Tobacco

Expressions researched:
"tobacco"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.17.24, Purport:

With the progression of the age of Kali, people are becoming very proud, and attached to women and intoxication. By the influence of the age of Kali, even a pauper is proud of his penny, the women are always dressed in an overly attractive fashion to victimize the minds of men, and the man is addicted to drinking wine, smoking, drinking tea and chewing tobacco, etc. All these habits, or so-called advancement of civilization, are the root causes of all irreligiosities, and therefore it is not possible to check corruption, bribery and nepotism. Man cannot check all these evils simply by statutory acts and police vigilance, but he can cure the disease of the mind by the proper medicine, namely advocating the principles of brahminical culture or the principles of austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness. Modern civilization and economic development are creating a new situation of poverty and scarcity with the result of blackmailing the consumer's commodities. If the leaders and the rich men of the society spend fifty percent of their accumulated wealth mercifully for the misled mass of people and educate them in God consciousness, the knowledge of Bhāgavatam, certainly the age of Kali will be defeated in its attempt to entrap the conditioned souls. We must always remember that false pride, or too high an estimation of one's own values of life, undue attachment to women or association with them, and intoxication will divert human civilization from the path of peace, however much the people clamor for peace in the world. The preaching of the Bhāgavatam principles will automatically render all men austere, clean both inside and outside, merciful to the suffering, and truthful in daily behavior. That is the way of correcting the flaws of human society, which are very prominently exhibited at the present moment.

SB 1.17.38, Purport:

Gambling of all description, even speculative business enterprise, is considered to be degrading, and when gambling is encouraged in the state, there is a complete disappearance of truthfulness. Allowing young boys and girls to remain unmarried more than the above-mentioned ages and licensing animal slaughterhouses of all description should be at once prohibited. The flesh-eaters may be allowed to take flesh as mentioned in the scriptures, and not otherwise. Intoxication of all description-even smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or the drinking of tea-must be prohibited.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 1, Purport:

Such eating for sense gratification—including the use of extra quantities of spices like chili and tamarind—is to be given up by Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. The use of pan, haritakī, betel nuts, various spices used in pan-making, tobacco, LSD, marijuana, opium, liquor, coffee and tea is indulged in to fulfill illicit demands. If we can practice accepting only remnants of food offered to Kṛṣṇa, it is possible to get free from māyā's victimization. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk products and water are proper foods to offer to the Lord, as Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself prescribes. However, if one accepts prasāda only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating prasāda.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.1:

And although we do see that some so-called modern saints and mendicants are addicted to cannabis and tobacco, even they are repulsed by many other modern sensual distractions. If the illusory material world holds little or no attraction for the Lord's devotees, how much less must the Lord Himself be attracted to it! Therefore, although out of ignorance one might claim that mere mortals are God, that does not change the reality—that man is always man and God is always God, and never otherwise.

Once one of the brahmacārīs of our āśrama met Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who is a spiritualist of sorts and an erudite scholar. Dr. Radhakrishnan is the vice-president of India as I write this essay. On meeting him, our brahmacārī received from him a copy of his Bhagavad-gītā as a gift.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

So here is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā, third chapter, fourteenth verse. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. When I was coming to your village I saw there are so many agricultural field producing so much. So tobacco-producing can give you some money, but you will be shortage of food grains. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said that if you want to make happy and prosperous the people in general, then you must produce anna, food grains. Bhagavān has not said anywhere that you produce tobacco, jute, and similar other things which are not required at all.

Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

Therefore in this Kali-yuga the yajña is performed by chanting the holy name of the Lord.

So I do not wish to take very much time. I have got another engagement. My only submission is that you produce enough quantity of food grains. Don't waste your time by producing tobacco. Besides that, in the śāstra it is forbidden, striya sūnā pāna dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā (SB 1.17.38). Striya, avaidha, illicit sex, striya, sūnā, jīva ko hatya, killing the animals. Striya sūnā pāna... Pāna means smoking also. Drinking liquor and smoking. Dhūma pāna. This pāna is forbidden. Striya sūnā pāna dyūta, and dyūta means gambling. So these four things, they are considered as sinful activities.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, these are, these are prohibited in Muhammadan villages.

