Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Rescue (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

There is no, I mean to say, rescue either from the three, or at least from one or two.
Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Stresses due to this body and mind; distresses due to the other living entities; and distresses which is beyond our power, distresses, natural distresses, adhidaivika, distresses offered by the supernatural power. So three kinds of distresses we are suffering always. There is no, I mean to say, rescue either from the three, or at least from one or two. There is always... It is going on.

Yes.

Yes, God has already come.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

Guest (5): ...and when evil increases in the world, that He manifests Himself in a body, a human body, and comes to earth to rescue the human beings from their illusion.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (5): Now these conditions exist today. Is He here in the human form or is He still to come?

Prabhupāda: Yes, God has already come.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Nārada Muni was teaching Prahlāda Mahārāja's mother. Because she was pregnant and she was being taken away by Indra and others, Nārada Muni rescued her.
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:

Nārada Muni was teaching Prahlāda Mahārāja's mother. Because she was pregnant and she was being taken away by Indra and others, Nārada Muni rescued her, and because her husband was defeated and he fled away... He underwent severe austerities, "How to defeat these demigods?" So Nārada Muni took compassion upon this lady, and he told, "My dear daughter, you come with me. You live in my hermitage until your husband comes back."

A common man, if he's pious, if he's in distress, he prays to God, "My dear Lord, kindly rescue me from this difficulty." But he's to be considered as pious, because he's approaching God for relief.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:

There are four kinds of men who come to God. They are all pious. The first is ārta. A common man, if he's pious, if he's in distress, he prays to God, "My dear Lord, kindly rescue me from this difficulty." But he's to be considered as pious, because he's approaching God for relief. Arthārthī, those who are poor, they are going to temple or church for some money, praying to God. They are also pious. And jijñāsu. And one is philosopher, inquiring "What is God? Let us study." Jñānī, those who are learned scholars. So those who are searching after God, trying to understand God, who are approaching God for some difficulty, approaching for some relief, all these persons who are approaching God some way or other, they are pious. And one who is denying the existence of God, trying to make solution by his own knowledge, they are all called asuras.

If a son is in difficulty, the father is more anxious; "How this boy will be rescued from this difficulty?" Similarly, we are suffering in this material world. Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving this chance to everyone. Everyone, without any discrimination. So how it is purified? One may say that "Simply by hearing how one becomes purified?" No. Kṛṣṇa helps. Here it is said: hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. Kṛṣṇaḥ vidhunoti. Kṛṣṇa helps you. Those who are hearing with attention... Kṛṣṇa is within you, everyone, Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is with you. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so sympathetic, as soon as He sees, "Oh, this soul..." Because every soul is Kṛṣṇa's son... So He's very much anxious. Just like a father. If a son is in difficulty, the father is more anxious; "How this boy will be rescued from this difficulty?" Similarly, we are suffering in this material world. Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore, as soon as He sees, "Oh, he is hearing about Me. Oh, thank you. I shall help you." Immediately He vidhunoti, He washes all the dirty things.

And this yearly, we live, we human being, we live for a hundred years, and the demigods, they live for ten thousands of years. But wherever you live, either as insect or as demigod, there is no rescue from the process of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). That you cannot escape.
Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

This is the process, going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This material world, in this way, sometimes it is manifested and sometimes it is not manifested. The energy is there, but the material world means the energy sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. So we are in this material world. Not only. We are changing our body, one after another after some years... That is also according to our different forms of life. In one small insect, it may live for few minutes; some of them for few hours, some of them for few days, and some of them for few months, some of them for few years. And this yearly, we live, we human being, we live for a hundred years, and the demigods, they live for ten thousands of years. But wherever you live, either as insect or as demigod, there is no rescue from the process of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). That you cannot escape. Either you become a small insect or you become as powerful as Lord Brahmā, you have to die. There is no escape.

As soon as there was some difficulty—we read it from Bhāgavatam—as soon as there is some fire... The vṛndāvana-vāsīs, they do not know anyone but Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa devours the fire. As soon as there is torrents of rain, Vṛndāvana was going to be overflooded, Kṛṣṇa immediately came to their rescue and lifted the Govardhana Hill: "Come under Me."
Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa's business is how to please the gopīs, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Yaśodā-nandana vraja-jana-rañjana. As the vṛndāvana-vāsīs, they have no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa, similarly, Kṛṣṇa has no other business than to please the gopīs and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Gopījana-vallabha. So how...? Why Kṛṣṇa is so much attached to vṛndāvana-vāsīs? As soon as there was some difficulty—we read it from Bhāgavatam—as soon as there is some fire... The vṛndāvana-vāsīs, they do not know anyone but Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa devours the fire. As soon as there is torrents of rain, Vṛndāvana was going to be overflooded, Kṛṣṇa immediately came to their rescue and lifted the Govardhana Hill: "Come under Me." That is Gopī-jana-vallabha. They do not know anything. They do not know even that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they do not like to love anybody than Kṛṣṇa. This is their only qualification. They did not love Kṛṣṇa understanding that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). They did not know this. But they did not like to love even Viṣṇu than Kṛṣṇa. That is their qualification. Gopī-jana-vallabha.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, why you are in such a depressed condition, you are crying?" "Sir, I am so..." He was in the ecstasy of Hanumān. "Sir, I am so unfortunate that Sītā-devī has been taken by Rāvaṇa and I could not rescue her still." In this way he was puzzled.
Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

This morning I was reading about Sītā-devī's being kidnapped by Rāvaṇa. Now, because there was not Rāmacandra present and Lakṣmaṇa was also not present, she was unguarded and Rāvaṇa took the opportunity to kidnap her. So even Sītā-devī, she is goddess of fortune, she is the spiritual potency of Lord Rāmacandra, she is not ordinary woman, but showing us the example that even Sītā-devī... Sītā-devī is the original potency. Of course, Rāvaṇa could not kidnap Sītā-devī as she is. That is not possible. This is described in another Purāṇa, that when Rāvaṇa came to kidnap Sītā, Sītā-devī disappeared from there and she kept a māyā form, false form, and Rāvaṇa kidnapped her. This is stated in very authoritative scripture. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was traveling in South India, a brāhmaṇa invited Him. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu at noontime went there, but He saw the brāhmaṇa has not cooked anything. There was nothing prepared. And he was crying and reading Rāmāyaṇa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, why you are in such a depressed condition, you are crying?" "Sir, I am so..." He was in the ecstasy of Hanumān. "Sir, I am so unfortunate that Sītā-devī has been taken by Rāvaṇa and I could not rescue her still." In this way he was puzzled. So he did not cook anything. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu pacified him. Then he cooked. He could understand that "I invited..." It was done. Then, when he was returning, I forget the name of the Purāṇa... Kūrma Purāṇa. He got evidences that Sītā-devī, when she was supposed to be kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, her a false form was kidnapped, and when Sītā-devī was tested, putting her into the fire, she entered into the fire and the māyā Sītā was burned and the original Sītā came out. So it was not possible for Rāvaṇa to touch even the lotus feet of mother Sītā.

Kṛṣṇa says, "I come for this purpose, to rescue the sādhus, the devotees, and to cut down the demons."
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

So we are forced to come here and suffer or enjoy the fruits of our last karma. That is one thing. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Kṛṣṇa does not come, being forced by nature or for His karma. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā (BG 4.14). Kṛṣṇa says that He also works, karma, to show example, but He is not affected by the result of the karma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma... Neither He has got any desire to work for something to gain something. He is full. Why He should try for gaining...? We work something. We work to gain something, to make some profit. But Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to do any profit. He is self-sufficient. Whatever He wants, immediately present. Omnipotent, omniscient. Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do like that. Therefore why does He come? He has got a different mission. What is that? Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. He says, "I come for this purpose, to rescue the sādhus, the devotees, and to cut down the demons." Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8).

