Debt (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"debt" |"debted" |"debts"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

Whenever somebody came... Kṛṣṇa also was thinking of them because gopīs are the greatest devotees, topmost devotees. There is no comparison with the devotion of the gopīs. Therefore Kṛṣṇa was always obliged to them. Kṛṣṇa said to the gopīs that "You have to be satisfied with your own business. I cannot return you anything for your love." Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, the all-powerful, He was unable to repay the debts for the gopīs. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. There is no more better worship than what was conceived by the gopīs. So gopīs are the topmost devotees. And amongst the gopīs, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the topmost. Therefore Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is greater than Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

So yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. So, we are becoming debtors and debtors life after life in this way, and the only way to liquidate our so many debts is to perform yajña.

Now, there are different rituals of yajña. If we want to perform such yajñas for sacrificing clarified butter, grains, there are different, so many kinds of yajñas. It is not possible in this age. For this age, the particular type of sacrifice which is recommended, we had some sample of it yesterday in our, this loft. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). In this age it is very difficult to perform all those rituals. First thing, it is very difficult to obtain all the ingredients for sacrificing method. And people are not very well to do. They cannot secure also.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

We are indebted to so many persons: devatās, deva, ṛṣi, devarṣi, bhūta, living entities, nṛṇām, human society. devarṣi-bhūtāpta. Our family men, our friends. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṛṇām (SB 11.5.41). Pitṛloka, pitṛ-piṇḍa. We are indebted in so many ways. It is very difficult to liquidate all these debts. It is very difficult. But if one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundam. If one has surrendered fully to Mukunda, parihṛtya kārtam. There are so many duties. Therefore Kṛṣṇa assures that "If you surrender to Me..." If you think that you have not worshiped others, and if you are sinful thereby, Kṛṣṇa says, mā śucaḥ, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you protection."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

Now Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, "In the family there are enemies." How? Ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatruḥ. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, "A father who is a great debtor, he is enemy." Because the son inherits the money of the father, similarly, the law is that if the father dies a debtor, the son becomes responsible to pay the debts. That is the law, Manu-saṁhitā. I do not know what is the law here. I don't think the son is responsible for paying the debts of father, but in India that is the law. One big barrister, Mr. C. R. Das, his father died insolvent, making debts. So when he became very rich, he called all the creditors and paid five to five, that "My father was debtor. You take this money." That is obligation. Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, "The father who dies a debtor, he is an enemy." Ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatruḥ. Ṛṇa means debts. Kartā means one who has committed so many debts and dies. A father... Instead of enjoying father's property, he has to pay the father's debts. So therefore that father is called enemy.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

So he, he propagated this philosophy, Cārvāka Muni, that ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. In India, according to Vedic civilization, one is very much afraid of taking loan from others because he has conviction, "If I do not pay, then in my next life I'll have to pay many times. So I must liquidate my debt." That's a fact. If you take one cent from somebody else without doing something good to him or without exchanging something, then you are debtor, and you have to pay him with interest and compound interest. That is the law of karma. You cannot take anything. We are debtor to so many things. People have no idea. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). These are stated in the śāstras, that we are indebted, debtor to the demigods. Just like we are getting so much sunlight. We are enjoying: "Oh, today is a very nice day." But do we pay any tax? Do we pay anything? No. But in the Vedic injunction there is sun-god worship. Therefore we find that so many demigods' worship, yajñas. The feeling that "I am taking so much advantage from the sunshine, so I must give him something," this is called sacrifice.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

How in the family one become enemy? Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has analyzed how in the family we can become enemies of one another. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatruḥ: "A father in debts to others is enemy." Ṛṇa-kartā pitā śatruḥ. Because according to Manu-saṁhitā, the son inherits the property of the father. That is everywhere. So Manu-saṁhitā also makes responsible the son for the father's debt. Nowadays, if my father is debtor, I am not responsible. But according to the Vedic laws, the son is responsible the father's debt. Because he inherits the property, why he shall not inherit the debts of the father? According to Manu-saṁhitā law he is obliged to pay the debts of the father. We have seen one very practical example. Even fifty years ago, in Calcutta there was a very big barrister. He was a political leader. He was Mr. C.R. Das. So his father died insolvent.

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So when we come to that stage, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching, the gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayoḥ. He's also bringing the reference of the gopīs because Kṛṣṇa is completely under gopīs. He's so much indebted to the gopīs that He said that "I cannot repay your debts. It is not possible." Kṛṣṇa, the all-powerful, all-opulences, but He had no means to repay the debts of the gopīs. This is the position of the gopīs. Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. There is no other better shape of worshiping Kṛṣṇa than it was planned by the gopīs. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. This is the highest. In the same say, He says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa... Gopī-jana-vallabha. Gopī-jana-vallabha is Kṛṣṇa; pada-kamalayoḥ, one who has taken shelter. Don't try to become gopīs. No. Rather try to become the dust of the lotus feet of the gopīs. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Just like Uddhava. Uddhava wanted to become one grass in Vṛndāvana because the gopīs will trample over it. This is the highest perfection. So liberation... Liberation means gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. The more you become servant of the servant, servant of Vaiṣṇava, then your perfection is there (CC Madhya 13.80). That is perfection. Our, the Vedic injunction is just try to understand yourself, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

Prabhupāda: So anyone explaining. You can explain.

Pradyumna: This King Yudhiṣṭhira is lamenting that the body, this material body, does not actually belong to us. We can even see relatively that the material body belongs, while we are inside this material body, it belongs to the family. We have debts to pay to so many living entities—to our forefathers, our family. It belongs to our country. Our country takes it and says, "You take your body and you fight in Vietnam," or "You do this kind of work" or "You don't do this." It is subject to the religion we are born in. It is subject to so many rules and regulations beyond ourselves. This body, even while we are in it, does not belong to us, and before we came into this body, it was matter, belonging to someone else, and after we leave this body, as it says in the purport, "While there is life in the body it is meant for the service of others, and when it is dead it is meant to be eaten by dogs and jackals or maggots."

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974:

"No, no, I don't want you." So there are many instances. Svajana-tyāga. The gopīs, when they were going to Kṛṣṇa, they, all the svajana, their brother, the husband, their sons and everyone forbade, "Oh, where you are going, where you are going?" Or the yājñika brāhmaṇas' patnī, they also did not care for Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore the conclusion is that you can be freed from the debts of devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇāṁ nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkaraḥ (SB 11.5.41). Who? Sarvātmanā ye śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam. One who has taken full shelter of Kṛṣṇa, sarvātmanā, without any reservation, he's no more ṛṇī. He's no more. He's fully liquidated. How?

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974:

"If you think that without liquidating the debts of so many persons, devatā, ṛṣi, bhūta, āpta, general people, if you think by simply surrendering to Me you will be liable to punishment for not paying bills to so many persons," Kṛṣṇa assures, mā śucaḥ: "don't bother, I'll give you protection."

So from the material point of view, everyone must be prepared to pay, to take protection. But does it mean that if one becomes devotee he becomes irresponsible? No. These things automatically come. Just like we are giving protection to the children. So many children are here. Why? What is the aim? The aim is that we want to see that everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious. That automatically comes, to take care of the children, to give them education, to give them food, to give them shelter. That is real protection. And simply to give them... Just like in Western countries they feed the children with powdered flesh, mixed with water, boiled, and push with the spoon, and... They become fatty, of course.

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

So women were taken so much care by the Vedic civilization. Still they are taken. It is the duty of the father... Until she is married, it is the duty of the father to give her all protection. Therefore the father wants to get her married, to get relief from the responsibility. He has a great responsibility. It is called kanyā-dāya. Actually the word is called kanyā-dāya. Putra-ṛṇa. Ṛṇa means debt. If you are debtor to somebody you may not pay it, saying, "Sir, I have no money. Whatever you like, you can do." But dāya means a great burden. It must be get relieved of. Dāya means a great responsibility. Dāya. Dāya-bhāk. Just like a son inherits the property of the father... It is called dāya-bhāk, law. Similarly, this is the, I mean to say, most obligatory duty of the father, to get the daughter married. And then it is the duty of the husband next. Just like we get... When we perform marriage ceremony in our society, we get the husband promise that he takes charge of the girl for life. And the girl agrees to serve the boy for life. There is no question of divorce.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

And because there is so nice, good arrangement, it is to be understood there is good government. And as soon as you accept this, you must have to accept necessity of God, without which, arrangement cannot be done.

