Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Reward (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.30 -- London, July 23, 1973:

When I become servant of māyā, even I do not wish to do something which is not very good, still I am obliged to do it. But the result is that nobody is satisfied. The same example. Just like Gandhi served his country so much, so nicely, so voluntarily. Still, the result was he was killed by his countryman. Just see. Result was, the reward was that he served his country so much. It is undoubtedly, nobody can serve so sincerely. Everybody knows. But the result was even a person like Mahatma Gandhi was killed by his countrymen.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Man (8): I have some sympathy for you, sir, but I think that tonight you have been postulating the old concept that most of our established religions have thrown out, that is that the reward for the miseries of this life lie in the transmigration of one's soul. But...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is actual misery.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Telling lie is always sinful. That's all right. But if Kṛṣṇa says "Tell lie," it is not sinful. That is the secret. You can violate the laws only on the direct order of Kṛṣṇa or His representative. That's all. That is common sense. Just like a political person is engaged to kill somebody under superior order. And if he can kill, he is rewarded, he is given high post. But the same man, if he kills by his own discretion, he'll be hanged.

Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is standing and his father is being killed by Nṛsiṁhadeva in his presence. So do you think it is morality that one's father is being killed in the presence of his son, and the son without protest is seeing, with a garland, that "As soon as my father is killed, I shall offer this garland to Nṛsiṁhadeva"? Is it morality? From material point of view? We are worshiping... Prahlāda Mahārāja has become mahājana, the greatest authority in devotional service, but if we study his morality that he did not protest the killing of his father, rather he was waiting with a garland, that "As soon as the killing business is finished I'll reward this." You see? Where is material morality, there is no morality.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Now why the kṣatriyas... It is said in the śāstra if a kṣatriya dies in the fight, then he is promoted to the heavenly kingdom to take birth because he is fighting for the right cause so he is promoted. As in this world also, if you fight for some right cause, you are rewarded. Even after your death, your memory is commemorated. Just like in your country so many brave soldiers, leaders, they have died, but you have honored them by keeping their statues because they fought and died for right cause, whatever we think, right or wrong. So the kṣatriyas, this is the Vedic injunction, who dies for the right cause, he is promoted to the heavenly planet. Now Kṛṣṇa says "Now it is a great opportunity for you. Suppose either you or your grandfather, the opposite party, die in this fight, so your promotion to heavenly planet is sure. And if you gain, then you get the kingdom. Both ways it is profitable for you."

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

This is ordinary calculation. But what Kṛṣṇa says? "You are fool, damn fool number one." You see? And that we have already discussed. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "My dear Arjuna, you are talking like very learned man, but you are number fool one." Yes. This is the, I mean to say, reward given. "You are, you are declining to fight? This is your nonsensical." Now, just see. The things which are estimated in the public eyes very nice, very good, that is condemned by God. Condemned by God. We have got so many examples and experiences life that what is eulogized by some of our friends, it is condemned by others. So whole thing, our perfection of any act, that should be certified by the Supreme Lord. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām... (SB 1.2.8). Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Hari-toṣaṇam.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Just like a soldier, he is simply awaiting the order of the commander. Then his activities are approved, "Oh, he is doing nicely. Yes." By the approval of the commander, he is killing as many persons, and by this killing art, he is being rewarded, "Oh, you are a good soldier." But that killing, if he does for his personal interest, even he kills one man, he is hanged—by the same state. By the same state for which he is engaged in fighting, if he kills enemies, he is rewarded. He is awarded gold medal, recognition.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

My activities will not stop. It is foolishness to say that "I will stop my activities." No. That cannot be. Your activities will go on. If you don't act spiritually, then you have to act materially. And if you are fully engaged in spiritual activity, then there is no chance of material activity. Because after all, you are actor, one, if you are engaged in something. Just like in our ordinary life, if we do something at a particular moment, we cannot do other things; similarly, we have to engage ourselves fully in the spiritual life. Then our material activities will be stopped altogether, and then there will be no reaction. In spite of our acting... Just like the soldier. In spite of his killing hundreds and thousands of people, he is not to be hanged; he is to be rewarded. This is the technique.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

If Kṛṣṇa orders we shall do, but not purposely at your whims. There is nothing wrong for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. But what we think materially wrong, if it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa, we shall do it. For Kṛṣṇa there is no wrong. Just like the government orders somebody to be hanged. That means kills. So that does not mean the government becomes condemned. But if I kill, I immediately become condemned. The government is still pure because for higher purpose the government can order somebody to be hanged and somebody to be rewarded. Everything is justice.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