Karandhara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But still it is good. To some extent, he's advanced.

Karandhara: He doesn't allow any liquor shops or tobacco shops in this country.

Prabhupāda: Yeah, that's good.

Karandhara: Khadafi.

Hṛdayānanda: Which country is it?

Prabhupāda: All these things are sinful. To drink is sinful. Even among the Muhammadans. To smoke, sinful. They have got austerities. Their animal-killing is once in a year. (Hindi) Only animals should be sacrificed in worship. There are so many things. Every religion there is good thing, but then nobody follows. Simply defined, "I'm Christian," "I'm Muhammadan," "I am Hindu..." That's all. He's neither of them. He's simply animal. He's simply animal. Just like these rascal Christian. The first proposition is "Thou shalt not kill," and see they're simply killing, and they're claiming "Christians." Just see. All rascals, and they're claiming, "We're follower of Christian." (break) ...propaganda is to teach all these rascals. Therefore we say general rascals. It may be very strong... That professor was referring, "Yes, everyone is rascal." You know that professor?

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, we shall give engagement.

Prajāpati: Cattle industry, liquor industry, tobacco industry, all these big industries.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Let them be without industry. Come to us. We shall give them food. Yes. Just like that... What is that? Mṛgāri, Mṛgāri. He was thinking that "Unless I kill animals, how I will eat, I shall live?" And Nārada gave him, that "I will give you to eat. Come here." So he became Vaiṣṇava. So that is our propaganda." Stop this nonsense business. If you think that 'How you shall eat?' I shall give you eating. Come on. "This is our program." First of all you stop it. Then I will, see how I will give you." Just see. When I came first I was alone. I had no shelter, no food. And how we are maintaining now thousands of people, and giving them to eat, and nice shelter? How it is possible? It is possible. Because after all, Kṛṣṇa gives everything. So if they become Kṛṣṇized, everything will come. Why they bother about the sinful activities?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Atreya Ṛṣi: What is wine? He's saying that a Roman Catholic can take wine. The law allows them to take wine.

Richard Webster: Or tobacco or meat.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Or tobacco or meat. So the rules are different.

Prabhupāda: Then rules are not different, but we have to see. Just like your commandments. In the commandments there is "Thou shall not kill." Then how you can eat meat?

Richard Webster: Well, that is a possible argument, but I'm thinking about even lesser things such as wine or...

Atreya Ṛṣi: Wine. Can...

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And tobacco.

Devotee: For money, for profit.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And tobacco.

Prabhupāda: Tobacco, by which... They know tobacco is bad, and they are utilizing time for growing tobacco and smoking tobacco. This is their intelligence. So blind men... Give them intelligence, these rascals. We call therefore only rascals. People are dying for want of food grains, and they are growing tobacco, which smoking, they will go to hell. This is their intelligence. Huh? What do you think?

Satsvarūpa: I agree.

Prabhupāda: This is the idea.

Room Conversation with Bill Faill (reporter) -- October 8, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, because Kṛṣṇa is vegetarian. Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa can eat anything because He is God, but He recommends, "Give Me vegetable." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). He never said, "You give Me meat or wine or this," no.

Faill: Those are all out. They have to be. And tobacco is...

Prabhupāda: Tobacco is also intoxication. We are already intoxicated in the bodily conception of life, and if we put more intoxication, then we are lost.

Faill: You mean these things just reinforce body consciousness.

Morning Walk -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Prabhupāda: How degraded they have become. There is no food, and they are busy for growing tobacco.

Hariśauri: ...You say that's what they call a cash crop.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hariśauri: The other day.

Prabhupāda: Now eat cash. So cash is also paper. So what is the use of laboring so hard? You eat paper. Paper is available.

Devotee (1): It is prohibited to buy gold at that temple.

