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Reluctant (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973:

The supreme director, Kṛṣṇa, is sitting there, and He is directing, "Now this living entity wants to fulfill his desire in this way." He's giving direction to the material nature. "Now, prepare a vehicle, body, for this rascal in this way. He wants to enjoy. All right, let him enjoy." This is going on. We are all rascals, we are manufacturing our different ways of life. "I think." So you are thinking. As soon as you are thinking... But we cannot fulfill our desires without sanction of God. That is not possible. But because we are persisting, that "I want to fulfill my desire in this way," Kṛṣṇa is sanctioning, "All right." Just like a child persists to possess something. The father gives, "All right, take it." So all these bodies we are getting, although by the sanction of the Supreme Lord, but He is sanctioning with reluctance that "Why this rascal is wanting like this?" This is our position. Therefore, at last Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya, (BG 18.66) "Give up this rascaldom, 'I want this body, I want that body, I want to enjoy life in this way'—give up all this nonsense."

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

So there is great need of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. People are so fallen. They are reluctant even to hear about this Bhagavad-gītā, where everything is explained. They are living like animals. So it is our duty to awaken them. That is the Vedic injunction. Vedic injunction is to awaken. They are sleeping. Ignorance... Just like when a man sleeps, he is ignorant of everything, what is going on outside. He is sleeping, deep-sleeping. So therefore the Vedic injunction, Upaniṣads says, uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata: "Please get up. You have got this human form of body. Now you get up and get out of these clutches of cycle of birth and death." Unfortunately they have become so dull that they cannot understand. So people should be trained up how to live conscientiously, especially in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will solve the problems of life. Otherwise he is committing suicide. That is the verdict of the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

Here is the point of yoga practice. Yoga means to join. Now in our conditional state, although we are part and parcel of the Supreme, but we are now separated. The same example. This finger is part and parcel of your body, but if it is separated, amputated, it has no value. But so long it is joined with this body, it's value is millions of dollars or more than that. If there is any disease you can spend any amount to cure. Similarly we at the present moment in the conditioned state of material existence, we are separated from God. Therefore we are so much reluctant to speak of God, to understand about God, our relationship with God. We think it is simply waste of time. In this meeting, everyone knows, this temple, Kṛṣṇa consciousness temple, is speaking of God. Or any church. People are not very much interested. They think it is a kind of, what is called, recreation, in the name of spiritual advancement, otherwise it is simply waste of time. Better this time could be used for earning some money. Or enjoying in a club or in a restaurant, sense enjoyment.

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

Śaśvac-chānti. Because he will relish. He will relish this Kṛṣṇa consciousness so nicely that he will give up all nonsense automatically: "I don't like it, don't like it." This is the process. He will give up automatically. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. The whole world is after sense gratification, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, just very soon he will find that "All these nonsense, oh, there is no happiness." He will give it up. He will give it up. It is so nice thing. Some way or other, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your reluctance for sense gratification will automatically come, automatic... You haven't got to train yourself that "How to stop my sense gratification?" If you simply go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa sincerely. And what is that process? Chanting and hearing. When you chant, you hear, and you will enjoy. And you will enjoy so nicely that you will give up all that is not wanted in the advancement of his spiritual life. Kṣipram. This is recommendation by Kṛṣṇa Himself, not that I am advertising. Because I am preaching here Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore I am advertising, "The candidate may take it." But Kṛṣṇa Himself says. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. Śānti means very soon he attains that perfect eternal happiness. Perfect peaceful life, eternal life, blissful life, he very soon attains.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

So the sound vibration, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives it to the people in general. He says that the name, holy name, is as powerful as Kṛṣṇa. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. And to smaraṇe, to hear and chant, there is no particular time. Just like gāyatrī-mantra and other things you have to chant in a different atmosphere, three times, tri-sandha. After taking bath. There are so many rules and regulations. But this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra you can chant anywhere and everywhere at any time, without any regulative principles. Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu regrets, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi. "My Lord, You are so merciful upon Me, but still, durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ, I am so unfortunate that I am reluctant to chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." So our this movement is teaching very simple thing, that whatever you may be, wherever you may be, there is no expenditure. There is no loss. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

