It was after this that some of the jealous and low-minded brāhmaṇas of Kulia picked a quarrel with Mahāprabhu and collected a party to oppose Him. Nimāi Paṇḍita was naturally a soft-hearted person, though strong in His principles. He declared that party feelings and sectarianism were the two great enemies of progress, and He saw that as long as He should continue to be an inhabitant of Nadia belonging to a certain family, His mission would not meet with complete success. He then resolved to be a citizen of the world by cutting His connection with His particular family, caste and creed, and with this resolution He embraced the position of a sannyāsī at Katwa, under the guidance of Keśava Bhāratī of that town, in the twenty-fourth year of His life. His mother and wife wept bitterly for His separation, but our hero, though soft in heart, was a strong person in principle.
Hearted
Expressions researched:
"hearted"
|"heartedly"
|"heartedness"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
It is the custom—according to kṣatriya fighting principles—that an unarmed and unwilling foe should not be attacked. Arjuna, however, decided that even if attacked by the enemy in such an awkward position, he would not fight. He did not consider how much the other party was bent upon fighting. All these symptoms are due to soft-heartedness resulting from his being a great devotee of the Lord.
While observing the situation of his enemy, Arjuna stood up on the chariot, but he was so afflicted with lamentation that he sat down again, setting aside his bow and arrows. Such a kind and soft-hearted person, in the devotional service of the Lord, is fit to receive self-knowledge.
"One can execute the process of bhakti-yoga successfully with full-hearted enthusiasm, perseverance, and determination, by following the prescribed duties in the association of devotees and by engaging completely in activities of goodness." (Upadeśāmṛta 3)
As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean.
BG Chapters 7 - 12
Nārada describes his previous life to his disciple Vyāsadeva. He says that while engaged as a boy servant for those purified devotees during the four months of their stay, he was intimately associating with them. Sometimes those sages left remnants of food on their dishes, and the boy, who would wash their dishes, wanted to taste the remnants. So he asked the great devotees for their permission, and when they gave it Nārada ate those remnants and consequently became freed from all sinful reactions. As he went on eating, he gradually became as pure-hearted as the sages. The great devotees relished the taste of unceasing devotional service to the Lord by hearing and chanting, and Nārada gradually developed the same taste.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
We have practically no business in the political field, yet we see that previously there were both China and India, and they both lived peacefully for centuries without ill feeling. The reason is that they lived those days in an atmosphere of God consciousness, and every country, over the surface of the world, was God-fearing, pure-hearted and simple, and there was no question of political diplomacy. There is no cause of quarrel between the two countries China and India over land which is not very suitable for habitation, and certainly there is no cause for fighting on this issue. But due to the age of quarrel, Kali, which we have discussed, there is always a chance of quarrel on slight provocation. This is due not to the issue in question, but to the polluted atmosphere of this age: systematically there is propaganda by a section of people to stop glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord.
As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedāntas, who are very kind to poor-hearted souls, instructed me in that most confidential subject which is instructed by the Personality of Godhead Himself.
The protection of the lives of both the human beings and the animals is the first and foremost duty of a government. A government must not discriminate in such principles. It is simply horrible for a pure-hearted soul to see organized animal-killing by the state in this age of Kali. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was lamenting for the tears in the eyes of the bull, and he was astonished to see such an unprecedented thing in his good kingdom. Men and animals were equally protected as far as life was concerned. That is the way in God's kingdom.
SB Canto 3
These persons are described here as durātmā, which means a person who has a very crooked heart, or a less intelligent person, just opposite to a mahātmā, which means one who has a broad heart. Those so-called yogīs who, although engaged in meditation, are not broad hearted cannot find the four-handed Nārāyaṇa form, even though He is seated within their heart. Although the first realization of the Supreme Absolute Truth is impersonal Brahman, one should not remain satisfied with experiencing the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord. In the Īśopaniṣad also, the devotee prays that the glaring effulgence of Brahman may be removed from his eyes so that he can see the real, personal feature of the Lord and thus satisfy himself fully. Similarly, although the Lord is not visible in the beginning because of His glaring bodily effulgence, if a devotee sincerely wants to see Him, the Lord is revealed to him.
SB Canto 4
I request all the pure-hearted demigods, forefathers and saintly persons to support my proposal, for after death the result of an action is equally shared by its doer, its director and its supporter.
One who is pure in heart is never attracted by the external energy, which urges the individual soul to try to dominate material nature. The pure heart of a devotee is never disturbed when he executes devotional service in the form of hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. In all, there are nine processes one can follow in the execution of devotional service. In any case, a pure-hearted devotee is never disturbed. The bhakti-yoga process must be carried out by avoiding the ten offenses one can commit while chanting the mahā-mantra and the sixty-four offenses one can commit while worshiping the Deity. When a devotee strictly follows the rules and regulations, Bhaktidevī becomes very much satisfied with him, and at that time he is never disturbed by anything external. A devotee is also called a muni. The word muni means "thoughtful." A devotee is as thoughtful as a nondevotee is speculative. The nondevotee's speculation is impure, but a devotee's thoughts are pure.
SB Canto 5
My dear Lord, You automatically fulfill all the desires of a woman who worships Your lotus feet in pure love. However, if a woman worships Your lotus feet for a particular purpose, You also quickly fulfill her desires, but in the end she becomes broken-hearted and laments. Therefore one need not worship Your lotus feet for some material benefit.
SB Canto 6
O pure-hearted ones, your father, Prācīnabarhi, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead have ordered you to generate population. Therefore how can you burn to ashes these trees and herbs, which are needed for the maintenance of your subjects and descendants?
SB Canto 9
Nābhāga was very simple hearted. Therefore when he went to his father, the father, in compassion for his son, suggested that as a means of livelihood Nābhāga could go to the descendants of Aṅgirā and take advantage of their misgivings in performing yajña.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Kaṁsa begged, "My dear sister and brother-in-law, please be merciful to such a poor-hearted person as me, since both of you are saintly persons. Please excuse my atrocities." Having said this, Kaṁsa fell at the feet of Vasudeva and Devakī, his eyes full of tears of regret.
O my lord, O great devotee, persons like you move from one place to another not for their own interests but for the sake of poor-hearted gṛhasthas (householders). Otherwise they have no interest in going from one place to another.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Go now, girls, and return to Vraja. Your desire is fulfilled, for in My company you will enjoy the coming nights. After all, this was the purpose of your vow to worship goddess Kātyāyanī, O pure-hearted ones.
