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Uncomfortable

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 7.15, Purport:

In the Gītā the Personality of Godhead clearly states that there is no authority above Him and that He is the Supreme Truth. The civilized form of human life is meant for man's reviving the lost consciousness of his eternal relation with the Supreme Truth, the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is all-powerful. Whoever loses this chance is classified as a narādhama. We get information from revealed scriptures that when the baby is in the mother's womb (an extremely uncomfortable situation) he prays to God for deliverance and promises to worship Him alone as soon as he gets out. To pray to God when he is in difficulty is a natural instinct in every living being because he is eternally related with God. But after his deliverance, the child forgets the difficulties of birth and forgets his deliverer also, being influenced by māyā, the illusory energy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 4

SB 4.29.62, Purport:

Karma is the aggregate of fruitive activities conducted to make this body comfortable or uncomfortable. We have actually seen that when one man was about to die he requested his physician to give him a chance to live four more years so that he could finish his plans. This means that while dying he was thinking of his plans. After his body was destroyed, he doubtlessly carried his plans with him by means of the subtle body, composed of mind, intelligence and ego. Thus he would get another chance by the grace of the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul, who is always within the heart.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.2.24, Purport:

For a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even merging into the existence of Kṛṣṇa, or Brahman, as impersonalists aspire to do, is uncomfortable. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Karmīs hanker to be promoted to the heavenly planets, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person considers such promotion a will-o'-the-wisp, good for nothing. Durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate. Yogīs try to control their senses and thus become happy, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person neglects the methods of yoga. He is unconcerned with the greatest of enemies, the senses, which are compared to snakes. For a Kṛṣṇa conscious person who is cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably, the happiness conceived by the karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs is treated as less than a fig. Kaṁsa, however, because of cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a different way—that is, inimically—was uncomfortable in all the affairs of his life; whether sitting, sleeping, walking or eating, he was always in danger. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 13 Summary:

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives the following summary of the Thirteenth Chapter in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya. Thinking Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was uncomfortable sleeping on bark of plantain trees, Jagadānanda made a pillow and quilt for Him. The Lord, however, did not accept them. Then Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī made another pillow and quilt from finely shredded plantain leaves, and after strongly objecting, the Lord accepted them.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

So mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). So that, according to the body, you get pains and pleasure of this material world. A very rich man, living very comfortably, a little painful thing is intolerable by him, because he has got a such body, so delicate body. Just like a child. Because he has got delicate the body, little pinching makes him crying, uncomfortable. So it is all due to body. But the soul is different from the body. So Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince Arjuna that "Why you are hesitating to fight? Do your duty. Your so-called grandfather or so-called guru, as you say, your teacher, they are not this body. So in this fight, if your grandfather or teacher is killed, why you are lamenting? They are eternal." That is also explained, that "They were existing in the past, they are existing at present, and they will continue to exist. Simply the body will change. So why you are lamenting?

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

Suppose I am a little baby, and some worm is biting me. I cannot say "Mother"—because at time I cannot speak—"something is biting on my back." I am crying, and mother is thinking that "The child is hungry. Give him milk." (laughter) Just see how much this... I want something, and I am given something else. That is a fact. Why the child is crying? He is feeling uncomfortable. Then, in this way, I grow. Then I do not want to go to school. I am forced to go to school. Yes. At least, I was like that. (laughter) I never wanted to go to school. And my father was very kind. "So all right. Why you are not going to school?" I would say, "I will go tomorrow." "All right." But my mother was very careful. Perhaps if my mother would not have been little strict, I would not have gotten any education.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is a place for distress. So long you remain here... But we are so fools, we cannot realize. We accept, "This life is very pleasant. Let me enjoy it." It is not pleasant at all, seasonal changes, always. This distress or that distress, this disease or that disease. This uncomfortable, this anxiety. There are three kinds of distresses: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Adhyātmika means distresses pertaining to this body and the mind. And adhidaivika means distresses offered by material nature. Nature. All of a sudden there is earthquake. All of a sudden there is famine, there is scarcity of food, there is over rain, no rain, extreme heat, extreme winter, extreme cold. We have to go under these distresses, threefold. At least one, two, must be there. Still, we do not realize that "This place is full of distress because I have got this material body."

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

That we have been discussing for the last three or four days, that yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. Our whole trouble of life, this material existence, it is, according to Vedic literature, this is our condemned life, material, because I am put into a different atmosphere, this body, which I am not. The body is matter, and I am spirit soul. So I have been put into uncomfortable position by this material contact.

So the human life is developed consciousness. So he has to learn it, and he can get rid of this material existence by the process which is prescribed in authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Vedic literatures.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

This body and the, I mean to say, neck, and the śiraḥ, śiraḥ means this head—they should be in a straight line. And you cannot close your eyes fully. You have to half-close and see the top of your nose. In this way, you sit down always. Never go to sleep. I have seen in my childhood yogi in Calcutta, Kālīghāṭa. He was twenty-four hours sitting. When he was feeling uncomfortable, he had a wooden cot,(?) like that. But he was never sleeping. That is yoga practice. Who is going to do that? It is very difficult. Therefore Arjuna said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending this yoga practice, but it is impossible for me to do." Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, "Oh, it is not possible for me." And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

So we are, by material advancement, we are just advancing the cause of illusion. That is all. We do not know. What we know? Therefore a person who begins a spiritual life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his asset will go with him. Never mind, in this body we may be little uncomfortable. A spiritually advanced man, or a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is never in discomfort. We have already discussed this point. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ (Bg. 6.20-23). When one attains perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not want anything more. Everything is complete. And the symptom will be seen that he's not disturbed even in the severest point of miserable condition.

You'll be surprised to know that Haridāsa Ṭhākura... We always glorify him after our kīrtana, "Haridāsa Ṭhākura ki jaya."