So you do not require... As soon as... Therefore it is called ahaitukī. A devotee is understanding everything without any cause. How it is? Because Vāsudeva is giving intelligence. Teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ, nāśayāmi (BG 10.11). So a devotee, sincere devotee, do not think that he is not in knowledge. He is perfect in knowledge because the knowledge is being imparted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead from within. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). As He did. He gave intelligence to Lord Brahmā how to create this universe. Similarly, He will give intelligence to you also if you become sincere in serving Vāsudeva. This is explained. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu (SB 1.2.7). And as soon as you are getting knowledge, naturally you will be reluctant to this material sense enjoyment. Material world means sense enjoyment, and spiritual world means not sense enjoyment for personal sense enjoyment, but enjoyment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the... We have to learn, one after another, what is difference between material and spiritual. That is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta very nicely in two lines, ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā tāre bali kāma (CC Adi 4.165). Lusty desires, or kāma, materialism, what is that? Now, ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā, when one wants to fulfill his own desires of the own senses, that is called kāma. And kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare prema nāma. The same thing, when you want to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, then you become devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:
So this is the easiest process. If one is very, very intelligent, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, and his life becomes successful, he becomes free from so many addictions... This is the result of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Simply by becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all the good qualities of the demigods... Demigods... Just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada. There are many, many demigods. They are good qualified. Otherwise, how they are posted in such exalted position? They are very qualified. So simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, all the good qualities of the demigods, or all godly qualities, will manifest. There is no doubt about it. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra... (SB 11.2.42). They will be reluctant. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). They will find something so nice that they will give up all this nonsense. This is the process. Unless you give something better, how one can give up his bad habits? Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He delivered Jagāi-Mādhāi. They were all this: addicted to illicit sex, meat-eating, drinking and intoxication, gambling. That was their business. So Nityānanda Prabhu went to deliver them, that "First of all, these rascals should be delivered." Therefore He went there. They were very angry. They hurt Him by throwing one stone on His forehead, and blood came out. Still, Nityānanda Prabhu said, "All right, I don't mind. Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." This is preaching, Nityānanda.
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

There is a verse of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, na hi harate jyotsnaṁ candraś caṇḍāla-veśmani. Caṇḍāla. Caṇḍāla means the low caste, lower than the śūdras. The meat-eaters. Meat-eaters, in India they are called caṇḍāla. So especially pig, pig-eater. Still you'll find in villages, the sweeper class, they capture one pig. They maintain the pigs. They sell as well as they eat. So the living pig they burn into fire. Still, publicly. And it cries like anything, but they are allowed. Publicly they do that. So caṇḍāla-veśmani. That is very polluted, sinful place, but that does not mean that the moonlight is refused there. Moonlight is not refused. Because it is the house of a caṇḍāla, therefore moon does not consider that he should be refused, or sunlight is refused there. No. Sunlight is equally distributed. Na hi harate jyotsnaṁ candraś caṇḍāla-veśmani. Candra means the moon. Similarly, all devotees, or Kṛṣṇa, He's not reluctant. Either devotee, Kṛṣṇa's devotee, or Kṛṣṇa is reluctant to bestow the mercy to anyone. Tulya... That is called tulya-darśanāḥ. The mercy is open for everyone.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:
Prabhupāda: Just like the other man came yesterday. They have created the anartha, hippie problem and drugs, intoxication problem. Now they want to subside it. They have come to our center for give some advice. But our advice is the same: anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam (SB 1.7.6). Begin chanting. What did he say? Did he accept our formula or not?

