Do not forget the principle

Expressions researched:
"Forgetting this principle" |"Forget this principle" |"forgets this principle" |"forgetting the principles" |"forgotten the principle" |"forgetting these principles" |"forget our principles"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

Forgetting this principle, the living entity becomes conditioned by material nature, but in serving the Supreme Lord he becomes the liberated servant of God.

BG 18.73, Purport: The constitutional position of a living entity, represented by Arjuna, is that he has to act according to the order of the Supreme Lord. He is meant for self-discipline. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that the actual position of the living entity is that of eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. Forgetting this principle, the living entity becomes conditioned by material nature, but in serving the Supreme Lord he becomes the liberated servant of God. The living entity's constitutional position is to be a servitor; he has to serve either the illusory māyā or the Supreme Lord. If he serves the Supreme Lord he is in his normal condition, but if he prefers to serve the illusory, external energy, then certainly he will be in bondage. In illusion the living entity is serving in this material world. He is bound by his lust and desires, yet he thinks of himself as the master of the world. This is called illusion. When a person is liberated, his illusion is over, and he voluntarily surrenders unto the Supreme to act according to His desires. The last illusion, the last snare of māyā to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare of illusion. Actually to become free from the illusory energy is to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and agree to act according to His order.

SB Canto 1

By Viṣṇu worship one can derive benefit in this life as well as in life after death. Forgetting these principles, foolish people who are after more wealth, more wives and more children worship various demigods.

SB 1.2.27, Purport: We should never desire to increase the depth of material enjoyment. Material enjoyment should be accepted only up to the point of the bare necessities of life and not more or less than that. To accept more material enjoyment means to bind oneself more and more to the miseries of material existence. More wealth, more women and false aristocracy are some of the demands of the materially disposed man because he has no information of the benefit derived from Viṣṇu worship. By Viṣṇu worship one can derive benefit in this life as well as in life after death. Forgetting these principles, foolish people who are after more wealth, more wives and more children worship various demigods. The aim of life is to end the miseries of life and not to increase them.

SB Canto 6

In offering initiation, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement asks one to come to the conclusion of śāstra by taking the advice of the supreme speaker of the śāstra, Kṛṣṇa, forgetting the principles of the materialistic way of life.

SB 6.5.20, Purport: One should be initiated into following the principles of śāstra. In offering initiation, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement asks one to come to the conclusion of śāstra by taking the advice of the supreme speaker of the śāstra, Kṛṣṇa, forgetting the principles of the materialistic way of life. Therefore the principles we advise are no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating. These four types of engagement will enable an intelligent person to get free from the materialistic life and return home, back to Godhead.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

To cover the lower part of the body is a principle of human civilization, and when men or women forget this principle, they become no better than animals.

Krsna Book 10: In animal life, the animal has no sense to understand that he is naked. But Kuvera was the treasurer of the demigods, a very responsible man, and Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva were two of his sons. And yet they became so animalistic and irresponsible that they could not understand, due to intoxication, that they were naked. To cover the lower part of the body is a principle of human civilization, and when men or women forget this principle, they become no better than animals. Nārada therefore thought that the best punishment for them was to make them immovable living entities, or trees.

Light of the Bhagavata

When the same man was as dry as fallow land and had none of these opulences, he was plain in behavior, but since obtaining all these material means of enjoyment he has forgotten the principle that everything in the world comes and goes away like the changing seasons.

Light of the Bhagavata 8: A rich man displays his opulence in various colorful ways. He has a good residential bungalow with sufficient property and a well-trimmed garden. The bungalow is decorated with up-to-date furniture and carpets. There are motorcars with dazzling polish, and a radio set receiving and broadcasting colorful news and melodious songs. All these captivate their proprietor as though he were in a dreamland of his own creation. When the same man was as dry as fallow land and had none of these opulences, he was plain in behavior, but since obtaining all these material means of enjoyment he has forgotten the principle that everything in the world comes and goes away like the changing seasons. The beautiful Red Fort and the Taj Mahal were built by Shah Jahan, who left the place long ago, and many others have also come and gone in the same place, like seasonal flowers. Material assets are like seasonal flowers only.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Forgetting this principle of life, under designation of this matter, I am serving, giving my service to so many things.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966: In the name of religion, so many things are going on, but the real religion is that we must know that our natural function is to render service to the Lord. That's all. That is real religion. And forgetting this, forgetting this principle of life, under designation of this matter, I am serving, giving my service to so many things.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Some way or other you have got it, and you are chanting. Go on, continuously. Don't forget this principle. Continue this principle.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974: Everyone should be alert to treat this miserable condition of material life, tāpa-traya. Tāpa-traya unmūlanam. One has to uproot this tree of tāpa-traya. That is perfection of life. Here Nārada Muni realizing that tāpa-traya-cikitsitam. Not unmūlanam. Unmūlanam means when we are liberated. That is unmūlanam. But why... So long we are not liberated, the cikitsā. The cikitsā. In another place Parīkṣit Mahārāja says, bhavauṣadhi. Bhavauṣadhi, the medicine for this disease of repetition of birth and death. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the bhavauṣadhi. Some way or other you have got it, and you are chanting. Go on, continuously. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. Ādi 17.31]. This is the easiest process of tāpa-trayonmūlanam or tāpa-traya-cikitsitam, and that is required in human life. Don't forget this principle. Continue this principle. And even there is little inconvenience, don't give up the association of devotees.

