Dangerous position (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"dangerous position" |"position dangerous" |"position is very dangerous"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

Sādhu is never disturbed. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). A sādhu, who has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, if he is placed in the severest type of dangerous condition, he is never disturbed. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even he was supplying with poison. He knew that "My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Kṛṣṇa likes, He will save me. I am now put into such dangerous position. I have to drink. Father is giving poison. Who can check?"

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

He knew that "My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Kṛṣṇa likes, He will save me. I am now put into such dangerous position. I have to drink. Father is giving poison. Who can check?" And such a big powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu. The mother cried, requested... He forced the mother, Prahlāda's mother, "Give your son this poison." So she begged so much, but he was a rascal demon. "No, you must give." So the mother knew, the son knew that the rascal father is giving this poison. What can he do, a small child? "All right, let me drink." Guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. He is not agitating. "All right, if Kṛṣṇa likes, I will live." This is the position of sādhu. He is not disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ. In all circumstances, he is tolerant. That is sādhu. Sādhu does not become disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ. At the same time, kāruṇikāḥ. He is himself disturbed, but he is merciful to others.

Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:

So that is the actual position. Na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād. Therefore he has approached Kṛṣṇa: śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7). "I, now I become your śiṣya." "Why you have come to Me?" "Because I know nobody else can save me from this dangerous position." This is real sense. Yac chokam ucchoṣaṇam indriyāṇām (BG 2.8). Ucchoṣaṇam. When we are put into great difficulties, it dries up the existence of the senses. No sense enjoyment also can make us happy. Ucchoṣaṇam indriyānām. Here happiness means sense gratification. Here... Actually this is not happiness. Real happiness is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: atīndriyam, sukham atyantīkaṁ yat tat atīndriyam (BG 6.21). Real happiness, atyantikam, the supreme happiness, is not enjoyed by the senses.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

So when we become very serious in a dangerous position, as if we are lost, but Kṛṣṇa smiles. You see? Sometimes we think... This is called illusion. The same example, just a man in dreaming, crying, "There is tiger, there is tiger. It is eating me," and the man who is awakened, he smiles, "Where is the tiger?" (chuckles) "Where is the tiger?" And this man is crying, "Tiger, tiger, tiger." Similarly, when we are very much perplexed...

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

So Haridāsa Ṭhākura was... He could understand that he is now in dangerous position. So he replied, "Sir, many Hindus also have become Muhammadan. So if some Muhammadan becomes Hindu, what is the harm?" "Oh, you are arguing?" Means he was to be punished. Give the dog a bad name and hang it.

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

This material world is supposed that every step there is danger. Just see. What we are doing? Innocent, culturing some spiritual process, and there are so many complaints. Just see. We are not stealing. We are not, I mean to say, making propaganda for some political purpose, nothing. Innocent thing we are doing. But still, somebody comes forward and puts some dangerous position. You see? So this is such a place. Lord Jesus Christ, his only fault was that he was preaching God's message. He was crucified. You see? So these things are... This place is like that. Even if you are innocent, still, you'll be put into danger. Therefore this place should be avoided. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām: "Every step there is danger."

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

So there is no rule, or hard-and-fast rule, for chanting. You just take to it as recommended by Kṛṣṇa here: sarveṣu kāleṣu—always, twenty-four hours. You'll be completely safe even in this dangerous position. You, you, you should always know that this material world is always dangerous position. Just like you started the peace movement. Why? You were thinking that danger is coming, danger is coming. Yes, at any moment, there may be danger of war declaration and all these innocent youths may be called to fight. So it is always, however you may think that "I am independent nation" and this and that, you should always remember that this material world is full of danger. It is a dangerous spot. Therefore, who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, who are devotee of Kṛṣṇa, for them, this dangerous place is not suitable. This dangerous... Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). Padaṁ padam.

