Alas (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"alas"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.): Translation: "Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness."

Prabhupāda:

aho bata mahat-pāpaṁ

kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam

yad rājya-sukha-lobhena

hantuṁ svajanam udyatāḥ

(BG 1.44)

So sometimes Arjuna is accused, Bhagavad-gītā is also accused, that "There is violence. There is violence. Bhagavad-gītā is full of violence." Yes, it is full of violence. The warfield. But here the Vaiṣṇava thinking, Arjuna is thinking that it was arranged for his rājya-sukha. Yad rājya-sukha-lobhena. Lobhena. It was arranged for the satisfaction of Arjuna so that he could enjoy the kingdom and the happiness thereof. Actually, it was not so. It was arranged by Kṛṣṇa for His satisfaction, not for Arjuna's satisfaction. So that is the difference between ordinary work and devotional service. Devotional service and ordinary work, they look almost equal. Just like we are living in this house. The neighbors, they may think that "Some people are living here, chanting, dancing. We also dance. We also sometimes sing. And eating, they are also eating. Then what is the difference?" They may think that "What is the difference between devotional service and ordinary work?" It looks almost equal. Therefore people misunderstand that Bhagavad-gītā is ordinary warfare, violence. But it is not that. It is arranged by Kṛṣṇa because, to fulfill His mission.

Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973:

So loke vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā nityas tu jantuḥ. This is propensity. Material life means every living entity has got these propensities. But they have to be restricted. Pravṛttiḥ eṣaṁ bhūtānām.(?) That is natural instinct. But if you can stop them, that is your excellence. That is called tapasya. Tapasya means I have got naturally some propensity, but that is not good. Not good in this sense, if we continue that propensity, then we have to accept this material body. This is the law of nature. There is a verse, pramattaḥ. What is called, that...? Now I'm forgetting that. That everyone is mad, mad after sense gratification. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ. So long we'll continue this propensity of sense enjoyment, you'll have to accept body. That is birth and death. So long. Therefore, the process should be how to make zero all these propensities. That is perfection. Not to enhance it. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). Nūnam, alas, indeed, pramattaḥ, these madmen. They are mad, those who are after these propensities, vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā, sex, intoxication and meat-eating. They're all madmen. Pramattaḥ. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma means activities which are prohibited. We see, for these three things, āmiṣa-mada-sevayā, for sex life, for meat-eating, for drinking, people are working. Not only working, dishonestly working. How to get money, how to get money, the black market, white market, this, that, only for these three things: āmiṣa-mada-sevā. Meat-eating, intoxication. (break) Why? Āmiṣa-mada-sevayā. Simply for this sex, meat-eating and drinking. Āmiṣa-mada-sevayā. In the Vedic literature, they have studied analytically, not now, since very, very long time. You see? This is natural inclination. The creation is not new. There were many, many creations.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

That is the defect of modern civilization. They are going to hell, and they're thinking they're advanced. This is the defect. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇā... Carvita-carvaṇa means chewing the chewed. Actually, we see. The advanced thieves, rascals... I heard. Who told me? In Paris, there are clubs, very, very big men, politician, businessmen, they go to night club. They pay fifty dollars for entering club, and they spend hundreds of dollars for wine and women. What is that term? Topless, bottomless. Yes. Just see the rascaldom. He has got wife. The same sex pleasure. Again, they are going to the night club. This is called carvita-carvaṇa, chewing the chewed. The rascal does not know, "What great pleasure I shall get there, in the nightclub?" The same thing. But they have no other ways of thinking. They have no information that there is another pleasure, which is transcendental pleasure, which is better than this material pleasure. They have no information. Therefore rascals. Old man, he's going also for the same thing. He cannot enjoy, but he'll spend, say five hundred dollars, thousand dollars, for nothing, and waste time. This is called carvita-carvaṇānām. And why do they do? Adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means senses. Cannot control the senses. This is the defect. Because these rascals cannot control the senses, remain the same cats and dogs. Just like the dogs, the cats, they cannot control their senses. On the street they have sex life. And human being also, in the Western country, I have seen. In the open street, open beach, they are having. How horrible it is. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30).

Therefore, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is needed—to give these rascals the chance of associating with devotees. This is this business, mission. Otherwise, they are going to hell. In spite of their so-called civilization, motor tire civilization, they'll go to hell. But they cannot understand. They're thinking, "Oh, these people are crazy. Let us enjoy. After this life, everything is finished. So long this life is there, better enjoy. Let us enjoy." That is explained: yad indriya-prītaye. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Oh, alas, these rascals, they have become mad, pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ means mad. Mattaḥ means mad. And pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa, still more, still more. A mad man, he's not so harmful. He is... Sometimes he becomes naked and goes to the street and talks nonsense. That much. But this man, although he's dressing like a gentleman, and talking of scientific and philosophy, but he is simply after this sex pleasure, pramattaḥ. He has no other... So therefore this word has been used—pramattaḥ. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa mattaḥ.