Denial

Expressions researched:
"denial" |"denials"

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

"The Vedas inform us that He alone became many, and when He so desires He glances over material nature. Before He glanced over material nature there was no material cosmic creation. Therefore, His glance is not material. Material mind or senses were unborn when the Lord glanced over material nature. Thus evidence in the Vedas proves that beyond a doubt the Lord has transcendental eyes and a transcendental mind. They are not material. His impersonality therefore is a negation of His materiality, but not a denial of His transcendental personality.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.8.32, Purport:

Because the Lord's appearance in this material world is bewildering, there are different opinions about the birth of the Unborn. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that He takes His birth in the material world, although He is the Lord of all creations and He is unborn. So there cannot be any denial of the birth of the Unborn because He Himself establishes the truth. But still there are different opinions as to why He takes His birth. That is also declared in the Bhagavad-gītā. He appears by His own internal potency to reestablish the principles of religion and to protect the pious and to annihilate the impious. That is the mission of the appearance of the Unborn. Still, it is said that the Lord is there to glorify the pious King Yudhiṣṭhira. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa certainly wanted to establish the kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas for the good of all in the world. When there is a pious king ruling over the world, the people are happy.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.7.47, Purport:

In the Upaniṣads the description is more or less negation of the material conception of things, but this is not denial of the transcendental senses of the Supreme Lord. Herein also the same is affirmed in the statement that the Supreme Lord is pure (suddham). The word suddham indicates that the senses of the Personality of Godhead are not made of the material elements; they are all transcendental, free from all contamination of material identification. And also the liberated souls are not devoid of senses; otherwise there cannot be any reciprocation of unhampered spiritual happiness exchanged between them in spontaneous unbroken joy. All the senses, both of the Lord and of the devotees, are without material contamination.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.21.27, Purport:

When Lord Buddha preached his theory of nonviolence, he was obliged to deny the authority of the Vedas, and for this reason he was considered by the followers of the Vedas to be a nāstika. But although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very clearly enunciated that the followers of Lord Buddha's philosophy are nāstikas, or atheists, because of their denial of the authority of the Vedas, He considered the Śaṅkarites, who wanted to establish Vedic authority by trickery and who actually followed the Māyāvāda philosophy of Buddha's school, to be more dangerous than the Buddhists themselves. The Śaṅkarite philosophers' theory that we have to imagine a shape of God is more dangerous than denial of the existence of God. Notwithstanding all the philosophical theorizing by atheists or Māyāvādīs, the followers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness rigidly live according to the injunctions given in Bhagavad-gītā, which is accepted as the essence of all Vedic scripture. In Bhagavad-gītā (18.46) it is said:

SB Canto 6

SB 6.4.46, Purport:

Intelligent persons can see God in His personal form, as stated in the śāstras, but if one is very eager to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead immediately, face to face, he can see the Supreme Lord through this description, which portrays the various internal and external parts of His body.

To engage in tapasya, or denial of material activities, is the first principle of spiritual life. Then there are spiritual activities, such as the performance of Vedic ritualistic sacrifices, study of the Vedic knowledge, meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. One should also respect the demigods and understand how they are situated, how they act and how they manage the activities of the various departments of this material world. In this way one can see how God is existing and how everything is managed perfectly because of the presence of the Supreme Lord. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10):

SB Canto 8

SB 8.19.41, Purport:

The best way to use money is to open such a center, where all may come live and reform their character. They may live very comfortably, without denial of any of the body's necessities, but they live under spiritual control, and thus they live happily and save time for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one has money, it should not be squandered away on nothing. It should be used to push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that all of human society will become happy, prosperous and hopeful of being promoted back home, back to Godhead. The Vedic mantra in this regard reads as follows:

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.13.51, Purport:

Therefore the mahā-bhāgavata, the topmost devotee, sees everyone as being engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa; only himself does he see as not engaged. We have to elevate ourselves from a lower position to a higher position, and the topmost position is that of direct service in Vṛndāvana. But everyone is engaged in service. Denial of the service of the Lord is māyā.

ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya

yāre yaiche nācāya, se taiche kare nṛtya

"Only Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master, and all others are His servants. As Kṛṣṇa desires, everyone dances according to His tune.' (CC Adi 5.142)

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 7.99, Purport:

The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, which means that they have taken the path of the asuras (demons), who do not believe in the existence of the form of the Lord. The Māyāvādīs say that the ultimate source of everything is impersonal, and in this way they deny the existence of God. Saying that there is no God is direct denial of God, and saying that God exists but has no head, legs or hands and cannot speak, hear or eat is a negative way of denying His existence. A person who cannot see is called blind, one who cannot walk is called lame, one who has no hands is called helpless, one who cannot speak is called dumb, and one who cannot hear is called deaf. The Māyāvādīs' proposition that God has no legs, no eyes, no ears and no hands is an indirect way of insulting Him by defining Him as blind, deaf, dumb, lame, helpless, etc. Therefore although they present themselves as great Vedāntists, they are factually māyayāpahṛta-jñāna; in other words, they seem to be very learned scholars, but the essence of their knowledge has been taken away.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Three times he says. "Just worship Govinda." Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindam. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says three times, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Three times means giving too much stress. Just like we sometimes say, "You do this, do this, do this." That means no more denial. Finish all stress. So as soon as one thing is three times stressed, that means final. So Śaṅkarācārya says, bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate. Mūḍha, mūḍha I've several times explained. Mūḍha means rascal, ass. You are depending on your grammatical understanding, dukṛn karaṇe. Dukṛn, these are grammatical affix and prefix, pratya, prakaraṇa. So you are depending on this verbal root, that verbal root, and creating, interpreting your meaning in a different way. All this is nonsense. This dukṛn karaṇe, your grammatical jugglery of words, will not save you at the time of death. You rascal, you just worship Govinda, Govinda, Govinda.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Man (8): I think that there is no point in answering a question with a parable. In point of fact, the things you've been postulating tonight is a denial of observable truth.

Madhudviṣa: Of what truth?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Observable truth.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is truth. (laughter) Anyone who has got eyes to see, he can see the truth.

Man (9): Do you believe in the essential unity of religious paths in such a way that soon people will take to God and yoga?

Madhudviṣa: He said do you believe in any unity between religious paths.

Prabhupāda: Yes, religion is only one. Just like religion... Our definition of religion is dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Religion means the laws and the codes given by God." That is religion. Now, God is one. God cannot be two. And what He says, that is also one. So if we accept that one law of God, that is religion. Then there is unity. But if you create your own religion by your imagination, that is another thing. Religion means the laws given by... Just like state law. State law is acceptable by everyone. I have given this instance. The state law is that "Keep to the right" or "left." Everyone accepts. There is no disunity.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

They, their conclusion is the same. Although they are four in number, their conclusion is the same. And another sect is Śaṅkarite sampradāya. So all these four, I mean, five different section of the Hindus, they accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All of them. There is no denial. Although they are five, they have got different theses and philosophies, little, little difference, not, I mean, conclusion, but still... Now, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, he, he is supposed, he is considered to be impersonalist. Impersonalist means he does not believe in the personal form of God. But still, he has commented in this, of this Bhagavad-gītā, Śaṅkara-bhāṣya. He has admitted there that "Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Personality of Godhead." He has also admitted. Others, they are Vaiṣṇavites, other ācāryas, other authorities, they are Vaiṣṇavites. They have naturally admitted because they believe from the beginning. But even Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he has also clearly written that sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ:

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

Nowadays a fashion has become, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. This is nonsense. What is the daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā? Why you are taking care of the daridras? If you have got such vision, such outlook, that in everyone's heart... That is a fact. Everyone's heart there is Nārāyaṇa. There is no denial. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in everyone's heart." If you have got such vision—you are seeing in everyone the Supreme Nārāyaṇa—then why should you designate only the daridras? Others also, you should see dog-nārāyaṇa. You should see kukkura-nārāyaṇa. Why daridra-nārāyaṇa?

