Just like in our India, Pakistan and Hindustan, they are always planning fighting. That is political. That is political. When the Pakistan's government cannot manage, nobody is managing nicely, neither Pakistan or Hindustan, but they divert their attention the religious slogan—"Hindus are our enemies." Or "the Pakistan is our enemies." The so-called national slogan. Here also, everywhere. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Here in Europe also the two wars was arranged by the German people, they were envious of the English people. So these wars are not right wars, righteous wars. No. They are play of the diplomats, politicians—they engage. When they cannot manage things very nicely, they engage people into war. That's all. Divert the attention. But war is not meant for that. War is meant for that, when people are not properly being trained up by the king of the state, the other king can attack him. So ideal state means the king must be very responsible. There are many instances. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, he was a pious king. In Bengali there is a proverb—rājar doṣe rāja naṣṭo doṣe gṛhastha bhraṣṭa.(?) If the king is not pious, then the whole kingdom is spoiled.
Slogan (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So if we understand Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energies, then we can realize the Vedic slogan, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But without understanding Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa, there will be falldown. Therefore we see so many impersonalists. They cannot give up their attachment for this material world. That is not possible. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "Anyone who has neglected Your personality," aravindākṣa, "O the lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa," aravindākṣe, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa tvayy asta-bhāvāt, "they cannot understand what You are." Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ: "Their intelligence is still contaminated, not purified." Aviśuddha. Then what is the result? The result is āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "After severe austerities, penances, they may come to the impersonal understanding of Your brahmajyoti, but patanty adhaḥ, again comes to the material world."
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
This is perfect civilization, that one should not forget the real duty. The real duty is to fulfill the mission of the human life. The mission of human life is to understand God. And God is there, you cannot deny, God is there. But we do not know what is God, what is our relationship with Him. That we do not know. Just like in your country, the currency notes are advertised, "In God We Trust." But if we ask anybody that "This is the slogan of your state. What do you know about God?" nobody can reply. They will say, "It is something like this, something like that." But no... Everything vague idea. Nobody knows what is God, neither he knows how to trust in God. That is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā: what is God and how to trust in Him. This is the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā. But the people do not know. They simply have the slogan, "In God We Trust." Nobody knows what is God.
If we want to know Kṛṣṇa, naturally we are inclined, "What is Kṛṣṇa? What is Kṛṣṇa?" Just like our Kṛṣṇa book is now selling. Because the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, so people are, I mean to say, eager to know, "What this Kṛṣṇa is?" Naturally they want to purchase some Kṛṣṇa books. Actually, that is the first business. Just like we are speaking about, "In God We Trust," this slogan of the American people or American government. So naturally, people should be inquisitive to know actually what is God, scientifically. We say, "In God We Trust," but we do not know what is God. Then where is the question of trust? Suppose if you, if somebody, friends, say that "You can trust the Bank of America." But if he does not know what is Bank of America, then how he can trust? How he can deposit his money? So that is the difficulty. This is simply slogan. Otherwise, everyone should have been inquisitive, "What this government has made this slogan, 'In God We Trust'?" What is God? Nobody knows. Then where is the question of trust?
Therefore we offer second initiation, sacred thread, that one should become brāhmaṇa, not a kṛpaṇa, miser, no. One should be thoroughly learned what is God and teach others how to trust Him. That is brāhmaṇa. Simply slogan, "We Trust In God," and all rascals and fools, that is not good. Now we should take up this point, that "You write, 'In God We trust.' What is God? Do you know what is God?" Ask the President Nixon rascal. He will not be able to. Then who will know? If the president does not know, how the people will know? Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). Śreṣṭha, the chief man, the leader Just like I am leading this society, so what I shall do, naturally it will be followed: "Prabhupāda does it." So that is applicable everywhere. So if the president knows what is God, how to trust Him... Why shall I trust unless I know you properly? It is natural. If somebody says, "Trust this man," so my next question, "I must first of all know this man; then I shall trust." Similarly, if you do not know what is God, what is the meaning of your trust? It is all childish, slogan. Therefore the condition is so deteriorated. Everywhere, not only here, they have no knowledge of God.
Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is he is praised, those who are praising, they are also animals. Not to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is animalism. That is animalism. So anyone who has not developed his consciousness to understand God... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand God and then trust Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually, your currency notes advertising our movement. But they do not know scientifically. Now this movement is scientifically started. The Americans should take advantage of it and try to understand the simple slogan, "In God We Trust."
