Payah-panam bhujanganam... cited

Expressions researched:
"Murkhayo" |"Murkhayopadeso" |"Payah-panam bhujanganam" |"Prakopayati na samayati" |"prakopaya na santaye" |"prakopayati"

SB Canto 4

According to one's association with the material qualities, one develops a certain type of character. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānām: if one feeds a serpent milk, the snake will simply increase his venom.

SB 4.18.22, Translation and Purport:

Thereafter cobras and snakes without hoods, large snakes, scorpions and many other poisonous animals took poison out of the planet earth as their milk and kept this poison in snake holes. They made a calf out of Takṣaka.

Within this material world there are various types of living entities, and the different types of reptiles and scorpions mentioned in this verse are also provided with their sustenance by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The point is that everyone is taking his eatables from the planet earth. According to one's association with the material qualities, one develops a certain type of character. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānām: if one feeds a serpent milk, the snake will simply increase his venom. However, if one supplies milk to a talented sage or saint, the sage will develop finer brain tissues by which he can contemplate higher, spiritual life. Thus the Lord is supplying everyone food, but according to the living entity's association with the modes of material nature, the living entity develops his specific character.

It is said: upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish rascal, he simply becomes angry and turns against the instructions instead of taking advantage of them.

SB 4.25.9, Purport:

Foolish persons accept the difficult path of karma-kāṇḍa for the sake of sense enjoyment, and those who are too much attached to sense enjoyment are called mūḍhas (rascals). It is very difficult for a mūḍha to understand the ultimate goal of life. In the propagation of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we actually see that many people are not attracted because they are mūḍhas engaged in fruitive activity. It is said: upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish rascal, he simply becomes angry and turns against the instructions instead of taking advantage of them. Because Nārada Muni knew this very well, he indirectly instructed the King by giving him the history of his entire life. In order to wear a gold or diamond nose pin or earring, one has to pierce the ear or nose. Such pain endured for the sake of sense gratification is endured on the path of karma-kāṇḍa, the path of fruitive activity. If one wishes to enjoy something in the future, he has to endure trouble in the present. If one wants to become a millionaire in the future and enjoy his riches, he has to work very hard at the present moment in order to accumulate money. This is karma-kāṇḍīya. Those who are too much attached to such a path undergo the risk anyway. Nārada Muni wanted to show King Prācīnabarhiṣat how one undergoes great troubles and miseries in order to engage in fruitive activity. A person who is very much attached to material activity is called viṣayī. A viṣayī is an enjoyer of viṣaya, which means eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Nārada Muni is indirectly indicating through the story of King Purañjana that eating, sleeping, mating and defending are troublesome and risky.

SB Canto 7

It is said in Hitopadeśa, upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish person, he does not take advantage of them, but becomes more and more angry.

SB 7.8.11, Translation and Purport:

Hiraṇyakaśipu replied: You rascal, you are trying to minimize my value, as if you were better than me at controlling the senses. This is over-intelligent. I can therefore understand that you desire to die at my hands, for this kind of nonsensical talk is indulged in by those about to die.

It is said in Hitopadeśa, upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish person, he does not take advantage of them, but becomes more and more angry. Prahlāda Mahārāja's authorized instructions to his father were not accepted by Hiraṇyakaśipu as truth; instead Hiraṇyakaśipu became increasingly angry at his great son, who was a pure devotee. This kind of difficulty always exists when a devotee preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness to persons like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who are interested in money and women. (The word hiraṇya means "gold," and kaśipu refers to cushions or good bedding.) Moreover, a father does not like to be instructed by his son, especially if the father is a demon. Prahlāda Mahārāja's Vaiṣṇava preaching to his demoniac father was indirectly effective, for because of Hiraṇyakaśipu's excessive jealousy of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, he was inviting Nṛsiṁhadeva to kill him very quickly. Thus he was expediting his being killed by the Lord Himself. Although Hiraṇyakaśipu was a demon, he is described here by the added word śrī. Why? The answer is that fortunately he had such a great devotee son as Prahlāda Mahārāja. Thus although he was a demon, he would attain salvation and return home, back to Godhead.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

There was no need to give good instructions to Kaṁsa. Upadeśo hi murkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). If a foolish person is given good instructions, he becomes more and more angry.

SB 10.4.5, Translation and Purport:

My dear brother, by the influence of destiny you have already killed many babies, each of them as bright and beautiful as fire. But kindly spare this daughter. Give her to me as your gift.

Here we see that Devakī first focused Kaṁsa's attention on his atrocious activities, his killing of her many sons. Then she wanted to compromise with him by saying that whatever he had done was not his fault, but was ordained by destiny. Then she appealed to him to give her the daughter as a gift. Devakī was the daughter of a kṣatriya and knew how to play the political game. In politics there are different methods of achieving success: first repression (dama), then compromise (sāma), and then asking for a gift (dāna). Devakī first adopted the policy of repression by directly attacking Kaṁsa for having cruelly, atrociously killed her babies. Then she compromised by saying that this was not his fault, and then she begged for a gift. As we learn from the history of the Mahābhārata, or "Greater India," the wives and daughters of the ruling class, the kṣatriyas, knew the political game, but we never find that a woman was given the post of chief executive. This is in accordance with the injunctions of Manu-saṁhitā, but unfortunately Manu-saṁhitā is now being insulted, and the Āryans, the members of Vedic society, cannot do anything. Such is the nature of Kali-yuga.

Nothing happens unless ordained by destiny.

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ

tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ

kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā

(SB 1.5.18)

Devakī knew very well that because the killing of her many children had been ordained by destiny, Kaṁsa was not to be blamed. There was no need to give good instructions to Kaṁsa. Upadeśo hi murkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). If a foolish person is given good instructions, he becomes more and more angry. Moreover, a cruel person is more dangerous than a snake. A snake and a cruel person are both cruel, but a cruel person is more dangerous because although a snake can be charmed by mantras or subdued by herbs, a cruel person cannot be subdued by any means. Such was the nature of Kaṁsa.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

If I say, "Birla, Mr. Birla, you are not proprietor, Kṛṣṇa is proprietor. So whatever money you have got spend for Kṛṣṇa," he'll be angry. Mūrkha upadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye.

