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Morality (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"moral" |"moralism" |"moralist" |"moralistic" |"moralists" |"morality" |"morally" |"morals"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Even though somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa with some purpose which is not moral, but the man or woman who comes there, he becomes, he or she becomes purified.
Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

Or "Why Kṛṣṇa is engaged in dancing with the gopīs? They are wives and sister of other men. It is sinful." If we enjoy with others' wife or others' daughter or others' sister, who is not bona fide my wife, if I want to enjoy life, that illicit sex... Kṛṣṇa is not doing that. But artificially, those who have nonsense, they see that "Kṛṣṇa is dancing at dead of night with others' daughters and girls. Therefore He is immoral." But that means he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can do anything. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Just like the sun is very powerful. As you see in this material world, a sun, a material thing, and it is very powerful, but the sun is soaking water, taking water from the sea as well as from filthy place. So he is also evaporating water from urine also. In filthy place, sewer ditches, he is evaporating water, as well as from the sea. But does it mean by evaporating water from the sewer ditch and urine, the sun is becoming polluted? No. Rather, he is turning that place, what is called, prophylactic, antiseptic, by his sunshine. Similarly, even though somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa with some purpose which is not moral, but the man or woman who comes there, he becomes, he or she becomes purified. And Kṛṣṇa does not become immoral. This science has to be known by the rascals before calling Kṛṣṇa immoral.

By accepting, by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Kṛṣṇa is immoral. Just see the foolishness.
Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

So when Kṛṣṇa is killing Putanā, that picture they will not paint, or killing Kaṁsa, or... Kṛṣṇa has got so many pictures. These pictures they will not, artists. They will simply paint the picture, His confidential dealings with the gopīs. One who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, which Vyāsadeva has described what is Kṛṣṇa in nine cantos, to understand Kṛṣṇa, and then in the Tenth Canto he begins the birth advent of Kṛṣṇa... But these rascals, they jump over immediately to the rāsa-līlā. First of all understand Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rāsa-līlā. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Kṛṣṇa is immoral." How Kṛṣṇa can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Kṛṣṇa is immoral. Just see the foolishness. Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Kṛṣṇa is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.

All our morality, all social status, all politics, all philosophy, everything is on this bodily concept of life. We want to enjoy senses.
Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

So aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. "But you are talking like very learned scholar." Because he has talked. But those things are right. What Arjuna has said, that varṇa-saṅkara, when the women become polluted, the population is varṇa-saṅkara, that is fact. Whatever Arjuna has said to Kṛṣṇa in order to avoid the fighting, so those things are correct. But from the spiritual platform, those things may be correct or incorrect, but from spiritual platform, they are not to be considered very serious. Therefore aśocyān anvaśocas tvam. Because his lamentation was on the bodily concept of life. That bodily concept of life, in the very beginning of Kṛṣṇa's instructions, it is condemned. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvam: (BG 2.11) "You are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Because anyone who is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than animal. So our all morality, all social status, all politics, all philosophy, everything is on this bodily concept of life. We want to enjoy senses. Senses means different parts of the body. So one who is interested with the body—that means one who is interested with the senses—their only business is how to...

You study the whole world only on these three points, morality, honest, and dutiful. So many nice things are there. But if he's not God conscious, he cannot continue such thing. He must fail. Because the three modes of material nature is working, even if you are on the platform of goodness, the other modes of material nature will try to attack you. And your goodness, morality, honesty, these things will be polluted by the onslaught of the other two inferior modes of nature.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

One Arya-samaji postmaster, long ago, not very long ago, 1956, 1956... In Delhi at that time I was publishing this Back to Godhead. So we had concession rate for posting, and it was to be delivered to the postmaster. So the postmaster was talking with me about the paper, Back to Godhead. He raised the same question. He said, "If we do our duty nicely then what is the use of worshiping God? If we become honest, if we become moral, if we do not do anything which is harmful to anyone, in this way, if we act, then where is the...?" Because our paper's name was Back to Godhead. So he was indirectly protesting, that What is the use of propagating this philosophy of Godhead if we act nicely? The Arya-samajists view... They are called... There is a English name, what is called? I forget now. Moralists. The technical name there is. Anyway, this is their point of view, how to avoid God. So I replied that if one is not God conscious, he cannot be moralist, he cannot be truthful, he cannot be honest. This is our point of view. You study the whole world only on these three points, morality, honest, and dutiful. So many nice things are there. But if he's not God conscious, he cannot continue such thing. He must fail. Even the, there are so many instances, even amongst the devotees, because this material world is made so that you cannot continue this principle perpetually. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. Because the three modes of material nature is working, even if you are on the platform of goodness, the other modes of material nature will try to attack you. And your goodness, morality, honesty, these things will be polluted by the onslaught of the other two inferior modes of nature. Therefore, sometimes we find that a very nice man committing some sinful activities.