Yogeśvara: He was reluctant. Prabhupāda: Just see. He will not accept. He will come to consult you, but if you say something which is already formulated by him, then they will accept. That means you have to say his formula, yes, then he will accept. He has already some formula, and if you say, "Yes, it is good," then you are a very good man. And if you say something else, then I reluctant. You see? This is going on. Actually, it is said in the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Mayapura, October 10, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is available so cheaply for the people, especially kalau, in this age of Kali. Still, we are reluctant to chant the holy name. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu regrets, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi: "Although You are so liberal and kind upon this fallen soul, still, unfortunate as I am, I am not inclined to chant this holy name." This is our position, obstinacy, dog's obstinacy. But if we do it, then we become purified. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation is to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam either yourself, being purified, or without being purified, you can read, chant. This is our Vaiṣṇava regulation, duty. As much as possible, we should read Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And any such literature-Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Brahma-saṁhitā. Any one of them or all of them, it doesn't matter. And chant twenty-four hours Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our business.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

Just like Bhīṣmadeva. Bhīṣmadeva is one of the recognized stalwart devotee of Kṛṣṇa, mahājana, authority. Whatever Bhīṣma will speak on devotional service, that is authoritative. All the twelve mahājanas... Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ kumāro manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ (SB 6.3.20). So Bhīṣma wanted to conquer over Kṛṣṇa. He promised. How he conquered, that you know, the story, that when Duryodhana showed some reluctance, that "My dear grandfather, you are not fighting with the Pāṇḍavas wholeheartedly because you have got affection for them. So you are on my side. You should fight wholeheartedly." A little criticizing. So to, in order to please Duryodhana, Bhīṣma promised that "Tomorrow I shall kill all the five brothers. Is that all right?" 'Yes, sir. Do that." "So they cannot be saved unless Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise." Kṛṣṇa said that... Both the parties were informed that "It is family fight. I cannot take part in the family. But I can divide Myself into two: My soldiers one side, and I am one side. But even if I am in one side, I'll not fight." So this was His promise, that He would not fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. But Bhīṣma obliged Him to fight, to break His promise in order to save Arjuna. Therefore Bhīṣma conquered over Kṛṣṇa, because He had to break His promise. Arjuna was in such a precarious condition that unless Kṛṣṇa would take up the weapon to stop Bhīṣma, Bhīṣma was determined: "All right, let, let me kill my grandson." So in battlefield, it was a great ocean of fighting, and Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, they were compared with big, big sharks, crocodiles in the ocean. That was described by Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that "Only for Kṛṣṇa, my grandfather Arjuna was saved. Otherwise, it was impossible for my grandfather to conquer over the fight, to come out victorious. It is simply due to Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

So anyone who is not taking to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa advised, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), he is simply drinking poison. Drinking poison. That's all. And what is the effect of poison? You will die. Not only this life, life after life, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). He will accept this life, again he'll give up, again another body, again another. And that you do not know. There is no guarantee what kind of body you are going to get. But they are so rascals, they do not understand that "I am going to get another body." And there are so many varieties of body. If I get the body of a tree, now standed up for seven thousand years... How much risk we are taking. But all this risk can be avoided in this human form of life simply by thinking of Vāsudeva, simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Why people are reluctant? This is their misfortune. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). This Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be accepted only by the most fortunate person. Not less fortunate, alpa-medhasa. Those who have got little brain, or little fortunate, they cannot. They cannot. Sukṛtina. Sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means very fortunate, very pious. And duṣkṛtina cannot take it. Vāsudeva..., thinking of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is very easy, but those who are sinful, they cannot take to it. That is the difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974:

So Yamarāja is a great devotee Vaiṣṇava. We should not be afraid of Yamarāja. Those who are devotees, they are... Yamarāja says that "I offer them respect, my obeisances." He advised his messengers that "Don't go to my devotees. They are to be offered respect by me. You go to persons who are reluctant to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You go there and bring them here for judgment." The Christian also believe, "the day of judgment." The judgment is given by Yamarāja. But who goes to his court for judgment? The criminals, those who are not devotees, those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they go to the court of Yamarāja.