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

It is a very dangerous type of civilization without any spiritual knowledge. Very, very dangerous position. Risky. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on authoritative basis trying to enlighten people to release him from these clutches of māyā and ignorance. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is authorized because we are speaking on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā. On the basis of Vedic knowledge. And Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of Vedic knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

So therefore, unless you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever you are acting in your daily life, it is sinful. And you are becoming complicated, involved. This is the... Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). This world is so made that in every step you are creating some dangerous position. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. This material world is like that.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

So these things are to be learned... Anye ajānantaḥ. People, generally, they do not know that they are in a dangerous position, this material life. Dangerous position means now you may think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that," "I am Birla," "I am big man," but after death, you have to accept another body. Tyaktvā deham... Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). There is dehāntara. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). (aside:) Call them to sit down.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

So this we must... Dangerous position means that we should not be very much satisfied or rest assured that "I am in very secure position because I am American or I am this, I am that." You are not in secure position. At any moment, this car, this body, functioning will stop, and you have to change. So therefore we do not know what kind of change is going there. It may be very nice change, or it may be very bad change. So therefore it is very dangerous position. It is very dangerous. You do not know. You have to know. You can know that if you follow the shastric injunctions in the Bhagavad-gītā. You do now know "what kind of body I am going to get next life," but you can know from Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot speculate, but you can know from Bhagavad-gītā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.4 -- Rome, May 28, 1974:

But that is not the fact. The fact is as you have changed so many bodies in this life, you have to change this body, you have to accept another body. It is a great dangerous position. That they do not think. If I accept another body of a tree, then I will have to stand in one place for thousands of years. This is the science. Now I cannot stay for five minutes in the Bhagavad-gītā class, but if I am given the body by nature... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

You know that recently I was refused entrance in Africa. The government did not allow me to enter. What is my fault? Because I am a devotee. This is my fault. So we are meeting so many dangerous position. In Bombay our temple construction has been refused by the commissioner of police. Why? Because we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They have openly written that "The bhajana nuisance." You see? This is our position. Bhajana...

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

That is real research work. So purā atīta-bhave abhavaṁ mune. Mune. He's addressing Vyāsadeva, mune. "So I was the son of a maidservant, and I was engaged as the boy servant of yogis, and they were taking rest for four months. So I had the opportunity of serving them four months as their boy servant. Just to take, whatever they left, prasādam, I used to take. To wash their dishes or to wash their cloth. In this way he got the opportunity of serving perfect devotees for four months," and he became Nārada. This is the importance. This is the importance, that simply by rendering... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. He became Nārada means he was saved from the mahato bhayāt, very great, fearful, dangerous position.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

What is that fearful, dangerous position? They do not care. We are so fool that we are always on the brink of dangerous position... If we don't utilize this life properly, I may fall down again to the cycle of birth and death. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). I shall get another body. There is no guarantee what kind of body I am going to get. I do not know. This foolish civilization is going. Save them by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the best welfare activity.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

He was not at all afraid of this material world. He was very cautious. A spiritualist, a devotee, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, should be very cautious. But not afraid to meet any dangerous position. But must be cautious. Cautious in this way, that he may not fall down again under the clutches of māyā. This should be, care should be taken.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Dog friend? Hm. So Nārada Muni, by the grace of the mahātmās, he could understand that this material position is very dangerous, and... Dangerous means duḥkhālayam, always miserable condition. But one cannot understand. Unless he's Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot understand what is the miserable condition of this material world. He cannot understand. This is māyā. He's suffering, but he's thinking, "I am happy." This is called māyā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

Everything is there. This is the test. They are envious of us that we do not work. Still, we have got so much. "So why don't you come and join us?" That they will not do. "You come with us, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." "No, no, no. That I cannot do." All right, then work with your trucks: whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. They have made their own position dangerous and others' position also. They say... At any moment, there may be accident. This is the civilization. Nonsense. This is not civilization. Civilization means calmness, peace, prosperity, śānti. In peace and prosperity one should be Kṛṣṇa conscious always.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

So Kuntīdevī is remembering one after another how Kṛṣṇa saved them. That is thinking of Kṛṣṇa, smaraṇam, that "Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind upon us. You saved us in so many big, big dangerous position. It is for You. Otherwise there was no hope." And the last is drauṇy-astra. Drauṇy-astra. This Aśvatthāmā, he executed very abominable task. He came... Of course, there was fight. Both the parties belonged to the same family. So everyone died. So only five sons of the Pāṇḍavas, they were living. So Aśvatthāmā thought that "If I kill these five sons of Pāṇḍavas and present the head to Duryodhana, he will be very much pleased." So what did he do? When the five sons were sleeping, inhumanly he cut off. He separated the heads of the five sons and presented to Duryodhana. Duryodhana was at that time in a incapable state. His, this waist was broken. He could not move.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

