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That is determination

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

First of all Arjuna thought that "My cousin-brothers, they have given me so much trouble. They have usurped my kingdom. So I must fight with them and retake my lost kingdom." That is determination.
Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

Now, the beginning. In the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, in the battlefield, he was perplexed whether to fight or not to fight. That was his problem. First of all he thought that "My cousin-brothers, they have given me so much trouble. They have usurped my kingdom. So I must fight with them and retake my lost kingdom." That is determination. Again, when actually in the battlefield he saw his brothers and his friends... Because it was a family quarrel, so in both the sides all the friends and relatives, they joined, either to this party or that party. But the beauty is that Arjuna became compassionate, that "Why should I fight simply for the kingdom? How long I shall remain in the kingdom? Let me not to, not fight, let me not to fight. I'll not... I shall not fight." That was his decision. Because he was a devotee of the Lord, this good compassion came into his mind. The other party, they did not consider it. The other party was determined to fight.

We must know that we have got little freedom, so we may not misuse it.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just like you are sitting here. If you don't like, you can go away. That's your free will. There is free will. Because we are part and parcel of God, God is completely free to do anything. And because we are part and parcel of God, therefore we have got minute quantity of freedom. Just like a drop of ocean water, it is also salty, but the quantity of salt in that drop is not equal to the salt in the ocean. Similarly, you have got a little quantity of freedom, but not as freedom as God has got. That is not possible. You are subordinate. Your freedom is subordinate to God's freedom. Therefore if you misuse your freedom, then you become punishable. The government gives you freedom, but if you misuse your freedom, if you violate the laws, then you are criminal. Yes?

Swedish man (4): Couldn't we say that we as men are determined to freedom, determined to indeterminism, so to say, determined to take some responsibility?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That determination required. We must know that we have got little freedom, so we may not misuse it. That is determination. If you misuse it, that is not good determination. Yes?

Swedish woman (5): Will I ever, in another life, will I feel my "I," my ego? Will I feel that again?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you are already feeling. So next life also you will feel, and the past also you felt. That is described. You are always individual. That is described, that "In the past we were existing in the past, your feeling was also there. As you are existing now, your feeling is already there, and in the future also, you will exist. The feeling will be there."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Firmly convinced, steady. They have got only one business, one business.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa says, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ... Those who are convinced for making a sure progress of life, he's called niścayātmikā buddhiḥ. That is determination. Dṛḍha-vrata, dṛḍha-vrata. These are Sanskrit words: "firmly convinced, steady." They have got only one business, one business. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha...bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddha... Those who are not steady, they have got many business, many business. Why many? If that one is the source of everything, take that one.

This is called gravity, and this is called soberness.
Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. So many times he was tortured by his father. He never became agitated. His father's only request was that "You give up this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." He would not give up. So this is determination. This is called gravity, and this is called soberness, that you go on talking like this. Just like in pushing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, so many dangers we have to meet. But we don't care for it. If I am, I mean to say, real servant of Kṛṣṇa, then this movement will go on, in spite of so many obstacles. So that is called soberness. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.

Yes, in this life I shall go back to home, back to Godhead.
Lecture on SB 1.16.35 -- Hawaii, January 28, 1974:

So you must have to follow these rules and regulation if you are serious. Then take initiation. Otherwise don't make farce, don't make farce. That is my request. One has to be very determined, bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This word is used in the Bhāgavata: dṛḍha-vratāḥ, strong determination: "Yes, in this life I shall go back to home, back to Godhead." This is determination. And what is the difficulty? No difficulty. Chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You are taking the beads, sixteen rounds. You can be finished, utmost two hours or three hours. So you have got twenty-four hours. If you want to sleep, of course, twenty-tlree lours, that is another thing. You have to minimize your sleeping. If you cannot finish sixteen rounds, then you must not sleep on that day, you must not eat. Why don't you forget to eat, forget? Why do you forget chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? This is negligence, aparādha, offense. Rather, you should forget your sleeping and eating, and must finish sixteen rounds. This is called determination. This is called determined. So you are welcome to take initiation, but if you are neglectful, if you want to make it a farce, that is your business. I cannot give you any protection.