So we are debted to God. So just like, if you don't pay taxes to the government, the government does not become poor, but your supply will be stopped. You will suffer. Similarly, if you don't accept there is supreme government, the supreme governor... The governor is quite sufficient. God is completely munificent or rich. He will not suffer, but you will suffer. Therefore it is said, te sādhu kṛta-sarvārthāḥ. Just like if you remain cleansed, paying all your taxes, then you are very honest citizen. Similarly, if you become obedient to God and His government, then you are sādhu. Otherwise you are dishonest. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. One who is very much obedient to the laws of God, he is sādhu. Not that by changing dress one become sādhu.

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

And when she is married, then the father's duty is finished. Unless she is married, the father's duty is not finished. This is Vedic culture. It is called kanyā-dāya. Kanyā means daughter, and dāya means obligation. Kanyā-dāya.

There are so many debts. Putra-ṛṇa, pitṛ-ṛṇa, deva-ṛṇa, bhūtāpta.

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇāṁ

na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

(SB 11.5.41)

We have got debts to so many people. First debt is to the demigods. Just like the sun-god, moon-god. They are supplying heat, light. The Varuṇa. In this material world. We have got so many debts. But people do not care for it. Just like we are receiving light from sun, but what we are paying to the sun? Therefore we remain debtor. This is the Vedic idea. You are getting this electricity. If you don't pay the bill, how long you will be able to use it? After some days the connection will be cut off.

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

After some days the connection will be cut off. But although we do not pay any bill to the sunlight, because it is the order of Kṛṣṇa, it is giving us light. But how long it will go on? This is sinful. If you take something from a person and if you do not repay, that is sinful. Ṛṇa, it is called ṛṇa.

So there are so many debts. First to the demigods, then to the ṛṣis, saintly persons. Because we get knowledge, Vedic knowledge from the ṛṣi, we must be debtor. Guru-ṛṇa. Debtor to the spiritual master, to the sages, to the saintly persons, because we are getting knowledge from them. Therefore the Vyāsa-pūjā is there. Once in a year the disciples are worshiping the spiritual master and trying to repay what he has received from the spiritual master. Devarṣi-bhūta. Similarly, in our ordinary dealings also, you are my friend, I am your friend, you are getting some help from me, I am getting some from you. So we are debtors, obligation. Devarṣi-bhūta, āpta. Āpta means relatives or family. We are indebted to the father, mother, elderly family members. In this way we are implicated with so many debts. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41).

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

I am your friend, you are getting some help from me, I am getting some from you. So we are debtors, obligation. Devarṣi-bhūta, āpta. Āpta means relatives or family. We are indebted to the father, mother, elderly family members. In this way we are implicated with so many debts. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41).

So you can liquidate the debts simply... It is practically impossible. Therefore, if you take shelter of Mukunda, śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam, the worthy of taking shelter... If you take shelter of anyone else, he cannot give you protection. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. If you cannot liquidate your debts, you become sinful.

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

"I shall get you released." This is one side. And... From spiritual angle of vision. But from material angle of vision ṛṇa, debts, you can become insolvent. "I cannot pay." If you apply to the court... I do not know whether this act is there in your country. In India there is insolvency act. If one is debtor, then his assets, then he submits to the court that "I have got so much asset and I have got so much debt. So people may not harass me, the court may divide amongst my creditors whatever I have got." This is called insolvency. So court decides that he has got thousand dollars' debt, but he has got only hundred dollars, so that hundred dollars is divided: "You take this and be satisfied." He is not... That is called insolvency. That is in terms of debts.

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

That is called insolvency. That is in terms of debts.

But so far the debts of the daughter, it is not debt, it is called dāya, kanyā-dāya. Debt you can take insolvency, but dāya means it is so obligatory, there is no such question that you can get relief from it. It must be... Therefore the word is used, kanyā-dāya. Still in India, the process is as soon as the girl is grown up the father is very anxious to find out a suitable boy and hand her over. Then... So that protection will be finished. It is already finished, at least in the western countries. There is no obligation of the father how to get the daughter married. Therefore the question is, "Whether you are lamenting that in this age of Kali these things will happen: cow slaughter, no obligation for the daughter..." And bālān, children. They are also not taken care of. Not only that, they are taken care of, but now child or baby is being killed. This is Kali-yuga. This is conclusion(?)

And how one can be happy? So many sinful activities are going on. How they expect to become happy? It is not possible. Therefore it is being asked that "Whether you are thinking of all these things and therefore you are unhappy?"