Without being standardized by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, you cannot find the standard platform of morality, honesty.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

So the decision of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Mahad-guṇāḥ. We can find it easily, just like we say that no illicit sex, no meat-eating, we consider this is sinful. But there are others, big, big leaders, politicians, philosophers, even religious priests, they do not think that this is immoral or this is sinful. Meat-eating is sinful. Why? What is the sin there? Illicit sex, what is the wrong there? Intoxication, what is wrong there? They do not find any immorality. So this standard of morality, there cannot be fixed up if one is not God conscious. There cannot be. Standard of morality, standard of goodness, cannot be. That is the decision of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They think that animal has no soul. They do not accept this morality that animal cannot be killed, it is sinful, it is immoral. They have created their own theory. So without being standardized by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, you cannot find the standard platform of morality, honesty. These things you cannot find. This is not possible. Therefore, the verdict of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ.

Man-made law cannot give you standard morality, honesty or... It is not possible. Because one will think "This is morality," another will think, "No, this is not morality." There cannot be any fixed up morality, honesty, dishonesty.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

Just like if you do not follow a standard law, how you can fix up "This is morality" or "This is honesty or dishonesty." There must be standard law. And who can give you the law unless he is the greatest authority? So law changes according to different countries, climate, situation. So man-made law cannot give you standard morality, honesty or... It is not possible. Because one will think "This is morality," another will think, "No, this is not morality." Same thing. Keep to the left, keep to the right. Somebody says "Keep to the left is right," somebody says "Keep to the left, it is wrong." Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Because those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are hovering on the mental plane. They cannot, there cannot be any fixed up morality, honesty, dishonesty. No. And rascals will also say yato mata tato patha. Means, whatever you think is all right, that is all right. According to you, your conception this is right, and according to my conception, both of them are right. How both of them can be right?

Real dharma, real religion, morality, honesty, they can be decided on the words of the Supreme Lord.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

So this contradiction, opposing elements, will continue unless there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this is not a fact that the karma-vādīs simply by discharging your duties nicely... This is... On principle, it is all right. But we must know what is actual morality. There are so many examples. Just like when there is war, to kill the enemies, that is morality. But in peaceful condition if you kill a person that is immorality or sinful. The process is the same, morality or immorality, the process is the same. But sometimes it is moral, sometimes immoral. So how it will be standardized? Therefore Bhāgavata says dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Real dharma, real religion, morality, honesty, they can be decided on the words of the Supreme Lord. That is the... When Kṛṣṇa says "This is all right," then it is all right. When Kṛṣṇa says it is not right, then it is not right. This is our decision. We Kṛṣṇa conscious men, we simply accept.

The whole planet is God's property, whole universe is God's property. But when we are claiming that this is my property, then where is morality?
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

So the karma-vāda, that you follow morality you'll get good results... But where is your morality? Because you are disobedient to God. In the beginning of your life, you are immoral. You are disobeying the greatest authority. There is another example, a story, that a gang of thieves, they stolen some property from different houses, then out of the village they are dividing amongst themselves the booties. So one thief is saying, "Please divide it morally so that one may not be cheated." Now just imagine, the property is stolen. Where is the morality there? But when dividing, they are thinking of morality. The basic principle is immoral. Where you can have morality? Similarly, according to Vedic injunction, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is His property. So the whole planet is God's property, whole universe is God's property. But when we are claiming that this is my property, then where is morality? If you claim other's property as your property, then where is the morality?

Our morality is if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then it is honesty, morality, everything. Where is material morality, there is no morality.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

So in this material world, such kind of morality, honesty, is going on. But our morality is if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then it is honesty, morality, everything. There are many examples. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is standing and his father is being killed by Nṛsiṁhadeva in his presence. So do you think it is morality that one's father is being killed in the presence of his son, and the son without protest is seeing, with a garland, that "As soon as my father is killed, I shall offer this garland to Nṛsiṁhadeva"? Is it morality? From material point of view? We are worshiping... Prahlāda Mahārāja has become mahājana, the greatest authority in devotional service, but if we study his morality that he did not protest the killing of his father, rather he was waiting with a garland, that "As soon as the killing business is finished I'll reward this." You see? Where is material morality, there is no morality.

