Upright

Expressions researched:
"upright" |"uprightly" |"uprightness"

SB Canto 5

SB 5.10.5, Translation and Purport:

King Rahūgaṇa could understand the speeches given by the carriers, who were afraid of being punished. He could also understand that simply due to the fault of one person, the palanquin was not being carried properly. Knowing this perfectly well and hearing their appeal, he became a little angry, although he was very advanced in political science and was very experienced. His anger arose due to his inborn nature as a king. Actually King Rahūgaṇa's mind was covered by the mode of passion, and he therefore spoke as follows to Jaḍa Bharata, whose Brahman effulgence was not clearly visible, being covered like a fire covered by ashes.

The distinction between rajo-guṇa and sattva-guṇa is explained in this verse. Although the King was very upright and advanced in political science and governmental management, he was nonetheless in the mode of passion, and therefore, due to a slight agitation, he became angry. Jaḍa Bharata, despite all kinds of injustice endured because of his deaf and dumb display, remained silent by the strength of his spiritual advancement. Nonetheless his brahma-tejaḥ, his Brahman effulgence, was indistinctly visible in his person.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.56-57, Translation:

In the beginning this brāhmaṇa named Ajāmila studied all the Vedic literatures. He was a reservoir of good character, good conduct and good qualities. Firmly established in executing all the Vedic injunctions, he was very mild and gentle, and he kept his mind and senses under control. Furthermore, he was always truthful, he knew how to chant the Vedic mantras, and he was also very pure. Ajāmila was very respectful to his spiritual master, the fire-god, guests, and the elderly members of his household. Indeed, he was free from false prestige. He was upright, benevolent to all living entities, and well behaved. He would never speak nonsense or envy anyone.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.1.36, Purport:

Vasudeva, who was to be the father of Kṛṣṇa, is described here as mahā-bhāga, a very upright and sober personality, because although Kaṁsa was ready to kill Vasudeva's wife, Vasudeva remained sober and unagitated. In a peaceful attitude, Vasudeva began to address Kaṁsa by putting forward reasonable arguments. Vasudeva was a great personality because he knew how to pacify a cruel person and how to forgive even the bitterest enemy. One who is fortunate is never caught, even by tigers or snakes.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 9.13, Purport:

The cāṅga was a device for killing a condemned person. It consisted of a raised platform on which the condemned was made to stand. Underneath the platform, there were stationary upright swords. The condemned man would be pushed down onto the swords, and in this way he would die. For some reason, Gopīnātha Paṭṭanāyaka had been condemned to death and had therefore been raised upon the cāṅga.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

Tṛṇakam means blade of grass. Dante means teeth. Padayor nipatya: "And falling down on your feet." Kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā: "And flattering you hundred times, 'My dear sir, you are so great. You are so big. You are so learned. You are so rich. You are so beautiful,' and everything," although he may be not. So dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca. Śatam. Śatam means "Hundred times flattering, I have come to you to say something." "Why you are so humble? What is the... What do you want to talk? " "No, I am..." He sādhavaḥ. "You are very religious man. You are very upright man, sādhavaḥ. Very honest man, saintly man. Yes. But I request you that whatever you learned, please forget. That is my request."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.124-125 -- New York, November 26, 1966:

The purpose of education is to make man the highest of the mankind, but modern education is teaching lowest of the mankind. And if some of the students are taught to become highest of the mankind, their guardians become disturbed: "Oh, my son is going to be highest of the mankind? Swamijī, you are playing dangerous things." Oh. Just see. Swamijī's speaking, "No, don't smoke. Don't take tea. Don't have illicit connection with women. Be upright. Be devotee." "Oh, Swamijī's dangerous." And if somebody teaches, "My dear boys, take LSD, go to hell, and become mad. Go to the lunatic asylum," "Oh, that is..." What can be done? This is the situation.

So we are situated in a society of the lowest of the mankind. Always remember this, that we are situated in a civilization which is the lowest of the mankind. Not only I am speaking of your United States... All over the world. Even India, where so much culture was made for understanding God, this foolish government, they're also teaching this. You see. So this is the, I mean to say, age. Don't think that I am particularly criticizing some country or community. This is the age, Kali. It is called Kali. Hypocrisy, simply hypocrisy. Kali means full of hypocrisy. So we have to be very careful.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Śyāmasundara: I think all civilizations have cherished those values at their peak.

