Kidnap (Lectures)

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Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

Arjuna had another wife Subhadrā. That Subhadrā, you know, sister of Kṛṣṇa. Sister of Kṛṣṇa. So Subhadrā, Balarāma, elder brother, Kṛṣṇa, younger brother. Kṛṣṇa wanted to hand over Subhadrā to Arjuna, and Balarāma wanted to hand over Subhadrā to Duryodhana. So Kṛṣṇa could not say anything. The elder brother has decided. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna to kidnap Subhadrā. Just see how much Kṛṣṇa was affectionate to Arjuna that Arjuna liked also to marry Subhadrā, and Subhadrā also liked, but the elder brother did not agree. So they made a plan that Arjuna kidnap Subhadrā.

This kidnapping was allowed among the kṣatriyas, and fight. That is kṣatriya marriage. Unless there is fight, that marriage is not complete. The red vermillion which we apply, that is kṣatriya principle. After killing the opposite party, the blood will be smeared over the hair of the bride. That is conquer, victory. So in every marriage, Kṛṣṇa had 16,108 wives, and each wife was married by fighting, beginning from Rukmiṇī. Rukmiṇī also, the first wife of Kṛṣṇa, the first queen, when Kṛṣṇa became king of Dvārakā, she was the first queen. So Subhadra was kidnapped by Arjuna. Rukmiṇī was settled up to be married with Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla also happened to be Kṛṣṇa's cousin-brother, and Rukmiṇī did not like that she would be handed over to Śiśupāla. She wanted to marry Kṛṣṇa. So she sent one letter to Kṛṣṇa that this is the position. "My brother Rukma, he has decided to hand over to me to Śiśupāla, but I don't like. So please arrange for kidnapping." A brāhmaṇa was sent to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

There are three varieties of quality. Goodness, passion and ignorance. So we have to associate with either of these qualities. Unless we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Unless one is engaged in devotional service, he must be influenced by these three kinds of qualities. Goodness... Somebody may be very good man, according to the estimation of the... Just like Arjuna, he is talking in the modes of goodness, considering, considering. "Although they are ātatāyinaḥ..." Pāpam eva āśrayed asmān hatvā etān ātatāyinaḥ. Ātatāyinaḥ means aggressor. According to law, if somebody comes to attack you, or if somebody comes to kidnap your wife, these are ātatāyinaḥ. Or somebody comes to set fire in your house, especially they are called aggressors. So these aggressors are to be immediately killed. There is no question of nonviolence. You must kill immediately. There is no sin. Ātatāyinaḥ. But here, although the other party is ātatāyinaḥ, aggressor, still, Arjuna is considering whether they should be killed or not. That is the difference between devatā. In every action, they are calculating. But he is considering that "This kind of aggressor, because they are my kinsmen, they are my family men, whether this kind of aggressor should be killed or not?" It is common sense. Suppose your son has done something mischievous. The same thing. Same thing means to attack the father.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

We can do whatever we like with. Arjuna has lost his wife." So he advised that "Make her naked in this assembly." To become naked in the, so many people, that is a great insult for woman. So actually, they tried to insult. Not tried, it was fact. But Kṛṣṇa saved. You know, Draupadi's vastra-haraṇa. She was tried to become naked, but these people could not make her naked. The sārī was supplied by Kṛṣṇa, one after another, one after another, heaps of sārī. Then they become fed up, gave up that business, that "She cannot be made naked."

So they were actually ātatāyinaḥ. Because ātatāyinaḥ means one who comes to kidnap your wife, insults your wife. You should immediately kill. Just like Lord Rāmacandra. He was so pious king, but when it so happened that his wife, Sītā, was insulted... Sītā was taken away by Rāvaṇa. Lord Rāmacandra could marry hundreds and thousands of Sītās. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He could create Sītā, Rādhārāṇī, Lakṣmī. They are the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot have a material wife or material companion. Kṛṣṇa's Rādhārāṇī or Lord Rāmacandra's Sītādevī, Nārāyaṇa's Lakṣmīdevī, they are pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vṛkitir āhlādinī-śaktir asmāt. Āhlādinī-śakti. Kṛṣṇa, God, has got many potencies. One of the potencies is called āhlādinī-śakti, pleasure potency.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

They are the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot have a material wife or material companion. Kṛṣṇa's Rādhārāṇī or Lord Rāmacandra's Sītādevī, Nārāyaṇa's Lakṣmīdevī, they are pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vṛkitir āhlādinī-śaktir asmāt. Āhlādinī-śakti. Kṛṣṇa, God, has got many potencies. One of the potencies is called āhlādinī-śakti, pleasure potency. So Kṛṣṇa's consort, Lord Rāmacandra's consort, they are pleasure potency, exhibited. So to show the example, Lord Rāmacandra, because Sītā was kidnapped, Sītā was insulted, or Rāmacandra was insulted, the retaliation was Lord Rāmacandra killed not only Rāvaṇa, but the whole dynasty, finished. Only for one woman. He could create so many. No. Because ātatāyinaḥ, aggressed over. Just to teach people that anyone, if he is aggressor, he must be killed. This is the position.

But Arjuna is considering whether it will be pious or impious. This is devatā. In every action, they will consider, "What I am going to do, whether it is pious or impious." That is devatā. "If it is pious, then it will elevate me. And if it is impious, then it will degrade me." Nobody wants degradation. The human life should be especially meant for elevation, not for degradation. You have come to this human form of life from the lower status of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Parantapa means one who can give trouble to the enemies. It is the duty of the kṣatriya. Enemies, aggressor, they should be killed. There is no ātatāyī. Ātatāyī means one who is aggressor. One who kidnaps one's wife, one who take away by force one's wealth, one who sets fire in one's house, these are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed. Aggressor should be given trouble. So Kṛṣṇa does not teach unnecessarily nonviolence. If kṣatriya becomes nonviolent, then the whole state will be in chaos. They must learn how to kill any criminal. He should be immediately killed.

Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Arjuna's grandson, when he was touring in his empire... The whole world was at that time Indian empire. Not Indian exactly. Bhārata-varṣa. Now we have imitated some name, Bhārata, the "Indian," "Hindustan." But formerly the whole planet was known as Bhārata-varṣa. So when he saw that one black man was trying to kill one cow, immediately he took his sword: "Immediately I shall kill you. Who are you, killing cows in my kingdom?" This is kṣatriya's business. So... But there is no kṣatriya now because so many cows are being killed. Nobody is protesting. It is the duty of the kṣatriya to protect every living entity born in the land, in his kingdom. It is not that, as it is going on now, that only the human beings should be protected and not the animals.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

A person who is imbibed with asuric tendency... Asuric tendency means to refute the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the asuras... Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa is described as rākṣasa, asura. What was his fault? His fault was that he did not care for Rāma. "What is this Rāma? Kidnap his wife, bring him(her), I shall enjoy." This is rākṣasa. So he could not enjoy Sītā, but the result was, with his whole family, state, and himself, everything, he was ruined. This is asura. So those who are āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, followers of Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Kaṁsa, they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Of course, in the human form of life, in Africa, they are cannibals. They eat their grandfather as a feast. They make a feast. And, you will be not surprised, they like to eat white man. Yes. In some parts of the Africa, they, whenever they get opportunity to kidnap a white man, they like to eat very much. (laughter)

So although the nature's law is like that, one animal or one living entity is the foodstuff for another, but that should be, there should be discrimination. So so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious men, we are not animals. We are perfect beings. We don't eat any living entity.

