Should be avoided (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"should avoid" |"should be avoided"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

So one must be enthusiastic, one must be patient, one must be confident, one must execute the duties, one must associate with devotees, and one must be very honest in dealing. Six things. If these six things are there, sure success.

Similarly there are six things which should be avoided. What are those? Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ, laulyaṁ jana-saṅgaś ca ṣaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati (NOI 2). Atyāhāra, too much eating or too much, I mean to say, keeping bank balance or money, or collecting more than the necessities. Atyāhāra. Generally, too much eating is prohibited. We have to eat simply just to keep the body and soul nicely to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca. Prayāsa means taking some risky work which will require too much endeavor. We should avoid that. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ, prajalpa, nonsense talking which has no connection with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Following the rules, but actually I'm not very much careful in executing the work. So niyamāgraha. Niyamāgraha means not to accept the rules and regulation, and another meaning is simply to accept the rules and regulation without good effect. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ laulyam, greediness, and jana-saṅgaś ca, and associating with nondevotees.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Prayāsa means we have to acquire something, but if it requires a heavy work, heavy, I mean to say, endeavor, we should avoid it. We should avoid it.

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpaḥ (NOI 2). Prajalpa means for nothing talking nonsense. People are accustomed to talk so many things unnecessarily just in clubs, amongst friends' circle, which has no benefit either spiritually or materially. So that sort of talking should be avoided.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

This four, this niyamāgraha, is also against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And niyamāgraha. And when you are in a quite convenient position, if you do not observe the rules and regulations, that is also against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. And laulyam. Laulyam means greediness. That is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Laulyam, and jana-saṅgaś ca. Jana-saṅga means to associate with persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should avoid. We should avoid association of persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we make more association with persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it will go against me.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

If you want to advance in spiritual life, bhakti-yoga, then you should avoid all these things, six kinds of, ṣaḍbhiḥ, six kind. Bhaktir vinaśyati. What is that? Atyāhāraḥ, eating more than you require. Actually, we should not eat unless we are very hungry. That is good eating. In.... When you are hungry, you can eat any ordinary things. Still, you feel very satisfactory. So not routine eating. Routine eating must be there. We should not eat more than that. But the best principle is that if we do not feel hungry, we should not eat. But if there is no hunger and at the same time no appetite and we eat, that brings indigestion, dysentery, indigestion.

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

This material world is supposed that every step there is danger. Just see. What we are doing? Innocent, culturing some spiritual process, and there are so many complaints. Just see. We are not stealing. We are not, I mean to say, making propaganda for some political purpose, nothing. Innocent thing we are doing. But still, somebody comes forward and puts some dangerous position. You see? So this is such a place. Lord Jesus Christ, his only fault was that he was preaching God's message. He was crucified. You see? So these things are... This place is like that. Even if you are innocent, still, you'll be put into danger. Therefore this place should be avoided. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām: "Every step there is danger."

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

So there are many descriptions in many śāstras that one should avoid asādhu and try to associate with sādhu. Then his life will be successful. Because human life is meant for spiritual advancement of life, not for advancement of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is cats and dogs life. Human life means advancement in spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

Ṛṣabhadeva said that "These rascals," pramattaḥ, pramattaḥ, "has become mad." Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma: "Always engaged in mischievous activities." These rascals, these materialistic persons. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. "They have become mad, and their business is..." Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma, akarma and vikarma. Vikarma means activities which are forbidden in the śāstra. Just like according to Vedic principles, at least a brāhmaṇa, a leader, a king should avoid these four principles of sinful activities. What is that? Meat-eating, illicit sex life, gambling and intoxication. At least, these four men, who is leading the public or who is a brāhmaṇa or who is a king, he must be very much cautious about... But just see what is the... Everyone, practically, they are addicted to these sinful activities.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

One should avoid these things. When arcā-mūrti, the Deity worship in the temple, if one thinks it is made of stone, it is made of wood, that is very offensive. One should not think like that. God is omnipotent, all-powerful. He can accept your service even in this form, but because He has assumed this form, don't neglect it that "It is stone." Then it will be offensive. It is to show you mercy, arcā-mūrti.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

Abhadra means the whole procedure is simply abominable, beginning to the end. (break) ...karmīs, simply full of anxiety: "How to earn money? How to distribute it? How to keep it? How to spend it? How to utilize it?" Therefore, it is advised that saintly persons, they should avoid money. As soon as... Money is great māyā. As soon it comes in my possession, then the same thing will come: "How to utilize it? How to do this? How to do that? How to do that?"

Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

There are many infectious disease. So as you infect this material disease by eating the foodstuff left by a diseased fellow, similarly, if you eat the remnants of foodstuff left by a Vaiṣṇava you become Vaiṣṇava. This is infection. So we should voluntarily accept this infection. The other infection we should avoid, but this infection we shall welcome. But the process is the same. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). You can refrain from the lower class of infection simply by infecting yourself with the higher class, or transcendental class of infection.

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976:

If your guru is not perfect, then why you are asking blessing to find out another? So anyway, this guru-māra-vidyā should be avoided. That is the instruction in this verse we can get, and that is the Vedic way. It is not that Draupadī is speaking, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also speaking... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very strict on this point. As soon Vallabhācārya spoke that "I have written a better comment than Śrīdhara Svāmī," immediately Caitanya Mahāprabhu become offended. He said, "Oh, you have become more than Śrīdhara Svāmī? You don't care for Svāmī?" So he remarked immediately, svāmī yei jana na māne veśyara bhitare. That is the system.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

We shall not request; this is our, I mean to say, rules and regulation, that one must be free from the sinful activities. The sinful activities, the four pillars of sinful life, are illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. So our students are advised..., not advised, they must follow; otherwise they will fall down. Because a sinful man cannot understand God. One side we should practice the regulative principles and the devotional process, another side we should avoid sinful activities. Then Kṛṣṇa is present, nd you can talk with Kṛṣṇa, we can be with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Just like Kuntī is talking with Kṛṣṇa as her nephew, similarly you can talk with Kṛṣṇa as your son, as your husband, as your lover, as your friend, as your master, as you like.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

So a devotee should know what is Kṛṣṇa. They picture simply Kṛṣṇa as if simply embracing Rādhārāṇī. That's all. That is also very, in a obnoxious way. These rascals, they take it, the dealings of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa as ordinary boys and girls dealing. They don't understand. Such pictures should be avoided. Kṛṣṇa is the controller. Let there be one picture how Kṛṣṇa is controlling the whole universe. That picture wanted, not these cheap pictures, imitating our rubbish behavior with boys and girls. These pictures we do not want. We want picture how Kṛṣṇa is controller, how He is controlling the universal affairs.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

There are two things: śreya and preya. I have discussed all these thing many times. Preya means immediately very palatable. That is called preya. And śreya means ultimately good. Suppose if you take some palatable foodstuff, it may be very palatable to you... There are many examples. Just like smoking. Smoking. Everyone knows, the scientists, the doctor, they declare, "This is a nonsense thing. It should be avoided." They advertise even in the packet also. But people still smoke. But that is called preya. That is called preya. Preya means immediately very nice. And śreya means when one gives it up, "No, it will keep my health nice." That is śreya. Try to understand what is śreya and preya

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

The Gosvāmīs used to sleep only two hours. I also write at night book, and I also sleep, not more then three hours. But I take sometimes little, sleep more. Not like... I don't imitate the Gosvāmīs. That try to avoid. And avoid sleeping means if we eat less, then we'll avoid. Eating, sleeping. After eating, there is sleeping. So if we eat more, then more sleeping. If we eat less, then less sleeping. Eating, sleeping, mating. And mating should be avoided. That is a great stricture. Sex life should be minimized as far as possible. Therefore we have got this restriction, "No illicit sex." Sex life, we don't say... That you cannot do, nobody can do. Therefore sex life means married life, a little concession. A license, "All right, you take this license." But not illicit sex. Then you'll never be able.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Devotee (4): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you spoke about the three stages of chanting? And you were speaking about the middle stage, the clearing stage? Is that... I didn't quite understand how that was explained. Is that like we're trying not to be offensive. It's offensive, but we're trying...