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

The general opportunity for human being is to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, and go back to Him again. We have come from Him, but we are attracted by this material enjoyment, which is not very pleasurable. It is suffering. Just like here, without this fan, it was uncomfortable, excessive heat. So, excessive heat, excessive cold, so many things, adhibautic, adhyatmic, adhidaivic. We are actually suffering always. This is the nature of this material world. Stringent laws of the material world. And still we are trying to become happy by some adjustment. This is called struggle for existence. In this way we cannot be happy.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

So better that we should know the nature of our constitutional position. Our constitutional position is that we want eternity, we want complete knowledge and we want pleasure also, pleasure. So if you are kept alone, you cannot have pleasure. Then you'll feel uncomfortable. And for want of pleasure, you'll accept any kind of pleasure: "All right, material pleasure." That's all. That is the risk.

Therefore this Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll have full pleasure, full pleasure, the same pleasure. Not the same pleasure. Just like here the highest pleasure of this world is sex life. That is also perverted, so diseased. So even in the spiritual world there is sex pleasure in Kṛṣṇa, but that's not.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

So that is temporary. I am eternal; you are eternal. Our real suffering is to take birth and remain in the womb of the mother. And even coming out of the womb of the mother, the small children, they feel always uncomfortable. Therefore they cry. The mother cannot understand what is the suffering of the... He is hungry but the mother is thinking that he wants to sleep or misunderstanding the child is uncomfortable. In this way childhood is past. Then again we become boy, again go to a school, again examination, again this. In this way the whole life is suffering. But under the spell of māyā, we are thinking we are happy. Therefore it is said mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If we want to get relief from this business of birth, death, old age and disease, let us take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, and take His instruction directly and apply it in life. Your life will be successful. This is the subject matter of this chapter.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

This is called māyā. He is not happy, but he is distressed, but he is thinking, "I am happy." This is called māyā.

So this knowledge required, that "Why I am forced?" Just like he is fanning me. Why? Because I am feeling unhappy due to warmth of this room. Then again, in winter season, I'll not like this fanning. This fanning will be uncomfortable. So a thing which is now comfortable, a few days after, it will be uncomfortable. So whether that thing is, particular thing, is comfortable or uncomfortable? The fan may be comfortable at the present moment, but if there is cold, severe cold, it will be uncomfortable. So whether the fan is comfortable or uncomfortable? The fan is neither comfortable or uncomfortable. It is the situation of my body that makes me comfortable and uncomfortable.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, idaṁ śarīram. This body is the cause of my comfortable, uncomfortable position, this body. In another place when Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa that "Whatever you are saying, it is all right.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

It is due to the skin, the skin." It is sometimes comfortable or uncomfortable according to the atmosphere. Just like we feel cold during winter season. We do not like to take bath. It is very cold. And again, in the summer season, we feel very warm. We want to enjoy taking bath. Therefore the water, in some season it is comfortable; in some season it is uncomfortable. The water is what actually? A chemical. But the atmosphere makes it comfortable or uncomfortable.

But that comfortableness or uncomfortableness is not permanent, that the summer season does not continue permanently, neither the winter season continues permanently. It comes and goes. So there are so many things. They come and go. And being attached to so many things, I become comfortable or uncomfortable. Therefore Arjuna was advised that tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

Here it is stated that smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punar vihātum icchen na. Vihātum means "to give up." He may fall down by māyā's influence for time being, but he cannot give it up. This is the sign. He cannot give... Just like... The example is given: just like hot sugar juice. It is very nice. Because it is hot, one is feeling uncomfortable to take it, but because it is sweet, it cannot give way. Hot sugar juice. Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that if somebody, being..., becomes attracted by some kinds of māyā's, I mean to say, influence, still, he does not like to give up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness like others.

This is the specific qualification of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punaḥ. One who has chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, he cannot give it up. Cannot give it up. He has to come again.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

And bhārāvatāraṇāyānye. Somebody says: bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if a ship or boat is overloaded, it is very dangerous. It can be drowned at any moment. So sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa.

So mother earth was overloaded and she approached Brahmā on account of overloading of these demons. She was feeling too much uncomfortable. And Brahmā is the chief living being within this universe. So when there is need, others approaches Brahmā, and Brahmā approaches Viṣṇu to reduce the overburden. Then He takes His incarnation, and that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). Abhyutthānam adharmasya. "When the principles of religiosity becomes increased, at that time, I appear," Kṛṣṇa says.

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

That is not possible. By laws of nature... Tri-tāpa-yatana, three kinds of miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, they must be there always. Just like I am your spiritual master. You have kept me very nicely, to your best capacity, but I am coughing. I am coughing. So even if we are situated in one kind of comfortable position, then another uncomfort will come and attack. That is called tri division. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Or there is no cough, or there is no trouble, but you receive on very unsatisfactory letter from a friend; you become very sorry. This is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the mind, pertaining to the body. Adhyātmika. Adhibhautika: troubles offered by other living entities; and adhidaivika, trouble offered by the higher authorities. Just like excessive heat. You cannot control. Excessive cold.

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

Because a man cannot remain without any activity, without any desire. That is not possible. A man, animal, any, even insect, he must be doing something. I have got practical experience. One of my sons in child..., when I was young man, he was very naughty. So sometimes we used to put him on the rack. He could not get down. So he was feeling so uncomfortable because his activities stopped on the rack. So you cannot stop activity. That is not possible. You must give better activity. Then you will stop. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59).

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that you get better activity. Therefore you can give up the inferior activities. Otherwise, simply by negation, it is not possible. We must work. We must work for Kṛṣṇa's sake.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Comfortable situation is also sense gratification. Any situation, we shall have to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "If it is comfortable to me, I shall do it." That is sense gratification. That is sense gratification. That is not spiritual; that is material. "Comfortable or uncomfortable, it doesn't matter. If Kṛṣṇa wants it, I must do it." That is wanted. That is wanted. As soon as I discriminate "This is comfortable, this is uncomfortable," that is material.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

The devotee does not want to enjoy, but Kṛṣṇa keeps his devotee in all comfortable situation. There is no question about it. So we should not desire separately for material comfort. We should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa and be satisfied; in whatever condition He keeps, be satisfied. Then He will look after whether you are comfortable or uncomfortable. If you try, yourself, independently, to become comfortable, that is māyā. You cannot become so. Otherwise, you see everyone is trying to be comfortable in this material world. Do you think that everyone is comfortable?

