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Unfortunate (Lectures, Other)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reading) Page xxi. "In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Kṛṣṇa the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here it is stated, "It is..., it is a fortunate person." Not the unfortunate. "It is the fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master." This question, we were just discussing before coming to the class, how to select a bona fide spiritual master. So that is not very difficult. Just like in our ordinary business life, we accept somebody as representative of the firm who is actually come, canvassing for the benefit of the firm. He's representative. Suppose he's representing some book seller, publisher, so he should canvass for selling the books published by his firm, not for anything else. Suppose he has taken the advantage of becoming representative of a business firm, but he's doing his own business. He's not bona fide. He's not bona fide. So real guru is Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

Because as soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of my misfortune. So in order to be, in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṇa māyā..., ataeva māyā tāre galila baddhiya (?). Some way or other, we forgot Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunate because we are, even we have got this opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to avoid Him. We are bringing so many nonsense things: "Why not this? Why not that? Why not...?" This is misfortune. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. But we are presenting, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

Just like in English word, "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Is it not? "Man is the architect of his own fortune." But if you, as you are architect of your own fortune, you are architect of your own misfortune also. So if you don't accept Kṛṣṇa's advice, then you must consider yourself unfortunate. We should be cautious: "Why shall I become unfortunate? I must become fortunate." So that, to become fortunate, is not very difficult thing. All these Kṛṣṇa consciousness people, they are fortunate. They have taken Kṛṣṇa's advice as it is, without any change. They're fortunate. And that is being manifested, that they are fortunate.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

So here, everyone has got intelligence. At least, he thinks that he is very intelligent. Everyone thinks. Although he's fool number one, he thinks himself as very intelligent. Because intelligence is there. But when the intelligence is used for material fortune, that is unfortunate. When intelligence used for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is fortune. So we can set up our own fortune or misfortune. The fortune means that we must be serious after hearing about Kṛṣṇa. One must be serious. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if we are intelligent, we should seriously think over this proposal. Why Kṛṣṇa said, "Give up everything and surrender unto Me"? There is sufficient reason.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

"Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth. I bow down my head upon Your lotus..." That is real jñāna. That is jñāna. Otherwise, ajñāna.

But they are accepting ajñāna as jñāna. To accept ajñāna as jñāna is the most unfortunate position. That is not jñāna. Real jñāna is how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. So this is jñāna. For yogi, this instruction also is there. Karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. There are four classes of men, transcendentalists. They're all transcendentalists, culturing spiritual... That's, that's all right. But even in the spiritual cultivation, there is superior, inferior. Not exactly superior or inferior, because that is the material. But still there are classification.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

And if we present the philosophy in correct viewpoint, people will accept it. And people will accept it, and people from all parts of the world will come to Vṛndāvana. Because they are hearing about Vṛndāvana, about Kṛṣṇa, naturally they are very much anxious to visit. But if we do not receive them nicely, if we remain sectarian, oh, it will be an unfortunate thing. That is my request. Those who are inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they should be prepared to receive these foreigners, who are being educated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They should come here to visit; so they should be received, they should be welcomed. That is my request. Yes. Next.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

"Don't keep yourself in darkness," darkness of ignorance. But jyotir gamaḥ: "Go to the light." That is the Vedic injunction.

So the best knowledge, He's giving, Kṛṣṇa Himself: Bhagavad-gītā. He's coming personally to give knowledge. But we are so unfortunate, we are not accepting the knowledge given by Kṛṣṇa. We are hankering after some other knowledge given by some defective human being. A human being cannot give us any perfect knowledge. Therefore all the scientists' statements, all the philosophers' statements, they are simply theories; they are not fact. Because the knowledge is not perfect. Perfect knowledge can be had from one who is not defective.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