So in the last verse, Kuntī accepted, vimocitā ahaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho: "My Lord, there were so many dangers, and You saved us, along with my sons." Muhur vipad-gaṇāt: "One after another, dangerous position." So some of them are being described.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

So that is very interesting verse that vipada, calamities, danger, that is very good if such danger and calamities remind me of Kṛṣṇa. That is very good. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). A devotee, how he receives dangerous position? Danger must be there. Danger... Because this place, this material world is full of dangers. These foolish persons, they do not know that. They are trying to avoid the dangers. That is struggle for existence. Everyone is trying to become happy and avoid danger. This is the material business. Ātyantika-sukham. Ātyantika-sukham. Ultimate happiness. A man is working and thinking: "Let me work now very hard, and let me have some bank balance so when I shall get old, I shall enjoy life without any working." That is the inner intention of everyone. Nobody wants to work. As soon as he gets some money he wants to retire from work, and to become happy. But that is not possible. You cannot be happy in that way.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Everything was safe, but on the first voyage it was drowned, and all important men of your country, they lost their life. So danger there must be because you are in a dangerous position. This material world itself is dangerous position. So our business is... That danger must be there. Now our business should be how to cross over the sea as soon as possible. So long you are on the sea, you are on the dangerous position, however strong your ship may be. That's a fact. So you should not be disturbed by the sea waves. Just try to cross over the sea. Go to the other side. That is your business. Similarly, so long we are in this material world, there must be dangerous calamities because this is the place of calamity. So our business is, even within these calamities, dangers, how we develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, after giving up this body, we go back to home, back go Kṛṣṇa. That should be our business. We should not be disturbed by the so-called calamities. They are not so-called; they are factual.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

So a devotee never takes dangerous position as very reverse position or very calamitous position. He welcomes. Because a surrendered soul, he knows either danger or festival, they are all different demonstration of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. In the śāstra it is said that just like there are two kinds, two sides, religiosity and irreligiosity, just the opposite. But in the śāstra it is said the religiosity is just the front portion of God, and irreligiosity is the back portion of God. So God's front portion or back portion, is there any difference? God is absolute. Therefore a devotee, either in opulence or in danger, he is not disturbed. He knows both these things are Kṛṣṇa. Either in dangerous position... "Now Kṛṣṇa has appeared before me as danger."

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu and Prahlāda Mahārāja and Nṛsiṁhadeva. Nṛsiṁhadeva is dangerous to Hiraṇyakaśipu, and He is the Supreme Friend to Prahlāda Mahārāja, the same Personality. Similarly God is never dangerous to the devotee. Devotee is never afraid of dangers. He's confident that the danger, that is another feature of God. "So why shall I be afraid? I am surrendered to Him." So Kuntīdevī says that: vipadaḥ santu. Vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat. Because he, she knows how to remember Kṛṣṇa at times of danger. So he is, she is welcoming danger. "My dear Lord, I welcome such dangers when I can remember You." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa when his father was putting him in dangerous position. So if you are put into the dangerous position and if that dangerous position gives an impetus to remember Kṛṣṇa, that is welcome. That is welcome. "Oh, I am getting this opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṇa." So how it is welcome? It is welcome because seeing Kṛṣṇa means I am advancing in my spiritual life so that I'll not have to suffer any more of these dangerous positions.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Then we become again jeweler. Punar mūṣika bhava. Again become mouse. We should be very much careful. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be diverted. Then you are gone to hell. Even there is danger, even there is suffering in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should tolerate. That is the instruction of... We should welcome such danger. And pray to Kṛṣṇa. What is that prayer? Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). "My dear Lord, it is Your great mercy that I am put into this dangerous position." That is the viewpoint of devotee. He doesn't take danger as danger. He takes: "It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." What kind of mercy? Now bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam. "Due to my past activities, I was to suffer so much.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Kṛṣṇa wants to see that: "My devotee's promise is fulfilled. My promise may not be fulfilled, may be broken." So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in, at all circumstances, even it's the most dangerous position. We must keep our faith in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, and there will be no danger.