Prabhupāda: No, you do not try to be offensive, but because your past habit, you become offensive. Therefore ten kinds of offenses should be avoided. That we speak and give in list when initiation. There should be... Ten kinds of offenses should be avoided. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam, sāmyaṁ śubha-kriyā api pramādaḥ, nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. These are things. The most offensive is that "Kṛṣṇa... By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, I become sinless. So in the morning let me do, or in the, at night, let me do all sinful activities; in the morning I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and it will, everything will be nullified." This is the greatest offense.

Lecture on SB 3.12.19 -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

We should offer respect, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa. We cannot do anything wrong." And therefore there is list of offenses of worshiping, sixty-four... Or how many? It is stated in The Nectar of Devotion. Do you discuss this? So we should avoid these offenses, not that "Here is a stone statue. He is not going to see I am doing this offense." Then that is not very good. We should always feel that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, personally present." Actually He is personally present. Then are we so fool, that we are worshiping a stone deity? No. "We" means we have installed this Deity under the direction of previous authorities, ācāryas. So it is not whimsical.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

The Vaiṣṇava, he should be always careful not to intermingle, means not to take up their ideas and thoughts. No. That is vaiṣṇava-ācāra. Asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava. And why they should be avoided? Asat eka strī-saṅgī, kṛṣṇa-abhakta. Who is asat? Asat means those who are very much attached to sense gratification. Sense... The culmination of sense gratification is sex life. So those who are too much attached to sex life, strī-saṅgī, and kṛṣṇa-abhakta, and not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they are asat. So those who are actually serious to make advance in spiritual life, they should avoid the asat.

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974:

Because Kṛṣṇa realization begins from the name. Therefore name, Kṛṣṇa's name, and Kṛṣṇa is not different, absolute, but we cannot realize. But the practice, if you practice chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you will realize. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you actually, in devotional attitude, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Therefore it is advised that you should avoid the offenses in chanting. Then you will... By simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you will realize. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (CC Madhya 17.136). Jihvādau. Now, kṛṣṇa-bhakti begins from jihvā, from the tongue. People will be surprised, "How is that?" Yes. You can utilize your tongue simply by chanting and tasting kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Then you will become kṛṣṇa-bhakta.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

One should not consider a Vaiṣṇava, whether he is born of low family, he is not born of brāhmaṇa family. This kinds of consideration is nārakī-buddhi. So there are many instances. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī says that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. If a avaiṣṇava, if a Māyāvādī, he speaks about Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, one should not hear it. He should avoid it because it will create some misimpression. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden strongly, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa: (CC Madhya 6.169) "If one hears from a Māyāvādī about Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then that person is doomed." So this is, therefore, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

Sanātana Gosvāmī says, avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam: "Avaiṣṇava, who is not Vaiṣṇava, who is not devotee, if he speaks about Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nonsense..." He will speak nonsense. So it is not good. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam: "You should never hear." On principle you should avoid hearing from such rascals. This is the injunction of Sanātana Gosvāmī. "Why? He is speaking Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Why one should not hear? Bhagavad-gītā is very nice." That's all right.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

Nobody should think himself that he is very prestigious person, falsely. Nobody is prestigious. Everyone should be humble. So these three, four things we should learn, and that is tapasya. And we should avoid the sinful activities, namely, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. These are some of the positive and negative formulas given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And if we follow this tapasya and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

As soon as they hear that here is something going on, talking about God, they become immediately envious. We have increased the number of this kind of men. There is someone interested in God. They simply challenge. They are called dviṣat. So a preacher should avoid them. But the paramahaṁsa, he does not avoid. So there are so many things. So we haven't got to imitate the activities of... A paramahaṁsa is a position, exalted position. They are very rare to be visible because they do not care to come in the society. So, and if you want to know about the paramahaṁsa, the sthita-prajñā description in the Bhagavad-gītā, I think, in the Twelfth Chapter, you can know it.

