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Neutralize

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 4.29, Purport:

This system of yoga for controlling the breathing process is called prāṇāyāma, and in the beginning it is practiced in the haṭha-yoga system through different sitting postures. All of these processes are recommended for controlling the senses and for advancement in spiritual realization. This practice involves controlling the airs within the body so as to reverse the directions of their passage. The apāna air goes downward, and the prāṇa air goes up. The prāṇāyāma-yogī practices breathing the opposite way until the currents are neutralized into pūraka. equilibrium. Offering the exhaled breath into the inhaled breath is called recaka. When both air currents are completely stopped, one is said to be in kumbhaka-yoga. By practice of kumbhaka-yoga. one can increase the duration of life for perfection in spiritual realization.

BG 5.27-28, Purport:

In the Sixth Chapter the subject of yoga is explicitly detailed, and at the end of the Fifth it is only preliminarily explained. One has to drive out the sense objects such as sound, touch, form, taste and smell by the pratyāhāra process in yoga, and then keep the vision of the eyes between the two eyebrows and concentrate on the tip of the nose with half-closed lids. There is no benefit in closing the eyes altogether, because then there is every chance of falling asleep. Nor is there benefit in opening the eyes completely, because then there is the hazard of being attracted by sense objects. The breathing movement is restrained within the nostrils by neutralizing the up-moving and down-moving air within the body. By practice of such yoga one is able to gain control over the senses, refrain from outward sense objects, and thus prepare oneself for liberation in the Supreme.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.7.28, Purport:

For the atomic bombs there is no counterweapon to neutralize the effects. But by subtle science the action of a brahmāstra can be counteracted, and those who were expert in the military science in those days could counteract the brahmāstra. The son of Droṇācārya did not know the art of counteracting the weapon, and therefore Arjuna was asked to counteract it by the power of his own weapon.

SB 1.8.15, Translation:

O Śaunaka, although the supreme brahmāstra weapon released by Aśvatthāmā was irresistible and without check or counteraction, it was neutralized and foiled when confronted by the strength of Viṣṇu (Lord Kṛṣṇa).

SB 1.8.15, Purport:

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the brahmajyoti, or the glowing transcendental effulgence, is resting on Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In other words, the glowing effulgence known as brahma-tejas is nothing but the rays of the Lord, just as the sun rays are rays of the sun disc. So this Brahma weapon also, although materially irresistible, could not surpass the supreme strength of the Lord. The weapon called brahmāstra, released by Aśvatthāmā, was neutralized and foiled by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa by His own energy; that is to say, He did not wait for any other's help because He is absolute.

SB 1.15.36, Purport:

The influence of Kali can be enforced only upon those who are not fully developed in God consciousness. One can neutralize the effects of Kali by keeping oneself fully under the supreme care of the Personality of Godhead. The age of Kali ensued just after the Battle of Kurukṣetra, but it could not exert its influence because of the presence of the Lord. The Lord, however, left this earthly planet in His own transcendental body, and as soon as He left, the symptoms of the Kali-yuga, as were envisioned by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira prior to Arjuna's arrival from Dvārakā, began to manifest, and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira rightly conjectured on the departure of the Lord from the earth. As we have already explained, the Lord left our sight just as when the sun sets it is out of our sight.

SB 1.19.33, Purport:

The importance of holy places of pilgrimage is due to the presence of great sages and saints. It is said that sinful persons go to the holy places and leave their sins there to accumulate. But the presence of the great saints disinfects the accumulated sins, and thus the holy places continue to remain sanctified by the grace of the devotees and saints present there. If such saints appear in the homes of worldly people, certainly the accumulated sins of such worldly enjoyers become neutralized. Therefore, the holy saints actually have no self-interest with the householders. The only aim of such saints is to sanctify the houses of the householders, and the householders therefore should feel grateful when such saints and sages appear at their doors. A householder who dishonors such holy orders is a great offender. It is enjoined, therefore, that a householder who does not bow down before a saint at once must undergo fasting for the day in order to neutralize the great offense.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.1.11, Purport:

