"My dear sir, however you may make advancement in scientific knowledge, you cannot stop birth, you cannot stop death, you cannot stop old age, neither you can stop diseases." You see? So, so long we have got this body, so we must have anxieties. That is the law of nature.
Stop death
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB 1.16.7, Purport:
The scientist, who puts forward the theory of stopping death by advancement of scientific knowledge, becomes himself a victim of death when he is called by Yamarāja. What to speak of stopping death, no one can enhance the short period of life even by a fraction of a moment.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
SB 10.1.48, Purport:
Everyone should try to avoid death and rebirth by cultivating spiritual life and should not submit to death without struggling to survive. One who is not trying to stop death is not an intelligent human being.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:
Just like modern people, they are after peace, stopping war. And suppose you stop war. Can you stop death? Then why you are after stopping war? Why you forget your real business? They are after stopping war. And suppose war is stopped, nobody takes to war anymore. Now, how you'll stop the war of this material nature? She is fighting always with you. From the beginning of your birth she is fighting. A child is born and the material nature is killing this child every moment. The child has grown, two years old. That means material nature has already killed this child for two years. How you can stop this? These nonsense, they do not consider these cases. Suppose if I stop war, there will be no more war, no more disease. No more disease cannot be possible. You can make by some way no more war... That is also not possible. Anyway, if you stop it by the efforts of the United Nations, a veke(?) by some way no more war... That is also not possible. Anyway, if you stop it by the efforts of the United Nations, a very large organization, then how you are going to stop death? What is your proposition?
Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:
Therefore it is not very good business that people are pulling on, pushing on a type of civilization, Godless civilization. They'll never be happy because we are so controlled that after death we have to accept, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to... You cannot stop death.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:
In the Garga Upaniṣad it is said, etad viditva ga prayatisa brāhmaṇa etad aviditva ga prayatisa kṛpaṇa (?). Etad, this absolute knowledge, without knowing the Absolute Truth, if somebody dies—everyone will die, you cannot check. You may be very much advanced in scientific knowledge, but you cannot stop death. That is not possible. Neither you can stop old age, neither you can stop birth.
Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:
When we can understand that "This process of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, this is not wanted by me..." Nobody wants to die, but death is forced upon him. He does not think that "This is my problem. I do not want to die, but death is as sure as anything." So this is the problem. Nobody is careful how to solve this problem. They are simply engaged in the, I mean to say, temporary problems. The temporary problems are not problems. Real problem is how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop old age, and how to stop disease. That is real problem. That can be done when you are liberated from this material world. This is our problem.
Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:
Now, seven hundred years before, people were dying. Death was there. So has the advancement of material science during the seven hundred years, has stopped death? No. That is not possible. People were suffering from diseases seven hundred years before. Then has the material science so much advanced, stopped diseases? No.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:
Just like people are very much anxious to feed the hungry, the hungry men. Well, that you can do. That is nice business. But why don't you try that... The hungry man and the welfare man both will die. You cannot stop death, either you feed him well or he is hungry. Death is there. "As sure as death." So actual benefit is... If you can stop death, that is actual benefit. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to stop death. You will be surprised. You may not be very much pleased, but it is possible. It is possible. Because we are eternal.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:
Oh, there is no solution for birth. There is so much attempt for birth control all over the world, but still, in every minute or in every second some percentage of population is increasing. Janma, mṛtyu. Similarly, there are so many attempts to discover scientific measures to stop death, but it is not possible. Death is taking place. Rather, in the present age, death is taking place earlier than in years before.
Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:
But by the illusory energy of māyā, the so-called knowledge, our real knowledge has been taken away, and some foolish knowledge has been imposed upon us that we are thinking, "Oh, we are advancing. Advancement of knowledge." By advancement of knowledge, we have manufactured atom bomb so that killing process can be accelerated. People are dying, and that dying process is accelerated, and we are proud. Advancement of knowledge. Oh, manufacture something which will stop death; then you will have advancement of knowledge.
Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:
We are accustomed. We have been acclimatized to birth, death. We don't care. The modern scientists, they are very much proud of their advancement, but they have no solution of these unpleasant things. They cannot make anything which will check death, or which will check disease, or which will check old age. That is not possible. You can, you can manufacture something which will accelerate death, but you cannot manufacture anything which will stop death. That is not in your power. So those who are intelligent enough, they are not concerned with these four things, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi: (BG 13.9) birth, death and old age. They are concerned to have a spiritual life, complete, full of bliss and full of knowledge, and that is possible when you enter into the spiritual planets.
Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa says, "This is knowledge." If you are scientifically advanced how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop old age, how to stop disease, then you should know that you have advanced in science. Otherwise what is this? If you have made a horseless carriage motorcar, that is not advancement. It is advancement, but it is not the solution of the problem. The solution of problem is, human life, is to how to stop death.
Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:
Therefore śāstra says that nobody should become guru, nobody should become father, nobody should become husband—in this way there is a list—na mocayed yaḥ samupetya mṛtyum, if one cannot help his student or his son or his subordinate to stop death.
Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:
First of all, discover that no more death. Then scientific advancement. No more disease. "No, we have got very good medicine for disease." That's all right. Stop disease. No, that we cannot do. Then what is the improvement? What is the improvement, nonsense? This is not improvement. Improvement means stop death, stop disease, stop old age, stop birth, also.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:
Ārtasya, one who is suffering from disease, it is not that because he is given the help of good physician and first-class medicine he'll be cured. No. There is no guarantee. There is no guarantee. We have seen. First-class medicine, first-class physician employed for curing one..., but he dies. So we have manufactured so many counteracting. The scientists, they are very much proud that "We are now manufacturing counteracting medicine." But where is your counteracting medicine for stopping death and disease? Disease is happening. You cannot make, manufacture any medicine that one tablet I take, I shall never be diseased or I shall never die. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:
In Sanskrit grammar there are vargas, ka-varga, ca-varga, ṭa-varga, ta-varga, pa-varga—five vargas. So pa-varga means pa pha ba bha ma, five letters. Pa means pariśrama, hard labor. And pha means foaming. Because when you work very hard, from your mouth some foam comes out. Sometimes we see in the body of the horse, or any animal. Pa, pha, ba. Ba means vyarthatā, frustration. Instead of, in spite of working very hard, there is frustration in this material world. Pa, pha, ba, bha. Bha means bhaya, fearfulness. Although I am working very hard, still, I am fearful what will happen. I am not sure that things will be done properly, in spite of my working very hard. Pa, pha, ba, bha, and ma. Ma means mṛtyu, death. Working so hard, day and night, and still, there is death. Working so hard... The scientific world is working so hard, but the scientist is dying himself. He cannot stop death. He can create some atom bomb to kill, but he cannot create anything which will stop death. That is not possible. Therefore, this pa, pha, ba, bha, ma, these five letters represent five kinds of our activities in this material world.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:
So Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. According to your karma, you will get another body. That What kind of body I shall get? That I do not know. Then what is your education? Suppose you are being educated. You know aim, that "I shall become a lawyer," "I shall become a scientist," "I shall become mathematician." With this purpose you are being educated. But what purpose you are being educated for the next life? Do you know this? No. Then what is your education? You may be very good scientist, but can you manufacture a scientific law that you will never die? No. That is not possible. You will never take birth after death? You will never be diseased? You can manufacture nice medicine for a type of disease, but you cannot stop disease. You cannot stop birth, you cannot stop death, you cannot stop disease, you cannot stop old age.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Los Angeles, August 15, 1972:
By eagerness, automatically you will be enriched with knowledge and detachment. Knowledge does not mean, "Now we have discovered this atomic bomb." That is not knowledge. What knowledge this is? People are dying. You have discovered something which will accelerate death. But we are giving some knowledge to stop death. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is knowledge.
Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:
But Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he says, (chuckling) "Oh, you are trying to go to other higher planets by your karma, by his work? Oh, this is just like horse egg. Huh? Why should you bother yourself?" Horse egg means it has no substance. As, like there is no existence of horse egg, similarly, even if you attain that higher planetary system, what do you gain by that? You don't gain anything, because the four principles of material existence will continue there also. Birth, death, old age, and disease, you cannot stop. You may live for a greater period—that is possible in higher planets. But if you are simply satisfied only by living a bigger span of life, is that very success? Just stop death. That is success. To become very strong in body, that is not success. But either you become strong and weak, you have to die. There is no, I mean to say, excuse, because you are a strong man you will not die.
Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :
So, asmin bhave. Asmin means "this." Creation, bhave means creation. Bhava, bhava means "you become". "You become" means you vanish also. As soon as there is question of you become, you vanish also. Anything which is born must die. This is the law of nature. The so-called scientists are trying that they will stop death by their scientific research work, but they do not know that anything born must die. Janma-mṛtyu. This is relative. And anything which is not born, that will not die. The matter is born. Anything material, that is born. But spirit is not born. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin. The soul is never born, and therefore never dies.
Lecture on SB 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974:
Similarly, Yamarāja, who is the superintendent of death... Death is certainly cruel. At any moment death can stop all our activities. Nobody can protest. That is not possible. So... And nobody wants death also. That is also fact. But nobody can stop death also. The so-called scientific advancement, they cannot stop death. You can talk all kinds of nonsense of advancement of life, but after all, you have to die.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
Sainya means soldier. Here in the material world, every one of us is struggling very hard. That is a fact. Everyone knows. So when we struggle, when we fight, then we must have soldiers. Without soldiers, nobody fights. So they are our soldiers: this body... Everyone wants to keep this body fit. And maintaining the children and the wife... Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. We are thinking that "My, this body and wife and children and home and country and society will save me." I am struggling against... What is that struggling? I do not wish to die. I do not wish to be diseased. I do not wish to become old man. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). I don't wish to get birth again, or I want to stop birth. Janma-mṛtyu. I want to stop death. I want to stop disease. And I want to stop old age.
Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:
Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, all, many demons, they thought it that "We shall live forever." So anyone who is thinking like that, he's a demon. He cannot stop death. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa...If you don't give to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will appear just like Nṛsiṁhadeva, and He will take away everything from you and kill you. That's all.
Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:
When a man becomes mad, he speaks so many nonsense. Like a child. A child also speaks so many nonsense things, and the parents enjoy it. Similarly, the so-called scientist, when he says that "By scientific method, we shall stop death," so there is no evidence in the history of the human society that a man has not died. That cannot be.
Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:
"Under My superintendence the law of nature is working." So we are under the laws of nature. The nature is very vigilant, strong agent of Kṛṣṇa. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we cannot avoid. Even if we deny, "There is no God, there is no systematic government or stringent laws," just to avoid our responsibility, but that will not save us. Now, the argument is in the previous verse. It is said that we are decreasing our duration of life. The scientists will say, "No, we shall stop it." Taking this argument, Bhāgavata says, "Suppose you stop death ..." It cannot be.
Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:
So our only request is that India should not be misled by imitating the Western type of civilization, unnecessarily fighting on political and social... These political, social, there is problem, but that is temporary. Temporary... We must have our interest to the real life. Somebody yesterday was speaking of health. So what is health? If you are going to die, what is the value of your so-called health program? First of all you stop death; then the question of health. Kṛṣṇa said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). First of all come to this position. Then even after the destruction of the body, you are not destroyed. That is health.
Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:
But the Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, personally says that "Your real miserable condition of life are the four things: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)." But who is taking seriously? There are so many advancements of education, scientific and... Who is making research work how to stop death? No. Nobody is there. No scientist's brain is working. But it is possible.
Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:
We accept this temporary body. That is the cause of all miseries. We cannot understand it. We are talking of so many miseries, but what is the cause of misery, that we do not know. Everyone knows, but he'll not know it. The cause is this body. Because the body is there, there is disease, there is old age, there is birth, there is death. And the whole struggle is against how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop disease, and how to stop old age. You just see. Why there are so many advancements in the chemical science? Why there are so many medical men? Why there are so many drug shop? To stop these things. This is a struggle. But why they are required? Because we have got this body. This material body.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:
According to your karma, you will get a type of body. This is nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmani sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). We are completely under the grip of nature's law. We cannot change it. If we challenge that "There is no death," no, death will come. That is nature's law. And if you want to stop death, then that is another process. That is described here. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet: (SB 5.5.1) You have to accept this process of austerity by which you will purify your existence. Then you will get deathless life, eternal.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:
The distinction is when a human being is inquisitive, "Why I am put into this miserable condition of life? Is there any remedy? Is there any perpetual, eternal life? I want I shall not die. I shall live very happily and peacefully. Whether there is such chance? What is that method? What is that science?" When these inquiries will be there and steps should be taken for answering the question, that is human civilization. Otherwise it is dog's civilization. If there is no such inquiry, then it is animal. Animals are satisfied if they can eat something and sleep and have some sex life and some defense. That's all. There is no defense, actually, because nobody can protect himself from the hands of the cruel death. Therefore Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to live forever, and he underwent severe austerities. The so-called scientists are also saying that "By scientific method we shall stop death." This is also another crazy utterances. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1975:
That is being presented by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "This is your sickness, real sickness." What is that? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You are trying to be unaffected by all kinds of sickness, but your real sickness is this material disease: you take birth, you die, you become old, and you suffer from diseases. This is your real sickness. But who is caring for this? Where is the scientist who are investigating how to stop death, how to stop birth. They are, of course, investigating how to stop birth, but still, birth is going on.
Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:
Unless there is spiritual education, unless one is spiritually enlightened, you have to undergo the process of birth, death, old age and disease. You may talk very highly and foolishly, but the process of nature, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), that you cannot stop. That is... Therefore any education which does not give enlightenment on the subject matter of how to stop death, they are all foolish talking. That's all.
Lecture on SB 6.2.3 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1975:
Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important, because the human life is meant for stopping the cycle of birth and death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. This is the only process. You cannot stop... But they do not know that this birth and death can be stopped. They are so rascal, they are so foolish, that they do not believe, neither they believe in the next birth, neither they have any idea how to stop death or stop next birth. No education. Throughout the whole world there is no education, there is no science. They are callous. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mūḍha.
Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:
In this material world there is only vipada. There is no sampada. Foolishly we think that "Now I am very nice." What is nice? You have to die next moment. What is nice? But these foolish people say, "Yes, I am nice." You ask anybody, "How are you?" "Yes, very nice." What is that nice? You are going to die tomorrow. Still nice. That's all. This is going on. So it is padaṁ padaṁ yad vi... They are making scientific researches to become happy, but these rascals, they do not know how to stop death. So what is the nice? But they have no brain to understand.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:
The prakṛti, the nature, material nature is so strong that you cannot interfere with her business, that is not possible. So your material knowledge will not help you, unless you have got Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge. You can, anyone can understand. Suppose if I want to protect this body with all hygienic principles, soaps and pumice and injection and medicine and so many things, does it mean that you shall live? Can you overcome the laws of nature? No, that is not possible. Can you overcome the laws of nature that you will not fall sick? No, that you cannot. Can you make any material laws or scientific knowledge that you will not become old? No. You cannot stop death, you cannot stop birth, you cannot stop old age, you cannot stop disease. So what is the value of your material knowledge? And these are the troubles.
Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:
Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)." You can invent very nice, up-to-date, modernized medicine, but why don't you stop disease? That you cannot do. That is not possible. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. You are taking so many measures to stop untimely death. Just like in your country there are beaches and so many warning, "Don't come here." And there is guard seeing if anyone is dying, so... But you cannot stop death. That is not possible. You may take measure, so many. You cannot stop death.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:
Although we are trying to be happy, but we do not know how to become, I mean to say, free from the material contamination. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. They are trying to open hospitals. Just like one Sindhi gentleman, he has contributed about five of seven crores of rupees to start a hospital here. That gentleman, not, some, his relative, came to see me. So I said that "However magnificent hospital you may start, you cannot stop death. That is not possible. That is not possible." You may try in your own way. The whole struggle is now to mitigate our suffering condition. But the suffering condition is continuing. You... You may open nice hospital, but you cannot stop death. That is not possible. You may invent nice medicine, up-to-date, scientific medicine, but you cannot stop the disease. They do not see this. You can invent so many contraceptive methods—still you cannot stop, I mean to say, life. Janma, birth, birth control, there are so many medicines. But where is the stoppage of birth? The population is increasing. Neither you can stop death, neither you can stop birth, neither you can stop old age.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Dallas, March 4, 1975:
Therefore he says that "I am a lame man." Mama manda-gatī: "I am very slow, so I take shelter of the lotus feet of Madana-mohana." That is our business. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching all over the world this philosophy, that your first and foremost business is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. There is no question of so-called economic development, sense gratification. No. These are not important things. There are many missionaries, they open hospitals or similar philanthropic activities, but we never do that. So many friends advised me to open some hospitals, dispensaries. Oh, I flatly said that "We are not interested in the hospitals." There are so many hospitals. So people who are interested in hospitals, they can go there. Here is spiritual hospital. The disease is the other hospitals, they cannot stop death, but our hospital can stop death.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 9, 1968:
Your problem is birth, death, old age and disease. What you have made for these four problems? What solution you have got? Your scientific advancement? Is there any solution of controlling birth? They have invented so many contraceptive methods. Still, in every minute, there is three human increasing. Where is your birth control? You cannot control. So birth... Similarly, death. So many medicines, so many scientific research, this thing, that thing, they have invented. And what you have done? You have stopped death? "No, sir." Then? Birth, death, old age. What your scientific advancement of knowledge has done to stop old age?
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Lecture Excerpt -- London, September 7, 1971:
By nature does not mean that you have got freedom. There is no freedom. We are all conditioned. Simply falsely we are thinking of freedom. It requires little brain. Where is freedom? Nobody wants to die, and where is the freedom not to die? Who has got the freedom? Nobody wants to become old, and where is the freedom? Everyone becomes old. But I have got the desire. Even old man, old woman tries to remain young by cosmetic help, to be good looking, and where is the freedom? By nature he is becoming bad looking. So there is no freedom. It is false idea, freedom. Nobody wants to die; death is sure. (aside:) He's sleeping. Nobody wants to become old; he's becoming old. Nobody wants to take birth... Of course, that is very higher stage. Jñānī, they want mukti; that is also not possible. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19)? To stop death, to stop birth, is not possible unless one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:
So this human life should be utilized for understanding the Vedic knowledge, divya-jñāna; then he'll be purified, tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). My existential identity will be purified. At the present moment it is not purified. Because it is not purified, therefore we are repeatedly dying. But there is no knowledge how to stop death. They think death is natural. It is not natural. It is unnatural. They do not know it.
General Lectures
Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972:
Nowadays nobody lives for one hundred years. Utmost, eighty years or ninety years very rarely. My grandmother lived for ninety-six years. My father lived for eighty-four years. I do not know how long I shall live, but still I am living. But duration of life in this age is gradually decreasing. You are all students of the university, but there is no science how you can increase the duration of life or how you can stop death. That is not possible. Death... Birth, death, old age and disease—these are the four problems of our life. Nobody wants to die, but death is sure. We must die. Nobody wants to take birth, but there is birth. Now there are so many contraceptive methods for checking birth. But still, the population of the whole world is increasing. So birth, death, old age. Nobody wants to become old, everyone wants to remain young and fresh, but old age overcomes. Similarly, disease. There are scientific advancement of knowledge, you have got very effective medicines, but there is no science to stop disease or to stop death. These are the actual problems. But the problems, these problems, are pertaining to the body. The soul is different from this body. This is our misunderstanding.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa nāma koro bhai ar sab niche, parai gab pap nahi yoni ache piche (?). Our real problem is birth, death. All these scientist, they could not solve any of these problems, neither they could answer. Maybe Darwin's cam(?) has died. They could not stop death.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: President Nixon has made a promise that very shortly this cancer disease should be cured. So he has allotted a lot of money for the coming few years and he is giving to all scientists (indistinct). He is saying he is going to stop this death from cancer, but...