"Everything is medicine; whichever bottle I take, that's all right." No. That's not. This is going on. Yata mata tata patha. Why yata mata tata patha? The particular mata which is suitable for you at a particular time, that should be accepted, not any other mata. So similarly, in this age, in this Kali-yuga, where people are very short-living, duration of life is very short, they are unfortunate, they're very slow, and they take to unauthorized means of religious principles, they're prone to so many disturbances of life... Therefore this particular medicine for this age, as given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:

Don't be slow. We should be always very expertly alert not a single moment is wasted. Jayatāṁ suratau paṅgor mama manda-mater gatī. We are very slow, especially in the spiritual matter. Practically there is no intention all over the world. They do not know that the real business is spiritual advancement of life. They are so in darkness. Very unfortunate time, this Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). Now if they want to utilize, they manufacture some new ways of spiritual advancement. This is another difficulty. So many rascals, yogis, swamis, Transcendental Meditation, this, that, avatāras. Always ready to mislead you, always. If one is little inclined that "Let me do something, spiritually advance," this rascal will mislead. Very difficult position. Therefore, the best thing is to surrender to Madana-mohana, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

Especially in this age the people are manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. We have got so much assets to know from the Vedic literature, but they are so unfortunate, they do not take advantage. They do not take advantage. Manda, manda. Manda, slow, and manda-bhāgyā. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. They'll read so many bogus literature to waste their time, but they'll not take to the Vedic literature, even the simple book, Bhagavad-gītā, wherein everything is very nicely described, how we should lead our life, how we should utilize the benefit of human life. Everything is described there, but they are manda. They will take interpretation of a rascal of Bhagavad-gītā. Sumanda-matayo.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

Even they read Bhagavad-gītā, they will read some rascaldom. Sumanda-matayo. The Māyāvādī philosophy, they will take it, not Kṛṣṇa's philosophy. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa's book, but interpreting in the Māyāvādīc way. Therefore sumanda-matayo. Their intelligence is very bad. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā. And the unfortunate. In India there are so many Vedic literatures, full of treasure house of transcendental knowledge. But manda-bhāgyās they will read Lenin's literature. Just see how much unfortunate they have become. As if Lenin can speak more than Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. Manda... Not only here, everywhere, all the parts of the world, they are manda-bhāgyā. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

Kṛṣṇa is always prepared to accept you. He's always prepared. But because He has given us independence, we misuse it and we fall under the clutches of māyā. That is our misfortune. We create this misfortune, and we can create our good fortune. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." So if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, it is to your good fortune. If you become māyā conscious, it is to your bad fortune. You are the creator.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

As Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), so he accepted that. That is Bhagavad-gītā reading, not that "It is not to person Kṛṣṇa; it is to His self," and this and that. No. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

So it is very unfortunate that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accepted by all the ācāryas, not only at the present age, previously also... Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, they are all great ācāryas. And in the recent years, Śaṅkarācārya, he also admitted. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya—all these authorities, they are accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

So therefore it is called manda-bhāgyā, that this... Each word of the Vedic scriptures is so nice. In spite of... In America I have seen. In spite of ample money and resources, some people have voluntarily accepted to remain as very poor and wretched. Voluntarily. They like that. They have no systematic life. Therefore Bhāgavata says, manda-bhāgyā. If we are unfortunate, even despite all facilities, we cannot be able to accept it. That is called misfortune. Not that in the absence of money and other facilities, one becomes unfortunate, but even in the presence of all these things, one is unfortunate. That is the characteristics of this age. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

And everyone has got a sumanda-mata. Mata means opinion or system which is also sumanda. Not only mandāḥ but sumanda. Everyone is manufacturing a type of Bhagavān, a type of religious system. That is not bona fide at all. Sumanda-matayo. Mandāḥ sumanda matayo. And everyone is unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate in this sense: they do not know what is the aim of life, how human life should make progress.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

This child should be moved. So ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva. So one who takes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becoming happy, more and more happy. Karma-bandha. Narottama bhāgyavān jīva. Not the dur-bhāgyavān, jīva. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). Those who are unfortunate, they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Kono bhāgyavān jīva. Kono means somebody. That is also not all. That is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many, many millions of persons, one wants to become perfect or bhagavān. And yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing, kono bhāgyavān jīva. Not always. Not the manda-bhāgyā. Sa bhagavān.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.294-298 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

