his belly is filled up with some rubbish thing and if he is free to have sex life, then he thinks, "My life is perfect now." And more perfect life, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. In this age, if one man can maintain his wife and children, he will be considered a great man "Oh, he is so able, that he is maintaining his wife and children." Maintaining wife and children, even cats and dogs can do. But in this age, if a man can maintain his wife and children, he will be considered as very expert. Because most people will have no wife, no children. This is the age. So more you become sinful, the more you become irresponsible, the more you become Godless—these things are awaiting.

Lecture on SB 2.3.8, and Initiations -- Los Angeles, May 25, 1972:

Dharma-kṣetra: No eating of meat, fish or eggs, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: Dharma-kṣetra dāsa. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Dharma-kṣetra, "the field of religious activities."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

So after one has got this unflinching faith, that "Simply by serving Lord Kṛṣṇa, all religious activities or all pious activities are done," that faith is the last word of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is explained to Arjuna in so many ways. But ultimately, he comes to the point through Him Himself. When He explains the yoga system, He explains nicely the process, how to execute yoga performances, the sitting posture, the breathing posture and eating and sitting and place. Everything explained nicely. But at the end He says that,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

You are doing your duties very nicely. You are performing your social, national, or family obligations very nicely. But after all these discharges of duty, if your destination does not reach to the devotional service of the Lord, they are simply waste of time. Therefore in every civilized form of human society there is some kind of religious activities. Unfortunately, religious activities have been misinterpreted. Just like any religious sect, either Hindu or Muslim or Christian or anyone, they go to temple or church to pray to God for some solution of problems. People generally think that "If I become religious person, then my economic condition will be very nice." In the Vedic way of thinking, in the material world, there are four stages of development. They are called dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), namely following the religious principles, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. Just like in the Christian church, people go there to ask, "God, give us our daily bread." So dharma. People generally think that "If I become religious, then my economic condition must be very nice." And when one's economic condition becomes very nice, he wants to make economic condition very nice, he wants some monetary, financial adjustment. This financial improvement people generally want for sense gratification. Dharma-artha-kāma. Dharma means religion, artha means financial facilities, and kāma means sense gratification. And then, when one is baffled in sense gratification, he wants liberation. These four principles are generally followed by the materialistic men. Liberation... When one is baffled in adjusting things to his satisfaction, he wants to become one with the Supreme or with the void.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Compass. Yes. That compass, you put the pointed part on the center, you can make a circle. So if I do not take the central point, I make my own point, then my circle will overlap your circle, there will be a clash. But if the center is the same, I can draw one circle, you can draw one, another circle. None of these circles will overlap. So if taking Kṛṣṇa as the center... Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. If we relate our activities, social activities, philanthropic activities, political activities, any a..., religious activities, any activity. If you make center Kṛṣṇa, then my circle, your circle, another circle will not overlap. But it will give different lights. Kṛṣṇa being center. That point we were discussing in this morning from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Everyone is trying to make his own circle. Political, social, humanitarian, philosophical, scientific. That's all right. But Bhāgavata says that make your circle perfect from the point of Kṛṣṇa. Don't miss the point. Svanu, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Whatever you do, if you try to please Kṛṣṇa, then your circle is perfect. Kṛṣṇa must be center. Rūpa Gosvāmī says, nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. Kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. You can deal in politics. Then politics will be perfect. Kṛṣṇa-sambandhe, you can make circle of scientific knowledge. Then it will be perfect. Making center Kṛṣṇa, either politics, sociology, philosophy, religion, whatever it may be. It will be perfect.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

In this way, 1966, by selling these books, I had only $200, and I dared to take one apartment and storefront. Storefront one $125 per month, and apartment $75. So I had only $200 dollars. So I advanced him $200. I did not know how to pay next month's rent. So I started in 1966, lecturing in a storefront and living in that apartment in 26 Second Avenue. Then gradually, these boys, American boys and girls, began to come. And then I started my kīrtana in Tompkinson Square. More and more, these younger Americans, they came to me, and things were organized. Then I registered this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society under religious act of New York in 1966, and gradually people took interest. People means the younger section. All the boys and girls, they were from sixteen... Not all sixteen, but there were sixteen. Kṛṣṇa dāsa was at that time sixteen years old. And... Between twenty to thirty. Only, I think, Keith—now Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja—he was at that time twenty-nine. Hayagrīva was, I think, twenty-nine. So in this way... This Hayagrīva, I met him on the street. After renting the apartment and storefront, when I was returning, this Hayagrīva, Professor Howard Wheeler, he was philosophically minded. So he asked me, "Swamijī, are you coming from India?" So I told, "Yes, I am coming from India." So, "Are you interested in Indian philosophy?" "Yes, sir." "So why don't you come? I have taken one storefront and apartment." So I came back. I showed him, "Here is my storefront and apartment. You come in the evening." So... (Hindi)

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Student (9): I mean especially the variations of Indian technique.