Hard-hearted Kṛṣṇa has already mounted the chariot, and now the foolish cowherds are hurrying after Him in their bullock carts. Even the elders are saying nothing to stop Him. Today fate is working against us.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
Imitation devotees, who wish to advertise themselves as elevated Vaiṣṇavas and who therefore imitate the previous ācāryas but do not follow them in principle, are condemned in the words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.24) as stone-hearted. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has commented on their stone-hearted condition as follows: bahir aśru-pulakayoḥ sator api yad dhṛdayaṁ na vikriyeta tad aśma-sāram iti kaniṣṭhādhikāriṇām eva aśru-pulakādi-mattve ’pi aśma-sāra-hṛdayatayā nindaiṣā. "Those who shed tears by practice but whose hearts have not changed are to be known as stone-hearted devotees of the lowest grade. Their imitation crying, induced by artificial practice, is always condemned." The desired change of heart referred to above is visible in the reluctance to do anything not congenial to the devotional way.
In such pastimes, the Lord always thinks Himself the eternal son of mother Yaśodā and father Nanda Mahārāja. In the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Chapter Six, verse 43, it is stated, "When magnanimous, broad-hearted Nanda Mahārāja came back from a tour, he immediately took his son Kṛṣṇa on his lap and experienced transcendental bliss by smelling His head." Similarly, in the Tenth Canto, Ninth Chapter, verse 21, it is said, "This Personality of Godhead, appearing as the son of a cowherd damsel, is easily available and understandable to devotees, whereas those who are under the concept of bodily life, even though they are very much advanced in austerity and penance, or even though they are great philosophers, are unable to understand Him."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Nectar of Devotion
It is said therein, "Persons who are desirous of becoming great personalities must be decorated with the following qualities: truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, perseverance, renunciation, peacefulness, simplicity, control of the senses, equilibrium of the mind, austerity, equality, forbearance, placidity, learning, knowledge, detachment, opulence, chivalry, influence, strength, memory, independence, tactfulness, luster, patience, kind-heartedness, ingenuity, gentility, mannerliness, determination, perfection in all knowledge, proper execution, possession of all objects of enjoyment, gravity, steadiness, faithfulness, fame, respectfulness and lack of false egotism." Persons who are desiring to become great souls cannot be without any of the above qualities, so we can know for certain that these qualities are found in Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme soul.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
My dear sister Devakī and brother-in-law Vasudeva, kindly excuse the atrocities I have committed against you. I am very poor-hearted, and you are so great-hearted, so take compassion upon me and excuse me.”
While Kaṁsa was speaking to his brother-in-law and sister, tears flowed from his eyes, and he fell down at their feet. Believing the words of Durgā-devī, whom he had tried to kill, Kaṁsa immediately released his brother-in-law and sister. He personally unlocked the iron shackles and very sympathetically showed his friendship for his family members.
Actually, a saintly person or a brāhmaṇa has no business visiting householders, who are always busy in the matter of dollars and cents. The only reason saintly persons and brāhmaṇas go to the place of a householder is to enlighten him. If it is asked, “Why don’t the householders go to a saintly person or a brāhmaṇa for enlightenment?” the answer is that householders are very poor-hearted. Generally householders think that engaging in family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realization or enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of compassion only, saintly persons and brāhmaṇas go to householders' homes.
Nanda Mahārāja addressed Garga Muni as one of the great authorities in astrological science. The foretellings of astrological science, such as the occurrence of solar or lunar eclipses, are wonderful calculations, and by this particular science a person can understand the future very clearly.
“This jewel is so powerful that no ordinary man is able to keep it. I know that you are very pious in activities, so there is no objection to the jewel's being kept with you. There is one difficulty, and that is that My elder brother, Śrī Balarāma, does not believe My version that the jewel is with you. I therefore request you, O large-hearted one, to show Me the jewel just once before My other relatives so that they may be pacified and reject various kinds of rumors. You cannot deny that the jewel is with you because we can understand that you have enhanced your opulence and are performing sacrifices on an altar made of solid gold.” The properties of the jewel were known: wherever the jewel remained, it would produce for the keeper more than two mounds of pure gold daily. Akrūra was getting gold in that proportion and distributing it profusely at sacrificial performances. Lord Kṛṣṇa cited Akrūra's lavishly spending gold as positive evidence of his possessing the Syamantaka jewel.
Does He remember this assurance? Anyway, you are welcome. Please sit down. But I cannot accept your entreaty to go to Śyāmasundara. When He does not care for me, why should I be mad after Him? I am very sorry to let you know that you have become the messenger of a poor-hearted soul. You are asking me to go to Him, but I am not going. What is that? You talk of His coming to me? Does He desire to come here to fulfill my long expectation for Him? All right. You may bring Him here. But don’t bring with Him His most beloved goddess of fortune. Do you think that He cannot be separated from the goddess of fortune even for a moment? Could He not come here alone, without Lakṣmī? His behavior is very displeasing. Does it mean that without Lakṣmī, Śyāmasundara cannot be happy? Can’t He be happy with any other wife? Does it mean that the goddess of fortune has the ocean of love for Him and none of us can compare to her?”
All the Vedic scriptures glorify the transcendental performance of His various personal activities and pastimes. It is said that in the Vedas and in the Rāmāyaṇa, only the activities of the Lord are described. Everywhere in the Vedic literature, His glories are sung. As soon as soft-hearted people such as women hear those transcendental pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they immediately become attracted to Him. Soft-hearted women and girls are therefore very easily drawn to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. One who is thus drawn to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and tries to keep himself in constant touch with such consciousness certainly gets the supreme salvation, going back to Kṛṣṇa in Goloka Vṛndāvana. If simply by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness one can be transferred to the spiritual world, one can simply imagine how blissful and blessed were the queens of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who talked with Him personally and saw Lord Kṛṣṇa face to face.
Light of the Bhagavata
The welfare state imposes upon its citizens scorching taxes in various forms—income tax, sales tax, land tax, terminal tax, excise tax, customs tax, and so many other taxes. But in due course, when the taxes accumulate into a large sum of money, they are utilized for the welfare of the citizens in various ways. Nonetheless, sometimes it happens that the benefits of the taxes fall like rains on stone-hearted men in the state who are unable to utilize the money properly and who squander it for sense gratification.
The common man supposes the unequal distribution of rain to represent nature's wrath for our sinful acts. There is truth in this. Thus to have an equal distribution of state-raised taxes, the citizens need to be scrupulously honest and virtuous.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
That is a brāhmaṇa's business. But a kṣatriya, the government, the ruling power, he cannot do so. It is his mercy. It is the government's mercy when a murderer is hanged. That is the injunction in the Manu-saṁhitā. "So parantapa, you are kṣatriya. Your business is to punish the unjust." Kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyam: "For a kṣatriya this kind of poor-heartedness, that 'I shall not fight...' Give it up. Don't indulge in such thing."