You'll find in such a way that what is from material point of view immoral, it is the most magnificent morality in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

The gopīs, they were young girls, wife of somebody, sister of somebody, daughter of somebody, but when Kṛṣṇa was playing on His flute at dead of night, they gave up all their engagement and began to run, "Where Kṛṣṇa is present?" So from Vedic standard of view, this is immorality. They are going to another young boy and leaving family. Even somebody, some of the gopīs, they left their sons also, and went to Kṛṣṇa. From material point of view this is immoral. So you'll find in such a way that what is from material point of view immoral, it is the most magnificent morality in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. And similarly, from material point of view, what is moral, that is most, I mean to say, abominable from the point of view...

Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is famous, very moral. So Kṛṣṇa asked him that "You go, otherwise he'll not believe anyone." So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja hesitated, "How can I say lies?" So for this he had to see hell. He became immoral.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja became very moral. Kṛṣṇa advised him, "Just go and tell Droṇācārya that 'Your son is dead,' " although his son was not dead. Because Droṇācārya will not die unless he hears the news of the death of his son. He'll not die. So he would not believe anyone, but Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is famous, very moral. So Kṛṣṇa asked him that "You go, otherwise he'll not believe anyone." So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja hesitated, "How can I say lies?" So for this he had to see hell. He became immoral. Man-nimitte kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ puṇyāya eva kalpate.

Our standard of morality and immorality is to see whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then it is morality. If Kṛṣṇa is dissatisfied, then it is immoral.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

So our standard of morality and immorality is to see whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then it is morality. If Kṛṣṇa is dissatisfied, then it is immoral. And Kṛṣṇa's representative also. Therefore, it is said yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. Our morality is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa or His representative, guru. Yasya prasāda. If he's satisfied, then it is moral. If he's not satisfied, then it is immoral. Na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. So this karma-vāda, that you act nicely and you'll get nice result, that is all right, but there may be some mistakes. There are so many instances. One very great charitable king, he was giving in charity so many cows to the brāhmaṇas. So there was some mistake, and for that purpose, although he was all throughout his whole life he was giving in charity, a little mistake, he became a big lizard in the well. Therefore the conclusion is that this material morality has no value. Spiritual morality. Spiritual morality means to abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is morality.

Simply, simply accept Kṛṣṇa. And whatever He orders, whatever He likes, for His satisfaction, we shall do anything and everything. That is our morality.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, if we accept, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Many places.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

In many places. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. In another place, that, if you execute your morality principles but if by executing such morality principle you do not, I mean to say, awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is simply waste of time. Wherever you go, the Bhāgavata conclusion, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. We have to keep in point of view that to become... Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā: api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Even one is found su-durācāraḥ, not very strictly following moral principles, but he is an unflinching devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. These things are there. Therefore the point should be that we should not accept this karma-vāda or the bauddha-vāda or Māyāvāda, there are so many vādas. We shall simply take kṛṣṇa-vāda. Simply, simply accept Kṛṣṇa. And whatever He orders, whatever He likes, for His satisfaction, we shall do anything and everything. That is our morality.

Religious scripture means they are meant for training you to that conception of life that you are pure soul, nothing more. They restrict your bodily activities under certain conditions, under certain conditions. That is called morality.
Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

In your European, American countries the book of knowledge accepted as the Old Testament, New Testament. Similarly, the book of knowledge amongst the Muhammadans, they have accepted as the Koran. Actually, they are book of knowledge, undoubtedly. There is no doubt about it. But what are these book of knowledge, religious scripture? Religious scripture means they are meant for training you to that conception of life that you are pure soul, nothing more. They restrict your bodily activities under certain conditions, under certain conditions. That is called morality. Just like your Bible has got ten commandments. Ten commandments. What is that commandments? To regulate your life. Because without regulation you cannot... Because we have to control the body to reach to the highest perfection. So if we don't follow any regulative principles, how we can make our life perfect? So that regulative principle may be a little, little different from my country to your country or my Veda to your Bible, but that does not matter. That is made according to the time, condition and the mentality of the population. But there is the regulative control. Regulative control. A human society is not considered civilized unless, unless and until the members of the society are put into some regulative control.

In that principles of morality even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "Oh, this body, this body is destined to be destroyed. You cannot protect it. It is to be destroyed." Therefore this body should be utilized for purpose of spiritual realization.
Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

There is a paṇḍita, learned man. His name is Cāṇakya. If you, some of you, had been in India, in New Delhi, where foreign ambassadors are settled, in New Delhi, capital of India, there is a quarter which is called Cāṇakya Purī. Cāṇakya Purī. This Cāṇakya Purī has been named due to the name of this gentleman, Cāṇakya. He was a great politician and prime minister during the reign of Emperor Candragupta. Long, long years before. He was a great politician. So his politics are studied in higher, M.A. class, and so he has got some, he has got a book which is called Cāṇakya Śloka and some principles of morality, some principles of morality. So we, in our childhood, we had to study that small book, Cāṇakya Śloka. So in that principles of morality even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that sannimitte varaṁ tyāga vināśe niyate sati. Vināśe niyate sati: "Oh, this body, this body is destined to be destroyed. You cannot protect it. It is to be destroyed." Sannimitte varaṁ tyāge vināśe. Vināśe means it is sure to be destroyed. "As sure as death." There is nothing sure as death. Therefore this body should be utilized, sannimitte, for purpose of spiritual realization. Before it is finished...