There are persons with a poor fund of knowledge who think the Lord to be an imagination of the worshiper and therefore think His holy name to be imaginary. Such a chanter of the name of the Lord cannot achieve the desired success in the matter of chanting the holy name. The seventh offense is to commit sins intentionally on the strength of the holy name. In the scriptures it is said that one can be liberated from the effects of all sinful actions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who takes advantage of this transcendental method and continues to commit sins on the expectation of neutralizing the effects of sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is the greatest offender at the feet of the holy name. Such an offender cannot purify himself by any recommended method of purification. In other words, one may be a sinful man before chanting the holy name of the Lord, but after taking shelter in the holy name of the Lord and becoming immune, one should strictly restrain oneself from committing sinful acts with a hope that his method of chanting the holy name will give him protection.

SB 2.2.30, Translation:

The devotee, thus surpassing the gross and the subtle forms of coverings, enters the plane of egoism. And in that status he merges the material modes of nature (ignorance and passion) in this point of neutralization and thus reaches egoism in goodness. After this, all egoism is merged in the mahat-tattva, and he comes to the point of pure self-realization.

SB 2.7.3, Purport:

Even in the nonliberated stage, a living entity can be directly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Personality of Godhead Lord Kṛṣṇa or His plenary expansions like Rāma and Narasiṁha. Thus, with the proportionate improvement of such transcendental devotional service, the devotee makes definite progress toward brahma-gatim or ātma-gatim, and ultimately attains kapilasya gatim, or the abode of the Lord, without difficulty. The antiseptic potency of devotional service to the Lord is so great that it can neutralize the material infection even in the present life of a devotee. A devotee does not need to wait for his next birth for complete liberation.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.9.17, Purport:

"Because of their foolish activities, they are unaware that the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve Viṣṇu, the Lord of the cosmic manifestation, and so their struggle for existence is in the wrong direction of material civilization, which is under the external energy. They are led by similar foolish persons, just as one blind man is led by another blind man and both fall in the ditch.

"Such foolish men cannot be attracted towards the activities of the Supreme Powerful, who is actually the neutralizing measure for their foolish activities, unless and until they have the good sense to be guided by the great souls who are completely freed from material attachment."

SB Canto 4

SB 4.7.15, Purport:

As usual, a devotee in an adverse condition of life accepts such a condition to be the mercy of the Lord. Factually, the insulting words used by Dakṣa against Lord Śiva were enough to have him thrown perpetually into a hellish life. But Lord Śiva, being kind toward him, awarded him punishment to neutralize the offense. King Dakṣa realized this and, feeling obliged for Lord Śiva's magnanimous behavior, wanted to show his gratitude. Sometimes a father punishes his child, and when the child is grown up and comes to his senses, he understands that the father's punishment was not actually punishment but mercy.

SB 4.30.37, Purport:

When a pure devotee goes to a place of pilgrimage, he desires to purify that holy place of pilgrimage. Many sinful men bathe in the holy waters of the places of pilgrimage. They take their baths in the waters of the Ganges and Yamunā at places such as Prayāga, Vṛndāvana and Mathurā. In this way the sinful men are purified, but their sinful actions and reactions remain at the holy places of pilgrimage. When a devotee comes to take his bath at those places of pilgrimage, the sinful reactions left by the sinful men are neutralized by the devotee. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadā-bhṛtā (SB 1.13.10). Because the devotee always carries the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, wherever he goes becomes a place of pilgrimage, a holy place for understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1 Summary:

On the path of speculative knowledge one becomes free from sinful life by understanding things as they are. Therefore the acquirement of speculative knowledge is also considered a method of atonement. While performing fruitive activities one can become free from the actions of sinful life through austerity, penance, celibacy, control of the mind and senses, truthfulness and the practice of mystic yoga. By awakening knowledge one may also neutralize sinful reactions. Neither of these methods, however, can free one from the tendency to commit sinful activities.

SB 6.1.11, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vedavyāsa, answered: My dear King, since acts meant to neutralize impious actions are also fruitive, they will not release one from the tendency to act fruitively. Persons who subject themselves to the rules and regulations of atonement are not at all intelligent. Indeed, they are in the mode of darkness. Unless one is freed from the mode of ignorance, trying to counteract one action through another is useless because this will not uproot one's desires. Thus even though one may superficially seem pious, he will undoubtedly be prone to act impiously. Therefore real atonement is enlightenment in perfect knowledge, Vedānta, by which one understands the Supreme Absolute Truth.