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings that "My dear Lord, when I was in the womb of my mother, at that time I saw You once, became visible." Those who are spiritually advanced, they can see God within the womb of the mother. When a child remains packed up and the consciousness is gained, he feels very uncomfortable. So at that time, one who is pious, spiritually advanced, he prays to God, "Please rescue me from this bondage. I am too much suffering. And this time I, after taking my birth, I shall simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," promises. But Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, janama hoilo poṛi' māyā-jāle.

As soon as birth is taken, the māyā is there; we forget. Immediately, father, mother, other relatives, they take up the child and pats very nice. So in this way we forget that we were in such a precarious condition, almost suffocating. Almost, it is suffocating.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

The business is to stand up for 10,000 years, but the root is capturing the earth like anything, strong. This is called virūḍhām, attraction. Suppose when you have got sense, improved consciousness, human being, if one asks you to stand up here for one hour, it will be so troublesome. And even if you are forced to stand up for one hour, you'll feel so much uncomfortable. But this tree, because it has not developed consciousness, it is standing up for 10,000's of years, and in open atmosphere, tolerating all kinds of excessive heat, rain, snowfall. But still, it is capturing. This is the difference between developed consciousness and undeveloped consciousness. A tree has also consciousness. Modern science, they have proved, they have got consciousness. Very much covered, almost dead.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

"Freedom from all distraction." Just like here there are many mothers sitting, and the natural affection for the child and the child's complete dependence on the mother's mercy is visible. There is no need of explanation. That is natural. If the mother is taking care of the child, it is not artificial. And if the child is feeling uncomfort without being on the lap of the mother, that is also natural. This is called avikāritvam, natural affection between the mother and the son. Similarly, we have got our natural affection for Kṛṣṇa.

That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

Just like sex impulse. It doesn't require to, how to awaken sex impulse, natural; similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is our natural inheritance because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or sons of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

That you cannot do. Suppose somebody lives eternally in the sky without any death. Rather, he will try to commit suicide. It is not possible. It is not possible. Just like we have got experience. If you remain for very long time—I have got experience—in the sea or in the air, you feel very uncomfortable. You want to land down, land down, another air station, another port, and feel very uncomfortable. The airplane men, they come down and they take rest on the ground. It is not our nature because it is impersonal. In the air there is no variety, simply air. Similarly, in the sea there is no variety, simply water. So it becomes suffocating. Similarly, those who are aspiring to go to the Brahman effulgence... Brahman effulgence is spiritual world, certainly, but there is no variety. There is no Kṛṣṇa's enjoying with the cowherds boys or Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. You cannot find there. You simply remain in the Brahman effulgence.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

They are, from the very beginning of their life they are accustomed to certain habits, but we are restricting. We say, "You cannot do this," and they are accepting, following. This is called tapasya. Tapo. Tapasya. Tapasya means I am habituated to smoking, suppose, and the spiritual master says, "You cannot smoke." So if he gives up smoking, he feels some inconvenience, some uncomfortable position. But because the spiritual master has ordered, he gives it up. This is called tapasya. Even at his inconvenience, he abides by the order of the spiritual master, regulative principle. That is called tapasya. He feels some inconvenience, but what can be done? He has accepted one spiritual master. A spiritual master means voluntarily accepting a great personality whose rules and regulations he must abide by. This is accepting of spiritual master, voluntarily accepting somebody, "Yes, sir.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

Otherwise... The other day Swami Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa was telling that in this country there is maximum number of suicide. Is it not? So, why one commits suicide unless he feels bodily position very uncomfortable, mental condition very disturbing? So this is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the body and mind. There are many troubles. Every one of us, we have got that experience, that there are troubles. I may be very rich, I may have immense wealth, but if my body and mind is not in order, I am in trouble. So simply material opulence, material wealth will not satisfy us. We require bodily comforts. And if I have got millions of dollars and if I am diseased man, I cannot enjoy; I cannot be in happiness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

They are Karmī, jñānī, yogi, they are feeling that "This material world is full of distresses. Let us take relief from this and become one." Karmī is trying to go to the Svargaloka; jñānīs want to go to the brahma-jyotir. The yogis also, they desire like that because they do not feel very comfortable within this material world. But a devotee, there is no such thing that in the material world they are uncomfortable. No. Why? Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Nārāyaṇa, that is all right. That is the view of the devotional service.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

You can go from New York to Boston in one hour, but go to the airport you will take three hours. (laughter) Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya. (laughter) Māyā means false, illusory. We are trying to create some very comfortable situation, but creating another uncomfortable situation. This is called māyā-su... This is the way of... If you do not be satisfied by the natural comforts offered by God, or nature, if you want to create artificial comfort, then you have to create another discomfort for counteracting. They do not know that. They are thinking that "We are creating very comfortable situation." Fifty miles going to the office. For earning livelihood, fifty miles, from one place to another. I saw in Hawaii. When Gaurasundara was working to maintain our temple, he was working. Unfortunately, he had to go fifty miles off from the temple to work for it.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

Human civilization means he must be sober. He should be inquisitive. A human being should be inquisitive to know "Who I am? Why I am put into this condition to work very hard to get a few breads only? Why I am this uncomfortable situation? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go?" These are inquiries. These inquiries are called brahma-jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra begins, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "A human being should be inquisitive to know these things: 'Who I am? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go? Why I am put into this uncomfortable position?' "

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976:

Wants we have increased. Now we, instead of wasting our time for increasing our unnecessary needs of life, we shall be satisfied with the bare necessities of life. Eating, sleeping, mating, we can minimize it. But don't, we don't say that you starve, you keep your body uncomfortably, and then fall sick, and then your Kṛṣṇa conscious business is hampered. No. Yavad-artha prayojana. Anāsaktasya viṣayān. Don't be attached to sense gratification. Satisfy senses as little as possible, which is essential, needed. It is not stopped. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa, anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. Don't be attached to the sense gratification. Just like eating, it is also a kind of sense gratification, to satisfy the tongue, satisfy the belly. But eating is also necessary if we want to maintain our body, and with the body you have to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Without maintaining the body, or disturbing the body, we cannot.