The part is to serve the whole. We are part and parcel. So this is a chance. This manifestation of this material world is a chance to have that opportunity. And especially this human form of life is a, the boon for understanding this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we miss this opportunity, then we are unfortunate. Unfortunate.

puruṣāvatārera ei kailuṅ nirūpaṇa
līlāvatāra ebe śuna, sanātana

Now I described about the three puruṣa incarnations. What is that? Mahā-Viṣṇu... Yes. Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, or Mahā-Viṣṇu; then Garbhodakaśāyī, or Hiraṇyagarbha; Kṣīrodakaśāyī or the Supersoul, antaryāmi.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

So the author of this Caitanya-caritāmṛta is offering his respectful obeisances unto Lord Caitanya. So he says, agaty-eka-gatiṁ natvā. Agaty, persons who have fallen, who have no hope for reaching the supreme destination, for them Lord Caitanya is the only hope. In this age, it is stated in authoritative scriptures, in this age the people are unfortunate. Of course, they are very much proud of advancing. From spiritual point of view, the people of this age, Kali-yuga, they are unfortunate. Their description is given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Second Chapter, First Canto, that people are short-living, their duration of life is very short, and they are very slow in the matter of spiritual realization. The human form of life is especially meant for spiritual realization, but they have forgotten that aim of life. They are very much serious about maintaining about the necessities of this body, which he's not. And if somebody's interested to have some taste of spiritual realization, they are misdirected.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

And they are unfortunate; upadrutāḥ, and always disturbed by so many things.

So this is the position of the present-day population, and the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he says that Lord Caitanya is the only hope for these people. Why? Because spiritual realization is not an ordinary subject matter. But He has given us the shortcut. He's so kind to the people of the world that simply He has introduced this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. By simple chanting of this transcendental vibration the people of this age will make exact progress in the matter of spiritual realization. Therefore this reference is there, agaty-eka-gatim.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971:

I am the banyan Tree, so many thing. Kṛṣṇa has described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So in the beginning, if one is not fortunate enough to see Kṛṣṇa, although He is sitting in this temple, let him see Kṛṣṇa in this way. If he's not fortunate to come here and to see Kṛṣṇa, take prasādam, and dance in ecstasy, then let his unfortunate condition be diminished by seeing Kṛṣṇa in water, in sunshine, in moonshine, in this and that.

Kṛṣṇa is visible, but Kṛṣṇa is visible to the devotees. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25), I am not exposed to everyone, yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ, covered by the curtain of yoga-māyā. But those who have developed love of Kṛṣṇa, for them, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). One who has developed love of Kṛṣṇa, he can see Kṛṣṇa within his heart twenty-four hours.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

"Oh, I am so unfortunate that I did not get any attachment for chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Saṁsāra-dāvānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jwale. The saṁsāra, this material world, is very uncomfortable place. Everyone is always full of anxiety. However rich you may be, however powerful you may be, but the anxiety must be there. You can understand, your president Nixon, how much anxiety he had when all people wanted him to come down. So this material world means in whichever position you may be situated, it doesn't matter. It is full of anxiety. This is called blazing fire, always burning the heart. So if you want to get relief from this uncomfortable position of anxiety, then you must take to this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

So we're very shocked and astonished that so many people are coming to the West, to the United States, and posing as holy men and simply making business, charging money, and giving somebody some magical formula whereby they can become God in half of a year. And so many people who are sincere seekers are being deluded, and this is very unfortunate. There is said to be two classes of men. One class of men is satisfied with his existence. He goes from one pleasure to another. From the cinema to the restaurant to sports, from one to the other. "I can't wait to finish one to go to the next," and still he's saying, "I'm happy. I'm satisfied." And there's another class of men that is not satisfied. These men are searching, that there is always something on his mind. He is thinking, "There must be something behind all of this. That I can look at all of this as a unified whole."