Those who are lower grade living entities, there... This is the struggle. One living entity is the food for another living entity. That is lower grade life. In the higher grade life, no, they cannot kill anyone for eating purposes. Therefore in the Bible the First Commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." But all these Christians, they are violating the First Commandment. That is their business. Simply engaged in killing, big, big slaughterhouse.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So he gave him a benediction to Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear son, you are so benevolent, so magnanimous. So I give you one benediction that you'll not die unless you desire to die. Unless you fix up your mind, 'Now I shall die,' you'll never die. You remain a very strong brahmacārī." So Bhīṣma remained very strong brahmacārī. There is another incidence of Bhīṣmadeva's life, that Pāṇḍu-vaṁśa. So one girl was attracted. So she was conquered. So the girl thought that "I will be able to marry Bhīṣmadeva," but when she came at home, Bhīṣmadeva said, "No, you have been conquered to be married with my brother. I am brahmacārī. I cannot marry you." So the girl said that "You have kidnapped me, conquered me. You must marry." So "No, I shall not marry." Then the girl approached to his spiritual master, this Jamadagni, Bhṛgupati, that "This boy he has conquered me. Still, he is not marrying me." So Jamadagni said, "Bhīṣma, you must marry this girl." Bhīṣmadeva said, "No. I have promised to my father never to marry. I cannot marry." Then Jamadagni said, "If you don't marry, then I will force you to marry." So there was fight between Bhīṣmadeva, spiritual master and... (laughter) So the spiritual master became defeated. (laughter) Then he gave his blessings. "All right, you remain brahmacārī." (laughter)

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: "He wanted a staircase to be built up directly reaching the heavenly planet so that people might not be required to undergo the routine of pious work necessary to enter that planet. He also wanted to perform other acts against the established rule of the Lord. He even challenged the authority of Śrī Rāma, the Personality of Godhead, and kidnapped His wife, Sītā. Of course, Lord Rāma came to chastise the atheists, answering the prayer and desire of the demigods. He therefore took up the challenge of Rāvaṇa, and the complete activity is the subject matter of the Rāmāyaṇa. Because Lord Rāmacandra was the Personality of Godhead, He exhibited superhuman activities which no human being, including the materially advanced Rāvaṇa, could perform. Lord Rāmacandra prepared a royal road on the Indian ocean with stones that floated on the water. The modern scientists have done research in the area of weightlessness, but it is not possible to bring in weightlessness anywhere and everywhere. But because weightlessness is the creation of the Lord by which He can make the gigantic planets fly and float in the air, He made the stones even within this earth to be weightless, and prepared a stone bridge on the sea without any supporting pillar. That is the display of the power of God."

Prabhupāda: So incarnation, in the śāstras... Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, some of the incarnations are described. But all incarnations are described in the śāstra. We should not be blind to accept any rascal and rogue as incarnation of God. Incarnation of God is not so cheap. That we should understand.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

So here, a brahma-bandhu... Aśvatthāmā was born of a brāhmaṇa, Droṇācārya. But he killed the five sons of Draupadī most abominably, when they were sleeping. So what to speak of brāhmaṇa, he's less than a kṣatriya even. Because a kṣatriya also do not kill anybody while one is sleeping. A kṣatriya challenges, offers him weapon, fights, and then one of them is killed. That is... So here it is brahma-bandhoḥ ātatāyinaḥ. Ātatāyinaḥ, aggressor. Anyone who kidnaps one's wife is called aggressor. One who sets fire in your house, he's aggressor. One who is coming to kill you with weapon, he's aggressor. In this way there is a list of aggression. So aggressor can be killed immediately. If somebody is aggressor, there is no sin in killing aggressor. Enemy who sets fire to the house, administers poison, attacks all of a sudden with deadly weapon, plunders wealth, or usurps agricultural field, or entices one's wife is called an aggressor. Everything... This is Vedic knowledge. Everything has got definition.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging Arjuna to kill Aśvatthāmā on so many grounds. First of all, he has killed the boys who were sleeping at night. And another very important point is that ātatāyī. Ātatāyī means the enemy aggressor. Unnecessarily one who attacks, he is called ātatāyī. One who sets fire in your house, one who kidnaps your wife or somebody in the family, and one who gives poison, and they are so many, a list of ascertaining an ātatāyī. So He described, Kṛṣṇa described the Aśvatthāmā as ātatāyī. He's not a brave soldier, so he should be killed. So many faults Kṛṣṇa found in his behavior. And bhartuś ca vipriyaṁ vīra. He could not satisfy his master also. Sometimes the servants do something abominable for pleasing the master. But he could not please even the master. He wanted to please Duryodhana, his master, promising him that he would kill all the five brothers, the Pāṇḍavas. But instead of killing the Pāṇḍavas, he killed their sons. Duryodhana did not like that, because he knew that the whole Kuru family practically was killed. Only the five brothers. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the womb of his mother. They survived. So Duryodhana did not like. Duryodhana, whatever he may be, he was a kṣatriya and he fought bravely. So he did not like the Kuru dynasty should be finished. He did not like it. But when he understood that the five sons of Pāṇḍavas were also killed, he became very much disappointed because the Kuru dynasty is finished.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

Therefore this word is used, vāma-svabhāvā. Because woman are considered less intelligent. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Their heart is very soft. Just like children, their heart is very soft. But their intelligence is not very sharp. That is the difference. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā... They have been put in one group: woman, vaiśya and śūdra. Because they are not very intelligent. They can be molded by another intelligent man to the proper channel. Therefore they require guidance. They require guidance.

