Grateful (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"grateful" |"gratefulness"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Bhīṣma thought like this. "So from material point of view, I must be grateful to Duryodhana."

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973: 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. Therefore he is no more in the position of guru. You must kill him. He has wrongly joined the other party. Therefore there is no harm, killing him. Similarly Droṇācārya. Similarly Droṇācārya. I know they are great personalities, they have got great affection. But only on material consideration they have gone there." What is that material consideration? Bhīṣma thought that "I am maintained by the money of Duryodhana. Duryodhana is maintaining me. Now he is in danger. If I go to the other side, then I should be ungrateful. He has maintained me so long. And if I, in the time of danger, when there is fighting, if I go to the other side, that will be..." He thought like this. He did not think that "Duryodhana may be maintaining, but he has usurped the property of the Pāṇḍavas." But it is his greatness. He knew that Arjuna will never be killed because Kṛṣṇa is there. "So from material point of view, I must be grateful to Duryodhana." The same position was for Droṇācārya. They were maintained.

Devotees how much they are grateful, kṛṣṇa-prasāda.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968: Devotees how much they are grateful, kṛṣṇa-prasāda. "Kṛṣṇa, You have sent so nice fruit, nice flower. First of all You enjoy [Bg. 3.13]." Oh, God is very satisfied. Just like a boy, "My dear father, this sweetmeat is very nice. You take." Father knows that sweetmeat was purchased by him. Where the boy can get the sweetmeat? But because the son is offering to the father in love and affection, father says, "Oh, you have give me. It is very nice." Therefore we cannot offer any Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is self-sufficient. He does not require your offering of this foodstuff, that food. But if you offer with affection and love He accepts. And as soon as Kṛṣṇa accepts, your life is sanctified immediately. Therefore we should eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda, nothing more. Not in the hotel, not in the restaurant. Simply kṛṣṇa-prasāda. That will keep me purified always.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Prasādam means foodstuffs which is offered to Kṛṣṇa first. This is civilization. If you say, "Why should I offer?" that is uncivilized. It is gratefulness. If you offer to Kṛṣṇa, then you are conscious that these foodstuffs, these grains, these fruits, these flowers, this milk, it is given by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 (New-2003): Kāma means desire. Just like so many scientists they are researching for new food, just like our scientist friend was talking this morning. Then what is new food? Food is already there, allotted by Kṛṣṇa, that "You are this animal, your food is this. You are this animal, your food is this." So, so far human being is concerned, their food is also designated, that you take prasādam. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. It is the duty of the human being to accept prasādam. Prasādam means foodstuffs which is offered to Kṛṣṇa first. This is civilization. If you say, "Why should I offer?" that is uncivilized. It is gratefulness. If you offer to Kṛṣṇa, then you are conscious that these foodstuffs, these grains, these fruits, these flowers, this milk, it is given by Kṛṣṇa. I cannot produce it. In my factory I cannot produce all these things. Anything one uses, nobody can produce, it is given by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. This kāmān. We are desiring and Kṛṣṇa is supplying. Without His supply you cannot get it.

If somebody maintains you, you must be very much grateful to him.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973: Just like Bhīṣmadeva, Bhīṣmadeva, grandfather of Arjuna, very affectionate grandfather... Because the Pāṇḍavas, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, when their father died they were small children. Naturally Bhīṣma is the grandfather of the family and he had to take care to raise the children. In one side he is grandfather, and he actually raised the children. So very affectionate, especially fatherless... And the daughter-in-law Kuntī was so helpless because this Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his family, they were trying always to kill these Pāṇḍavas. And Vidura and Bhīṣmadeva, they were giving protection some way or other. So still, although so much affectionate, when the war was declared, Bhīṣmadeva took the side of Duryodhana. He did not take the side of Pāṇḍavas, although they were very affectionate, beloved. He replied that "This side, Duryodhana, they are maintaining me. I am maintained by them. So I cannot go against them. That is not possible." Naturally, Bhīṣmadeva would have come to the side of Pāṇḍavas because very affectionate. But he said that "That is not possible, because I am maintained by them." This is the duty. If somebody maintains you, you must be very much grateful to him. These are the examples, Vedic culture. He is not maintained by anyone, but because he had no claim on the kingdom, he was thinking himself that "I am dependent on this family."

Kṛṣṇa is so grateful. If you give little service to Kṛṣṇa sincerely, Kṛṣṇa will never forget you.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974: Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And make Kṛṣṇa the friend. Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg. 5.29]. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Kṛṣṇa. He is coming as avatāra, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam [Bg. 18.66]. So Kṛṣṇa is so nice friend. He is such a nice friend that even to the enemy He gives the greatest benediction. Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā came to kill Kṛṣṇa, smearing poison on her breast. But Kṛṣṇa gave her promotion on the motherly platform. Kṛṣṇa is so grateful that "This demon might have come to Me to poison Me, but I have sucked her breast. She has become My mother. Therefore she must get the position of My mother." Kṛṣṇa is so grateful. If you give little service to Kṛṣṇa sincerely, Kṛṣṇa will never forget you. And He's so powerful. If Kṛṣṇa becomes your friend and Kṛṣṇa remembers you, then what you want more? Just imagine. So Kṛṣṇa... Here it is said, kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa and be happy.