So people are so much embarrassed with this avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. And to educate them, to rescue them from these clutches of avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ, is this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam.
Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:

The disease is avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. So people are so much embarrassed with this avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. And to educate them, to rescue them from these clutches of avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ, is this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). That is the sum and substance. So that is explained in this verse also by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, yat-kīrtanaṁ yat-smaraṇaṁ yad-īkṣaṇam. Kīrtanaṁ smaraṇam, and if you are unable to do that... Just like these children. They cannot meditate, but simply they sit down and see Kṛṣṇa: "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Rādhārāṇī." That is also... A small child, he also gets the benefit. An animal gets the benefit—simply by seeing. Yad-vandanam. And if you are still more intelligent, then offer prayer. Either of these: yad-vandanaṁ yac-chravaṇaṁ yad-arhaṇam. The similar parallels(?), the arhaṇam. If you are expert, trained by your spiritual master how to worship, that is arhaṇam. And śravaṇam, the same thing. Yad-vandanam, offering prayers.

Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me and I shall rescue you, make you liberated from all kinds of sinful reactions."
Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

So our point is that you do whatever you are doing. We don't stop you. We never say that "Stop everything of material..." But we have to stop anything which is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because we do not stop, it doesn't mean that we shall not stop meat-eating. We must stop. This is against advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot commit sinful activities. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me and I shall rescue you, make you liberated from all kinds of sinful reactions."

Every one of us, life after life, we are committing simple sinful activities, knowingly or unknowingly. Knowingly, I may kill one animal. That is sinful certainly. Even we do it unknowingly, that is also sinful. Just like while we are walking on the street, we are killing so many ants, unknowingly. So in our ordinary dealings, while cooking, while taking water, while using pestle and mortar for smashing spices, we are killing so many animals. So unless we remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are liable to be punished for all these unknowingly committing sinful activities. Knowingly, of course, you'll be... That's a fact.

Kṛṣṇa does not say, "Yes, you depend on Me and depend on your slaughterhouse and factory also." No. He says, "Simply depend on Me, one." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So "I will rescue you from the resultant action of your sinful activities."
Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1973:

Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is teaching us: so, "I depend on You." Mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā. "My dear Lord, I simply surrender unto You, depend on You. Now, if You like, You can kill me or You can give me protection." This is wanted. And Kṛṣṇa says in reply, "Yes." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Ekam. He does not say, "Yes, you depend on Me and depend on your slaughterhouse and factory also." No. He says, "Simply depend on Me, one." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So "I will rescue you from the resultant action of your sinful activities." Because you have lived so many years without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, you have lived sinful life only. So Kṛṣṇa gives, gives assurance that, as soon as one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, He immediately squares up all account. All your sinful activities finished now. Finished. Now you begin new life. That is called initiation. But don't commit anymore.

So, at the time of death means, the arrangement becomes so dangerously painful, that one leaves this body, "No more." This is death. This bodily arrangement becomes so painful. Just like one commits suicide. When the situation is too much painful he wants a rescue by committing suicide.
Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:

Mahārāja Kulaśekhara king, a great devotee, is praying to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, this is the opportune time. Now I am healthy. I am quite in good health so let me die immediately, thinking of You, because my whole purpose is to think of You, of Your pastimes, at the time of death. So generally, at the time of death, kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ, the whole system becomes disarranged. There are coughing, there are headache, there is some pain, this is general system. Sometimes they are so intolerable that the man who is going to die, he cries. The system within the body is so complicated that at any time it can be disarranged, and it becomes a great source of pain. So, at the time of death means, the arrangement becomes so dangerously painful, that one leaves this body, "No more." This is death. This bodily arrangement becomes so painful. Just like one commits suicide. When the situation is too much painful he wants a rescue by committing suicide. Similarly, when the bodily pains are too severe, then the living entity can not live in this body. Tyaktvā deham, he gives up this body. So we have to give up this body, that we forget.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, you invited Me, but I don't see even you have cooked. What is the reason?" "Oh, yes, I am going to cook immediately. The thing is, I am very sorry that Rāvaṇa, the demon, has taken away Sītā, and I could not rescue her still. So why shall I eat? I shall die."
Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, that Lord Caitanya, He was a guest of a brāhmaṇa in South India. So He took His bath and came to the house of that brāhmaṇa, but the brāhmaṇa did not arrange for any cooking even. There was no food. He was very sorry. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, you invited Me, but I don't see even you have cooked. What is the reason?" "Oh, yes, I am going to cook immediately. The thing is, I am very sorry that Rāvaṇa, the demon, has taken away Sītā, and I could not rescue her still. So why shall I eat? I shall die." He was in the ecstasy of Hanumān, a devotee. He was thinking like Hanumān. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much liked that he is, in devotion and in ecstasy of Hanumān, he is thinking like that. So at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "So don't be sorry. Sītā, Lakṣmījī, she cannot be touched by Rāvaṇa. It was māyā Sītā, māyā Sītā. I will tell you. I will give you evidence from the śāstra." So brāhmaṇa believed Him because Caitanya... "Oh, she is there? Sītā was not taken? A māyā Sītā was taken?" "Yes." Then he become encouraged. He cooked and sufficiently gave Him food.

The incarnation is already there, Kṛṣṇa is there, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there, but people are not taking advantage of it. Not taking advantage of it. Everything is there. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to rescue these rascals from this ignorance and give Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Therefore the incarnation is already there, Kṛṣṇa is there, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there, but people are not taking advantage of it. Not taking advantage of it. Everything is there. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to rescue these rascals from this ignorance and give Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Most philanthropic work. They will become dog next life; we are trying to save them, "Don't become dog. Just become god or godly." This is our movement. But they are persistent to become dog. Even they are coming here, again falling. Persistent to become dog. So that is nature's law, what can be done?

When a child remains packed up and the consciousness is gained, he feels very uncomfortable. So at that time, one who is pious, spiritually advanced, he prays to God, "Please rescue me from this bondage. I am too much suffering."
Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings that "My dear Lord, when I was in the womb of my mother, at that time I saw You once, became visible." Those who are spiritually advanced, they can see God within the womb of the mother. When a child remains packed up and the consciousness is gained, he feels very uncomfortable. So at that time, one who is pious, spiritually advanced, he prays to God, "Please rescue me from this bondage. I am too much suffering. And this time I, after taking my birth, I shall simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," promises. But Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, janama hoilo poṛi' māyā-jāle. As soon as birth is taken, the māyā is there; we forget. Immediately, father, mother, other relatives, they take up the child and pats very nice. So in this way we forget that we were in such a precarious condition, almost suffocating.

Even Kṛṣṇa, He also lived as a menial servant. His teacher asked Him to bring some fuel from the jungle, and He went with Sudāmā Vipra, and while collecting these dry woods there was a storm and there was heavy rain, and they became lost in the jungle, Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā Vipra. Then his teacher, Sāndīpani Muni... With the assistance of other boys, they were rescued.
Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

The brahmacārī goes to householders' place for begging alms. The system cannot be introduced here. It is very difficult. Otherwise, another business of these children were to go door to door and knock and ask some alms: "Give us some alms." So in India they have got sufficient stock of rice, flour, ḍāl. They keep at least one month provision in every house, even in poor's man. As soon as he gets his money, he purchases the whole month provisions—rice, ḍāl, āṭā, ghee—and keeps it. So when the brahmacārī goes there, a little rice or little ḍāl, they contribute. In this way by collection of these alms from the neighboring householders, practically the āśrama's eating problem is solved. Brahmacārī is supposed to live in gurukula at the place of guru just like a menial servant. Even Kṛṣṇa, He also lived as a menial servant. His teacher asked Him to bring some fuel from the jungle, and He went with Sudāmā Vipra, and while collecting these dry woods there was a storm and there was heavy rain, and they became lost in the jungle, Kṛṣṇa and Sudāmā Vipra. Then his teacher, Sāndīpani Muni... With the assistance of other boys, they were rescued. So this is the position of the brahmacārī, that they go to collect alms, all kinds of, for gurukula.