This morning I was reading about Sītā-devī's being kidnapped by Rāvaṇa. Now, because there was not Rāmacandra present and Lakṣmaṇa was also not present, she was unguarded and Rāvaṇa took the opportunity to kidnap her. So even Sītā-devī, she is goddess of fortune, she is the spiritual potency of Lord Rāmacandra, she is not ordinary woman, but showing us the example that even Sītā-devī... Sītā-devī is the original potency. Of course, Rāvaṇa could not kidnap Sītā-devī as she is. That is not possible. This is described in another Purāṇa, that when Rāvaṇa came to kidnap Sītā, Sītā-devī disappeared from there and she kept a māyā form, false form, and Rāvaṇa kidnapped her. This is stated in very authoritative scripture. When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was traveling in South India, a brāhmaṇa invited Him.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

And he was crying and reading Rāmāyaṇa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, why you are in such a depressed condition, you are crying?" "Sir, I am so..." He was in the ecstasy of Hanumān. "Sir, I am so unfortunate that Sītā-devī has been taken by Rāvaṇa and I could not rescue her still." In this way he was puzzled. So he did not cook anything. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu pacified him. Then he cooked. He could understand that "I invited..." It was done. Then, when he was returning, I forget the name of the Purāṇa... Kūrma Purāṇa. He got evidences that Sītā-devī, when she was supposed to be kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, her a false form was kidnapped, and when Sītā-devī was tested, putting her into the fire, she entered into the fire and the māyā Sītā was burned and the original Sītā came out. So it was not possible for Rāvaṇa to touch even the lotus feet of mother Sītā. But apparently it is externally manifested that Sītā was taken away just to teach us that even Sītā-devī...

Sītā-devī is the origin of all potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Cit-śakti. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Personality of Godhead has got many potencies, multipotencies, and one of the potency is hlādinī-śakti, pleasure potency. That pleasure potency is Sītā, Rādhārāṇī, Lakṣmī-devī. This has been described by Svarūpa-dāmodara Gosvāmī, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau (CC Adi 1.5). These are described, that the Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency, Rādhārāṇī, is Kṛṣṇa. But to take pleasure They became two.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

So here the example that even Sītā-devī, the direct potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, she is showing that without being protected, she can be ravished, she can be kidnapped, she can be misused by the rākṣasas. This is the example. Sītā-devī was quite competent, but this is the example.

Another example is that because Lord Rāmacandra took Sītā in the forest... From moral principle, He should not have taken Sītā. Pathe nārī vivaryaya(?). The moral principle is that when you are going out of home, you should not take your wife with you, pathe nārī vivaryaya, because there may be so many dangers. That actually happened, Sītā-devī, because Lord Rāmacandra was ordered to go to the forest. Not Sītā-devī, neither anyone, neither Lakṣmaṇa. They, out of their own affection for Lord Rāmacandra, they decided to go with Him. But because Sītā-devī went with Rāmacandra, so many catastrophes happened. She was kidnapped, and there was fight, and the whole dynasty of Rāvaṇa was killed, and so many things happened. So this instruction that pathe nārī vivaryaya. And another lesson is, even Lord Rāmacandra, He was attached. Naturally one is attached to his wife. So if we become attached to a woman, then we have to face so many dangers. 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.

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:

Therefore it is said that: na veda kaścid bhagavaṁś cikīrṣitam. "Nobody knows what is the purpose of Your appearance and disappearance." Tava īhamānasya nṛṇāṁ viḍambanam. "You are in this world just like ordinary human being. This is bewildering." Therefore ordinary man cannot believe. "How God can become ordinary person like...?" Kṛṣṇa is playing. Although He was not playing ordinary person. He was playing as God. Wherever there was necessity...

Just like He married 16,000 wives. When He married He was one, and 16,000 girls offered the surrender to Kṛṣṇa that: "We are now kidnapped. If we go home, nobody will marry us." That is a strict Vedic system. If an unmarried girls goes out of home even for one night, nobody will marry her. Still it is going on. Nobody will marry her. So this is the old system. All the 16,000 girls who were kidnapped by Bhaumāsura... So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa came, killed the Bhaumāsura, delivered all the girls. So when Kṛṣṇa asked them: "Now you can safely go to your father's house," they replied: "Sir, if we go back to our father's house, what will be our fate? Nobody will marry us. Because this man, this rākṣasa, they kidnapped us." "Then what do you want." " We want that You become our husband." So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. "Yes." Immediately accepted. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973:

What is religious fight? Religious fight means you have got right to kill your aggressor. If somebody takes your property, if somebody sets fire in your house, if somebody kidnaps your wife, or somebody is trying to kill you, they are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed immediately. It is not that somebody has become an aggressor, and if I say, "Now I have become a Vaiṣṇava, I'll not be violent. I shall tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us to be tolerant like the tree or the grass. So I shall become tolerant. Let him do." Just like Gandhi used to say. Somebody questioned him that "If somebody comes and violates the chastity of your daughter in your presence, what will you do?" He said, "I shall remain nonviolent." But that is not śāstric injunction. This is foolishness.

If somebody is aggressor, he must be killed immediately. Dharma-yuddha. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is thinking that "Although there was fight, the fight was between our own men, my brother, my nephews, my grandfather. So they are family members. I have killed them for my kingdom." He is thinking in that way. He is a pious man. Violence is required. We don't say nonviolence. Just as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He gave us the instruction, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā: "One should be tolerant, forbearing like the tree, like the grass." Amāninā mānadena: "One should give respect to others. In this way one should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Because in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, there will be so many aggressors.

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

So fighting whimsically by the politicians, that is not sanctioned. There must be dharma-yuddha. Dharma-yuddha means religious fight, fight on religious principles. So what was the religious principle? (aside:) Hm, where is that mat? (Bengali) Saccidānanda. Here it is said, hatvā ātatāyinaḥ. Ātatāyī means aggressor. If somebody comes to your home to kidnap your wife, to take by force your property or to set fire in your house, he is called ātatāyī. He should immediately be killed. It is not that nonviolence nonsense. If somebody is coming to attack you unnecessarily, you must kill him first. It is not Vaiṣṇavism... "Oh, this man is coming to kill me. Right. All right, let me embrace him." No. That is not the rule. When there is ātatāyī, aggressor, you must fight, you must kill. That is religious.

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, he was so strictly followers of religious principles that when even Kṛṣṇa advised him that "You go and say some lies to Droṇācārya. Because Droṇācārya will not believe anyone, you say and go there that 'Your son Aśvatthāmā is dead.' " And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja hesitated, that "How can I say this lie?" Of course, this is too much following religious principles.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

So it is not possible. But whatever Kṛṣṇa is speaking about Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, if one hundredth part, one percent you can understand, then your life is successful. Vedic knowledge. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).

So all these relatives of Kṛṣṇa, the Pāṇḍavas, His sister Subhadrā-Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Subhadrā. Subhadrā was sister of Kṛṣṇa. So Baladeva wanted to hand over the sister to Duryodhana, and Kṛṣṇa wanted to hand over the sister to Arjuna. Two brothers, difference of opinion. But elder brother's order cannot be disregarded. Therefore Kṛṣṇa planned that Arjuna may kidnap His sister. So Subhadrā was kidnapped by Arjuna in the dress of a sannyāsī. Don't learn this business, sannyāsīs. (laughing) But Kṛṣṇa planned it, that "You come..." Because he was known, if he comes as ordinary Arjuna, then he will be recognized because he is the cousin-brother. Therefore he covered himself as a sannyāsī just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa also kidnapped Sītādevī as a sannyāsī.