Every student, every disciple, they write me letter how much they are feeling grateful, that "We have got something. Prabhupāda, you have given us something."

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973: So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sectarian movement. It is good for all human being because as soon as there is question of Kṛṣṇa, people will hear. Actually, it is happening all over the world. Especially the younger generation, why they are taking interest? Because loka-hitam. They are understanding that it is beneficial. Every student, every disciple, they write me letter how much they are feeling grateful, that "We have got something. Prabhupāda, you have given us something." Of course, I have not given. It is not my property. I have simply informed them, "Here is Kṛṣṇa, and the life's business is to become a devotee." Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is your business. So anyone who becomes engaged in this loka-hitam, beneficial to the human society, he will be happy.

So if we human beings, if we forget even ordinary mercy, compassion and gratefulness, then what is that human life?

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969: So if we human beings, if we forget even ordinary mercy, compassion and gratefulness, then what is that human life? And then from national point of view... National means one who is born in this land. The cow is also born in this land. So why the man should be given protection, not the cow? But according to Vedic civilization you see. You have read in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I explained. Oh, one man was going to kill one cow. Immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Oh, you are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall immediately kill you." The special protection, brāhmaṇas and cow. You know, we offer Kṛṣṇa obeisances, namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca: "Kṛṣṇa, You are the leader of brahminical civilization." The purest civilization. Namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. "You are the well-wisher of cows and the brāhmaṇas." Why special stress is given to the words go and brāhmaṇa, cows and brāhmaṇas? Then he said, jagad-dhitāya. "After being, first being well-wisher to the cows and brāhmaṇas, then You are well-wisher of this general world." Jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya namo namaḥ. This is the prayer, namo brahmaṇya-devāya.

God is supplying so much light, in the night there as moon, in the daytime as sun. He is supplying so much light, everything, whatever we require, and there is no thanksgiving. So only one has to become grateful.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968: We are so ungrateful that we even do not give thanks. In the ordinary way, if somebody gives me a glass of water when I am thirsty—it is etiquette—I say, "Thank you." And God has given us so vast mass of water in the ocean, in the sea, in the sky. Without water we cannot live. There is no thanksgiving. There is no thanksgiving. Rather, we say, "God is dead." There are so much profuse light. For this electric light you are paying bill to the electric company, and God is supplying so much light, in the night there as moon, in the daytime as sun. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Śaśi means moon, and sūrya means sun. So He is supplying so much light, everything, whatever we require, and there is no thanksgiving. So only one has to become grateful. Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I don't require to be very educated or a learned scholar in Sanskrit or any other language and very poetic so that I have to offer my prayers in a beautiful language and God may be pleased by the poetic idea." Just like some mundane poet thinks that they imagine some poetic ideas and thereby God is pleased. No. Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya: "The God can be pleased only by the feelings of your love." That is required. But anyone can do that, provided he feels the gratitude that "God is so kind."

Therefore one who is intelligent, his prayer should be simply gratitude, that "My dear father, You have supplied the necessities of my life so much amply, I must be feeling very grateful. So these preparations I have made for You because it is Your goods. You have supplied these grains, so You kindly first of all take. Then I will take."

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968: Just like a child. He does not ask anything from his parents. The parents are careful to supply everything he needs. Similarly, God is already careful to supply our needs. Just like in the beast society, bird society, they do not pray. They haven't got any church. They do not go to the church to pray, "My dear Lord, father, give us our daily grains," but they are supplied without prayer. So that arrangement is already there. Therefore one who is intelligent, his prayer should be simply gratitude, that "My dear father, You have supplied the necessities of my life so much amply, I must be feeling very grateful. So these preparations I have made for You because it is Your goods. You have supplied these grains, so You kindly first of all take. Then I will take." So Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. This is Kṛṣṇa-prasādam, acknowledgement. So we are not prepared even to do that, neither we are prepared to follow the rules and regulation. We must follow the rules and regulation, what is allotted for us or what should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. If we want to offer Kṛṣṇa something, then we must offer such things which Kṛṣṇa wants to eat. So we do not know, neither we care to know. We simply ask, "Oh, give me my bread or grains. Then my business is finished." No. That is the difference. But this man who is going to church or temple to ask for food is better than that man who has no connection with God, so much better that he has some relationship with God: "My dear father, You give me." At least, he accepts—"The father sends the bread." That is very good. But when the son will be intelligent, he will know, "The father sends the bread even without my prayer. Therefore I must offer my gratitude." That is intelligence. That is pure devotion. [break] Father is not only my father; He is father of all living entities. So He is supplying other living entities. They cannot offer any gratitude. The beast, the birds, they cannot offer any gratitude. But I am human being, I have got developed consciousness. I must feel grateful for God's mercy and offer my gratitude. That is my duty.

General Lectures

So we are very much grateful to you that you are kindly trying to cooperate with this movement and hear about Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972: So our program is to speak on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the evening and to speak in English, and in the morning we speak on Bhagavad-gītā in Hindi. So we are very much grateful to you that you are kindly trying to cooperate with this movement and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Your cooperation means you please hear about Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, rādhā-kṛṣṇa bolo saṅge calo ei-mātra duhkhā cāi. We are simply begging you that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and please come along with us. This much begging we are submitting.