Prabhupāda: But because they are not factual, they have failed. But Vedic civilization is still going strong.

Śyāmasundara: Just like the Christian civilization, they, at their peak, when they are most enlightened, they also prized honesty, uprightness, love thy neighbor—these different social values.

Prabhupāda: The Christian civilization has got values undoubtedly. But they do not follow it. They do not follow it. There is God consciousness, there is morality, there are ethical laws, there is acceptance of God's authority, (indistinct), but they do not follow it. Not only Christians, even the so-called Hindus, they also do not follow. That is the world situation.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: This program, because Skinner himself believes in Judeo-Christian ethics combined with a scientific tradition. But he fails to answer how it is possible to accept those ethics without accepting something like an inner person with an autonomous concept. In other words, he says we can program society to be good to your neighbor, to love one another, to be honest, upright, like that. But he is still not sure how it would be possible without accepting a free will.

Prabhupāda: The defect is that these programs are being forwarded by some rascal. Therefore they are defective. If they would have been forwarded by perfect man, then you would have actual (indistinct). Now one rascal is forwarding some program, another rascal next time (indistinct) this is true. So this is going on in Western world. Because according to Bhāgavata we belong to the category of dogs, hogs, camels. So what is the benefit of a dog's program and (indistinct) by camel's program. If they are on the, basically there is nothing but dogs, hogs, camels and asses, then suppose dog has given some program and the camel says, "No. This program is better than this one." And the ass comes, he introduces another program, "This program is better than this program." So either of these programs, because they are made by dogs, hogs, asses and camels, they cannot be perfect. Take a program from a real human being. Then it is perfect. The defect is there.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: What is that humanitarian? I kick you, you kick me.

Śyāmasundara: He says that now the conditions that control us are haphazard. Some are designed by selfish men to exploit others.

Prabhupāda: Why (indistinct) that he is perfect man?

Śyāmasundara: He says that we can design a culture that will survive due to its being moral, set, upright, honest, hard-working, all-typical American.

Devotee: What about the standard? Someone has to be God in order to set the standard.

Śyāmasundara: He said, "Between God and I, I must admit that God is (indistinct)." (indistinct) quote. He says that "Between myself...," between himself... He says there is a curious similarity between himself and God, adding, however, that "Perhaps I must yield to God in point of seniority." He wants to play God.

Prabhupāda: He wants to play God.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: London is still famous. People outside, they have got very high idea about London.

Devotee: Civilized. Very civilized city.

Prabhupāda: Why civilized? Do you think it is especially civilized?

Devotee: Well, a lot more than America anyway. By comparison it seems civilized, in the sense that there is not so much violence. There's not... People are honest, upright, moral, a little more.

Prabhupāda: In America general life is becoming wretched.

Devotee: Wretched. Police don't even carry guns here.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Devotee: Policemen don't even carry guns in Britain, but in America every policeman's got at least one gun.

Prabhupāda: The Englishman... I've studied Englishman. They consider America is still uncivilized. They say like that. (indistinct)

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: He started that war?

Śyāmasundara: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: What is the position now? Nixon? He's going to be impeached? Yes.

Śyāmasundara: Practically, he is, without...

Prabhupāda: He's cornered now.

Śyāmasundara: Yeah. He's lost all respect.

Prabhupāda: Prestige. Still if he sticks to his position, that is his foolishness. He should have resigned. If, if... Upright man: "All right, you do not like me. I resign." Then whole thing would have been quashed off. But he's a foolish man. He's sticking to his position.

Śyāmasundara: Prasādam...?

Bhagavān: Prasādam will be here in a few minutes. Our position, I guess, is just to make it an easy choice for people.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Paramahaṁsa: To come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: But choice means, a child cannot be given for choice. He must be forced. Right child is a rascal. So you cannot give him choice. He must do it. That's all.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 28-29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says the next group is ready.

Jayapatākā: Can I give the report, Tamāla?