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

If somebody says, "Oh, what is that? It is coming from the water tank. So where is the question of paying taxes or rent?" No. The water tank is being filled up by the Municipality. If you don't pay tax, it will be cut off. Similarly, don't think that the water is coming as your father's property. No. You are becoming debtor. You are becoming debtor. Therefore, if you don't pay debts, if you don't perform sacrifices, then there will be scarcity of water. And one day it will come there will be no water. That you expect. Because you are not paying any tax. You are thinking, "Water is coming, my father's property." No. Your father's property... That's all right. But you are not father's son at the present moment. You are māyā's son. You don't care for your father.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

So the prescription is that as one goes to the physician, similarly, for treatment of his disease—otherwise it may prove fatal—similarly, one should atone the sinful activities as they are prescribed in different scriptures. That is the prescription.

It is said in the Cāṇakya Paṇḍita śloka that three things you should not neglect. What is that? Fire and debts and disease. Suppose you are sitting here, and there is small fire in the corner, some cigarette butts or something like that. You should not neglect it. Never think, "Oh, it is small fire. It will extinguish automatically." No. It may take a very, I mean to say, blazing shape at any moment. So one should not neglect fire. Similarly, debts also. If somebody thinks, "Oh, I have got this hundred, thousand dollars I am indebted. All right I shall see to it." After some years it may increase to five thousand dollars. So similarly, disease also. Suppose you are thinking that "Oh, this is nothing. It will cure out of itself." No. That is the instruction. So we should not neglect.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

You should counteract. Otherwise you will suffer very much." Just like a disease. A little disease, if you treat immediately, it may not increase to be a very problem, big problem disease. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has instructed that three things we should be very careful: disease, fire, and debts. If there is disease, if you think, "Oh, this is little ailment. There is no need of going to the doctor," no, you must immediately take steps. It may increase to be a very big problem. Disease increases. Similarly fire. If there is fire, you have extinguished everything and little fire there is, if you think that "Oh, little fire, it will automatically...," no, that also you must extinguish. Otherwise it may take into big fire again. Similarly debts. If you don't clear your debts, if you think, "All right, there is some debts. It will...," no, interest, compound interest So similarly, the disease. We are already in the material disease. This birth, death, old age, and disease. This is our material miserable condition. And again, if we act sinfully, then it will increase.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

Because people will criticize, "Oh, your father has taken so much money, so much credit. Why he is not paying? Why don't you...?" So he is enemy. Ṛna-kartā pitā śatrur. And according to Manu-saṁhitā law, if he does not inherit even a farthing from his father, and if his father dies debtor, then the son has to pay it. Because son inherits the property of the father, so he is responsible for the father's debt. Never mind he has got anything from the father or not. Therefore it is said, ṛna-kartā pitā śatruḥ: "A father who dies a debtor, then he is enemy." And mātā śatrur dhicārinī: "Mother, if in the presence of his son marries again, she is enemy. She is enemy." Ṛna-kartā pitā śatrur mātā śatrur dhicārinī. Dhicārinī means in the presence of children—one or two, it doesn't matter—she becomes enemy. Ṛna-kartā pitā śatrur mātā...rūpavatī bhāryā śatruḥ: "If you have got very beautiful wife, she is also enemy." (laughter) Because many man will try to kidnap, and you will have to remain always anxiety. (laughter) So rūpavatī bhāryā śatruḥ. And putraḥ śatrur apaṇḍitaḥ... (end)

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

We are indebted to the demigods. The sun is giving sunshine, the moon is giving at night shine, and the cloud, Indra, is giving us water. So we are all indebted. Devarṣi-bhūta... Therefore there are so many different types of yajñas mentioned in the Vedic literature. But if you perform one yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña, then you become clear from everyone's debt. Gato mukundam śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. Then we are freed from all debts. So in this way we have to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very carefully, and the simple process is chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.55 -- Vrndavana, April 10, 1976:

This is perfection. The gopīs, the gopīs, the ideal, the topmost devotee, they gave their everything to Kṛṣṇa, but they did not ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. Their honor, their body, their life—everything, sacrificed everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said to the gopīs that "I have no power to repay your debt. You be satisfied with your own activity. I cannot give you anything."