So unnecessarily, so-called education will not help. Let them become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the duty of the government. Just like we are not speaking on the slogan, "In God We Trust." Is that that slogan, "In God We Trust"? So this is a slogan, but it is the duty of the government, that "We are using this slogan, but actually what we are doing about people's education that they may know what is God and then trust?" But everyone is godless. And still, as a matter of fashion, we are writing, "In God We Trust." This is another cheating. Nobody trusts in God, and they write, "In God We Trust."
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special feature, as you see in the picture, He would simply raise His hands and ask anybody to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. And people will, in the crowd, they will also respond to Lord Caitanya. So in this way, at Benares He was enjoying.
- bāhu tuli' prabhu bale—bala hari hari
- hari-dhvāṇī kare loka svarga-martya bhari'
And the sound of "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hari bol," that become... According... There are two slogans. One Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. And another, short, is Hari bol, Hari bol. You can practice also that. Hari bol.
Devotee: Hari bol.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Hari bol. That is a shortcut of Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes. Hari bol. Hari bol means "the sound of Hari, or the Lord." Hari bol. So whenever there was some greeting, Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to answer, raising His hands, "Hari bol."
So we do not know. We are doing irresponsibly. Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī has gone to his spiritual master, he's asking this... This is also common, also very grave questions, that "In this material world, I do not want so many things, but they are enforced upon me. Why?" This is human life, to inquire why. Not to... The modern theory is struggle for existence. There are troubles, and you try to save yourself, and survival of the fittest. But nobody is fit, nobody survives. Nobody wants death, but we are talking of survival. Who can escape death? There is no possibility. So there are so many slogans, but actually there is no remedy. There is remedy, but we do not know. That is the defect of modern civilization. There is remedy. Otherwise why we are talking this śāstra? Why Sanātana Gosvāmī is putting this question? Just to get the solution from the spiritual master. Otherwise there was no need of putting these questions, that "What is my position? Why these threefold miseries always give me trouble? Why I die? Why I become old? Why I become diseased? Why I have to take birth?" They are simply struggle for existence, that here is a child, and the child-bearing is very troublesome, and if I give birth to a child... The mother is killing. This is going on. But that means she is implicating herself again in another way of life. This is going on.
Festival Lectures
So we are following the six Gosvāmīs. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. Always chanting and dancing and chanting... What is chanting? Not any slogan, but Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. This is chanting. Chanting does not mean that you chant like some parrot, no. Chanting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana. Śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Kīrtanam, chanting, and śravanam, hearing, what? There are so many subject matters of chanting and hearing. No. Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. So chanting and hearing, this was inaugurated by Lord Caitanya and followed by the six Gosvāmīs, and we are also following in the footprints of the six Gosvāmīs. Therefore we should offer our respectful obeisances, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau. We offer our respectful obeisances to Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, and to Raghunātha Gosvāmī and Jīva Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So one can distinguish his spiritual life and material life by simple formula. This simple formula: material life means always in want and always in lamentation. And spiritual life means no hankering and no lamentation. When one is fixed up in spiritual life, it is said guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). When there is very, very acute reverse condition of life, one is not disturbed. That is spiritual life. And samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, at that stage only there is possibility of so-called unity, fraternity, friendship. Your France, you have got slogan, what is that? Fraternity, friend... No eternity. Equality, fraternity, and what other thing?
Devotees: Liberty.
Prabhupāda: Yes, go on. So France is very cultured country historically, but where is fraternity? The history will read there was seven years war with England, hundred years war with England. Then Napoleon, he conquered, so all the parts, where is fraternity, eternity? Last time when I came in your country in Paris, somebody showed me one church, that from that church there was ringing of the bell, and immediately people would come and kill the Protestants or something like that. Is it not a fact? So anyway, on the material platform, there is no possibility of equality, fraternity, or nothing. It is not possible. Unless you come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), there is no question of equality, fraternity.
General Lectures
After each and every verse we chant, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Similarly, we repeat Kṛṣṇa—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Why we repeat? The more we repeat means we learn to love. That is required. Anything which you do not love, you cannot repeat. It will be disgusting. Anything, any word you take, if you simply repeat, you'll feel disgusted. Sometimes those who are not in Kṛṣṇa conscious life, they also feel this repetition as disgusting, hackneyed, because they have not developed love. Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "What shall I chant with one tongue and what shall I hear with two ears? If millions of tongue I would have possessed, then I could chant little." And they're tasting... Because they have got love for Kṛṣṇa, they are tasting the nectarean of chanting. They cannot give up. In the material world also, there are many slogans. We repeat because we love.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He has another slogan that "Human effort has no true reality." In other words...