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

Similarly, the soul has got illumination. That illumination is this consciousness. So this illumination, this consciousness is also limited. Your consciousness, my consciousness, they are limited. You cannot perceive or understand what I am thinking; I cannot perceive or understand what you are thinking. If you are feeling, I mean to say, uncomfortable, I do not understand it. And if I am feeling happy, you do not understand it. In this way, if you make analytical study, you'll know that every one of us is individual and we have got individual consciousness, limited consciousness, not extensive. The Māyāvādī philosophers who mistake that "I am unlimited consciousness," no. If you deliberate, if you think wisely, then you are not unlimited consciousness. Your consciousness cannot approach my perception. Therefore I am limited consciousness. But because I have got consciousness, you have got consciousness, we are living soul, therefore the Supreme Soul, He has got His consciousness, and that is unlimited consciousness.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

In the śāstra it is said that this place is padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). In every step there is danger. Although we are trying to mitigate all kinds of discomforts, it is simply changing the burden from head to the shoulder. Just like a coolie carrying some burden, when he feels uncomfortable, he changes the burden from head to the shoulder, but actually, that is not mitigating the pains of burden. Similarly, we are trying to get material comforts by manufacturing or adventing so many scientific discoveries, but that is not actually getting happiness. It is simply changing the position. Exactly, we just consider that in your country, especially, you have got many motorcars, but riding on motorcars, how much dangerous conditions you accept. Everyone accept.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 2-4 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1970:

Just like good citizens, they are taken care of by the government directly, and the criminals, they are taken care of by the government through the prison department, through the criminal department. They are also taken care of. In the prison house the government takes care that the prisoners not in uncomfortable—they get sufficient food; if they're diseased they give hospital treatment—every care is there, but under punishment. Similarly, we in this material world, there is care certainly, but in, in a punishment way. If you do this, then slap. If you do this, then kick. If you do this, then this... This is going on. This is called threefold miseries. But under the spell of māyā we are thinking that this kicking of māyā, this slapping of māyā, this thrashing of māyā is very nice. You see? This is called māyā.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

"Oh, I am so unfortunate that I did not get any attachment for chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Saṁsāra-dāvānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jwale. The saṁsāra, this material world, is very uncomfortable place. Everyone is always full of anxiety. However rich you may be, however powerful you may be, but the anxiety must be there. You can understand, your president Nixon, how much anxiety he had when all people wanted him to come down. So this material world means in whichever position you may be situated, it doesn't matter. It is full of anxiety. This is called blazing fire, always burning the heart. So if you want to get relief from this uncomfortable position of anxiety, then you must take to this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is our request. You can try for it and you will see the practical result. It will not cost you anything; there is no loss about it.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Dance, chant now. Enjoy life. (kīrtana-Prabhupāda talking in background) (kīrtana, prema-dhvanī) (obeisances) Prasāda? You are sitting uncomfortably?

Guest: No. (devotees chant japa)

Prabhupāda: Now distribute prasāda. (bhajana: Govinda jaya jaya)

Haṁsadūta: There's no draft? The window's not open? (kīrtana in background)

Prabhupāda: No, no. That's all right. I have informed your brother in Germany, Kṛṣṇa dāsa, "Your sister is going to be married..." Stop. You can now eat. Stop. (kīrtana stops)

Devotee: Take prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Take prasādam. You can play the records. That's all.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

Don't take it... As soon as we talk of service, we may think that "Oh, we are suffering here by adopting service." Just like the other evening one boy was questioning, "Why should we bow down?" I do not know if he's present here. The bow down to surrender to somebody is not bad, but because we are in a different situation, by surrendering to other, it is very uncomfortable. Just like nobody wants to be dependent on other nation, nobody wants to be dependent on other people. Everyone wants to be independent, because this material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. But in the spiritual world, the more you surrender, the more you are servant, you are happy. You are happy. But we have no such understanding at the present moment. We have no spiritual idea, no spiritual realization; therefore we shudder as soon as we hear that we have to become servant of God. But there is no question of shuddering.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

I do not like to go out of my home, very comfortable home, happy home, but śāstra says, "You must." So I have to accept inconveniences. If I leave my home, comfortable home, I do not know where to live, how to eat, where to stay. These are experienced. When we took sannyāsa, in the beginning, we thought like that, but by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, we are not uncomfortable. We have got... We left only three or four children; now we have got hundreds of children, without any botheration of wife. (laughter) And they are so obedient and so beautiful, so nice, that I could not expect even the children which I begot at home. So by Kṛṣṇa's grace, by God's grace, everything is there, provided you depend on Him. There is no fear. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28).

Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971:

So when the body is complete, then the consciousness coming. So long the body is not complete, the consciousness is almost dead. It is called suṣupti, or sound sleeping. Then gradually, when the consciousness comes, the child within the womb feels uncomfortable and wants to come out. Therefore at the stage of seventh month of pregnancy sometimes the child moves. That is the process of growing. And after coming out of the womb the body grows. But if the child comes out dead, the body does not grow. Therefore it is to be understood that due to the presence of the spirit soul the body grows, means changes from one form to another. It is concluded by learned scholars that this change of body is taking place every moment, but the soul is there from the beginning of the life.