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

You can take care of this animal, I mean to say, against the disturbance created by this animal, but you cannot kill them. That is not. But when it is unavoidable, we have to do like that. But as far as possible we should avoid. We have heard from our father that his elder brother in the village had a cloth shop, and there were rats. So at night he would keep a big bowl of rice in the middle of the shop, and the rats will eat whole night. They would not commit any harm to the cloth. They respect it. They are also hungry, they are also living entities. They have also right to live, to eat. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything. They are God's creatures. The food is not only meant for you, that you shall simply eat rice and not allow to the rats and cats. No. That is not Vedic injunction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Not that "Because I have become a Vaiṣṇava, because I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore I can do any kind of offense. It will be counteracted." This is the greatest offense. Sometimes it happens but that is very grievous offense. On the strength of becoming Vaiṣṇava and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and committing offense at the same time, that is the greatest offense. That should be avoided especially. But unintentionally, unconsciously, something is done—that is excused. And if we understand that "We have... I have committed this offense," immediately steps should be taken. That's all.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

"Here there is flood, where there is train disaster, where there is accident, and political, and one politician is giving speech, another politician is giving speech." These are the grāmya things. So we should save ourself. Grāmyair manoramaiḥ. These externally very attractive news, we should avoid it completely. We shall simply talk of Kṛṣṇa. That is the safest method. We shall simply talk kṛṣṇa-kathā. And kṛṣṇa-kathā means what Kṛṣṇa has said. That is kṛṣṇa-kathā. Or what is spoken about Kṛṣṇa. So Bhagavad-gītā means kṛṣṇa-kathā, what Kṛṣṇa has said. And Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṇa-kathā because everything said about Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

So grāmya-kathā should be avoided. The temple is specially meant for Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Here there is no other business than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore a temple is always transcendental, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. If you live in the forest, that is sattva-guṇa. If you live in the city, that is rajo-guṇa. And if you live in the brothel or liquor house or gambling house, that is tamo-guṇa. But if you live in the temple, that is nirguṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣaya-vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. This is advice of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Vrndavana, December 5, 1975:

These, in the Upadeśāmṛta you will find, how you can increase and how you can finish. So about finishing, if you are actually advancing in spiritual life, if that is your aim, then these six things should be avoided. As it is said, prayāsaḥ. The first thing is atyāhāra, eating too much than necessity, atyāhāra, or collecting more than you require. For maintenance of your body you have to secure some monetary benefit—but not more than what you require. People are not satisfied. At the present moment everyone is trying to get more and more and more and more and more. There is no satiation. This kind of endeavor is forbidden.

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1977:

One is gold; one is iron. A polished iron, a golden thing, golden color, does not mean it is gold. "All that glitters is not gold." So we should not mistake. Therefore one who cannot distinguish the spiritual lust and the material lust, they should avoid very strictly. They have no spiritual realization. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strictly avoided. In His kīrtana He never described the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, His dealings with gopīs. That we mark in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Eighteen years He lived in Jagannātha Purī. Every night there was kīrtana, but there was no līlā-kīrtana you'll find, no līlā-kīrtana. Hare Kṛṣṇa, that's all. No līlā.

Lecture on SB 7.9.14 -- Mayapur, February 21, 1976:

Prahlāda Mahārāja is requesting Nṛsiṁhadeva, "Now the business is finished. My father, the great demon, Hiraṇyakaśipu..." He said, asuraś ca hatas. He... Such a great Vaiṣṇava, he is not calling Hiraṇyakaśipu his father. And in other place also he addressed his father, na sādhu manye asura-varya. He never said, "My father." He said, "The greatest of the asuras." He was so bold. The father was such a great demon, and he was not addressing him as father, and the father was becoming more and more angry upon him. This indicates that a person who is a demon, not devotee, he's not worth calling a father. That sort of father should be avoided. Pitā na sa syāt. People are affectionate to father and mother, and they hesitate how to give up... Especially boys give up the company of family, father and mother, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But here, in the śāstra, it is said, if the father is demon or a mother is demon or a friend is demon or a family member is demon, they should not be accepted as relative.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

I have seen some of our disciples. As soon as he's out of this camp, immediately hair, immediately. I have seen so many. When he was within the camp, very advanced supposed, but as soon as he is one day after, he keeps hair. Immediately. The tendency is there. Because in this age it is understood that if you can keep hair, bunch of hair, not very nice, but simply hair will make him beautiful. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. Although he has no lāvaṇya—he has no beauty—still, he thinks, "I have become very beautiful by keeping hair." So this should be avoided. In this age, of course, this jaṭā is not possible. If you keep jaṭā, then when you go on the street for begging alms for guru, then perhaps you'll be chained (changed?) by so many animals here. So it is better to remain clean-shaved. It has no botheration, no taking care of the hair, no iron required.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