Then Arjuna replied,
- kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye
- droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana
- iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi
- pūjārhāv arisūdana
- (BG 2.4)
He is addressing Kṛṣṇa as arisūdana, the killer of the enemies. He says, "But in my case, I have to fight with Bhīṣma, Droṇācārya. They are my well-wisher, and how can I kill them? It is my duty to offer my respect, touching their feet, and You are enticing me to pierce their body with arrow?
That is spiritual vision. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. Therefore a devotee is first-class paṇḍita. A devotee. Because he's sama-darśinaḥ. Sama-darśinaḥ means he's feeling for others. A Vaiṣṇava... Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī, kṛpāmbudhir yaḥ. Vaiṣṇava is very kind-hearted, merciful, because he feels for others. He feels for others in this sense that he knows what he is. He sees every living entity as part and parcel of God: "Now, here is a part and parcel of God. He would have gone back to home, back to Godhead, and danced with Him, and lived very nicely, eternally, blissfully. Now he's rotting here as a hog, or as a human being, or as a king. The same thing. It is for few years only." So a devotee therefore tries to take him out of this illusion.
Sādhu, one who is called sādhu... Sādhu means titikṣavaḥ. Titikṣavaḥ means very tolerant, very tolerant, very much tolerant. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ. At the same time very kind-hearted. We find these two characters in the life of Lord Jesus. He was very much tolerant, at the same time kind to the people in general. You see? So titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. And he is friend. A sādhu is friend of all living entities. He is not only friend of the human kind. He is friend of the animals. He is friend of the trees. He is friend of the ants, worms, reptiles, serpents—everyone. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. And ajāta-śatru. And because he is friend of everyone, he has no enemy. But unfortunately the world is so infidel, even to such a sādhu there is enemy.
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.
So in our practical life Kṛṣṇa advises how to invoke this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Devotee: "Success is sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding bhakti-yoga, Rūpa Gosvāmī says, 'The process of bhakti-yoga can be executed successfully with full-hearted enthusiasm, perseverance and determination by following the prescribed duties in the association of devotees and by engaging completely in activities of goodness.' "
Prabhupāda: Yes, go on.
Devotee: "As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean. But the big ocean carried them away on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal and so she decided to dry up the ocean."
We are talking of the hearing. The hearing process is so important. All our, this institute, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has spread because the students who have joined us, they have given aural reception, by hearing. The hearing, everything was changed within themselves and they have joined with full, whole-heartedness, and the... Going on. So hearing is so important. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance of hearing about the transcendental message. So you take chance, you take, I mean to say, the advantage of this hearing process. Then?
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
No. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. When one has taken the Vaiṣṇava initiation and properly discharging duties, he should be not be considered belonging to such caste. A spiritual master should not be counted amongst ordinary human beings. Similarly, this Deity, although we know that we have made it from stone, He's not stone. He is stone to the stone-hearted. If one is stone-hearted, then Kṛṣṇa will stand as stone forever. But if one is soften-hearted by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then he'll talk with Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa is always present.
Therefore it is said here... Any religion which does not teach about God, which does not know what is God, that is cheating religion.
Just like Dhruva Mahārāja went into the forest to see God. But here Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches, marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt: "If You break my heart perpetually by not being present before me." He doesn't say that "We want to see God." Doesn't matter. "Why I shall see God? He is busy. Why shall I call Him to become present in my presence? No. Although I am broken-hearted... I would have been pleased to see God, but doesn't matter if He does not come." That is pure devotion. "Oh, I served God so many years, and still I could not see Him. Oh, give up this job. Let me go to māyā." That is not devotion. That is motive. I wanted to serve God with a motive. As soon as the motive is not fulfilled...
One German friend, my Godbrother, he said, in the last war, in the First World War, every, all manpower went to the active field.
That is the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā (CC Antya 20.47). "Either You embrace or You trample me down or" marma-hatāṁ karotu vā, "make me broken-hearted," adarśanāt... Every devotee aspires to see the Lord. That is natural. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "It doesn't matter. Whether I see Kṛṣṇa or not, it doesn't matter. He may not be present before me for millions of years and make me broken-hearted." If I aspire to see Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa does not come, naturally I become sorry, broken-hearted. But even one is broken-hearted, still, he should not stop devotional service. Not that "I have served Kṛṣṇa for so many days, or so many years, and Kṛṣṇa did not come. Oh, what is the use of it?" No, not like that. One should be confident that...
He stopped him that "He should not come before Me. Stop him." So nobody can induce... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very soft, kusumād api, softer than the flower, but harder than the thunderbolt. When He used to be very hard, then, then He become thunderbolt. Nobody can induce Him. But naturally, He is very soft-hearted. So Mukunda was standing outside in every day's meeting, and he was asking other devotees, "I'll not be able to see Lord Caitanya anymore?" So they asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "You have forbidden Mukunda to come before You, but he's asking only if there will be any opportunity in the future to see You." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: "Yes, after three hundred millions of years, he can see Me." So the devotees informed Mukunda, "Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that after three hundred millions of years, He'll be able to see you." He began to dance: "Oh, that's nice. That's nice."
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgyam. Vairāgya. Kṛṣṇa was so much attached to the gopīs, so much, but when it was necessary, He left all of them in Vṛndāvana and went to Mathurā for killing Kaṁsa. That is God, renouncement. So these gopīs remained simply crying for all the life, rest of their life. That is pure devotion. Marma-hatām, broken-hearted. Kṛṣṇa made them broken-hearted. "Never mind. We shall remain broken-hearted, crying all the life. You do Your business." That is love of Kṛṣṇa. That is love of Kṛṣṇa.
(I know no one but Kṛṣṇa as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me broken-hearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.)
This is... The lampaṭa. Just like lampaṭa husband goes to so many other women, but the chaste wife still loves the husband: "Never mind." So similarly we have to become so chaste, so honorable, just to stick to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
We have practically no business in the political field, yet we see that previously there were both China and India, and they both lived peacefully for centuries without ill feeling. The reason is that they lived those days in an atmosphere of God consciousness, and every country, over the surface of the world, was God-fearing, pure-hearted and simple, and there was no question of political diplomacy. There is no cause of quarrel between the two countries China and India over land which is not very suitable for habitation, and certainly there is no cause for fighting on this issue. But due to the age of quarrel, Kali, which we have discussed, there is always a chance of quarrel on slight provocation. This is due not to the issue in question, but to the polluted atmosphere of this age: systematically there is propaganda by a section of people to stop glorification of the name and fame of the Supreme Lord.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat
- sākṣād bhagavatoditam
- anvavocan gamiṣyantaḥ
- kṛpayā dīna-vatsalāḥ
- (SB 1.5.30)
Translation: "As they were leaving, those bhakti-vedāntas, who are very kind to poor-hearted souls, instructed me in that most confidential subject which is instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."
