Incur

Expressions researched:
"incur" |"incurred" |"incurring" |"incurs"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors.

BG 1.36, Purport:

According to Vedic injunctions there are six kinds of aggressors: (1) a poison giver, (2) one who sets fire to the house, (3) one who attacks with deadly weapons, (4) one who plunders riches, (5) one who occupies another's land, and (6) one who kidnaps a wife. Such aggressors are at once to be killed, and no sin is incurred by killing such aggressors. Such killing of aggressors is quite befitting any ordinary man, but Arjuna was not an ordinary person. He was saintly by character, and therefore he wanted to deal with them in saintliness. This kind of saintliness, however, is not for a kṣatriya. Although a responsible man in the administration of a state is required to be saintly, he should not be cowardly.

BG 2.33, Translation:

If, however, you do not perform your religious duty of fighting, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter.

BG 2.38, Translation:

Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat—and by so doing you shall never incur sin.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

If a kṣatriya engaged in his own occupation kills an enemy, there is no sin incurred.

BG 18.47, Purport:

Whether one is a kṣatriya, a vaiśya, or a śūdra doesn't matter, if he serves, by his work, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even brāhmaṇas, who perform different types of sacrifice, sometimes must kill animals because sometimes animals are sacrificed in such ceremonies. Similarly, if a kṣatriya engaged in his own occupation kills an enemy, there is no sin incurred. In the Third Chapter these matters have been clearly and elaborately explained; every man should work for the purpose of Yajña, or for Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anything done for personal sense gratification is a cause of bondage. The conclusion is that everyone should be engaged according to the particular mode of nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work only to serve the supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.

Due to false ego Arjuna was fearing that by killing his teacher, grandfather and friends he would incur sinful reactions.

BG 18.59, Purport:

Arjuna was a military man, and born of the nature of the kṣatriya. Therefore his natural duty was to fight. But due to false ego he was fearing that by killing his teacher, grandfather and friends he would incur sinful reactions. Actually he was considering himself master of his actions, as if he were directing the good and bad results of such work. He forgot that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present there, instructing him to fight. That is the forgetfulness of the conditioned soul. The Supreme Personality gives directions as to what is good and what is bad, and one simply has to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to attain the perfection of life.

SB Canto 1

Lord Buddha preached that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse psychological effects incurred by animal-killing.

SB 1.3.24, Purport:

At the time when Lord Buddha appeared, the people in general were atheistic and preferred animal flesh to anything else. On the plea of Vedic sacrifice, every place was practically turned into a slaughterhouse, and animal-killing was indulged in unrestrictedly. Lord Buddha preached nonviolence, taking pity on the poor animals. He preached that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse psychological effects incurred by animal-killing. Less intelligent men of the age of Kali, who had no faith in God, followed his principle, and for the time being they were trained in moral discipline and nonviolence, the preliminary steps for proceeding further on the path of God realization.

SB 1.12.32, Translation:

Just at this time, King Yudhiṣṭhira was considering performing a horse sacrifice to get freed from sins incurred from fighting with kinsmen. But he became anxious to get some wealth, for there were no surplus funds outside of fines and tax collection.

SB Canto 2

A materialistic man like Rāvaṇa does not understand this great truth, but on the contrary he wants to snatch Sītādevī from the custody of Rāma and thus incurs great miseries.

SB 2.7.23, Purport:

Sītā is Lakṣmījī, or the goddess of fortune, but she is never to be enjoyed by any living being. She is meant for being worshiped by the living being along with her husband, Śrī Rāmacandra. A materialistic man like Rāvaṇa does not understand this great truth, but on the contrary he wants to snatch Sītādevī from the custody of Rāma and thus incurs great miseries. The materialists, who are after opulence and material prosperity, may take lessons from the Rāmāyaṇa that the policy of exploiting the nature of the Lord without acknowledging the supremacy of the Supreme Lord is the policy of Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was very advanced materially, so much so that he turned his kingdom, Laṅkā, into pure gold, or full material wealth. But because he did not recognize the supremacy of Lord Rāmacandra and defied Him by stealing His wife, Sītā, Rāvaṇa was killed, and all his opulence and power were destroyed.

SB Canto 3

A family man has a responsibility to perform five kinds of sacrifices, called pañca-yajña, in order to get relief from all kinds of unavoidable sinful reaction incurred in the course of his affairs.