Kṛṣṇa was talking with Sudāmā Vipra, how both of them went to collect dry wood, and there was storm and rain. They became stranded in the forest. Then next day their teacher and other students rescued them.
Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

But actually, the human life is meant for not enjoying the senses. That is called tapasya. To deny. That is human life. That is Vedic civilization. First of all, the brahmacārī system, how to deny sense gratification. That is the first training. Even the, even Kṛṣṇa, He had to go to the forest to collect dry wood for the spiritual master. The, that is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kṛṣṇa was talking with Sudāmā Vipra, how both of them went to collect dry wood, and there was storm and rain. They became stranded in the forest. Then next day their teacher and other students rescued them. So the brahmacārī was trained up, tapasya, not to enjoy. They would have to go beg door to door, brahmacārī: "Mother, give us some alms for our āśrama." So they were trained from the very beginning to address any woman as "Mother." So... And there were so many other things: to rise early in the morning... Tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). We have become so foolish that we do not know what is the actual condition of life. I am repeating this again and again. Our actual position is not to die, but we are dying. But we are so foolish, we do not take care of it.

They cannot control their senses, adānta... Adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means indriya, senses, and adānta means uncontrolled. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. So in this way we are being baffled in so many ways. The only rescue is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

Persons who are trying to become happy by adjustment of this bahir-artha, external energy, or the material energy, they do not know that happiness cannot be achieved without approaching Viṣṇu, or God. They do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi... Everyone is thinking, "I must first of all see my own interest." That's all right. But what is your interest, that you do not know. First of all try to understand what is your interest. But that you do not know. Because you are thinking falsely that "By adjustment of this material atmosphere I shall be happy." Everyone is trying. Nationally, individually, collectively, everyone is trying. But it is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It will be frustration. Therefore it is called bahir-artha-māninaḥ.

So why they are attempting this process, which will meet with frustration? That is also said: adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Because they cannot control their senses, adānta... Adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means indriya, senses, and adānta means uncontrolled. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). So in this way we are being baffled in so many ways. The only rescue is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, ananya-bhāvena, mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām. That is wanted. Dṛḍha-vrata. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. You'll find parallel passages, the same thing. Because Kṛṣṇa, or God, cannot say anything contradictory. Whatever He has said... Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of spiritual life. If you can understand Bhagavad-gītā, then you can begin Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If you have not understood Bhagavad-gītā, it is useless. You cannot understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

The whole Vedic language, Vedic education means to take care of the soul. The soul is entangled, embodied, engaged in this material affair, and he is suffering, and to rescue him, to get him out of this material clutches, that is called education.
Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

Consciousness will go with us. At the time of death the consciousness carries me to another body. Sūkṣma, the fine, or the subtle body, the mind, intelligence, and ego, but we do not see that mind, intelligence, ego. And the soul, it is still finer. Mind is, we know you have got mind, you know I have got mind but you do not see. I know you have got intelligence, you know I have got intelligence but you can not see. But how the mind, intelligence carry the soul to another body, how you can see? We see that this gross body is stopped, we say it is everything finished, because we have got gross intelligence, we have no sūkṣma, in Therefore we have to approach guru, just like Arjuna approached guru. And Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa teaching that you are thinking of this body like a rascal. Nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. He said in a very gentlemanly language, no learned man thinks like that, that means you are a fool. Nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ, that you are not a paṇḍita, you are a fool. Just try to understand, that real life is for the soul, therefore you should take care of the soul. The whole Vedic language, Vedic education means to take care of the soul. The soul is entangled, embodied, engaged in this material affair, and he is suffering, and to rescue him, to get him out of this material clutches, that is called education.

That is called education and for that education one has to approach a proper guru like Kapiladeva. Kapiladeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So guru is there, Kṛṣṇa, and His instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Why you are not taking advantage? You have become so foolish. The instruction is there.

Just like a mad son, he is no more interested in home, or father, mother, but still, the father and mother is interested, that "This boy has gone out of home and is simply suffering." Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). "He has accepted one type of body and again giving it up, again accepting another body. In this way he is traveling," ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ, "all the planets, all the species of life. So let Me try to rescue him." Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes.
Lecture on SB 3.25.39-40 -- Bombay, December 8, 1974:

Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, anādi-bahirmukha jīva, kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā. Some way or other, from long, long time, we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā. Ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā: "Therefore Kṛṣṇa has made all these Vedas and Purāṇas and śāstra, everything, Mahābhārata." Kṛṣṇa comes there. This is... Because when we forget. Now this age is going on, Kali-yuga, forgetfulness. People are forgetting more and more Kṛṣṇa. They are not interested anymore. But Kṛṣṇa is interested. Kṛṣṇa, because we are sons of Kṛṣṇa... Just like a mad son, he is no more interested in home, or father, mother, but still, the father and mother is interested, that "This boy has gone out of home and is simply suffering." Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). "He has accepted one type of body and again giving it up, again accepting another body. In this way he is traveling," ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ, "all the planets, all the species of life. So let Me try to rescue him." Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).

People are becoming so narādhama, so sinful and mūḍha, that there is no rescue unless one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no rescue.
Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

Therefore na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). People are becoming so narādhama, so sinful and mūḍha, that there is no rescue unless one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no rescue. The whole world is going just like the flies. When there is fire, open fire, they come from long distance, and "Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut!" being captivated by the beauty of the fire. Similarly, this whole civilization, this so-called civilization, human civilization, is falling in the fire of illusory māyā, "Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut!" and again and again. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once takes birth, one again dies, again suffers. But we have no brain, mūḍha. Therefore is called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is so kind and His devotees are so kind that they... Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjā... (BG 4.7). He comes. He is very unhappy by seeing our unhappiness in this material world because we are sons of Kṛṣṇa.

That is the vision of the devotees. They see only the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Their sympathy is for the spirit soul, that "Here is a spirit soul, and he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He is now bound up by this material bondage. Let me try to rescue him."
Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

We are collecting, recruiting members, from all parts of the world without any distinction. The distinction is there in the material platform. In the spiritual platform there is no such distinction. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. That is the vision of the devotees. They see only the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Their sympathy is for the spirit soul, that "Here is a spirit soul, and he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He is now bound up by this material bondage. Let me try to rescue him." Prahlāda Mahārāja said, śoce tato vimukha-cetasa, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). They have become foolish. They are thinking that in material bondage he will be happy. That is not possible. Therefore Vaiṣṇavas like Prahlāda Mahārāja and his followers, they very seriously think of these fallen conditioned souls and try to rescue them, and in this Kali-yuga it is very easy. As I have already explained, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: "In this Kali-yuga it is a ocean of fault. So many faults are there, one after another, one after another. But there is one benefit," doṣa-nidhe asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ, "very great quality." What is that? Now, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: "He hasn't got to do anything else. If he simply chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51), "then he becomes free from this material bondage and goes back to home, back to Godhead."