SB 6.2.17, Translation:

Although one may neutralize the reactions of sinful life through austerity, charity, vows and other such methods, these pious activities cannot uproot the material desires in one's heart. However, if one serves the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, he is immediately freed from all such contaminations.

SB 6.2.49, Purport:

Ajāmila had named his son Nārāyaṇa, and because he loved the boy very much, he would call him again and again. Although he was calling for his son, the name itself was powerful because the name Nārāyaṇa is not different from the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa. When Ajāmila named his son Nārāyaṇa, all the reactions of his sinful life were neutralized, and as he continued calling his son and thus chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa thousands of times, he was actually unconsciously advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SB 6.2.49, Purport:

Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ: one who continues to act sinfully and tries to neutralize his sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is a nāma-aparādhī, an offender to the holy name. In response it may be said that Ajāmila's chanting was inoffensive because he did not chant the name of Nārāyaṇa with the purpose of counteracting his sins. He did not know that he was addicted to sinful actions, nor did he know that his chanting of the name of Nārāyaṇa was neutralizing them. Thus he did not commit a nāma-aparādha, and his repeated chanting of the holy name of Nārāyaṇa while calling his son may be called pure chanting. Because of this pure chanting, Ajāmila unconsciously accumulated the results of bhakti.

SB 6.3.5, Translation:

If in this universe there are many rulers and justices who disagree about punishment and reward, their contradictory actions will neutralize each other, and no one will be punished or rewarded. Otherwise, if their contradictory acts fail to neutralize each other, everyone will have to be both punished and rewarded.

SB 6.3.31, Purport:

We should note that although Ajāmila chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa imperfectly, he was delivered from all sinful reactions. The chanting of the holy name is so auspicious that it can free everyone from the reactions of sinful activities. One should not conclude that one may continue to sin with the intention of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize the reactions. Rather, one should be very careful to be free from all sins and never think of counteracting sinful activities by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, for this is another offense. If by chance a devotee accidentally performs some sinful activity, the Lord will excuse him, but one should not intentionally perform sinful acts.

SB 6.7.35, Purport:

The professions of a qualified brāhmaṇa are paṭhana, pāṭhana, yajana, yājana, dāna and pratigraha. The words yajana and yājana mean that a brāhmaṇa becomes the priest of the populace for the sake of their elevation. One who accepts the post of spiritual master neutralizes the sinful reactions of the yajamāna, the one on whose behalf he performs yajña. Thus the results of the pious acts previously performed by the priest or spiritual master are diminished. Therefore priesthood is not accepted by learned brāhmaṇas. Nevertheless, the greatly learned brāhmaṇa Viśvarūpa became the priest of the demigods because of his profound respect for them.

SB 6.9 Summary:

Because of affection for the demons, Viśvarūpa secretly supplied them the remnants of yajña. When Indra learned about this, he beheaded Viśvarūpa, but he later regretted killing Viśvarūpa because Viśvarūpa was a brāhmaṇa. Although competent to neutralize the sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa, Indra did not do so. Instead he accepted the reactions. Later, he distributed these reactions among the land, water, trees and women in general. Since the land accepted one fourth of the sinful reactions, a portion of the land turned into desert. The trees were also given one fourth of the sinful reactions, and therefore they drip sap, which is prohibited for drinking.

SB 6.9.6, Translation:

Although Indra was so powerful that he could neutralize the sinful reactions for killing a brāhmaṇa, he repentantly accepted the burden of these reactions with folded hands. He suffered for one year, and then to purify himself he distributed the reactions for this sinful killing among the earth, water, trees and women.