Prabhupāda:
- jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat
- sākṣād bhagavatoditam
- anvavocan gamiṣyantaḥ
- kṛpayā dīna-vatsalāḥ
So yesterday we have been discussing the symptoms of guru and the symptoms of disciple—who is actual disciple and who is actual guru.
So Draupadī, in the previous verse it has been described, vāma-svabhāvā kṛpayā nanāma ca. Vāma-svabhāvā. Vāma, woman. Women, they are very soft-hearted, vāma-svabhāvā. So although Aśvatthāmā killed her sons very mercilessly, and he was arrested and Kṛṣṇa ordered him to be killed, and Arjuna was just preparing to punish him, but vāma-svabhāvā, woman, being very soft-hearted, without any consideration, she immediately offered her respect, nanāma. Not only she offered her respect to Aśvatthāmā being the son of a brāhmaṇa, especially of Droṇācārya, their teacher... So she immediately ordered Arjuna, mucyatāṁ mucyatām: "Release him immediately. You have arrested a brāhmaṇa." Mucyatāṁ mucyatām eṣa brāhmaṇo nitarāṁ guruḥ. "Brāhmaṇa is always our guru.
So this is Vedic culture, that they know how to offer respect to the proper persons. But Arjuna, he also decided that although Kṛṣṇa ordered him to kill Aśvatthāmā, he's guru's son, although he's not brāhmaṇa; he's brahma-bandhu. He has been described as brahma-bandhu, not brāhmaṇa. But Draupadī, being woman, vāma-svabhāvā, very soft-hearted, she did not consider whether he's actually a brāhmaṇa. The son of a brāhmaṇa, that much she knew. This is the difference, how to calculate whether one is brāhmaṇa or not brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa and brahma-bandhu, these two words are there. Just like if you are the son of a high-court judge, you can be called, you have got the right, that "son of a high-court judge." That is all right. But you cannot claim to become the high-court judge. That is not possible. Unless you are qualified, unless you are actually acting as high-court judge, you cannot be called a high-court judge.
This is another instruction. Even Lord Rāmacandra is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and still He had to accept so many troubles. They were loitering in the forest, feeling the separation of Sītā-devī. So many things happened.
So vāma-svabhāvā. They are, women are very simple, soft-hearted. The whole idea is they should be given protection. No freedom. That is injunction of the Manu-saṁhitā. Na strī svātantryam arhati. Women should not be given freedom. They must be protected. Not that if... Sometimes we receive the complaint in foreign countries, they say that "You keep your women like slaves." I replied, "We do not keep our women as slaves. They're very respectful at home. The sons offer their highest respect to the mother. The husband gives the topmost protection to the wife." This is the example.
For him, either at home or in the forest, the same thing. Yathāraṇyaṁ tathā gṛham. This is Vedic culture. Woman should be trained up from the very beginning how to become good wife and good mother. That is the duty. Vāma-svabhāvā. So here is example, Kuntīdevī is one example. Draupadī one example. We have got many examples how to train woman. They are very soft-hearted. They can be molded in any way. And Bhīṣmadeva has advised... When Bhīṣmadeva was in the bed of arrows, śara-śayyā, so the Pāṇḍavas, the Kurus, they took many advices about politics, sociology. Many things—religion, king's duty, so many instruction was taken. In that instruction he also confirmed the Vedic injunction that woman should be always protected very carefully. There is one quality of shyness. If you break that shyness of woman, it will be very dangerous. It will be very dangerous. That is the one verb,(?) (word) to check.
They are not married, there is no husband. The father also does not take care. As soon as the girl becomes fifteen, sixteen years, she goes away. Therefore I have practically seen there is no home, there is no peace in the Western countries. These are very important things, that soft-hearted woman, vāma-svabhāvā, they should be given protection. They should be trained up how to become faithful wife, affectionate mother. Then the home will be very happy, and without happiness we cannot make any spiritual progress. We must be peaceful. This is the preliminary condition. Therefore, as far as possible, the Vedic injunction is there should be division in the society, varṇāśrama. Varṇāśramācāravatā. Because the whole aim is to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate. Our only aim should be how to approach Viṣṇu.
Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. He's equal to everyone. Then he's qualified to become a devotee, Vaiṣṇava. So unless he comes to that stage he cannot become guru. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
So here, the Pāṇḍava family, they are very enlightened family, and still, vāma-svabhāvā, the woman is soft-hearted. He did not... She did not consider about Aśvatthāmā's position. But so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, Arjuna is concerned, they considered that he is not a brāhmaṇa, but he is a brahma-bandhu. Brahma-bandhu means son of a brāhmaṇa, but behavior is something else. He's called brahma-bandhu.
Greed, greediness. Amalātmanām. For the..., bhakti-yoga. This bhakti-yoga is meant for the cleansed hearted, not the lusty and greedy. That is not... They may try. They'll gradually advanced. But once one is situated in bhakti-yoga, there is no more lust and greediness. Viraktir anyatra syāt. This is the test, whether one has become free from lusty desires and greediness. Then he is situated in bhakti-yoga. He's paramahaṁsa.
So Kuntīdevī, by humble submission, that "You are meant for the paramahaṁsa, for the amalātmanām, for the munīnām and who are engaged in bhakti-yoga. And what we are? We are simply woman. We are in the lower grade. How we can understand You?" This is humbleness. Although she understands everything, but still she's taking the position of an ordinary woman, that "How can I understand You?"
Suppose I live, say, eighty years, ninety years. So I have already died seventy-six years. So death is sure. They say "We are advancing." What is that advancement? Death is sure. You cannot control birth. Birth, death, old age. You cannot stop old age. And disease. You can manufacture nice medicine, but you cannot stop disease. So we have become steel-hearted, steel-framed heart. We do not consider all these things. These are practical. And still, we are under the impression that we are advancing in material civilization. So we are advancing in the art of cutting stone and wood. That's all. This is our advancement. Just like in your country, within two months they can build one wood house. Means expert in cutting wood. This is advancement. Wood-cutter, stone-cutter. But we are not meant for cutting wood and stone. We are meant for understanding our spiritual identity.
To give them some benefit, that is Vaiṣṇava life. Stop material activities, and for the benefit of the mass of people, dīna. They are very dīna, very poor. Mahad-vicalanaṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. Dīna-cetasām. They're very, very crippled, dīnasām. Gṛhiṇām. Those who are gṛhi, they are very dīna, very poor-hearted, because they do not know anything except to maintain the family.
