Own accord (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"own accord"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Actually one should be satisfied. Just like a bank clerk or a bank cashier should be satisfied with his post and the wages he gets. He should be satisfied. If God pleases he will be elevated to higher position.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

Devotee: "He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, who is never entangled although performing actions."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now if I think that I am poor man. Oh, the bank proprietor and directors they have got so much money. The theory of the communist theory. They have tried to attack others that they have snatched our money. Actually one should be satisfied. Just like a bank clerk or a bank cashier should be satisfied with his post and the wages he gets. He should be satisfied. If God pleases he will be elevated to higher position. That is God's grace. But we should not be disturbed. We should be śāntas... And thus disturbance can be checked only if we are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Either the world is run on the principle of communistic philosophy or capitalistic philosophy, it will never be happy. Here is the formula, that everyone should be satisfied with the profit that he can easily make. That's all. Yadṛcchā-lābha. Not that everyone will have the same profit.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting) Translation: "He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions."

Prabhupāda:

yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo

dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ

samaḥ siddhāv asiddhau ca

kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate

So Kṛṣṇa is teaching in this Fourth Chapter how to work. Yadṛcchā-lābha. Don't be greedy, so "This man is millionaire, so I have to become a millionaire." Competition. That is material disease. Now there is competition in between the capitalist and the communist. Now the communist or the laborer class men, they are thinking that "Why the capitalist should gain? We must gain. The industry is being conducted by us. The profits shall be divided between us. Why to the capitalist?" So that is not the solution. That is from frying pan to the fire.

Either the world is run on the principle of communistic philosophy or capitalistic philosophy, it will never be happy. Here is the formula, that everyone should be satisfied with the profit that he can easily make. That's all. Yadṛcchā-lābha. Not that everyone will have the same profit.

A child sees that a nice motor car runs in the street. He thinks that the motor car is running out of its own accord. That is not intelligence.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

Buddhi means intelligence. And what is that intelligence? Real intelligence? Real intelligence is to know, to understand that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, and I am part and parcel." It is stated here that intelligence means sukhārtha-vivecana-samatyam.(?) Suppose one is very intelligent to drive a car. That is not... That is material intelligence for earning our bread. Real intelligence is sukhārtha(?), the finer sentiments to understand the finer activities of this nature. That is called buddhi, to understand how things are happening. Just like one is considered to be intelligent when he tries to understand not this physiological or anatomical construction of this body. He wants to see by intelligence what is the active principle of this body that is working. That is intelligence, not that...

Just like a child. A child sees that a nice motor car runs in the street. He thinks that the motor car is running out of its own accord. That is not intelligence. The motor car is not running... In spite of its... Just like here we have got this tape recorder, this microphone. Somebody may say, "Oh, how fine discoveries are these. They are working so nicely." But one should see that this tape recorder or this microphone cannot work for a single moment unless a spirit soul touch it. This is intelligence. We should not be wonderful by seeing a machine. We should try to find out who is working the machine. That is intelligence, sukhārtha-vivecanam, to see the finer.

The scientist is working, the philosopher is working, not out of his own accord. It is working under the spell of material nature.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

Grossly seeing, that is not intelligence. Oh, man is working; man is living; man is writing books, oh, wonderfully. He is scientist. But what that finer things that at once it is vanished; the scientist becomes fool. No more scientist. Can scientist discover something and place it before his student that "When my body will be stopped, you inject this thing, and I'll come out again." Has scientist discovered this thing? No. If scientist could discover such thing then there would have been no scarcity of scientist. Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, Sir P.C. Raya and so many scientists all over the world, they have discovered very, very... In your country, Edison... They have discovered so many wonderful things. Oh. Then why don't you... O Mr. Scientist, why don't you discover something so that we can keep it as soon as your body will be stopped, and we shall inject this scientific, and you will come out again and work? So this is called intelligence.

The scientist is working, the philosopher is working, not out of his own accord. It is working under the spell of material nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Prakṛti... By nature's law he's working. Why not everybody scientist? Why not everybody? If it is accidental and it is automatic, why there are so many differences? Here is a scientist; here is a fool. Why? Why this distinction? The distinction is made by prakṛti, by nature.