SB 6.13.8-9, Purport:

The holy name is so spiritually potent that simply by chanting the holy name one can be freed from the reactions to all sinful activities. What, then, is to be said of those who chant the holy name regularly or worship the Deity regularly? For such purified devotees, freedom from sinful reaction is certainly assured. This does not mean, however, that one should intentionally commit sinful acts and think himself free from the reactions because he is chanting the holy name. Such a mentality is a most abominable offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ: the Lord's holy name certainly has the potency to neutralize all sinful activities, but if one repeatedly and intentionally commits sins while chanting the holy name, he is most condemned.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.10.13, Translation:

My dear Prahlāda, while you are in this material world you will exhaust all the reactions of pious activity by feeling happiness, and by acting piously you will neutralize impious activity. Because of the powerful time factor, you will give up your body, but the glories of your activities will be sung in the upper planetary systems, and being fully freed from all bondage, you will return home, back to Godhead.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.9.5, Purport:

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (BG 18.66) The Supreme Personality of Godhead can accept the reactions of anyone's sinful deeds and neutralize them because He is pavitra, pure, like the sun, which is never contaminated by any worldly infection. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya vahneḥ sama-bhujo yathā (SB 10.33.29). One who is very powerful is not affected by any sinful activity. But here we see that mother Ganges fears being burdened with the sins of the people in general who would bathe in her waters. This indicates that no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is able to neutralize the reactions of sinful deeds, whether one's own or those of others. Sometimes the spiritual master, after accepting a disciple, must take charge of that disciple's past sinful activities and, being overloaded, must sometimes suffer—if not fully, then partially—for the sinful acts of the disciple. Every disciple, therefore, must be very careful not to commit sinful activities after initiation. The poor spiritual master is kind and merciful enough to accept a disciple and partially suffer for that disciple's sinful activities, but Kṛṣṇa, being merciful to His servant, neutralizes the reactions of sinful deeds for the servant who engages in preaching His glories. Even mother Ganges feared the sinful reactions of the people in general and was anxious about how she would counteract the burden of these sins.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.63.12, Translation:

Lord Śiva, wielder of the trident, shot various weapons at Lord Kṛṣṇa, wielder of Śārṅga. But Lord Kṛṣṇa was not in the least perplexed: He neutralized all these weapons with appropriate counterweapons.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 8.24, Purport:

The seventh offense is described as follows:

nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ

To think that since the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the same time chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to neutralize them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of hari-nāma.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8.64, Purport:

Devotional service mixed with non-Vedic speculative knowledge is certainly not pure devotional service. Therefore Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī in his Anubhāṣya preaches that self-realization following the execution of ritualistic ceremonies is in the neutral stage between liberation and conditioned life. It is a place beyond this material world, in the river Virajā, where the three modes of material nature are subdued or neutralized in the unmanifest stage. However, the spiritual world is a manifestation of spiritual energy and is known as Vaikuṇṭhaloka, "the place where there is no anxiety." The material world, known as brahmāṇḍa, is the creation of the external energy. Between the two creations—the material creation and the spiritual creation—is a river known as Virajā, as well as a place known as Brahmaloka.

CC Madhya 11.112, Purport:

As soon as one enters a holy place, he must observe fasting for the day, and after shaving his head clean, he must take a bath in a river or ocean near the holy place. These methods are adopted to neutralize the effects of sinful activities. Visiting a holy place of pilgrimage means neutralizing the reactions of a sinful life. Those who go to holy places of pilgrimage actually unload the reactions of their sinful lives, and consequently holy places are overloaded with sinful activities left there by visitors.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 1:

A person is born in a brāhmaṇa family or in a family of dog-eaters due to his past activities. If a person is born in a family of dog-eaters it means that his past activities were all sinful. But if even such a person takes to the path of devotional service and begins to chant the holy names of the Lord—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—he is at once fit to perform the ritualistic ceremonies. This means that his sinful reactions have immediately become neutralized.

Nectar of Devotion 8:

The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. (2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Viṣṇu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. But one who is a devotee knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone thinks that he can chant "Kālī, Kālī!" or "Durgā, Durgā!"and it is the same as Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is the greatest offense.) (3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. (4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. (5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to be imagination. (6) To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. (7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the Lord. (It should not be taken that because by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reaction, one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.) (8) To consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kāṇḍa).