SB 3.14.19, Purport:

By the Vedic injunction, the wife is accepted as the better half of a man's body because she is supposed to be responsible for discharging half of the duties of the husband. A family man has a responsibility to perform five kinds of sacrifices, called pañca-yajña, in order to get relief from all kinds of unavoidable sinful reaction incurred in the course of his affairs. When a man becomes qualitatively like the cats and dogs, he forgets his duties in cultivating spiritual values, and thus he accepts his wife as a sense gratificatory agency. When the wife is accepted as a sense gratificatory agency, personal beauty is the main consideration, and as soon as there is a break in personal sense gratification, there is disruption or divorce. But when husband and wife aim at spiritual advancement by mutual cooperation, there is no consideration of personal beauty or the disruption of so-called love.

SB Canto 4

The saintly sages elected King Vena to become king, but he proved to be mischievous; therefore the sages were very much afraid of incurring sinful reaction.

SB 4.14.11, Purport:

The saintly sages elected King Vena to become king, but he proved to be mischievous; therefore the sages were very much afraid of incurring sinful reaction. The law of karma prohibits a person even to associate with a mischievous individual. By electing Vena to the throne, the saintly sages certainly associated with him. Ultimately King Vena became so mischievous that the saintly sages actually became afraid of becoming contaminated by his activities. Thus before taking any action against him, the sages tried to pacify and correct him so that he might turn from his mischief.

When something uncommon happens in one's progressive spiritual life, it should be understood to be incurred by ajñāta-sukṛti, or pious activities beyond one's knowledge.

SB 4.22.7, Purport:

When something uncommon happens in one's progressive spiritual life, it should be understood to be incurred by ajñāta-sukṛti, or pious activities beyond one's knowledge. To see personally the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His pure devotee is not an ordinary incident. When such things happen, they should be understood to be caused by previous pious activity, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28): yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. One who is completely freed from all the resultant actions of sinful activities and who is absorbed only in pious activities can engage in devotional service.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.44.10, Translation:

A wise person should not enter an assembly if he knows the participants there are committing acts of impropriety. And if, having entered such an assembly, he fails to speak the truth, speaks falsely or pleads ignorance, he will certainly incur sin.

SB 10.51.62, Translation:

Because you followed the principles of a kṣatriya, you killed living beings while hunting and performing other duties. You must vanquish the sins thus incurred by carefully executing penances while remaining surrendered to Me.

SB 11.28.25, Translation:

For one who has properly realized My personal identity as the Supreme Godhead, what credit is there if his senses—mere products of the material modes—are perfectly concentrated in meditation? And on the other hand, what blame is incurred if his senses happen to become agitated? Indeed, what does it mean to the sun if the clouds come and go?

CC Adi-lila

Although these industrialists are now happy in this life by dint of their industrial development, they do not know that they will incur the responsibility for killing these living entities who are in the form of trees.

CC Adi 9.46, Purport:

Unnecessarily cutting trees without consideration is another example of human debauchery. The paper industry cuts many hundreds and thousands of trees for its mills, and with the paper so much rubbish literature is published for the whimsical satisfaction of human society. Unfortunately, although these industrialists are now happy in this life by dint of their industrial development, they do not know that they will incur the responsibility for killing these living entities who are in the form of trees.

CC Adi 12.32, Translation:

But it also mentioned that Advaita Ācārya had recently incurred a debt of about three hundred rupees that Kamalākānta Viśvāsa wanted to liquidate.

For a materialistic person, material wealth and opulence are only illusory. Actually they are not possessions but entanglements because by enjoying the material world a conditioned soul becomes more and more entangled by incurring debts for his present enjoyment.

CC Adi 13.124, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda, Advaita Prabhu, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa and their followers are all accepted by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Anyone who follows in the footsteps of Kavirāja Gosvāmī also accepts the lotus feet of the above-mentioned lords as his personal property. For a materialistic person, material wealth and opulence are only illusory. Actually they are not possessions but entanglements because by enjoying the material world a conditioned soul becomes more and more entangled by incurring debts for his present enjoyment. Unfortunately, a conditioned soul considers property for which he is in debt to be his own, and he is very busy acquiring such property. But a devotee considers such property not real property but simply an entanglement in the material world.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 3.28, Translation:

"O river Yamunā, you are the blissful spiritual water that gives love to the son of Nanda Mahārāja. You are the same as the water of the spiritual world, for you can vanquish all our offenses and the sinful reactions incurred in life. You are the creator of all auspicious things for the world. O daughter of the sun-god, kindly purify us by your pious activities."