So in former days also, the sannyāsīs were very expert in kidnapping. Yes. Therefore in the Kali-yuga sannyāsa is forbidden, because they'll not be able to follow the rules and regulations. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu inaugurated. He Himself became sannyāsa. Therefore we are trying to follow His footsteps, to accept sannyāsa. But we should not become a sannyāsī like Rāvaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

Somebody becomes His father, somebody His mother, somebody His friend, somebody His wife, somebody His son, some grandson, like that. So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to depart from this planet, He wanted to take away all others also along with Him. So these are simply material, external causes. Actual fact is Kṛṣṇa, as He went away, He wanted to take all the associates under different pleas.

So it is explained in the Bhāgavatam that queens, the were they not actually... Nobody can touch them. Just like Sītā. Sītā was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa. How it is possible that Sītā can be kidnapped by a demon? No. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, that Lord Caitanya, He was a guest of a brāhmaṇa in South India. So He took His bath and came to the house of that brāhmaṇa, but the brāhmaṇa did not arrange for any cooking even. There was no food. He was very sorry. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Brāhmaṇa, you invited Me, but I don't see even you have cooked. What is the reason?" "Oh, yes, I am going to cook immediately. The thing is, I am very sorry that Rāvaṇa, the demon, has taken away Sītā, and I could not rescue her still. So why shall I eat? I shall die." He was in the ecstasy of Hanumān, a devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

It was māyā Sītā, māyā Sītā. I will tell you. I will give you evidence from the śāstra." So brāhmaṇa believed Him because Caitanya... "Oh, she is there? Sītā was not taken? A māyā Sītā was taken?" "Yes." Then he become encouraged. He cooked and sufficiently gave Him food.

So by chance, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was touring in South India... The Purāṇas, Śiva Purāṇa or something like that, it is stated there. And He brought the evidence again, that "Here you see, in the Purāṇa it is said that when Rāvaṇa came to kidnap Sītā, immediately a false Sītā was given to him, and the real Sītā disappeared. Then again, when Lord Rāmacandra, after killing Rāvaṇa, He was accepting Sītā back to home, He tested with fire, that 'Sītā, you should enter the fire, and if you are not burned, then you are chaste. Otherwise you are not chaste.' Yes. So the false Sītā which was taken by Rāvaṇa, she entered the fire, and the real Sītā came out." This is the statement in the śāstra.

So things take place like that. The queens of Kṛṣṇa, they could not be touched. But it is a play only. Similarly, Yadu dynasty, the descendants of Kṛṣṇa, they also could not be killed. But... Just like Kṛṣṇa was killed by the arrow of a hunter. How Kṛṣṇa can be killed? But it is for the persons, for the demons, to demonstrate like that, who thinks Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. So for them it is a jugglery.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So any house he would stand before, and those who were milking, they would give him a glass of milk. That's all, finished, for the whole day. That was Śukadeva Gosvāmī's practice. So in this way one has to depend... In the renounced order of life, one has to depend completely on God. That's all. That is renounced order.

So here all the five husbands, how much responsible they were. Because their one wife was insulted, they declared the war, Battle of Kurukṣetra, and killed the whole family. Similarly, Lord Rāmacandra, His wife was kidnapped, Sītā, by Rāvaṇa. So Lord Rāmacandra is God. He would create many millions of Sītās. But no. For that one Sītā, war was declared against Rāvaṇa, and the whole family dynasty, with kingdom, everything was finished. So this is the duty of the husband, that... Not like the modern days' husband: marries for three months. One, the sixth month, they were no more husband. Separate. Not like that. Husband means who takes charge of the girl for life, and wife means the girl who has the resolution to serve the husband throughout life. That is husband and wife. And when the wife is in danger, the husband's duty is to give protection, at any cost. That is husband-wife relationship.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

And what is the best thing to do? Because a human being also, he has got the opportunity to understand his position. He's kept into darkness that he is like animal and his only business is how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate. This kind of ignorance, at least in India, we should not desire. Let us combine together. That is my request. Take it very seriously. In America they are now taking it seriously. Perhaps you know. Recently there is a judgment by the Supreme Court in New York. They admitted that Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is genuine religious movement. There was a great opposition against this movement. Our students were being kidnapped, and so many harassments was going on, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa I went to America in 1965, and now it is '77. After eleven, twelve years of struggle I was loitering in the street, who cared for me? But it is now being recognized, that "Here is a movement." Now we have to utilize it. I always put this logic to my students, andha-paṅgu-nyāya, that for the benefit of the whole world, American money and Indian culture should combine. (applause) That will bring benefit to the whole world.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

They can make subway from one city to another, utmost.

But at that time, Rāvaṇa was able to make a subway from one continent to another, from Asia to Africa. And Brazil, they say, still there are big stock of gold. So Rāvaṇa utilized these gold mines for constructing his city. Svarṇa-laṅkā, "Golden Ceylon," it was known at that time. He was so advanced even in material science, even at that time. And he was also a good scholar in Vedic literature. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva. And by the blessings of Lord Śiva, he got so much opulences. And he became so powerful that he dared to kidnap the wife of Rāmacandra. So such a powerful demon was killed by Rāmacandra. And He approached his kingdom on a stone bridge. And the stones were floating on the water. Where is the law of gravitation? The law of gravitation, the so-called scientists' imagination, does not act when Urukrama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acts. He wanted, "There should be no law of gravitation. Let the stones float on the water." This is called urukrama.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

That is the history. Any nation, any empire, any man, as soon as one begins to defy the authority of the Supreme Lord, like Rāvaṇa, he'll be finished. Sooner or later, he's going to be finished. Just like Rāvaṇa, he was very much puffed up by his material opulence. And he did not care for Rāma. And he wanted the potency, energy of Rāma, spiritual energy, Sītā. And he kidnapped. He wanted that "I..." that he did not like Rāma, but he liked Sītā. Sītā is energy. Woman and money, these are energies of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is puruṣa, and all other things are prakṛti. Prakṛti is enjoyed by the puruṣa. So Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He's bhoktā. He's the enjoyer. This... In the, in the material world, or spiritual world, the same thing is there. The woman is there, the money is there, and the puruṣa is there, enjoyer is there. But here the puruṣa is imitation. Imitation. Because one who is playing the part of puruṣa, enjoyer, he's not actually puruṣa, but he's prakṛti.

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

That's a practical fact. That is a practical fact. And therefore in the Manu-saṁhitā it is advised, na striyam svatantram arhati. Women should be always protected. That is... Protection does not mean negligence, no. Protection means to give him (her) all facilities. That is protection. Just like father gives protection to the chil... That does not mean neglecting. Similarly, a woman should be protected. It is not that neglecting. They misunderstand. In the Western countries maybe there is misbehavior, but actually we have seen, still going on in India, the woman is... That is the ideal given by Lord Rāmacandra, how woman is given protection by the husband. Sītādevī was kidnapped. Rāmacandra is the Supreme Lord. He could have married many thousands of Sītā, but as the dutiful husband, to rescue one wife He killed the whole family of Rāvaṇa. This is protection. He killed the whole family of him. He became... This is. So woman requires protection, and the husband is responsible to give protection, the father is responsible to give protection, and the elderly children, they are responsible to give protection.