Nectar of Devotion 26:

Kṛṣṇa used a buffalo horn as a bugling instrument. This instrument was always highly polished and circled with gold bands, and on the middle there was a hole. Regarding these instruments, there is a metaphorical statement about a gopī named Tārāvalī. It is said that Tārāvalī was bitten by the most venomous snake of Kṛṣṇa's flute. Then, in order to neutralize the poisonous effect, she drank the milk produced by the buffalo horn in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. But instead of decreasing the poisonous effect, it increased it a thousand times. The gopī was thus put into the most miserable poisoned condition.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Just like nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. We say, the śāstra says, that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become cleansed of your sinful activities. That's a fact. But if somebody thinks that "I shall go on committing sinful activity and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra so it will be adjusted, neutralized, this is the most sinful activity, nāmno balāt, by the strength of chanting, committing sin. So similarly on the strength of Bhagavad-gītā, if one wants to prove his foolish philosophy, that is a great offense. That's a great offense. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā cannot be interpreted by foolish commentators. It must be studied through the paramparā system, ācārya upāsanam. One must worship the ācārya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Now, here is a neutralization formula. Whatever we are doing, it has got some reaction. If we do pious acts, there is good reaction. If we do impious action, there is reaction also. So every action has got its reaction. That we can experience in this material world, that if we eat more, the reaction will be that for two days there will be indigestion. Similarly, this material world is so situated that every action has got its reaction. But Kṛṣṇa says that if you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for Kṛṣṇa, then there will be no reaction. Śubhāśubha-phalair evaṁ mokṣyase karma-bandhanaiḥ.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Now, dadāsi yat. Dadāsi yat means charity. Charity according to karma-kāṇḍīya-vicāra, fruitive activities. Suppose if I give you some charity, say, hundred dollars I give you in charity, the reaction will be that I will have to realize four hundred dollars from you. That is the law of nature. Besides that, if my money is accumulated in some impious activities and if you take my money, you will have to suffer. You have to share my reaction. These are the laws of karma, very subtle laws of karma. So, now, if you give charity for Kṛṣṇa activities, then there is no reaction. The... Of course, there is reaction. That is called transcendental reaction, that you will gradually become elevated into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So dadāsi yat. Therefore everything should be done for Kṛṣṇa. And if you do like that, then you will neutralize the actions and reactions. Śubhāśubha-phalair evaṁ mokṣyase. You become liberated. Sannyāsa-yoga-yuktātmā vimukto mām upaiṣyasi. And this sannyāsa, renunciation, means to become free from the actions and reactions. That is called sannyāsa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

So we should not think that because we are chanting we can act all kinds of sinful activities. No. The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa will give you protection, but you should not take advantage of. But if by accident or by unintentionally if you commit some, by habit, that is also excused. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). That is accidental. Not that willful sinful activities should be done and it should be neutralized by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. No. Then you are spoiling your time. That should not be done. So yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. So without being freed from sinful activities nobody can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The method is easy. You can get out of sinful activities. But don't commit again. If you think that "I shall ignite fire and pour water again," then what is the use of? Simply waste of time. So that should not be done.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

So it is disinfectant, actually. Janatāgha-viplavaḥ. It stops further sinful activities of that person. And if we continue, that "Well, I have got a disinfectant method, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore I can go on committing these four principles of sin, and I'll be (dis)infected." Just like in the Christian church they go, confess. That's all right. Confessing is disinfectant. But how is that you again do it? What is the meaning? You go to church, confess. That's very nice. Now your sinful activities is neutralized. That's all right. But why you are committing again? What is the answer? Hm? What will be the possible answer if I ask any Christian gentleman that "You are committing sinful activities, all right, confessing in the church before Lord Jesus Christ, he's representative, or his representative, or God. Your sinful activities all neutralized, excused. That's all right.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

They will confess again. That means it has become a business. You see? That "I commit..." That is not the idea. Our, this offensive list you have noted, the offensive list, that prohibits that... Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. Anyone who thinks like that, that "Because I have got this disinfectant method, so I shall commit sinful activities and I'll chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and it will be neutralized," so that is the greatest sin.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