Subha Vilasa Home Engagement -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

"To preach means to accept discomfort," that for an older person to travel on airplanes and to always move about and to go here and there for the service of the Lord is naturally more difficult than for a very young person. But Prabhupāda is accepting this uncomfortable situation simply to establish Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the world, at least to give people the opportunity that "Choose, if you like, between the internal potency and the external potency." The external potency means you're forced. We have no choice. We're forced to undergo repetition of birth and death. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Nobody likes to grow old, but this youthful age, soon it will become old age. And nobody likes to die. So present-day civilization is blindly going on. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās: (SB 7.5.31) the blind leading the blind.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: But Bhagavad-gītā says that it is the place for miseries only. Kṛṣṇa says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is a place simply for suffering, and that also we cannot stay for a long time. Even if you agree to stay in this uncomfortable situation of life, still you will not be allowed; you have to change this place, change this body, that may go higher or lower. Therefore this life, the material life, is on the whole miserable. There is no question of any happiness.

Śyāmasundara: He says that because God has freedom of will, God decided it would be best to give man such freedom of will.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because every living entity is part and parcel of God, although very minute portion, similarly proportionately, he has minute proportion of freedom of will. Not absolute. That is natural. Every man has got a little freedom of will, but it is not absolute.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: So when a man dies from awakening state, he enters into the dreaming state and then enters into the deep sleeping state. So transmigration of the soul means he gives up this gross body, and the subtle body, mind, intelligence carries him to the another body, and in another body, unless the body is prepared properly, he lives in deep sleep. And when the body is prepared at seven months for human being, then he comes to consciousness. He feels, "Oh, why I am put into this packed-up status." If he is pious he feels very uncomfortable. He prays to God—these things are described—that "Kindly excuse me from this awkward position. Now this time I shall become a devotee." This is position. The soul is immortal, but still he enters into different stages of life. Then when he comes out, the same different stages of body continues. In childhood he is something different from his boyhood; boyhood something different from youthhood; and he is the same, but he is passing through different.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Jiv Jago -- Columbus, May 20, 1969:

Actually, when$the child remains within the womb of his mother, packed up in airtight bag, at the age of seven months within the womb, when he develops his consciousness, he feels very uncomfortable, and the fortunate baby prays to God, "Please relieve me from this awkward position, and this life I shall fully engage myself in developing my God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness." But as soon as the child comes out of the womb of his mother, under the spell of these three modes of material nature he forgets, and he cries, and the parents take care, and the whole thing is forgotten.

There is one instance of Parīkṣit Mahārāja. When he was in the womb of his mother, their paternal, I mean to say, enemy, Droṇa..., son of Droṇācārya, Aśvatthāmā, he released a weapon called brahmāstra. The brahmāstra could kill even within the womb.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Yes, the thing is that persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness anywhere, even they are put into a very uncomfortable position, they are not suffering in the same way as ordinary man.

Interviewer: Oh, we have people who want to talk to you. Caller, you're on the air with the Swami on KGO.

Caller (Gargamuni again): Thank you. Hello, Swamiji?

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Gargamuni: What is the perfection of this life?

Prabhupāda: The perfection of this life is to understand oneself, what I am. This is the beginning. Why I am suffering? If there is any solution of this suffering? And there are so many things. These questions should be there. Unless a man is awakened to these questions, that "What I am? Why I am suffering? Wherefrom I have come, and where I have to go?" then he's considered on the animal level.

Interview with LA Times Reporter About Moon Trip -- December 26, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No. There is suggestion of the scientist that there the temperature is two hundred degree below zero. I have read some paper. So if it is a fact then how you can live? You feel uncomfortable even in the Arctic region within this planet. How you can go and stay there even for a few minutes where two hundred degree...

Reporter: Yes, that's an argument based on logic,...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Reporter: ...and given the information about the degrees... But obviously, they're going ahead with plans to do so, and you have a transition period, for instance, between the part of the moon that is in sunlight and the part that is darkness.

Prabhupāda: That I've already admitted, that by modern scientific method if you can change the condition of your present body then you can go.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Śyāmasundara: Say, like our parents or many people in the material world, completely addicted to material life. They don't want to follow any austerities, uncomfortable, but still they must. By nature they're forced to austerities.

Prabhupāda: That is forced austerity; that is not good. Voluntary austerity will help.

Śyāmasundara: (indistinct) ...if you don't undergo voluntary austerity, you must be forced to undergo...

Prabhupāda: Yes. (pause) That is the difference between man and animal. Animal cannot accept austerity. But man can accept austerity. That is the difference between. Just like there is a nice foodstuff in a confectioner's shop. So a man wants to eat it, but he sees that he has no money. So he can restrain. But an animal, cow comes, immediately he pushes his mouth in that. You can beat him with stick, it will tolerate, but it will do that. Therefore, animal cannot undergo austerity. (Someone else speaks inaudibly about volume of loudspeakers) Yes, yes, reduce. (break) Our austerity is very nice. We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and Kṛṣṇa sends nice foodstuff, we eat. That's all. Why your people are not agreeable to such kind of austerities? Chanting, dancing, and eating nicely?

Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Our Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

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

The... (aside:) You are feeling uncomfortable? You can give him some seat.

Ian Polsen: No, thank you. I can sit here.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) The, our present conditional life is rebellious. We have rebelled against the authority of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. It is very simple thing. Just like a person, a citizen, if he becomes rebellious, then he is arrested and put into custody, and his life becomes conditioned, he has no freedom.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, why do you take this step to avoid this?

Kṛṣṇa-kāntī: It's uncomfortable. It's not natural.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the Māyāvāda theory; that everything will uncover automatically, why do you bother? That is nonsense.

Karandhara: They will not be able to be so philosophical in their next lives when they're a dog.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh?