Lecture on SB 1.8.37 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1973:

So indirectly she was asking Kṛṣṇa, "Do not leave us. Don't think that we are safe now. We are not safe. Without Your protection, we are always unsafe." This should be the position of the devotees. We are actually in a dangerous position, this material world. At any time, māyā will catch, at any time. As soon as we are a little inattentive... "Now I have done my duty. Now let me take rest little." No, there is no rest. We must be always alert.

Lecture on SB 1.8.37 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1973:

So prītis tad-vasati-sthale. So one should be very much inclined to live within the circle of temple environment. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. And increase our inclination to chant more and more. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ prītis tad-vasati-sthale... And one thing, always thinking dependent on Kṛṣṇa. To... This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking that "Without Kṛṣṇa, my life is useless. I am in danger." Actually you are in dangerous position without Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa..., Kuntī is offering that prayer that "Kṛṣṇa, You are thinking that now we are safe, but I don't think we are safe. We are always in danger. So if You think that we are safe, then who will give us protection? Because we have no other protection except Your lotus feet." Yeṣāṁ na cānyad bhavataḥ padāmbujāt, padāmbujāt. Pada means "feet." Ambuja means "lotus." "So except Your lotus feet, we have no other shelter. We have no other shelter. And so far our safetiness is concerned, we are already encircled by so many enemies, because in the fight one's father has died. So his son is preparing to fight with us. So we are not at all free now."

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

So dhīra... Dhīra means one who is not disturbed. That requires training. In great dangerous position, one is not disturbed, that is not ordinary thing. Therefore the word has been used: dhīra. Dhīra and adhīra. There are two classes of men. Dhīra means, acts very conscientiously, without being disturbed by the external factors. I have explained several times the dhīra. The example of dhīra is given in the Kumāra-sambhava poetry, by Kālidāsa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

That was his ambition. But when he actually saw Lord Viṣṇu, and He was ready to give him any benediction, he said, "Oh, my dear Lord, I am quite satisfied. I don't want any benediction." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "My dear Lord, I am so satisfied that I have no more need of asking any benediction." This is perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When he is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has achieved all success; so why he will ask for anything more? He is so full in power and satisfaction that even great calamity, dangerous position, he doesn't care. He doesn't care. He knows that "These things are coming and going. Why I shall be agitated? Let me depend on Kṛṣṇa." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

This is our position. Anything... If you are walking on the street, if you kill an ant by walking, you will be punished. This is nature's law. We are in such a dangerous position. In every movement there is punishment. Now, if you believe the śāstras, that is different thing. If you don't believe, then do anything you like. But from śāstra we can understand the laws of nature, or God, is very, very strict, very, very strict. So Maṇḍūka Muni also chastised Yamarāja, that "In my childhood, without any knowledge I did something and for which you have given me so great punishment. So you are not fit for becoming a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

So be careful that this material world is itself dangerous. Especially in this age of Kali, it is dangerous. It is stated in the śāstra, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58), every step there is danger. This is the position. Māyā is so strong that you should always expect simply danger. But if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you can overcome these dangers... Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. It is not... This dangerous position is not for them. Who? Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam, one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet. It is a great ocean, just like the Pacific Ocean. It is just like a great ocean, big ocean of ignorance. As in the ocean, if you go, even on a boat, it is always dangerous, similarly, we are in the ocean of material civilization. There is always danger. But if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ padam, then you overcome the danger and you go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

If we have little faith that we require awakening of spiritual consciousness, we should not sleep under the spell of this material consciousness... A little faith will help us. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Mahato bhayāt. There is great dangerous position. That we do not know because we are sleeping. If a man is sleeping and somebody is coming to kill him, he does not know that "Somebody is coming to kill me. Immediately I will be dead." There are so many cases of murder while a man is sleeping. Similarly, in this sleeping state of ignorance, that "I am this body," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," there is greatest danger. So somebody required.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