Especially in this age a person will be considered very expert if he can maintain his family. Dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. The age is so fallen that if one can maintain one wife and a few children, oh, he is Dakṣa Mahārāja. Dakṣa Mahārāja is called Dakṣa means he was very expert in begetting children and maintaining them. That is Dakṣa Mahārāja. He was begetting children, many thousands, and Nārada used to visit and make them sannyāsī. That was Nārada's business.
So kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhajaḥ. So these dīna-cetasām, mahad-vicalanam... Those who are mahātmās, their, I mean to say, wandering here and there is to enlighten these poor-hearted gṛhi. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām (SB 2.1.2). Gṛhamedhi, they have no interest in the spiritual advancement of life. They think that "This is meant for the useless person who could not improve in this materialistic way of life. They have taken this dress as a token for maintaining their body and soul together. Useless person." They think like that. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Because they think, "This is our only interest," gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2).
They are trying to negate these varieties. They are disgusted with the varieties. Everyone is disgusted. The same child, when he grows up, he becomes disobedient to the father and breaks. He goes away. The father is broken-hearted, "Oh, I loved this child and he became so unfaithful? He has done so much harm and he has gone away?" Broken-hearted. Broken-heart... That you will have to experience in the material world.
So the śūnyavādī and the nirviśeṣavādī, they want to make these varieties of enjoyment zero. That is called nirvāṇa philosophy, Buddha philosophy, that "These varieties of enjoyment is followed by painful condition, so you should make this variety zero." Just like sometimes one commits suicide. When these varieties become intolerable, social condition unbearable, then he commits suicide.
His business is how to release this rascal from this prison house and take him back to home, back to Godhead.
So mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasāṁ. Gṛhiṇāṁ. Gṛhi means anyone who is living within this body or anyone who is living within this material world. It is a compact thing. So they are very poor-hearted. They do not know what is the value of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). So instead of enlightening them, if mahāt or mahātmā, they keep them in the darkness, that is a great disservice. They must be enlightened. Their business is to preach that "Don't keep yourself within this material world. Come to the spiritual world." This is the business of mahātmā. Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. They are very poor knowledge, mūḍha. They have been described as mūḍha, duṣkṛtina. All these men are engaged in sinful activities on account of their ignorance. If you say, "No, how you can say they are in ignorance? There are so many universities.
That is stated here. Na adharmajaṁ dhṛdayam. Our heart is filled up with all dirty things, adharma. And it is very difficult to purify the heart, but it is possible, tad api. Even the hard-hearted, stone-hearted, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, can be melted, can be reformed. How? Īśāṅghri-sevayā. Īśa. Īśa means the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Āṅghri means His lotus feet. Sevayā. This is possible. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says the same thing. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni. Puṇya-yoni means according to the infection of the heart with different qualities of these material modes of nature. That is called pāpa-yoni. One whose heart is too much engrossed with tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, they are lower grade, pāpa-yoni. And gradually one who is free from the tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa... Even sattva-guṇa.
That is not our process. Our process is different. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us, āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu māṁ marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanān (CC Antya 20.47). Every devotee likes to see, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that "Even if You make me broken-hearted, not being seen for life or perpetually, it doesn't matter. Still, You are my worshipable Lord." That is pure devotee. Just like there is a song, "My dear Lord, please appear before me, dancing with Your flute." This is not devotion. This is not devotion. People may think, "Oh, how great devotee he is, asking Kṛṣṇa to come before him dancing." That means ordering Kṛṣṇa. A devotee does not order anything or ask anything from Kṛṣṇa, but he loves only. That is the pure love. That is the teaching of Lord Caitanya. Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām: (CC Antya 20.47) "Either You embrace me or You trample down, You give me all kinds of miserable life and You break my heart, not being seen by me..."
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
That is not love, pure love. Pure love is different. Pure love, as it is described by Lord Caitanya, in the, in His mood of Rādhārāṇī unto Kṛṣṇa āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu māṁ marma-hatāṁ karotu vā. This is love, Rādhārāṇī's, that "You either embrace Me or trample Me down under your feet, neglect Me, or make Me broken-hearted, not being present at any time throughout My life, life after life, it does not matter. Still I love you unconditionally." Mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ. That is real love. And that love is existing in everyone's heart. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is not awakened. So by this devotional process, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ, that love... Sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15).
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
"Let Him do." Āśliṣya vā. That is taught by Śrī Caitanya: Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt (CC Antya 20.47). Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratā: "Either You embrace me or You trample me down on Your feet, neglect me, and You make me broken-hearted, and not being present before me all the life..." Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām marma-hatāṁ karotu vā. Marma-hatām means "If You make me broken-hearted... I love You so much. I want You, but You never care for me. That's all right. Still You are my worshipable, unconditionally. I don't want any return from You. Still You are my worshipable Deity(?)." This is pure devotion. Kṛṣṇa takes all care. Don't think... Because He says personally, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Why should you be so anxious? But one who is in love with Kṛṣṇa, he wants to see Him, he wants to love Him.
General Lectures
Yes. People... Just like we are now preaching Hare Kṛṣṇa. In your country there was no such preaching. So we have sent our students in Europe, Germany, London—you are also spreading. In this way it is only, we are, our activities since 1966 practically. We have registered the association in 1966, and this is '68. So gradually we are spreading. And of course, I am old man. I may die. If you have taken up this formula very nicely, then you will go on preaching, and it may be spread all over the world. Very simple thing. Simply we require a little intelligence. That's all. So any intelligent man will appreciate. But if anyone wants to be cheated, then how he can be saved if one willingly wants to be cheated? Then it is very difficult to convince him. But those who are open-hearted, they will certainly accept this nice movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yes.
Purports to Songs
So, of course, we are not so powerful. But it is possible that At least, we have seen, the dogs are dancing in saṅkīrtana. So it is possible also to take But we may not attempt such great risk. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu could induce tigers to dance, we can at least induce every human being to dance. This is such a nice movement.
So paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare. Pāṣāṇa means stone. So even the stone-hearted man we also melts by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That we have experienced, seen. Pāṣāṇa vidare, śuni' jāra guṇa-gāthā. Simply by hearing the transcendental pastimes and characteristics of Lord Caitanya, even hard-hearted men, they also melted. There were many instances, Jagāi Mādhāi. Many fallen souls, they became elevated to the highest spiritual platform. Then Locana dāsa Ṭhākura says that viṣaya majiyā, rohili poriyā. "Unfortunately I am so much entrapped in these demands of the body or the senses that I have forgotten the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu."