Sītādevī was kidnapped. Rāmacandra is the Supreme Lord. He could have married many thousands of Sītā, but as the dutiful husband, to rescue one wife He killed the whole family of Rāvaṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Women should be always protected. That is... Protection does not mean negligence, no. Protection means to give him (her) all facilities. That is protection. Just like father gives protection to the chil... That does not mean neglecting. Similarly, a woman should be protected. It is not that neglecting. They misunderstand. In the Western countries maybe there is misbehavior, but actually we have seen, still going on in India, the woman is... That is the ideal given by Lord Rāmacandra, how woman is given protection by the husband. Sītādevī was kidnapped. Rāmacandra is the Supreme Lord. He could have married many thousands of Sītā, but as the dutiful husband, to rescue one wife He killed the whole family of Rāvaṇa. This is protection. He killed the whole family of him. He became... This is. So woman requires protection, and the husband is responsible to give protection, the father is responsible to give protection, and the elderly children, they are responsible to give protection.

But at the present moment, why at the present moment, always, these people, these rascal people, they do not know that we can be rescued from this repetition of birth, death, old age and disease.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So the, this intelligence, that is difference between the animal and the man. If one hundred men was being taken away like that, immediately the man who was taking to kill them, immediate, why one hundred, ten men would have been sufficient, or two men would have been sufficiently stronger. They would not tolerate. Similarly we are also being driven by the laws of nature to accept these inconveniences, repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. But at the present moment, why at the present moment, always, these people, these rascal people, they do not know that we can be rescued from this repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. They have no idea. And that is civilization. How to get out of this birth, death, old age, and disease, that is civilization. But no one, nobody knows, scientists no, philosopher no, politician. They can concede that there is such possibility.

Actually even the demons in those days they were thinking that "Why should we be subjected to these laws of birth, death and disease. We must rescue."
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Hiraṇyakaśipu, you know Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, he was defeated by the demigods. Therefore he left home and went for tapasya, to become immortal. So he was a demon, so he was undergoing tapasya, other demigods, not Kṛṣṇa, because he was against Kṛṣṇa. Demons means against God. They'll never go to God. They'll go to somebody else for power. So Hiraṇyakaśipu, when Brahmā visited, that, "Why you are undergoing so serious tapasya that the whole world is trembling by your tapasya? What do you want?" So he said, "I want to become immortal." Lord Brahmā said, "That is not in my power because myself is not also immortal? How can I give immortality?"

So he was a demon, he thought by cheating Brahmā, indirect way, he took all the benediction, that "I shall not die by any, killed by any man, any demigod, any animal, or any living being. I shall not die in daytime, I shall not die at night, I shall not die in the sky, I shall not die on the land, I shall not die in water." In this way, as much as possible, by the definition of negation, no this, not this, not this, he thought, "Now I have become immortal." But he was also killed by Nṛsiṁhadeva, keeping all the promises of Brahmā. He was not killed daytime, neither at night. He was not killed on water, he was not killed in the sky. He was killed on the lap of the Lord. So in this way... Actually even the demons in those days they were thinking that "Why should we be subjected to these laws of birth, death and disease. We must rescue (?)." But the demons cannot. But there is possibility. But who knows? Ask anybody, ask any scientist, philosopher that, "Have you any process by which we can become immortal?" What they will answer? "Up to date we have no such process, but we are trying. In future." They will say like that. But no question of future. Immediately, you can have.

They take bribe. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. The whole atmosphere is surcharged with vicious condition, anywhere. You go to the court, you go to the church, you go to the priest, you go to the so-called spiritual master... The time is so vicious. You see? The only rescue is to become sincere to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then one is safe.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Mālatī: That (indistinct) Das in Calcutta was a (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Huh? Which missionary?

Mālatī: That (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. That is different. This is a different Das. So so many cases, I know, in the legal take bribe. They take bribe. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. The whole atmosphere is surcharged with vicious condition, anywhere. You go to the court, you go to the church, you go to the priest, you go to the so-called spiritual master... The time is so vicious. You see? The only rescue is to become sincere to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then one is safe. Otherwise the whole atmosphere is very dangerous. That's all. (devotees offer obeisances) (break) There are nice birds. Cuckoo.

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, not for himself, but for others he inquired this question: "My dear Śukadeva Goswāmī, I understand that these people are suffering so many different types of punishment. But how to rescue, rescue them? Is there any method to rescue them? If there is, kindly describe, kindly describe."
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

"I heard that people suffer such-and-such kind of punishment for such-and-such kind of sinful activities. So how to get them released from this suffering?" Just like a friend, suppose another friend for criminal activity is put into jail, but the friend is thinking, "Anyway, my friend is now put into jail, suffering. How to get him released?" That is friend's action—father, mother or friend. Similarly, Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇava is patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. We offer our respectful obeisances to Vaiṣṇava because Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering the fallen souls. That is Vaiṣṇava's business. They have taken so much trouble just to deliver the fallen souls from the sinful activities, and those who are being punished, to save them, this is Vaiṣṇava's business. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, not for himself, but for others he inquired this question: "My dear Śukadeva Goswāmī, I understand that these people are suffering so many different types of punishment. But how to rescue, rescue them? Is there any method to rescue them? If there is, kindly describe, kindly describe." Adhuneha mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ. Adhuna—now; iha—in this world; mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga, the Śukadeva Goswāmī is described, mahā-bhāga, most fortunate. A Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate. Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate because he has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

"My dear, the most fortunate," mahā-bhāga. Adhunā, "Now," yathaiva narakān naraḥ, "these people are suffering in the hellish condition of life. How they can be rescued?"
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja addressed Śukadeva Goswāmī as mahā-bhāga, the most fortunate. Because he's perfect Vaiṣṇava, therefore he addresses, "My dear, the most fortunate," mahā-bhāga. Adhunā, "Now," yathaiva narakān naraḥ, "these people are suffering in the hellish condition of life. How they can be rescued?" Nānā ugra-yātanān. Very severe punishment they are undergoing. People cannot see. They have no eyes to see, you see? They suffer in great calamities, and still they cannot see that "I am suffering." Just like when you pass through the streets of Australia, we go daily, morning walk, big, big skyscraper buildings have been constructed, and people are making plans, designs, working very, very hard, lifting so many heavy things. These are very heavy tasks, but they are thinking, "It is very happiness." (laughter) They are thinking, "We are making progress, we are making progress. We are bringing stones and irons on head and putting together, and it is progress. We are very happy." (laughter) This is going on. This is called varāta māninaḥ(?). They are enamored by the external energy of the Personality of Godhead. These material things are products of the external energy of the Lord. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Bhūmi, the earth, the iron, stone, wood, they are nothing but transformations of earth. Similarly, apo, water. So whatever we are manufacturing here, they are simply combination of earth, water, air, fire, that's all.