You are not independent. As soon as we forget this principle, we become fool enough to consider as independent: "I am as good as... I am God." That is rascaldom.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976: if we actually follow mataṁ ca vāsudevasya, and if we want to stop the upadrava, the disturbances of this material world, as Arjuna is following under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa... He's doing everything under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. But he's doing political, he's counteracting with this brahmāstra another brahmāstra. As a military man, he's doing his duty, but he's doing everything under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. That is truth. Don't do anything thinking yourself as independent. You cannot be independent. If you don't accept mataṁ ca vāsudevasya, then by the ear you'll be pulled by the māyā to do something. You'll be obliged to do something. You are not independent. As soon as we forget this principle, we become fool enough to consider as independent: "I am as good as... I am God." That is rascaldom. That is rascaldom. So 'ham. So 'ham, that does not mean that "I am as good as. I am God." No. I cannot be God because I am under the obligation of the laws of nature.

We are servant eternally, but kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare, pāsate māyā tare jāpaṭiyā dhare. As soon as we forget this principle, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa..." This material life means this forgetfulness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.40 -- Mayapur, March 18, 1976: We are servant eternally, but kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare, pāsate māyā tare jāpaṭiyā dhare. As soon as we forget this principle, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa..." This material life means this forgetfulness. I am serving, it is a fact. And because I am serving my senses, that... Big, big leaders... Just like in your Western countries, there was Napoleon, there was Hitler, there was Mussolini, here also, big, big leaders, but what they are? Big, big servants of the senses, that's all. Big, big servants of the senses. Therefore Bhāgavata has said, sva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ [SB 2.3.19]. Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ: "These big, big leaders are big, big animals, that's all." Saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. So there are many instructive verses in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be your life and soul to remain constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, yes, the unique gift of Śrī Vyāsadeva.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Do not forget this principle, everything requires strength, so we can derive strength by chanting Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.14 -- Mayapur, April 7, 1975: Do not forget this principle,

pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ

bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam

bhaktāvatāraṁ bhaktākhyaṁ

namāmi bhakta-śaktikam

Bhakta-śakti, everything requires strength, so we can derive strength by chanting Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You don't require very high education, neither you require to take your birth in very high family. Ahaitukī. Execution of devotional service is independent, completely. It has nothing to do with material condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. No material condition can check. Who can check it? If all the world over they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, who can check? No government can check, no communist party can check. Go on chanting; that is the principle.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

When living entity forgets that he cannot enjoy, the only enjoyer is God, Kṛṣṇa, when he forgets this principle he wants to enjoy.

Room Conversation with M. Lallier, noted French Poet -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: Why does the living entity try to enjoy material nature in such a way?

Prabhupāda: The, the... When he forgets that he cannot enjoy, the only enjoyer is God, Kṛṣṇa, when he forgets this principle he wants to enjoy.

M. Lallier: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is called illusion, māyā. Actually, he cannot enjoy, but, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, the real enjoyer, he wants to enjoy. That is his... Just like a child imitates the mother for cooking. The other day, in Geneva, the fire ceremony was going on. The mother was offering oblations, and the child also immediately took some and he... You have seen that?

Yogeśvara: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So he's not fit for that business, but he imitates. That is childish. Sometimes goes to the kitchen, wants to make foodstuff, preparation, and he is given some toys that "You just play with it." So every living entity is part and parcel of God. So God is enjoyer, God is controller. So he wants to imitate God. That is called māyā.

1973 Correspondence

Do not forget our principles, but sometimes we may adapt such means in order to help distribute books.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 23 July, 1973: There is no objection to going in western clothes in order to distribute my books. It is not necessary that we always wear the robes, but we should always keep sikha and teelock. However, a wig or hat may be worn as you describe. We have to take whatever is the favorable position for executing Krsna consciousness. Do not forget our principles, but sometimes we may adapt such means in order to help distribute books. Somehow or other distribute books and if you can impress people a little to chant then it does not matter about your dress.