So we are prakṛti. Prakṛti puruṣa. So Kṛṣṇa is the puruṣa. He is the protector of all living entities.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa never says that "Within this universe, if you go to the heavenly planet, then you can avoid janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi." Never says. Nobody says. Kṛṣṇa says, "Even you go to the heavenly planet," ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ, "the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, they are everywhere; you cannot avoid." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). "But if you come to Me," paraṁ dhāma, "then you can avoid."

Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Here, everywhere you'll find duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. Just like I was reading last night that Bṛhaspati's wife is kidnapped by Candra. The Bṛhaspati is the spiritual master of the demigods, and his wife was kidnapped by Candra. He is also one of the demigods. Just see: the sex and lusty desires are so strong, even in the higher planetary system. And that is the cause. That is the cause. Here it is said, liṅgaṁ vyapohet kuśalo 'ham-ākhyam. This false ego is the cause of our miserable condition in this material world. Material world is miserable, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), this material world. One ant is living, say for one day, and I am living for hundred years, and Brahmā is living for millions of years. That does not mean any one of us is free is from the miserable condition of this material world. Nobody.

Lecture on SB 5.6.2 -- Vrndavana, November 24, 1976:

It doesn't matter whether we have changed the dress or not, but if we decide it, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa; my only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is sannyāsa.

So better we should try to stay in this determination than to accept the sannyāsa order by changing the dress and then again we fall down. That is not very good. There are instances like that, but it is not at all good. We should not trust the mind. And even we take, we should be very, very vigilant on the mind. Viśvāso naiva kartavyam. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, (chuckles) viśvāso naiva kartavyaḥ strīṣu rāja-kuleṣu ca. "Never trust woman and politician." He was a politician, and his wife was kidnapped. He had very bad experience of these two things, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Therefore he gave this injunction, viśvāso naiva kartavyaḥ strīṣu rāja-kuleṣu ca: "Never trust woman and politician." So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was not inexperienced; he was very experienced. All the ślokas of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita—very useful for daily affairs. So similarly, we should not trust the mind, that "Now I have become liberated." Never think so. We should always remember that liberation is not so easy thing, but if we follow the rules and regulation, then there is every possibility of becoming liberated.

But this is the business in the human...Tapaḥ. That is the instruction. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva (SB 5.5.1). You must purify your existence. This is the only business of human life, tapasya. So tapasya means brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya means brahmacaryeṇa, no sex life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

Now, who are enemies within our family? Outside enemies, that is not very... That is natural. Everyone is enemy of the other man. But within the family, if we live with enemies, that is very difficult. So how enemies, who are enemies? That he has described: ṛna-kartā pitā śatruḥ. If the father is a great debtor, then he is enemy. Because people will criticize, "Oh, your father has taken so much money, so much credit. Why he is not paying? Why don't you...?" So he is enemy. Ṛna-kartā pitā śatrur. And according to Manu-saṁhitā law, if he does not inherit even a farthing from his father, and if his father dies debtor, then the son has to pay it. Because son inherits the property of the father, so he is responsible for the father's debt. Never mind he has got anything from the father or not. Therefore it is said, ṛna-kartā pitā śatruḥ: "A father who dies a debtor, then he is enemy." And mātā śatrur dhicārinī: "Mother, if in the presence of his son marries again, she is enemy. She is enemy." Ṛna-kartā pitā śatrur mātā śatrur dhicārinī. Dhicārinī means in the presence of children—one or two, it doesn't matter—she becomes enemy. Ṛna-kartā pitā śatrur mātā...rūpavatī bhāryā śatruḥ: "If you have got very beautiful wife, she is also enemy." (laughter) Because many man will try to kidnap, and you will have to remain always anxiety. (laughter) So rūpavatī bhāryā śatruḥ. And putraḥ śatrur apaṇḍitaḥ... (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

The only attraction is family, kuṭumba. So for the sake of maintaining family, he was committing all kinds of sinful activities.

So there was one Ajāmila at that time, but you will find many Ajāmilas like that at the present moment because it is the age of Kali. There was one Rāvaṇa. In the dress of a sannyāsī he kidnapped Lord Rāmacandra's wife, and nowadays you will find many Rāvaṇas like that. You see? The so-called sannyāsīs, their business is to... This tendency is always there, but according to the age, sometimes it is very prominent and sometimes not so prominent. But this material world is so contaminated. In the days of Rāmacandra people were hankering after the kingdom of Rāma, even there was Rāvaṇa in the days of Rāmacandra. And what to speak of all these nonsense debauchees? Rāmacandra was so strict, and God Himself was ruling, and still, there was Rāvaṇa. But because Rāmacandra was there he was also killed. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). God's business is to protect the faithful and kill the demons. That is always. Therefore we find Lord Viṣṇu, the four symbolic representation: for killing, the club and the cakra; and for protecting, the lotus flower and conchshell.

Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- Honolulu, May 30, 1976:

There's no business. As soon as the soul is gone, the leg and hand and everything becomes a lump of matter. That's all. What is the use of it? So vikarṣato 'ntar hṛdayād, antar-hṛdayād, core of heart. Antar means within the heart. Antar-hṛdayād dāsī-patim. Nowadays, sometimes one becomes a prostitute. That is very usual now. But in India still, nobody will marry a prostitute. Nobody. Still. In the Western country, never mind he's a prostitute, she's a prostitute, if she marries—Ph.D. certificate, that's all. So this is old custom. Once one girl becomes prostitute, she'll never be touched. Kṛṣṇa married sixteen thousand wives. Kṛṣṇa can do anything. That is another thing. So these sixteen thousand girls were kidnapped by that Bhaumāsura. So without finding any way how to escaped from this asura's hand, they appealed to Kṛṣṇa that "You save us. This is our position." So Kṛṣṇa is bhakta-vatsala. He came and released them and killed the Bhaumāsura and asked them, "Now you can go to your father's house." So they began to cry. Why? "Now our fathers will not accept us because we have been kidnapped." Just see. "We have been kidnapped. I have no right to go to the father. And we're not married also." "Then, what you want?" "You kindly marry us." "All right. Come on." (laughter) This is Kṛṣṇa. Yes. "You have no shelter. You're taking My shelter? Come on. I shall give you all palaces. Come on." This is Kṛṣṇa. Take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Never mind what is your position. Kṛṣṇa will accept you and give you all comfort. Ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He will not kick out, even you are a prostitute. "I will give you protection." So why shall..., we should not take shelter of Kṛṣṇa? This is very natural conclusion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

With great difficulty it flies in the sky. But God's creation—innumerable planets, they are floating without any machine. Still, the rascal says, "There is no God. I am God." You do like God; then you become God. What you have done like God? You have created a toy flying in the sky. Therefore you are so much proud that you compare yourself with God? This is called demons, demonic. Unnecessarily, without any authority, when a man claims that "I am God," that is demonic.