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes, if we open our heart, then open-heartedly, then it will be nice. No reservation. And that open-heartedness means free from designation. That is open-heartedness. If I think, "Oh, I am American. Why shall I take this Indian philosophy?" Or if I think, "I am Christian. Why shall I take the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā?" then it will not work. One has to be free from these designations. Then it will be easy. I am... God is God, and I am also part and parcel of God, my relationship with God. So let me understand what is that relationship, what is God, what I am. That freedom, that open-heartedness will make it. But if I try to understand as Christian, as Englishman, as Japanese, as Indian, then it will be difficult. Many of our students joined, even initiated, but they could not make them free from these stereotyped ideas. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One must be free from the... Aiye aiye. So let us go. Take the box.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Calcutta, yes. A very perfect gentleman. Kind-hearted. Sometimes we joked. We were taking this, what is called, peanuts. So the professor was passing. So some of our friends remarked: (Bengali) So he thought that professor did not know Bengali. So immediately he turned: (Bengali). So we became very much ashamed. Yes. So all the professors from foreign countries, they were instructed to learn Bengali language, local language. That was the system. All officers, big officers, educate... (Aside) Good morning. ...big educationists, they were to learn the local language. And they used to learn Bengali. Especially in Calcutta. There was one professor, Mr. Scrimgeour. He was professor of literature, English literature. So while teaching one English literature, he was giving parallel passage from Bankim Candra Chatterjee. Yes. "Your Bankim babu says like this." He used to say like that.
Buddhist Monk (1): Well, I was wondering whether they would ask me whether I am bringing narcotic, the religion, the heart of the heartless, soul of the soulless, the opiate of the masses. So I had read Marx before I left my country. I had thought "They will ask me," but no such question was asked. And ultimately, when I was leaving the Soviet Union, they again opened my books, you see, and put them back. One book, an officer kept one book. I thought, "Now, what is this? All right." He closed the suitcase, did not put this book, and he comes behind me and says, "Could I have this book?" I said, "You see, I have made many notes in the book. Why do you want that book for? So kindly return it to me, please." He wouldn't return it. He follows. And he said, "Please let me have it." I asked him, "Why do you want this book really for?" He said, "I have studied Buddhism from the Northern School, and I would like to know something about the Southern School of Buddhism." I said, "Anyhow, you can get these books, I'll give you an address." But he wouldn't give it to me. He said "Please let me have it." I said, "All right, good health and peace to you. You can have it." Hungarians are very warm-hearted people, very warm-hearted people.
Prabhupāda: It is for me?
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Professor Durckheim: Yes.
Haṁsadūta: The village is for the stone-hearted. Nothing but stones.
Professor Durckheim: Once when I was in Paris and walking the streets and nothing but stone and stone and iron and nothing alive, I suddenly heard a voice, coming from beneath, as if there were a big, big one. I heard the voice, if you like, of God and saying, "Well, isn't there not a little spot there where I could manifest myself?" The sadness of God. I heard the voice, "This is the sadness of God." Was very impressive to me. Really a real voice in myself. Because a town like this has no place, no channel, for His voice to come through.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Indian man: Half-heartedly.
Prabhupāda: No, no what is that process elementary?
Indian man: In the dvaita way. In the dvaita way, not in the advaita way, assuming that He is different and I am different. That is the elementary way of starting worship.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is always. Why elementary?
Indian man: He is considering in that way.
Indian man: No, no. Assuming there had been, supposing bhakti-yoga...
Prabhupāda: Bhakti-yoga... First of all try to understand what is bhakti-yoga.
Indian man: In the beginning it's relatively easy to be...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Explain what is bhakti-yoga.
Prabhupāda: "Who is that?" "I don't know." There was an incident. One big philosopher and one big dramatic player. He was also very famous. So he went to see that philosopher and sent his card. He said, "Oh, why shall I see this dancing dog? He may be famous as a dancing dog, but I have no business with him. If some philosopher comes, then it will be a pleasure to talk with him. What does he know? He may be expert in dancing. It is not philosophy." So he refused to see him. "Why shall I see this dancing dog?" He used these words. "He's a dancing dog" (inaudible). So similarly, why this ordinary man claims to see God? A dancing dog? A devotee says, marma-hatāṁ karotu vā. A devotee is always anxious to see God, but he said that "I am not qualified. So even I become broken-hearted not seeing God, still Kṛṣṇa is my Lord. I may see, or may not see. That is His mercy. But in all circumstances, He is my worshipful Lord." That is devotee. "Oh, I could not see God? I have done so much?" Kṛṣṇa is not so obliged that because by concoction you think you have done something, and therefore He is obliged to come before you and dance. Kṛṣṇa is not so little.
Dr. Patel: No, no. Patel, for the sake of the country he accepted the subordination. Otherwise whole India, all provinces, selected him as the prime minister. But because this man would have spoiled the whole thing he said, "I don't mind if my country is getting weak." He had a greatness of vision and a big heart. These are all petty-hearted people.
Prabhupāda: (break) Now in this age there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya. All śūdras.
Dr. Patel: They're very arrogant community. Very arrogant community.
Prabhupāda: Which?
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Strong-hearted. They made a, what is called, conspiracy to kill him.
Hṛdayānanda: Who did this?
Prabhupāda: Oh, the Navadvīpa gosvāmīs. They raised 25,000 rupees and wanted to bribe this police officer that "You take this money. We shall finish him. Don't take any action."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the policeman said?
Prabhupāda: Refused. "Yes, we take bribe, but not in such cases."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why?
Prabhupāda: "He's a saintly person. We cannot agree to that." Everyone knows police takes bribe. They admit, "Yes, we take bribe, but not in such cases." This was told by Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisi..., to me. He was talking many things confidential.
Prabhupāda: Unless he is a fool. (laughter) Unless he's damn fool, they do not. (laughter) If he's sane and sober, open-hearted, then he will agree. Not only Hindus. We have got so many Mohammedans also. So unless one is open-minded, sane, intelligent, they cannot understand. Therefore I say the Indians are becoming insane. By the influence of so many rascals they are becoming insane. So that has to be rectified. But insanity is prevailing all over the world, but not so much insanity as in India, that they are rejecting their own things. This is the greatest insanity. Why they are rejecting Bhagavad-gītā? What is the reason? Tell me, you.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, Bhogilal. I remember when I first approached him for a donation, I asked him: "Please give twenty-five thousand rupees." I was the one who was approaching him. So then he said, "I can give ten thousand." So I said, all I did is I, just I said, "Please give more." He said, "All right, twenty-five thousand." (laughter) It didn't take very much preaching, he's so kind-hearted. And his son Pranlal was also nice boy.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He's very intelligent, he knows what we are doing. His wife also, that young girl.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, very nice. They're actually a little aristocratic, I think.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Yes. That is very important thing. That is important, yes. But love means two persons, there is exchange. Giving something, taking something, feeding something and to eat something, and speaking everything, no secrecy, and to know everything of the other person. When these things are transacted, then there is love. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati. If I love you and if I have got some secrecy, I don't disclose to you, that is not perfect love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. This is one of the basic principles. I shall invite you to eat with me and I shall accept your invitation to eat with me. I shall give you some presentation, you shall give me some presentation. In this way love develops. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there. Otherwise, where there is question of love? To appreciate God is great, that is not love. That is simply appreciation.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Huh? Because they are so poor that they cannot purchase diamond. But diamond must be there. They are so poor-hearted, their education has been so poorly given that they cannot understand.