If you have got such broad vision, why you are taking particular? That is imperfect vision. You cannot send the chāga-nārāyaṇa, goat-nārāyaṇa, to the slaughterhouse and allow the daridra-nārāyaṇa to eat the meat. This is not bhakta's business.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So that spiritual consciousness begins when one understands that he is soul; he is not this body, he is spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Brahman means the spirit soul. And there human civilization begins. Otherwise, anārya, anārya-juṣṭam. Kṛṣṇa, when Arjuna was declining to fight, He chastised him that "This denial is anārya-juṣṭam. It is befitting for the anārya, those who are not advanced. One must do his duty. You are a kṣatriya, your duty is to fight to give protection to the citizen, so why you are denying this?"

So here the example is given, jalaukasāṁ jale yadvan mahāntaḥ adanti. Adanti means swallows up. Similarly, when the Yadus became very powerful... Because they are descendants of Kṛṣṇa, who can be...? So they were fighting anywhere, conquering anywhere, and everywhere they were victorious. So that was bhū-bhārān. Bhū-bhārān means burden of the world. When one becomes extravagant and misuses his power, that is burden of the world. You cannot misuse your...

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

If Kṛṣṇa accepts something from you, then your life becomes successful. So... "But I have no money. What can I offer to Kṛṣṇa?" Oh, that is not the fact. We have got money for going to cinema, and you have no money to bring one flower for Kṛṣṇa. This is denial. This is denial. Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You bring one thousand dollars." No. He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.

So anywhere within this universe, you can get all these things, however poor man you may be. Patram, a little leaf, better tulasī leaf, or any leaf. Patraṁ puṣpam a little flower. Phalam, little fruit, and little water, that's all. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa, He is the bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka... (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of the all universes. So why He is asking this patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam? He is so poor?

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

You have to gather, you have to borrow, you have to beg. So these tribulations are called tapasya. So just for curing our ordinary disease we have to pay to the doctor, pay for the medicine, and then we have to starve also. We cannot take anything. So many things forbidden. So this austerity is called tapasya, denial, self-denial. So we should learn it. If we want to utilize this body sane, like a sane man, then we should learn tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). And this tapa, what is the purpose of tapasya? Tapasya everyone knows. Just like a man walking on the street, pulling a thela. What is the purpose? He'll get five or ten rupees, whole day working like an ass. That is also tapasya. Tapasya means labor. So he's thinking, "I'll get ten rupees by working." He cannot pull it, the load is so heavy. Still, some way or other... That is also tapasya. A scientist discovering something, he has to work very hard, and make experiments So many things. That is also tapasya. But not that kind of tapasya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (3): Karma is the cause of also the cycle of death and birth. So virtuous karma of action, liberation of man are inclined to the supreme (?). If it is so, that is called mukta. If it is so, what is the first cause that should denial(?) me from the supreme or the action?

Prabhupāda: Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). We have already mentioned. Kāraṇam, the first cause. Guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. As soon as you want to associate with the modes of material nature, then you are bound up, immediately, by the modes of material nature. Then your work begins. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. That is natural. Actually, every living entity is constitutionally the servant of Kṛṣṇa, but when he wants to enjoy without Kṛṣṇa, without becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa, he wants to enjoy independently this material nature, then he has to associate with the modes of material nature and he becomes bound up. Yajñārthe karma anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So you have to know or study all these understanding. Then you will understand what is what. That's all.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

They could also develop this country very nicely, but their civilization, their standard of living, their consciousness, was different. So it is on the basis of different standard of consciousness the standard of living and existence is dependent.