There are many good examples. When Lord Jesus Christ also preached God consciousness, only a few followers were there, and still, he had to sacrifice his life. But he was never disappointed. That should be attitude of the preacher. People may accept it or not accept it, we should go on. Because if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, if Kṛṣṇa sees, "Oh, these boys are doing very nice. They are trying their best to preach," that is your reward. That's all. People may accept or not accept, it doesn't matter. Go on.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Just like mother. There are some good examples in the material world, world, like the father and mother render service to the son. Just like here immediately you see the father is taking his son in a perambulator. It is rendering service. But there is no remuneration. It is duty. Because the father is expected to serve. Otherwise, the son will not survive. So this is a service of love. Similarly, even in this material, this service of love, there is a question of gain. Because sometimes the father thinks that "When the son will be grown up, I'll be happy, I'll get some remuneration," like that... There is some prospect. But actually, when we render service to the Supreme, there is not a single idea like that, "I shall be rewarded by..."

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

But it, that kind of service, is rewarded very highly. Very highly. The relation, the natural relation between God and ourself, is so sweet that a pure living entity is always trying to render service to the Lord without any material profit and the Lord is trying to serve the devotee. He's also finding out the opportunity, how to serve His devotee. So this is spiritual exchange of love. But that will be experienced when we are actually liberated from these designation, designated life. But we can begin, even in this designated life, we can begin just like an apprentice, this devotional service...

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

The two business, Kṛṣṇa's. Because He has already explained, bhūtānām īśvaraḥ. "I am the controller of all living entities." Therefore when there is discrepancies in the execution of dharma, then He is to punish and reward. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Two things.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

Just like it is the government's duty to give protection to the law-abiding citizen and to punish the outlaws. These two duties of the government. And the supreme government, Kṛṣṇa... Because wherefrom this idea came? The government rewards the law-abiding person, or gives protection, and the not law-abiding, there is also protection, but under punishment.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

So the original verse says that "All of them as they surrender unto Me, I reward accordingly. Everyone follows my path in all respects." This means that everyone is searching after that absolute truth. Some of them are satisfied with impersonal feature. The philosophers, jñānīs, they, because they want to understand the absolute truth by dint of their imperfect knowledge.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that demigod worship is also My worship, but that is avidhi-pūrvakam. That is not the vidhi. Vidhi is to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But sometimes, just like we give some reward to the doorman to enter into the room of a great officer, similarly, demigod worship means to get the result very quickly. And we may ask any type of benefits and reward from the demigods. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. That will be explained in the Seventh Chapter.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

So demigod worship may be bring quickly the resultant action, desired result, but antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). The result is antavat; it is limited. But bhakti is not limited. Bhakti is unlimited. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. But people.... Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Those who are less intelligent, instead of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they worship the demigods. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. Therefore people are more interested in worshiping demigods than Kṛṣṇa. The demigods.... In India especially we will find. There are many devotees of the demigods. Not devotees. Devotion is only applied in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigod worship, they are not devotee, but they are interested to get the reward from the demigod. Otherwise they are not interested.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

But bhakti is not like that. The bhaktas, they are not after any reward from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is difference between bhakti and other demigod worship. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is teaching us bhakti. He says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye: "My Lord, I do not wish to ask from You opulence, riches, nice wife or many followers." These are material opulences. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "I do not want all these things."

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

Anāśritaḥ. Anāśritaḥ means without any shelter. Karma-phalam. Everyone is working, expecting some result. Whatever you do, work, you expect some result. Here Bhagavān says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, that "Anyone who works without any shelter of the result..." He works. Then if he does not expect any result, then why does he work? Unless... Suppose I ask somebody to work this way. Then he will expect something, some result, some remuneration, some reward, or some salary. That is the way of working here. But Kṛṣṇa prescribes that anāśritaḥ karma-phalam, "One who works without any expectation of result or reward." Then why does he work? Kāryam. "It is my duty. It is my duty." Not with a result, but as duty. "I am duty-bound to do this." Kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ. In such a way, if somebody works, sa sannyāsī, he is actually in the renounced order of life.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

So the Lord was very much pleased on him, and He offered, "Bali Mahārāja, then what do you want from Me?" "No, I never expected anything from You. I could understand You wanted from me everything; so I have offered my everything. That is finished. I don't want..." Then Lord says, "Yes, but from My side, I have got something to offer you. I shall remain as your order-carrier servant in your door." So He remained always... Just like we are sitting here, there may be some doorman, He, Lord became his doorman. So that is the return. If we offer something to Lord, oh, that is rewarded in many millions of times. So we should not expect.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