Just like Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma was fighting with Kṛṣṇa. He had no business fighting with Kṛṣṇa because He is charioteer. But sometimes the horses, the charioteer, are also killed by the opposing party. So when Arjuna was in a very dangerous position... Because Bhīṣma promised to Duryodhana. Duryodhana was criticizing his grandfather, that "You are not fighting wholeheartedly. Because your affection is there on the other side, your other grandsons, pañca-pāṇḍava, therefore you are not fighting with your full strength." So this is a great insult for the kṣatriya. So he promised to kill the five Pāṇḍavas next day. That was a challenge to Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa promised that He will not fight in the battle, and Bhīṣma promised that "Unless Kṛṣṇa fights and protects His friend, Arjuna, he could not be saved. I will fight in that way." So he was fighting in that way, and Arjuna's chariot became broken into pieces, and he was in danger. And Kṛṣṇa could understand that "Bhīṣma wants Me to fight on account of Arjuna; otherwise he would not be saved."

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

Therefore it is said parābhava. Whatever you are doing, simply defeat. Because you do not know ātma-tattva. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Very dangerous position. If we do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are defeated in every sphere of life. And then, after death, karmaṇā daiva netreṇa yantra dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. You have to change your body. And that will be selected not by you, not by your government, not by your father, not by your so-called guru. It will be decided by the laws of nature. That you cannot avoid.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

Of course, He delivered them. Nityānanda Prabhu is so kind that in spite of being stroken and blood came out from His head, still, He continued to say, "My dear friends, never mind you have injured Me. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the preaching is so difficult thing. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, na ca tasmād manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya kṛttamaḥ. It is not very sitting idly, comfortably, and discuss Vedānta. No. It is not like that. Preaching practically. Practically meeting dangerous position because sympathetic. Saṁsāra dāvānala. The whole world is in blazing fire. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. And that is his qualification. For him there is no difficulty. He's quite all right. He's under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So he has no danger personally. What danger there is? There is Kṛṣṇa. He is confident, and Kṛṣṇa protects him in all danger. But he is unhappy. He meets Jagāi-Mādhāi class and faces all kinds of danger. Therefore he is the powerful, authorized agent of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.46 -- San Diego, July 27, 1975:

If you engage yourself in pure devotional service incessantly, without any stop, then you always remain transcendental, above these three guṇas. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to keep the devotee above the three guṇas. Just like in the ocean, if you are fallen in the ocean, it is very dangerous position. But if somebody helps you to lift you from the ocean water and keep one inch above the ocean water, there is no danger. Your life is saved.

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

So there are dangers in this material world. It is very dangerous place, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58), every step, not only spiritually, materially also. Suppose you are out of this temple, there is every chance you may be dashed by a motorcar and die. So it is dangerous. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. So our motive of life should be how to get out of this dangerous position of life. How to get out of it, that should be the aim, not that to become more and more implicated in with this dangerous situation of life. That is not intelligence. The intelligence is how to get out of it. That is this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how to get out of this dangerous position and go back to home, back to Godhead—this is the mission.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

Very dangerous position. The foolish people, they are thinking that "We are very happy and we are very safe." But nobody is safe. Nobody is safe. So we have to deal with persons very carefully, and at the same time, we have to push our missionary activities. Aho kaṣṭaṁ dharma-dṛśām.

Lecture on SB 6.2.15 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1975:

Because this material world is full of dangers, these symptoms of dangerous position, patitaṁ skhalito bhagnaḥ... Especially in the modern age, in the Western countries, accident, motor accident and die, is very common thing nowadays. Here also it is becoming. On the whole, even there is no motor accident, there are so many accidents. In every step there is danger. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). This material world means every step there is danger. There is no question of safety. At any moment. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended, kaumāraṁ ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Why in the beginning of childhood one should learn bhāgavata-dharma? Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Somehow or other, we have got this body, human form of body, durlabham, after many, many births. They do not know. The foolish persons, they do not know what is the value of this human form of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyatāḥ. In this way 8,400,000 different forms of life we have to pass through. Then we have got this. Especially a civilized human being. The human race, they are also 400,000..., 400,000 types. Out of them, those who are civilized, they are called Aryans. Aryan means civilized. Aryan means those who are making progress. They are called Aryans.