Now, just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was materially very much powerful, but he defied Rāma: "What is Rāma? I am more than Rāma. I shall kidnap His wife, and I shall enjoy." So this is Rāvaṇa, Rāvaṇa spirit. Sītā... Sītā is Lakṣmī. Lakṣmī is the goddess of fortune. So God is the husband of the goddess of fortune, and goddess of fortune is under His control. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Thousands and millions of goddesses of fortune are serving the Supreme Lord, and I am thinking that "God has become poor, daridra, daridra-nārāyaṇa." And what...? Nārāyaṇa, He is so great authority that His words are accepted as Vedic truth, and He has become daridra? These are all demonic declarations.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

Very important verse. Ideal class of men therefore needed in the society. Therefore Vedic society is divided—ideal men: the brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa, the saintly person, the sannyāsī, the rājarṣi. This is required. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the Bhagavad-gītā was taught to the rājarṣi, not to the third-class men. Rājarṣi, rāja and ṛṣi at the same time. Although king, but they were saintly king, just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the ideal king. Bhagavān, Rāmacandra, the ideal king, ideal king, so ideal that because some citizen criticized that "Lord Rāmacandara, King Rāmacandra, has accepted His wife who was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa," and he was a low-class man, washerman, and still, the king, Lord Rāmacandra, thought that "My citizens are criticizing Me." Immediately He separated Lakṣmī-devi, Sītā. This is ideal king, no criticism from the citizen, even Lord Rāmacandra. This is called rājarṣi.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

That is there. Maharṣibhiḥ. A killer of other animals or other living entities, he must be killed. This is Manu-saṁhitā. This is showing the mercy. When a king orders a murderer to be hanged, that is king's mercy. It is said in the Manu-saṁhitā. He is not to be excused. Life for life. Now imagine how many lives we are killing every day. We have now become very civilized. We are maintaining slaughterhouses, thousands and thousands, up-to-date machine, how to kill the animals. This is our advancement of civilization, and they are all sinful activities, pāpāni. And not only killing. There are so many institution how to cheat, how to take your money by tricks, how to kidnap others' wife, how..., so many things, simply sinful activities. Simply. Of course, there are different grades of sinful activities. Therefore it is said, gurūṇāṁ ca laghūnāṁ ca. Just like disease. You are suffering from some headache, and that is also disease. And you are suffering from cancer, and that is also disease. But when you are suffering from headache the doctors may give you a tablet, Anacin, and the headache is cured. And this is laghū, very insignificant disease. But if you are suffering from cancer, that tablet will not help you.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Saṅkīrtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-nāmnām. Not that when you read Kṛṣṇa, the book which is full of Kṛṣṇa's activities... That is also saṅkīrtana. That is also saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtana does not mean simply chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Saṅkīrtana means you discuss Kṛṣṇa's activities, that is also saṅkīrtana. That is not different from saṅkīrtana. It is clearly stated here that bhagavato guṇa-karma-nāmnām. Nāma means name, and guṇa means quality, and karma means activities. That is not ordinary karma. Just like when we read Kṛṣṇa book, Kṛṣṇa is killing so many demons, He is kidnapping somebody, He is... So many things. It appears just like ordinary, I mean to say, malpractices in the material world. It appears like that. "So what is this God? He is killing so many persons, He is kidnapping some woman. What is this God?" they may say. But they do not know that that is also transcendental. That is as pure as chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is as pure as. Otherwise, what interest we have got to read Bhagavad-gītā? It is in the battlefield. Senayor ubhayor madhye. Combination of two parties, soldiers, and they are fighting, they are killing.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

So Kṛṣṇa knew it. His father was already excused. Because he became the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja he already became benedicted. It is not ordinary thing to have such a nice son. So as soon as Prahlāda Mahārāja requested Nṛsiṁha-deva to "Kindly excuse my father," so He immediately said, "Not only your father—his father, his father, his father, everyone is delivered."

So we should take lesson from Prahlāda Mahārāja that if a child becomes a devotee in the family, he is the best child, the best. He is giving the best service to the family. But the rascals, they are taking otherwise, that "My son has become devotee. Bring him back by deprogramming, by kidnapping." People are so rascal. You see? They do not take it a great benefit that "My fortunate son has become a devotee. My whole family will be delivered." But they have no knowledge. They have no brains. Therefore I say it is not brainwashing, it is braingiving. They have no brain. (laughter) So take it very seriously and do nicely.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, February 16, 1976:

He's self-satisfied. But devotees, beautiful devotees, rich devotees, aristocratic devotees, perfect devotees, they are after... That is... He's self-satisfied. He doesn't require. These... Just like when these foolish people read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and it is said that Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand wives, queens, so they think that an ordinary man, one who keeps more than one wife, he is considered to be very lusty. No, no. That is not the fact.

Kṛṣṇa... These sixteen thousand wives, how they became wives? You know the story, that many beautiful, sixteen thousand beautiful, I mean to say, king's daughters were kidnapped by the asura. What is the name of that asura? Bhaumāsura, no? Yes. So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are suffering, kidnapped by this rascal. Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa came to rescue them, and the Bhaumāsura was killed and all the girls were made free. But after freedom they were still standing there. So Kṛṣṇa asked them, "Now you can go home to your father." They said that "We are kidnapped, and we cannot be married." In India still that rule is there. If one girl, young girl, goes out of home for one day or two days, nobody will marry him (her). Nobody will marry him (her). He's (She's) considered to be spoiled. This is still the Indian system. So they were kidnapped for so many days or so many years, so they appealed to Kṛṣṇa that "We'll not be accepted either by our father, neither anybody will agree to marry."

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1977:

No. The service itself is learning. The more you try to render service, the more you become advanced how to become experienced servant. We don't require any extra intelligence. Otherwise... The example is gaja-yūtha-pāya. The elephant, the king of the elephants, he satisfied. He's an animal. He's not a brāhmaṇa. He's not a Vedantist. Maybe very big, fatty animal, but after all, he's animal. Hanuman was animal. There are many such things. Jaṭāyu was a bird. So how they satisfied? The Jaṭāyu fought with Rāvaṇa. Yesterday you saw. Rāvaṇa was kidnapping Sītā devi, and Jaṭāyu, the bird, he was going, flying. Rāvaṇa knew how to fly without machine. He was very, very materially powerful. So the Jaṭāyu attacked him on the sky: "Who are you? You are taking away Sītā. I shall fight you." So Rāvaṇa was very powerful. He was defeated, Jaṭāyu, but he fought. That is his service. Never mind defeated. Similarly, we have to fight. Those who are opposing Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have to fight with them to our best capacity. Never mind if we are defeated. That is also service. Kṛṣṇa sees the service. Defeated or victorious, depend on Kṛṣṇa. But fighting must be there. Karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. That is the meaning.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1976:

We require money, aiśvarya. We require strength. We require influence. We require education. So many things we require. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ. Another definition of Kṛṣṇa is He's full with six kinds of opulences. So He's sufficient to fulfill His desire. He doesn't require anyone's service. Just like we are in need of so many things; therefore we require others' help. But Kṛṣṇa does not require anyone's help. Then why He accepts worship? That is the... That is for the benefit of the devotee, not for His personal benefit. Just like Lord Rāmacandra. He... His one wife Sītādeva was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa. Of course, Rāvaṇa cannot kidnap. It was externally, Māyā Sītā. Still, taking for exception Sītā was kidnapped, so Lord Rāmacandra could have possessed many millions of Sītā by His will, but for one Sītā He had to fight with Rāvaṇa and finish the whole dynasty, because Rāmacandra is the ideal king. It is the king's business to chastise such rogues and ruffians. That is king's business. That is for the benefit of Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa means the same Hiraṇyakaśipu. Kumbhakarṇa-Rāvaṇa. First they became Hiraṇyakṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu, the next, Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa, and the next, they became Śiśupāla and Dantavakra. In this way, because Kṛṣṇa wanted to give them liberation again back to home, back to Godhead, so this killing of Rāvaṇa, killing of Hiraṇyakaśipu, killing of Śiśupāla, is for the benefit of the persons, not for Kṛṣṇa's benefit. He killed them for their benefit.

Lecture on SB 7.9.24 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1976:

That is natural. So Draupadī was inquiring from each and every wife of Kṛṣṇa. Not all of them. It is impossible, sixteen thousand. At least the principal queens, beginning from... What is the end called?(?) Rukmiṇī, yes. So every one of them were describing their marriage ceremony, that "My..." Rukmiṇī explained that "My father wanted to hand over me to Kṛṣṇa, but my elder brother, he did not agree. He wanted to get me married with Śiśupala. So I did not like this idea. I wrote Kṛṣṇa a private letter, that 'I have dedicated my life to You, but this is the situation. Please come and kidnap me.' So in this way Kṛṣṇa kidnapped me and made me His maidservant." The queen's daughter, king's daughter... Everyone of them were king's daughter. They were not ordinary person daughter. But they wanted to become maidservant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the idea, to become servant and to become maidservant. This is ideal of human civilization. The every woman should try to become maidservant of her husband, and every man should try to become the hundred times servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Indian civilization, not that "Husband and wife, we are equal rights." That, in Europe, America, the movement is going on, "Equal rights." That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is the husband should be a sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, and the wife should be a sincere maidservant of the husband.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

This is the difficulty. As soon as you talk of them, talk to them about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they'll immediately say, "Sir, we have no time." And for other things, the paraphernalia of Kali-yuga, they have got enough time. They'll read newspapers, all full of rascal news. "One man has stolen, one man has kidnapped, one man has stabbed." These news, he'll very, with great interest he'll read. And as soon as we present Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "Oh, this is not good." This is the position.

Therefore there is a great necessity for pushing on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the best welfare activity to the human society. All of them, they are rascals. Abodha-jāta. In the śāstra it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāta. They are being defeated by the onslaught of material nature. These rascals, they do not know. They are thinking they have become great leaders, philanthropists, nationalists, politicians, scientists, philosopher—but they're killing themselves and others. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. They do not know how to make progress. Therefore a person who has understood little value of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should take this movement very seriously and distribute to the fallen souls. That is the best work. That is the best work.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

Because the kṣatriyas, the administrator, the royal family, royal class, they are allowed to marry more than one wife, not other class. Because they were rich, they were royal, kingly order, they had sufficient means. They could maintain many wives with the same comforts. So they were allowed; not others, not the poor brāhmaṇas or others. No. So Kṛṣṇa's father had sixteen wives, and one of the wives' name was Devakī, and Kṛṣṇa happened to be her son, Devakī. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa's father, Vasudeva, had sixteen wives. He was also Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa similarly had three or four wives, eight wives, yes. But He got information, prayer, application, prayer application, from sixteen thousand girls who were kidnapped by a demon, Narakāsura. And they sent application to Kṛṣṇa, "Please save us." So Kṛṣṇa is always responsive to His devotee, so He went to save the girls. He killed that Narakāsura and rescued those all sixteen thousand girls.

Now those sixteen thousand girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are kidnapped." They were all king's daughters. They were also all princesses. "But because we are kidnapped, so nobody will marry us."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

Now those sixteen thousand girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "We are kidnapped." They were all king's daughters. They were also all princesses. "But because we are kidnapped, so nobody will marry us." That is the system. Once a girl goes out of the home, it is very difficult for her to be married in the society. Still that system is going on in India. Unmarried girls, young girls, they cannot go out unless she is married. If she goes out and if she passes some night with other boys, then no more place in the society. So those girls prayed to Kṛṣṇa that "Because we are kidnapped by this Narakāsura from our father's custody, now nobody will marry. So You become our husband. Otherwise there is no other way." So they appealed, they cried, and Kṛṣṇa accepted: "Yes. I will accept you all, My wives." Therefore He brought those sixteen thousand girls. But what kind of husband? He is God, not an ordinary husband. So He constructed sixteen thousand palaces for all the wives and equally all decorated houses. They are described that the houses did not require any external light. It was all bedecked with jewels. And in sixteen thousand forms He used to live with each wife. That is God. You see?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Just like Lord Rāmacandra. When He came, He accepted only one wife, accepted only one wife. And even when that wife was banished... You know that. Sītā. Sītā. He (She) was kidnapped by Rāvaṇa, and Lord Rāma fought with him, killed the whole family and installed his brother in that kingdom and rescued Sītā and brought home. So He was living with Sītā. But some of the śūdras, they criticized, "Oh, just see Rāmacandra. He is king. He is very powerful. He is living with His kidnapped wife." Because in India once a woman goes out of home—still the culture is—you cannot be..., she cannot be accepted any more. She has to live just like prostitute. She has no shelter. But when this, I mean to say, popular opinion was there... But He was king. He has to take the criticism of the public. Just like at the present moment the president, they don't care for public opinion, irresponsible. They say, "Responsible government." They are most irresponsible. But formerly, although there was monarchy, they were very much responsible. As soon as there was some criticism from the public, Rāmacandra at once banished Sītā: "Oh, I cannot live with Sītā. Public opinion is against it." Just see. He is following the rules and regulations. His father told Him, "My dear boy, I wish that instead of being enthroned, please go to the forest." "All right, it is your order. I must carry." Just see. He is following the principle.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

Brahmā, he was bewildered. When Kṛṣṇa came on this planet, Brahmā... Muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Brahmā was astonished and Indra was astonished: "How is that my Lord Kṛṣṇa has come at Vṛndāvana as a cowherd boy?" So they came to Vṛndāvana to test. So all... So Brahmā, by his... He has got so much power. He had kidnapped all the cows and the boys of Kṛṣṇa. And when he came back he saw Kṛṣṇa is playing with the same cows and boys again. Then he could understand that "This boy is Kṛṣṇa." Then he offered his prayer and begged pardon from Him that "I misunderstood." In this way there are many narrations in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Here Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is referring to that incident.

ihā dekhi' brahmā hailā mohita, vismita

stuti kari' ei pāche karilā niścita

So he was astonished, and then, after prayer, he was satisfied.

ye kahe-'kṛṣṇera vaibhava muñi saba jānon'

se jānuka—kāya-mane muñi ei mānoṅ

So Brahmā admitted that "If anybody says that 'I know Kṛṣṇa. I know the Supreme Personality of Godhead in detail,' so maybe he may know, but so far I am concerned, I do not know."