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. Moral codes, they are up to material perfection.
Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. Moral codes, they are up to material perfection. Of course, one who has not attained material perfection, he cannot attain to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like one who has not passed his graduation in the university, he cannot take up law course. That is law in India. But one who has taken to the law course, it is to be understood that he has passed his graduation in the college. Similarly, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness in seriousness, then it is to be understood that he has performed all kinds of sacrifices. That is the result.

Of course, so according to time, class, place, the conception of morality and immorality are different. But there is a, a sense of immorality and morality in everywhere. That is a fact.
Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

Now, suppose we have contaminated so many things in our material life. There are, in the material calculation, there are so many things which are the list. One list is for morality, and another list is for immorality. I do not wish to discuss this list because in, for a person which is immorality, for another person, it is not immorality; it is morality. Just like according to our conception, Hindu conception, drinking of wine is immoral, whereas in your country drinking of wine is not immoral. It is common thing. Of course, so according to time, class, place, the conception of morality and immorality are different. But there is a, a sense of immorality and morality in everywhere. That is a fact.

Just like Kṛṣṇa performed the rāsa dance. This is, from Vedic standard, it is not very moral.
Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

So similarly, He comes here as a human being, as son of Nanda Mahārāja, or husband of Rukmiṇī, or son of Vasudeva, but actually, He is nobody's son. He is everybody's father. He is the origin. Nobody can be cause of His creation. This idea should be understood. And if anyone understands that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is not under any rules and regulation and laws of this material world, then he understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly.

Just like Kṛṣṇa performed the rāsa dance. At the midnight many young girls came by hearing His flute, and He danced with them. This is, from Vedic standard, it is not very moral. Because at dead of night, with others' wives or sisters or daughters, to dance... Kṛṣṇa was young. That is not very good example from Vedic principles. But He did it. So, so... And that is the highest understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Even in moral principle, as Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. "All women should be treated just like mother." Not like the present society.
Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

This question was raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja when Śukadeva Gosvāmī described the rāsa-līlā. So that... "Kṛṣṇa appeared on this material world, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8), dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. So why He violated these rules of dharma?" Violation because, according to Vedic civilization, nobody can mix with other's wife or other woman. Even in moral principle, as Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. "All women should be treated just like mother." Not like the present society. Formerly, every woman should be addressed as "mother," Mātājī. And now they have invented "Bahinjī." No. Woman should be addressed as "mother." Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu.

Either take you from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's materialistic point of view, moral lessons, or spiritual lessons from Bhagavad-gītā, the definition of paṇḍita is different from the so-called paṇḍitas, having..
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

So this is Vedic civilization. Don't be carried away. Take lesson from Bhagavad-gītā and make your life successful. That is the propaganda of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Don't become cats and dogs and advertise yourself as paṇḍita. These are the definition of paṇḍita. Either take you from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's materialistic point of view, moral lessons, or spiritual lessons from Bhagavad-gītā, the definition of paṇḍita is different from the so-called paṇḍitas, having... That is... They are called māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Although they have got degrees of the universities, but actually, knowledge is taken away by māyā.

A man may be very pious, moralist, but that does not mean he will be able to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above goodness.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

So according to his own nature... That is also explained, that everyone creates his God, religion, according to his own nature. There are three kinds of men: goodness, passion, and ignorance. So those who are in the modes of ignorance, they create their own religion of ignorance; those who are in the passion, they create a kind of religion of passion; and those who are in the modes of goodness, they create their own. But this system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is transcendental. It is above ignorance, passion or goodness. Goodness is also material. A material good man does not mean he will be Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. A man may be very pious, moralist, but that does not mean he will be able to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above goodness. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. But goodness is a qualification to get promoted on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But goodness is not a means to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the means is Kṛṣṇa only. That's all, nothing else. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious means we have to adopt the Kṛṣṇa means, no other means.