I shall have nothing to do without Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

So if our mind is fixed up in Kṛṣṇa, then naturally the senses will be controlled. If we fix up our mind that we shall not do anything, dṛḍha-vratāḥ... Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This is determination, that "I shall have nothing to do without Kṛṣṇa." Then you are first-class yogi—dvija, brāhmaṇa, everything.

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the perfection comes when anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11)—no more any material desire.
Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to cure the heart disease full with lusty desires. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the perfection comes when anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11)—no more any material desire. That is possible. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. If you get something, that something, "I don't want anything more." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42), Dhruva Mahārāja said. He went to the forest to undergo severe austerities so that he can see Nārāyaṇa and beg some benefit, to get a greater kingdom than his father. He was insulted by his stepmother, so the boy, son of a kṣatriya, he determined that "I shall have a better kingdom than my father." So he got it. By Kṛṣṇa's grace he got it, that Dhruvaloka, the polestar. It is very big star. So he went for this purpose. Arthārthī. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino arjuna. Arthārthī. Ārto arthārthī. So he was in search after money, Dhruva Mahārāja, and therefore at five years old he went to the forest. His mother advised that "Kṛṣṇa can help you only." Others cannot help. So he was simple boy. He decided, "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" "Now, my dear child, I know that He is found in the forest." So he went to the forest, and he very severely Nārada Muni tried to persuade him, "No, no, you are simply a small child. Why you are so much infected with the insult given by your stepmother?" So he said, "No, I don't want your advice. If you can give me God, just talk of that. You don't talk of compromise. I am not going." This is determination. This is determination. So he, actually, within six months he saw Nārāyaṇa. But when he saw Nārāyaṇa, then his all material desires finished.

General Lectures

So that determination means utsāhā, "I must." That is necessary.
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, five-years-old boy. Nārada Mahārāja said, "My dear boy, you are king's son. You cannot undergo so much severe austerity. Why you are feeling so much insulted by your stepmother? Please go home." And Dhruva Mahārāja replied, "My dear sir, what you are saying is all right. But I am a son of kṣatriya. I am unpolite. I cannot accept your advice. I must see God. Please show me the way how I can get Him." That is determination, a five-years-old boy saying, "I must see God in this life. If you know something, how to do it, please explain that. Don't try to deviate me." That is determination.

So that determination means utsāhā, "I must." That is necessary. Not that "When Kṛṣṇa is merciful, then I shall do." Kṛṣṇa is already merciful. But if we do not take it, then what Kṛṣṇa will do? Kṛṣṇa does not touch on your little individuality or little independence.

Despite all obstacles put before us, it must go on. That is determination.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, don't think it is going very easily. We have to tolerate. Actually we are tolerating so many things, but we cannot stop it.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's advice,

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(CC Adi 17.31)

The saṅkīrtana movement must go on. Despite all obstacles put before us, it must go on. That is determination. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. That is the instruction of Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ, unflinching faith.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

So our point should be why another chance? Finish this business in this life.
Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Eh, yes. Do you think that solving the problem of birth, death and old age and disease is very easy task? (chuckles) You have to very, very strongly... Those who do not care, that is another thing. They are under these laws, going on. Life after life, they are changing body, again birth, again death, again in the womb of mother. They do not take it seriously, how risky life is that. They do not take it. "Oh, what is that?" Now, in Kali-yuga, the mother is killing the child. Even within the womb of mother is not safe. This is going on. So they do not take that how this way of life is risky and uncomfortable. They do not take it seriously. To enter again into the womb of mother, how difficult job and troublesome it is, they do not understand it. For want of education.

Hari-śauri: So those persons who do not take even their material predicament seriously, then it is the same when they approach, they see our devotees. They do not take us seriously.