So persons who are trying to commit sinful activities on the strength of some spiritual activity, they're the greatest sinners. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. That is not allowed. You can neutralize your sinful activities by some spiritual a... But that does not mean... This is called hasti-snāna. That is also explained. Hasti-snāna. Hasti-snāna means bathing of the elephant. The elephant goes into the reservoir of water, takes bath very nicely, and, as soon as come on the land, again takes some dust and throws over the body. Immediately. You see? So, that sort of purification is not required. Once purified, don't commit again. The harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21), Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra has got power to purify, but that does not mean that we shall commit again and purify it. That process is not this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Seven... You have got that list? You have now... Ten kinds offenses? In this, is it written there that you cannot commit offense on the strength of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? Yes, that's... So tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ. Viplavati. It vanquishes, it nullifies, it neutralizes. That's a fact. Nāśayati. Yasmin vāg-visarge, vāg-visarge abaddha, abaddhavaty api apaśabdādi-yukto 'pi prati ślokam anantasya yaśasaḥ aṅkitāni nāmāni bhavanti.(?) So such kind of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or sometime... Just like you are chanting, you are, the mantras, because it is not your language. So sometime it appears broken. Just like guru. Sometimes you say "goru." "Goru" means cow, and "guru" means spiritual master. So the difference of meaning is vast. (chuckling) The spiritual master is not a cow. Or a bull. (laughs) But sometimes they... Because it is not your language... But that doesn't matter.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

Whatever we have done and whatever we are doing, the atonement is chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So we haven't got to go to Vṛndāvana. We have got Vṛndāvana, Nabadwīp, here in Hawaii, in this temple. So you take this process of atonement, but don't commit sinful life any more. Don't think that "Now I am chanting and I can go on committing all sinful activities." That is aparādha. That is offense. Nāmnad balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. If we think like that, that "We have got an instrument, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, which nullifies or neutralizes all kinds of sinful activities. It is very good instrument. Then I go on committing all kinds of sinful activities, and sometimes I go in the temple and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance," no, don't take this policy. You must stop your sinful activities. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra has got the power to neutralize the resultant action of your all sinful activities. That's a fact. But don't accumulate again the sinful activities. Then you are safe.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

The Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "O son of Vedavyasa..." The Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vedavyasa... Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the son of Vyāsadeva. He answered, "My dear king, since acts meant to neutralize impious action are also fruitive, they will not relieve one from the tendency to act fruitively. Persons who subject themselves to the rules and regulation of atonement are not at all intelligent. Indeed, they are in the mode of darkness. Unless is freed from the mode of ignorance, trying to counteract one action through another is useless because this will not uproot one's desire. Thus, even though one may superficially seem pious, he will undoubtedly be prone to act impiously. Therefore real atonement is enlightenment in perfect knowledge, Vedānta, by which one understands the Supreme Absolute Truth." In this verse there is one particular word, vimarśanam. The meaning of this vimarśanam: "full knowledge of Vedānta."

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommended that considering the gravity of your sinful life, you should undergo a type of atonement. They are prescribed in the śāstras. You have to do that. Otherwise, there is no rescue. Exactly like that, if you have committed murder, if you become killed here, then your sinful activities is neutralized. Otherwise, you'll have to suffer next life. So when a king orders a subject, or the state orders that "This man should be hanged," it is not cruelty to him. It is mercy. They do not know. It is a mercy. Otherwise why... Every state, anywhere you go, the law is there, "Life for life."

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

So atonement must be done. But King Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he's very intelligent. He says, "All right, Sir, there is atonement. By performing some type of atonement I become free from the sinful activities." Suppose a man, he has committed murder and he's killed. So the sinful reaction of his committing a murder is neutralized. But it does not mean that next time, next life he'll not again kill another man. That is not guaranteed. Exactly like that, you are diseased, the physician gives you medicine, you are cured. But it is not guarantee that you'll not be attacked again by that type of disease. That is not guarantee.

Lecture on SB 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975:

Suppose I have committed some sins. I must be arrested. Sometimes a great criminal voluntarily goes to the police and surrenders because he knows, "I will be arrested, and if I surrender immediately, my punishment may be lesser." So you cannot escape the punishment. So punishment... Suppose you have stolen something. You must be punished for six months' imprisonment. That is the law. If you have killed somebody, then you must be killed. You must be hanged. This is the law. So that is called nirviśeṣam, to counteract. If I have stolen some property, then I must suffer imprisonment. This is counteracting, prāyaścitta. If you have infected some disease, then you must suffer for some time from that disease. So akṛta-nirveśam: "So he has not neutralized his sinful activities." Yatra daṇḍena śuddhyati: "Because he has not nullified his sinful activities by atonement or other measures, then he must be punsihed. Then he will be purified."