Not that we Kṛṣṇa conscious people are being carried away by some sentiment. No. We have got philosophy, science, theology, ethics, morality, everything—everything that is required to be known in human form of life.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to have all kinds of knowledge. Not that we Kṛṣṇa conscious people are being carried away by some sentiment. No. We have got philosophy, science, theology, ethics, morality, everything—everything that is required to be known in human form of life. So Kṛṣṇa says that "I'll speak to you all about knowledge." So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person should not be fool. If he is required to explain how these universal planets are floating, how this human body is rotating, how many species of life, how they are being evolved... These are all scientific knowledge. Physics, botanics, chemistry, astronomy, everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yaj jñātvā, if you understand this knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you'll have nothing to know. That means you'll have complete knowledge. We are hankering after knowledge, but if we are in knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if we know Kṛṣṇa, then all knowledge is included.

You may say, "Oh, this person, this man is very intelligent, very moralist." That means he is a brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

Some of you are in the modes of goodness, some of you are in the modes of passion, some of you are in the modes of ignorance, and some of you are in the mixed quality. So that is prevailing all over the world. And those who are in the modes of goodness, they are brāhmaṇa. Name may be another thing. You may say, "Oh, this person, this man is very intelligent, very moralist." That means he is a brāhmaṇa. Or "This man is very good administrator." That means he is kṣatriya. "Oh, this man is very good industrialist, merchant." That means he is vaiśya. "This man cannot do anything." He is śūdra.

There are many persons who are very moral and following the rules and regulation of the śāstra or an ideal brāhmaṇa. That is sāttvika-bhāva.
Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

Sāttvikā bhāvāḥ means the consciousness of goodness, material goodness, sāttvikā bhāvāḥ. There are many persons who are very moral and following the rules and regulation of the śāstra or an ideal brāhmaṇa. That is sāttvika-bhāva. Ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāḥ. Rājasāḥ means the kṣatriya spirit consciousness, and tāmasāś ca ye matta eveti. They are all emanations from Kṛṣṇa.

When we are not very much pious, but not impious also—ordinary, following moral principles—then madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ.
Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Deva means in the upper worlds there are demigods. In the middle we human beings, and lower than this, the animals. So we are in different forms of life. Soul is one—that is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—but according to karma, according to desire for material enjoyment, we have taken different dresses, and we are wandering all over the universe, according to our karma. Sometimes we are becoming demigods, sometimes we are becoming dogs—according to karma. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta-kar, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, says,

ei rūpe bhramāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

We are wandering all over the universe. When you are doing some pious activities, you are elevated to the higher planetary system, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). When we are not very much pious, but not impious also—ordinary, following moral principles—then madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. So in this way, up and down, we are wandering by transmigration of the soul. This is our position.

Mahad-guṇāḥ, good qualities, good characteristics, good behavior, moral qualities, cannot be developed if one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is not possible.
Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

Daivī sampat means the characteristics by which they can make very easy progress for liberation and spiritual realization. That is called daivī sampat. As soon as one becomes a devotee, this daivī sampat automatically becomes manifested. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). As soon as one develops his original dormant love of God, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all the good qualities becomes manifest. Because the good qualities are already there. This is the process. People are trying to make people very honest. But how they can be honest? Unless there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is very difficult to become honest. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Mahad-guṇāḥ, good qualities, good characteristics, good behavior, moral qualities, cannot be developed if one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is not possible. If people are simply paid to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, then the state will save so much expense. Because they have to maintain huge establishment to stop criminal activities. But if people become devotees, there will be no more criminal activities. That's a fact.

These so-called worldly, honest men, they may be very honest, moral, but they are taking everything for their sense gratification. Everyone is taking Kṛṣṇa's money for his sense gratification, and they are advertising they are very moral.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

Therefore they are accusing us of frauding, cheating, but they do not understand. Even if we take some money from others by so-called fraud or cheat, but it goes to Kṛṣṇa... Just like Gurukṛpā Mahārāja. If you say if he's taking by this way or that way, but what he is doing? He is not smoking with that money. He is not drinking. He is sending to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is giving the best service. So people may say, "Nonsense people. They're doing this, doing that." But he is giving the best service to Kṛṣṇa because he is not accepting a farthing out of this. And these so-called worldly, honest men, they may be very honest, moral, but they are taking everything for their sense gratification. They are dishonest. They are the greatest fraud. Kṛṣṇa's money they are taking for their own satisfaction. The greatest fraud. Stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12). What is that? Ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). Bhuñjate te aghaṁ pāpāḥ. Stena eva sa ucyate. What is that? Everyone is thief. Everyone is taking Kṛṣṇa's money for his sense gratification, and they are advertising they are very moral.

Page Title:Morality (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:12 of Apr, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=27, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:27