Morning Walk -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Prabhupāda: Because you are rascal, your government is rascal-democracy. What is the government? Government means your replica. So why do you blame the government? You are fools, rascals; you send other fools and rascals and suffer consequence. (break) ...tea, growing tobacco, growing jute, and no grains. And grain for the animal, so that animal, as soon as it becomes fatty, send it to the slaughterhouse, and then finish business. Smoke, eat meat, drink, and be happy. So much land, but it is producing tobacco, which we are prohibiting, "No smoking." (break) Vegetable is utilized. (Hindi) These crops. (Hindi) (break) ...nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām.

Indian man: (Hindi) ...effulgence.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Prabhā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40).

Conversation on Roof -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Prabhupāda: The land is very nice. All flat, flat land. Hundreds of miles.

Indian: It is all tobacco.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Indian: All tobacco.

Prabhupāda: Just see. They're misusing.

Haṁsadūta: You can smell it.

Indian: Smell tobacco.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Conversation on Roof -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Indian: Smell tobacco.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Harikeśa: Oh, that's why it is. Tobacco. I always thought someone was smoking bidis right downstairs, or something.

Haṁsadūta: ...smell tobacco.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: Virginia smells like this.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Harikeśa: Virginia, in America. There, all they do is grow tobacco now. (break)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Guru-kṛpā: "Why doesn't He come and help them?"

Acyutānanda: In Andhra, I said, "There's so much land where they're growing tobacco. You could grow food." But in the Gītā, it says, "Once coming there, he never returns."

Prabhupāda: But if he likes, he can return.

Acyutānanda: He can return.

Prabhupāda: That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No money required. No money required. Simply one is required to work to produce food grain. That's all. No money required. And God has given us so much land that we can produce food grain and we can keep cows' milk, and from milk we derive so many rich, nutritious, full of vitamins foodstuff that the whole economic question solved immediately. But we are producing.... Instead of food grain, we are producing tobacco for smoking cigarette. We are producing coffee for going to hell. So how you can expect social reformation? In Africa I have seen. Instead of producing grain, they are producing coffee, tea, and keeping the cows for killing, making business to sell meat to other countries.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: Yeah, he says that here, because of their own ignorance then they find fault. He goes on: "From this misunderstanding came fear then hatred and from hatred grew injustices and often atrocities. An injustice is now being perpetrated through ignorance. Are atrocities far off? This may sound like an overstatement, but for those who say, 'It can't happen here,' it already has, such as to the American Indians and to our people (of) Japanese descendant. The time to stop such action is at the beginning, now. The way to stop it is to replace ignorance with knowledge, and hatred with understanding. Sometimes people stand off at a distance and look at another person's belief and laugh at them or fear them. But as they get closer, they may come to understand how similar the observer's beliefs may be to their own beliefs. As a scientist, a psychologist, I have tried to learn about and understand the Hare Kṛṣṇa people. For nearly a year I have spent hours each week, talking with, reading about, and testing members of the movement. I have been to their temples in this country and in Europe. I have eaten in their homes and I have been to their children's schools. What I have found is a group of people trying to find God and live as closely to the way that He would like them to live. There is no place in their lives for immorality, for cruelty to other people or animals, for artificial stimulants or harmful chemicals such as alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. At first glance their approach to God may seem alien to us with their different dress, the incense, and the many statues and their unique ceremonies, but a closer look reveals similarities to our religious practices that are just the same. In Catholicism we find the holy water, chanting on the rosary, statues of saints and incense. And in Judaism we find the blowing of the shofar."

Prabhupāda: And they say, the cow's urine, they are forcing to eat. (laughter) (Bengali) ...that they are forcing the devotees to drink cow's urine. (laughter) These are the charges: brainwash, mind control, forcing cow's urine to drink. (laughter) How clever they are to find out some fictitious faults.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: Oh, yes. The new government there, they pride themselves in being a dharmiṣṭha society, based on the teachings of Buddha. So I submitted an open letter to the same press, that "How is it dharmiṣṭha if the government is in fact supporting the organized slaughterhouses, that the government maintains the liquor industry, the tobacco industry, the tea industry, and they encourage cinema, nightclub, hotel, tourism, which encourages prostitution?" I said, "Where is the dharma? Dharma means four things: no animal slaughter, no intoxication, like that." The editor promised that he would publish it today. So if they publish it, it will also be a very controversial...