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

So we have to give up this. "Give up this" means not that you have to become a sannyāsī or give up your... But you must know your position. At least, you must understand. You don't foolishly accept that you are very happy. Don't be fool. Be intelligent. That is śāstra. The śāstra means... A person goes to school, college, to become intelligent. Therefore there are so many śāstras, Veda, Vedas. Why Vedic literatures are there? To make us intelligent. Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīva... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā (CC Madhya 20.117). We are so foolish rascals that we have forgotten. We are suffering every moment, and still, we are thinking we are very happy. Therefore it is our misfortune that human life is meant for understanding, "What is the position of my life? Why I am suffering?" So for that understanding Kṛṣṇa has given us so many Vedic literature: four Vedas and the Purāṇas and the Upaniṣad and Vedānta-sūtra, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. We have got enough source of knowledge, treasure house of knowledge, but we are reluctant. We are busy with the newspaper. We have got time to waste our time to read the newspaper, bunch of newspaper, but we have no time to read Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Vedānta-sūtra, the books of actual knowledge. This is our misfortune.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa? Unless one is fully in knowledge, "What is Absolute Truth, what I am, what is my relationship with the Absolute Truth..." That is called knowledge. And if one understands that "Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master. He is my eternal father. I am not this body. I am also the same thing as Kṛṣṇa, spiritual..." Mamaivāṁśaḥ. "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is gold, then I am also gold. But Kṛṣṇa is gold mine; I am gold earring, that's all." This is knowledge. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. And when one comes to this knowledge, then he becomes reluctant to this material attachment. That is called vairāgya. Just like you boys and girls who have joined this movement. You have understood to some extent that "We didn't require this material opulence. We want Kṛṣṇa." So the idea that we don't want this material opulence, that is called vairāgya. And why you want Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa is your eternal master, eternal father. That is called jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. Not sentimental. We must know very clearly what is Kṛṣṇa—that is jñāna—what is my relationship with Kṛṣṇa—that is jñāna—and what is my duty to Kṛṣṇa—that is jñāna. And as soon as you know all these things—what is Kṛṣṇa, what you are, what is your relationship, and what is your duty—then naturally you become reluctant to these material activities. That is called vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

So śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam is so nice. It has no expenditure, no loss, simply gain. If you kindly hear śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, if you cannot chant Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, you are so reluctant, or if you cannot because to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that also requires little fortune... Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam. Anyone who is chanting on the top of his tongue, where there is name, holy name, he is garīyān śva-paco 'taḥ. Even though he is born in low-grade family, the dog-eaters, it is still garīyān. Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam. So in this Kali-yuga, if you simply chant or even if you cannot chant—because that requires little fortune—if we simply hear, that will also help us. So these centers are meant for chanting and hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Simply this process, chanting and hearing, will purify our existence. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). It will increase piety of life. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Anyone who is hearing and one who is chanting, both of them, śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ... This is the beginning.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, janmāobi more iccha yadi tora kīṭa-janma ha-u..., dāsa tuara, like that. He is praying, "My Lord, I do not know whether I am sufficiently fit to go back to home, to back to Godhead, but my only prayer is that if You think that I have to take birth again, so kindly give me this opportunity that I may take birth in a place..." Kīṭa janma hau yathā dāsa tuyā: "Let me become an insignificant ant in the house of a devotee. If I am going to take birth at all, so give me this concession, that let me take birth as an ant even in the house of a devotee." So Bhāratvarṣa, the devatās, the demigods, they desire to take birth in India because here is the opportunity. Still, so much broken, you will find, you have seen, that when we hold this Hare Kṛṣṇa festival, twenty thousand, fifty thousand men come automatically. You will find never in any other country. Still in India you will find that. Why? Because they have taken birth in India the facility is there. So it is very unfortunate that Indians are trying to forget Kṛṣṇa. Very unfortunate. Kṛpaṇa. If you have got money, if you don't utilize is properly, that is your misfortune. Similarly, in India, those who have taken birth, they have got the opportunity. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in India, but they are reluctant. They're reluctant. This is their misfortune.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra eṣaḥ (SB 11.2.42), paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59), you have to give better engagement, then they will give up this inferior engagement. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate means if you get better engagement, then you can give up inferior engagement. You must have some engagement. Without engagements he will become mad. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give better engagement. So when he's engaged in better type of activities, he forgets all this inferior... That is explained bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra eṣaḥ (SB 11.2.42), as soon as one become devotee, he naturally becomes reluctant. Just like these American and European boys and girls, they are little advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they have immediately given up all these inferior engagements of drinking and illicit sex and meat-eating. They have given up. This is the way. You give them better engagement and they'll give up this inferior engagement. That is the pushing of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