Lecture on SB 6.3.27-28 -- Gorakhpur, February 20, 1971:

That is called departmental punishment. That is Kṛṣṇa's departmental punishment. Not outside. "Kṛṣṇa may punish him or excuse him; that is Kṛṣṇa's business, not ours." Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). They have the eyes to see that "This is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has put me into some dangerous position. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." And actually it is so. By a little inconvenience, immediately he's rectified.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

Buddhists are called nastik, atheist. Why? Veda nā māniyā: he does not believe in the Vedas. Veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta' nāstika. Vedāśraya nāstikya-vāda bauddhake adhika. But a person, hypocrite, who accepts the Vedas but he preaches atheism... Just like you are praying that śūnyavādi, nirviśeṣa śūnyavādi, pāścātya deśa tāriṇe. These two, very dangerous position, nirviśeṣa. The Buddhists, they say there is no God, śūnyavādi. "Everything, at the end, everything is zero. You have got this body. When this body is finished, then everything becomes zero." Because they do not believe in the soul, not in God. There are many nāstik. Vasu bhūta sa dehasya kuta pūrna... bhavet: "The body, I see it is burnt into ashes.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

It will destroy everything. Similarly, you may do anything very nicely; but if you commit offense at the feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava, then all your assets will be immediately vanquished. Vaiṣṇava aparādha. Because Kṛṣṇa is very angry. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram yoniṣu (BG 16.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, Kṛṣṇa said, dviṣataḥ krūrān. Dviṣataḥ, those who are envious upon Vaiṣṇava and Viṣṇu, the more dangerous position is to be envious of a Vaiṣṇava. Viṣṇu aparādha can be excused, God is very kind. But He never excuses Vaiṣṇava aparādha. That is His vow.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

So we should always depend on Kṛṣṇa's assurance. In any circumstances, any dangerous position, Kṛṣṇa... Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa viśvāsa pālana. This is surrender. Surrender means... One of the item is full faith in Kṛṣṇa, that "In execution of my devotional service there may be so many dangers, but because I have taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, I am safe." This, this faith for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. Vipadam means dangerous position. Padaṁ padam, every step in this material world—na teṣām, not for the devotee. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

Prahlāda Mahārāja says... He's praying to Lord Nṛsiṁha. He says, bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha: "My dear Lord, it is not that the parents can give all protection to the children." Nārtasya cāgadam: "Neither the physician and the medicine can give protection to a patient." Nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ: "Neither a nice ship or boat can give protection to the drowning man." Taptasya yat pratividhir: "There are many devices for giving protection to different kinds of dangerous position. But they will be useless if, my dear Lord, You neglect him." For example, there are many children who have got their parents, but they are suffering. There are many patients who are being treated by first-class medical assistants and physician, but he is dying. Similarly, there are various means invented by modern science to give protection to people. But they become useless without the attention of the Supreme Lord. For example, in our country, in India, we thought that by independence we shall be very, very happy. But actually, when we have got independence, our position has become more precarious.

Lecture on SB 7.9.52 -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:

So the conclusion is that try to please Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Don't try... Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). We have tried to improve our condition of life, even becoming the demigods, but don't think the demigods are without danger. We have learned from history, Bhāgavata, the Purāṇas, Indra was so many times perplexed. Even Brahmā was perplexed. You cannot avoid dangerous position within this material world even if you are a person like Brahmā. That is not possible. But if you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then everything is all right. So our business should be not to become very, very great person within this material world, because that will never be possible. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate, upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). In the higher planetary system or lower planetary system, whatever you desire, you can get a big position but never safety, never peacefulness. You'll never get. Do you think that in our this modern world... There are many, many Birlas and other, Tatas. Do you think they are happy? (end)

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

Why this disease? "If I am, my position is, as I understand from Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20)—I am not destroyed after the destruction of this body—why I am in this position that I have to change my body?" Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is intelligence. When you come to this intelligence, then athāto brahma jijñāsā; then the inquiry about spiritual life begins. But unfortunately, we are in such a civilization that we have no time to think of this great dangerous position of changing body one after another, and we have accepted it that "There is no remedy; we have to change or die for good." These theories, this ignorance, is going on, and Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the only movement which is trying to educate man to this standard of knowledge, that he may at least think that "I am not this body, as I understand from the śāstras. I am within the body. So how I can become free of this material body?" That is our real problem. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Oh, how can you do that? If a person is not willing to take medicine, how he can be cured? He'll go to death. He must be willing to. That is a, I mean to say, explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So that is very dangerous position, one who does not take care. Suppose if one wants to be educated without going to school. How it is possible? If somebody says, "Oh, I don't care for any school, colleges. I'll be educated at home," this is nonsense. Is it possible? Or will anybody recognize you? Then what is the use? Waste of time. That is the disease. Everyone thinks, "Oh, I am everything. I am perfect." That is the disease, material disease. Everyone is thinking, "I am independent. I am perfect. Whatever I think, oh, that is all right." This is going on. First of all, if anyone wants advancement, he must first of all think just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is pretending, that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)." So one must agree to become a great fool and study these scriptures from bona fide spiritual master. Then there is hope of advancement. Yes?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