Anyone who is devotee, to make friendship with him. And other, bāliśeṣu, those who are innocent, those who are not offender, but innocent persons... Just like child, simple, They should preach amongst them Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because they are innocent. And those who are dviṣat, demons, simply against God, they should avoid them. Avoid them. Don't go there for preaching. Neither to love them. Of course, everyone should be loved, but according to the time and circumstances. So for a preacher who is trying to do good to the innocent persons, who, one who does not know how to love God, what is God, a preacher's business is to teach him. And not to waste his time with the demons, one who is not interested in the matter of God.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

He recited this, that if one is trying to make progress in spiritual life just to go on the other side of this bhava, bhava-sāgara, the ocean of material existence, then two things he should avoid: viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca, a person who is attached to money and a person attached to too much sense enjoyment. One should not associate with such persons. Viṣa bhakṣaṇad api asādhavaḥ. Such action, for a devotee, is more abominable than drinking poison. It is warned. So those who are preaching, we have to meet with these viṣayīs, but one... Because when we have to preach, we have to see so many viṣayīs, but we should be very, very careful.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

Innocent means they are not offender, but they do not know what is God, what is his relation, ordinary man. For them, the person who in the second stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his duty is to enlighten them. And those who are atheists, purposely against God, they should be avoided. Therefore there are four kinds of dealings for the person who is in the intermediate position. And those who are in the higher status of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not see anyone as against God. Their vision is that everyone is engaged in God's service. So there, there is only one vision, that everyone is engaged in God's service. They have no distinction. That is very higher stage. One should not imitate that stage.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.113-17 -- San Francisco, February 22, 1967:

When Kṛṣṇa comes, He has nothing to do with modes of goodness even. What is this goodness here in this material world? This is also matter. So there is no value, even goodness. One has to transcend the modes of goodness. That is transcendental, or aprakṛta.

tāṅra doṣa nāhi, teṅho ājñā-kārī dās

āra yei śune tāra haya sarva-nāśa

So again He supports Śaṅkarācārya, that "It is not his fault. He had to do it under the superior order to explain the Vedic literature in an impersonalist way. But those who are not expert, if they hear the commentary of Śaṅkarācārya, Śārīraka-bhāṣya, then he is doomed." In other words, those who are actually aspiring for being elevated in spiritual science, they should avoid to hear any commentary which is impersonal. Any commentary. Then he is doomed. If we follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, then any impersonal commentary means, if we hear... Because we are not expert.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.113-17 -- San Francisco, February 22, 1967:

Prakṛta means material. "If somebody thinks that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His body is material, that is the greatest offense." The greatest offense is that... To accept a material thing as God, that is the greatest offense, and God..., and to accept a material thing as God or to accept God as material. Just try to understand. Just like they are preaching that "Anything you worship, that is God," or "God is also material. When He comes, when He appears, He is also material." So these kinds of conclusion is the greatest offense. Viṣṇu-nindā āra nāhi ihāra upara. Blasphemy. So this should be avoided.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

As soon as one becomes atheist, oh, it is very difficult to convince him. You see. Therefore our preaching should avoid the atheist class. Of course, if we stop that, then we cannot find who is theist in the... Time is so nice that 99.9% all atheists. So we have to take the risk of talking with atheist also. But generally it is advised that preachers should not talk this atheist class because they'll not..., they simply argue. Their only point is simply argue and waste your time. That's all.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- New Zealand, April 27, 1976:

Āgraha means not to accept, and niyamāgraha means simply I am packed up with the regulative principle but I do not see whether I am making progress. So at least one should stick to follow the regulative principle. That is good. That must be done in the lower stage. So niyamāgraha. Atyāhāra prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ, and laulyam, greediness. And jana-saṅgaś ca, and to associate with nondevotee, unwanted person. So these six things should be avoided, and the first mentioned six things should be accepted. Then our progress is sure, without any failure. We have published this book, Nectar of Instruction. Have you seen? That is Rūpa Gosvāmī. All these instructions are there. Read it very carefully. Everything is there.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- San Francisco, March 10, 1968:

This very consciousness will lead you. It is not very difficult. It is very easy, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And those who have taken already, they are thinking of Kṛṣṇa, and they are making progress both, I mean to say... Their health is improving; their mind is becoming very nice. So you will be also feeling. There is no need of talking. You will yourself feel, but you must follow. And there are ten kinds of offenses. That also, you should avoid. And these rules and regulations.

Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:

As soon as with devotion and faith you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, God will help you. Kṛṣṇa will help you from within to cleanse your heart so that you will be able to see things as they are. So we should avoid blaspheming the persons who have preached God consciousness all over the world. We should not deprecate the value of scriptures. And the most obstinate sinful activity is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:

I have already explained the four kinds of sinful activities you should avoid. But if you think that you are chanting, therefore there will be no reaction of sinful activities, that is the greatest sin. Greatest offense. Never. Don't commit any sinful activities. And sāmyaṁ śubha-kriyā api pramādaḥ. This is another great offense. That don't accept this chanting as something auspicious activity. It is transcendental to auspicious and inauspicious activities. It is a vibration from the spiritual sky which will attract you gradually to the spiritual sky, beyond this material sky.

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

While chanting, you should avoid ten kinds of offenses. So you will get the list. And summarily I can explain that satāṁ nindā. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will never blaspheme any person, any religious leader, who is trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. In any country, in any religion, anyone who has tried to spread God consciousness to the people, they are all respectable persons. Those who are atheist, those who do not believe in God or those who personally declare that "I am God," we have nothing to do with such persons. But anyone in any country who accepts God as the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), such persons are respectable persons and we should offer our always respect to them.

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

There are many auspicious functions in every religious system, but it is not like that. It is transcendental. It is spiritual. It is not ordinary religious rituals. Chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is not a ritualistic method. It is transcendental. It is natural, original relationship. So this should be avoided. And the conception of realizing oneself as this body, self-realization. No. That should be avoided. And one should not be inattentive while chanting. In this way ten kinds of offenses... Of course, in the beginning we have got... Because our life is contaminated, there may be so many falldowns, but we should be careful.

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

So these ten kinds of offenses should be avoided and at least sixteen rounds you must chant. All the Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana, they had a limited, not limited, a number, fixed, that "So many times I shall chant." So we are offering only minimum of sixteen rounds. That, it will take, sixteen rounds, it will take about, utmost, three hours. So you should... Out of twenty-four hours, you should engage at least three hours for chanting. So then this is the beginning of initiation, and those who have chanted at least for one year, then the next initiation is to offer him Gāyatrī mantra.

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

You should avoid chanting, every one of you, ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to decry the scriptures, Vedas. To accept authority of Vedas. Not to accept or decrying scriptures. Vedas means the book of transcendental knowledge. Not only Bhagavad-gītā, even Bible or Koran, they are also, although Bhagavad-gītā... Higher or secondary or primary, that is different. But whenever there is information of God, that is scripture, recognized. So we are concerned with the Vedas. So anyway, other scripture which is giving information of God scientifically or accepted by persons, that is also Vedas. One should not blaspheme the Vedas.

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

Just like there are many nonsense, they say that demigods... Of course, you have no affairs with demigods. Vedic religion there are hundreds and thousands of demigods. Especially it is going on that either you worship Kṛṣṇa or Lord Śiva or Kali, the same thing. This is nonsense. You should not, I mean to, place on the same level with the Supreme Lord. Nobody is greater than Lord. Nobody is equal than the Lord. So this equality should be avoided.

Initiations -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1969:

Joṭilā was the mother-in-law of Rādhārāṇī. (chuckles) Yes. Kṛṣṇa was not Rādhārāṇī's husband. Her husband is supposed to be somebody else. Come on. Come on. And you have bowed down? That is done. Come on. That's all right. So ten kinds of offenses, all those who are initiated today, they should avoid ten kinds of offenses.