Prabhupāda: I don't say any variation. I say that is the best technique by which you develop love of God. Now you find out what is that best technique. If you find that in your technique you are developing love of God, it is best. We don't say that you accept this technique or that technique. Any technique by which... Just like a man is diseased. Any medicine by which he is cured, that is best medicine for him. Similarly, the criterion is whether you have developed love for God or you are still in love for the matter. That is the test. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). This is the definition of technique in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That technique is the best form of technique of religious activity by which you can develop your service attitude towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The service attitude is there. You are serving. Either you are serving your family or you are serving your body or you are serving your society or serving your country, or if you have no engagement to service, you are serving some dog, you are serving some cat, you are serving some animal. So serving spirit is there, but we do not know where to place our service and become actually benefited by that service. Therefore you have to develop that spirit of service attitude toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When you develop that consciousness, that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness or whatever technical name you may give. Yes?

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

All glories to the saṅkīrtana movement. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago in Navadvīpa, at the age of sixteen years only, a boy of sixteen years, He introduced this movement, saṅkīrtana movement. Not that He manufactured some religious system. Just like nowadays there are..., so many religious system have been manufactured. Actually, religion cannot be manufactured. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Religion means the codes of God, the laws of God." That's all. Just like you cannot live without obeying the state laws, similarly, you cannot live without obeying the laws of God. And in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati: (BG 4.7) "Whenever there is discrepancies in the process of religious, prosecution of religious activities," yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, abhyutthānam adharmasya, "and there is predominance of irreligious activities," tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, "at that time," Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, says that "I appear." That is the way. The same principle. Just like as soon as there is disobedience of state laws, there is advent of some particular state officer or the governor or the state man to take step and to set things right. That is the way.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

(chants maṅgalācaraṇa prayers) Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in today's meeting. And we are known practically all over the world as the Hare Kṛṣṇa people. Wherever we go, they immediately recognize us as the Hare Kṛṣṇa people. So I'll try to speak something about this Hare Kṛṣṇa people. This Hare Kṛṣṇa people means... Since I started this movement in 1967 in New York, very, in a small scale... In the beginning... I went there in 1965, and for one year I had no shelter, neither any means to maintain myself. I had some books only, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and some way or other, I pulled on. In 1966 I started this movement after incorporation in New York under the state religious act, and I began to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in a park in New York. What is called? Thompkins Square. Thompkins Square. And these young boys and girls, they began to assemble and chant and dance. This is the beginning. And when one well-known poet... Perhaps you know. He is Mr. Allen Ginsberg. He was also coming and joined with us. In this way, first of all we started our center in new York, Second Avenue, and then gradually expanded in San Francisco, in Montreal, in Boston, Buffalo, and Los Angeles. Now we have got fifty-two branches all over the world, including one in Tokyo, one in Hong Kong, in Australia, Sydney.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

Bherī-ghoṣeṇa means by sound of bugle. Formerly, when there was some declaration by the king, by the government, one should go in the marketplace and, the government men, and take a drum and one bugle, and they'll declare, "This is the law from this day." That's all. No more gazette. So, this is the old system. Somewhere it's still existing. So the Vena king declared that "These are all nonsense." What is this? Na yaṣṭavyam: "No more worship of God, no more sacrifice." Na dātavyam: "No more charity. Stop all this!" Na dātavyaṁ na hotavyam: "No more offering oblations to the fire, sacrifice." Dvijāḥ kvacit iti. This business was meant for the brāhmaṇas; therefore, dvija, he's restricting the brāhmaṇas that "Don't do all this nonsense anymore." Dvijāḥ kvacit. Iti nyavārayad dharmam: "In this way he stopped all religious activities." Bherī-ghoṣeṇa sarvaśaḥ.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: He looked on the Indian philosophy and religion as basically a philosophy of the denial of the will, and he gives several examples of religious..., of suicide as a religious act. He says especially when it...