The young brāhmaṇa's only concern was that the elderly brāhmaṇa had promised something, and if Gopāla did not bear witness to that transaction, then the older brāhmaṇa would incur a spiritual blemish.

CC Madhya 5.89, Purport:

It was not at all the intention of the young brāhmaṇa to get the daughter of the elderly brāhmaṇa in marriage and thus enjoy material happiness and sense gratification. It was not for that reason that the young brāhmaṇa went to Vṛndāvana to ask the Supreme Personality of Godhead to act as a witness. His only concern was that the elderly brāhmaṇa had promised something, and if Gopāla did not bear witness to that transaction, then the older brāhmaṇa would incur a spiritual blemish. Therefore, the young brāhmaṇa wanted protection and help from the Deity. The young brāhmaṇa was thus a pure Vaiṣṇava, and he had no desire for sense gratification. He wanted only to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the older brāhmaṇa, who was also a Vaiṣṇava and very much devoted to the Lord.

It is most sinful to kill cows and insult brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. The karma incurred by such activity is very great, but one can immediately nullify all this karma by surrendering to Lord Kṛṣṇa and chanting His holy name.

CC Madhya 16.189, Translation and Purport:

The Muslim governor then prayed for liberation from the unlimited sinful reactions he had previously incurred by being envious of brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas and killing cows.

By chanting the holy names Kṛṣṇa and Hari, one is certainly liberated from the reactions to such sinful activities as killing cows or insulting brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. It is most sinful to kill cows and insult brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. The karma incurred by such activity is very great, but one can immediately nullify all this karma by surrendering to Lord Kṛṣṇa and chanting His holy name.

CC Madhya 24.250, Translation:

"Nārada Muni continued, 'My dear hunter, your business is killing animals. That is a slight offense on your part. But when you consciously give them unnecessary pain by leaving them half-dead, you incur very great sins.'"

If we simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet and take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seriously, we can be freed from the karma incurred by sin.

CC Madhya 24.252, Purport:

If we simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet and take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seriously, we can be freed from the karma incurred by sin. If we are intelligent enough, we shall engage in the loving service of the Lord. Then our lives will be successful, and we shall not have to suffer like the hunter life after life. By killing animals, not only will we be bereft of the human form but we will have to take an animal form and somehow or other be killed by the same type of animal we have killed. This is the law of nature. The Sanskrit word māṁsa means "meat." It is said, māṁ saḥ khadati iti māṁsaḥ. That is, "I am now eating the flesh of an animal who will some day in the future be eating my flesh."

CC Antya-lila

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka how to use material opulence without incurring reactions to sinful life.

CC Antya 9.145, Purport:

The result of advancement in spiritual knowledge is not material improvement, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka how to use material opulence without incurring reactions to sinful life. From this advice, it appeared that the Lord encouraged Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka to enhance his material condition. Actually, however, He did not. In fact, this was but a manifestation of His great affection for His devotee.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Rūpa Gosvāmī deposited ten thousand coins for expenditures incurred by his elder brother, Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2:

Generally a person bequeaths all his accumulated wealth to his family members and then retires from family activities in order to make progress in spiritual knowledge. Here, however, we find the behavior of Rūpa Gosvāmī to be exemplary; he gave fifty percent of his wealth for spiritual purposes. This should serve as an example for everyone. The twenty-five percent of his accumulated wealth which he kept for personal emergencies was deposited with a good business firm, since in those days there were no banks. Ten thousand coins were deposited for expenditures incurred by his elder brother, Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

All these evil activities bring great losses to human society. As a result of this evil, the mundane scientists incur grievous sin, which destroys their real intelligence.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.2:

Mahisāsura, the most powerful demon, who was the personification of the forces of evil, was in fact endowed with intelligence, education, wealth, the ability to perform severe penances and attract large followings, and so on. His present-day followers, possessing identical qualifications, are no less enterprising and expert in exploiting the divine energy. They carry out elaborate scientific research, misspending huge amounts of money, time, energy, intelligence, men, and so on. But instead of bringing peace and joy, what they discover through these researches ends up producing untold misery for humanity. This is a perfect example of daivī māyā's throwing agency in action. All these evil activities bring great losses to human society. As a result of this evil, the mundane scientists incur grievous sin, which destroys their real intelligence. And this loss of intelligence turns them away from God and robs them of their chance to surrender to Him.