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Out of ignorance one commits lawbreaking. So ignorance is not bliss, but it is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss. That is the difficulty, our. The whole world is enjoying ignorance, and when we say about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not very much appreciate. If I say, "Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, you are not proprietor," he'll not be very much satisfied. (laughs) Just see, ignorance is bliss. So it is my foolishness to say the real truth. Therefore this is, it is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss. So we are taking the risk to offend people because they'll think we are fools. If I say, "Birla, Mr. Birla, you are not proprietor, Kṛṣṇa is proprietor. So whatever money you have got spend for Kṛṣṇa," he'll be angry. Mūrkha upadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If you instruct a rascal, he'll be angry. Therefore we go as beggar. "My dear Mr. Birla, you are very rich man. I am sannyāsī beggar. So I want to construct a temple if you spare some money." So he'll be, "Oh, here is a beggar, give him some money." (laughter) But if I say "Mr. Birla, you have got millions of dollars at your disposal. That is Kṛṣṇa's money. Give it to me. I am Kṛṣṇa's servant." Oh, he will... (laughter) He'll not be very satisfied. Rather, if I go as a beggar, he would give something, and if I tell him the truth, he'll not give me a farthing. Therefore we take this beggar's dress. We are not beggar. We cheat him as beggar. We are not beggar. We are Kṛṣṇa's servant, we are not beggar. We don't want anything from anyone. Because we know Kṛṣṇa will provide everything.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

If you give some lessons to the rascal, he becomes angry. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam.

Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you are member?

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then... (break) ...We have not very many followers because we disagree with all rascals. We are not rascal. (break) Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na sāntāya (?). Mūrkha upadeśa... (Hindi) If you give some lessons to the rascal, he becomes angry. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. If you ask a serpent, "Sir, you don't bite anyone, you take your here, milk, (indistinct)," the result will be he'll increase his venomous poison, and one day—"Phansss." (Sound imitating biting) You know the story? The kuta..., (?) the wood-cutter and the snake. He found a snake... Snake, if it is not killed, then if you simply beat and becomes dead, again he revives life. You know that?

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: By air. So somebody killed, but he did not cut or burn. So he again, into life. So a wood-cutter, what is called? Who cuts trees and wood? He felt sympathetic. He took away the snake and kept at home and gave him some milk. So one day, when he was strong. (makes hissing sound) So he thought, "Oh, I gave you life, I gave you milk, and now you are trying to attack me?" He cut into pieces. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). When Prahlāda Mahārāja's father was killed by Hiraṇya, I mean to say, Nṛsiṁhadeva, Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed, "Sir, You reduce Your anger now. Nobody is displeased with You because my father was just like a scorpion and snake, and when a scorpion and snake is killed, nobody's unhappy. So nobody is unhappy. Your action is not decried by anyone. Please now become in Your sense."

Foolishness means mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakipaya na śāntaye . Mūrkha, a rascal, if you give him good advice, he'll be angry.

Morning Walk -- December 7, 1973, Los Angeles:

Dr. Wolfe: But they say they try and try again.

Prabhupāda: No, try, how? How can you? You are diseased person. Suppose you are suffering from cataract disease. So you can try, try, try, try. Will you be cured? You'll never be cured. You must go to a physician. He'll operate, surgical operation. Then there is chance of seeing. You cannot, trying, trying, trying, trying. Then you go on trying, but you'll never be cured.

Dr. Wolfe: But that is just what they do not want to accept.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is foolishness. That is foolishness. They do not take good advice. That is foolishness. Foolishness means mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakipaya na śāntaye (?). Mūrkha, a rascal, if you give him good advice, he'll be angry. Just like a serpent, if you bring the serpent and if you tell the serpent, "My dear friend serpent, you live with me. I shall give you daily nice food, milk and banana. You'll be very pleased." So the result will be that his poison will increase. One day he'll say, "Phaḥ! Phaḥ!" (laughter) So these rascals are like that.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they won't give up hopes. They are always hopeful.

Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. Their hopes are being frustrated every moment; still, they are hoping. That is foolishness.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The rascals, fools, if you give them good lessons, education, they will be angry. Prakopayati na śamayati.

Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Otherwise, they are little animals with four hand, two legs, two hand, hand animals. That's all. Yes. Rejected them. Vedic civilization rejected them, mlecchas and yavanas. But they can be reformed. The process is the same. Not that because they are rejected, they cannot be reclaimed. They can be reclaimed also. Just like you are being done. Although you are coming from the mlecchas and yavanas, by training, you are becoming more than a brāhmaṇa. So there is no bar for them. Unfortunately, these rascals do not agree to accept. As soon as you say, "No more illicit sex," oh, they become angry. As soon as I say, "There is no meat-eating," they become angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamayati (?). The rascals, fools, if you give them good lessons, education, they will be angry. Prakopayati na śamayati. Payaḥ pānaṁ bhujaṅgānām (?). The snake, if you give him nice milk and banana, the result will be he will increase his poison. Payaḥ pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. But Kṛṣṇa's grace, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace, they are being now trained up. Now you be trained up and revise the whole edition of the western civilization, especially in America. Then a new chapter will come in. This is the program. Therefore varṇāśrama school required.

Hṛdayānanda: So Prabhupāda, in this varṇāśrama college, is it true that there will be no need, for example, for teaching material history and mathematics and...?

Prabhupāda: No, there is no need. History, we simply read Mahābhārata, history of the great men, Pāṇḍavas, how they were fighting for the good cause, how they were reigning. That history. Not this rascal history. If you study that history millions of years, what is that history and what you'll learn from that history? You learn history of the really great men, how they worked, how they ruled. That is a... You study history of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.

Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamayati. Just like a snake. You feed the snake with milk. It will increase the poison. That's all.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:

Devotee: It seems that people are so attached to sense gratification, if we tell them we want to stop all these facilities for drinking, cinema, women, like that, they become angry.

Prabhupāda: So that, that is natural. If you give good instruction to a rascal, he'll be angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamayati (?). Mūrkha, a rascal, if you give him good instruction... But give him practical. "Come here. Sit down. Take prasādam. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And help me by doing this." In this way you have to... Just like a child. Child does not want to go to school, but some, by... Find out some means so that he'll be induced. That is intelligence. He'll be angry, naturally. He's a rascal. He'll be angry. That is not unnatural. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamayati (?). Just like a snake. You feed the snake with milk. It will increase the poison. That's all. Practically attract. Practically attract. That is the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement will practically attract the people. If the world affairs are adjusted according to our Kṛṣṇa conscious plan, there will be no difficulty for all the nations, all the countries. They will be happy. So we have to educate people gradually. And by our example, living example, we'll have to attract. (pause) Local people: (calling out in distance) Harilāljī! Harilāljī! Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. At least they are remembering Harilāljī by seeing us. So much benefit was in that. Eh?

Blind men have become the leader of the blind men. That is the difficulty. And if you want to open their eyes, they will say, "No sanction for temple. Get out." Murkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati. This is the position.

Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: They have got so many women outside, and some of them want every day new one. All sorts of rascals they are. (break) Raja should rule, and not these...

Prabhupāda: Asaṁskṛtāḥ kriyā-hīnāḥ. Dr. Patel: (indistinct) Prabhupāda: Everyone, all people, not only the ministers. Dr. Patel: But yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad itaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). Prabhupāda: Yes. And they have become śreṣṭha. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Blind men have become the leader of the blind men. That is the difficulty. And if you want to open their eyes, they will say, "No sanction for temple. Get out." Murkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati (?). This is the position. Bhava-bhūti: It's an excellent preaching point, Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda: Eh? Bhava-bhūti: Christianity was taught to the publicans and the beggars, but Kṛṣṇa taught originally bhakti-yoga to the kings. Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they were cultured.

If I say that "You rascal, you are doing all, simply wasting your time," he will not be... Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya.

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ah. "And those who have no faith in bhakti-yoga, they do not get me. They simply labor." That's all. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). They are wasting time. That's all. As soon as we say, the time wasters, they become angry, "Oh, why you are saying? Don't criticize others." But if we say... (Hindi:) Satya bole ta mare latha (laughter) suta jagalda.(?) If you bluff, "Oh, you are doing very nice, you are doing very nice," oh, he will be very pleased. And if I say that "You rascal, you are doing all, simply wasting your time," he will not be... Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya.

The demonic person does not accept any good lesson. Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. Because he is foolish, if you give him good advice, he will be angry. Still, we have to do that.

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: "Unless we have a particular type of body, we cannot enjoy or suffer according to our mental proclivities inherited from the previous life." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...another example. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. It is said that this living entity is untouched by this material body. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. So the example is given that the moon reflected on water appears to be moving, but moon is separate from that movement. (Hindi) Go on. (Hindi) (break) ...good example. Unnecessarily he thinks that "I belong to this country, I belong to this society." That means he creates another body. And if he knows perfectly well that "I do not belong to any of these bodies," that is brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). That teaching required, that every being is unattached to this body. Therefore yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape... Anyone who is maintaining himself under bodily concept of life, he is no better than the animals. (break) The demonic person does not accept any good lesson. Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. Because he is foolish, if you give him good advice, he will be angry. Still, we have to do that.

A mūrkha, a rascal, when he is given good advice, he becomes angry. He becomes angry. He does not take for solution of the problem, but he becomes angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam.

Morning Walk at Villa Borghese -- May 25, 1974, Rome:

Bhagavān: To accept our way, though, they think "That means I have been totally wrong." And they have so much pride that they don't want to change it.

Prabhupāda: That is their misfortune. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati (?). A mūrkha, a rascal, when he is given good advice, he becomes angry. He becomes angry. He does not take for solution of the problem, but he becomes angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam (?). Because they are miscreants, like snakes, if you give him milk, his poison will increase. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam.

Yogeśvara: When I was at the university, there were two kinds of strikes. One was by the students and the other one was by the professors.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) And what about the clerks? They also strike sometimes.

Yogeśvara: They took advantage of the two.

Prabhupāda: Everyone dissatisfied—that's a fact. This is a bad civilization.

Yes. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na...

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1974, Rome:

Satsvarūpa: They are so ignorant that...

Prabhupāda: An animal is always ignorant.

Satsvarūpa: When we stress on this point, they become very shocked that we talk like this.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na...(?)

Satsvarūpa: "You are calling us animals?"

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are animals. Yes. If they are sensible, they can understand, now, what is the difference. A dog is thinking, "I am very stout and strong dog." He has, on the basis of his body. And another man, a big American, thinks, "We are very big nation, powerful nation." So what is the difference between these? The basic principle is there, the bodily consciousness. Therefore it is animalism. Is it not? The basic principle has not changed. Suppose a pickpocket... The same story, Alexander the Great and the thief. He was arrested, and when he convinced him that "What is the difference between you and me? You have got good military strength. You are conquering. And I have got my knife and another thing. I am just going and plundering. So you are also plundering, I am plundering. Why you have caught me? What right you have got to punish me? Because we are the same. You are doing in a larger scale, I am doing in a small scale. That is the difference." So he was set free, "Yes." Alexander the Great, he was sensible man, "Yes, what I am doing? The same thing in a bigger scale that's all." So these rascal, actually, they are animals, but they are declaring advancement. What advancement? The same thing: eating, sleeping, sex and defending. That is animal... The dogs also do like that. They also eat, they also sleep, they have sex life. Now they are coming to the dog's life. A dog, just like street, they have sex life. They are coming, advance. This is advancement, that "We have become now pure dog. So long it was hidden, now we are open." This is the civilization, animal civilization.