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

First meeting, perhaps you know, he asked me to preach. So at that time I was young man, only twenty-five years old, and I was also householder. So I should have joined and executed his desire immediately, but due to my ill luck I could not immediately execute his order, but it was in my heart that it is to be done. So better late than never, I executed his order at the age of seventy years, not at the age of twenty-five. So actually I wasted so much time, I can understand that. From twenty... The message was there when I was twenty-five years old, but I began at the age of seventy years. But I did not forget the message. Otherwise, how could I do? That was, that is a fact. I was simply finding out the opportunity, how to do it.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

Where is the difficulty? Now ask him how he is happy. The whole family is happy. Not only he. But his wife, his children, everyone is happy. Practical. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And if you cannot do anything, simply come and offer your obeisances: "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am so poor, so unfortunate, I cannot do all these things, but I offer my humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet." That much also. If you do this, you become spiritual master.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

You cannot give up in any stage of life, but because the yajñas mentioned in the Vedas it is not possible to perform in this age Kali-yuga because they are mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). In this age people may advertise themselves they are making very good progress. They are all unfortunate, disturbed. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ. Manda-bhāgyāḥ means unfortunate. And upadrutāḥ, always disturbed. This is the position of the people in this age. How they can perform the Vedic ritualistic ceremony? It is not possible. So this is the yajña. So yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ, you keep Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and perform yajña, the saṅkīrtana-yajña before Him, and you become all perfect. So easy. So easy.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

It is not possible. So this is the yajña. So yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ, you keep Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and perform yajña, the saṅkīrtana-yajña before Him, and you become all perfect. So easy. So easy. Because you cannot give up yajña. But in this age, Kali-yuga, people are so unfortunate, so rubbish, that it is not possible to perform the Vedic ritualistic yajña. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has given you the opportunity that you can perform. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). Makha means yajña. That was performed in the Tretā-yuga. And in the Satya-yuga, meditation. In the Dvāpara-yuga, Deity worship. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In the Kali-yuga, simply by kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51). And this is the śāstra's injunction.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- New Delhi, November 10, 1971:

I have read in one government paper, Kṛṣṇa's (indistinct) or something black of origin. And people are sophisticated to worship Him. Such article has been published by the government. And average Indian can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This is our intelligence, and there in the government also. So it is very unfortunate that we are not taking care of our own treasure-house of knowledge, and we are trying to get knowledge from technology and be happy. This, there is no question of peace unless you understand Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975:

Unfortunate. Illogical argument means unfortunate. Rascals. Therefore we say plainly, "You are all rascals." That's all. You have no discrimination. Anyone who does not believe as He is, he's a rascal. That's all. He may be happy or sorry. You don't mind. You don't make compromise. At least I do not do. If you have not full faith in Kṛṣṇa, then you are a rascal, that's all, whatever you may be. The Dr. Patel does not like this, but he does not protest to me. As others say, he protests by that. It is a fact. We have no difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa and thus make our life successful. But we unnecessarily bring arguments, impediments to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are unfortunate, envious of Kṛṣṇa.

Initiation Lectures

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

"Oh, this is very difficult. Let me pay thirty-five dollars and solve it, make a solution." You see? So they want to be cheated. They are called manda-matayo. And cheaters come and cheat them. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyā means they are unfortunate also. Even God comes and canvasses Himself, "Please come to Me," oh, they don't care for it. You see? Therefore unfortunate. If somebody comes and offers you one million dollars, if you say, "I don't like it," then are you not unfortunate? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(CC Adi 17.21)

"For self-realization simply you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and see the result." No. They'll not accept. Therefore unfortunate. If you are canvassing the best thing, the easiest process, but they'll not accept, they want to be cheated... You see? Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).

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

You see? Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). And harassed by so many things—this Draft Board, this board, that board, this, that, so many things. This is their position. Short life, very slow, no understanding, and if they want to understand, they want to be cheated, they are unfortunate, and disturbed. This is the position of the present days. It doesn't matter whether you are born in America or in India, this is the whole position.