When one becomes first-class yogi or when one is considered to be elevated in the highest yogic platform or sannyāsa platform, yadā, at that time, when, na indriyārtheṣu, a person works not for sense gratification... That's all. Everyone works for sense gratification. In the material world, everyone is working for sense gratification. Everyone works here to get some reward, some remuneration, for wages, and that is utilized for sense gratification. Now here it said, yogārūḍha. "When one is perfect yogi..." That is explained here that yadā hi na indriyārtheṣu. "When one does not work for sense gratification," na karmasv anuṣajjate, "he does not engage himself in the work simply for sense gratification." And sarva-saṅkalpa-sannyāsī, "And he has no desire to get any fruit." Because his desired thing, Kṛṣṇa, is already there.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

There are many instances, very many instances. I'll cite one story. It is very interesting story. If you go to India, you'll find one nice temple in Orissa. It is called the temple of "Witness-Gopāla," Sākṣī-Gopāla, Witness-Gopāla. This Gopāla was situated in a temple at Vṛndāvana. Now, two brāhmaṇas, one young and one old, they went to visit Vṛndāvana, the place of pilgrimage, and the old man... Because at that time there was no railway, the journey was very hardship. The old man felt very obliged, and he began to say to the young man, "My dear boy, you have done so much nice service to me. I am obliged to you. So I must return that service. I must give you some reward." So the young man said, "Oh, my dear sir, you are old man. You are just like my father. So it is my duty to serve you, to give you all comforts. I don't require any reward." Formerly, the boys were so gentle. And still, there are many boys like that. So the old man also thought that "No, I am obliged to you. I must reward you."

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Today I may be in good position, I may be millionaire, I may be prime minister, but when death will come it will take everything from you, and it will oblige you to go to a species form of life which you cannot you deny. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān (BG 13.22). If (indistinct) have infected some disease, you must suffer from it. There is no excuse. Even a child, if he touches the fire, the fire will not excuse. "Because it is a child, he does not know, therefore I shall not burn his finger." No. No excuse. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape the stringent laws of nature. That is not possible. If you are foolishly thinking that "I shall escape the punishment or reward of the prakṛti."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

In India there is a class, they are professional Bhāgavata reciters. They make contract that he shall recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, finish within a week, and he should be rewarded. These things are not recommended in the authoritative scriptures. We should follow the footsteps of Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He's explaining Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the very beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Try to understand the philosophy of Bhāgavata. Then gradually, when you are accustomed to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then go to the Tenth Canto, wherein Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance is described. Without reading in the beginning what is Kṛṣṇa, if we all of a sudden jump over to understand the rāsa dance... That is a very natural tendency. No, we should not go like that. First of all, try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. To understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult subject matter. But by the grace of Lord Caitanya we can understand little about Kṛṣṇa. And then gradually... Of course, the ultimate goal is to enter into the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. But not by speculation or by material misconception. Gradually, step by step. Prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

You cannot dictate that "Give me this American life or Indian life." No. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). By your karma it will be decided whether you will be American, Indian, or snake or tree or bird. Daiva-netreṇa. Just like when you go to the court, the court will decide whether you will be punished or you will be rewarded. You cannot dictate to the court that "Sir, give me this judgment." No. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Just for example. Now, everyone is working under him, under his direction. So anyone who is working under his direction, they have no responsibility. They have got simply to discharge the duty, either pious or impious, never mind. In the military rank the order of the captain or the commander is there. The soldier has to execute it. Never mind whether it is pious or impious. It doesn't matter. He has to act simply. Then he becomes a, I mean to say, real soldier. If he acts in that way, he gets remuneration, he gets reward, he gets title, he gets honor. He doesn't care. The commander asks him, "Just go and kill the enemy." He goes and kills. He gets reward. But killing, do you mean to say by killing one gets reward? No. For the duty discharged. For the duty discharged.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

That action, even apparently appears to be act, being acted on the platform of passion, it is transcendental because it is direction of the supreme consciousness. So whole thing is that we have to... Just like... Same example can be cited, that a soldier is killing his enemy, and the soldier's rewarded, "Oh, you have killed such a big enemy. You are rewarded." Do you mean to say by killing one is rewarded? But he is not acting on his platform. He's acting on higher consciousness platform, higher order. So if a commander's order can give him immunity from the reaction of being hanged, why not God's command? That is the thing. So we have, we haven't to discriminate whether I am in the modes of ignorance or passion or goodness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

"In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion (dharma) is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life."

