Chant chant chant, Can't can't can't

Expressions researched:
"Can't can't can't" |"Can't, can't, can't" |"Chant chant chant" |"Chant, chant, chant"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973:

Prabhupāda: By utilizing our tongue, we can become perfect. This is also unknown to the modern science. By utilizing the tongue, one can become perfect. Yes. This is the process. If by the tongue you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and by the tongue you taste prasādam, you will be perfect, simply by executing these two things. Do not accept anything, do not allow the tongue to touch anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. This is one item. And another item—engage the tongue, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You become perfect. Is it very difficult task? Anyone can do. Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, anyone can chant. And nice prasādam, anyone can take. And actually, it is happening so. How these European, American boys and girls, they are advancing, they are realizing? Simply by that process, tongue: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, take prasādam. So you can introduce this process all over the world. Give them chance to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. But it is difficult also. There was a cartoon? That one...?

Haṁsadūta: Hayagrīva...?

Prabhupāda: No, no, that one old lady is requesting her husband, "Chant chant chant," and the husband is replying, "Can't can't can't." (laughter). There was a cartoon. So we are requesting everyone, "Please chant," and they are replying, "Can't." Still, they will not chant. This is the difficulty. Otherwise, we can deliver all the people on this earth back to home, back to Godhead, simply by this process. Chant and take prasādam.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without any interpretation. Kṛṣṇa says: "I am the Supreme Person," we say: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person." Kṛṣṇa says that He's the background of this cosmic manifestation. We present: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all material cosmic manifestation." This is our program. So our only request is those who are intelligent persons, let them understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not meant for the foolish person. Because foolish person cannot understand. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). The foolish person, after endeavoring many thousands of births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, if he's actually inquisitive, jñānī,... Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ ca bharatarṣabha. Four classes of men, they become inquisitive to understand Kṛṣṇa or God. Ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. So ārto arthārthī, ordinary men, when one is in need of money, when one is in distress, they go to God for relief. But although they go to God for, with some motive, still they have been described as sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ, pious. Background is piety. Otherwise, nobody can go. And those who are duskṛtinaḥ, always engaged in sinful activities, they cannot go to Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Therefore, we first of all try to make people sukṛtinaḥ. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. He'll become sukṛtī. He'll get some pious assets. Then he'll be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced this method, and actually this method has been successful now all over the world. We began: "Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Simply Chant." So all these foreign students who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously, they began simply with chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult. Everyone can chant. What is the difficulty? Everyone can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare... Where is the difficulty? But they'll not chant. They'll not chant. They'll talk so many rubbish things, but as soon as you ask him to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, he'll be silent. That we have experienced. But still our thankless task is to induce everyone: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."

There is a cartoon picture in New York. One old man and his wife, sitting together. The wife is requesting the husband, old husband, "Chant, chant, chant," and the husband is replying: "Can't, can't, can't." This cartoon we have seen. So this is the... He will say three times: "Can't, can't, can't." But not "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." That is not possible. A similar story is there in the Bengal. One old mother was dying, and the sons requested the mother: "Mother, now you say 'Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa' ". So after requesting two, three times, mother became disgusted: atha katha nivalta nare.(?) So atha katha vibol ta parane(?) she could say. Not Hare Kṛṣṇa. Not Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the position.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi. "My dear Lord, You are so kind upon Me that You are giving Your association always, constantly. You are prepared. You are giving Durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ. But I am so unfortunate. I am not taking advantage of it." Durdaiva. Misfortune. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply requesting people: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."

There was a caricature-picture in some paper. Perhaps you remember. From Montreal or here, I don't remember. One old lady and her husband, sitting, face to face. The lady is requesting the husband: "Chant, chant, chant." And the husband is answering: "Can't, can't, can't." So this is going on. We are requesting everyone: "Please chant, chant, chant." And they are replying: "Can't, can't." This is their misfortune. This is their misfortune.

So still it is our duty to make all these misfortunate, unfortunate creatures fortunate. That is our mission. We therefore go in the street and chant. Although they say: "Can't," we go on chanting. That is our business. And, somehow or other, we push on some literature in his hand. He is becoming fortunate.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1975, Mayapur:

Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you said there was a man who read your Easy Journey, and he was very enthusiastic that he could go to other planets.

Prabhupāda: But you must come back. He said, "Oh, I am not coming back again?" "No." "No, no, then I don't want." Yes, that is the psychology. The Russians, when some aeronaut was flying high in the sky, he was seeing: "Where is my Moscow?" Yes, it was published. That is māyā. The... Another incidence happenned that when the jet was in danger, he was thinking of "How to come back home?" This is māyā. Cannot go. Even though you like to go, still, it will attract you again, back to hell. Otherwise, how people are living in—what is called? That place where is ice?

Haṁsadūta: Alaska.

Brahmānanda: Greenland.

Jagadisa: North Pole?

Prabhupāda: What is the name of those people?

Devotees: Eskimos.

Prabhupāda: Eskimos. Is that very good living? Just see. They won't come here. This is māyā. This is māyā. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. They, he's living in hell but māyā is covering: "No, it is not hell; it is heaven." This is māyā. Similarly all of us, we are living in this universe, material universe. We are thinking "This is all good. What is the use of God and going back to home, back to Godhead?" They do not take it very seriously. Although we give all information that "You'll haven't, you haven't got to work there. You'll get everything. Your life is eternal and blissful, and full of knowledge," they are not interested. Plugged.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Plugged.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Plugged ear, er, ears, yes. "You go on speaking, but I have plugged my ear." (laughter)

Trivikrama: "Chant, chant, chant."

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Can't, can't, can't." That's it. (laughter) This is going on. The best intelligence is that "We are hearing so much about the spiritual world; there is so much happiness. Why not try one life? Like cats and dogs, I have tried so many lives. Why not sacrifice one life? Where is the loss there?" But no, they are so many, fallen, they'll not accept.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Rāmeśvara: Actually, by reading your books millions of Americans are chanting.

Prabhupāda: Chanting?

Rāmeśvara: Just by reading your books it is chanting.

Prabhupāda: No...(?)

Rāmeśvara: Within the mind they are hearing the message of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: There are some cartoons. One old lady is requesting her husband, "Chant, Chant, Chant." and the husband is saying, "Can't, Can't, Can't." You did not see that?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And another big businessman, he is coming from business and sitting: "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" These cartoons are there.