So our process is to come to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no denial; the demands of the body are to be supplied because without supply of the demands of the body, how can I live? That is not to be neglected. But Ṛṣabhadeva advised, "My dear sons, your demands of the body should not be like the demands of the body of the hog and cats and dogs. That is not..." So... Now what is the aim of the demands of the body? The demands of the body, the ultimate aim is pleasure. I want to be happy. But if we make our demands of the body flickering, temporary, changing, then we shall waste our time because pleasure is the ultimate goal of life. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised that "If you want eternal pleasure, eternal happiness, then you do not try to misuse your, this valuable body simply for meeting the demands like cats and dogs."

Lecture on SB 7.6.3-4 -- San Francisco, March 8, 1967:

The real process is to control the senses. So try to control the senses as far as possible and utilize your time for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the process is very simple—simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So make your life regulated. There is no denial. It is not that you cannot eat or you cannot sleep or you cannot have sex life or you cannot defend yourself. Do all these things according to the rules and regulations. But don't waste your time for artificial increment of sense gratification. Don't do that. You require to eat to maintain your body and soul together. You eat. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-daḥ (?). You don't require to eat less. Suppose you can eat one pound. The Kṛṣṇa conscious prescription does not say, "You simply eat one ounce." No. You eat one pound. But don't eat more. Similarly, you have to sleep. All right, make your shelter, apartment, nicely so that you can comfortably sleep. Defense, yes, you defend your country, you defend your home nicely.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3-4 -- San Francisco, March 8, 1967:

All right, make your shelter, apartment, nicely so that you can comfortably sleep. Defense, yes, you defend your country, you defend your home nicely. Sex life, yes, you have sex life, but not in the unrestricted way. Limited with married wife or married husband and comfortably and very gentlemanly. So these are prescriptions are there. There is no denial. But make it systematic. But the balance of your life Don't spoil your life simply for sense gratification or so-called advancement of material civilization. You should utilize your time how to make advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the sum and substance of Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction to his class fellows who were born of atheistic family, and we shall gradually discuss.

General Lectures

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

By chanting this movement, by the vibration, gradually one's heart, which is so contaminated that he is denying the existence of God, will be gradually simplified or clarified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Just like the mirror, when it is overcast with dust, you cannot see your face nicely. But if you clear the dust you can see clearly. Similarly, our, this disease, denial of God, or "God is dead," "There is no God," "I am God," "You are God," such kinds of conception is due to covering of material dust on the mirror of our heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. If you simply chant this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, you don't require any qualification and you don't require that you have to become intellectual man or an administrator or a productive man or... Never mind whatever you are. You be situated in your place, but you try to chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare.

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

The conclusion is that everyone sees God at every moment, but the atheist class, they do not accept that he is seeing God. He denies or telling lies that he is not seeing God. But a devotee of God, he sees God at every moment within his heart. So the difference of seeing God by a devotee and difference of, and denying, denial by the nondevotee, is this, that the atheist class or the atheist can see God at his last stage as death, whereas the devotee sees God by his devotional service every moment and every step of his life.

So this human form of life is especially... It is given by nature to realize God. If we don't utilize this human form of life to understand ourselves and God and our relationship, then we are committing a suicidal policy. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just an attempt to educate the foolish human civilization without any sense of God. Our life... As we are spirit soul, we are evolving through many species of life, and if we don't take advantage of this human form of life, then we are missing the chance.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: He says, "Voluntary and complete chastity is the first step in asceticism or the denial of the will to live. It thereby denies the assertion of the will, which extends beyond the individual life and gives the assurance that with the life of the body, the will, whose manifestation it is, ceases."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: Is this kind of extinction the purpose behind chastity?

Prabhupāda: Behind the willing activities there is a person who is willing. So simply by negation of this temporary willing will not help him. He has to will reality. That is eternal willing. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has been willing his sense satisfaction, material world, because he does not know there is another field of willing. So the same willing, when he will satisfy the senses of the Supreme, that is his eternal willing. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Because when he analyzes, comes to the real knowledge, he finds himself that he is eternal servant of God. As such, when willing will be concentrated how to serve God, that is his real position of life—eternity, knowledge and bliss. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: He looked on the Indian philosophy and religion as basically a philosophy of the denial of the will, and he gives several examples of religious..., of suicide as a religious act. He says especially when it...

