Forest (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"forest" |"forester" |"forests"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: forest* not "go* forest*"@5 not "went forest*"@5 not "forest* fire"@5"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

So dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkam (BG 1.2). Duryodhana did not expect that the Pāṇḍavas would be able to accomplish military strength so nicely because they were bereft of all sources. Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Kṛṣṇa on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pāṇḍavas are well-equipped with good number of soldiers, pāṇḍavānīkam, he was little surprised, that "How they could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the commander-in-chief Dronācārya....

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

What is this?" So Jīva Gosvāmī says that "This man, who is respected, but he is respected by whom? He is respected by this class of men: dogs, hogs, camel and asses. So he is a big paśuḥ."

Just like the lion. Lion is respected in the forest by dogs, hogs, camel and asses and other animals. Because lion is the king of the animals. But does it mean, because he is designated as the king of animals, it has got any use? Has it got any use for any purpose? Similarly, these political leaders, they may be lion, but who respects them? These dogs, hogs, camels and asses, that's all. He may be a big animal, but he is animal, no better than a big animal. That's all. And other animals praises, dogs, hogs, camels.

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

"They do not know factually." This Bhīṣmadeva, he materially considered his position. He knew everything from the beginning, that the Pāṇḍavas, they were parentless, fatherless children, and he raised them from the very beginning. Not only that, he was so much affectionate to the Pāṇḍavas that he was thinking, when they were sent to forest, banished, at that time Bhīṣmadeva was crying, that "These five boys, they are so pure, so honest, and not only pure and honest, so powerful warriors, Arjuna and Bhīma. And this Draupadī is practically directly the goddess of fortune. And they have got their friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. And they are suffering?" He cried. He was such affectionate. Therefore Arjuna is considering, "How can I kill Bhīṣma?" But duty is so strong. Kṛṣṇa is advising, "Yes, he must be killed because he has gone to the other side. He has forgotten his duty. He should have joined you.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

You find in Bhagavad-gītā, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). In many places, the śāstra only aims at. In another place, in Bhāratī-kāvya (Bhakti-kāvya) (?), when Viśvāmitra Muni came to see Mahārāja Daśaratha to ask his son, Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa, to take them, they were boys at that time, and there was a demon disturbing in the forest. So Viśvāmitra... (aside:) Not back side ... Viśvāmitra Muni came to Mahārāja Daśaratha for help. Viśvāmitra Muni could kill that demon immediately, but that is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. Killing business is for the kṣatriya. Just see how... He was quite powerful. He could kill that demon simply by saying that "You die." He was so powerful, Viśvāmitra Muni. But still, he came to the king for help.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

"For the sake of religion, you must fight. And if you do not, then sva-dharmam... You are a kṣatriya. Not only kṣatriya, you are a very well known fighter. You have been recognized by so many demigods." Arjuna got the pāśupata-astra. To test Arjuna's fighting capacity, sometimes Lord Śiva, when Arjuna was hunting in the forest, so Lord Śiva also, as a hunter, he appeared before him, and when a boar was killed by hunting, Lord Śiva claimed that "I have done this killing." Arjuna said, "No, I have done this." So there was controversy, who will claim that hunt, I mean to say, killed animal. So Arjuna was claiming, and Lord Śiva as a hunter, he was also claiming. Then there was fight between Lord Śiva and Arjuna. So Lord Śiva was defeated. So he then disclosed his identity that "I am very much pleased that you (are) such a nice fighter." So he presented him one arrow which is called pāśupata-astra. Similarly, he sometimes fought with Indra. He gave him some astra, weapon.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

According to the Vedic culture, the kṣatriyas... Not the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas are not encouraged to fight or kill. No. They should remain always nonviolent. Even there is required violence, a brāhmaṇa will not kill personally. He will bring the matter to the kṣatriya, royal order. Just like Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra was being disturbed by some demons in the forest. They used to live in the forest. So Viśvāmitra was able to kill such demon, many demons, by his will. But he did not do so. He went to Mahārāja Daśaratha, father of Lord Rāmacandra, to request him that "Give your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. I will take them with me. They will kill that demon." The killing is there, but the brāhmaṇa is not going to kill personally. Or the vaiśya is not meant for killing, neither the śūdras. Only the kṣatriyas. The kṣatriyas should be so trained up. Just like in USA there is some trouble in recruiting soldiers, because... Why the difficulty is?