So when Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired..... "Kindly describe how these sinful men who are suffering, how they can be rescued from this sinful reaction?" So Śukadeva Goswāmī replied.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

So when Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired,

adhuneha mahā-bhāga
yathaiva narakān naraḥ
nānogra-yātanān neyāt
tan me vyākhyātum arhasi

"Kindly describe how these sinful men who are suffering, how they can be rescued from this sinful reaction?" So Śukadeva Goswāmī replied,

na ced ihaivāpacitiṁ yathāmhasaḥ
kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ
dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti
ye kīrtitā me bhavatas tigma-yātanāḥ

He says, "My dear King, that unless he makes atonement for the sinful activities in this life, then next life he'll have to suffer." This is the answer. Ihaivāpacitim yathāmhasaḥ. Aṁhasaḥ means sinful activities, as he has done. How he has done? Kuryān manah-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. Just see. We are committing sinful activities even by thinking, even by thinking. If I think that "I shall kill that man," this is mental activity. Still it is sinful. Manaḥ uktiḥ. If I unnecessarily chastise you by words, "You rascal this and that," so many..., that is also a kind of sinful activity. And if I commit by action, oh, that is sure. Therefore it is said, kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ. Pāṇibhiḥ with hands, or by mind or... The concession for this age, when we think of any sinful activities it does not affect us, but when we actually... Suppose I'm thinking of killing you. This thinking of killing you is also sinful, but unless I kill you, the sin is not so prominent. In this age that is a concession. But we are actually thinking, feeling, and willing and acting so many sinful activities that we do not know. That is the ignorance. So dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti. If he does not atone in this life... Just like if I take some money from you, if I do not pay you, then I will have to pay four times next life. That you do not know. Four times, many times, with interest. Just like bank gives you interest, you have to pay. But we cheat so many people. We are thinking that we are very clever: "I can cheat so many persons and take money and enjoy." That is atheistic.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommended that considering the gravity of your sinful life, you should undergo a type of atonement. They are prescribed in the śāstras. You have to do that. Otherwise, there is no rescue.
Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

So, so long we have got this bodily concept of life, so long we have to abide by the laws of material nature, by the laws of the state, or any other laws. Because this body is conditional. Every one of us who are sitting in this meeting has got a different body. Because everyone is under different condition, varieties, varieties of condition. Therefore I'm responsible. If I do not atone for the sinful activities I'm doing within this body, then I have to suffer in my next body because I'll get another body according to my karma. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). Kalevaram means this body. That is a nature's law. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommended that considering the gravity of your sinful life, you should undergo a type of atonement. They are prescribed in the śāstras. You have to do that. Otherwise, there is no rescue. Exactly like that, if you have committed murder, if you become killed here, then your sinful activities is neutralized. Otherwise, you'll have to suffer next life. So when a king orders a subject, or the state orders that "This man should be hanged," it is not cruelty to him. It is mercy. They do not know. It is a mercy. Otherwise why... Every state, anywhere you go, the law is there, "Life for life."

The servants of Vāsudeva knew their business, they have come to rescue Ajāmila by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So they know their position, that "We have come from the supreme controller. You cannot do any more this things.
Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976:

They were smiling. When the Yamadūtas challenged them that "Who are you? You look like very nice, coming from some very, very nice place. You are very well dressed, and you are all young men and nicely dressed, everything Oh, why you are interfering with our business?" So, they were smiling. They were smiling because they knew their business. They knew their business, they have come to rescue Ajāmila by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So they know their position, that "We have come from the supreme controller. You cannot do any more this things. That is your foolishness." They were smiling that "What these foolish persons are asking us question?" Our position is like that. Anyone who is preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you may protest against Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we shall smile, that's all. (laughter) We know our duty. Yes. We shall simply smile, that "What these nonsense speaking?" We shall go on, forward, because we are carrying the order of Kṛṣṇa. We shall be protected in every respect. Nobody can supersede our order. This is our position. So they were smiling that "What these nonsense are speaking?" Yes. So tān pratyūcuḥ prahasya idaṁ megha-nirhrādayā. Just like cloud. Cloud means sounds, everything stops. Megha-nirhrādayā. So the point is that those who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if they are strictly following vāsudevoktaḥ, whatever Vāsudeva has said or the Vāsudeva's representative has said, if he's simply prepared to carry out the orders, then his position is very secure. His position is very secure.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings therefore: anādi karama phale pori bhavārṇava-jale toribāre na dekhi upāy. Anādi karama, time immemorial I am fallen in this ocean of fruitive activities and I have no rescue from this ocean. Toribāre na dekhi upāy. This is our position.
Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:

Therefore bhakti, bhakti-mārga, devotional service, means no more material desire. It is difficult because we are associated with the material desires life after life, from time immemorial. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings therefore: anādi karama phale pori bhavārṇava-jale toribāre na dekhi upāy. Anādi karama, time immemorial I am fallen in this ocean of fruitive activities and I have no rescue from this ocean. Toribāre na dekhi upāy. This is our position. Very, very difficult to come out of these elements. But if we practice, that is possible. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā (BG 8.8). Cetasā nānya-gāminā, this is practice. Mind is going somewhere. When we sit down the mind is manufacturing so many ideas. All of a sudden mind is attracted by something which has no connection with my present position, still, mind is dragging me. Therefore Arjuna said, when he was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "You concentrate your mind..." That is the yoga practice. Yoga-indriya-samyaya. So Arjuna said, "Kṛṣṇa it is not possible for me."

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva suduṣkaram
(BG 6.34)

"It is not possible for me." But if we concentrate our mind on Kṛṣṇa, then it is possible. Otherwise, it is not. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). If we engage our senses only on Kṛṣṇa, always fixed up in Kṛṣṇa, then it is possible.

But they are not being properly educated. They are being forced to accept this chronic disease and suffer perpetually. This is the modern civilization.

But Vedic civilization is not like that. Vedic civilization is how to rescue him from this disease, bhava-roga.

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

Because the human being has got the opportunity for get out of this bhavam-āśritaḥ, this material world where he has to take birth and death, accept birth and death again and again. So this is an opportunity to get out of it. But they are not being properly educated. They are being forced to accept this chronic disease and suffer perpetually. This is the modern civilization.

But Vedic civilization is not like that. Vedic civilization is how to rescue him from this disease, bhava-roga. Bhava-roga, to cure this bhava-roga, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also prescribed, and it is since the creation, Vedic knowledge is that bhavauṣadhi. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād (SB 10.1.4). This chanting of the holy name of the Lord is called nivṛtta tarṣair upagīyamānād. This chanting can be performed by nivṛtta tarṣair, one who has ceased from all kinds of tṛṣṇa, or desire: sarvopādhi vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170) or anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). One who has become free from all kinds of material desires, for them, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is possible, is very successful (indistinct). But still, those who are not free from these material desires, it is recommended by Parīkṣit Mahārāja Nivṛtta-tarṣair. Actually this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra should be done by the liberated persons. But still, those who are not liberated, bhavam-āśritaḥ, for them it is bhavauṣadhi: the disease, medicine of this disease. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhi chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt (SB 10.1.4). It is very pleasing to the ear and the mind. Chrotra, chrotra means ear and mano means mind. Even one is not liberated, still, it is so pleasing to the ear and the mind. Bhavauṣadhac chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. Such a nice thing.

In India there are several old wells on the paddy fields and they are covered with grass. Nobody can understand that there is a well underneath this, underneath this grass. And if by mistake one comes there, he falls down, say hundred feet down. And it is covered with grass. Even if he cries, "Please save me, save me," who is going to save him? Sometimes cow and animals and men fall down in that way. If he's fortunate enough, somebody comes and rescues. Otherwise, generally, there is no rescue.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja suggests the remedy, how to become free from anxieties. He says hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ. Ātma ghāṭam. Ātma means the soul, and ghāṭam means killing. Hitvātmā-ghāṭam gṛham andha-kūpaṁ. Andha-kūpa means blind well. Blind well... I do not know whether you have got experience. In India there are several old wells on the paddy fields and they are covered with grass. Nobody can understand that there is a well underneath this, underneath this grass. And if by mistake one comes there, he falls down, say hundred feet down. And it is covered with grass. Even if he cries, "Please save me, save me," who is going to save him? Sometimes cow and animals and men fall down in that way. If he's fortunate enough, somebody comes and rescues. Otherwise, generally, there is no rescue. Who is going to know that there is a man or there is an animal? So hitvātmā-ghāṭam andha-kūpaṁ. This material world is just like that blind well. If somebody falls down in it, it is very difficult to get out of it. Therefore it is ātmā-ghāṭam. Ātma-ghāṭam means killing the soul. How we are killing the soul? We forget that "I am spirit soul." Therefore almost every one of us is forgetful that "I am spirit soul. I am identifying with this body." And Prahlāda Mahārāja says, because we have identified with this body, therefore we are always anxious, full of anxieties. And that is the fact.

Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were zamindars and born of brāhmaṇa family, but because by bad association they became drunkard, gamblers and woman-hunters, they were condemned. They were taken as pāpī, sinful. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is to rescue them.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

In the material world there are three guṇas: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. The sattvika is the best. So, and devotional activity is śuddha-sattvika, where there is no contamination. In the material world, sattvika, a person who is a brāhmaṇa, he may be contaminated by tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Just like Ajāmila. He was the son of a brāhmaṇa, and he was executing the brahmacarya regulation very nicely, but he became infected with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, became attached to a prostitute and left everything, all brahminical qualification, and he became a rogue, thief, cheater, drunkard, woman-hunter, so on. There are many instances. And Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were born of very good brāhmaṇa family, rich family, but with bad association they became drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater. Now these things have become common thing. Avaidha-strī-saṅga, illicit connection with woman, and meat-eating and drinking, it has become a daily fashion. But formerly, at least five hundred years ago, these things were accepted as most abominable. So just like here, our Jagāi-Mādhāi. Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were zamindars and born of brāhmaṇa family, but because by bad association they became drunkard, gamblers and woman-hunters, they were condemned. They were taken as pāpī, sinful. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is to rescue them. That is the song by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta hoilo sei, balarāma hoilo nitāi, pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo, tare sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. Everyone wants evidence that how Caitanya Mahāprabhu delivered pāpī tāpī. Now, here is the instance. Tāre sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that it can deliver the Jagāi and Mādhāi, ugra-karma. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He began this. Pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. Now this same flow is going on in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

You know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king's daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumāsura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa came to rescue them, and the Bhaumāsura was killed and all the girls were made free.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, February 16, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa... These sixteen thousand wives, how they became wives? You know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king's daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumāsura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa came to rescue them, and the Bhaumāsura was killed and all the girls were made free. But after freedom they were still standing there. So Kṛṣṇa asked them, "Now you can go home to your father." They said that "We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married." In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He's (She's) considered to be spoiled. This is still the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Kṛṣṇa that "We'll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry." Then Kṛṣṇa understood that "Their position is very precarious. Although they are released, they cannot go anywhere." Then Kṛṣṇa... He's so kind, bhakta-vatsala. He inquired, "What you want?" That... They said that "You accept me. Otherwise we have no other means to stay." Kṛṣṇa immediately: "Yes, come on." This is Kṛṣṇa. And not that His sixteen thousand wives was concentrated in one camp. He immediately constructed sixteen thousand palaces. Because He has accepted as wife, he (she) must be maintained as His wife, as His queen, not that "Because they have no other means, they have come to My shelter. I can keep them any way." No. Most respectfully as queen, as Kṛṣṇa's queen. And again He thought that "The sixteen thousand wives... So if I remain alone, one figure, then My wives cannot meet Me. Everyone has to wait for sixteen thousand days to see the husband. No." He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa. The rascals, they accuse Kṛṣṇa as woman-hunter. It is not like you. You cannot maintain even one wife, but He maintained sixteen thousand wives in sixteen thousand palaces and in sixteen thousand expansion of form. Everyone was pleased. This is Kṛṣṇa. We have to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to imitate Kṛṣṇa. First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, yuge yuge sambhavāmi (BG 4.8). Dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya yuge yuge sambhavāmi. So the Lord appears with two missions. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to rescue the devotees or the persons in goodness, sādhu.
Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

Similarly Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "My dear Lord, these demigods, they are all devotees. They are Your obedient servant. Sattva-dhāmno. And they are not like us, disturbing." Kṣemāya bhūtaya utātma-sukhāya cāsya vikrīḍitaṁ bhagavato rucirāvatāraiḥ. "And Your appearance as Nṛsiṁhadeva is not for me, but for them. Because I am born in atheistic family. It is Your determination that You want to cut down the atheistic people. So it is automatically You have cut down, You have killed my father. But Your real business was to protect these demigods, Your devotees." In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, yuge yuge sambhavāmi (BG 4.8). Dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya yuge yuge sambhavāmi. So the Lord appears with two missions. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to rescue the devotees or the persons in goodness, sādhu. Sādhu. There is description, definition of who is a sādhu. Sādhu means saintly person.

We don't say "No sex," but "No illicit sex." This much tapasya, austerity, you cannot follow? Tapasya must be there. Unless you undergo tapasya, there is no rescue. Even Brahmā had to perform tapasya, what to speak of us.
Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

So one has to learn this. But they cannot learn because they do not undergo austerity. That is the defect. No education is there how to perform austerity. Therefore Vedic civilization is how to teach small children austerities. That is brahmacārī. So we want to start this brahmacārī āśrama, or gurukula, to learn austerity from the beginning of life. Then their life will be successful. They'll understand. Not to become a grammarian. That is not our... So we should take lesson from Brahmājī, our grandfather, that pariśuddha-bhāvāḥ tīvra-tapasā. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace, mercy, that we haven't got to undergo tīvra-tapasā. But we are thinking, "This is also very difficult." What is that? No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. But they are taking it very, very severe. What is the severity? We don't say "No sex," but "No illicit sex." This much tapasya, austerity, you cannot follow? Tapasya must be there. Unless you undergo tapasya, there is no rescue. Even Brahmā had to perform tapasya, what to speak of us. You cannot avoid it. Tapasā brahmacaryena (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya begins from brahmacarya: no illicit sex, no sex. But that is not possible. At least stop illicit sex. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). This is very important thing.

So in different ages, in different time, different types of medicines and vaccines are recommended, but in this age, Kali, it is so dangerously contaminous that no other process of medicine will act. Which is...? What is, then, the rescue? The only medicine is harer nāma.
Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

Prabhupāda: So in different ages, in different time, different types of medicines and vaccines are recommended, but in this age, Kali, it is so dangerously contaminous that no other process of medicine will act. Which is...? What is, then, the rescue? The only medicine is harer nāma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau... (CC Adi 17.21).

Devotees: ...nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā.

Prabhupāda: This is only medicine. To become free from the infection, this harer nāma is the only medicine, bhavauṣadhi. Auṣadhi means medicine. Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, harer nāma, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, is not meant for the conditioned soul, because as soon as one chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he immediately becomes free from the contaminous, contagious position. There is a verse, eka hari nāme yato pāpa hare, pāpī haya tato pāpa karti bare nāre (?). Once chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is so powerful that all the sinful reaction of life—immediately gone.

You have read the life of Ajāmila. He was very, very sinful. He committed so many sinful activities. But at the last moment he simply chanted Nārāyaṇa. Immediately he became free. Immediately Viṣṇudūta came to rescue him from the hands of the Yamadūta. Just see what is the power of chanting the holy name.
Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

You have read the life of Ajāmila. He was very, very sinful. He committed so many sinful activities. But at the last moment he simply chanted Nārāyaṇa. Immediately he became free. Immediately Viṣṇudūta came to rescue him from the hands of the Yamadūta. Just see what is the power of chanting the holy name of... So this is fact, that if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa we immediately become free from all contamination of this material world, provided we don't commit it again. That is required, that... We finish all the resultant action of contamination of this material life, provided we remain without being fallen again. Therefore there is daśa-vidha-nāmāparādha. You know ten kinds of offenses. So if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra being careful not to commit the ten kinds of offenses, then you are immediately liberated.