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

Intoxication does not mean simply liquor. Intoxication means even tea-drinking. Tea is also intoxication, in slight degree. Tea, coffee, cigarettes—everything should be avoided. In India they chew pan. So these things are to be give up, intoxication group, and meat-eating group. Then you make very quickly progress, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). After leaving this body, one hasn't got to take another material body and suffer. So long we have got this material body, we have to suffer the material pangs. There cannot be any adjustment.

Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:

Ten kinds of offenses, they are mentioned in the paper. You should avoid, and follow the regulative principles. Just like if you ignite fire, if the wood is dry, then the fire very quickly takes place. And if it is moist, wet, then it takes time. So, so avoiding these ten kinds of offenses and following the rules and regulation will quickly ignite the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is powerful, even one is contaminated, but it will accelerate if you follow the rules and regulations and avoid the offenses.

Initiations -- San Diego, June 30, 1972:

Either Christian or this or that, killing is most sinful. This should be avoided. Therefore in the beginning, to increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Because my business is to increase my spontaneous attachment for God. That is the business of human life. This is a chance. Because in the human form of life you can do that. And as soon as you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful.

Initiation Ceremony -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974 :

So we will explain the ten kinds of offenses, and the initiated members should avoid the ten kinds of offenses. (aside) You have got the ten kinds of offenses? So first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in glorifying the Lord within this material world. And, śruti-śāstra-nindanam, and to decry the Vedic literature. And third, to interpret the holy name in different way according to our own whims. This is also offense. And the most dangerous offense is namnaḥ balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir. Anyone who thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, so I am becoming free from contamination of sinful life, therefore let me commit sinful life and counteract it by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa," this is the greatest offense.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Detroit, July 16, 1971:

The paramānna is very good, but because it is mixed with some sand particles it is spoiled. You cannot take. This is practical. Similarly, the teachings of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa, is very simple. But the rascals put some sand particles. That is the difficulty. Spoils the broth, spoils the everything. "Kṛṣṇa means this, and Pāṇḍava means this." Why "Pāṇḍava means this"? Why not as it is in the Bhagavad-gītā? So this process should be avoided, mixing sand with the sweet rice. This rascaldom should be avoided. Then you can, everyone can distribute nicely. So many people say, "Oh, Swamijī, you have done wonderful." So I say, the secret of my wonderful activities is that I have not tried to adulterate it. I am simply presenting as it is. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

Striyaḥ sūnā pāna dyūta. Pāna means intoxication. We are already intoxicated by illusion. Because we are in the material world, we are accepting false things. Just like this body. I am accepting I am this body. This is intoxication. I am soul, I am Brahman, but I am accepting this body that I am this body. This is already intoxication. And if you increase more intoxication, then where is the possibility of getting real knowledge, brahma-jñāna? So the pāna, intoxication, should be avoided. Animal killing should be avoided. Illicit connection with woman should be avoided. And gambling, speculation, Patavad(?), that should be eliminated, avoided. Then you get the chance of becoming pure. And without being pure, you cannot be engaged in the loving service of the Lord. The Lord is pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So you cannot approach Lord being impure.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- Caracas, February 25, 1975:

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsas prajalpaḥ, and talking nonsense, gossiping some subject matter which has no concern with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are accustomed to do that. We should avoid it. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Niyamāgrahaḥ means the positive rules and regulation, simply make a show but not actually realize it. Niyamāgrahaḥ, laulyam, and to become very greedy, and jana-saṅgaś ca, and mixing with persons who are not devotee. These six things should be avoided, and the first things should be followed. Then your success in devotional service is sure. (Hṛdayānanda begins to translate and pauses) Prajalpaḥ, unnecessary gossiping. Just like people are wasting time taking one newspaper and talking for hours. These things should be avoided. And to associate with nondevotees. And greediness. These things should be avoided.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: It appears that Schopenhauer recommends about eight hours of sleep a night, and Kṛṣṇa says not too much or too little. But what is recommended in terms of sleep, just concretely?

Prabhupāda: Sleep should be avoided, but that is not possible. Therefore it should be adjusted to the minimum. Just like Gosvāmīs, they are sleeping not less, not more than two hours. Even we hear about some karmī, just like Napoleon, he was also not sleeping. He was taking rest on the back of the horse. I do not know whether it is so.