Prabhupāda: Because does not know what is reality. He is a fool.
Śyāmasundara: Well he says that man's reality or man's nature changes through history according to material conditions.
Prabhupāda: Well that is the way of..., everything is changing. This tree is changing daily, your body is changing, that is not a very high philosophy.
Śyāmasundara: His idea is that if you mold...
Prabhupāda: Jagat. Jagat means change. Jagat. (indistinct) jagat, everything is changing. Just like wind(?), time and tide. So that is not a very unique proposal. It is the nature's way, it is going on. And therefore I say this theory, this Marx theory, it is all changeable(?). It will not stay.
Prabhupāda: Apart from Communist state, by nature's law... You have spoken about nature's law. So we are controlled by the nature's law. Who can deny it? When there is severe cold, I am controlled. When there is severe heat, I am controlled. When there is epidemic, I am controlled. When there is famine, I am controlled. When there is flood, I am controlled. So how you can say that you are not controlled? You are not independent. The basic principle is that you are not independent.
Śyāmasundara: Mao Tse Tung uses this as the basis of his...
Prabhupāda: Basis is that you are controlled. That is mistake.
Śyāmasundara: His methodology is to present slogans to the people...
Prabhupāda: But you may manufacture slogans. First of all, let us talk on the principles. Everyone is controlled. How Mao can deny it?
Śyāmasundara: He wants to be the controller. He can control everyone's...
Prabhupāda: He is himself controlled. How he can be controller? If you are blind, how you can lead? I am also blind. You must have eyes; then you can control.
Śyāmasundara: He thinks in this philosophy, Marxist philosophy, that that is the truth so that he can present slogans to the people in such a way that they become controlled by that truth.
Prabhupāda: What is the value of your slogan if you are yourself controlled? Our point is that if you are yourself blind, how you can lead other blind men?
Śyāmasundara: Well, he's convinced that that is the truth. So he...
Prabhupāda: He is convinced, but where is the proof that his leadership should be accepted?
Śyāmasundara: That it works socially. That people are becoming happy under this philosophy.
Prabhupāda: But shall not be happy. If I am given under the control of Communist government, I shall not be happy. We were there for a week in Moscow. We were not at all happy. That boy who came to us, he is not happy. So where is your perfection? You make everyone happy; then it is all right. If you think that "I am happy, my brother is happy. That's all right. Let others go to hell," that is another thing.
Śyāmasundara: He has another slogan to resolve conflicts within the party of "Unity, criticism, unity." A dialectic. "Unity, criticism... The thesis is unity, the antithesis is criticism..."
Prabhupāda: Then what is his reply to this dialectic proposition, that I say that "You, Mr. Mao, you are not independent. You are controlled."
Śyāmasundara: He'll say, "Yes, I am controlled by the higher truth of the socialist law, communistic law."
Prabhupāda: No, even there is no communistic law, still you are controlled, apart from the communistic law. You are controlled by the nature's law. How you can avoid it?
Śyāmasundara: Well, being only a combination of matter, I must be born and I must die, everyone.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But you want to be independent. You want to be uncontrolled. That is not possible. Why it is not possible? And if you are controlled, who is controlling you? What is the background of that control? So these answers they cannot give. They avoid.
Śyāmasundara: So these governments, meaning American government or Chinese government, they live on slogans, on ideas, mental concoctions.
Prabhupāda: That's all. Mental concoction. They are not perfect. Perfection is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If they are intelligent, they should consider this movement very seriously and apply it for practical life all over the world. That will make people happy.
Devotee: Translation. "By Me in My unmanifested form this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them."
Prabhupāda: "On service of his origin." What is? On His Majesty's service. What is that slogan?
Devotee: "On His Majesty's service."
Prabhupāda: Ah. (indistinct) That does not mean the..., Her Majesty is there. The Majesty, Her Majesty's power, order, is everywhere. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni. The government is acting with the seed on Majesty's service, but that does not mean Her Majesty is there. This is simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda. Majesty is there because the order is there, but still personally he is not there. So the, another, that begun already, is that daridra, in daridra Nārāyaṇa is there, but not that daridra is Nārāyaṇa. But he has no vision. He is talking of this daridra-nārāyaṇa. This is mistake. Nārāyaṇa is there undoubtedly, but not that daridra is Nārāyaṇa. This is impersonalism, Māyāvāda mistake. That is pantheism
| Page Title: | Slogan (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Matea, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 19 of Aug, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=17, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 17 |