Mr. Koshi: Poorly given.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That "You are this body, jump like cats and dogs," that's all. What is nationalism? This is, that "You are this body. Jump like cats and dogs." A group, as a group of crows gather together, caw caw caw caw. That has been taught. Make group and crow.
Mr. Koshi: Something is wrong.
Bhavānanda: Everything comes to life when you come to Māyāpur. You are the crown jewel. Māyāpur is such beautiful setting, but without Your Divine Grace's presence, we are always feeling empty-hearted. And as soon as you come, all of us are enlivened.
Prabhupāda: So let us go in a team.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we may have enough devotees to fill the whole train.
Bhavānanda: By looking at all the devotees assembled here, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the looks on their faces indicate that everyone likes this idea.
Prabhupāda: So do it. Do it.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a good idea.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letters and I am very glad to note the contents. I can understand that you have considerably advanced in Krishna Consciousness because your heart is simple. Girls and women are generally very soft hearted and they take things very easily, but then there is also chance of being misled. So you chant the Holy Name of Krishna and Krishna will keep you from being misled.
Last night there was initiation ceremony in which your beads were sanctified. You'll take on string of small beads for sticking on your neck and the bigger ones you can chant according to the rules.
1968 Correspondence
After killing the demon Hiranyakasipu, the Lord Nrsimhadeva was pacified by Prahlada Maharaja, who offered prayers in hymns which are very instructive. I shall be preparing these for you in my Srimad-Bhagavatam. I will simply cite one nice verse: "Oh Benevolent Lord! Friend of the fallen! Oh the Tender-Hearted! Bound by my own Karma I have been thrown into the midst of these demons who are destroying every thing of Your devotees! I am therefore extremely averse to the unbearable and terrible miseries of this cycle of birth and death in this world devoid of service and devotion to You. Oh Lord! When will You be pleased with me and call me to the shelter of Your Lotus Feet which are soothing like the smiling beams of ten million autumnal moons?"
This movement is meant for intelligent class of men, those who have reason and logic to understand things in a civilized way, and who are open-hearted to receive things as they are. But apart from such consideration, I think there is not any cause of suspicion if somebody sings and dances. So without remuneration if somebody sings and dances at his place, what is the cause of suspicion? But if the place is infested with such suspicious men and backward class, then how you can develop a New Vrindaban there? The circumstances as you have described them is not very favorable. Therefore I think the attempt will not be very successful. Krishna Consciousness movement can be pushed forward in a favorable atmosphere. If the atmosphere is not favorable, then don't attempt, it will be failure.
1970 Correspondence
So one must be pure hearted. And if they are still inclined to remain Christian, they can go. There is no need of raising controversial points and thus wasting each other's time.
There are even different political groups and one group does not go to the other group to preach their tenants, but they have got their own camp. Besides that, when we perform our Kirtana in our home or Temple, nobody can legally disturb it. I hope this will clarify the situation.
Therefore Hare Krishna Mantra is the greatest common factor for self-realization. Please preach this philosophy whole-heartedly and Krishna will be very much pleased upon you.
The court case is very humorous, happy, and authoritative. The charge was "Chanting God's Name" for the welfare "of mankind." So what can be the charges? If a man is chanting God's Name for the welfare of mankind, how the learned judge can convict him with any charges? So he has done real justice by dismissing the case. This will be great evidence of our sincere activities and you can send copies to all the centers as well as to the editors of BTG for immediate printing.
Your tendency to present Bengal Gaudiya Vaisnavism in its proper perspective is very much welcome. We are trying to present Krishna Consciousness all over the world in a very scientific and philosophical way, and as such your help in this connection will be of great value. I do not know whether it will be possible for you to join us whole-heartedly, but if you can so do, it will be of great value and we can immediately start a Bengali edition of BACK TO GODHEAD magazine under your good editorship.
1971 Correspondence
As the temple is growing more and more, so can your service expend also. So stay strong in Krishna's service by strictly following the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds daily, without fail, reading all our literatures, and engaging whole-heartedly in devotional service, 24 hours. Then you will be happy and Krishna will be pleased.
Actually the mercy of the bona fide spiritual master is there equally for everyone. Just like the sun is shining equally everywhere, yet there are those who refuse to come out completely into the light. Simply if you will rigidly follow the regulative principles and chant 16 rounds of beads daily without fail and engage whole-heartedly in devotional service, your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
Your beads, duly chanted on, are enclosed and should be soaked in oil (mustard oil will do) and they should be re-strung properly also.
Yes, I am very pleased that you are inclined to read and study our books with such seriousness. Thank you very much. And your conclusion is very nice. So continue it whole-heartedly. We want good preachers also. Preaching shouldn't depend on me only. My disciples should become all good preachers, and that depends on studying the books nicely so that you can arrive at the right conclusion. From your letter I can tell that you are doing very nicely in this regards and Krishna will help you in your endeavor more and more.
Yes, to please Lord Jagannatha means to go on serving Him to the best of your ability. That love is there, dormant, for Lord Jagannatha. Simply we have to revive it. Not that it is something new. Simply we have to remember. And the process is to engage whole-heartedly in His service. Then by serving, serving, that dormant love will be re-awakened and then one day Jagannatha will reveal Himself to you, "I am like this." And that will be perfection in Krishna Consciousness. So work for it enthusiastically.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 4th July, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, I am so glad to hear about your travelling Sankirtana Party. That is very good news. So engage yourself in this program whole-heartedly. I have got all my blessings on you and the other members, so do everything nicely.
And it is very encouraging to hear that so many new devotees are coming. That is an indication of your sincerity. The more sincere you are in pushing this movement forward, so Krishna will reciprocate and send you many new devotees. Thank you very much. So give them protection and instruct them so that they may not go away. We recruit devotees with great difficulty. So they must be well-treated. New men may not always behave so nicely but we must be tolerant.
Continue this program faithfully and your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain. I have given you the spiritual name Urukrama Dasa Brahmacari. Urukrama is a name for Krishna and means one whose activities are glorious.