Kṛṣṇa doesn't make your body. You desire. Kṛṣṇa orders māyā, the prakṛti, material nature: "You give him such kind of body. Prakṛti's not working. Prakṛti has given me this body not out of her own accord. Kṛṣṇa has ordered: "Give this person, this living entity, such a body."

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa doesn't make your body. You desire. Kṛṣṇa orders māyā, the prakṛti, material nature: "You give him such kind of body." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Prakṛti's not working. Prakṛti has given me this body not out of her own accord. Kṛṣṇa has ordered: "Give this person, this living entity, such a body." Maybe it is Brahmā's body. Maybe it is ant's body. Maybe it is demigod's body. Maybe it is the body of the worm in the stool. Different kinds. Eight million, four hundred thousand species of body. These bodies, we are getting according to our desire. Because except Kṛṣṇa consciousness desire, all desires are subjected to the material conditions.

And as soon as we get Kṛṣṇa consciousness desire, we get immediately free from this transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you become simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then no more botheration of changing this body. You get your spiritual body, go back to home, back to Godhead.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Śukadeva Gosvāmī, out of his own accord, came, because he knew Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a great king, and great devotee.

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

The test will be at the time of your death. Examination. That is the point of examination. What is the mental state at that time. Difficult job. Therefore we have to practice: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In this way, unconsciously or consciously, if we simply can remember Hare Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. This is a most scientific method. Simply if we can remember... It doesn't require how far we are educated, how far we are scholar, no. Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Etāvaj janma-sāphalyam. Then there is... So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was to die within seven days. Therefore he called for... Not called for. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, out of his own accord, came, because he knew Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a great king, and great devotee. He's, from his childhood... It is described... Just like this child is playing with Deity, Parīkṣit Mahārāja used to play with Deities. We had also the opportunity from our father to play with Deities. So these are great opportunities, to get ideas, good ideas, and training, training. Really, this is the training, this association. Simply by associating, associating with these members, this chanting, regulative chanting, dancing, and taking prasādam, he's being educated. Highly educated. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. One who has learned about the devotional service, then he's to be understood highly educated. That is the recommendation by Prahlāda Mahārāja.

This tape recorder, so long the superior energy is handling, it is giving the desired result. But if you don't handle, if some superior energy, some human being, does not tackle it, it has no value; it is matter only. It is matter. Out of its own accord it cannot act. But if it was made of spirit, then out of his own accord it can play.

Lecture on SB 2.9.13 -- Melbourne, April 12, 1972:

So in the spiritual world there is no need of making mechanical arrangement because everything is spirit. There is no need of mechanical arrangement. That we cannot accommodate with our poor brain at the present moment. But simply try to understand that as we find here superior energy and inferior energy, without the superior energy the inferior energy has no value. This tape recorder, so long the superior energy is handling, it is giving the desired result. But if you don't handle, if some superior energy, some human being, does not tackle it, it has no value; it is matter only. It is matter. Out of its own accord it cannot act. But if it was made of spirit, then out of his own accord it can play. There is no need of handling. Just like if I ask you, "Bring me a glass of water," so immediately the glass of water is here. But if I ask this, "Give me a glass of water," it cannot. That is difference between matter and spirit. So in the spiritual world there is no need of artificial, mechanical arrangement. Everything is living force. That is the difference.

This prakṛti, or the nature, is not working independently. The scientists take it, a platform, that the nature is doing out of its own accord. That is not a very scientific proposal. Anyone knows that nothing takes place automatically unless one living force adjusts the materials.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

So, before claiming oneself as the Supreme, one should consider how he is the Supreme. There are different controllers. And the supreme controller, as is explained by Yamarāja, is one who creates this cosmic manifestation, maintains, and again annihilates. He is the supreme cont... And this is confirmed by Bhagavad-gītā, that this prakṛti, or the nature, is not working independently. The scientists take it, a platform, that the nature is doing out of its own accord. That is not a very scientific proposal. Anyone knows that nothing takes place automatically unless one living force adjusts the materials. The house does not come automatically, although the ingredients are there. It has to be handled by a living entity, and then the house is appearing as one of the product of this material world. Similarly, we have to consider that this big cosmic manifestation is not creation of blunt material energy. No. That is not possible. There must be. How one can deny God? There is no possibility of denying God.