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa is everything. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has come here to be seen by you, to be touched by you, to be dressed by you, to be decorated by you, to accept whatever you nicely offer with bhakti. Kṛṣṇa is not hungry or Kṛṣṇa has no food at His Vaikuṇṭha? No. He has got. He is supplying everyone food. So He has got everything. We should always remember that He has kindly come for our benefit, so let us be always cautious and very respectful and offering the nicest prasādam prepared with great attention. In this way, if we practice, then our life becomes very successful. Otherwise, we shall be very much attached. Because we are ajitendriya, we cannot control our senses. Very difficult. But if you take Kṛṣṇa prasādam, although apparently we are greedy, but on account of taking Kṛṣṇa prasādam, it is neutralized. Our greediness, by taking Kṛṣṇa prasādam, it is neutralized.

Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

The most dangerous offense is nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. If we think that "I am so fortunate. I have got this hari-nāma and it can vanquish all kinds of sinful reaction, so very good instrument. So I go on committing all kinds of sinful activities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be neutralized," this is the most dangerous offense. Nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. Because I am chant... "I know that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa I shall be free from all resultant action of sinful..., so let me go on, and throughout whole day I shall commit all kinds of sinful activities and in the evening I shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be finished." This rascaldom is very, very dangerous. We must be very careful. Don't take Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra as an instrument to neutralize your sinful activities. Don't take it. It is a fact that as soon as you are initiated with Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become free, but don't commit it again.

Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

That "I have committed, yes. I have committed these sins," and give some fine. This process is not good. We should not do that, confession, "Yes, sir, I am..." I think in your country there was a movement, Moral Rearmament. Their process was that "You commit sinful activities, but you confess. Then it will be neutralized." That was their formula. But I don't think it was successful. It could not be successful. That is not possible. Process is that "By my karma I have become sinful. Now I have got the remedial measure, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, but I shall not commit again." Then he's successful. Then it is successful, immediately. Nāmnād balād... But we should not take advantage of this.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

Just like in Christian church they confess. Of course, that is the injunction. That's all right. After confessing, the sins are excused. That's a fact. But if he comes back, again commits the same, then where is the effect? But they are happy in that way. They are... "After one week, I shall go to the church and confess my sins. Then everything will be neutralized." This is all right. Suppose on Sunday you become free from all contamination of your sinful activities. And Monday you again do the same thing. So you become again contaminated. And, say, on Tuesday if you die, then you are dying with sins. Is it not? Then what is your condition? If the God or Christ excused you of your sinful life, that's all right. But when you come back, you don't commit again sin. Then you are all right. But we have taken it as a business that we go to Sunday, neutralize our sins, and come back again and do the same thing. So from logical point of view, suppose you do the same sinful activities, and if you die immediately, then you die with sinful activities, go to hell. What benefit you derive by confessing in the church? This business is going on. "Now I have seen Jagannātha. My liberation is guaranteed. Now I can do anything." That's all. This mentality. This mentality will not give you liberation. You have seen Jagannātha, your sinful activities are now neutralized, but don't commit again. Now make progress. Then your liberation is guaranteed.

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

In every initiation we teach this, that chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, once chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, is sufficient to make us pure from all sinful activities, reaction. But if we commit sin again in the hope that "Because I am chanting, this will be neutralized," that is the greatest sin. So one side, you should chant always Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra so that you may not fall down; another side, you should be careful: "Now no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating." In this way, if you carefully make progress, then your liberation is guaranteed.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

...impure. There is English word like that. So that we may not fall a victim of sinful activities, you shall go on always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa (devotees complete chanting), not that after committing sin, you'll utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to counteract it. Don't do that. Then you'll give it up. Just to keep yourself aloof from sinful activities, you chant always Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, but don't utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to counteract your sinful activities. "So I am, I have got an instrument, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, let me do all nonsense and I shall chant in the evening Hare Kṛṣṇa and it will neutralized." Actually, they are doing. There are so many rascals, they are committing this offense, on the strength of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the greatest offense. They will never make any progress in spiritual life if I utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for my material purpose.