One who has taken birth, he must die. The janma-maraṇa. And as soon as you take birth, all the material conditions, tri-tāpa-yātana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, you have to accept. There is no rescue. As soon as you take birth, janma-maraṇa, jarā... Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). As soon as you take birth, then you have to take jarā, old age, and vyādhi, and disease, and last, maraṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

Evaṁ sva-karma-patitaṁ bhava-vaitaraṇyām anyonya-janma maraṇa. Here is again, anyonya-janma: "Not only this birth, but another birth, another birth, another birth." You cannot say that "This is the final" or "This is the beginning." No. That is not. Anyonya-janma-maraṇa. In another body also there is birth and death. As in this body we have got birth and death, similarly, in another body also, either I take my birth as Lord Brahmā or a small, insignificant ant... It doesn't matter. Any material body you take, there is birth and there is death. You may live... Just like we are human being. We may live for many years, hundred years, in comparison to the ant's life, and similarly, we may live hundred years, and Brahmā is living for millions of years. So it does not mean there is no death. Death must be there. One who has taken birth, he must die. The janma-maraṇa. And as soon as you take birth, all the material conditions, tri-tāpa-yātana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, you have to accept. There is no rescue. As soon as you take birth, janma-maraṇa, jarā... Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). As soon as you take birth, then you have to take jarā, old age, and vyādhi, and disease, and last, maraṇa.

So we do not understand this. This is called ignorance, foolishness. Prahlāda Mahārāja, Vaiṣṇava, he understands this, that "I am fallen in this miserable condition," evaṁ sva-karma-patitam, "by my own activities. Not only I, everyone in this material..." That we should know. Don't think that "He's suffering. I am enjoying." I am also suffering. If I am not suffering now, I will have to suffer. Suffering must be there. This world is meant for suffering. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Kṛṣṇa says, "This is a place for suffering." You cannot enjoy. That is not possible.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lord Rāmacandra, He is Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why He felt so much separation that to rescue Sītādevī He fought with Rāvaṇa? He's self-sufficient. Why He should feel separation from Sītā? This question may be raised. But actually there are different phases of loving affairs, and the separation is also one of them.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.6 -- Mayapur, March 30, 1975:

So here it is said that Kṛṣṇa is feeling how Rādhārāṇī is so much attracted. So much attracted. That is feeling. Now, Kṛṣṇa is omniscient. He knows everything. Why He should feel like that? The feel, that He knows, but for our understanding, He is displaying, He's manifesting Himself, that "Rādhārāṇī's loving affairs is so great and unlimited, even though I am omniscient, I cannot understand it." Just like Lord Rāmacandra. Lord Rāmacandra, He is Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why He felt so much separation that to rescue Sītādevī He fought with Rāvaṇa? He's self-sufficient. Why He should feel separation from Sītā? This question may be raised. But actually there are different phases of loving affairs, and the separation is also one of them. The separation, feeling of separation, is one of them. We have got experience in our present life that intense love... Still there is feeling of separation. All these things are there in the spiritual world. Only perverted reflection of those spiritual feelings are manifested here in this material world. Therefore it is called perverted reflection. But everything is there, but they are not material.

So Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that this is the condition, suffering condition of the living entities, and he can be rescued by the mercy of sādhu, saintly persons, the scriptures and the spiritual master. . . . . . . . . So anyone who wants to be rescued from these miseries, he should surrender unto the Supreme Lord.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

Prabhupāda:

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
(BG 7.14)

So Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that this is the condition, suffering condition of the living entities, and he can be rescued by the mercy of sādhu, saintly persons, the scriptures and the spiritual master. They are prepared to bestow their mercy upon everyone, provided people like to take their instruction and mercy. That is the solution. And in the Bhagavad-gītā the same thing is confirmed in the Seventh Chapter: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The influx of the disturbances created by this material nature under different forms is very stringent. So anyone who wants to be rescued from these miseries, he should surrender unto the Supreme Lord. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

So Kṛṣṇa similarly had three or four wives, eight wives, yes. But He got information, prayer, application, prayer application, from sixteen thousand girls who were kidnapped by a demon, Narakāsura. And they sent application to Kṛṣṇa, "Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa is always responsive to His devotee, so He went to save the girls. He killed that Narakāsura and rescued those all sixteen thousand girls.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa similarly had three or four wives, eight wives, yes. But He got information, prayer, application, prayer application, from sixteen thousand girls who were kidnapped by a demon, Narakāsura. And they sent application to Kṛṣṇa, "Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa is always responsive to His devotee, so He went to save the girls. He killed that Narakāsura and rescued those all sixteen thousand girls.

Now those sixteen thousand girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are kidnapped." They were all king's daughters. They were also all princesses. "But because we are kidnapped, so nobody will marry us." That is the system. Once a girl goes out of the home, it is very difficult for her to be married in the society. Still that system is going on in India. Unmarried girls, young girls, they cannot go out unless she is married. If she goes out and if she passes some night with other boys, then no more place in the society. So those girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "Because we are kidnapped by this Narakāsura from our father's custody, now nobody will marry. So You become our husband. Otherwise there is no other way." So they appealed, they cried, and Kṛṣṇa accepted: "Yes. I will accept you all, My wives." Therefore He brought those sixteen thousand girls. But what kind of husband? He is God, not an ordinary husband. So He constructed sixteen thousand palaces for all the wives and equally all decorated houses. They are described that the houses did not require any external light. It was all bedecked with jewels. And in sixteen thousand forms He used to live with each wife. That is God. You see?

Just like Lord Rāmacandra. When He came, He accepted only one wife, accepted only one wife. And even when that wife was banished... You know that. Sītā. Sītā. He (She) was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, and Lord Rāma fought with him, killed the whole family and installed his brother in that kingdom and rescued Sītā and brought home.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Just like Lord Rāmacandra. When He came, He accepted only one wife, accepted only one wife. And even when that wife was banished... You know that. Sītā. Sītā. He (She) was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, and Lord Rāma fought with him, killed the whole family and installed his brother in that kingdom and rescued Sītā and brought home. So He was living with Sītā. But some of the śūdras, they criticized, "Oh, just see Rāmacandra. He is king. He is very powerful. He is living with His kidnapped wife." Because in India once a woman goes out of home—still the culture is—you cannot be..., she cannot be accepted any more. She has to live just like prostitute. She has no shelter. But when this, I mean to say, popular opinion was there... But He was king. He has to take the criticism of the public. Just like at the present moment the president, they don't care for public opinion, irresponsible. They say, "Responsible government." They are most irresponsible. But formerly, although there was monarchy, they were very much responsible. As soon as there was some criticism from the public, Rāmacandra at once banished Sītā: "Oh, I cannot live with Sītā. Public opinion is against it." Just see. He is following the rules and regulations. His father told Him, "My dear boy, I wish that instead of being enthroned, please go to the forest." "All right, it is your order. I must carry." Just see. He is following the principle. He is ideal... Rāmacandra is ideal king means He has followed the principle of moral codes.