Prabhupāda: That is, that is Māyāvāda. That is not... He did not study Indian philosophy and religion perfectly well. He simply has taken some portion of the Māyāvāda philosophy or Buddha philosophy, but he did not know about Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Hayagrīva: But he gives the example of...

Prabhupāda: Although he has touched Bhagavad-gītā...

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: He speaks of the Indian religion, which demands the greatest sacrifices and which has yet remained so long in practice in a nation that embraces so many millions of persons cannot be arbitrarily invented superstition but must have its foundation in the nature of man. And he says that the religion has endured for more than four thousand years, despite the fact that the Hindu nation has been broken up into so many parts. But he sees the religion basically as a religion of the denial of will. But does the religion have its foundation in the nature of man?

Prabhupāda: Yes, the denial, both the... There are two kinds of sects: this Māyāvādī and the Vaiṣṇava. So both of them know that this material world is flickering, and sometimes they say it is false, unreal. So there is another life; that is spiritual world. So the Māyāvādī philosopher, their spiritual life means to merge into the Brahman effulgence, and the Vaiṣṇava philosopher to go back to Goloka Vṛndāvana, Vaikuṇṭha, where God is situated, and become His associate person. So both the ideas, spiritual ideas, that is attained after death. What does he say that is good about Hindus? He says that denial...

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: He sees it basically as a denial of the will.

Prabhupāda: Yes, but denial of the will for material happiness. So we will not deny willing, that willing for spiritual happiness. That is required. As you deny something, you must accept something; otherwise... You cannot remain in the neutral position. That is not possible. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nirvatanta. When you get a better position, then you give up this willing for lower position.

Hayagrīva: The... He speaks of the sannyāsī, who lives without a dwelling and entirely without property, who is advised not to lay down often under the same tree least he should acquire a preference or inclination for it above other trees. The Christian mystic and the teacher of the Vedānta philosophy agree in this respect also, that they both regard all outward works and religious exercises as superfluous for him who has attained to perfection. Isn't this the viewpoint of the Māyāvādī, and doesn't Kṛṣṇa recommend the lighting of the sacrificial fire even after one has attained perfection?

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Hayagrīva: Like Comte, Marx believed that atheism was unnecessary because it was negative denial. He felt that socialism is positive assertion. He says, "Atheism no longer has any meaning, for atheism is a negation of God and postulates the existence of man through this negation. But socialism as socialism no longer stands in any need of such a mediation. It proceeds from the practically and theoretically sensuous consciousness of man and of nature the essence. Socialism is man's positive self-consciousness no longer mediated throught the annulment of religion, just as real life is man's positive reality through Communism." So that Communism really has nothing whatsoever to do with religion.

Prabhupāda: No. Our point is that religion is not sentiment. Leadership has to be accepted, either by the Communist or the theist or atheist. There is leadership. So when the leadership is selected and the direction given by the leader, you can take it as some "ism." So religion is the same thing. When we accept the leadership of God and His direction, that is religion. I don't think on principle the Communist can change this idea. The same leader is Lenin or Stalin, and he is giving his direction, and people must follow it. So where is the difference of philosophy? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, His instruction is there, and we are following. So where is the difference in fact?