Prabhupāda: That is, that is Māyāvāda. That is not... He did not study Indian philosophy and religion perfectly well. He simply has taken some portion of the Māyāvāda philosophy or Buddha philosophy, but he did not know about Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Hayagrīva: In his Politics, Plato changes his mind later in life. In the beginning he believed that in an ideal state the leaders should possess nothing of their own, neither property nor family. He felt that they must live together in a community where wives and children are held in common to guard against corruption, bribery and nepotism in government. He felt that the elite philosophers should mate with women of high qualities in order to produce the best children for positions of responsibility. Now, how does this view of common wives and children correspond to the Vedic version?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Vedic civilization is that, that putrārthe kriyate bhāryā. A man should accept a wife for putra, for son. Why son? Putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam: a putra should be responsible for offering piṇḍa, so that after death, even by mistake or somehow or other I am in a wrong position, by the piṇḍa I am elevated. This is idea. So marriage is for having good son, that's a fact, who will deliver me even if I am in the hell. Therefore the śraddhā ceremony in there. So even the father is in hell, by this śraddhā ceremony he will be delivered. This is the idea. So unless one has got son, nobody is going to offer him śraddhā oblation, and even one may be very benevolent, but it is not expected. But it is the duty of the son, as it is said, putra. Pu means there is a hell pundama (?). The hell's name is pundama, pun. So I mean, pu and tra, tra means one who delivers. If by chance I am put into pundama naraka trayate, one who delivers me from that hellish condition of life, he is putra, and for this kind of putra I accept a wife, not for my sex enjoyment. And it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, one who uses his sex for these religious activities, that "I shall get good father, a good son who can deliver me," then marriage is required. Otherwise it is useless. Dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am." And sex life which is, which has no religious principle, that is sense gratification leading one to hell. So this theory: that we should marry, we should have sex life for creating good progeny. And my Guru Mahārāja used to say—he was a sannyāsī brahmacārī—but he said that "If I could produce really Kṛṣṇa conscious children, I can use hundred times sex life. Otherwise why shall I use my sex for cat, producing cats and dog?" He has said like that. So the śāstra also says, pitā na sa syāt janani na sa syāt: the father's, mother's duty is how to rescue their children from the cycle of birth and death. That is real father and mother. Otherwise cats and dogs, they are also father and mother. That is not wanted. Vedic culture is different. Produce children for such education and such accomplishment that he can be saved from the cycle of birth and death, and the putra should be such qualified that even his father goes to the hellish condition of pundama, he will deliver him. That is the idea of becoming father and family.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Interviewer: Is it considered a legal wedding ceremony in this country?

Prabhupāda: Yes, our society is incorporated under the religious act of New York state.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Karandhara: I think that's an oil well.

Prabhupāda: Oh, oil drilling. So you are theologician. You start this movement, plus our Hare Kṛṣṇa party. And leaders, the propaganda should be that the, at least the priests, who are conducting religious activities, they, the priests and the leaders and the administrators, they must be sinless. Or... Sinless means they should not indulge in these four prohibited principles. Others may do. But the leaders, the political executive, administrators, and the priests who are conducting the church, they must be free from sinful life. Otherwise, there is no question of peace in the society.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Yogeśvara: Mr. Morrel, who is the Dean of the Theology University in Geneva and who directs all of the religious activities for the university.

Swiss Man (2): (French)

Yogeśvara: Theology student. Our spiritual master, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So you have shown our books?

Yogeśvara: (French)

Prabhupāda: Sixty volumes of these books.

Yogeśvara: (French-Yogeśvara showing books)

Prabhupāda: And Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

M. Roche-dieu: Whose are those pictures?

Yogeśvara: Our students. We have our painting workshop in New York City. All of these books have color illustrations.

M. Roche-dieu: Indian students?

Yogeśvara: No. He asks if our students are Indian. He likes the paintings. He was wondering whether they were done by Indian students.

Prabhupāda: No. American students under my direction.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Biswambhar Goswami -- Shanti Kutir, Vrindaban 25 December, 1956:

The attention of Government is now turned to the side of reforming the religious activities of Indian sadhus and Sannyasis and they are now going to enact some statutes in this connection. Of course nothing is possible without the sanction of the Supreme Will of Sri Krishna but still man-made laws must have defects as the lawmakers are deficient in four primary principles of a conditioned soul.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Montreal 19 August, 1968:

By the by, I beg to inform you that I have applied for immigrant visa for USA also, and in that connection, I have submitted one letter of appointment signed by Purusottama and by you with my permission here. Similarly, you can send me a letter reading as follows: The letter should be addressed to the Consulate General of the United States of America, 800 Place Victoria, Montreal 3, Quebec, Canada, and the reading matter should be as follows: "Sir, I the undersigned president of the Inter. Soc. for KC beg to state that Swami AC Bhaktivedanta is the appointed Acarya (chief minister of religion) of this institution. This institution is incorporated in NY under the Religious Act number such and such and it has got the following branches all over the country.