Festival Lectures

The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām.
Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So today, appearance day of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared on this Nṛsiṁha Cāturdaśī on account of His devotee, Prahlāda. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtāṁ, sambhavāmi yuge yuge (BG 4.8). The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, five-years-old boy, his only fault was that he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child, even five years old. He could not excuse, "Oh, let this boy do whatever, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili... So you'll find many critics, many enemies, because you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So the demons are always against this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness, that's all. This society is so cruel. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured in so many ways. The torturing methods, I think you will find as you will see in today's picture, how Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

If one is unable to rescue his disciple from the imminent danger of death, he should not become a guru. One should not become father or mother if he cannot do so. In this way, no friend, no relatives, no father, no..., if one cannot teach his other party how to save from the clutches of death.
Arrival Lecture -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

Many saintly persons used to visit my father's house. My father was Vaiṣṇava. He was Vaiṣṇava, and he wanted me to become a Vaiṣṇava. Whenever some saintly person would come, he would ask him, "Please bless my son that he can become a servant of Rādhārāṇī." That was his prayer. He never prayed for anything. And he gave me education how to play mṛdaṅga. My mother was against. There was two teachers-one for teaching me A-B-C-D, and one for teaching me mṛdaṅga. So the one teacher was waiting and the other teacher was teaching me how to play on mṛdaṅga. So my mother would be angry that "What is this nonsense? You are teaching mṛdaṅga? What he will do with this mṛdaṅga?" (chuckles) But perhaps my father wanted that I should be a great mṛdaṅga player in the future. (laughter) Therefore I am very much indebted to my father, and I have dedicated my book, Kṛṣṇa book, to him. He wanted this. He wanted me to be preacher of Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and player of mṛdaṅga and to become servant of Rādhārāṇī. So every parent should think like that; otherwise one should not become father and mother. That is the injunction in the śāstra. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sa syād gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt. In this way, the conclusion is, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. If one is unable to rescue his disciple from the imminent danger of death, he should not become a guru. One should not become father or mother if he cannot do so. In this way, no friend, no relatives, no father, no..., if one cannot teach his other party how to save from the clutches of death.

So that education is wanting throughout the whole world. And simple thing is that one can avoid this entanglement of birth, death, old age and disease simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious.

General Lectures

Kṛṣṇa reminded Sudāmā Vipra, "My dear Sudāmā, do you remember that one day we went to the forest to collect fuels, and there was heavy rain and we could not come out. And then we stayed the overnight on the top of the tree. Then next day Guru Mahārāja came and he took our..., rescued us. Do you remember that?" Sudāmā Vipra said, "Yes, I remember." So even Lord Kṛṣṇa, what to speak of others. This was the system, to teach from the very beginning of life this Bhāgavatam.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends, kaumāram ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. From the childhood. It is not that it is reserved for our old-age occupation. Sometimes we think like that, that "At the present moment we are young. Let us enjoy life. And at the old age, when you are old enough, preparing for death, at that time we may try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness or Bhāgavata-dharma." But Prahlāda Mahārāja says no. The children should be taught from the age, as we send our children to school in minor age, similarly we should send our children to understand this Bhāgavata-dharma. I am very pleased, I have seen practically in this Delhi that the Muslim children are given instruction of Koran from very early age. Actually, this should be done for everyone. I am very pleased. Not I am pleased, I may please or not, but that is the way of life. A human child should be given instruction about Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning, and that was our Vedic system, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī should go to the house of the teacher or spiritual master at the age of five years old, and he should remain there for twenty years to understand the value of life. And the brahmacārī would accept any kind of menial work for satisfying the spiritual master. It is stated that nīcayeva, just like menial servant. The brahmacārīs, they come from very respectable family, from brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family especially, but they are instructed that "You should accept the order of the spiritual master just like menial servant." And in young age, they do not mind. They do not have any false prestige, that "I am coming from such-and-such respectable family, my father is so rich." Even Lord Kṛṣṇa, He accepted this brahmacārī āśrama. When Sudāmā Vipra met Him when He was king in Dvārakā, so friendly talks, Kṛṣṇa reminded Sudāmā Vipra, "My dear Sudāmā, do you remember that one day we went to the forest to collect fuels, and there was heavy rain and we could not come out. And then we stayed the overnight on the top of the tree. Then next day Guru Mahārāja came and he took our..., rescued us. Do you remember that?" Sudāmā Vipra said, "Yes, I remember." So even Lord Kṛṣṇa, what to speak of others. This was the system, to teach from the very beginning of life this Bhāgavatam.

So there are three kinds of sufferings in the material world, and everyone is suffering either by one, two or three or..., but nobody can say that "I am completely free from suffering." That is not possible. And why this suffering? Due to ignorance. I do not know. I am committing sinful life, I am committing mistakes; therefore I am suffering. Therefore guru's business is first to rescue his disciple from ignorance.
Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:

There are three kinds of sufferings in this material world: ādhyātmic, ādhibautic, ādhidaivic. Suffering on account of my own body and mind—this suffering is not imposed by anyone else. I do it. The same thing, that I cannot digest but I eat more, so there must be dysentery. You must suffer. This is due to my body and mind. That is another one kind of suffering. Another suffering is imposed by other living entities. Just like your enemy or an animal—or there are ants, mosquitos, flies, they are all causing suffering. You are killing them, and they are trying to give you suffering. This is called struggle. This is called ādhibautic, suffering given by other living entities. Suffering caused by myself, this is called ādhyātmic. And suffering caused by other living... And there are other sufferings, caused by the nature, superior power, ādhidaivic. All of a sudden, there is no rain, no rainfall, and now for want of rainfall, there is no food grain. Excessive heat, excessive chilly cold; earthquake, famine... So many, by natures, imposed by the natures. Flood. So there are three kinds of sufferings in the material world, and everyone is suffering either by one, two or three or..., but nobody can say that "I am completely free from suffering." That is not possible. And why this suffering? Due to ignorance. I do not know. I am committing sinful life, I am committing mistakes; therefore I am suffering. Therefore guru's business is first to rescue his disciple from ignorance, ignorance. Ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Everyone is suffering out of ignorance; therefore guru's business is to... Just like we go to a school. We go to a school, we send our children to a school. Why? To save him from suffering; to get education. "If my son does not get education, he'll suffer in the future." The same process: to get him out of ignorance, to get him relieved from the suffering. Therefore, guru's business is ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākaya. So sufferings is due to ignorance. Ignorance is compared with darkness. So in the darkness how you can save one? By some light. So guru's business is to take the torchlight of knowledge and present before the ignorant or the disciple in darkness and that gives him, relieves him from the sufferings of darkness or ignorance. This is guru's business.

Philosophy Discussions

You cannot rescue. You rescue... Just like one man is drowning, and you become hero and jump over the water and take out his shirt and coat, and you come on the shore that "I've saved him." (laughter) This is not saving him. Similarly, you have no eyes to see whom to save. You are simply seeing the dress. So saving the dress, that is not heroism, neither it is protection.
Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: Suppose someone is attacking you, ready to kill you. You have the power to choose whether to be a hero and defend or whether to run.

Prabhupāda: It is not hero to defend. It is a natural action. Even a dog can become hero when he is attacked by somebody. Even an ant can become hero. One ant is walking on the table, so if you check his way, he also becomes hero. So there is no use of becoming hero like that. That heroism and cowardice are the same. It is simply mental concoction. Because after, all you are under the control of somebody. He can do as he likes with you. So what is the use of your becoming hero or coward?

Śyāmasundara: Supposing someone else is in danger and you go and rescue them. Isn't that being a hero? Or you decide not to and you go away.

Prabhupāda: But you cannot rescue. You rescue... Just like one man is drowning, and you become hero and jump over the water and take out his shirt and coat, and you come on the shore that "I've saved him." (laughter) This is not saving him. Similarly, you have no eyes to see whom to save. You are simply seeing the dress. So saving the dress, that is not heroism, neither it is protection.

Śyāmasundara: So the real heroes are the devotees, who save actually.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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.
Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

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.

Page Title:Rescue (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Rajnish, Serene
Created:20 of Mar, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=52, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:52