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is called tapasya. According to Vedic instruction one must take to the path of tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily self-denial, sense gratification denial. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya, our austerity begins with brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā, controlling the senses, controlling the mind. Then tyāgena, renouncement or giving in charity, whatever you have got, for the service of the Lord, tyāgena; satya-śaucābhyām, by following the path of truthfulness and remaining cleansed; yamena niyamena vā, by practice of mystic yoga. In this way one makes advancement towards spiritual kingdom or spiritual world. But all these can be totally performed simply by engaging oneself in devotional service. That is also stated: kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). If one becomes devotee of Lord Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, then simply by executing devotional service he attains the result of austerity, celibacy, and mystic yoga practice, and the result of charity, truthfulness, cleanliness—everything attains simultaneously, without separate effort. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading devotional service. By one stroke, the candidate can attain the results of all other processes.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Material consciousness means forgetting God. When one forgets God, that is material consciousness. Material consciousness is called māyā. Actually one should not forget. But if he forgets somehow or other, that is material consciousness. Naturally nobody forgets his father and mother. But if, somehow or other, he forgets, that is a special circumstances and that is called māyā, illusion. Just like any one of you who are existing, you must have a father and mother. That is a fact. Without father and mother, your existence cannot be. Now, if you cannot say who is your father and mother, if you do not know, this forgetfulness, this is called māyā. Actually it should not happen, but somehow or other, if you are asked, "Who is your parents?" You cannot say. This is called māyā. But there must be some father and mother. Without father and mother, there cannot be an existence. You cannot deny that. You cannot say, "Oh, I have no father and mother." That is not possible. You may not know who is your father, mother. That is a different thing. But you cannot say, "Oh, I have no father, mother." So this denial, that "I don't believe in God," is a existence like that, one who has forgotten his father and mother. That is māyā, and that is material consciousness. Denying God in different way, "There is no God," that is also denial. "I don't believe in God"—that is also denial. "God is impersonal, void," anyway, whatever you say in that way, that is all insanity, māyā. Maya means insanity. Another meaning of māyā means insanity.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Dr. Weir: This is what they call "Solution by Denial".

Prabhupāda: It is not called solution. It is a fact because it is followed... Then you have come to the original position, to follow the mahājanas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Our (indistinct) is guided by that, mahājana. We accept the mahājanas, the great personalities who have achieved success. We follow.

Dr. Weir: Let us now praise famous men and our fathers who beget us as they oddly enough seem always to be (indistinct) but I've never been able to understand why.

Śyāmasundara: But the whole idea is that these personalities have to be in a living form, not just in the past. But they live in the form of the spiritual master who's there to guide us personally. Not just praise someone in the past. Unless this process is transmitted in a human form personally, it's not...

Prabhupāda: That is the process in the material world also. You are lawyer because you have studied law under some big lawyer. So the process is coming.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Then how the material body grows? Because the spirit soul is there. Is there any denial?

Robert Gouiran: We call in a way, but...

Prabhupāda: You call in any way, but the fact is this that there is something, when in contact with that something, the matter grows. Otherwise it doesn't grow. That we call spirit soul. You may call it something else. That is a different thing. You can call in a different name, but matter grows not automatically. There must be in touch something with matter. Then it grows. This is a fact.

Robert Gouiran: And it grows by aglutamation (?) of particles.

Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: What is the meaning of renunciation?

Yogeśvara: (Reading from dictionary) It says, "The giving up of things, self-denial."

Prabhupāda: That's right. So renunciation means giving up. So suppose you are working as a scientist. You give up. Then what do you gain by that giving up?

Robert Gouiran: Because...

Prabhupāda: First of all, why should you give up?

Robert Gouiran: To get... To get, to get free...

Prabhupāda: "To get." The word is "to get."

Robert Gouiran: Well, I'm not English-speaking.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Kim Cornish -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Kim: Which, as far as I can gather, the self/no-self thing, Buddhism was denying that you're the ātman, I think. Could you perhaps say something about that?

Amogha: He's asking about the conception of denial of the self.

Kim: Of the ātman, yes.

Amogha: Ātman. The finishing of ātman.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So how can you deny ātman?

Kim: In Hindu philosophy, what is the nature of the ātman?

Prabhupāda: Nature of ātman is eternal. Eternity, knowledge and blissfulness. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) ātmā is joy, ānanda, blissful.

Kim: I've read some of the Upaniṣads where they say that ātman is Brahman?

Prabhupāda: Why have I placed this flower here? Why do I like this flower? What is the reason?

Kim: Because it's beautiful, perhaps?

Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore you want to enjoy. This is the nature of ātmā. I want to enjoy. This is blissfulness. Then, why are you trying to become a philosopher?