Very, very, big, big building and advancement, but all rascals and fools. Fool's paradise. And if you call a fool a fool, he'll be angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati.

Morning Walk -- June 17, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: Everything is worst. Sinful is sinful. Disease is disease. This body, either it is living or it is dead, it is not very important thing. Now see. And the whole world is after this body. Kṛṣṇa says, "The body, either dead or alive, it is not a subject matter for serious consideration." Now see. And what the world is going on? Simply for bodily... Body means senses. It is very difficult to the, for the western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul and then consideration of importance. This is their position. And if one cannot understand what is soul, what he will understand about God? Soul is a minute particle of God. If one cannot understand about this minute particle, then what he'll understand of the Supreme? In the laboratory, if you can test a little sample, just like take a little sea water, analyze, you chemically test, then you can understand what is the composition of the sea water. But if you have no knowledge even a small drop of sea water, how you'll understand the sea, what... That is their position. They do not understand even the sample of spirit soul, as we are. Simply they are trying to cover it. "There is no soul. There is no soul. Life is generated from matter." Although they cannot prove it. A fool's paradise. The fools, rascals, they are explaining the living force in some way, and other fools are accepting. This is the position of western countries, Europe and America. It is a fool's paradise. It is paradise, certainly. Very, very, big, big building and advancement, but all rascals and fools. Fool's paradise. (pause) And if you call a fool a fool, he'll be angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati (?). (pause) (break) ...so many, so much production, but if nature's law can stop this production, then the question of over-population. If the nature likes, it can produce three times, four times this production. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). After all, nature is producing. We do not know how to deal with nature. Therefore there is scarcity, and we say, "over-population." There is no question of over-population. There are so many hundreds and thousands of birds within this forest, other animals. They have no problems of over-population.

If you advise rascals, they'll be angry. No good result. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye, payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. So we have to become very strong preacher.

Morning Walk -- July 9, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Now if they say that the killing means murdering, that means the people amongst whom Christ was preaching, they were accustomed to kill men. So what class of men they were? What was the society? A society of murderers. So what they will understand about religion, a murderer? (pause) So go further or return?

Jayatīrtha: We should probably turn around now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (pause) If you're preaching honesty to a thief, you have to be careful that he's not stealing your watch in the meantime.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayatīrtha: If you're preaching honesty to a thief, he may steal your watch. So Jesus was trying to teach religion to murderers, so they murdered him.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. (aside:) Don't come very near. If you advise rascals, they'll be angry. No good result. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye, payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. So we have to become very strong preacher. Then this movement will stay. If you simply take the temple worship, it will not stay very long. Just like...

Hṛdayānanda: Especially the leaders must preach.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

So this bluffing is going on all over the world, and we are speaking just against them. Murkhayopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye.

Morning Walk -- May 13, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Nescience, yes. That is pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Pravṛtti means sense enjoyment. And nivṛtti means self-negation. So when we say that "You shall not have illicit sex," and their inclination is illicit sex, so therefore it is revolutionary. They are materialistic persons. They want sex enjoyment to the best capacity-homosex, this sex, that sex, naked dance, all sexually inclined, pravṛtti. And we say, "Stop this," nivṛtti. They do not like it because āsura. Pravṛtti jagat. They do not know this is essential. They do not know it. This is essential. Tapasā brahmacaryena (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya means brahmacarya. The so-called swamis, they are coming for this so-called yoga practice and..., but they are themself victim of sex. This is going on. Actually, it is a bluff—they have become swami and teaching some yoga system—because they do not know that one has to stop this first of all. Brahmacaryena. So this bluffing is going on all over the world, and we are speaking just against them. Murkhayopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If you give instruction to the rascals, he will simply be angry. He will not take advantage of it. This is our position. All the so-called professors, philosophers, they are all in the pravṛtti-mārga. Therefore they are bringing somebody, "Our interpretation is like this." Pravṛtti-mārga. Because if they can find out some support from the śāstra, then they think, "We are secure." This is going on. Pravṛttim ca nivṛttim janā na vidur āsurāḥ. The whole world is full of asuras, descendant of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and it is very difficult. But if we give them chance to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, gradually they will understand. (pause) Our difficulty: the so-called swamis, priests, popes, they are also in the pravṛtti-mārga. All these, priests, and they have illicit sex. Pravṛtti-mārga. So they are passing, "Yes, you can have homosex with man." They are getting man-to-man marriage. You know? They are performing the marriage ceremony between man to man in the open church. What class of men they are? And they are priest. Just see. Such degraded persons, drinking... They have got hospital for curing their drinking disease. Five thousand patients in a hospital in America, all drunkards, and they are priest. Just see.

Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If there is a serpent, if you advise him, "Please do not kill; be gentleman," will be become? Snake. Snake will kill, unnecessarily bite and kill.

Morning Walk -- May 23, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No one can see them. That means they are not suffering? (laughter) Just see how foolish persons.

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this morning we have seen already a reaction is coming about against the killing of unborn children. There is one big poster that is being put up by a protest group which says, "The Queen Victoria Hospital kills unborn babies. Protest now," like this. So there is, I think, it's the Right to Life Movement in Victoria here that is fighting against this abortion activity.

Prabhupāda: But they are so sinful that they are unable to carry out. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If there is a serpent, if you advise him, "Please do not kill; be gentleman," will be become? Snake. Snake will kill, unnecessarily bite and kill. Sarpaḥ krūraḥ khalaḥ krūraḥ sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ: "There are two envious living entities. One is the serpent and other is the envious man. So the envious man is more dangerous than the serpent." Why? Now, the serpent can be charmed by drugs and by mantra, but this man cannot be charmed. So this advice will not act. They are so dangerous than the serpent.

...angry first of all because mūrkhāyo 'padeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye: "If you give good intelligence to the fools and rascals, they will be angry." But still, you have to do it.

Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: This is the idea.