There is injunction that even if the spiritual master forgets to call the brahmacārī—"My dear boy, come and take prasādam,"—oḥ, he'll not touch by his own accord. Because Guru Mahārāja has forgotten to call him, oh, he'll fast on that day.

Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

So brahmacārī, brahmacārī's business is that he will collect, he'll earn everything, but it is for his spiritual master. Everything given. "Sir, I have given you." He doesn't possess anything. This is brahmacārī. Even there is injunction that even if the spiritual master forgets to call the brahmacārī—"My dear boy, come and take prasādam,"—oḥ, he'll not touch by his own accord. Because Guru Mahārāja has forgotten to call him, oh, he'll fast on that day. There are so many restrictions. Of course, in the Vedic scripture... So brahmacārī means that he has no personal profit.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Just like you face the sun, there is no darkness. If you keep the sun back side, there is a big dark, shadow. The shadow is māyā. It has no existence. It is simply impeding the sunshine. Therefore it is shadow. Māyā means which has no existence of its own accord.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

God is never covered by māyā. But God's particles, they are covered by māyā. Jīva is covered by māyā, not God. Māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. Just like you face the sun, there is no darkness. If you keep the sun back side, there is a big dark, shadow. The shadow is māyā. It has no existence. It is simply impeding the sunshine. Therefore it is shadow. Māyā means which has no existence of its own accord. It is also created by the sun, the darkness. Similarly, this avidyā, when you forget Kṛṣṇa, there is avidyā. That is also Kṛṣṇa's creation. Because you want to forget Him, therefore He covers you with avidyā. Avidyā-karma-saṁjñā anyā. Another, another energy of Kṛṣṇa which is known as avidyā, or darkness, covers you. And what is the symptoms, that avidyā? Karma-saṁjñā. Karma-saṁjñā means you have to work hard. Those who are covered by the avidyā, they are working day and night. And actually those who are not covered by avidyā, they are depending on Kṛṣṇa. Actually everyone is depending on Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Whatever you are getting for your sense gratification, that is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. You cannot create anything. But by avidyā, he thinks that "I am creating."

So material nature is not independent. It is a misunderstanding, a wrong conception, that matter is working out of its own accord. Matter has no power to work.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.255-281 -- New York, December 17, 1966:

Now, so far this material creation is concerned, it is said here that "By His material potency, He manifests this material world and unlimited universes within the material world." So nobody should think that the material world has come out of nothing, out of void. No. This is confirmed in all Vedic literature and especially in the Brahma-saṁhitā, and in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). So material nature is not independent. It is a misunderstanding, a wrong conception, that matter is working out of its own accord. Matter has no power to work. It is a jaḍa-rūpā. Jaḍa-rūpā means it has no moving capacity or, what is called, initiative. Matter has no initiative. Therefore matter cannot manifest in such a way without the direction of the Supreme Lord. Māyā-dvāre sṛje teṅho brahmāṇḍera gaṇa. Actually, it is His direction, but material potency is help only. That's all.

Festival Lectures

Officially, I was initiated in 1933, although from 1922 to 1933 I was always thinking of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. So in 1936, he was to pass away by 31st December. So I do not know... Out of my own accord, I wrote him one letter that "Guru Mahārāja, you have got many disciples. Some of them are directly serving you. I could not do so. I am a householder. So if you give me some direct service to you, it will be very kind of you."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

