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Animal nature means

Expressions researched:
"Animal nature means"


Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Animal nature means their own satisfaction. There is no question of "My friend, my family members." Even, they do not share even with their own children. You might have seen. If there is some foodstuff, the dog and the dog's children, everyone is trying to take in his own side. This is animal.
Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

So this problem of fighting... We have to understand that fighting spirit is there in everyone. You cannot check it, you cannot stop it. We do not say stop. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "You stop this thing," but that is not possible. You cannot stop. Because you are living entity, you have got all these propensities. How you can stop it? But it should be utilized properly. That's all. You have got the fighting spirit. How to utilize it? Yes. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura recommends, krodha bhakta-dveṣī-jane: "Those who are envious of God or God's devotee, you can utilize your anger upon them." You can utilize. The anger you cannot give up. Our business is how to utilize it. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything has to be utilized. We do not say that "You stop this, stop that." No. Kṛṣṇa says, yat karoṣi, yaj juhosi, yad aśnāsi, yat tapasyasi kuruśva tad mad-arpanam (BG 9.27). Yat karoṣi. Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You do this, you do that." He says, "Whatever you do, but the result should come to Me." So here the position is that Arjuna is to fight not for himself, but he is only thinking in terms of himself. He says, te avasthitaḥ pramukhe dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ, yān eva hatvā na jijīviṣāmas: (BG 2.6) "They are my brothers, relatives. If they die... We do not wish to die. Now they are in my front. I have to kill them?" So still he is thinking in terms of his own satisfaction. He is preparing the background—how materialistic persons, they think in the terms of personal satisfaction. So that has to be given up. Not personal satisfaction, Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whatever you do, it doesn't matter. You have to test it, whether you are doing it for Kṛṣṇa. That is your perfection. Not only perfection, that is the perfection of your mission of human life. This human life is meant for that purpose. Because less than human form, the animal life, they are trained, perfection of sense gratification, personal satisfaction. They have no such feeling that "Other animals also..." When there is some eatable, one dog, he will think "How I can get it?" He will never think how other dogs also will be able to take it. This is not animal nature. Animal nature means their own satisfaction. There is no question of "My friend, my family members." Even, they do not share even with their own children. You might have seen. If there is some foodstuff, the dog and the dog's children, everyone is trying to take in his own side. This is animal. So when this thing is changed for Kṛṣṇa, that is human life. That is the distinction between animal life. So that is very difficult also. Therefore the whole education is there, Bhagavad-gītā, how to teach people, "Act for Kṛṣṇa, act for God, not for your personal interest. Then you'll be entangled." Yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Anything you do, it will produce some reaction, and you have to enjoy or suffer that reaction. Anything you do. But if you do for Kṛṣṇa, there is no more reaction. That is your freedom. Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam (BG 2.50). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yoga, when you are in contact with Kṛṣṇa, that is the secret of success in this material world, working. Otherwise whatever you are doing, whatever you are working, it will produce some reaction and you will have to enjoy or suffer.

Page Title:Animal nature means
Compiler:Rishab
Created:09 of Oct, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1