That is not our philosophy

Expressions researched:
"not our philosophy"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

But zero is not our philosophy. Positive, not negative. They simply make negative. Negative will not help us.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974: Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. You can make zero automatically when you find better engagement. So we have to give better engagement. Then things will be zero. Because you have got better engagement, you are not interested to go to the hotel. There is hotel also, cinema also in Vṛndāvana. But will you go there? So if you become attached to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this hotel, restaurants and, and dancing, and this and that, they'll be zero. Automatically. But if you simply try to make it zero, that is not possible. That is not possible. Therefore paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. If you get better engagement, to try to engage yourself always in the better engagement, then these material activities will be zero. But zero is not our philosophy. Positive, not negative. They simply make negative. Negative will not help us. Negative, there is of requisition negativeness.

Of course, we do not think that everyone is Nārāyaṇa. That is not our philosophy. Nārāyaṇa is above.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974: Suppose in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, what we are doing? We are giving Kṛṣṇa prasādam. We are distributing everyone, without any distinction. We don’t make any distinction between daridra-nārāyaṇa and a rich nārāyaṇa. We give prasādam to every nārāyaṇa. Of course, we do not think that everyone is Nārāyaṇa. That is not our philosophy. Nārāyaṇa is above. Nārāyaṇaḥ avyaktāt paraḥ. “Nārāyaṇa is not of this material world.” Nārāyaṇaḥ paro ’vyaktāt. That is the version of Śaṅkarācārya. So it is a wrong philosophy that because Nārāyaṇa is everyone’s heart.... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. Nārāyaṇa, or īśvara, is situated in everyone’s heart. That does not mean that everyone has become Nārāyaṇa. This is a wrong philosophy. If you make such distinction, then why there should be daridra-nārāyaṇa? There should be rich nārāyaṇa. There should be chāga-nārāyaṇa, matsya-nārāyaṇa, every nārāyaṇa. If you have got such vision that “Because Nārāyaṇa is there in everyone’s heart, then everyone should be addressed as Nārāyaṇa...” But that should not be. That is not be. That should not be. That is insult. If some big man, if I say, equalize him with some insignificant person, that is insult.

We don’t claim that we are on the equal level of Kṛṣṇa. That is not our philosophy. We claim to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is our position.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974: The material nature and the spiritual nature... There are two natures. So spiritual nature, the living entities, although they are to be enjoyed... Enjoyed by whom? Enjoyed by God, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktā, bhoktā aham, “I am the enjoyer.” Just like in this temple, who is the enjoyer? Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. We are helping to Kṛṣṇa’s enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa will eat something very nice. Our business is to prepare it nicely and offer to Kṛṣṇa. He is enjoyer. He is enjoying His flute in the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So His very position is enjoyer. And we are servants. We don’t claim that we are on the equal level of Kṛṣṇa. That is not our philosophy. We claim to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is our position. We don’t say that...

Just like Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that he is God. Their self-realization means when one realizes by their philosophy so ’ham, “I am God, I am the same.” That is their philosophy. And our philosophy is so ’ham, “I am the same quality. I am not the same person. But I am the same quality.” We are the samples of Kṛṣṇa. Very small particle. Just like if you take a drop of ocean water and you taste it, you can understand what is that ocean, what is the taste of the ocean. But you, as a drop of the ocean, you are not equal to the ocean. You are in quality the same, but in quantity we are different.

Therefore it is common sense, one who is smaller or weak, he is enjoyed by the stronger. That is the nature.

Our philosophy is not like that, that we give protection to the human being and send the cows to the slaughterhouse. No, that is not our philosophy.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973: So far we are concerned, we have no business, we have no profession. We do not know what we shall eat tomorrow. Or in the evening. We are in such a position. But we have no anxiety. You can see practically. We have no anxiety that “what shall I eat in the evening, what shall I eat tomorrow, there is no bank balance, there is no money.” No. There is no anxiety. We know certain that as soon as we go, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will send us everything. That is actually a fact. If you study our activities, you’ll see practically it is so. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. We have no hankering, no lamentation. Suppose we have got thousand dollars, and somebody takes away. It happens so. Somebody comes and mixes with us and takes away some money. So we are not very much sorry for that. We think: Kṛṣṇa gave us, and Kṛṣṇa has taken away. It doesn’t matter. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu [Bg. 18.54]. Equal to all living entities. Our philosophy is not like that, that we give protection to the human being and send the cows to the slaughterhouse. No, that is not our philosophy. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. We think on this subject matter, that if a man is killed, as he’s put into so difficult position for being killed, the animal also. They also feel. It is nonsense to think that animal has no soul, no. Everyone has got soul.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