As for those selfish householders who cook food only for their own sensual pleasure and not for the service of Lord Viṣṇu, they have to suffer all the sinful reactions incurred while cooking and eating.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.6:

The atheists deny the existence of God because in this way they think they can commit sins unhindered. But all the revealed, authorized scriptures say that by killing innocent creatures, the householders commit many sins willingly or unwillingly while performing their normal daily activities. To get release from these sins, the householders are enjoined to perform certain sacrifices. Foremost of these is to eat and honor the remnants of food offered to Lord Viṣṇu. As for those selfish householders who cook food only for their own sensual pleasure and not for the service of Lord Viṣṇu, they have to suffer all the sinful reactions incurred while cooking and eating. This is the law of providence. Therefore, to get rid of these sins, the followers of the Vedic religion dedicate their household activities to Lord Viṣṇu's service.

The devotee himself arranges for all expenditures incurred in executing devotional service. To an ordinary eye, earning and spending money in this way may look like sense enjoyment. But when the devotee is devoid of all material desires, the Supreme Lord feels great satisfaction in fulfilling all his needs.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.10:

The devotee himself arranges for all expenditures incurred in executing devotional service. To an ordinary eye, earning and spending money in this way may look like sense enjoyment. But when the devotee is devoid of all material desires, the Supreme Lord feels great satisfaction in fulfilling all his needs. Though the obedient son may never express his wants to his father, the loving father spontaneously tries to make his son happy and derives joy from doing so. Therefore the Lord's devotees never lack anything, even materially, and at the end of this life, after leaving the body, they are situated in eternal bliss. This is the transcendental wealth a devotee inherits.

Message of Godhead

Even in the course of ordinary business exchanges and ventures we have to commit so many sins. Intentionally or unintentionally, one has to commit such sins—and incur the sinful reactions—without any doubt.

Message of Godhead 2:

Although we may take so many precautions against these vices and sinful reactions, even in the course of ordinary business exchanges and ventures we have to commit so many sins. For instance, we find it necessary and unavoidable in business dealings to speak lies—not to mention the volumes of lies that are spoken by members of the legal profession. Lawyers have to resort to all sorts of trickery to get around a law in which they have become professionally entangled. And of course, those who are in the service of other professions have to do the same kind of thing without fail. Intentionally or unintentionally, one has to commit such sins—and incur the sinful reactions—without any doubt.

Sri Isopanisad

Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food without incurring sin, but if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws of nature.

Sri Isopanisad 1, Purport:

Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. They must be intelligent enough to realize the importance and aim of human life. The Vedic literature is meant for humanity and not for cats and dogs. Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food without incurring sin, but if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws of nature. Consequently he must be punished.

In devotional service to the Lord, the path of bhakti, there is practically no chance of incurring sinful reactions.

Sri Isopanisad 18, Purport:

After many, many lifetimes of cultivating transcendental knowledge, one becomes perfect when he surrenders unto the Lord. This is the general procedure. But one who surrenders at the very beginning, as recommended in this mantra, at once surpasses all preliminary stages simply by adopting the devotional attitude. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66), the Lord at once takes charge of such a surrendered soul and frees him from all the reactions to his sinful acts. There are many sinful reactions involved in karma-kāṇḍa activities, whereas in jñāna-kāṇḍa, the path of philosophical development, the number of such sinful activities is smaller. But in devotional service to the Lord, the path of bhakti, there is practically no chance of incurring sinful reactions.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

It is better to die than to have bad reputation. That is another argument.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: 33: "If however you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter (BG 2.33)."

Prabhupāda: And on the other hand, if you don't fight, then... You are known as a great warrior, a great soldier. If you go away, people will say against your reputation: "Oh, Arjuna has become a coward. He has fled away from the fight." So it is better to die than to have bad reputation. That is another argument. Yes.

If you execute your duty nicely, there is no question of sin.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: "And by so doing you shall never incur sin."

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you execute your duty nicely, there is no question of sin. To execute duty is piety. Yes.