So one should not be interested in that way. Therefore it is said, that, dehambhara-vārtikeṣu, those who are busy only for maintenance of this body, to such person, he is not interested, na prīti-yuktā. This is the sign. He, he may be a gṛhastha, it does not matter, but he is interested with Kṛṣṇa's business, not dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Those who are interested with this body only, with them he has no interest. This is the sign. That is also mahātmā. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā, his only business is how to keep friendship with Kṛṣṇa. That is his only business. Then he is mahātmā. And so far janeṣu, people in general, who are simply interested how to maintain this body, janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. And, then what about his family? Yes, gṛheṣu, at home. Jāyā, jāyā means wife. Jāyā ātma-ja, ātma-ja means children. Gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu, and business about earning money, na prīti-yuktā, he's not interested. Although he is at home, he is not interested at home. Therefore generally devotees, they become very reluctant in the interest of maintaining family, children, wife. Simply as far as possible, duty. So much interested, not any more. These are the signs. If you want to find out a gṛhastha mahātmā, then he has got his family, he has got his children, he has got his wife, he has got his business. He has got to meet so many other people, but they are, he's not at all interested. Simply behavior, official. "Yes, yes, it is all right. Yes, it is all right. What you say it is all right, but I am not interested." This is called disinterested. People are generally very much interested in these things.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

So in the beginning we may be very much reluctant in the matter of chanting, but when you become liberated the chanting will be so sweet that you cannot give up. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He has composed a śloka. He says in that śloka that "If I had millions of tongues and trillions of ears, then the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra would have been relishable. How, what can I do with one tongue and two ears?" So that is liberated stage. That is prema. But that stage is attainable. If you follow regularly the principles, everyone will attain to that stage when he simply likes to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:

That, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, matir na kṛṣṇe. People are very much reluctant to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Why? Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. By others' instruction Just like we are trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, parataḥ. Svato, svato means personally. By personal endeavor. Just I am reading Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Vedic literature. So, matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Mitho vā, mitho vā means "by conference." Nowadays it is a very popular thing to hold conferences. So one cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious either by his personal endeavor or by advice of some other men or by holding big, big conferences. Why? Gṛha-vratānām: because his real aim of life is that "I shall remain in this house." Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha means household life, gṛha means this body, gṛha means this universe. There are so many gṛhas, big and small.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

I do not know why people are reluctant to do this simple act when the result is so great. To go home, back to home, back to Godhead is not easy thing. To get out of the clutches of māyā and go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, it is not so easy thing for ordinarily... But Kṛṣṇa is personally coming and teaching so that people may take advantage of it and go back to home, back to Godhead. Still, people could not understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came as devotee, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, teaching the same thing. Teaching the same thing. He, although He's Kṛṣṇa, He never invented anything. That is called paramparā system. Although He's God Himself, God also does not invent anything. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). He's giving reference to the Brahma-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra. So our line is like that, even God Himself, He can say something new? No. He said to Arjuna, purātanam yogaṁ proktavān, that "I am speaking to you same old philosophy, purātanam yogam, which I spoke to the sun-god." We must stick to this, that a spiritual understanding is never changed. Now the modern days, we have to adjust things. No. That is not spiritual. There is no question of modern and old. Nitya, that is nitya, eternal. We should always remember that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.44 -- Delhi, March 26, 1976:

Every one of us, we have got this valuable body, human form of body. If we utilize it, then..., utilize it by brahma-jñāna, then we become brāhmaṇa. And if we do not utilize it, then we are kṛpaṇa. So here it is said kṛpaṇān. Kṛpaṇān means "These people, these conditioned souls, they are not endeavoring for liberation from this material world." They are so callous, foolish, just like cats and dogs, eating, sleeping, and mating. That is their happiness. So they are reluctant. Nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore you have to... By the grace of Kṛṣṇa you have to adopt such means that they may be interested a little about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise they are so dull and miserly, they do not understand that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important for them. They have no sense even to understand. But the preacher who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he knows that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness these people are condemned. They cannot be happy. They cannot be liberated. They will simply remain within this material world, accepting one body after another. And whichever material body we accept, it is meant for suffering. It is not meant for any happiness. Tri-tāpa-yātana. The three kinds of material miseries-adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—he has to undergo.

Lecture on SB 7.9.44 -- Delhi, March 26, 1976:

So this is another stage, and other stage is a devotee taking all risk, preaching for the benefit of the whole human society. He is called goṣṭhy-ānandī, increasing the number of devotees. That is preferred by Kṛṣṇa. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati: "Anyone who is engaged in preaching this confidential science of Bhagavad-gītā," na ca tasmād manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ, "nobody is dearer to Me than he is." So if you want very quickly recognition by Kṛṣṇa, go on preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if it imperfectly done, but because you are sincere in your capa..., whatever capacity you have got, if you preach, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased. I have seen practically. In my Guru Mahārāja's day there was a paper, Dainika Nadiyā Prakāsh. It was being published daily, a piece of paper, just like I was publishing Back to Godhead. And if a small brahmacārī would go to Navadvīpa and would sell a few copies, one paisa a copy, that would be taken as a great preaching by Guru Mahārāja: "Oh, you have sold five copies? Very good." Because people are so reluctant—they are not at all interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—therefore we become very much engladdened when we see that some of our books and literatures are sold. They will read and be benefited.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

Just like in homeopathic medicine, because it has no taste, there is no trouble to drink, people do not believe in it. But if you give them some very bitter, pungent medicine, "Oh, it is something." Similarly, if you give the simple process, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21), they'll not take it very seriously. "Oh, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one will be liberated, and he'll go back...? Oh, this is exaggeration." They will say. But if you give them some difficult job, that "You press your nose in this way, you make your head downwards, and you exercise in this way, do...," they'll think, "Yes, it is something." So things are very easy, and one can achieve very easily, but they are reluctant to take the easiest process given by Kṛṣṇa, given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa is giving the easiest process, that "You surrender unto Me. I give you all possible help." We are not prepared to do that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll achieve the highest perfection." Not we are prepared. Therefore it is said, "Pure devotional service is rarely achieved." People will not accept the simple thing. They want to make something very difficult, then it is all right.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is combination of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. That is the... This śloka is made by Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī, who was personal secretary of Lord Caitanya. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving us the easiest process to approach Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not easily approachable, especially in this age. Because the Bhāgavata says, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). They are very slow; they're reluctant. They don't care for the opportunity they have got. This is a great opportunity we have got, this human form of life. Once missed, you do not know what is the loss. We do not know what is going to happen in our next life. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is guaranteed that you get another human form of life. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). Not only human form of life, you get in a very good family. That is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

So, last Sunday we were discussing about Sanātana Gosvāmī's meeting with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the finance minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Pathan government of Bengal. So he resigned his office. The Nawab was reluctant to give him release. He was arrested, but somehow or other he released himself by bribing the superintendent of jail and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, or Vārāṇasī. And for two months He gave him instruction how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So when I met Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura... It is a long story, how I met him. One of my friends, he dragged me. (laughing) (laughter) I was at that time nationalist and manager in a big chemical factory. My age was about twenty-four years. So one of my friends, he asked me that "There is a nice sādhu, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He has come in Calcutta. So let us go and see." So I was reluctant. I thought just like so, there are so many sādhus. So I was not very much... Because I had very bad experience, not very good. So I said, "Oh these kind of sādhus, there are many." You'll be glad to know that even my in young age or early age—it was Kṛṣṇa's grace—even amongst my young friends, I was considered the leader. (laughing) (laughter) In my school days, in my college days, in my private friendship, some way or other I became their leader. And one astrologer sometimes he read my hand. He said in Hindi, kukum calena(?). Kukum calena means "Your hand speaks that your order will be executed."

