Spiritual institution

Expressions researched:
"spiritual institutions" |"spiritual institution"

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Students are generally supposed to rise early in the morning. They do not usually arise of their own accord, however, but only when there is a bell sounded in the temple or other spiritual institution.

Krsna Book 20: After the first rainfall, when there is a thundering sound in the clouds, all the frogs begin to croak, like students suddenly engaged in reading their studies. Students are generally supposed to rise early in the morning. They do not usually arise of their own accord, however, but only when there is a bell sounded in the temple or other spiritual institution. By the order of the spiritual master they immediately rise, and after finishing their morning duties they sit down to study the Vedas or chant Vedic mantras. Everyone is sleeping in the darkness of Kali-yuga, but when there is a great ācārya, by his calling only, everyone takes to the study of the Vedas to acquire actual knowledge.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The first instruction. The so-called spiritual institution, spiritual system, but they do not know that what he is, what they are. The bodily identification.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973: According to Vedic instruction, everyone should approach a guru. But who is that everyone? One who is jijñāsu. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One who is inquisitive to understand "What I am? Am I this body or something else?" That is beginning of spiritual instruction.

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā the first instruction to Arjuna was to know that beyond this body, there is the soul.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

[Bg. 2.13]

The first instruction. The so-called spiritual institution, spiritual system, but they do not know that what he is, what they are. The bodily identification. Anyone who is bodily identified, there is no question of spiritual instruction. He is an ass. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ [SB 10.84.13]. The first spiritual instruction is, one must be convinced thoroughly, vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ, that he is not this body. "I am not this body. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi." This realization, "I am spirit soul. I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān [Bg. 10.12].

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Now we have to make our organization regularly a spiritual institution so that we may be recognized, and our students may be freed from this draft board requisition.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston: That is the difference between living jīva and Śiva, God. He does not forget. In the Bhagavad-gītā He says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni: [Bg. 7.26] "I know everything of this present, past, future, everything." But we do not know. We have forgotten. In our daily life, in our childhood, so many things we did. We don't remember. But our parents may remember that as a child, that we did this. So forgetfulness is our nature. But if we keep constant touch with Kṛṣṇa, then He will give us remembrance. So sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo [Bg. 15.15]. Kṛṣṇa says in the Fifteenth Chapter. Now you read Bhagavad-gītā very carefully. In our examination next January... Yes. From Bhagavad-gītā for title of bhakti-śāstrī. Now we have to make our organization regularly a spiritual institution so that we may be recognized, and our students may be freed from this draft board requisition.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

At least, in India, there must be this spiritual institution. The whole world may take advantage of it.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Immediately inform Vṛndāvana, our Akṣayānanda, that this man should be very well received.

Girirāja: I was thinking that unless I go and bring him, he might be too busy with the political affairs.

Prabhupāda: So what you are to go? Where you want to go?

Girirāja: So what I was thinking, if you agree, is to go to Delhi for a few days, and he could introduce me to the pious members of Parliament, and then we could organize a whole group, and I could bring them there.

Prabhupāda: Do the needful. Go. At least, in India, there must be this spiritual institution. The whole world may take advantage of it. What is this cats' and dogs' race civilization? Is that civilization? Here is civilization, Bhagavad-gītā. Basic principles of civilization. So India should maintain this. People may... There are so many big universities. A student may go or may not go, but the university must be maintained. Because there is no student, therefore university closed. No. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness institution must be maintained for the benefit of the whole world. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani [Bg. 9.3]. They do not know how nature's law is working.