Sudāmā: And they even indicate, Prabhupāda, on the advertisements that smoking is hazardous for the health.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...for money, the money which will push them to hell. This is their intelligence. We have to give them intelligence, open their eyes. (break) ...angry first of all because mūrkhāyo 'padeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye: "If you give good intelligence to the fools and rascals, they will be angry." But still, you have to do it. Just like when Nityānanda Prabhu went to Jagāi-Mādhāi to deliver them, they became angry and injured. So that is preacher. These rascals will be angry, will sometimes do harm to you, and still, you have to do it. That is preaching. Are you understanding what is preaching? Yes. You have to prepare like that. At all risk you have to preach. (break) ...world is full of rascals, and you have to educate them. So according to one's capacity let them preach, prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. But everyone can preach to some extent. There is no hindrance.

The example is given that if you give milk and banana to the serpent, he increases his poison. Payaḥ-panaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Therefore we have to select sometimes that our preaching is in the proper place.

Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His question is whether is it due to our impurity that we cannot convince people to stop cutting their throats.

Prabhupāda: No, it is due to their impurity, they do not take. What you are saying, that is pure. But the difficulty is if you instruct a rascal, he becomes angry. The example is given that if you give milk and banana to the serpent, he increases his poison. Payaḥ-panaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Therefore we have to select sometimes that our preaching is in the proper place. Because a snake-like person, they will not hear. But if you are a good charmer, you can charm the snake also. (laughter) That depends on your quality. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu did. He made these snakes, the tigers, the elephants, all dancing Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is possible by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujanganam kevalaṁ visa-vardhanam: "Just like the serpent, rascal. If you give him milk, he'll drink it and increase his poison." That's it. The result will be he will increase his poison.

Morning Walk -- October 26, 1975, Mauritius:

Brahmānanda: Yeah, they are able to analyze, and they also have the chemicals.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: So what is the problem?

Prabhupāda: What is the problem? But still, these rascals will say that he is right. You see? He cannot even analyze properly, and still he is obstinate; he is right. This rascaldom is going on. And if we say "rascal," they are angry. Murkhayopadeṣo hi prakopaya na śanti...: "To a rascal, if you give the right instruction, they will be simply angry." That's all. Not pacification, they will be angry. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujanganam kevalaṁ visa-vardhanam: "Just like the serpent, rascal. If you give him milk, he'll drink it and increase his poison." That's it. The result will be he will increase his poison. Better to keep them starvation. Therefore everyone, as soon as one sees the serpent, immediately kills. No consideration. "Here is a serpent. Kill him." Similarly, immediately we see the scientists, kill. (laughter) That is the only proccess. So-called scientists. So do you agree, Harikeśa, for kicking on the face of these rascals or not?

Harikeśa: Yes.

Murkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śanta...: To give good instruction to a fool rascal will increase his anger, that's all." Then you'll not be able to preach. So you have to become very humble, tṛṇād api sunīcena, humbler than the grass.

Morning Walk -- October 28, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: So we should preach like this, any rascal, because anyone who has no information of Kṛṣṇa, who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a rascal. That's all. That we must know. That is definite. There is no mistaking it. But if you say that "You are rascal. There is no mistaking it," then you cannot preach. If you directly call a rascal a rascal, he'll be angry. Murkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śanta...: To give good instruction to a fool rascal will increase his anger, that's all." Then you'll not be able to preach. So you have to become very humble, tṛṇād api sunīcena, humbler than the grass. Just like everyone is trampling over the grass. It doesn't protest, "Why you are going, keeping your leg on my head?" But that is the... Tṛṇād api sunīcena. Go on trampling. Hundreds' and hundreds' people are trampling over the grass; they don't protest. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. The tree is standing. You sit down. When there is scorching heat, you take pleasure by sitting down under the shade. But the reward is that you cut the branches. That is their reward. He gives you shelter, and you cut the branch. You cut the whole tree. This is your gratefulness. You see? Because we are rascals, we do not know what is gratefulness. They are taking milk from the cow and killing. This is our proposal. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises, taror api sahiṣṇunā-tolerant, humbler than the grass. Amāninā mānadena. Don't expect any honor for your person, but to the others give honor: "Oh, you are most exalted person," although he's a rascal. What can be done? Otherwise you cannot preach.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam: "If you give milk and banana to a snake, you simply increase his poison." One day he will come-(growls). You see? "I have given you milk and you..." "Yes, that is my nature. Yes. You give me milk, and I am prepared to kill you." This is mūḍha.

Morning Walk -- January 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Still, if you say, "You are mūḍha," they become angry. Such mūḍhas, rascals, they are in the government service. And if you say that "You are mūḍhas," he becomes angry. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye: "If a mūḍha is advised nice instruction, he becomes angry." He does not take it. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam: "If you give milk and banana to a snake, you simply increase his poison." One day he will come-(growls). You see? "I have given you milk and you..." "Yes, that is my nature. Yes. You give me milk, and I am prepared to kill you." This is mūḍha. We have to kill this civilization of mūḍhas. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Those who are actually human being, you have to give them Kṛṣṇa. And those who are mūḍhas, we have to kill them. This is our business. Kill all the mūḍhas and give Kṛṣṇa to the sane man. Yes. That will prove that you are really Kṛṣṇa's. We are not nonviolent. We are violent to the mūḍhas.

So payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. If you give milk to a human child he'll grow healthy, and the same milk you give to a serpent child, it will grow poison. One day he'll: "Ohnn!" He'll ready to bite you. You have given milk, it has increased poison, and it will show his fangs, hood. That is asura.