So this is the ideal devotion. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhūbhir yā kalpitā: "There is no more better, sublime upāsana, worship, than it was conceived by the gopīs." They did not want anything. They simply wanted to see Kṛṣṇa, how He is satisfied. Kṛṣṇa is away from home in the forest, and they are thinking, "In the forest there are so many crags, so many stone chipped, and Kṛṣṇa's feet is so soft. How He is walking in the forest?" In this way they are crying. This is gopī, always Kṛṣṇa conscious, and how Kṛṣṇa is happy or not, that is their business.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

Even the smallest intoxication, that is also dangerous. Just like fire. Even a small particle of fire is dangerous. If you neglect it, "Oh, it is a small particle..." No. You must extinguish it. It may come out very great fire. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has advised that fire and disease and debt, don't neglect. You must clear. If you neglect a small fire, it may come out a great fire. If you, if you neglect, you have got debt, the money-lender, he's adding compound interest, one after another, one after another; it was three rupees, and after some years, it has become three hundred, by compound interest. So you should not neglect. Similarly disease. Disease also, you cannot neglect. If there is... If you think, "Oh, it is little, it doesn't matter..." No. You must finish it by treatment. That is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's advice.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

We are discussing about love affairs of Kṛṣṇa. So gopīs... Kṛṣṇa and gopīs, the relationship was so intimate and so unalloyed that Kṛṣṇa Himself admitted, "My dear gopīs, it is not in My power to repay you about your loving affairs." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He became bankrupt, that "My dear gopīs, it is not possible for Me to repay your debts which you have created by loving Me." So that is the highest perfection of love. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū.

I'm just describing the mission of Lord Caitanya. He is giving us instruction, His mission, that the only lovable object is Kṛṣṇa and His land Vṛndāvana. And the process of loving Him is the vivid example, the gopīs. Nobody can reach. There are different stages of devotees, and gopīs are supposed to be on the highest platform. And amongst the gopīs, the supreme is Rādhārāṇī. Therefore nobody can surpass the love of Rādhārāṇī. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā, śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam.

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

Unless the children are married, the father's or the mother's responsibility continues. That is our social system, at least in India, those who are following Vedic principles of life. Especially for getting married the daughter, it is called kanyā dāya. Pitṛ-ṛṇa putra-ṛṇa matṛ-ṛṇa. We have got so many debts to clear. This is responsibility. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We are indebted to the demigods. Just like sun is one of the demigods. We are getting, enjoying the sunshine. We are indebted to him. This is responsibility. Suppose if you take electricity, light, you are responsible for paying the bill. Similarly, you are taking so much advantage of the sunlight. You are also obliged to pay the debts, repay the debts. Deva ṛṣi. Ṛṣi means those who have given us the Vedic literature. Just like Nārada Muni, Vyāsadeva, they have given us... Vyāsadeva given us immense literature. Immense literature. He has written Mahābhārata. He has written the eighteen purāṇas.

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

So we are not paying any bills. The bills are paid, according to the Vedic injunction, by performing sacrifices. So in this way, our point is sex life, that, the, a gṛhastha, a householder, he has got debts towards his parents, towards his father, towards his mother, towards his wife, towards his children. The society should be human society, not the cats' and dogs' society. That is Vedic conception. So in the Vedic conception of life the sex life is there, but you become indebted. You must repay the debts. If you simply beget children like cats and dogs and go away, then you become responsible for the sinful activities. You must take responsible. So this man was suggesting, he wants sex life at least once in a month. Yes, that is allowed. That is allowed in the Vedic civilization. When the wife is in menstrual period, after five days of the menstrual period, the wife and husband can have sex life for begetting rightful children. And before be getting a child, one must go... If he is in the higher orders of society, one must accept the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra means that child born out of the sex life of the father and mother must come out a very nice child, not like the cat and dog. That is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: So disease, when you are in diseased condition, it means increasing suffering. Disease increases. Without treatment disease increases, as fire, without being extinguished, without attempt of extinguishing the fire, it increases. Debt, compound interest, increases. So therefore the instruction is that disease, fire, and debt should not be kept as it is without any attention. The attention must be there to see that it is not increasing, it is being completely extinguished. That is intelligence. So therefore we must know our suffering is on account of disobedience to the orders of God, or on account of becoming irreligious. So we must find out the real system of religion, and we, there is already, but on account of our ignorance it is now covered by material contamination. Otherwise our relationship with God is a fact. We are thinking independently. That is foolishness. The demons, or the atheist class, they falsely think independent of the orders of God; therefore they are forced to accept which they do not want. Ultimately they are forced to accept the punishment—birth, death, old age, and disease—but still, atheist class, they deny existence of God. That is their foolishness.