Prabhupāda: Suppose he stops death from cancer. Can he stop death at all?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Not at all.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Śyāmasundara: Postponement of death by at least fifty years...
Prabhupāda: So what is the profit? After fifty years he has to die. Stop, stop death, then that is credit.
Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger:
Prabhupāda: So everyone does not want to die, but still he knows that he will die. Therefore the real concern should be that I do not wish to die, that death is forced upon me, and that is my real concern. That is real philosophy, whether there is possibility of. Know that. That is intelligence. That intelligence is (indistinct) there in the human form of life. Animal, they, although they know it that death is there, but I don't want to go, die, but they have no capacity to stop death. But human beings can do that.
Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger:
Prabhupāda: "Anyone who knows Me, how I appear, what I do, what is My function," that means anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa, "then after living in this body, he does not take birth again." And if there is no birth, there is no death, there is no disease, there is no trouble. As soon as there is birth there must be... Anyone who has taken birth, he must die. That is the law. Anywhere. Anything which is born must die, must get old, must be diseased. Anything, even you take material things—this machine—it has got a date of birth, and there will be a death when it will stop functioning. And it is getting older. That is the law. But here is Kṛṣṇa says that "You can stop death, simply by understanding Me." And if you stop birth, punar janma, then you stop other things. Because death is there, then there is birth, but if there is no birth, there is no death.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:
Devotee: Well, a lot of scientists consider that to be a, simply a psychological way of avoiding the issue now. They say, "Let us take matters in our hand right now. Don't try to..."
Prabhupāda: The idea is we have not been able to take the matter in hand to stop death. That is not possible.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Nobody likes old age, nobody likes death, nobody likes to die, nobody likes to take birth again, enter into the womb of mother and live there ten months. You are tight packed. Nobody likes. But what is the solution? Is there any solution by the scientist? No scientist can say, "Well, all right, we shall stop death. We shall stop disease." They can manufacture nice medicine to counteract disease, but they cannot manufacture anything which will stop disease. You can fight against death very nicely, but you cannot stop death. These are the problems. But there is no education in the modern civilization how to stop death, how to stop disease, how to stop old age, how to stop birth, how to attain eternal life, how to attain blissful life.
Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the quest. Everyone is trying to be happy because that is every living entity's prerogative. He is by nature to become happy but he does not know where to become happy. He's trying to become happy where four things are, miserable conditions are there, namely birth, death, disease, and old age. So many scientists, they are trying to become happy, to make people happy, but which scientist has tried to stop death, to stop old age, to stop disease? Has any scientist tried?
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York:
Prabhupāda: The other day we were talking with some scientists. We came to this conclusion, that the scientists, big scientists, they are simply concerned with the laws of nature, because the laws of nature are very stringent. For example, there is death. Everyone will die. So nobody can check death. However great scientist he may, he cannot stop death. By laws of nature one is becoming old.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 25, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Just like these dogs, they are jumping with great force in the ocean and they'll come back; similarly you also go with your surf, and again come back. Where is the difference between this dog and you? So you have to compare that where, where is your advancement of knowledge? Advancement of knowledge means to mitigate, minimize miseries of life. That is called advancement of knowledge. But you... The real miseries of life is birth, death, old age and disease. You cannot do anything. So where is your advancement of knowledge? The scientists cannot stop death, cannot stop birth. They are inventing so many chemical contraceptive methods. But the statistic is population is increasing. Even they're unsuccessful in this account.
Morning Walk -- April 26, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Everyone wants to become happy, but nature's process is to obstruct his happiness. So one should think: "Why this is position? I want to live. Why, by laws of nature, I am put to death? I must die? This is against my wish, against my desire." This is thinking. So how to get out of it? This is real thinking. I don't want something, but something is forced upon me, and why it is so? When this "Why?" question will come to me, that is real thinking. Where is that thinking? These rascals, where is that thinking? How to check death, how to check disease, how to check old age. Where is that thinking? Where is that scientist? Who is making research how to stop death, who is making research how to stop disease? You can manufacture medicine for the disease, but you cannot check happening of disease. That is not possible.
Morning Walk -- May 4, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Suppose he knows the cause of cancer. What is the benefit? Neither he can stop cancer, neither a man suffering from cancer, if it is cured, he will live forever. That is not possible. Cancer or no cancer, a man has to die. He cannot check death. The death may be caused, if not cancer, simply by accident you can die. The real scientific research should be how to stop death. That is real scientific.
Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Helped means you have helped to minimize their duration of life. Formerly man was living hundred years. Now they do not live more than sixty, seventy years. That you have helped certainly. What you have helped? A man is dying ordinarily, and you have created atomic energy. You can kill thousands of men. So you have helped only in dying. But you have not helped in living. That is not possible. Then what you have done? Some childish play? What you have done? You cannot stop death, you cannot stop birth, you cannot stop disease, you cannot stop old age. So what you have done? Formerly people used to become old. Now also, they are becoming old. Formerly people used to die. They are dying now also. Formerly the people used to become diseased. They are becoming diseased. More diseased. More medicine. What you have helped? You have not helped anything in the improvement of the order of the world? What is that help?
Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So actually, in this, at the present moment, they have invented so many technology, but this technology is missing. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Nobody wants to die. And where is that technology, to stop death? What so you think? You are financing many technological institutions, businesses. Why don't you finance an institution which is giving instruction how to stop death?
Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Banker: But as I understood it, you were encouraging death as a form of liberation. Isn't that my understanding? That that was the ideal?
Prabhupāda: No, no. Therefore you are not financing. Because you misunderstand. Actually, we are giving the technological knowledge by which one stops death. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Room Conversation -- November 3, 1973, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Nobody has intelligence. It will not, it will not stay. It will be spoiled. Joint mess organization. In Los Angeles, they're also doing business. They're going to sell books. But regulative principle is observed. Huge expenditure they have got. No center is so improved as Los Angeles. We have purchased six houses. And I wanted immediately two lakhs, immediately sent. You cannot pay. You simply want to take. In India, nobody can pay. If I want two lakhs, nobody can pay. But all this money have been taken from U.S.A. I asked Bali Mardana, I asked Karandhara. They paid me for this Bombay affair, sixteen, eighteen lakhs. (break) ...and breathing also does not stop. It goes very slow. Therefore he cannot be immortal. And Bhagavad-gītā proposes, that is wonderful thing, if you can stop death. And whole spiritual life means how to stop death. That is Bhāgavata's instruction, "Don't accept guru, don't accept father, don't accept, or don't be father, don't be mother, don't be, if you cannot stop death." Either you don't accept, or don't become. Just like they want guru. So don't accept a guru who cannot stop your death. And from guru's side, it is advised, "Don't become guru if you cannot stop the death of your disciple." This is Bhāgavatam's statement. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to stop death, live eternally with Kṛṣṇa, go back to home, back to Godhead.
Morning Walk -- December 3, 1973, Los Angeles:
Yaśomatīnandana: That is what they do by heart transplant.
Prabhupāda: This is all nonsense. Stop death; then it is an achievement. That's all. Stop disease, that is achievement. But that you cannot do. What is the profit reducing, and increasing or decreasing?
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 5, 1974, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: That is human life. Your choice, make your choice, which way. Again death or deathlessness. Stop death from you. This is human life. The karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they're trying for death. There will be death. But for the bhaktas, devotees, there is deathlessness.
Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome:
Prabhupāda: Whole attempt is to be out of miserable condition. Just like medicine. What is the medicine? Medicine means an attempt to get out of the miserable condition of disease. But you cannot stop disease. You may discover very improved method of medical treatment, but you cannot stop disease. That is not possible. You can, I mean to say, discover many means to stop death—that is going on—but you cannot stop death. That is not possible.
Morning Walk -- June 2, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: With gun or without, gun, you will die. The fascist will die and the other party also will die. Gun or without gun, he cannot exist. But our fight is to stop death. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Our fight is for this purpose, no more death. This is real fight. Your, what is your fight? You may save yourself for two years or three years or ten years, but you have to die. You have no such program not to die. But here is a program, no more death.
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Robert Gouiran: So you think we can't help people?
Prabhupāda: Eh? You cannot! Can you help people to stop death? Or to stop disease? Or to stop old age? I am becoming old, can you stop?
Robert Gouiran: I think so.
Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. If you think that you can stop my old age growing, then that is foolishness. It is not possible.
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Robert Gouiran: So you don't think that somebody could be an instrument to help other?
Prabhupāda: What is that instrument if this instrument is blunt or what is the use of that instrument? Simply possessing one instrument is sufficient? It must work, but if it does not work? You cannot stop death, you cannot stop birth, you cannot stop old age, you cannot stop disease.
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Robert Gouiran: So you think that all healers are fool?
Prabhupāda: I don't say fool, there will be intelligent, but they cannot heal. If you see they cannot heal, still they are very nice, that is your business. We say that he cannot heal. If you say that in spite of his being unable to heal, still he's intelligent, that is your business. I say that he cannot heal. What do you think?
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: You cannot heal, you cannot stop death.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you cannot heal. How you can say that you can stop old age, you can heal disease? How you can say? You cannot... You can't stop death, you can't stop birth. You cannot do this.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: It's... Especially, we are Indian. It is advertised that we are poverty-stricken. All over the world this is advertised. Wherever I go, they say, "Oh, you are coming from India?" (laughter) Because they are simply begging, the government. But who is dying? There is... Dying is going on, but that death is going on in other countries also. They are dying, committing suicide. And maybe some persons are dying out of starvation. You cannot stop death. Suppose you have got enough food. That means that everything is solved? In America there is enough food. Why they are coming hippies? There is no shortage of food. Nothing... Everything is abundant, but why they are becoming hippies? They are lying down on the street, on the park and I have seen in London, the St. James Park. They are sleeping, and the police is kicking: "Hey! Get up! Get up!" So why? The English nation is not poor nation. The American nation is not poor nation.
Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:
Prabhupāda: Because without the knowledge of the active principle which is moving the body, what is the use of simply understanding the bodily construction? The medical science knows the construction of the body, anatomy, physiology, the bone, this muscle, the blood and everything, but he does not know what is the active principle. When the active principle gone, they cannot repair it. So there may be vast advancement of medical science, but if the medical science cannot check birth, death, old age and disease, then what is the use of it? It may have some temporary use, but actually it is not science. Nobody wants to die. Is there medical science which can stop death? So that knowledge may be temporary, beneficial, but ultimately, it is not the knowledge. I am anxious for not dying. Nobody wants to die. This is my anxiety. And where is that science, medical science? So we are satisfied with some temporary knowledge.
Conversation with Devotees -- April 14, 1975, Hyderabad:
Devotee: We may not be able to actually stop death, but while we're here we can at least prolong our lifetime and...
Prabhupāda: That also you cannot do. Where is the proof?
Devotee: Well, at the atomic research plants...
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is another foolishness, I say. You have not done it. You are simply expecting. Hope against hope. That's all.
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: No, no. You take your mother's milk. You take your mother's milk, and when the mother cannot supply milk you kill her. What is this? Is that humanity? And nature is so strong, for this injustice, sinful, you must suffer. You must be prepared to suffer. So there will be war, and wholesale will be killed. Nature will not tolerate this. They do not know all these, how nature is working, how God is managing. They do not know God. This is the defect of the society. They do not care what is God. "We are scientists, we can do everything." What you can do? Can you stop death? Nature says, "You must die. You are Professor Einstein, that's all right. You must die." Why the Einstein and other scientists they do not discover medicine or process? "No, no, we shall not die." So this is the defect of the society. They are completely under the control of nature, and they are declaring independence. Ignorance. Ignorance. So we want to reform this.
Morning Walk -- May 29, 1975, Honolulu:
Bali-mardana: They say that "We should discuss only the things that we can see and the things that we can know with our science. Anything we do not know is not fit for us to discuss."
Prabhupāda: Why? You cannot see your death? So why you are making medical science to stop death? You do not see death, but it is sure that you will die. So why don't you wish to die?
Morning Walk -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Bali-mardana: Yes, they try to make it rain or stop the rain. They try different experiments.
Prabhupāda: Why not death? Stop death.
Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:
Inquire. Come on, all philosophers and scientists, come and make an inquiry commission, that "I don't want to die. The death is forced upon me. I don't want to become old man, and it is forced upon me. What is the reason?" Therefore they are rascals. The prime problem, they have set aside. Big, big scientists... That Professor Einstein and other, other, they are big, big scientists. They do not consider this question, that "I am a big scientist. So I am also going to die. So why it is?" That question, they have set aside. And they manufacture atom bomb to make dead very easy, not to stop death, but death-making very easily available. This is scientific. Hmm? Is that scientific?
Bahulāśva: No.
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Everyone is dying, and they accelerate death. And that is taken as scientific.
Satsvarūpa: They are also making research how to stop death.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Satsvarūpa: They're making... But it's useless.
Prabhupāda: So that is in our hands; that is not in their hands.
Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:
Revatīnandana: Some time back I was reading an article on an airplane, one of those airline news magazines, about the science of gerontology, the science of putting off death or stopping death. They say, "Within twenty-thirty years we will have stopped it. We will even reverse the process of old age. We'll become younger." That was their claim.
Prabhupāda: They can do it—that is credit. But what is this credit, that people are dying and you discover atom bomb to accelerate death very quickly? If they are thinking like that, then sanity is coming. At least, they are thinking like that, that "Why death should not be stopped?" That will be credit if they can do so, but at least this question, it comes.
Morning Walk -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Education means atyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, the ultimate solution of all unhappiness. That is education, not that after coming to some extent, "No, you can die happily." And what is duhkha, unhappiness? That is presented by Kṛṣṇa: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānu... (BG 13.9). These are your unhappiness. Try to solve it. And that they are carefully avoiding. They cannot stop death, neither birth, nor old age, nor disease. And during the short period of life, birth and death, they are making big, big buildings, and next time he is becoming one rat within the buildings.
Morning Walk -- Durban, October 13, 1975 :
Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. You have stopped smallpox, but you have increased cancer. So what is the use?
Harikeśa: "Now we are finding a cure for that also."
Prabhupāda: That's all. Go on working like ass, (laughs) without any… Even if you have some medicine for disease, you cannot stop disease. You cannot stop death.
Room Conversation -- October 14, 1975, Johannesburg:
Prabhupāda: They are making so many wonderful things, but they cannot stop death.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They just make it quicker.
Morning Walk -- October 25, 1975, Mauritius:
Indian man: About religion, Swamijī. Religion is capable to stop death?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Here the... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That is our proposal, to go back to home, back to Godhead. No more death.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: The stricture of nature's law, that is science. Is it not scientific effort? They will never be able to do so, but still, they are... To stop death, birth, death, old age, is very major problem, but even in small things you cannot do anything. Everywhere you are dependent. And still, they are very much proud that they are advancing in scientific knowledge so that they can overcome the stringent laws of nature and so on, so on. Durāśaya. It is called durāśaya, hope which will never be fulfilled.
Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But we don't see that you are able to stop death.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We agree that it would be nice to stop death, but where is...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, we know. You learn from us. We know. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). This is the process.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Yes. (chuckles) (break) They are afraid. Stop disease, stop old age, stop birth, stop death. (break) ...the major problems, and you call yourself....
Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Nobody likes death, but death is there. Nobody likes to become old, but the old age is there. Why they set aside these big problems and he's proud of scientific advancement of knowledge? What kind of education this is? If they cannot distinguish between right and wrong, then what is the result of this education? Education means one must be able to distinguish between the right and wrong. But they cannot, or even they do know that death is not good, but why they are not trying how to stop death? Where is the advancement? They are very much proud of advancement of science. Where is the advancement? You cannot stop death. You cannot stop old age. You can manufacture advanced medicine, but why don't you stop disease? Take this pill, there will be no more disease. Where is that science? Hm?
Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:
Gopavṛndapāla: Just like we say that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a gradual process, they say their scientific advancement is also a gradual process.
Prabhupāda: Gradual process, but do they think they will be able to stop death? We are confident that we are going back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. But where is their confidence that they will be able to stop death, old age, disease?
Morning Walk -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:
Prabhupāda: The problem is that we are suffering in this material world life after life, and our aim is how to again go back to home, back to Godhead. That they do not know. They are showing some mysticism. Stop death. Then I shall see your mysticism. What is this nonsense mysticism? Can you stop death? Is it possible? Then what is the meaning of this mysticism? All bogus. My problem is that I am accepting one body and suffering, because as soon as I get this material body, I have to suffer. Then I am creating another body. I die.
Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: Because whatever we are discovering, it will be taken away by death. So discover something which will stop death. And that is real discovery.
Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: The thing is, bad or good, everyone will be taken away by death. Is it not a fact? Hitler is no longer existing, neither Stalin nor Gandhi. Gandhi was supposed to be very good man. He's also taken by death, and Hitler is also taken by death. And Stalin also taken. And I'll also, you will be also. So death will take away everyone. There is no doubt about it. Therefore discover something which will stop death. That is real discovery.
Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: What progress they have made?
Rādhāvallabha: Towards destruction.
Prabhupāda: Have they stopped death? What is progress? After all, we are going to die.
Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:
Hari-śauri: Well, they don't claim they can stop death.
Prabhupāda: Therefore they are rascals. What is the improvement? If you stop disease, then it is improvement.
Morning Walk -- August 23, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: What is that? What is your ability? Your ability is that you work like an ass and die. That's all. That's your ability. Mūḍha. What is your ability? Can you stop death? Then what is your ability? You have to die. So it is false ability. It is struggle only. You try to live but nature will kill you. This is your ability.
Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: Not complicated. The answer is... But how to become expert to save the child from death, that is another science that you should know. If you want to stop your self... (break) ...no need of a child to whom you have to give your care to make him, to raise him in such a way, if there is no such need, then there is no need of sex life. If you enjoy sex life for sense enjoyment, that is atrocity. That is atrocity. That is Vedic civilization. Because before sex life we have got saṁskāras, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. The purpose is there, that "I shall train my child how to stop death. And the child must be so good that he will take my instruction." And therefore garbhādhāna-saṁskāra.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: They are showing some magic. Just like this child was being treated. So he could not check the process of death. Neither it is possible to stop the process of death. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha... Our real unhappiness is this-janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. So otherwise why there is knowledge? He does not know what is the miserable condition of life. Everyone knows that he is going to die. He has taken birth; he has become old; he has suffered diseases. Then where is the solution? In America this yoga practice is very popular, and they want some solution of the miseries. But here it is said, "Where is the solution?" Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi is there. Where is your solution? You cannot stop death. Then where is the solution? This is cheating, that "I shall make solution of your suffering." But a intelligent man will say, "Can you make a solution of my death, of my old age, of my disease, of my birth?" That is knowledge.
Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa said, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So where is the difficulty? I am changing my body. So why I shall not get another body after my death? Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). And wherefrom this knowledge is coming? From Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority. In the beginning I may not understand, but it is a fact. If you think over, you'll understand, "Yes, I am eternal. Why I am put into this difficulty, changing this body?" This is common sense. "Why I shall die? Why not stop death?" That is knowledge.
Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: 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.
Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Fifty, sixty... Average India, thirty-five years. In your country a little more. Nobody lives hundred years. That is also another bluff. But even if you live for hundred years, does it mean that you have stopped death? Then what is the benefit? You are eternal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). You are eternal, but why you are dying? What the scientists have done? Na jāyate na mriyate. Eternal means one who has no birth, no death. But you have birth and death, so where is your scientists' help?
| Page Title: | Stop death |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Sureshwardas |
| Created: | 22 of Jul, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=47, Con=45, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 94 |