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

So this is our position. We may be very great man in the estimation of our friends and countrymen, but everyone is subjected to the miserable condition of life. They cannot make any solution. That is not possible. They have made a solution, big, big learned scholars, just that Mr. Kotovsky said, "Swamiji, after death, there is no life. Everything is finished." Unless they think like that, then life becomes more horrible, full of anxieties. If they think of that there is another life and there is punishment and reward, according to our karma, then their life is very horrible. So just like the animals, poor animal, sometimes facing enemy, close the eyes, as if there is no enemy, so they do like that, close the eyes. Children, when there is danger, they close the eyes. They have no other means to escape. So these people, they close the eyes. "There is no life after death." Otherwise they cannot accommodate.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

The punishment was also reward. Those who are servants of Kṛṣṇa, even they are so-called punished, there is some motive behind this. Just like Jaya and Vijaya. They were also punished to come down and..., just to become enemy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when they were very much perturbed that "We are going to the material world from Vaikuṇṭha. So what will be our fate, Sir? There is some little mistake on our part. What we shall do?" So Kṛṣṇa gave him that "If you become My enemy, then you will be relieved in three births, and if you become My friend, then seven births." So the Jaya and Vijaya agreed, "Sir, we shall become Your enemy." So what is the purport? Kṛṣṇa wanted some enemy to fight. Just like we sometimes want to fight.

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa's action is daiva, superior. Just like the high-court, the judge is... Somebody condemning somebody that "This man should be hanged," and other man, "Yes, he must get the degree. He will get the millions of dollars from that person." Now, is he partial? He is giving somebody millions of dollars and somebody is ordered to be hanged. Is he partial? No. He is not partial. He is simply administering the law. That's all. This man has created such a situation that he should be condemned to death, and this man has created such situation that he will be rewarded by ten thousand and millions of dollars. It is his action.

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We are acting, and daiva-netreṇa, by superior administration, daiva-netreṇa, we are getting different types of body, and suffering or enjoying the consequence. This is our position. Kṛṣṇa is... God is... It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu: (BG 9.29) "I am equal to everyone." Otherwise how He is God? God is not partial, that somebody should be killed and somebody should be rewarded with ten thousand dollars.

Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:

"But despite stopping the sacrifice, he satisfied everyone concerned in the sacrifice by rewarding them properly, and stopping further procedure of the sacrifice. In the ceremony, Mahāmuni Vyāsadeva also was present, and he personally narrated the history of the Battle of Kurukṣetra before the king. Later on, by the order of Vyāsadeva, his disciple Vaiśampāyana narrated before the king the subject matter of Mahābhārata.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

So here the same digvijaya. Digvijaya, for learned scholar, by arguing on śāstra, that is another kind of digvijaya. And digvijaya for kṣatriya, by subduing others who do not accept the authority. So here Parīkṣit Mahārāja went for digvijaya just to challenge all over the world, "Now I have been selected by my grandfather as the emperor of the world. If you do not accept my authority, then here is fight. Come on. Here is fight. Let us fight." So if by fight he becomes victorious... Just like in modern sporting also, there are rival parties, and ultimately, the party which defeats all other sportsmen, they get some reward, seal, or some cup. Similarly, this is also another type of digvijaya. Parīkṣit Mahārāja went out of home not king, simply drinking and enjoying the dancing of the young girls just like the Muhammadan kings when they deteriorated. Still there are so many fools.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

The general mass of people, unless they are trained systematically for a higher standard of life in spiritual values, are no better than animals, and in this verse they have particularly been put on the level of dogs, hogs, camels and asses. Modern university education practically prepares one to acquire a doggish mentality with which to accept the service of a greater master. After finishing a so-called education, the so-called educated persons move like dogs from door to door with applications for some service, and mostly they are driven away, informed of no vacancy. As dogs are negligible animals and serve the master faithfully for bits of bread, a man serves a master faithfully without sufficient rewards.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

Like a dog, after finishing his so-called education, the so-called educated persons move from door to door with applications for some service, and mostly they are driven away, informed of no vacancy. As the dogs are negligible animals and serve their master faithfully for bits of bread, similarly one serves a master without sufficient rewards. Persons who have no discrimination in the matter of foodstuff and who eat all sorts of rubbish are compared with the hogs. Hogs are very much attached to eating stools. So the stool is a kind of foodstuff for a particular type of animal. And even stones are eatables..."