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

So, His Divine Grace, my spiritual master, somehow or other liked me, that I should take up this responsibility. And on the first day I met him, I was at (that) time a very young man, a nationalist, and engaged in a very responsible office. So one of my friends casually took me. I did not like to go. But I am very much thankful to that friend, who is still living in Calcutta, that he forcibly took me to His Divine Grace. I was reluctant to see because in our house my father used to receive so many sannyāsīns, but I was not very much satisfied with their dealings. So I thought that Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja might be a similar man. So what business I have got to see him? But this friend took me forcibly, that "Why not see the man?"

Initiations -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1969:

Yes, this initiation is not canvassing. We don't canvass that "You become our disciple." Anyone who understands, "Oh, this is very nice," if he comes, "Swamijī, initiate me," he is welcome. But there is no canvassing or selling the mantra. No. We have no such business. We give everyone freedom to hear this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any charges. We go from door to door, street to street: "Hear and be purified." And if anyone wants to be intimately associated with us, we welcome. But we don't canvass. That is no use. If I artificially ask somebody that "You become initiated and...," no, that will not stand. One must willingly come. Therefore, as a general principle, we distribute this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. But if we find somebody reluctant, then we become callous. We don't mind. There are many others.

Brahmana Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, May 25, 1969:

Just like one boy wanted to be initiated from Montreal. His father and mother have sent me telegram. You have seen? "Oh, please save my boy. He is going to be brāhmaṇa. Oh, it will spoil my family." That means if he becomes brāhmaṇa, he may be reluctant to be karmī. This is going on. If one becomes debauch, the father-mother is not so disturbed. But if he becomes brāhmaṇa, "Oh, it is horrible. It is horrible. It is horrible." (laughter) Just see the social condition. If a young man becomes debauch, "Ah, young man. Let him do. What is there? When he will grow, he will be taken... All right." But if a young man goes to a spiritual master to become brāhmaṇa, "Oh," the father-mother is... "Oh,, it is horrible. My son is being killed." You see? Just see. I have got practical telegram from India. Just see the position of India. Just now today I have received one telegram, Hanla (?). "Oh, it is horrible condition." And Bhāgavata says that "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, if he cannot prepare his child, a brāhmaṇa, a Vaiṣṇava, so that will protect him from the cycle of repeated birth and death." "No, we don't want this thing. We want our boy a karmī, a demon. Let him earn and send the money. I eat very nicely." This is going on.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. That is not philosophical neither rational. If he cannot understand immortality of the soul, then he keeps himself in the animal kingdom. He is not even human being, what to speak of his education and philosophy.

Hayagrīva: He concludes this because he says, "Those who believe in the immortality of the soul generally quit life with fully as much, if not more reluctance, as those who have no such expectation." But we have examples, so many classic examples of Socrates quitting, meeting his death courageously, and how could this be possible if he didn't believe in the immortality of the soul or the...

Prabhupāda: That I have already said, "Immortality of soul is the fact." If one does not understand this fact then he is animal. He is not in the humans category, he is animal category. He is experiencing daily how the soul is continuing even the body is being changed. In his family, he is seeing that the body of a child is changed into the body of a boy, but the father, mother know that the soul is the same. So where is the difficulty to understand the immortality of the soul? So that means it is less intelligence. Therefore, according to Vedic description, one who does not understand immortality of the soul he remains in the category of animals, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if I cannot give good food, good dress to my family... The same thing, I am working so hard, another man is working as laborer, I am scientist so my wife and children with the same dress and he is this, so I am losing my interest. And that is the position (indistinct). They are all impractical.

Śyāmasundara: He says that industrial and scientific work is the highest point of activity.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but the... Unless the scientist and the industrialist get sufficient profit for himself, he will be reluctant to work for the state.

Page Title:Reluctant (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:27 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=33, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:33