Karandhara: The Māyāvādīs will not be able to be so philosophical in their next lives when they're dogs or cats.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Karandhara: They have to have a human body in order to enjoy that philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Their philosophy is that there is only one-God. So cats and dogs, that is God's līlā. That is their rascal philo... God is making pastimes, līlā, by becoming a dog. That is their rascal philosophy. Daridra-nārāyaṇa. Vivekananda's philosophy.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 9, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Those who are in uncomfortable situation, they are big bhaktas? (laughter) Can you show me that because they're in uncomfortable situation, they have become big bhakta? Is that the proof? What is this land?

Bhavānanda: This land we were looking at a few days ago? You suggested purchasing it for grazing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is very nice. So it is possible?

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Oh, so do it. (break) ...bhakti's, as I explained, apratihatā. Any condition, bhakti can be executed. The example is given: Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī and Rāmānanda Rāya. Rāmānanda Rāya was gṛhastha and governor, and he was very comfortably situated. And Rūpa Gosvāmī was living underneath a tree every night. And both of them were equally... Rather, Rāmānanda Rāya was accepted in greater position than Rūpa Gosvāmī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was in renounced order of life, but He gave even better position to Rāmānanda Rāya than Rūpa Gosvāmī. And Rāmānanda Rāya was a gṛhastha. He was not even a brāhmaṇa. And governor, very opulent. Very comfortable situation. You know this?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: But what about his death, how he uncomfortably dying?

Pañcadraviḍa: Well, we can't change that.

Prabhupāda: Then what you can change?

Viṣṇujana: But they can give you drugs to make death so that you don't feel it.

Madhudviṣa: Yeah, you can die in your sleep.

Prabhupāda: That is, means another death. You check death by death. That's all. These are all rascals. You are not yet convinced that these, they are rascals. That is your defect.

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone is in darkness. If you can make propaganda, the people will be misled. That is not very difficult. Just like from Russia, nobody is communist. But it is going on—the Russia is communist country. I have studied thoroughly. Nobody is communist. Maybe a few only. But it is going on by propaganda that Russia is a communist country. The people in general, they are forced to accept it. That book was written by some man, terrorism. It is terrorism. That's it. By force. Nobody accepts this communist philosophy, I have studied. (everyone gets out of car) They were very, very unhappy. The young man cannot go out of the country. Just see. Restricted. How much uncomfortable he is feeling. Especially in European countries, the young men, they want to go. But they will not allow. They will not allow anything to read except Lenin's literature.

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.

Morning Walk -- October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: No, non... For thinking men, for them there is no death; there is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference between thinking men and nonthinking men. We are preparing for going... (break) There is... Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). That is intelligence. Now, suppose that here is open field. There is... We are walking very nicely. And the downtown, congested city, that is not very nice. So at least, if I don't spoil my energy to make the place uncomfortable, if I save my energy and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in this open field, that is intelligence or that is intelligent? Which is intelligent? We are also going to die. That's all right. But we are going to die like intelligent person, not like cats and dogs. That is the difference.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 18, 1976, Mayapura:

Acyutānanda: I felt uncomfortable. He was clicking his teeth and moving his hands and talking very quickly. It was very uncomfortable just to be in his presence. I was very nervous. He actually contradicted himself. I was saying we should be respected in all Hindu temples. He says, "Yes, you are Hindus." He says, "Jains and Buddhists, they are also Hindus." I said, "How is that?" He says, "Who is Buddha?" I said, "He is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa." He says, "No, aside from that, he is the son of a kṣatriya." I said, "Then you are bringing it back to birth again." And then he started groping for words and avoiding it. They want to make a unity of Hindus so that they can always sway elections, so that Mohammedan and Christians do not change the election.

Prabhupāda: And we want to make Mohammedans Hindus.

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: If you are asked to stand here for five hours, you'll feel most uncomfortable. But they are standing for five thousand years, no uncomfortable. This is punishment. Punishment is there, but unaware. So everyone is like that. Anyone in the material world, they are being punished in different degree, but unaware. That is māyā's grace, that although he is punished, he cannot understand.

Guru-kṛpā: So they answer that "If you're happy, then what's wrong with that?"

Prabhupāda: Yes, that class you are here. You go on with that happiness. But we are not satisfied with this. You are rascal, you are happy in that way, but we are not. That is the difference between you and me.

Guru-kṛpā: Happiness of the fool.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (1): Sometimes they say that pain is part of life.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Let them say, because they will have to suffer. Unless they think like that, how they will suffer?

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: If you are uncomfortable you can sit on this cot...

Carl Warentz: No, that's okay, I'll sit like this.

Prabhupāda: You are welcome to sit down here.

Hari-śauri: You can sit on the couch.

Vṛṣākapi: This is Eugene Thoreau, Prabhupāda. He's an attorney in Washington, D.C. He's helped us very much opening up saṅkīrtana places. Very good.

Vipina: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is a professor from Catholic University, a physicist.

Vṛṣākapi: I told him already.

Vipina: Oh, did you?

Hari-śauri: Bring one or two chairs.

Prabhupāda: So how do you like our movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement?

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Prabhupāda: These people give scientists so much importance because there is brain. Brain, in the society, there must be brain. So without brain how the society can go on? If you simply produce motor mechanics, then? Brain must be there. Just like this is brain, Sanātana Gosvāmī is asking, ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. This is brain. "I don't want some uncomfortable situation, but why it is enforced?" So when you make research into that, that is brain. And if we remain like animal, "All right, they are dragging me to the slaughterhouse, that's all right, let me go," that is not brain. Brain means that I am seeking after perfect happiness, why I am not allowed to have this perfect happiness? That is brain. The question, if there is any remedy. They are doing this. Scientific brain means there are so many problems, they are trying to solve it. That requires brain. But because they are poor scientists, they do not know how to make a solution of the ultimate problem. They are making tiny problems, that's all.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So if you feel uncomfortable you can sit on this.

Mr. Kallman: No, no. The cushion...

Prabhupāda: You are already accustomed

Mr. Kallman: I'm always accustomed.

Prabhupāda: So, how are you?

Mr. Kallman: Very good, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You are now in New York?

Mr. Kallman: I live here.

Prabhupāda: Oh. No, you live I know. Sometimes you go out.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: We have got very nice houses, both in Bombay and Vṛndāvana. And Māyāpur also. Wherever you like. You will not be very uncomfortable.

George Harrison: I was going to go to Bombay for a wedding. Some friends are getting married.

Prabhupāda: When?

George Harrison: December the fifth, I think.

Prabhupāda: Very nice season in Bombay. Best time.

George Harrison: You know, I think you met Laksmi Shankar, lady singer? Her daughter, who is also a singer, Viji, Viji Śrī Shankar, and she's marrying a South Indian violin player, L. Shankar.

Prabhupāda: He's also Shankar?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Yes, it's possible but it's very uncomfortable.

Prabhupāda: (sic:) Unstoppage, eh?

Rāmeśvara: Nonstop. I flew from London to Delhi nonstop.

Prabhupāda: That is eight hours.

Rāmeśvara: Eight hours.

Prabhupāda: Let them oppose. You do your duty. Introduce this Vedic culture in your country. It will be... In future they will appreciate. There will be history how Vedic culture was... And the whole nation will be benefited—from material side. And spiritual side there will be..., what to speak of? These literatures, this art, this strength,(?) this philosophy... Everything wonderful.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hari-śauri: Now you're not speaking in the evening, so the devotees were wondering if there was a class in the morning.

Prabhupāda: They want? No.

Hari-śauri: Anybody want a class in the morning? (laughter) Yes, everybody wants.

Devotee: But not if it's uncomfortable.

Hari-śauri: But only as far as it's convenient to you.

Prabhupāda: I shall speak in the evening.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Quarantine. Simply by thinking that "I shall not be allowed to go out of this room..." It is not a room; it is a big house, but still, I was feeling uncomfortable: "How is that? I shall not be free to go out." And that three days was actually suffering to me, "I cannot go out of the door." Simply by feeling this. I do not do practically. I sit down. But if I feel, "No, I cannot go out of this room," that's a great suffering. Whole day, I am sitting here. That's a fact. But I have got this intelligence that "I can go out as I like." But if you say that "You cannot go out," then it is a great suffering, psychologically. So creation or no creation, there is suffering. Rather, when there is creation it is less suffering, because he's mad, so he's engaged in some way. (laughs) He's thinking, "It is happiness." Eating, sleeping, sex is there. That is going on. That is māyā. Therefore this creation is another mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: "I remember well the time when the thought of the eye made..." What is that? "...eye(?) made me cold, when the eye(?) made me cold all over, but I have got over this stage of the complaint, and now a small trifling, particulars of structure, often make me very uncomfortable. The sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I (sic?) crease at the neck..."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: "Make me sick."

Prabhupāda: "Make me sick." What does he mean by this?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He says... See, his theory of evolution cannot explain how these eyes are evolved, our eyes. So he felt very uncomfortable just seeing in the beginning these eyes, our eyes. But he says that stage he has overcome to some extent. But still, one particular phenomenon is bothering him very much. That is the eye in the peacock's tail. It is the delicate, nice design with is colorful structure.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Rādhā-vallabha: Well, now that this system of no corrections anywhere, that makes it very simple. Then he can't do anything. I don't think he wants to, either. It makes it more simple for him. It makes him very uncomfortable.

Prabhupāda: No corrections. He can write that synonym, that's all, according to the translation. Who is writing the synonym?

Rādhā-vallabha: Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. According to the translation. Not that he becomes a greater scholar than my Guru Mahārāja.

Rādhā-vallabha: I don't think that's possible.

Prabhupāda: Alpa-vidyā bhayaṅkare.(?) This is the Western countries' deficiency. They learn little, and they consider that he has become very learned scholar. This is the defect.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Very good. Give them good place. We don't want tenants or... Turn the whole building into Bhaktivedanta Institute. And another building start. Yes. We have got enough place. I want that the intelligent man should come and learn this science. That is wanted.

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
tat tad evetaro janaḥ
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
(BG 3.21)

These people. Bring important men, important student. Take this opportunity. Give them nice place so that they may not be uncomfortable. Give them good food.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Nonsense comfortably... They have changed the season? Is it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That's all right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit. Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Real unhappiness is this, that you are: "Why I am struggling? I don't want death." Actually why I am taking massage and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists' guarantee, "No, you'll not die"? Has he any...? You'll struggle only. That's all. The scientists cannot guarantee, "No, you'll not die." That is real guarantee. "You'll die comfortably." Hm? Die comfortably? Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, "Take"? What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some... Nothing they have given. It is simply bluff. Things without which we could do, such things are there.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. I was feeling very uncomfortable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Insecure in that position. Everyone was cooking nasty things.

Prabhupāda: Within this house, within this room, a palace is made in Japan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was there for quite a while, Śatadhanya Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: With Trivikrama Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Very short places. Park, (laughs) a nonsense park. A rough hill is a park. You remember?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Um hm.

Prabhupāda: All ordinary huts, general people.

Room Conversation with Vrindavan De -- July 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes... So happiness, unless Kṛṣṇa gives, there is no question of happiness. Our business should be that we may not be uncomfortably living which will disturb our progress of Kṛṣṇa consciousness—that much. Other things? Depend on Kṛṣṇa. If He wants to make you Indra, you become Indra. There is no happiness even by becoming Indra. You... We read from books. Indra is how much disturbed, always fighting, devāsura. He has to fight. The same thing as here. Only difference is the standard of living in the heaven and the duration of life are greater. But if you have to struggle for existence, then what is the use of this duration of life, greater? Simply struggling, where is happiness? So in different planets, in different species of life... I see at night these small bugs. They have got the same happiness. The husband and wife or the male and female together, jumping and having sex, and everything in a different body. And same thing is going on in higher planetary system. There is no other business.