You eat like human being, not like cats and dogs. But eating is not prohibited. That is not our philosophy. Don’t eat like cats and dogs, but eat like human being.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974: Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the Gosvāmīs recommend anāsaktasya viṣayān. You do not be attached to the demands of the body, but you utilize it for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Eating is required. If you don’t eat nicely, then body cannot be maintained. But anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham. Eating is required, but not eating too much. Not eating to the taste of the tongue, unnecessarily eating meat, fish, eggs. Why? You are human being. For you Kṛṣṇa has given so much varieties of food stuff. Fruits, vegetables, nice rice, ḍāl, milk, ghee. Why should you go to the meat-eating? This is required. You eat like human being, not like cats and dogs. But eating is not prohibited. That is not our philosophy. Don’t eat like cats and dogs, but eat like human being.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

We don’t say that you stop eating. You eat. Take little Kṛṣṇa prasādam. We don’t say that “Don’t sleep.” No, you sleep, but must rise early in the morning for maṅgala-ārati. This is our philo... Eating, sleeping, and sex. No, we don’t say no sex life. Yes, you have sex life. Get your bona fide wife, live peacefully. And defense also, we have. We never say that you forego all these things. No, this is not our philosophy. But similarly, as much as you absolutely require, not more than that. The balance time, save for advancement.

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1974, Rome: Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is giving you everything in right way so that you can save your time, you do not waste your time, and you can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required. We don’t say that you stop eating. You eat. Take little Kṛṣṇa prasādam. We don’t say that “Don’t sleep.” No, you sleep, but must rise early in the morning for maṅgala-ārati. This is our philo... Eating, sleeping, and sex. No, we don’t say no sex life. Yes, you have sex life. Get your bona fide wife, live peacefully. And defense also, we have. We never say that you forego all these things. No, this is not our philosophy. But similarly, as much as you absolutely require, not more than that. The balance time, save for advancement. These people are simply engaged for eating, sleeping, mating. They have no time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This condemned civilization must be stopped. Killing, killing civilization. The human being got the opportunity of getting out of this punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30], repeatedly, and they are not being given the chance. They are being engaged more and more for sense gratification, viṣaya. Killing civilization. Jñāna-tapasā. Bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. By this process, bahavaḥ, many, by knowledge and tapasya. Pūtāḥ, purified, came back, back to home.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Your country is of motorcar, so take advantage of motorcar and utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. That is the tactics. Not that “Oh, we have become Vaiṣṇava. We don’t touch motorcar. It is material.” This is not our philosophy.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975: Prabhupāda: Your country is full of buses. Yasmin deśe yad ācaraḥ. Your country is of motorcar, so take advantage of motorcar and utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. That is the tactics. Not that “Oh, we have become Vaiṣṇava. We don’t touch motorcar. It is material.” This is not our philosophy. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. We can utilize everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa because we see everything Kṛṣṇa’s. If the motorcar is there, it is for Kṛṣṇa. That is our mission.

Brahmā is the beginning. He is deva, one of the demigods. Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. So He is the cause of Brahmā also. So this is our philosophy. We don’t begin from zero or accident. This is not our philosophy.

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1975, Chicago: Prabhupāda: So God was there and God’s word was there. That is the beginning, our beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. Aham evāsam agre. And Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. This is our philosophy, “Everything begins from God.” Now you can say, “Wherefrom God came?” But that is God. God existing, He is not caused by any other cause, He is the original cause. Anādir ādiḥ: “He has no beginning, but He is the beginning of everything.” This is conception of God. Anādir ādir govindaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. That ādi is Govinda, person, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. We find from the history. Brahmā is the beginning. He is deva, one of the demigods. Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. So He is the cause of Brahmā also. So this is our philosophy. We don’t begin from zero or accident. This is not our philosophy.