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he got salvation. So this superficial awkward position that he lost his life, lost his kingdom, he had to leave his wife and children and everything, don't take in that "By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he became bereft of all assets. No. He was going to be rewarded very highly, going back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

So therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was requested, when he was, rather, offered any benediction he wanted to take from Nṛsiṁhadeva, he refused: "My dear Lord, please do not induce me in that way. I am born in a family, demonic family. To gain some material profit is my natural propensity. And You are the offerer. You are offering me. I can take anything from You. But this is not my business. Because I have rendered service to You, it does not mean that I will take some remuneration for You. This is business." Vaṇik. Sa vai vaṇik: "This is mercantile man's... But I am Your eternal servant. I do not expect any reward from You." But that Prahlāda Mahārāja, later on he asked Nṛsiṁhadeva, "My dear Lord, one thing I may ask from You."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

Felt obliged to the young man, and he said, "My dear boy, you have served me so nicely; without your help, I could not come. So I have got some obligation to you. I want to reward you." (aside:) Stop that sound. So (the) young man said, "Sir, why you are thinking like that? It is my duty. You are just like my father; whatever service possible, I have given you. There is no question of rewarding me." Actually, that is not service. If we serve somebody and with expectation of some reward, that is not service, that is business.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

You cannot find anyone exactly similar to the other, because everyone has got his personal propensities. And according to the personal propensities and desires, Kṛṣṇa is giving us different opportunities, and that is different body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Just like in the court, the..., everyone is judged as person, not wholesale. The judge not says that "Now all you have come here"—some of them are complainants and some of them are respondents—"so you stand together. I give this judgment." No. Everyone is personally judged. And everyone is given reward or punishment personally.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Viṣṇudūta, representative of Lord Viṣṇu, challenged the Yamadūta that "If you are representative of Yamarāja, who is supposed to be one of the authorities of religion, then you must explain what is religion, dharma, and what is nonreligion, or adharma, because, according to this principle, one is punished or rewarded. If you become religious, then you are rewarded, and if you are irreligious, then you are punished."

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

How a man is going to heaven or hell, one can understand from the direction of the scriptures, just like you can understand how a man is going to be punished or rewarded within this material world. If you see somebody is working very hard, doing nicely, you can conjecture that "This man will be happy." Say, for example, if a boy is studying very nicely, you can conjecture that "This boy will rise very highly in his future life." And similarly, if a boy is whiling away his time by playing, you can understand, "This boy is being spoiled." Similarly, by the direction of the scripture, you can understand what is the destination of a certain person. Therefore they say, śāstra-cakṣuṣaḥ. Whether I am progressing or regressing, that will be understood through the eyes of śāstra, not in ordinary eyes.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

So he says, kathaṁ svid dhriyate daṇḍaḥ kiṁ vāsya sthānam īpsitam. (SB 6.1.39) "According to punishment and reward, a man, a living entity..." Living entity means this daṇḍaḥ, this punishment and reward is meant for the human being, not the animals. Animals are not supposed to be under the stringent laws of material nature.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

So anyone who has accepted this body, daihyasya, and whatever he is doing, it is all being witnessed by so many witnesses. How can you avoid? How you can do something very secretly? That is not possible. Everything is being noted. And so punishment or reward, you will have to accept because you are not independent. We foolishly say independent. "We don't care for anybody. There is no God." But there is death. That you have to believe.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-8 -- Calcutta, January 10, 1971:

So they were imitating. So gradually they also became devotees. Yad vyājahāra vivaśo nāma svasty-ayanaṁ hareḥ. Vivaśi 'pi harer nāma vyājahāra uccaritavan na kevalam prāyaścitta. Mātram harer nāma api tu svasty-ayanaṁ makara-sādhanam api.(?) So Śrīdhara Svāmī says that "This chanting of holy name of Nārāyaṇa, Hari, is not only counteracting his all sinful reactions, but he is now eligible to become liberated and being transferred to the spiritual world. Not only he has been freed from, but there is a reward for it." You see? Eka hari-nāme yata pāpa hare, pāpī haya tata pāpa karibāre nare.(?) A sinful man is very expert in committing sinful activities, but here is a statement that the holy name of Hari is so powerful that even an expert criminal cannot commit as much sinful activity as by once chanting the holy name of Hari, it can be counteracted. He is unable. The expert criminal is very advanced in committing sinful life, but śāstra says that he cannot commit so many sinful life. The one chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is so powerful.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.144-146 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