So these things are going on. Actually, we are suffering and we are in dangerous position step by step. But by the influence of this material, external energy, we are covered, illusioned. We are thinking, "Yes, I am very happy." And if somebody tries to come out of it, then he is also advised by the material nature, "Oh, why you are doing all this nonsense? You are very happy." Yavaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. The atheistic theory... The atheist... Nowadays there are atheists, not that... Atheist class of men there are always. Maybe number of the atheists are now greater than before, but there was a great atheist in India. There are six kinds of philosophical theses. Out of those, atheism is one of them. So that atheism... Cārvāka Muni.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.124-125 -- New York, November 26, 1966:

Why you have forgotten? Therefore you are suffering." We have discussed the śloka, verse, that bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyaya-smṛtiḥ. Vipa... Because we have taken a, a reverse position for, for, forgetting the Supreme, therefore we are put into anxiety. Because we have taken a reverse position. "Who is God?" Viparyaya-smṛtiḥ. This very word is used. Viparyaya means topsy-turvied. "Your memory has become topsy-turvied. Therefore you are suffering." But he will not agree. "No, we shall adjust. We shall make laws. We shall make agitation. We shall form party and go on defying God, and we shall be happy in this way." So this godless civilization is now generating the Communist party. So the dangerous position, we are coming.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:

So that is avidyā. So here, in the Īśopaniṣad, it is said, andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye avidyām upāsate. Those who are engaged only in material advancement of education, the result will be that they will go to the darkest region of existence, andhaṁ tamaḥ. It is very dangerous position that at the present moment there is no arrangement in any state, all over the world, about spiritual education. It is pushing the human society to the darkest region of existence. Actually, it is happening so. In... In your country, your rich country, you have got nice educational system, so many universities, but what class of men you are producing? The students are coming to become hippies. Why?

Festival Lectures

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Bombay, May 5, 1974:

So we should take lessons from this story that even in dangerous position, we should not be forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will save us. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā,

yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ

manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ

yasmin sthite guruṇāpi

duḥkhena na vicālyate

(Bg. 6.20-23)

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that if one gets Kṛṣṇa consciousness, yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ, aparaṁ lābhaṁ, any other benefit or gain is never considered. This is so nice.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- London, March 8, 1975:

But we should not create such position, dangerous. It is already dangerous. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also very cautious about spiritual life. Sannyāsīra alpa chidra bāhu kori mane. Others may violate the laws, and so many sinful activities they are doing, but nobody takes very serious care. But when a religious group or a sannyāsī commits little offense, it is magnified a thousand times. Therefore we should be very careful not to make anything which may be magnified to the eyes of the public. Because we are preaching. We are preaching, and there is always demonic party who want to put us in difficulty. That is natural. Even Hiraṇyakaśipu, being the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was also putting him into difficulty.

Arrival Address -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1976:

So we have to face them. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is facing these rascals, these duṣkṛtinas, these narādhamas, and to request them to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You cannot sit idly to show your gorgeousness in a secluded place, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. No. You have to preach. That is the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That is really following the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Not to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. You can... Even you do that very nicely, that is for your safety. Supposing that you are doing nicely, but that is for your safety. But one who is facing dangerous position for others' benefit, they are very quickly recognized by Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

But if you take the tablets according to your own whim or somebody who does not know how to use that medicine, without consulting the physician, then you may be in dangerous position. You will not get the result. That is sure and certain. But you may meet some dangerous position. Similarly, so far Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, the prime standard book of yoga system, if you want to learn something from Bhagavad-gītā about the peace and prosperity and anxietylessness of your life, then you have to take this medicine of Bhagavad-gītā according to the dose prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, not outside.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