So go on with your devotional activities there in Chicago whole-heartedly and always depend on Krishna. Just like you said that you had been experiencing so many difficulties, but that is Krishna's mercy upon you to make you turn to Him more and more. So work cooperatively with Bahulasva Prabhu and make our Chicago center a grand success. That is my request to you, so work in that way with full enthusiasm. And stay strong in Krishna's service by regularly chanting your rounds, by reading our literatures, by going for Street Sankirtana, etc. In this way go on and you will be happy and your life will know success.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 26th June, 1971 and have noted the contents. I am so much encouraged to hear how nicely you are distributing BTG and distributing our books also. So continue this program whole-heartedly and Krishna will surely bless you.
It is also encouraging to note that you are getting such a fine house for your new temple. It is so large and on the main street of Cleveland. I can tell that you are all sincere devotees because Krishna is giving you such nice facility to serve him. So make the house very gorgeous, to the standard of our L.A. and N.Y. temples and when you are ready, Radha and Krishna can be installed there also.
Yes, it is encouraging news that J. Dalmia is favorably inclined toward giving us land in Raman Reti. So let me know when things are finalized. Also two sets brass Deities were promised by the trust. What has happened to them? Another nice news is that all of you women are going out daily for preaching. Very good. Continue it whole heartedly.
Yes, Krishna may wear dhoti: why not? So far as naming the Deities in London, that I will see to when I go there, sometime in the first week of August.
I can understand that you are all very sincere and very much qualified devotees and now by Krishna's grace you are engaged whole-heartedly in His service. So take full advantage of this opportunity and perfect your lives; that is my request. Our process is simple. Follow the regulative principles strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of Hare Krishna mantra daily, read all our books, go for street Sankirtana and in this way be engaged in Krishna's business 24 hours. Then you will be always thinking of Krishna and in the end go back to Krishna, back to home, back to Godhead.
I understand from Kirtanananda Maharaja that there is a nice scheme for travelling sankirtana party. So I think that your joining them will be super-excellent scheme and I have my full hearted sanction for your joining the party if you like.
So far Visnujana Maharaja joining your party, that is super-excellent idea. Already, at your request, I have written him one letter to the San Antonio address, that he has my full-hearted blessings for joining the party.
Plays will be very successful and Vrindaban Candra is very expert in this connection. One thing, though, is that nice plays should be written for showing in the villages. The plays should be done seriously so that they will not laugh.
And Krishna has made himself available in the form of very nice brass Murtis from Washington D.C. It is not necessary also that Lord Jagannatha come along. Sometimes He is misunderstood also. The Deities can be installed in a temple and then taken for travelling. That will be best.
I can understand that you are a very sincere girl and that is the first qualification for developing love for Krishna. Now increase that sincerity more and more by engaging yourself whole-heartedly and with great enthusiasm for serving Krishna and very soon love of Godhead will fructify. You will become more and more happy in this life and in the end go back to home, back to Krishna, to enjoy eternal life, full of bliss and knowledge and in association with the supreme lovable object, Krishna. And our process for obtaining to such a wonderful existence is not at all difficult. Following the regulative principles strictly, chant at least 16 rounds of beads daily and always think of Krishna. In this way mold your life and your future will be very bright.
1972 Correspondence
The committee must be also organized for distributing the books and magazines, otherwise what is the use of publishing? First make certain that our distribution is very nice organized. So after your exams you may plunge into this task whole-heartedly and try to enlist the help of all the others and make the project come out very successfully. Form the committee and whatever is needed, you do it. It doesn't matter if the Hindi translation is perfectly the same length as the English original, translate any issue of BTG or any book and send the manuscript after composing to Japan for printing, that is the best plan. For our English BTG's they have got the original photographs and negatives in Japan, so if you translate some issue of English BTG you can send there for printing and the cost will be cheaper because they have already got the photos, etc.
Now you have to keep the institution in living condition in the near future, so as such you have to preach vigorously to the right point so that people will appreciate our movement and take to it. I am so much pleased that you have taken Sannyas and are preaching whole-heartedly. Do not worry about your wife and child, Krishna will take care of them. Just you save the foolish world from going to hell. Everyone has become already animals. They are not interested in morality, religion, or other subject matter of the human form of life. And when one is prepared to become animal, then what this school-college education will do? This material world seems to me like a dead body, and even though they try to decorate it very gorgeously, what use can we enjoy from such dead body?
1974 Correspondence
If you depend always on collecting money from here only it will not be successful. If for buildings, festivals, etc. you have to collect from here, what is the use?
The completion of Vrindaban temple by Janmastami is my whole hearted desire. Please do it by all means. The 3 lacs from Ashok Birla plus the $100,000 from here will I think be sufficient to finish the temple. It will please me very much to see it completed timely.
Regarding the starting of a school in Vrindaban, yes engage Hari Goswami in a trial period there in Vrindaban. He should be engaged teaching Hindi and Sanskrit and if he does it nicely then he can transfer to Gurukula in Dallas. So for now he should also train up an assistant. Yes, we can start such classes in Bombay and Vrindaban for now.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 22, 1974 and have noted the contents. So regarding the situation that if you leave your wife and your son, she will be broken hearted, therefore I asked you to stay. It is better for you to remain with your wife and son and chant Hare Krishna as much as possible, and Krishna will personally give you direction. It may be that Krishna will make your wife agreeable to your line of action. And if your wife agrees, and your son he is already doing, that will make your life very happy in Krishna consciousness.
The best policy is to chant Hare Krishna all together husband, wife, and son at least a half hour daily. If your wife joins with you in chanting, then the whole problem will be solved.
1976 Correspondence
Whatever financial help you require, I shall see that it is provided.
As your spiritual master, I have my whole-hearted thanks for your service. May Krsna bless you. You have done a great service for being recognized by Krsna, and continue with this work.
1977 Correspondence
Even amongst the Vaisnavas you are a rare jewel set in the purest gold. The brightness of your devotion to Krsna outshines all others, and while they stay at home with the Deity and their bhajan, you boldly set forth to preach the message of Lord Caitanya and your Guru Maharaja. In recognition of this the Supreme Lord has agreed to live amongst the mlecchas and accept their poor hearted offerings. Without your devotion He could never have agreed to do this. Once in 1971, after you had installed Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna in Sydney in a 'temple' that was actually a converted garage, you prayed to Krsna that "Now I am living you in the hands of these rascals, so You kindly look after Yourself and see they serve You nicely." The following year you told us that story and commented that now you could see that He has done this and you encouraged us to go on increasing our service to the Lord more and more.
| Page Title: | Hearted |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 30 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=4, SB=13, CC=2, OB=8, Lec=32, Con=13, Let=24 |
| No. of Quotes: | 96 |