"Those who are mad after material sense gratification, they go and worship other demigods to have some immediate reward." And they get it. But how they get it? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayaiva vihitān hi tān: "They cannot have that reward without My sanction." Because the demigods, they are also subordinate servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore the demigods, although they can give you the reward which you want, but with the permission of the Supreme Lord... Because they are not fools. If somebody, some of you, somebody comes, outsider, and asks from this institution, our Society, that "Please give me this," so you can deliver it, but you will take permission from me. That is a common custom. Similarly, the demigods also, they cannot offer their reward without sanction of Viṣṇu. Mayaiva vihitān hi tān. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23).

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Anything which has not given satisfaction to Kṛṣṇa or God, that is bad. Now you have to judge yourself how Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That requires training; that requires understanding. But the standard of... The same example, that the same state, the same man, when he was fighting in the battlefield, he was being elevated to higher position, rewarded. But same man coming back from the battlefield, he has killed somebody, some of his neighbor, he's hanged. But the same state is there. But man is there, the action is there, the same, but why the judgment is different? Similarly, we have to satisfy the great, and the greatest of the great is God, or Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Because Christ was explaining God consciousness, that was his fault, and they crucified him. What class of men they were? Judge. His only fault was that he was explaining God, and they crucified him. The reward was crucifixion. So what kind of class of men they were? The status of that society, just try to understand. Therefore what spoke..., what was spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, for them, that was sufficient.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

Because you have to meet so many opposing elements. You have to fight with them. That is tapasya. You are tolerating so much insults, so much botheration, and so much inconveniences, personal discomfort, everything sacrificed, money—but it will not go in vain. Rest assured. It will not go in vain. Kṛṣṇa will, I mean to say, reward you sufficiently. You go on executing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

"Therefore, My dear Arjuna," Kṛṣṇa instructing Arjuna, that "you simply act for Kṛṣṇa, or God," tad-artham, "not for any other purpose." Don't create your action. Simply act according to the direction of the Lord. Mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara. Then you will be freed from the reaction of your act. There are many examples. Just like a soldier: when he is killing in the battlefield on the higher authorities of government and commander-in-chief, he is not liable for killing. He is, rather, rewarded. The same man, if he kills on his own account somebody, he is hanged. Immediately he becomes liable to the law.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

One who is completely free from the reaction of sinful life, he can completely devote in the service of the Lord. So the common platform is there. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim, nor the method of approaching God may be different, but the ultimate end is how to love God or how to serve God. One cannot serve anybody without love. In the material world one serves another for matter of money exchange, reward. But serving God is not that.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

When he is fighting by the order of the state, he is getting gold medal and killing. His business is killing. But the same man, when he comes home, if he kills one person, then he is hanged. Why? He could say that "My business is killing. I am soldier. I have killed this man." "No. This is for your account. On the battlefield you killed for the state's account; therefore you were eulogized. You were given reward." Similarly, we can kill only on the order of the Supreme. Otherwise we cannot kill even a plant. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: In the atheistic Communism he says, "The goals of religion, deliverance from evil, reconciliation with God, rewards in the hereafter, and so on, turns into worldly promises about freedom from care for one's daily bread, the just distribution of material goods, universal prosperity in the future, and shorter working hours." In other words, material, worldly promises are given.

Prabhupāda: In the Communism?

Hayagrīva: In, in atheistic Com..., in Communism.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But they have no idea of spiritual life, neither they can understand that there is spirit with the soul, within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). That they cannot understand.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: No. But he says you can train a man to accept certain values by reinforcing, rewarding them when they are right and punishing them when they are wrong.

Prabhupāda: That means there are living conditions, he wants to make them further conditioned.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: He shows scientifically that you can train a rat to push..., of many buttons, he will push the one that gives him food. If he pushes one button and the food comes, then he will continually press that button. So he says you can condition a man by rewarding him when he is right and punishing him when he is wrong.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the whole Vedic literature—the heaven and hell. If you do like this, then you go to heaven, and if you do like this, you go to hell. If you do like this, you go to Godhead. That is the Vedic literature. It is already there. (Sanskrit). (Sanskrit), therefore if one chants like this, he goes back to home, back to Godhead. And this morning I was speaking, "If you want to be naked, then you become tree." (indistinct) servant, and if he wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, (indistinct). These things are there the Vedic literature. They are controlled. That is real conditioning. Real controlling means there is no mistake. If these rats and cats are controlling, then maybe you take rats' and cats' authority, and others may take tigers' and others' authority. This is stated already. The authority must be (indistinct).