So there is a great need of this movement, and we are spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and this is practical, very easy, and just suitable for this age. It doesn't consider how much you are qualified. It doesn't consider. Whatever your past life may be, you simply come here, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with your tongue—God has given you a tongue—and taste Kṛṣṇa prasāda, Love Feast, and make your life successful. Very easy process. So this is our program.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Lord Caitanya says that in this age, when our life is very short, we are not very much enlightened in spiritual matters and we are very lazy at the same time, and at the same time we are unfortunate, so under these conditions the people are recommended simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Now this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, you may say that "This 'Kṛṣṇa' is Indian name or Hindu name. Why shall we chant 'Kṛṣṇa'?" But if you have got any name of God, you can chant that also. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that God has millions and billions of names. So any name is as good as "Kṛṣṇa." It doesn't matter. Then why we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Because we are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya, and He chanted this holy name, we are chanting. So we shall request you most humbly that it is..., there is no loss on your part, but the gain is immense.

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

There are four classes of men. They are called persons with pious activities on the background. Without pious activities on the background, nobody is interested in the science of God. And those who are unfortunate or impelled by impious activities, they do not believe in God. They never care for God. And this class of men are always known as atheist class of men.

So, so far atheist class of men, it is very difficult for them to understand. But atheist or theist, it doesn't matter. Everyone is conscious. That is a fact. It doesn't matter whether you believe in God or do not believe in God, but you are conscious. As soon as I pinch in any part of your body, you at once protest. You feel that "Somebody is pinching me. I am feeling pain."

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

"The breathing exercise and meditation practices of yoga are very difficult in this age. It was difficult even five thousand years ago, or else Arjuna would not have rejected the proposal of Kṛṣṇa. This age of Kali is called the fallen age. At the present moment people in general are short-living, are very slow in understanding self-realization or spiritual life. They are most unfortunate, and as such, if somebody is a little bit interested in self-realization, he is misguided by so many frauds. The only actual way to realization of the perfect stage of yoga is to follow the principles of the Bhagavad-gītā as they were practiced by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is the simplest and highest perfection of yoga practice. Lord Caitanya practically demonstrated Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga simply by chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa as they were mentioned in the Vedānta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and many important Purāṇas.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971:

I'm unfortunate, you are born of my womb. So, so you cannot." Then, "I must have." The boy was very insistent, kṣatriya boy. "Then Kṛṣṇa helps you, then you can. Otherwise how, you cannot." Then he went to search out Kṛṣṇa in the jungle and he searched out. When he saw Kṛṣṇa he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42), no more I want it, no more I want it." This is the process. So, pure bhakti is without any desire, but even if you are filled up with desires, you go to Kṛṣṇa. Don't go to other demigods.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

So as recommended by Prahlāda Mahārāja, this study of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa should be introduced in the schools and colleges. I wanted to speak to the Vice Chancellor, and I expected him today, but he did not come. This is our unfortunate. I do not know why he avoided, but never mind; you try to understand. Don't spoil your children. The modern educational system without any knowledge of Bhagavān, I may tell you frankly, not only in India, everywhere, they are practically slaughterhouse. Because in our country, it is a different thing; at least we have got the Vedic culture at home if it is not in the schools. But in other countries, because there is no bhāgavata-dharma culture, the students, although they are provided with ample opportunity for education, the nicest educational system, nice building, nice facilities, everything nice, unfortunately the products are coming out frustrated, confused young men, and some of them are called hippies.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

This is the way of śānti. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for actual peace and prosperity. Now if we are unfortunate, if we do not take this movement very seriously, that is a different thing. But actually this movement is on sound basis of Vedic knowledge, and it is very scientific. Any scientist, any philosopher can scrutinizingly study this movement. We have got book, very big, big books, four hundred, five hundred pages, one dozen books. If you have time, you read this philosophy, this science, and try to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But it is not a new movement. It is already known in India. Unfortunately, we Indian people, we are rejecting. That is our misfortune. Our misfortune is, as it is said, (Hindi). We have kicked out our own culture; now we are trying to develop another culture from other spheres of the world.