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Yes? Next person? (break) (Bengali) By passing wind if there is somebody benefit, they'll not pass. Such a low-grade man. Therefore they are ruined, those men. There is not a single upright. You cannot expect that they will willfully, willingly...

Jayapatākā: No, we'll get that by hook or by crook.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is only... Sathe sārthaṁ samācaret.(?) They are first-class cheater. We shall cheat them. (laughter) Don't worry. This is only... They have ruined the institution, all third-class, fourth-class men.

Jayapatākā: He knew that it was right. He couldn't deny it. But he has got no power to... No willpower.

Prabhupāda: No power? No, he has power. He'll not do. He has power.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tokyo 16 August, 1970:

Your first letter was duly received, but during the last few months I was very much mentally depressed. I do not wish to discuss those points, but simply request all the members of the Governing Body Commission to organize this institution very uprightly. I am glad that you are going to New Vrndavana and with the help of your other Godbrothers make a nice program for our future activities. It is my ideology that this Krsna consciousness movement can solve all the problems of conditioned life. We can make all the people of the world united in this simple method of chanting Mahamantra. That is already proved because everywhere we introduce this Movement it is accepted gladly.

Letter to Gaura Hari -- Bombay 20 November, 1970:

I am very glad that you have decided to become a Grhastha member of our Society. That is the way of civilized and upright human life. After practicing brahmacarya and training under the guidance of a Spiritual Master the Vedic system is prescribing the asrama of Grhastha for those who are still desiring to enter into married family life. The so-called institution of free love marriage is ruining the human society and it is our duty therefore to reestablish the correct procedure of human life in the matter of encouraging our disciples who wish to marry to enter into a contract of spiritual wedlock. Such contract is made on the basis of compatible service of the Lord because such mutual cooperation in serving the advancement of Krsna Consciousness minimizes the illusion of material compatibility and incompatibility. We are seeing practically that our householder couples are setting an example for all persons that the perfection of happy family life is not based on sense-gratification, but on sincere service to the Lord.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:

I am especially pleased that your Gurukula project is going forward nicely. I consider that this is one of our most important projects, because people in general are only suffering due to poor fund of knowledge. So if we have facility to give them the right knowledge of how to make an end to suffering condition of life, then we shall be performing the highest type of welfare work. So you can try on this point to convince rich businessmen, educators, politicians, etc. to help us push forward this gurukula system for guiding their young children on the right path to becoming sober, upright citizens. You can inform them that if they give me proper facilities that I can save all the young people of your country from the worst danger. People are always willing to give anything for educational purpose. They think that if their children get the right knowledge then they will become very successful in life, and that is their concern, so they sacrifice everything for good educational cause. Now their children are all becoming hippies, and they do not want so much technology and knowledge which gives them no real satisfaction, so they are losing all interest in education and only they want to enjoy life, that's all. But if such children are given practical guidance on the transcendental platform, above the bodily and mental conception of life, then they will develop into perfect citizens—moral, honest, hard-working, law-abiding, clean, faithful to home and country, like that.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Dasarha -- Bombay 4 March, 1972:

So there is no difference between surrendering to God or surrendering to God's representative, therefore Christ is also saying just surrender to me, the son or representative or spiritual master, and that is the same as surrendering to my father. Accepting the Lord or His representative as one's savior means to render loving devotional service to Him, and in return he will give you all protection. But the foolish Christians they think God is their order-supplier so that simply by performing some religious ceremonies they are entitled to receive all benedictions for enhancing their material life. First of all, to be saved by God means that one must obey what God orders or His laws of commandments. But in the Bible God says "Thou shall not kill," but where is the Christian who does not kill animals and eat? They have changed the meaning of kill to mean "murder," and for them, murder means only other humans. So unless you find out some Christian who is actually intelligent, it is useless to try for convincing them of these points. Simply show them by example that we are finding great spiritual joy in serving Krishna, sell them some literature, give them prasadam, and invite to the temple, and if they cannot understand from the point of view of philosophy, at least they will be able to appreciate our wonderful and enlivening activities and that we have proved ourselves the most upright, moral persons and the best examples of enlightened souls for the general improvement of all the citizens.