So don’t think that we are after vegetarian, nonvegetarian. No. That is not our philosophy.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne: Prabhupāda: Yes. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam. He is asking very simple thing which everyone can offer. Just like a little leaf, patram, a little flower, puṣpam, a little fruit, and little liquid, either water or ghee, er, milk. So we offer that. We make different varieties with these ingredients, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, and after Kṛṣṇa’s eating, we take it. We are servant; we take the remnants of foodstuff left by Kṛṣṇa. We are neither vegetarian nor nonvegetarian. We are prasād-ian. We don’t care for vegetable or not vegetable, because either you kill a cow or kill a vegetable, the sinful action is there. And according to nature’s law, it is said that “The animals which has no hand, that is the food for the animals with hands.” We are also animals with hands. We human being, we are also animal with hands, and they are animals—no hand but four legs. And there are animals which has no leg, that is vegetable. Apadāni catuṣ-padām. These animals which has no leg, they are food for the animals with four leg. Just like cow eats grass, the goat eats grass. So eating vegetable, there is no credit. Then the goats and the cows are more credit, have more credit, because they don’t touch anything except vegetable. So we are not preaching to become goats and cows. No. We are preaching that you become servant of Kṛṣṇa. So whatever Kṛṣṇa eats, we eat. If Kṛṣṇa says that “Give me meat, give me eggs,” so we shall offer Kṛṣṇa meat and eggs and we shall take it. So don’t think that we are after vegetarian, nonvegetarian. No. That is not our philosophy. Because either you take vegetable or you take meat, you are killing. And you have to kill because otherwise you cannot live. That is nature’s way.

Kṛṣṇa is not so easy to be understood, but we are giving you facility to eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam so that one day you can understand this movement. This is the policy. We are not poor-feeding. That is not our philosophy.

Room Conversation -- April 30, 1976, Fiji: Prabhupāda: All right, that is also kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Prasādam means we offer the foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa; then it is prasādam. So you have not come, but you have to come to take prasādam. This, it has got connection with Kṛṣṇa. So therefore we welcome you that at least for eating, you are coming to Kṛṣṇa. Gradually, you’ll understand Kṛṣṇa, by eating only. Kṛṣṇa is not so easy to be understood, but we are giving you facility to eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam so that one day you can understand this movement. This is the policy. Actually, that is the policy. We are not poor-feeding. That is not our philosophy. Like Vivekananda. Daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. No, we are not after that. We are giving you prasādam. And that is fact, that by eating, eating, eating, eating, you one day will become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Simply by eating. Because you are so dull, you cannot understand the philosophy. You know the belly like the animals. So therefore we are giving facility, “All right, fill up your belly, fill up your belly. And you’ll be infected.” As you take foodstuff from a infected area, you become infected with some disease, so this is Kṛṣṇa infected, prasādam. You take it, and one day you’ll be diseased with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is a fact. Some way or other, let him come in contact with Kṛṣṇa. He’ll be benefited. Some way or other, let him come to the light. May be dim light or very big light. Light is light.

1972 Correspondence

It is not our philosophy to print errors. Of course, our spiritual subject matter is transcendental and therefore it remains potent despite mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc. But this type of translation may only be allowed if there is no other way to correct it, then it is all right.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Jaipur 20 January, 1972: with pleasure I have noted that your translation work is going on. This I want, that you shall from now on be the Head of the translating department in German language for all ISKCON literatures. You translate yourself as it is comfortable, but all other translations in German language by other translators must be checked by you, edited, and corrected very strictly for grammar and proper use of German language. It is not our philosophy to print errors. Of course, our spiritual subject matter is transcendental and therefore it remains potent despite mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc. But this type of translation may only be allowed if there is no other way to correct it, then it is all right. But if you know the correct order, then you must make it perfect. That is our philosophy: everything perfect for Krishna.

Do not go to poor areas, this is not our philosophy. Our philosophy is prasada distribution, without discrimination rich or poor.

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 15 May, 1972: So far prasada distribution, it is not a question of rich or poor. That will be Karma Kanda. Our program therefore is that we offer prasada to everyone. Make our temple so nice that everyone who comes is offered some prasada. Not that we are after poor men. It is nice that we are feeding 200 daily, but gradually try to increase. But do not advertise, we shall be self-advertising. And do not go to poor areas, this is not our philosophy. Our philosophy is prasada distribution, without discrimination rich or poor.

Regarding Ksirodakasayi's statement that only Indian's have access to becoming pure devotees, I never said or supported such thing. That is not our philosophy. Lord Caitanya made the statement that anyone who knows Krsna science, he can become a pure devotee.

Letter to Gurudasa -- London 1 August, 1972: Regarding Ksirodakasayi's statement that only Indian's have access to becoming pure devotees, I never said or supported such thing. That is not our philosophy. Lord Caitanya made the statement that anyone who knows Krsna science, he can become a pure devotee. So far Ksirodakasayi returning to Vrindaban, that has not yet been settled up. After I have discussed this matter thoroughly with Ksirodakasayi, I will let you know. But one thing is, why there should be disagreement between you? Our process is to work cooperatively, otherwise how the things will go on? And whether Acyutananda will stick there? If you and Acyutananda can manage, then there is no need of Ksirodakasayi coming there.