Lecture -- Vrndavana, March 14, 1974:

This Kali-yuga is a ocean of fault, simply faulty. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). In this Kali-yuga people are..., duration of life is very short; and still, they are slow, mandāḥ, all bad; sumanda-matayo, and they have their different concoctions of ideology and philosophy, sumanda-matayo; manda-bhāgyā, very unfortunate; and upadrutāḥ, always disturbed. This is the position of this age. Therefore this Kali-yuga is full of faulty atmosphere. Kalau doṣa-nidhe rājann. Doṣa-nidhe: ocean of faults. But there is one opportunity. What is that opportunity? The opportunity is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, who is teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Distributing kṛṣṇa-prema. So in this Kali-yuga, although it is very faulty, people are very, very degraded, less than animals, still there is a great opportunity. And this opportunity is kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51).

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

Unfortunately, so many persons go there. One big swami, he said that "Kṛṣṇa means black, and black means unknown." Of course, nobody cares for his speech. Kṛṣṇa is going on, forward. Everyone is accepting Kṛṣṇa. But this is the most unfortunate thing, that our men go there to deprecate Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should very carefully try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is presented by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). This should be preached, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme, ultimate. Ahaṁ saravsya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Even Brahman, Paramātmā, has also come from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ultimate. He says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). He is the supreme of all the demigods. There is no need of worshiping any other demigod. Kṛṣṇa says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanty anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20).

Subha Vilasa Home Engagement -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

Indian man (1): Most fortunate men try to follow Kṛṣṇa. The unfortunate...

Prabhupāda: So anyway, now it is Śubha Vilāsa Prabhu's duty to bring these imitation Kṛṣṇas.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Guest: Many, many good bhaktas are being spoiled by impersonalists nowadays...

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are personalist or impersonalist? He is personalist. (laughter) Hari-nāma karo (Hindi). So, another kīrtana? (end)

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

Kalau, in this Kali-yuga, when people are very, very fallen... Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very unfortunate also, and manda-bhāgyā, and although unfortunate, they are disturbed by so many external factors. So it is very difficult to execute yoga system or yajña system, sacrifice. It is very costly affair. Or even arcana, temple worship, it is also very difficult, because people are not very much interested even, worshiping the Deity in the temple. In India there are thousands and thousands of temples, temple or mosque or church, at the same time, for offering prayers, obeisances to the Lord. People are losing interest in that arcana-mārga. There are many temples I have seen, there is no caretaker. People are losing interest. Many temples. They are open; a dog is living within the temple and passing stool. I have seen it.

Lecture Excerpt -- London, July 25, 1976:

They have been described as mandāḥ. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). By becoming manda... Manda means bad, very bad. In Bengali there are two words, bhāga, manda, good and bad. So the manda, this word, has come from manda, Sanskrit word. So not this... The general people, all manda-short-living, wretched, unfortunate, misguided. So mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā. They are not fortunate. Mostly they are wretched. You'll find on the street so many wretched. So this is the position of the Kali-yuga. And they are not living also very many days. Still, they are against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the position. They are suffering, but still, they are... Dog's obstinacy. This is the position.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

This is already foretold in the śāstras. So therefore in this age we are all short-living, mandāḥ, very slow or bad, and sumanda-matayo. Everyone has got a obnoxious opinion about philosophy, about the goal of life. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo, and manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate also. The description, if we try to describe, it will take long time. The short-cut description is there: mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. At the same time, disturbed always. This material world means always disturbed condition, but in this age, Kali-yuga, the disturbance is more and more.