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Materialistic man means he wants all these things in different way. Somebody is becoming God, somebody is becoming philosopher, somebody is becoming scientist, in this way. Real purpose is these three things. Abha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā. And our philosophy? We don't want anything of this. Just see. Negation. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Say... All denial, "We don't want." That is Vaiṣṇavism. Then what do you want? "We want simply to serve Kṛṣṇa." This is our position. They don't want to serve Kṛṣṇa; they want to imitate Kṛṣṇa. And that is their satisfaction.

Garden Conversation with Professors -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Not important. He can have dhotī, you can have pant, you can have... It doesn't matter.

Dr. Pore: It's part of the beauty of the world. It's interesting, it's fun, it's enjoyable, and I see no reason for denial.

Prabhupāda: There are so many thing enjoyable, but who is enjoying? That is the question. The real enjoyer and sufferer is the soul, not this body. When the soul is out of this body the body is no more enjoyer or sufferer; it is a lump of matter. The sense of enjoyment and suffering is there so long the soul is there. Therefore the soul is important. And if you can study the soul then you can understand what is God.

Peter: How do you know there's a soul?

Conversation on Roof -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Prabhupāda: Not unknown. It is unknown to you. But known to us. If it is unknown to you, you take, you know it from me. That is real knowledge. Why you persist that "It is unknown"? It should remain ever unknown? Why shall I take from anyone else? That's a fact. Either you answer what is that element which is missing so that the body is now dead. Simply your denial is obstinacy. That is dog's obstinacy. Then you are like a dog. You answer that: "This is the reason." Make experiment; prove it. Then you are right. So long you cannot do it, simply denying, that is dog's obstinacy. If you, as you say, there is no soul, it is chemical combination, so bring the chemicals and put him into life. Then your statement is right. You cannot do it and simply persist. This is doggish. You are calling a lump of matter your father, your child, your relative, and when the soul is gone, you say, "Oh, my father is gone." Why your father is gone? He's lying there on the bed. The same coat, pant, face, ear, eyes. Why do you say, "My father has gone"? What is this nonsense? So that chemical combination is your father?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (break) You say no meat, fish or eggs, no gambling, no intoxicants, no illicit sex, and we are all coming gladly. That means you're offering something alternative. They're not offering any alternative.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have nothing to give. Simply denial, how it will act?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes when I talk with Christians, I tell them that "The reason that you're not feeling any bliss is that you're not following the way Jesus lived. We are living like him. He was wearing robes, he was living simply. But you, you're living in big fancy buildings with so many washing machines and this machine, and that your whole life is complicated."

Prabhupāda: Grievous folly is that they are disobeying the Ten Commandments.

Rāmeśvara: Disobeying.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You don't perceive. That is your position.

Richard: Right. That is because I am physically limited by my body.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the point. That is the point.

Richard: But I still don't see that as an affirmation nor as a denial.

Prabhupāda: Therefore this verse is explained to you, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyaṁ grāhyam (BG 6.21). So we have to understand through supersenses, not this blunt senses.

Richard: Right, and I think...

Prabhupāda: These are imperfect.

Richard: And I think that in the Western world, I don't know about the Eastern world, in the Western world, that understanding is called faith.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: No. Different plants, that is botanical study, that has also no utilization. But you can teach them, "Just see, this plant is coming from earth. The earth is the mother of this plant." These things you can convince them. Is it not a fact? The grass is coming, the tree is coming, and the animal eating grass. Then the animal is coming. The man is eating food grains, then man is coming. So originally the earth is the mother, feeding everyone. Is there any denial? What do you think? So earth is the mother of all living entities, convince them. So all living entities are children. Mother earth is the mother. The father? Where is father, find out. Everyone has got idea, father, mother and children. Children are there. The mother is there. Where is the father? If somebody says "I have not seen father; how can I recognize father?" that does not mean... Because the mother is there, because the children are there, there must be father. If you do not know, try to know it from your mother, from your superior. From Veda-mātā. You have to know from the Vedas.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. J. A. Hamilton Jr -- Montreal 11 June, 1968:

In your Order of Denial, you have clearly mentioned in paragraph 4 that your denial order was not on the basis of my qualification of Religious Minister, but on your discretion for the reason that I submitted my application just after a fortnight of my arrival in USA, and as such, I was not a bona fide non-immigrant. I did not know what was the technical mistake on my part in this connection, but I honestly submitted the application after consulting your Calcutta American Consulate and our Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. and I have their letters of confirmation with me.