Just like even nowadays also, if the soldier disobeys the order of the commander, that soldier is shot down by martial law. Because to disobey the order of the commander is sinful.

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

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "If, however, you do not fight this religious war, then you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties and thus lose your reputation as a fighter."

Prabhupāda:

atha cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ

saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi

tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca

hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi

(BG 2.33)

So imaṁ dharmyam, religious fight. Just like even nowadays also, if the soldier disobeys the order of the commander, that soldier is shot down by martial law. Because to disobey the order of the commander is sinful. So Kṛṣṇa says, atha cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi. This fight is not ordinary fight. It is not the politician's fight. "For the sake of religion, you must fight. And if you do not, then sva-dharmam... You are a kṣatriya."

If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no more reaction of your karma.

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

Jaya-gopāla: I've often been told that when you become dvija then we would not incur any more karmic reactions by our actions, but also...

Prabhupāda: When you become dvija, twice-born. Twice-born means you come to the point of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When you take your birth from your parents, your consciousness is different. Just like the child. His consciousness is different, but when he's grown-up, if he takes to knowledge, if he tries to understand Kṛṣṇa, his consciousness is different. So when one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the beginning of his second birth, dvija.

Jaya-gopāla: Well, I've been told then that we can have no more karmic reactions from our actions.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no more reaction of your karma.

Festival Lectures

Just like in your country, the car is driven from the right side; in India, I've seen in London also, the car is driven from the left side. So suppose he does not know, he drives the car on the left side and incurs some accident, and he is taken by the police custody.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968:

Ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). The Bhagavad-gītā says, the Lord says, people's sufferings are due to his sinful activities. Ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of sinful activity. Just like a man does not know. Suppose a foreigner like me comes in America and he does not know... Because in India... Just like in your country, the car is driven from the right side; in India, I've seen in London also, the car is driven from the left side. So suppose he does not know, he drives the car on the left side and incurs some accident, and he is taken by the police custody. And if he says, "Sir, I did not know that here the car is driven from the right side," that does not make him excused. The law will punish him. So ignorance is the cause of breaking the law or sinful activities. And as soon as you commit some sinful activity, you have to suffer the result.

1967 Correspondence

I'm trying to get a nice house in Vrindaban and unless I'm sure of that I can not advise anyone to come here incurring so much expenditure and undergoing so much trouble.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Delhi 22 September, 1967:

Regarding the American House, as I told you previously, I'm trying to get a nice house in Vrindaban and unless I'm sure of that I can not advise anyone to come here incurring so much expenditure and undergoing so much trouble. Students at Swami Bon Maharaja, can come only if they are very much eager and serious about study. He has already given me a letter that 10 students can be accommodated with food and rooms. In this connection Acyutananda wishes to submit a report by practical experience.

1970 Correspondence

In this connection of our large expense, I have asked them to live independently without depending on any -rias.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 15 November, 1970:

Regarding Dhandharia's fear of his or someone else's incurring great expense from the devotees stay at their place, because he is afraid there is no question of joining his Sankirtana Party because they are unable to maintain our men. So in this connection of our large expense, I have asked them to live independently without depending on any -rias.

1974 Correspondence

Regarding the corporate status of ISKCON in relation to Spiritual sky, it is desirable that Spiritual Sky separate itself from ISKCON so that ISKCON will not be subject to any debts incurred by Spiritual Sky.

Letter to Jayatirtha & Karandhar -- Bombay 16 November, 1974:

Please accept my humble obeisances. Regarding the corporate status of ISKCON in relation to Spiritual sky, it is desirable that Spiritual Sky separate itself from ISKCON so that ISKCON will not be subject to any debts incurred by Spiritual Sky.

It is expected that in the near future the tax shelter that was offered to Spiritual Sky by ISKCON will not be available when the U.S. tax laws are changed. It is also understood that the Spiritual Sky management intends to separate itself from ISKCON in the near future.

Further, in a memo dated October 16, 1974 written by Ramesvara it is stated: "For a number of reasons the temples around the Society in general have been completely dropping Spiritual Sky over the past three months as a permanent business function." Jayatirtha has also indicated that the future Spiritual Sky personnel policy is to phase out devotee participation as fas as possible.

Therefore the conclusion is that the formal separation between Spiritual Sky and ISKCON should be concluded immediately. You are requested to make Spiritual Sky a separate entity and apart from ISKCON at the earliest possible.