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: He says that the best way to release the beneficial energy in the people is to build a world in which people are naturally good and in which they are rewarded for wanting what is good for their culture.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is Kṛṣṇa society. The atheists, let him study, let him come, let him understand.

Devotee: His critics... The critics of this theory that we can condition everyone to a certain program are very fearful that someone unscrupulous will be driving us on.

Prabhupāda: No. That we cannot take, I mean, to accept guru as unscrupulous. Therefore we take paramparā. He is coming directly from God. He is perfect. Therefore this paramparā system is bona fide. We cannot accept any rascal to become guru. Guru must be in the paramparā system. He is receiving the knowledge directly from God, Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: By punishment and reward. By punishing them when they are wrong...

Devotee: Say he had a house, and he was doing that, and all of a sudden there was a flood came and the house... How could he control the environment?

Śyāmasundara: Of a person, not of a house.

Devotee: That is what I mean. How can you control the environment if that person is going to be punished and rewarded when he wants...

Prabhupāda: He says from childhood.

Śyāmasundara: He is talking about child. Infant.

Prabhupāda: Infant. Yes. That is possible. That is possible. Just like our children, from childhood they are dancing.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: Suppose we had a machine and one of our children was given the question "Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" And then there were three possibilities, and if she pushed "Kṛṣṇa," some reward would come out.

Prabhupāda: She has to push some button to take out Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: Just like the answer has three choices: Kṛṣṇa, Durgā, Kālī. Which one is the Supreme Personality? So if she chooses Kṛṣṇa and then he gets rewarded. So in the future he will always think Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Why must think? Why not take a live master?

Devotee: Yes. He says that that can be done also, but he is saying that they should be rewarded when they say the right answer.

Śyāmasundara: He says that this will solve the problem of not enough teachers in our schools, public schools, not enough teachers for our children. A huge class, and the children have only one teacher. So there's not enough individual time given to each student.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: So he says that ideally, if our environment was conditioned in such a way that they were rewarded for doing good things and punished for doing bad things, that they would not go away.

Prabhupāda: They would be punished, but they don't care for punishment. Just like it says in the lawbook that if you steal, you'll be arrested, but they don't care for your lawbook, the thief. What can you do? That independence is already there. The lawbook says that if you commit theft you will be punished, and he is actually punished. But if he doesn't care for punishment, then what can you do? Punishment is already there.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: Actually, his idea is not to let them be punished but to reward.

Prabhupāda: This is the (indistinct), that the thief has learned from the lawbooks, from the religious books, that stealing is bad. If one steals he'll be punished. Because in the human society the scriptures that they have got. No scripture will say that you should steal, for example, neither the lawbook will say that you steal. So if you have heard from scriptures and from lawbooks that stealing is criminal, and by committing this sinful activity I shall be punished, and if you have seen also that anyone who has violated this law and stolen others' property has been arrested and policeman has taken him to the jail, he has seen, he has heard, he has completely experienced, but still, why does he steal? What is the answer?

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: But his idea is that if you reward them for not stealing that they will not steal. If you reward them sufficiently.

Prabhupāda: First of all let him come to the point of not stealing. Then you will be all right. (indistinct)

Śyāmasundara: But if you pay him more, then he won't steal.

Prabhupāda: That you cannot. That you cannot. That is not possible.

Atreya Ṛṣi: The reward and punishment system, Prabhupāda, is motivational. It's not that you pay him more and you pay him less or you punish him. The thing is, he says that...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Who pays? Suppose I am going to steal and get one dollar. And if you pay me three dollars, then I may not steal. Then next point will be when there will be four dollars, I'm going to steal.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: So this is the important point, that what you are thinking rewarding, that is not. He will think it is insignificant. So what (indistinct). If you give me five dollars, if I steal I will get twenty-five dollars. Why shall I accept your reward?

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: Here the thing is that these are all childish suppositions. The real thing is that he should be educated. He should be educated. This should be done. He should be educated from the very beginning that "You are not this body." This is the beginning of real religion. He is talking this way and that. Education is required. Without education these things cannot be taught—by rewarding, by this way, by that way, by machine... It is all nonsense, everything. The first education is that every children should be taught from the very beginning that "You are not this body," and he should be taught the nature of the soul. Then he will come to the Supreme Soul. Then he will gradually come to the relationship between the Supreme Soul and the individual soul. And when he develops love for the Supreme Soul he will not violate the order of the Supreme. So that is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: Right now, the level of their experiments are relatively small. For instance, they have created teaching machines where a child is put in front of the machine and a question is asked, and if the child answers it correctly he gets the reward.