Letter to Mr. J. A. Hamilton Jr -- Montreal 11 June, 1968:

In your Notice of Denial of May 3, 1968, you have mentioned that there is no appeal from this decision. As such, I did not prefer to appeal in this decision, but I left USA as per your direction. Now I am simply requesting you to give me your valued direction what to do next.

Letter to Mr. J. A. Hamilton Jr -- Montreal 11 June, 1968:

It is a fact that I am a recognized Religious Minister and in your country there are seven branches of the ISKCON RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLES in different parts. This ISKCON organization is duly incorporated in New York State and is registered as N.G.O. by the United Nations. I am the principal Acarya or Chief Minister of the organization. Even after receipt of your Notice of Denial, I was called by you, and I have already submitted all the above mentioned facts for your record.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tittenhurst 29 October, 1969:

This is the secret of not being a victim of Maya. Rayarama's case is different. He definitely denied my instructions. I asked him to come to me and live with me, and he definitely denied. So this denial is cause of his temporary suspension of devotional life, but if he has executed devotional service in the past sincerely, I think he cannot go back.

Regarding Spiritual Sky business, I am very happy to learn that it is making very nice progress and you are getting demand. Do it nicely, and as already agreed, you can use the profit exclusively for opening branches. The sales which an individual center makes by selling incense may be employed for temple expenditures. Similarly, Los Angeles also can employ it for this purpose.

Letter to Gargamuni -- London 15 December, 1969:

I very much appreciate this example, but it is my order that whenever you are in such trouble, you should not minimize any expenditure. You must have the best kind of treatment available, and you can spend from the money you are collecting on behalf of Krishna. Your mother's assistance is welcome, and as a child you can very affectionately ask her for such assistance. But in case of denial or inability, you should not hesitate to spend from Krishna's money. You can take it from me. By this contribution of your mother out of her affection, your mother has benefited undoubtedly. She is already benefited to have two such nice sons, and she will be more and more benefited. Not only your mother, but also your father and all family members will be benefited by your dedication of life for Krishna's sake. Be rest assured. Krishna Consciousness is so nice.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1970:

So a devotee can continue his present occupation or he may change it if he likes. Krsna does not force a devotee because the devotee acts spontaneously according to the desire of the Lord; in this kind of loving service there is no question of force. Force is applied only when there is denial of Krsna. Just as the citizens of a state have freedom to follow the laws of the state, that is subordinate freedom, and the freedom of the living entities is also subordinate to Krsna. The clue is given there in the Bhagavad-gita that the living entities are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, this means that all the qualities of Krsna are therefore present in minute quantity in each of His parts and parcels. That is simultaneously one and different philosophy—the living entities thus have free will because they are parts of Krsna and Krsna has free will, but the free will of Krsna is Supreme while the freedom of the parts and parcels is minute.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1973:

I am in receipt of your letters dated November 29th and 30th. Regarding the refusal of my entrance into Nairobi, no reason has yet been disclosed for the denial. I have written one letter, a copy of which is enclosed herewith, but there has been no reply. You may get the letter published in India. After proceeding to London I heard from Brahmananda Maharaja that on account of the denial of entry a commotion was caused amongst the people so the President of Kenya verbally said he was issuing a letter with permission for myself to enter. I waited in London but it did not come so I proceeded on to Los Angeles. The idea is to curtail the Indian influence in Kenya, either political or religious. That I can understand. Brahmananda Maharaja was allowed but not myself or my secretary.