Mention herein all the 6 branches in USA, namely NY, NM, Boston, SF, Buffalo, LA.

"His presence is very urgently required to transact the religious activities of all the centers, and the society is pleased to provide him for all his expenditures, in the matter of living, expenses, traveling expenses, and the publication of his books. His books are already selling very nicely and one of his books is being published by Mssrs. MacMillan Co. and so personally he has also a nice income, besides from our contribution for his maintenance. So in all circumstances, he will never be public charge. His services are profoundly needed by this religious denomination in the US and he will be simply carrying out the occupation of a minister of this religious institution."

Letter to Upendra dasa -- 20 September, 1968:

I the undersigned Mr. George E. Taylor professor of oriental languages after offering obeisances to the lotus feet of Guru beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter which I received a few days ago. I beg your pardon because I am delayed in replying your letter on account of my being engaged in some other business. I hope all success to Bhaktivedanta swami for his great endeavour in preaching religious activities which I come to learn by your kindness. In your letter you have asked for some time to see us but there is no such opportunity to meet you. The authorities of the Washington University does not encourage anyone's religious activities and it is well known that there is specific stricture.

yours faithfully

George E. Taylor - Director

Reply

Dear Mr. Taylor,

While thanking you for your letter dated 20th September, 1968 I beg to inform you that our spiritual master Om Viṣnupāda Bhaktivedānta Svāmi Mahārāja is not preaching a type of faith which you have described as yasya kasyapi dharmasya protsāhanaṁ. He is preaching svarupa dharma. He is preaching the svarupa dharma of all living entities. As a great Sanskṛt scholar you must have come across the following famous Sanskṛt passages like sa vai pumsām paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje, dharman tu sākṣāt bhagavat praṇitaṁ dharmena hīna pasubhiḥ samānāḥ (SB 1.2.6). We practice and preach svabhāva dharma but not that dharma which is taken as a matter of faith. The svabhāva dharma of every living creature is to become a servant. Even a great scholar like yourself is also a servant of Washingtondesiya rajya. Similarly everyone is servant of somebody superior. This servitorship is constitutional position of all living beings. But in conditional state everyone is serving his senses. This is called virupa dharma. The svarupa dharma is to serve the master of the senses namely hṛṣikesha. This hṛṣikesha servitorship is liberation of the conditioned soul. Without this, namely hṛṣikena hṛṣikesha sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Harāv ābhaktasya kuto mahat gunāḥ manorathena asato dhāvato vahiḥ, a man is pasubhisamānāh. According to Asian sanskṛt scholars vidya bhāgavatabadhi. I wish therefore to request you to introduce in your department of Asian language and literature the study of Srimad Bhāgavatam, the summit of Sanskṛt literature as accepted by great Sanskṛt scholars like Sridharsvami, Virraghavacharya, Jiva Gosvami, Visvanāth Chakravarty and above all Lord Chaitanya who was known as Nimāi Pandit the greatest sanskrit scholar in the 15th century. As you are teacher in a great visvavidyalaya you may introduce the study of Srimad Bhagavatam in your department because it is said in the Bhāgavatam koumāra acaret prājno dharmān bhāgavatāniha dūrlabham mānusam janma tadapyadhruvamarthadam. I am sorry I cannot reply in Sanskṛt because our process of study is not academic but by sruti.

Letter to B. N. Jariwala -- Seattle 16 October, 1968:

Regarding your good suggestion about permanent organization. This institution is already incorporated in New York State, and we are opening different branches under different states. So I shall be glad if our Indian friends in San Francisco, also come in the management of the local organization; I welcome it. So I would suggest that in your presence, a committee may be formed, combination of Indian and American, and a temple of our own may be organized, Radha Krishna Temple. So in your presence, if it possible to organize, I shall be very glad. And as soon as you call me I shall come to San Francisco. Because I have got an engagement in Montreal, from here I shall go there, and from there I can come. This is one point. Another point is that from India, I am not getting sufficient encouragement, either from the government or from the people. Now you have personally seen my activities and responses from the Americans, and if you kindly organize an Indian branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, it will be a great help. I am enclosing herewith a copy of the letter from Hanuman Prasad Poddar, which is sent to me unsolicited. He appreciated my activities here. And similarly I get many letters from unknown persons, but when I say some practical cooperation, they do not come forward. And so far government is concerned, they are not at all interested, that we have got our svaraja; But Hindus cannot make propagation of their religious activities, even outside of the country we are so much crippled. The Christians and Buddhists, they are making so much propaganda in India, and they are spending lots of money, but here although the response is so nice, there is no help from the people nor from the government. So after returning to India, if you can organize some opinion, at least the Vaisnava sect, in your Gujarat, there are so many Vaisnavas. All over there are so many Vaisnavas. So they should come forward to cooperate with me, then it will be a very nice organization. We want to establish that one God, Krishna; one scripture, Bhagavad-gita; one mantra Hare Krishna; and one work, service to the Supreme Lord. And people are responding. So please try to cooperate with me. So far government is concerned, they will not copperate. They have become secular. But even the people do not cooperate, how it will be successful? Please, therefore, try to organize Indian opinion to cooperate with me, that will be a great help. And so long you are here in America, just try to induce our Gujarati friends to cooperate, and have our own temple, at least in San Francisco.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

This is my idea of the general plan for the questionnaire: You can work it out more elaborately as may be required.

Q. 1. The names of all seminaries and their locations, as follows:

Q. 2. Heads of religious schools (presidents of temples) and addresses.

Q. 3. Curriculums: Study of Bhagavad-gita As It Is; Srimad-Bhagavatam; (3 vol.); Nectar of Devotion; Teachings of Lord Caitanya; Vedanta Sutra. (In this way, arrange the curriculum program around these our books, and the professors, those who have been with us ample time, such as Brahmananda, Hayagriva, Kirtanananda, and have also academic qualifications). This is the complete course requiring to study 7 years. When the first exam is given the student making passing grade is given the title of Bhakti-sastri, second exam, Bhaktivaibhava, 3rd exam, Bhaktivedanta.

Q. 4. (answered above)

Q. 5. Personal conduct: Our four principles of restriction, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat eating.

Q. 6. Yes, Gaudiya Vaisnava Society in India. 60 missions. Hqtrs. P.O. Mayapur, Dist. Nadia; West Bengal, India.

Q. 7. ?

Q. 8. Requirements are as follows: They should attend class in the mornings from 7 to 8 a.m., then during lunch hold kirtana, then from 12 to 4 sankirtana party, evening arati, and MWF evening classes.

Q. 9. July 1966;/?. Registration of the society in New York under the religious act of the state and the copy was submitted to your officer who came to inquire in Los Angeles, and here is the copy of the letter wherein it is admitted that the certificate of incorporation is seen by Mr. R. E. Davis, LTC, AGC, Assistant Area Coordinator.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Upendra -- Allahabad 27 January, 1971:

I am a little concerned, however, that you are being somewhat harassed in your activities by these so-called swamis. But do not be discouraged by their foolish talkings, we have got more important business. We do not judge the man by his dress, so we are not concerned with the color of our cloth as much as we are concerned to keep our conduct on the plane of pure spiritual life. Our Krsna consciousness is practically being accepted by all kinds of persons all over the world and there is no discrimination of types of dress. Generally Grhasthas wear white for the men and colorful saris for the women. While performing sacrifices, etc. they may wear yellow cloth which is considered auspicious. But you are always engaged in such religious activity in direct service of the transcendental Lord, so yellow garments are not inappropriate. In India our householder devotee men are all wearing white cloths and they all look very, very nice. You can do also if you like.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 2 January, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated December 17, 1973. It is a source of great pleasure for me to hear that you are seriously undertaking publication of the abridged version of Bhagavad-gita As It Is in India. As you know my Guru Maharaja emphasized book publication above all other preaching activities because it is the big mrdanga which can be heard all over the world. Sometimes people are reluctant to contribute for our temples and for our religious activities but for education everyone will be ready to help. All over the world they are taking our books seriously and that is accepted by educational departments as extra study books at schools and colleges. In that way we will have a good recommendation for introducing our books to all kind of libraries. When I was alone in India I got this sanction and introduced my books in so many libraries and schools. There is one American Library of Congress which used to take 18 copies of my books as soon as they were published. If you try you will get also an order for 18 copies of all our books. This open order was published in my picture advertisement for the Bhagavatam. So please try in this way to get our books circulating among the educated classes. I wish you to go ahead full speed to print Bhagavad-gita there.