So that was in 1922. Then, in 1923, I left Calcutta on business account, and I started my business at Allahabad. But I was always thinking of my Guru Mahārāja, although I was that time not initiated. But the impression was there. I was thinking, "I met a very nice saintly person." So in this way, I passed from 1923 to 1928, I think. Then during Kumbhamelā... (child making noise) Stop that noise he's making. In 1928 my Guru Mahārāja, along with other disciples, came to Allahabad for starting their branch there. So some gentlemen known to me might have told them that "The proprietor of such and such business, Prayāga Pharmacy, he's a very nice gentleman. He can help you in so many ways." So they came to me, and I saw the same saintly persons whom I met 1922. I was very glad to receive. In this way, my connection was more intimate with my Guru Mahārāja. And in 1936, or 1933, I was initiated officially, although I was initiated 1922. But officially, I was initiated in 1933, although from 1922 to 1933 I was always thinking of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. So in 1936, he was to pass away by 31st December. So I do not know... Out of my own accord, I wrote him one letter that "Guru Mahārāja, you have got many disciples. Some of them are directly serving you. I could not do so. I am a householder. So if you give me some direct service to you, it will be very kind of you." So he replied that letter, that "You try to preach in English language. Then the persons who will be instructed by you and both yourself will be benefited." Again, he said the same thing which he ordered me in 1922 at the first sight. Then there... He passed away 1936, 31st December.

Cornerstone Ceremonies

I must also thank Śrīmatī Cori Ānanda, this young girl. Out of her own accord, she contributed this piece of land so that we can begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in this city.

Foundation Stone Ceremony Speech -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

So I do not wish to take much of your time. It is already late. Kindly take little prasādam, whatever they have arranged, and I thank you very much for your coming in this occasion. And I must also thank Śrīmatī Cori (?) Ānanda, this young girl. Out of her own accord, she contributed this piece of land so that we can begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in this city.

Thank you very much.

General Lectures

If the man has attained that powerful brain out of his own accord, then great powerful brain like Professor Einstein, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, they could create another brain like them so that in their absence there would not have been scarcity of scientist and powerful brain. But they could not do that. Therefore they are not creator of the powerful brain. The powerful brain is gift of the supreme powerful brain.

Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:

If God's creation is so unlimited and so much energetic, then how much energetic and how much powerful is the creator? That is to be... These things are to be thought. In everything, everything, we can have God consciousness. If this watch is so wonderful workmanship and we are struck with wonder how nicely it is giving time, how the machine is adjusted, now, before appreciating this watch, how much we have to appreciate the person who has discovered this watch, how much brain he has got? Before appreciating a powerful brain in this world, one should appreciate who has given him this powerful brain. If the man has attained that powerful brain out of his own accord, then great powerful brain like Professor Einstein, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, they could create another brain like them so that in their absence there would not have been scarcity of scientist and powerful brain. But they could not do that. Therefore they are not creator of the powerful brain. The powerful brain is gift of the supreme powerful brain.

A machine, there is electronics working very wonderfully. But behind that electronic work, there is a great scientist who is pushing the button. It is very simple to understand. Machine is matter. It cannot work out of its own accord. It is working under some spiritual direction.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

Material world means it is being manipulated by the material energy of Kṛṣṇa, prakṛti, nature. Nature means whose nature? As soon as we speak of nature, it must be inquired, "Whose nature?" God's nature. Nature is not acting independently. That is another foolishness. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is clearly said that nature, this material nature is not independent. Just like a foolish man, when he sees that machine is working automatically, machine is not working automatically. There is a driver. A foolish man cannot see behind the machine a driver. That is our defect in vision. A machine, there is electronics working very wonderfully. But behind that electronic work, there is a great scientist who is pushing the button. It is very simple to understand. Machine is matter. It cannot work out of its own accord. It is working under some spiritual direction. Just like this machine, the tape recorder, is working, but it is working under the direction of a living entity, a human being. The machine is all complete, but unless it is manipulated by a spirit soul, it cannot work. Similarly, take it for granted that the whole cosmic manifestation is a great machine, nature. But behind this material nature, there is God, Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

The machine is doing nothing out of his own accord. Somebody is going and pushing the button. Then it will..., the energy is created. Similarly, according to our Vedic knowledge, as soon as God wishes, immediately the energy is set off, set into action, and then other things come automatically.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: One of the theories is that everything comes out of energy.