So under the circumstances, it is out of Kṛṣṇa's kindness that making Arjuna as a target of His instruction, Bhagavad-gītā, He has given us this valuable instruction. We should accept it as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without any malinterpretation. Take Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

The guru word is there. Guru Kṛṣṇa. If you are actually hankering after Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa is within yourself—He will give you a guru. He will give you a guru. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. But we must be fortunate to get real guru. If I am unfortunate, I'll not get a guru. Otherwise why Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151)? Mālī hañā se bīja kariya āropaṇa. In this way you'll find in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He accepted guru, Īśvara Purī. He is Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Ajanta Caves. Ajanta Caves. Why that is? So artistic. He's unfortunate, he's simply excavated caves...

Śyāmasundara: I read about the paint in that cave. They don't know how it's still preserved. There's no chemical that they have today that will preserve paint so long.

Prabhupāda: So he's unfortunate. He could not find out Ajanta Cave; he found out some monkey's cave, that's all.

Karandhara: The Egyptians had geometric techniques that they're even..., they don't understand. They discount them...

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: He says that the next stage of evolution, the qualities of the next stage we cannot know at this point.

Prabhupāda: No. He cannot... He does not know, but we know. (chuckles) He has no... He is unfortunate. He has no connection with Kṛṣṇa; therefore he does not know. But one who has got Kṛṣṇa as his master, as his teacher, he knows everything. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. This is the Vedic injunction. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you understand everything. That's all.

Śyāmasundara: He says that man, being a part of God, that he is capable of cooperating with God to make further progress in the universe.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: That's right. There are souls, innumerable souls. Anantāya kalpate. Nobody can count how many souls are there. So all the souls are as described above. They have got the same qualities of the One, in minute quantity, but some of them are fallen. Just like in the fire there are so many sparks, but one or two may fall down from the fire. Others remains in the fire. Those who are not falling down, they are called nitya-mukta, everlastingly liberated. They are never conditioned. And those who have fallen within this material world for sense gratification, they are baddha. They are called nitya-baddha, eternally conditioned. And eternally means that nobody can estimate how long one conditioned soul within this material world is existing here, because the creation is going on perpetually—sometimes manifest, sometimes nonmanifest. But the conditioned soul without Kṛṣṇa consciousness is continuing to exist in this material world. Before the creation he was there in dormant condition. Again with the manifestation he comes out. This is going on. They are conditioned. And for their deliverance that One, Supreme Personality, comes, descends, sends His incarnation, sends His devotee to call him back to home, back to Godhead. That is also going on. Those who are fortunate, they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead, and those who are unfortunate do not take advantage of the instruction personally given by God, and later on His devotees are engaged to preach, they do not take care; they remain conditioned within this material world.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: This is very good. First of all they must know what is the welfare of the human being. Unfortunately, with advancement of so-called material education, the human society is missing the aim of life. The aim of life is declared openly in the Vedānta philosophy, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the aim of human life. In the Bhāgavata it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth. That is the aim of human life. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this principle. But on account of deviating from the original Vedic civilization, they have dedicated the human form of life in so many unnecessary scientific discoveries, that discovery, which will not give him any relief to the human society. The real tribulation of life is birth, death and disease and old age. So the so-called advancement of material civilization has not solved the real problem of life, and the aim of human life is to solve the real problem of human life. The real problem of life, that we are eternal, as eternal as God, but we are subjected to birth and death. So with the poor fund of knowledge in the Kali-yuga, people being very bad, or slow for self-realization, and they create their own way of life, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10), and they are unfortunate and, and disturbed.

Purports to Songs

Purport Excerpt to Sri Sri Siksastakam -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1968:

It is the life of all transcendental knowledge, it increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it helps to have a taste of the full nectar for which we are always anxious. Second verse. Oh my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction upon the living beings and therefore You have hundreds and millions of names like Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, etc. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies and there is no hard and fast rule for chanting these holy names. Oh my Lord, You have so kindly made approach to You easy by Your holy names, but unfortunate as I am, I have no attraction for them. Three. One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street, more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

Page Title:Unfortunate (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:11 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=48, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:48