The only means is to take you out of the ocean. Even one inch above the ocean is your safety. It doesn't matter how many inches you are taken from the ocean. Similarly, the prayer is, "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am your eternal servant. Somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean. Please pick me up and fix me again as the dust of Your lotus feet." This is the prayer. So we should know in what dangerous position we are. Then there is necessity of prayer. And prayer to whom? To the Supreme Person to save us. Therefore there are so many prayers in the śāstra. Prayers means addressing the Lord to save us from this. The real saving is to pick us up from this ocean of nescience, ignorance. Then everything is all right.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

No. Practically, the present state of the world means without any spiritual knowledge. We are blind; therefore it is very dangerous position. The spiritual knowledge we must have; otherwise we are doomed.

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

Kṛṣṇa spoke these words of Bhagavad-gītā. Many scholars, many so-called saintly persons, they have misinterpreted the words of Bhagavad-gītā. They did not allow to speak Kṛṣṇa. They wanted to speak on behalf of Kṛṣṇa... Not on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. I am sorry. They wanted to speak about themself. If one speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. But if one manufactures some idea from the words of Kṛṣṇa by misinterpretation and does not allow Kṛṣṇa to speak, it is a great dangerous position. That has become actually the fact in India. Otherwise such a big culture, complete culture... From the Bhagavad-gītā, any question you can raise, the answer is there. Political, social, religious, philosophical, cultural—any way you study Bhagavad-gītā, the complete answer is there.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Actually frustration, if it is taken seriously, that frustration may make him successful. Frustration, we get so many letters from our students, frustration, but now they are thinking that they are safe. So frustration is another help, but provided we take the real shelter. Then frustration is not bad. If you are put into some dangerous position, but if you know how to save from it, that danger will be later on a feeling of pleasure. "Oh, I was put into such pleasure and I was saved in this way." (laughter)

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Hayagrīva: Socrates, in a very famous allegory or metaphor, pictures humanity living in a dark cave, and the teacher has seen the light outside of the cave. He knows that there's something outside the cave that is light, and he may return to the cave to tell people in the cave that this is darkness. And the people in the cave, many of them would consider him to be crazy for speaking of such a thing as the light outside of the cave, and that this was a very, conceivably a very dangerous position to be in.

Prabhupāda: But actually that is the fact. Just like we are say so many times, Dr. Frog. A frog within the dark well, he is thinking, "Here is everything." And if he is informed, "Oh, there is big miles of water, Atlantic Ocean," so this Dr. Frog, from within the well he has never seen the Atlantic Ocean, and he cannot conceive that the water can be so expansive. So therefore those who are in the dark well, for them it is surprising that what is the light outside. But that's a fact. And one who has fallen, he is in the..., if he is crying that "I am fallen," so it is said that the man outside, he drops a rope, that "You catch this rope and I shall take it out." But he does not catch up. Just like we are presenting that you, everyone in the material world, you are suffering, you take, catch up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are refusing, or they do not admit; that is going on.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: It is very, a very dangerous position, this so-called democracy. Nobody cares for it. So sometimes this emergency is required, but if it is used again for personal aggrandizement, then it is also. Actually, the perfection of government is monarchy, and the monarchy, monarch should be ideal rājarṣi. That is the Indian's, Vedic system. The Vedic system was there everywhere; therefore still there are monarchs. But they are simply maintaining the monarchy, but actually monarch has no power.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

Then he says, kamala-dala-jala, jīvana talamala. Kamala-dala-jala means the lily, lily flower. You have all seen lily flower on the lakes. They are tottering, always in the water. Tottering. Any way, any time, it can be overflooded. Similarly, this life is full of danger always, always in danger. Any moment it can be finished. There are so many instances. People look it, but they forget. That is the wonderful thing. They are seeing every day, every moment, that he is himself in danger, others are in danger. Still, he is thinking that "I am secure." This is the position. So life is very tottering and in dangerous position. Therefore one should take advantage of this human form of life and immediately engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should be the request of everyone to his mind, "My dear mind, don't drag me in the dangerous position. Please keep me in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Thus Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how it can be achieved, that is also being described by Govinda dāsa.