Prabhupāda: So, and they are giving us some status to stay there?

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: ...self-independence. But we can see as you explain to us, when they get this education they become just like a dog going from door to door looking for a morsel of food. The island of Shree Lanka is very, very green, because they have a lot of rainfall. Right now it's rainy season and very lush. All fruits, vegetables grow there. But the government has a foolish policy. They produce tea and tobacco and rubber and all useless rubbish things. They could produce food ten times for the population, but they don't...

Prabhupāda: Anywhere, not only Ceylon.

Haṁsadūta: They still have wild elephants in the jungles. Here is Bhagatji, Prabhupāda. Bhagatji has come.

Prabhupāda: In which paper the arrest of Indira Gandhi?

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

I chant Hare Krishna Mantra on the 108 beads and then the beads are offered to the disciple with a change of name as Krishna das. He is advised to strictly follow the regulative principles of 1. no eating of meat, fish, or eggs; 2. no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea, and tobacco; 3. no illicit sex-life; and 4. no gambling or mental speculation.

In this way, after six months at least, when he is found habituated to the Vaisnava principles, then he is initiated for the second time with the sacred thread. This sacred thread ceremony is recommended in the Hari Bhakti Vilas, or the Vaisnava Smriti, by Sanatana Goswami. Sanatana Goswami recommends that by the initiation process one is elevated to the position of a twice-born (Dvija). This is recommended under Pancaratrika Viddhi.

Letter to Turya Shramy Maharaja -- Los Angeles 8 April, 1970:

Therefore I am encouraging householder's life strictly restraining them from sinful activities principally based on the following four points: 1) no eating of meat, fish, or eggs 2) no illicit sex-life 3) no taking of any kind of intoxicants including coffee, tea, and tobacco 4) no gambling. So this scheme appears to be successful, and in most cases the Grhasthas are preaching very satisfactorily.

Last December I have established our London temple at 7 Bury Place in a five story building, and it has become a great attraction because people from distant places come to see this temple. Our Radha Krsna Temple has become very popular because of two record albums published by Mr. George Harrison who is a world known musician. This young boy is very much sympathetic with our movement and he has very kindly contributed 2 lakhs of rupees for publishing my book, KRSNA.

Letter to Kasturika -- Los Angeles:

I am very happy to accept you as my disciple, and your initiated name is Kasturika Dasi. I am very glad to know that you have been recommended for initiation by Sriman Rishi Kumar, and now please continue to follow strictly the four regulative principles of no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea and tobacco, no illicit sex-life, and no gambling. Be sure to always chant daily your sixteen rounds on your beads, and be happy in Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

"The Supreme One supplies all the necessities of all the living entities." Actually this is our constitution.

All the devotees strictly follow our regulative principle of 1) no eating of meat, fish or eggs, 2) no illicit sex-life, 3) no taking of intoxicants including coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol, and 4) no gambling. In each center we have a president, secretary and treasurer who manage the local affairs.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Haripuja -- Los Angeles 25 June, 1972:

Now please continue to strictly follow the regulative principles and rigidly observing the four principal restrictions, namely: no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no taking of any kinds of intoxicants including coffee, tea and tobacco, no illicit sex life, and no gambling, and always without fail chant 16 rounds of the Holy Names daily, and be happy.

If you stick to these principles with determination, then you will become free from all attachment to maya, by Krishna's Grace. The example is that when the sun is in the sky, there is no question of darkness. Similarly, when Hare Krishna Mantra is vibrating on your tongue and you are hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear or Krishna Consciousness and there is no question of maya or hazy consciousness.