Room Conversation with Vrindavan De -- July 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's all. And one tin box. (laughs) Give up this mistaken idea that "If we get some large sum of money from our father, then we shall be happy." That is not... That is wrong idea. Happiness depends on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You can take advantage from your father that you may not live uncomfortably. That's all, that much. That I am making sufficient arrangement. In your present position you'll never be disturbed. Now try to become happy by advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said, "If you leave me to my fate, then I feel comfortable. But if you force me, then I feel uncomfortable." Is that right, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: But the other day you said that to fast like this means suicide.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I asked you the other night if you would fast, that you should not fast until death. And you said, "No, no. That is suicidal."

Prabhupāda: Now I am puzzled.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Puzzled.

Doctor Visit and Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Otherwise, it becomes too uncomfortable.

Dr. Gopal: Does he feel very uncomfortable with this?

Bhavānanda: With his feet raised he feels some discomfort.

Dr. Gopal: Discomfort. (pause) Can you take a little turn either on this side? Did he have these sort of movement yesterday? Did he have this sort of movement yesterday?

Bhavānanda: Today. Yes. We moved his leg and bent his leg and arm.

Dr. Gopal: So I'll think that you just give something to eat, and let me know what is the result.

Devotee (2): Here's the... We brought custard for you.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In any case, we'll make sure that you're not made uncomfortable, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and not disturbed in any way. And we won't be the cause of any disturbance. So we'll come after a short time, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) (harmonium playing) (break)

Bhagatji: Sometimes when I used to come you were sleeping. I'll sit for one hour and then went out.

Prabhupāda: Things are going on.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Rupanuga -- San Francisco 11 February, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 7th February and am surprised to note that temperature of New York has gone down below Zero and there was a regular snow blizzard for two days. Certainly this situation would have been a little troublesome for me because I am old man. I think Krishna wanted to protect me by shifting here at San Francisco. Here the climate is certainly like India and I am feeling comfortable but uncomfortable also because at New York I felt at Home on account of so many beloved students like you. As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there. May Krishna join us always in His transcendental service. I am very glad to learn that Eric has learnt Krishna Consciousness better than his parents. I thank him very much.

Letter to Jadurani -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1967:

The distinction between subtle and gross bodies is elementary. There are eight elements: five gross and three subtle. When a living entity has only subtle body he is considered to be a ghost, and when he has both, he is considered in full strength. To remain in subtle body in this material world is very uncomfortable. Regarding your work in the temple by painting, wherever you remain, if you are fully absorbed in your transcendental work in K.C., that place is eternally Vrindaban—It is the consciousness that creates Vrindaban. The Lord remains in the hearts of every living entity. He lives in the heart of a hog, and the hog lives in a filthy place. That does not mean that the Lord lives in a filthy place. The Lord lives always inconceivably in His transcendental abode. Similarly, a fully K.C. person lives always in the pastimes of Lord Krishna by such consciousness only. The material atmosphere is no impediment for continuing our K.C. in any circumstance.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Allston, Mass 23 May, 1968:

Krishna has provided you with a nice plot of land, and it is due to His causeless unlimited mercy upon you. You were in Vrindaban but you did not like the atmosphere and you became disturbed, so immediately after your arrival in Vrindaban you felt uncomfortable—that I could understand, and therefore you came back to U.S.A. although it was settled before starting that you continue to live in Vrindaban. Krishna is so kind that you went to Indian Vrindaban, but you did not like that particular place, somehow or other, and therefore He has so kindly awarded so nice piece of land, exactly resembling Vrindaban. We should always know that Vrindaban is not localized in a particular area, but that wherever Krishna is there, Vrindaban is automatically there.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Montreal 30 June, 1968:

Therefore I think the attempt will not be very successful. Krishna Consciousness movement can be pushed forward in a favorable atmosphere. If the atmosphere is not favorable, then don't attempt, it will be failure. Precaution you may take, but as you grow larger, if they are suspicious then they may cause trouble. Because you can dress yourself and live peacefully at your home, but if your neighbors are always suspicious, then there may be always danger. Therefore, why should we make our residence in such a place. And I think no Brahmacari will agree to go there and live in such uncomfortable situation, with suspicious neighbors. Simply for land, we don't care. We simply want favorable place for worshiping Krishna. That is our idea.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Montreal 21 August, 1968:

Anyway, I have seen Malati is nursing her child so nicely that she attended my meeting every day and the child was playing and she never cried. Similarly, Lilavati's child also never cries or disturbs the meeting. Lilavati was always present with her child, so it depends on the mother. How to keep the child comfortable, so that it will not cry. The child cries only when it feels uncomfortable. The child's comfort and discomfort depends on the mother's attention. So the best solution is that we should train our all first-day small babies in such a way that they are always satisfied and there will be no disturbance in the meeting, and there will be no complaint. But there cannot be any hard and fast rules that only children who are grown up, 7 or 8 years old, can be admitted and no other children can be admitted.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda, Gaurasundara -- Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969:

I am in due receipt of your letters dated April 17, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much anxious that Govinda Dasi has fallen sick. Similarly, I am also from yesterday feeling little uncomfortable on account of backache. I think the constant change of climate in Buffalo has affected my rheumatic tendencies, so today I am not feeling very well. In Buffalo we had very nice meetings, and the students, both boys and girls, were very receptive. I am so glad to learn that your center also is improving. Day by day continue to work seriously and faithfully, and it will surely grow to be a very nice center. I have talked with Jadurani yesterday, and she asked my opinion of her going to Hawaii. I advised her to go as soon as possible, and she has proposed to go there when I leave Boston. She is not very seriously ill, but she feels little ill, and with change of climate I think she will improve without any doubt.

Page Title:Uncomfortable
Compiler:Sahadeva, RupaManjari
Created:07 of Jul, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=2, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=39, Con=29, Let=6
No. of Quotes:78