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

No. This is ideal wife. She must be prepared to accept any circumstances of the husband. Not that when the husband is rich the wife is very faithful, and when he has come down to be poor or he's going to forest the wife gives up his company. No. Wife means better half. She must abide. Just like, it is said, just like a shadow follows the reality, similarly, the wife is the shadow of the husband. Wherever the husband goes, she must go. Whatever the husband wants, she must carry out. Of course, in this country this interpretation is taken differently, that wife is made a slave. But actually, it is not so. When Sītā was kidnapped in the jungle, Rāmacandra expected that, that she was beautiful, she was young, and "We shall be in open jungle. It may be some demons may come," and actually it so happened. So for Sītā, Lord Rāmacandra massacred the whole family of Rāvaṇa. Only for Sītā. So as the husband, so the wife. The wife was so faithful that she could not remain alone. She must accompany the husband even in the forest. And the husband was so faithful that, "Oh, my wife has been kidnapped." So He massacred the whole family of Rāvaṇa.

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, the son of Manu, happens to be the forefather of the family in which Rāmacandra appeared. So he was devotee of Lord Rāma, and he was worshiping the statue of Lord Rāma. So that statue was being worshiped by the family one after another. But when Rāmacandra was actually present He kept that statue in the closet of the room, and when this brāhmaṇa approached and Rāmacandra was informed by Lakṣmaṇa that he is so steady and strong in his vow, so Rāmacandra ordered that he may be delivered that statue so that in My absence he can offer respect to the statue and do with this. That form, I mean to say, statue, or arca of Rāmacandra is still existing in South India. It is being worshiped from that time.

So these were the dealings of Rāmacandra. Then He, His younger brother Lakṣmaṇa and His wife went to the forest, and His wife was kidnapped by the diplomacy of the demon Rāvaṇa, and there was fight between Rāma and Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was very, materialistically, he was very strong. But the thing is for fighting with Rāvaṇa, Rāmacandra did not come back to His kingdom and take His army. No. He did not come back because He was ordered to live in the forest. So He organized army with the jungle animals, the monkeys. The monkeys. He fought with Rāvaṇa, an organized materialist, with the monkeys. You have seen the picture. And He constructed a bridge between India's last point to the other side. Ceylon is considered to be the kingdom of Rāvaṇa. So there was a bridge, and the stones were floating.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

So you may be called Rukmiṇī devī. And some day you may be kidnapped by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa kidnapped Rukmiṇī. Rukmiṇī was very beautiful, qualified, Lakṣmī. So his (her) father liked that Rukmiṇī should be given to Kṛṣṇa. And his (her) brother liked that she should be handed over to another boy. So Rukmiṇī sent one letter to Kṛṣṇa, that "Although I've not seen You, but I've heard of Your activities. So I am attached to You. Now some nonsense is coming to marry me." (break) Just see, how nice it is (laughs). And we eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda, we enjoy the Kṛṣṇa. What is this nonsense, ahaṁ brahman, Brahman? "I am stone." What is the difference? If somebody thinks, "I am stone," and if somebody says, "I am Brahman. I am void," so what is the difference between stone and void? The same thing. Why should we become stone and wood? We shall, we should reciprocate loving affairs with Kṛṣṇa. Mādhavī-latā? How many pictures you have done? You have seen Mādhavī-latā's picture? That picture is painted by Mādhavī-latā. Yes, she is good painter. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Why you have stopped? Yes, always chant. Chant loudly. (fire sacrifice continues) All bow down. (devotees offer obeisances) Now chant. "Govinda Jaya Jaya." Chant. Chant and dance.

General Lectures

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

When there is anything against God and God's devotee. But generally, for my personal interest, I should not be angry. "All right, if you like to call me by ill names, I don't mind. You go on with your business." I do not become angry. So just like Hanumānjī, Vajrāṅgajī. Vajrāṅgajī, he set fire in the kingdom of Rāvaṇa. A very beautiful kingdom, almost made of gold, but he set fire in that capital of Laṅka. He became very angry. But why he became angry? Not for his personal interest. But he was angry for the interest of Lord Rāma. Sītā, the Lakṣmī, wife of Lord Rāma, was kidnapped by this man Rāvaṇa, and he was very angry that "He has kidnapped my Lord's spiritual energy, Sītā. I shall set fire in his very valuable capital." So this anger, this demonstration of anger and setting fire was accepted as service.

So we should know when to be angry. Not that for our personal interest we shall be. Generally, those who are devotees, they are not angry. Just like see the example of Arjuna. Arjuna was so much harassed, all the five brothers, by the opposite party, his cousin-brothers. They insulted their wife, Draupadī. They wanted to make naked Draupadī because they lost Draupadī in the gambling.

Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:

"All right, they are, your brothers are kṣatriyas. Kṣatriyas, they cannot do any business or take the profession of a brāhmaṇa. So you give them five villages. They will be satisfied." And they replied, "Oh, what do You call five villages? I cannot spare even that land which can hold the tip of this needle." Then Kṛṣṇa says, "You must fight." So Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, they are not after fight, but if there is absolute necessity of fight, then they can fight also. Because they are prepared to do anything. Just like in Rāmāyaṇa also, the same subject matter. Hanumān. Hanumān is a devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. So he fought with Rāvaṇa not for his personal self, but Rāma wanted, that "He has kidnapped the queen of Rāma. She must be delivered." And there was fighting. That is the principle. When one does not agree to the religious principle or to the moral principle or any instruction, he is adamant, then there must be fight.

Guest: What are the specific principles that you would use in trying to determine whether it is absolutely necessary to fight? That sounds sort of like "Whenever in doubt, do the right thing." That's a very vague directive. You know that perhaps if somebody comes into your house and threatens your family, then you have to repel them with a certain amount of force, but how would you...

Prabhupāda: These instructions, these directions are there in the Vedic literatures. If somebody, it is said if somebody kidnaps your wife, if somebody sets fire in your house, somebody comes to kill you, then he is understood as aggressor and you can kill him immediately. There is no question of nonviolence. These are śāstric instructions. All right. So I think we can chant again. You can join.