Prabhupāda: Energy means somebody's energy. I am sitting here, I am pushing one button, the energy is immediately created, and it goes. Just like this telex machine. So somebody is pushing the button.

Karandhara: The energetic.

Prabhupāda: And then energy, immediately produced. Computer machine, the machine is doing nothing out of his own accord. Somebody is going and pushing the button. Then it will..., the energy is created. Similarly, according to our Vedic knowledge, as soon as God wishes, immediately the energy is set off, set into action, and then other things come automatically.

Then if I conclude that most of the people are taking LSD, so to take LSD is my duty. Is that all right? He is vague. This is not philosophy. How a rascal can conclude about his duty? Rascal has to be trained to know what is duty. A rascal cannot conclude out of his own accord that "This is my duty" or "This is the best thing."

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Śyāmasundara: He's not so much talking about what is the duty, but that these two things are what motivate our moral behavior. They are what check and safeguard our moral behavior: one is conscience, or my own sense of duty, whatever that may be.

Prabhupāda: But how you will know it is? He says that one should know whatever his duty. So whatever what is his duty, how he will know it?

Śyāmasundara: Well, that, our duty is that which produces the most good for the most people.

Prabhupāda: This is also vague. This is also vague. There is no definite understanding.

Śyāmasundara: Just like the golden rule, "Do unto others."

Prabhupāda: Then if I conclude that most of the people are taking LSD, so to take LSD is my duty. Is that all right? He is vague. This is not philosophy. How a rascal can conclude about his duty? Rascal has to be trained to know what is duty. A rascal cannot conclude out of his own accord that "This is my duty" or "This is the best thing." Mr. Stuart... What is his name?

Śyāmasundara: John Stuart Mill.

Prabhupāda: John Stuart, he may be able, but it is not possible for ordinary man to know what is duty. The child plays, he does not know that his duty is to study. So parents teach him that "This is your duty. You must go to school. You must learn." So duty is not created by the rascals and fools. Duty is created by higher authority.

Śyāmasundara: He would agree with that also, but here he says that the higher authorities who determine what is duty, that their rationale or their guiding principles should be what is the greatest good for the greatest number, and that should be our duty.

Prabhupāda: Then how he suggests that a man should know his duty, like that? Then he has to approach that greatest authority. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That is our philosophy. In order to know our duty, in order to know what is knowledge, we must approach a guru. Gurum evābhigacchet. We must, eva, certainly.

Śyāmasundara: His guiding principle for that, to determine what is the greatest good for the greatest number, is the golden rule of the Christians, "Do unto others as you..."

Prabhupāda: That means you have to approach Christ through... One cannot determine himself. Golden rules of Christianity means that he has to abide by the orders of Christ. That is superior authority.

So he says the nature is rational. Nature is dead matter. How it can be rational? Therefore there is a rational being behind the nature. That is God. This, the wood, is dead. The wood, out of its own accord, cannot become a table.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Hayagrīva: When Huxley became a Darwinist he rejected a supernatural God and the Bible. In For Argument from Design... He believed in, previously he believed in a Christian God as the designer, but he believed that Darwin's theory gave this Christian conception its death blow. He did not accept a pantheistic God, like Spinoza did, as being identical... Excuse me. He did accept a pantheistic God, like Spinoza did, as being identical with nature. That is, he saw God as nature, and he believed in the divine government of the universe. He believed that the cosmic process is rational, not random...

Prabhupāda: How it becomes rational?

Hayagrīva: ...but he rejected a personal God concerned with morality.

Prabhupāda: That is his defect. The nature is dead body, matter. So how it can be rational? Just like this table is a dead wood. How it can be rational? That is nonsense. The carpenter is rational, who has made the wood in the shape. So he says the nature is rational. Nature is dead matter. How it can be rational? Therefore there is a rational being behind the nature. That is God. This, the wood, is dead. The wood, out of its own accord, cannot become a table. The carpenter is shaping the wood into table. That is rational. Therefore behind the dead nature, the rational being is God. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. I think Mr. Huxley is supposed to have read..., understand he has given some comment on the Ramakrishna Mission Bhagavad-gītā, but he has not studied Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly.