Real religious life

Expressions researched:
"real religious life"

SB Canto 7

SB 7.15.12, Translation: There are five branches of irreligion, appropriately known as irreligion [vidharma], religious principles for which one is unfit [para-dharma], pretentious religion [ābhāsa], analogical religion [upadharma] and cheating religion [chala-dharma]. One who is aware of real religious life must abandon these five as irreligious.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975: Unless you approach a person who is representative of Kṛṣṇa and tattva-darśī, who has seen the truth, jñānī, and full of knowledge, from him you can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is Bhagavān. Otherwise you cannot understand. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ [Bg. 7.25]. If you remain covered by the material energy, then you cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand real religious life. Religion means the order which is given by God to carry out. That is religion. Those who are unknown of this fact, they are not religious. They may be some faith or some blind belief, but religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇitam [SB 6.3.19]. Religion means the order or law given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is religion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975: So we should take this instruction of Arjuna that govinda abhihitāni me: "Govinda has narrated the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā unto me, and when I remember, not read, the instruction, immediately there is minimizing the..." Smarataś cittam, hṛt-tāpa upaśamāni. Upaśamāni means relief immediately. So read Bhagavad-gītā. Our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this Bhagavad-gītā. We do not manufacture anything. Yata mata tata patha. This is rascaldom. This is rascaldom, that if you manufacture some way for relief, that is not possible. Because you are imperfect, how you can manufacture? Your senses are imperfect. You cannot manufacture. If you manufacture, then you will simply waste your time. Then real religious life means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam [SB 6.3.19], to abide by the orders of Bhagavān, the Supreme Person. Śrī Bhagavān says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "You simply always think of Me, man-manāḥ, you become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your obeisances. Then you are sure that you are coming back to Me." Very simple method. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa... and here is Kṛṣṇa present. Just offer Him obeisances and worship Him, decorate Him, give Him nice food. In this way you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Where is the difficulty? Anyone... We are opening so many temples. Why? This rascal will come, offer obeisances, hear something about Kṛṣṇa, offer something for worshiping Kṛṣṇa, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, So do that. Your life is successful. Thank you very much.

General Lectures

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971: So we have to study the Vedic literature very carefully, following the footsteps of Gosvāmīs. Not only chanting. This is also required, kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna. But this is meant, if you simply go on chanting without reading books, that is also good. Especially in this age, because nobody has got power to study books. Education is very less, so still, one who is able, they should consider all this. We have given in English translation. So many important books, you study, and chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra like this, and that is the following the footsteps of Gosvāmīs. Ācāryopāsanā. We have to worship the ācāryas. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, for making advancement in spiritual life, ācāryopāsanā. So this is ācāryopāsanā, by reading their books, nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Why studying so many books? For the sake of establishing real religious life. Sad-dharma. There are two kinds of dharmas, religious, religions: pravṛtti-mārga, nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means materialism, and nivṛtti-mārga means spiritualism. Pravṛtti means because we had intention to enjoy this material world, therefore we have given this material body by the energy of Kṛṣṇa, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni [Bg. 3.27], by the..., for associating with this material world. We are spirit soul. We have been given this chance to associate with the material world, this material, which is called... So there is still the rules and regulation. You associate, you enjoy this material world under this instruction, then you'll not be fallen. You'll not be implicated. That's śāstra.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1971, Delhi: Prabhupāda: Hear and narrate. So, whatever you have heard, you can speak. [break] So, in your country also they do not like this organized Christian religion (indistinct). The difficulty is that either Hindu religion or Christian religion, religion is one. So what is that one religion nobody knows perfectly, and it was not presented because they did not know what is religion. They are simply sticking to a particular kind of faith. Faith can be changed, faith can be given up but real religion, that cannot be given up. It may be perverted. Real religion is to render service to the Supreme Lord. That cannot be changed. We are serving, if not to the Lord, we are serving māyā. But my, that characteristic to serve is continued. So religion is presented simply on formulas and stereo-typed ideas, but actual religion is this surrender. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Bhakti means serving. Bhaja sevayā. Sevayā means serving. So, religion means to serve the Supreme Lord, that is religion. Anything which has no such idea, that is not religion. Then again (you) have different types of religion, how far they are making progress with, on that ultimate goal, serving Kṛṣṇa. The more we advance, the more you become perfect, our real religious life becomes manifested, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We say this is real religion. So what others have to say on this point? We say this is real religion. Bhāgavata says dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2], "All cheating type of religion is thrown away." The cheating type of religion means which does not teach people how to serve the Lord, that is cheating. They take advantage of the religious feeling. They say, "I am God" or "I am everything, you serve me, you give your money unto me, I shall give you some material benefit, atonement. You have made your confess, you are sinful, give me some money and you are excused." In this way religion is being perverted. Therefore, people (who) are educated, (they) say "What is this, religion?" They are becoming disgusted. But real religion is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness-surrender to Kṛṣṇa and you will become happy. So if we say that this is the real religion, is there anything wrong there? What possible protest they can offer when I say that this is the religion?