Prabhupāda: No, they are given chance. Even they fall down, they guaranteed best life in the next birth, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41), to take birth in devotee's or nice brāhmaṇa's house. So they get again chance. So our point should be why another chance? Finish this business in this life. That is determination. Why another chance? I may be misled again. That should be our determination. "Finish this business, this life. One life let me be strict in following the discipline and regulative principles." This is called tapasya, that "Although it is inconvenient, I must do it to solve my problems." That is determination, dṛḍha-vrata, firm determination.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

When you promise before your spiritual master that no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, why should you fall down?
Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (1): Can one develop determination gradually?

Prabhupāda: Why gradually? When you promise before your spiritual master that no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, why should you fall down? If you have no determination, why should you promise in presence of the Deity, fire, spiritual master, Vaiṣṇava? Why do you make this farce, if you have no determination? If you want to make it a farce, that depends on you. But you should not.

Devotee (1): When we make that promise...

Prabhupāda: Yes, you should not fall down, that is determination. That is gentleman's determination, that "I have given my promise. Why shall I fall down?" That is determination. "I must respect promise." That is called dṛḍha-vrata. So he'll success. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. But if we want to cheat, that is another thing. If we have no determination, we should not take up this life. Therefore, chance is given that "Stay with us for six months or one year, be determined. Then be initiated." If you are not determined, what is the use of false initiation?

If I cannot train my children to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and thus avoid the botheration of birth and death, I shall not have sex.
Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: The śāstra says you should not become father if you cannot train up your children to save him from death. Who is the father who's training? To save him from the cycle of birth and death means to make him Kṛṣṇa conscious. So if you are not yourself Kṛṣṇa conscious, how you can train up your children to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? This is determination, that "If I cannot train my children to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and thus avoid the botheration of birth and death, I shall not have sex." That determination will save so many troubles. That can be done by practice. By engaging the mind in Kṛṣṇa, it is possible. The more you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll lose interest in this sex life.

Is number important in chanting? It has to be certain number, or you can just chant?
Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Indian lady: Is number important in chanting? It has to be certain number, or you can just chant?

Prabhupāda: Number? Yes, of course, no. Actually, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Always to be chanted. But because you cannot do that, therefore you must fix up a number. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka, that "I must chant so many times." That is determination. I have prescribed to my disciples that "You must chant at least sixteen rounds." That is very easy. But there is saṅkhyā. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. The Gosvāmīs, they used to do that. So it is; otherwise, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. The chanting should go on twenty-four hours. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to do. He was simply chanting. But that is not possible for ordinary man. Therefore they should have a fixed up, that "I must chant so many times." That will fix up the determination. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. There must be some dṛḍha-vratāḥ, that "I must do it." Then the devotion grows very firm.

One has to take order from the spiritual master and execute it, despite all impediments. That is determination.
Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Faith means that you are meant for giving some service to Kṛṣṇa. You should stick to that service, that path, in spite of all impediments. That is the passing of test. Generally, just like we are meant for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there may be severe test, but still we shall remain determined. That is wanted. There may be so many impediments, punishment, still you should do that. That is wanted. That is test. Not that as soon as there is some difficulty I give it up. There may be severe test, but still we shall not give it up. We must go on. That is determination.

Nava-yauvana: Passing the test means executing the order of the spiritual master.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is spiritual life. One has to take order from the spiritual master and execute it, despite all impediments. That is determination.

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

One knows how to love another, so instead of loving so many others, one can very easily take to the business of loving Krsna—this is determination.
Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 26 April, 1970:

I am so glad to hear of Hamsaduta's determination to become Krsna Conscious. The determination is difficult, Krsna Consciousness is not difficult—Krsna Consciousness is natural. One knows how to love another, so instead of loving so many others, one can very easily take to the business of loving Krsna—this is determination. That much is required, otherwise Krsna Consciousness is not difficult.

Page Title:That is determination
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Karuna Sindhu
Created:20 of May, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=9, Con=5, Let=1
No. of Quotes:15