Prabhupāda: Another nonsense. The thing is that the Vedic conception of raising children, brahmācārya, that system is perfect.

Śyāmasundara: Not by machine.

Prabhupāda: No, this is (indistinct). We are not machines.

Śyāmasundara: No. But he says that when the answer is given correctly by the child, then he is rewarded by him.

Prabhupāda: The answers and questions are already there. That is (indistinct). Just like we say that tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). There is question and answer. Therefore in order to understand the transcendental science, we must go to guru, gurum eva abhigacchet. And then what is the symptom of guru? Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Guru means who has learned knowledge by the paramparā system. Śrotriyaṁ brahma. The result is that he is perfectly a devotee.

Śyāmasundara: Suppose we had a machine and one of our children was given the question "Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" And then there were three possibilities, and if she pushed "Kṛṣṇa," some reward would come out.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Hayagrīva: Getting back to conscience, that was..., we said was vague, he says, "This voice of my conscience announces to me precisely what I ought to do and what leave undone, in every particular situation of life. It accompanies me, if I but will listen to it with attention, through all the events of my life, and never refuses me my reward when I am called upon to act. To listen to it, to obey it honestly..."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: "...and unob..."

Prabhupāda: So that means he wants to listen somebody's dictation. That is, as soon as you say "listen," then somebody is speaking, you listen. So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). God is situated in everyone's heart, and He is dictating. Even He is dictating to the thief that "You are going to steal. It is not good. If you are arrested you will be punished." That dictation is there, but he disobeys the dictation and he steals, commits sin. That is sin. So the dictator is there, we admit that. Kṛṣṇa, or God, is there within the heart, and He is giving dictation, but you disobey. But if we accept that dictation, then you become devotee. Dictation is already there; otherwise this thief is going to steal at night? Dictation is there that "You don't go at the daytime. You will be captured and be punished." "All right, I shall go at night, when everyone is sleep." So dictation is there. Dictation is there in two ways—from the heart and from the representative. God's representative, saintly person, spiritual master, is dictating, "My dear boy, do not do this; you do this." Outside dictation. And inside dictation. But he is disobeying. Regularly he is disobeying. Then how he can be happy?

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: But does he think that the body of a hog and the body of similar lower creatures eating stool and living in filthy place, is it not punishment? Does he think like that? Why one gets the body of King Indra or Lord Brahmā and why one gets the body of a pig and hog, and living in filthy place and eating stool? Is it not punishment and reward?

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: This is reasonable. When he is punished, he gets the body of a pig. When he is rewarded, he gets the body of King Indra. So that is punishment and reward.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: Sītā uṣṇa. That is perceived. An old man perceives very much cold, and a young child, he does not perceive—according to the body. An animal, naked body, he can walk on the street in severe cold, but a man cannot. So this body is the source of suffering and enjoying. So why not take it as punishment and reward?

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: Yes, gift you can take. If you take it that it is given by God, so it is gift. "God has given me this body for punishment. It is His mercy that undergoing punishment I am becoming purified, making progress towards God." The devotees, they think like that. Although it is punishment, they take it as reward, because by undergoing the punishment he is making progress towards God-realization. In that sense it is a gift. Gift actually means something given by somebody. So when it is given by God for our correction, it can be taken as gift.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Hayagrīva: Skinner believes in what he calls reinforcement, reinforcing people's behavior. He doesn't believe in punishing people when they do wrong, but he believes more in a system of rewards. He writes, "A government may prevent defection by making life more interesting, by providing bread and circuses, and by encouraging sports, gambling, the use of alcohol and other drugs, and various kinds of sexual behavior, where the effect is to keep people within reach of adversive sanctions." So he...

Prabhupāda: He recommends these things?

Hayagrīva: So he believes that through..., by providing the people with sense gratification the government can keep people from acting in an antisocial way.

Prabhupāda: That means he is also of the same category. No, that will not help. Just like, the example is given in this connection, that when there is fire, if you think that putting more and more ghee the fire will extinguish, that is not possible. To keep the society in order they must be educated according to his capacity, and they should be engaged for common benefit. That is required. Not that to encourage them in their bad habits things will be done nicely. No. That is not possible.

Page Title:Reward (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Partha-sarathi, Rishab
Created:11 of Aug, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=70, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:70