General Lectures

Lecture at Krsna Niketan -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

Willful disobedience. Because I know that "I have chanted the holy name. Now my all sinful reaction of my life is now vanished. Then why shall I commit again sinful activities?" That is the natural conclusion. But if one concludes like this: "Now I have chanted, I have confessed my sinful activities in the church. Let me go now again, begin my sinful activities," such kind of willful negligence is very, very dangerous. Nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. He's the greatest sinner, one who utilizes the holy name as a means of counteracting or neutralizing the sinful effects. They are very willful sinners. That should not be done. It is a fact that as soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, your all sinful reaction of life is immediately neutralized or vanquished. But you should not do again. That is the idea.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Dr. Singh: To the kṣatriya. That is very unfair. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Not unfair. He thought that "He is a śūdra. He'll miss it."

Dr. Singh: So therefore he...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Dr. Singh: Therefore, he neutralized.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like śūdra. In the Western countries, they are all śūdras. They are getting money and misusing on wine and women. They cannot use money (indistinct), simply for sense gratification. That is the śūdra. And brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, especially kṣatriya, as soon as they get money, they would make a big sacrifice to satisfy viṣṇu-yajña.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: ...men should be very strong to protest. They must know he has come purposely, purposefully. Of course, he will not be able to do anything. Simply ask him, "You, sir, what you have done for the last forty years? And who asked you to start this institute? And why you were called back by Guru Mahārāja?" You ask these things. "And you performed some ceremony for neutralizing your guru-aparādha." He did it. Some astrologer... He admitted that "I have offended my Guru Mahārāja. So I am not improving. So can you suggest anything?" He said that "You offer 108 bilva patra to Lord Śiva." And he did it for so many...

Brahmānanda: Prāyaścitta, is that called?

Prabhupāda: Prāyaścitta, yes.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 26, 1976, Melbourne:

Guru-kṛpā: Na śocati na kāṅkṣati.

Prabhupāda: That is material, śocati, kāṅkṣati. But in spiritual world the same śocati, kāṅkṣati, is there, but for Kṛṣṇa. First of all you have to negate the material śocati, kāṅkṣati. Then spiritual, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. Beginning is brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). Then spiritual anxiety begins. When this is neutralized, then actual life begins. That is bhakti. Otherwise what is the mean...? Mad-bhaktim. In bhakti there is anxiety. That is spiritual anxiety.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Makhanlāl: It's possible for even a neophyte to chant offenselessly?

Prabhupāda: Not possible, but he has to do it. This is offense, to think that "I have chanted once; my all sinful activities are now neutralized." This is offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. This is the offense. (break)

Makhanlāl: Chanting, following the orders of the spiritual master...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. No calculation.

Makhanlāl: Is that considered offenseless chanting?

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Yes. You follow strictly the instructions. If you commit offense, how it is offenseless?

Morning Walk -- July 9, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Devotee (1): The scientist or materialist will say, "You're just becoming sick like anyone else, but you're saying it's just, that you're becoming purified."

Prabhupāda: Hm. What you have to do?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's a fact though, when people are suffering they're neutralizing their sinful reactions.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is the wrong there? (break)

Devotee (1): ...becoming purified from this suffering then why isn't it when we're sick, why is it that we forget Kṛṣṇa, we become disgusted, and after we are sick we don't feel any more advanced than before? (break)

Prabhupāda: ...purified, you will not be sick.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "There are no authentic answers to these questions."

Prabhupāda: There is. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Read Bhagavad-gītā. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Here is authentic answer. Why he's giving that...? That means you are not in proper leadership. If you... Just explain that if you infect cholera disease, germ, you must suffer. That is nature's law. Similarly, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. Now you can change the kāraṇa, the cause. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). And you can neutralize it. Māṁ ca avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ. Quote this. Everything is there in Bhagavad-gītā.

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
(BG 14.26)

Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati (BG 18.54). Everything is there.

Page Title:Neutralize
Compiler:Sahadeva, Serene
Created:05 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=25, CC=3, OB=3, Lec=20, Con=6, Let=0
No. of Quotes:59