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is, means they are rascal. When there is argument between you and me, if one becomes angry, that means he's a rascal. That is the proof. He cannot reply anymore. He has become angry. That is his defeat. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. Mūrkha, a rascal is given good instruction, he'll be angry. So that is the proof that he's rascal. That is the proof. The example is given, payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Just like if you give milk, very nourishing food, to a human being, he'll get strength, but if you give to a snake, it will increase poison. So that is the proof that here is a snake. So payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. If you give milk to a human child he'll grow healthy, and the same milk you give to a serpent child, it will grow poison. One day he'll: "Ohnn!" He'll ready to bite you. You have given milk, it has increased poison, and it will show his fangs, hood. That is asura. So therefore they become snakes, scorpion, so low-grade life. Snake life is so degraded that at once you see a snake, immediately every one of us will be ready to kill it. Everyone, without any mercy. Nobody will say, "No, no, let this go." So he is put into that life that he cannot come in the light. As soon as he comes in the vision of somebody, everyone is ready to kill. And nobody is sorry. Nobody is sorry. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Even one is saintly person, he'll be satisfied if a snake is killed. Saintly person doesn't want that anyone should be killed, but if a snake is killed, he's happy: "Oh, you have done right." Modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "My father is killed; nobody is unhappy. (laughter) Nobody is unhappy. But he was just like a snake and scorpion. Now You be satisfied. There is no cause of becoming angry. Everyone is satisfied."

It is very simple for me. And they will say, "Huh! What is this nonsense Kṛṣṇa? We have seen this Kṛṣṇa. Now we have got this leader." This is the problem. Upadeṣo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is the difficulty. Our knowledge... Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ. So who can be more śreṣṭha than Kṛṣṇa? Than Vyāsadeva, Nārada, the ācāryas? But they will not follow. They will manufacture some idea. That is the difficulty in India at the present moment. Some upstart leaders, they have misled them. That is the difficulty. And we are poor fellows. If we say the right thing, they'll not take it.

Guest (1): Not only take it but they'll ridicule and say that something has gone wrong somewhere.

Prabhupāda: They'll not take it: "No! What is this Swamiji...? Mahatma Gandhi says this and this... Tilak says this, this, that." And if we say that they are wrong, then people will criticize, "Oh, he has become more than..." This is the difficulty. We don't say anything except what is said by the great personalities that are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So I am not saying anything of my own manufacture. I am simply saying what Kṛṣṇa has said. But they will reject that. I say that Kṛṣṇa says that you become a Kṛṣṇa's devotee. It is very simple for me. And they will say, "Huh! What is this nonsense Kṛṣṇa? We have seen this Kṛṣṇa. Now we have got this leader." This is the problem. Upadeṣo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Now, if you speak the straight truth they'll be angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi. But this is fact.

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Anything apart from this, they're all rascaldom. Bas. That is again confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Vidyā-madhye kṛṣṇa... What is that?

Satsvarūpa: Kon vidyā vidyā-madhye sāra, rāya kahe-kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā vidyā nāhi āra.

Prabhupāda: Āra. So these things will be accepted by kṛṣṇa-bhakta, etaj jñānam. So whatever Kṛṣṇa has said, that is knowledge, vidyā. Everything nonsense. Therefore so boldly we say, "All rascaldom." Never mind. That's a fact. That is a fact. Anyone... Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Anyone who is not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, bhagavad-bhakta-useless. Jaḍa-bidyā jato māyāra vaibhava, jībake karaye gādhā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said. By this so-called material education, one is already gādhā, go-khara, dehātma-buddhi, and he becomes still more, another staunch gādhā. Now, if you speak the straight truth they'll be angry. Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi. But this is fact.

Jayapatākā: You can speak, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I speak. I said in Melbourne, "United Nations is association of barking dogs."

Jayapatākā: You have that expert quality.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I cannot check myself.

Mūrkhāṇām upadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. "If you try to advise rascal, he'll be angry."

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have to educate them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, lokasya ajānataḥ. The rascal people, they do not know how life is going on, and they are creating anarthas. Therefore vidvān, Vyāsadeva, vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. So this is the position. Mūrkhāṇām upadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. "If you try to advise rascal, he'll be angry."

upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ

prakopāya na śāntaye

payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ

kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam

So this is the position. Still, we have to do our business. What can be done? Difficult task. Therefore, if you want to please Kṛṣṇa very quickly, you should struggle for preaching.

Simply manufacturing concoction and jumping like a... That's all. And if you say the real thing, upadeṣo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye, they'll become angry.

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Why this put-put motorcar, you have come here? Go on. Go on. Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow!" But who has given him charge? But he's starving, and people are throwing stone upon him, but he's thinking "I am in charge of this business. Why at night this car has come?" Dog mentality. Is it not exactly like the dog? He's disturbing all others—"Gow, gow! Gow, gow, gow!"—but he's thinking that "I am in charge." Is it not dog dancing, these politicians, politics? Who cares for you? Gandhi or there, he has gone. Does it mean the world activities stop? Churchill was there. He has gone. Hitler was there. They are coming and going like so many insects. Napoleon was there. Who cares for them? We are licking up their so-called activities: "Oh, Napoleon was so great. Gandhi was so great." And what he has done? The dog dancing. Who can understand that unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious? What he has done actually? Has he stopped death? No. Population, birth, sterilization... Will they be able to stop it? Simply manufacturing concoction and jumping like a... That's all. And if you say the real thing, upadeṣo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye, they'll become angry.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Because if you are not acting nicely, and if I say that "You are not acting nicely," you'll be angry. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. Because if one is actually brāhmaṇa, he must act as a brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

So here Kṛṣṇa is pointing out that "As a kṣatriya you must follow your principle, kṣatriya principle." What is kṣatriya principle? Kṣatriya principle is that dharmyāddhi yuddhāt, dharmyāddhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat kṣatriyasya na vidyate. Kṣatriya must be always prepared, and if required, to fight also, whether people are keeping their own principle of religion. That is kṣatriya's duty. He, if (a) brāhmaṇa is bluffing people, that "I am brāhmaṇa," but he is acting as a śūdra, immediately kṣatriya should point out and offer him fight, "Why you are cheating people? Why you are cheating people?" Similarly, a kṣatriya is declaring himself that "I am kṣatriya," but he's acting as a śūdra, it is the kṣatriya's or the government's duty, that, "Why you are cheating people?" So a kṣatriya's business is always prepared to fight. Fight means that to see that everyone is acting nicely. Because if you are not acting nicely, and if I say that "You are not acting nicely," you'll be angry. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. Because if one is actually brāhmaṇa, he must act as a brāhmaṇa. So if somebody says that "You are declaring yourself as brāhmaṇa but you are not following the brāhmaṇa principle," he will be angry. But a kṣatriya's duty is that if he is angry, he should be punished immediately. He should be punished immediately. Kṣatriya's yuddhāc, dharmyāddhi yuddhāt. He should challenge. Challenging means yuddha, fight.

Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. So the miscreants and sinful, they cannot realize unless they are in good association and blessed.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Guest: When people realize, when there's no more butter will people realize they've made a mistake or will they get attached to something else?

Prabhupāda: A sinful, sinful man never realizes his mistake. Therefore he's miscreant. You ask any miscreant, any criminal, "So you have done wrong," he'll be angry. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. So the miscreants and sinful, they cannot realize unless they are in good association and blessed. So therefore good association required. We are giving chance, this temple is open to give people good association. "Please come, try to understand." If one is fortunate he understands, he takes to this principle and thus becomes, I mean to say, purified gradually.

Therefore in this age Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that you do not require to change your position. You simply try to hear about Kṛṣṇa from the rightful source. That's all. Then everything will be all right gradually. Everyone of us are mistaken or whatever you may call, but Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He gives His book, Bhagavad-gītā, He sends His representative, He comes Himself as Lord Caitanya to deliver us. He sends Lord Jesus Christ. So so many arrangement, but we don't take advantage. We are so fool and sinful. But still, the propaganda will go on.

Those who are rascals, fools, if you speak something valuable for his life he'll not hear you. He'll become angry. The example is given, payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 14, 1976:

Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is training of nivṛtti-mārga, the basic principles, so many no's. No means nivṛtti. No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. So this is the no. "No" path. So that they do not know. When we say so many no's they think it is brainwash. Not brainwash. It is actual. If you want to develop your spiritual life, then you have to stop so many nuisance. That is nivṛtti-mārga. The asuras, they do not know. Because they do not know, when nivṛtti-mārga, "no," the path of "no" is recommended, they become angry. They become angry.

upadeṣo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ

prakopāya na śāntaye

payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ

kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam

Those who are rascals, fools, if you speak something valuable for his life he'll not hear you. He'll become angry. The example is given, payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Just like if a snake, if you ask the snake that "I shall give you daily a cup of milk. Do not commit this harmful life, biting unnecessarily others. You come here, take a cup of milk and live peacefully," that he will not be able. He... By drinking, drinking that cup of milk, his poison will increase, and as soon as the poison is increased—it is also another itching sensation—he wants to bite. He'll bite. So the result will be payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. The more they starve, that is good for them because the poison will not increase.

Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāraḥ. And why they become addicted to sense gratification? Because they are not clean, śaucam. Śauca is the qualification of brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 14, 1976:

Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāraḥ. And why they become addicted to sense gratification? Because they are not clean, śaucam. Śauca is the qualification of brāhmaṇa. We are getting sacred thread but we are neglecting how to become, how to remain śaucam, śuci. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Śuci means first-class brāhmaṇa. So we are accepting sacred thread to become first-class brāhmaṇa, śuci, but we do not know, after eating, we have to wash our hand. We are taking the handkerchief and finished. So this kind of brāhmaṇa, what they will do? That is not even a civilized man. So you should be very, very careful how to follow the rules and regulation. That is nivṛtti-mārga. If we still remain in pravṛtti-mārga, then we will not be able to make any advance in spiritual life. And if we do not make advance in spiritual life, then again and again, śarīra. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Everyone is suffering on account of this body, and this human body is meant for ending this suffering. That should be the aim of life. But those who are asuras, they do not know how to end this life of suffering and accept the life of ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt, (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) simply ānanda in Vaikuṇṭha, in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa, to live with Him as His associate, you have no information. We are demons, and therefore we take pleasure in so-called material activities. And that means we are doomed. We should stop this nonsense and take to the principles of nivṛtti-mārga. Then our life will be success.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If one is a foolish person, if you give him good instruction, he will be angry. He will not take it.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

So this is the position. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If one is a foolish person, if you give him good instruction, he will be angry. He will not take it. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. A snake, if you kindly give him foodstuff, there is no... Snake is very fond of drinking milk. They are very much fond. So sometimes a snake charmer, they mix milk with banana and give them to eat for their satisfaction. But the result? What is the result? Result is as soon as he becomes strong by eating, the poison teeth becomes filled with poison. Just like with our healthy body, our different nerves and parts of the body become healthy, similarly, the snake's most important part of the body... They have got a teeth. They keep... Within the pocket of the teeth there is venomous poison. So when they bite, from the hole of that teeth, the poison is emitted, and the man dies or the animal dies. But this is a fact. If you infect some disease, you will have to suffer from that disease. This is a fact. It is scientific. Similarly, if you are infected with the particular type of the modes of nature, then you will have to suffer like that. If you remain in ignorance, then you will get the body of animal.

Murkhayopadeṣo hi prokapāya na śāntaye: "If you give good instruction to a rascal, he'll be angry."

Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:

They are presenting themself as big scholar. No. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. Simply wasting time. Simply wasting time. They are so-called jñānī, but māyayāpahṛta-jñānā—there is no knowledge, Vedānta. Big, big Vedānti. Kṛṣṇa said, the supreme authority, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ vedānta-kṛt vedānta-vid ca aham (BG 15.15). Now they do not care for Kṛṣṇa, and they are Vedānti. What kind of Vedānti? Nonsense. So this will not help. We have to preach... But if we say directly that "You are all mūḍhas, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā, and duṣkṛtina," they will be angry. Because satyaṁ bruyad na bruyat satyam apriyam. You have to speak the truth very cautiously. Otherwise they will be angry. Murkhayopadeṣo hi prokapāya na śāntaye: "If you give good instruction to a rascal, he'll be angry." Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī is teaching us how we should present our case. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakam: "Sir, I have come to you, taking this grass in my teeth." This is a symbolic representation of becoming very humble in India. They take a grass. Dante nidhāya padayor nipatya: "And I am falling down on your feet." Kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā: "And I am flattering you. You are very grand. You are very nice. You are very learned. You are so on, so on." If you flatter, people become puffed-up. So, dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śatam kṛtvā cāham: "I have one submission." "What is that?" No... He sādhavaḥ: "You are a great learned sādhu. My one request is that whatever you have learned, please forget. Whatever nonsense you have learned, please forget. This is my submission." "I have learned so many things, and I have to forget? Then what I have to do?" He sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam: "You just submit yourself to Caitanya-candra. Then everything will be perfect."

Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye: "To a rascal, if you give good advice, he becomes angry."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

The vidhunoti, this word, is there. Vidhunoti means washing. Washing. As you are hearing the message of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, the process is vidhunoti, washing. Actually, it is brainwashing—but for good. Washing is not bad. (laughter) That these rascals, they do not know. They are thinking, "Oh, you are making me purified? Oh, you are very dangerous." This is their... Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye: "To a rascal, if you give good advice, he becomes angry." Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. How is it? Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. A snake-quality man is very dangerous. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said,

sarpaḥ krūraḥ khalaḥ krūraḥ

sarpāt krūrataraḥ khalaḥ

mantrauṣadhi-vaśaḥ sarpaḥ

khalaḥ kena nivāryate

"There are two envious living entities. One is a snake, black snake, and one is a human being with the quality of black snake." He cannot see any good thing. Sarpaḥ krūraḥ. The snake is envious. Without any fault he bites. A snake is there on the street, and if you happen to pass by him he becomes so angry, immediately he bites. So this is the snake's nature. Similarly, there are persons like the snake. Without any fault they will accuse you. They are also snake. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "This black snake is less harmful than the man snake." Why? "Now, this black snake, by chanting some mantra or by some herb can bring him under your control. But this man snake you cannot. It is not possible."

Mūrkhāya upadeśa hi prakopāya na śāntaye, if you give good instruction to a mūrkha, to a foolish person, he will be angry. He will not rectify himself, but he will be angry.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

So our position is in ignorance and, therefore, we are always full of anxiety. Just like this war between India and Pakistan (indistinct), the anxiety is not yet over, it is going on. There may be another war. So in this material world you cannot be free of anxiety, that is not possible. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asad-grahāt means because we have accepted something which is temporary, not permanent... Take for example this body... Therefore, we must be always full of anxieties. So Prahlāda Mahārāja advised that "The best thing which I have learned is that you should give up this material world." Tyaktva... Gṛham andha-kūpaṁ ātma-pātaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). "My dear father, I have learned this best thing," that tyaktva... Gṛham andha-kūpam. "This world, material world, which is just like a dark well..., if a man is thrown into this dark well as he is in this precarious condition of life, similarly, anyone who is in the material world, he is put in the dark well. Therefore, somehow or other, we have to get out of this and," vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5), "we shall accept the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari." The father became very much angry. Mūrkhāya upadeśa hi prakopāya na śāntaye, if you give good instruction to a mūrkha, to a foolish person, he will be angry. He will not rectify himself, but he will be angry (indistinct).

Festival Lectures

Instead of taking the lesson ... Mūrkhāya upadeśa hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If you teach lesson to a foolish person, he'll be simply angry. He'll not take your lesson.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

As soon as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus feet and puts it on his head, immediately, anartha apagamaḥ, he'll be freed from all this nonsense. That means he'll forget this idea that "Materially we can advance." This is the process. So we have to approach a niṣkiñcana, who has nothing to do with this material world. His only ambition is to serve more Kṛṣṇa. And if somebody approaches him and takes the dust of his lotus feet, then he can understand. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat. (aside:) Our time is over? All right.

So in this way Prahlāda Mahārāja talked with his father, and the father became more angry. Instead of taking the lesson ... Mūrkhāya upadeśa hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If you teach lesson to a foolish person, he'll be simply angry. He'll not take your lesson. How it is so? Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. If you keep a snake and if you want to make friendly behavior with him, that, "My dear snake, don't bite any more. I'll give you milk and banana. You eat here and stay here nicely," he'll not... His poison will increase, and one day he will... There is a story in the Hitopadeśa: one day, one... The same thing. So payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. So these are lessons, stories. So his father, Hiranyakasipu, became more and more angry. So one day... Because after all, son and father... The son was simple boy. So one day he said, "Prahlāda, I shall now kill you. I shall see how your Kṛṣṇa saves you." So immediately, Prahlāda was seeing to the pillars of the hall. He was king. So Hiraṇyakaśipu asked him, "Is your God, Kṛṣṇa, in the pillar?" He said, "Yes, sir. Yes, my father, He is there." So immediately, with anger he broke the pillar and Nṛsiṁhadeva came out.

General Lectures

Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If a mūrkha is advised to do something, he becomes angry.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Prabhupāda: So he was destroyed. He'll be destroyed. They are being destroyed. These demonic leaders will not stay. They'll be destroyed. But everything takes some time. Just like I told you that Gandhi, he understood the pulse of the country. He wanted to reorganize the villages, but our big Paṇḍitajī topsy-turvied everything.

Guest (3): Yeah, and we killed him.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (3): That was the first thing.

Prabhupāda: And we killed him, Gandhi. Yes. So this is... Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If a mūrkha is advised to do something, he becomes angry. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ visa-vardhanam. So at the present moment, our Indian leaders are not very good. Blind. They have no knowledge, and they are leading. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They have killed our original Vedic culture, and they cannot give anything. Gandhi wanted to give something, but he was also killed. What can be done?

Yogeśvara: I can show them our book, Moscow Talks.