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

There the situation, material situation, is so stringent, that without working, you cannot live. You'll die. There is an example in the Hitopadeśa. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. Suptasya siṁhasya. Siṁha means lion. If the lion thinks that "I am so powerful animal, king of the forest. Why shall I work?" Therefore, it is said that if he does not work, then he'll have to starve. Even though he's a lion. Because he may be lion, but if he sleeps, that "I am king. Let me sleep and my food will come automatically in my mouth," that is not possible. This is the example. Very good example. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. A lion is sleeping. If he does not work, he'll also starve. He'll also starve. And what to speak of cats and dogs. So this is not possible. Therefore, there is sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means, you are in brahminical quality, your work is this.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 52: "When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you will become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard (BG 2.52)." Purport: "There are many good examples in the lives of the great devotees of the Lord, of those who became indifferent to the rituals of the Vedas simply by devotional service to the Lord. When a person factually understands Kṛṣṇa and one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa, one naturally becomes completely indifferent to the rituals of fruitive activities even though he may be an experienced brāhmaṇa. Śrī Mādhavendra Purī, a great devotee and ācārya in the line of devotees, says, 'O Lord, in my prayers three times a day, all glories to You. Bathing, I offer my obeisances unto You. O demigods, O forefathers, please excuse me for my inability to offer you my respects. Now wherever I sit I am able to remember the great descendant of the Yadu dynasty, Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Kaṁsa, and therefore I can get myself free from all sinful bondage. I think this is sufficient for me.' "

Prabhupāda: This is a prayer by Mādhavendra Purī. (chuckling) He says that "I am not going to do anything except serving Kṛṣṇa." This Mādhavendra Purī was the grand-spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. Mādhavendra Purī's disciple Īśvara Purī, and Īśvara Purī was accepted as spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. Nobody can become a spiritual master of the Supreme Lord, but in order to teach us that even the Lord, He also accepted a spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

Now, you make philosophical study. "Well, paper I purchased from the market." Market, how does it supply paper? "It is manufactured in mills." Oh, it is manufactured in mills. Where they get the raw materials? "Oh, from the wood." How the wood is produced? Oh, then you come to the God. You cannot produce the wood. You simply bring wood from the forest and get it to chemically purified and make a plaster, and the paper is made. So no raw material you can manufacture. Raw material has to be taken from God's stock. Now, if the raw material is taken from God's stock, then how the paper becomes yours? This is God consciousness. Everything we'll find that nothing is our. We simply... The economists also say that we cannot manufacture anything; we can simply transform from one form to another. That's all. We can give our labor only. And that labor also, given the strength... Now, suppose I work with my hand.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Now, in his later life he gave up everything and he wanted to be a transcendentalist and great meditator, great meditator in the yoga principle of life. He was a yogi, great yogi. Now, this Viśvāmitra was performing meditation in the forest very supremely. So the... Now, Indra, the King of heaven, he became frightened: "So, this man is performing so much penance. So he might come. He might ask from God and claim my seat. So just wake him, wake him. Just detach him from this purpose." So he had many beautiful women at his control, one of whose name was Menakā. So Menakā was ordered that "You go there and try to induce him to have your association." Because in this world our real bondage is this... Either for man or woman, this is the real bondage, the sex life.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

Just this morning we were discussing that all these... Strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Vyāsadeva is so kind that he could understand that the next generation before, I mean to say, five thousands years before, when he was thinking... We should always know that great thinkers, great, I mean to say, sages, ṛṣis, they are sitting in the secluded place, in a forest, not idly. They are always thinking how people should be benefited, how people should be benefited. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Just like we sing daily about the Gosvāmīs.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

He is pleased in that position, but, you know, the tiger or the lion, they are so unfortunate that they do not get daily food, in spite of becoming so strong. Because prakṛti-jān guṇān, he is under the influence of the material nature. He... The tiger may be very powerful, but he remains always hungry. Very powerful. Because the other animals, they know that in that corner of the forest there is tiger, nobody goes there. Where he can get food? Hardly chance, by chance he gets one animal and jumps over it. This is called prakṛti-jān guṇān. He thought, "By becoming tiger I shall be very much proud of enjoying," but prakṛti says, "No, sir, you cannot get even daily food. That is not possible." Therefore prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarva... (BG 3.27).

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Therefore you do not know what is bhakti-yoga," I told him. The bhakta, for Kṛṣṇa's sake, he can do anything. But by nature, he's perfect. He does not commit any violence. Just like see Arjuna's character. He was so much harassed by the opposite party, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was, I mean to say, by unlawful means taken away, he was sent to forest for thirteen years. After so many troubles, he never tried to retaliate. He said, "All right, Kṛṣṇa, I don't want my kingdom. I cannot fight with my kinsmen." This is Vaiṣṇava nature. But as soon as he understood that "This fight is liked by Kṛṣṇa, oh, then I'll continue, stay. I must fight..." It is not his cowardice. He was quite competent to fight, but out of his Vaiṣṇava compassion he was avoiding it in the beginning. But when he understood that "My master, Kṛṣṇa, He wants it," he gave up his decision.

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

You will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa Book, that when Sudāmā Vipra met him, he was talking with Him about His childhood stories. Kṛṣṇa reminded him, "Sudāmā, do you remember that one day we went to collect fuel for our Guru Mahārāja, and there was storm and rain, and we could not get out of the forest. We had to live overnight there. Then on the morning Guru Mahārāja came with other disciples and they recovered us from the jungle. Do you remember?" So Kṛṣṇa had to do this. This is training.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

It is nothing that by this organization we are imposing upon you something extra. No. It is within you. It is within every living entity. Any living entity—never mind whether he is human being or animal... When Lord Caitanya was singing this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, He was passing through jungles, forests, and the tigers, the elephants, the stags, and all, I mean to, forest animals, they joined. They joined. It is such a thing. Of course, it depends on the pure-hearted chanting. As we become... This is the process. As we become advanced in this chanting method, similarly, our heart becomes freed from all the dirty things of material contact. So even the animals can be captivated by this chanting, what to speak of human beings.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

This is called ākāśa-paḍi.(?) The food must be dropped from the sky. This is called ākāśa-paḍi.(?) And Kṛṣṇa will send. If Kṛṣṇa sends, then we eat. But you will be surprised that we have to spend not less than $80,000 per month, but Kṛṣṇa is supplying. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Why Kṛṣṇa will not supply? If Kṛṣṇa is supplying to the elephant in the forest, and those who have dedicated their life to Kṛṣṇa, they will not be supplied with the necessities? Why not?

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

Just like the roaring of a lion drives away the big elephants from the forest—whenever there is roaring of a lion, even the big animals like elephants, they go away—similarly, this vibration of transcendental sound will cleanse the elephants of dirtiness in the mind. We have accumulated dirtiness in our mind after many, many births, and that is a huge garbage. So this transcendental sound is just like the roaring of lion, and it will clear all the garbages accumulated.

Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:

When Mahārāja Daśaratha... Daśaratha was the father of Lord Rāma. When Rāma was a boy, say about ten years, twelve years old, or about fifteen or sixteen years old... He was simply a boy. Now, one sage, his name is... He's very famous sage. He came to Mahārāja Daśaratha, asking the help of Rāmacandra for killing one demon in the forest. Because the sages used to remain in forest, they were... That demon was creating some disturbance, so he approached the king. King is the lord of both the city and the forest. So he prayed that "Please send your son and help me." Now, at that time this king inquired from that sage, aihisthaṁ yat taṁ punar-janma-jayāya.(?) Now, just like in our worldly affairs we, for gentleman's etiquette we ask, "How are you? How things are going on?" now, here the king was asking the sage, aihisthaṁ yat taṁ punar-janma-jayāya: "You are... You have... You have become mendicant. You have become sage just to conquer over death, conquer over death." Aihisthaṁ yat taṁ punar-janma-jayāya.(?)

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

Or more clearly it is stated. Ekākī yata-cittātmā nirāśīr aparigrahaḥ. Nirāśīḥ, there is no expectation that "By functioning yoga, I shall achieve this power." And aparigraha, and he does not take anything from anybody. Who is going to give him? He is ekākī, he is alone in a secluded place, in, sometimes in jungle, in forest, in mountain. And who is going to give him anything? He doesn't expect because he is firmly convinced that "For whom I have become yogi...I am not alone. My Paramātmā is always with me." He's a yogi of... Unless..., what kind of yogi he is? He is... Although he remains superficially alone, but he knows that "Wherever I go, my Paramātmā friend, who is sitting with me on my heart, He is with me. So I have nothing to fear. So I have nothing to fear." Yata-cittātmā. Ekākī yata-cittātmā nirāśīr aparigrahaḥ. He does not accept anything for anyone.

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

So because we are infinitesimal, we should concentrate our mind to the infinite, supreme self. Then, he should live alone. Alone. This is most important thing. Alone means not to live with persons who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious. That is alone. He should live alone in a secluded place. Secluded place, there are, or, in the jungle. In the forest. It is very secluded place. But in this age it is very difficult to go to the jungle and find out a secluded place. The secluded place is that where simply God consciousness is taught. That is secluded place. That is secluded place. Then? And should always carefully control his mind. How to control the mind? Just fix up your mind to the supreme self or Kṛṣṇa. Not anything else.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

Therefore in the Christian method it is prayed, "O God, give us our... O Father, give us our daily bread." That is very good idea. But even if you do not ask, the food is there. We should understand, because the animals lower than human being, they do not go to church or to temple to ask for daily bread, but they get their bread. The elephants, they eat at a time 40 kg in this African forest, but they are getting their daily food twice. And the ant, it is satisfied with one grain. It is also supplied food. There are 8,400,000 forms of living entities. They are all getting their food without going to the church or to the mosque or praying to the Lord.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

"Why tigerlike? Become a tiger. I give you all facility. Become a tiger." So what is the use of getting tiger's life? You know... Perhaps you all know, the tigers cannot get food every day. And naturally, if in the forest there is a tiger, the other animals, they are very careful. But when he's too much hungry God provides him one animal. Because God provides everyone's food, so tiger also must have food. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one Supreme is maintaining all these living entities. So tiger is also part and parcel of God, and he has got that body. So God is kind even upon the tiger, and what to speak of the devotees.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

"Even a small ant, he is the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So if I kill this ant, Kṛṣṇa will be unhappy. Kṛṣṇa will be unhappy."

There was a vyādha. In the Padma Purāṇa, this story is there. He was habituated to kill animals. Vyādha, you know, hunter. So he was killing so many animals half-dead. So Nārada Muni was passing through that forest, he was very much aggrieved, "Who is this rascal, killing these animals half, and they are flapping out of painful condition? Let me see this rascal." So he searched out this vyādha, hunter. The vyādha was very busy in his hunting. So he thought... Because, after all, Nārada Muni is a Vaiṣṇava, after seeing him personally his heart was immediately little clarified. So he offered respect: "Sir, you have come here for some tigerskin or deerskin. I shall give you, but don't disturb (me) in my business. Please let me do my business."

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

That is automatically. If I say, "I love my body"—everyone loves his body—that does not mean I do not love my finger. So a God conscious person...

There is a nice example. A hunter... In Sanskrit language it is called vyādha. He was hunting in the forest and killing the animals, boar and other, deer and so many animals—hunter's business is to kill animals—so half-dead. And Nārada was passing through that road. He saw that "These half-dead animals are flapping. Who has killed them in that way, half-dead? Why not full kill?" So he went to the vyādha, hunter, that "Why you are doing this business? Better kill them altogether so that they may not suffer. It is a great sinful act." So he explained, "Oh, I do not know what is sinful or not, pious. My father has taught me this business. I am doing this." So Nārada explained him, "So it is not a very good business. You better do another business for your livelihood. Simply killing, and half-killing.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Nobody is going to tiger's front: "Sir, kindly kill me and eat me." No. Nobody's going. Everyone has got to struggle. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgaḥ. This is the statement. This material world is so made that even the lion, if he keeps himself sleeping... Because lion is considered to be the king of the forest. So if he thinks that "I am the king of the forest. So why shall I work? Let me sleep, and my eating animals will come and enter into my mouth..." No. You have to struggle. You have to struggle. You have to find out.

Therefore this energy is called karma-saṁjñānyā. This... There are many energies of Kṛṣṇa. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). But learned scholars, they have divided into three: the spiritual energy, the marginal energy, and the material energy. Avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīya-śaktir iṣyate.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

The material activities, they are all useless activities, because in the bodily concept of life. Just like the monkey. He is also very active. In Vṛndāvana we have got good experience, always active. But useless. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described, phalgu-vairāgya. The monkey is vairāgī. He lives in the forest. He has no cloth even. Other vairāgīs, they have got little cloth, but these monkeys have no cloth. And they live in forest and eat fruits, vegetarian, but rascal number one.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hyderabad, December 13, 1976:

Formerly the kings of Bhāratavarṣa, India, they used to kill these uncivilized men. Bad example. They did not follow the Vedic civilization, so the king's order was that they should be killed. If they are too much prominent... Just like they are hunting in the forest. So these... There is history among, about King Bharata, King Bharata, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. No, not that Bharata. There are three Bharatas. One Bharata is the son of Ṛṣabhadeva. Another Bharata is the son of Mahārāja Duṣyanta. Another Bharata is the younger brother of Lord Rāmacandra. Out of these three Bharatas, the son of Ṛṣabhadeva is the person after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. So another Bharata was the son of Mahārāja Duṣyanta. He was very powerful, supposed to be or partial incarnation of God. So in his life he would not allow the uncivilized men to exist. He was king. He used to kill them.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hyderabad, December 13, 1976:

Otherwise he would not be allowed to call himself a brāhmaṇa. Similarly, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras. This is called secular state. Secular state does not mean everyone is irresponsible. You must be responsible for your particular type of duty, and the government has to see it, that everyone is doing that. That is secular state. Lord Rāmacandra, when He returned from the forest... In His absence Bharata was ruling, and when Bharata requested Lord Rāmacandra to take charge of the kingdom, Lord Rāmacandra was ready but He first of all examined whether the citizens were following the varṇāśrama-dharma. When He was satisfied that the citizens were following the varṇāśrama-dharma, then He took charge of the kingdom and began to maintain them just like father.

This is the relationship between the government and the citizens. The citizens must be law-abiding, and the government must rule over them just like father.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:

They are mentioned in the śāstras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are considered as caṇḍāla, less than the śūdras. Kirāta means Africans, the black. In our country also there are santals, very black. They live in the forest. Every country aborigines. They are called kirāta. So Huns... There are Huns on the northern side of Germany. Āndhra, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Many. But Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that they can be purified, śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave, if they become Vaiṣṇava. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. If one becomes Vaiṣṇava, then he is transcendental to this material designation.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

You don't think that soul is not there: soul is there. Therefore, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person who has realized God, he is samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, he's equal to all living entities. He'll feel pain even for cutting a tree. He'll feel pain, he'll feel pain even he traverses over an ant. There is a story that one hunter, he was killing in the forest all kinds of animals and he was killing them half. So they were suffering too much severe pain. So Nārada Muni was going in that way. He saw that these animals have been half killed, and they are so much suffering. Who is doing that? So he searched out the hunter. He requested, "Sir you are killing the animals, why don't you kill them all at a time? Why you are killing half? They are suffering. You'll have to suffer in that way." The hunter did not know that killing animals is sinful and he has to suffer again. So he said, "Sir, I am trained like this by my father.