Instinct (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"instinct" |"instinctive" |"instinctively" |"instincts" |"instinctual"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

You say. They say, all rascals say. But actually this is independence, but because they're animals, they are directed by nature, more or less.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: Do animals also have independence?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have got little independence.

Guru-gaurāṅga: They say, "All is instinct."

Prabhupāda: You say. They say, all rascals say. But actually this is independence, but because they're animals, they are directed by nature, more or less. Just like they do not... My point is they do not misuse independence as much as a human being does. You see. Just like a tiger. He is to eat animals, killing animals. He does not come to your orchard to steal your fruits. But you, rascal human being, you eat fruits and animals both. Animal, that is instinct. Animal... Suppose if you put—I've given this example many times—a bag of rice on the street. Many birds will come. But he will eat some grains, five grains, ten grains and twenty grains, as much he can eat, and go away. But you do the same favor to the human beings, there will be fight. Everyone will try to take some more quantity in the house and stock it. Therefore, the human being is more responsible for sinful activities.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

When a man eats and the animal eats, either it is done by instinct or by intelligence, but where is the difference?

Room Conversation with German Women Philosophers -- June 17, 1974, Germany:

Pṛthu: So she said that the animals are doing their eating process through the roots, and the men, or the animals, she says, they do it instinct, like before, and the man does it with a spirit soul, this. She says that...

Prabhupāda: No, no. I think the... When a man eats and the animal eats, either it is done by instinct or by intelligence, but where is the difference?

But the effect of building, that he builds according to his instinct, and you construct according to your intelligence, but the sleeping comfort is the same.

Room Conversation with German Women Philosophers -- June 17, 1974, Germany:

Pṛthu: So her point is that man was former primitive, but he has developed by his intelligence, this advanced civilization, this, all this kinds of stuff, but the, but the bird or the animal, for instance, he was former primitive, and he is now primitive. So she says that is the evidence that man has some mind or intelligence.

Prabhupāda: Because he can build nice building, therefore he has got some intelligence.

Pṛthu: Yes.

Prabhupāda: But the effect of building, that he builds according to his instinct, and you construct according to your intelligence, but the sleeping comfort is the same. (German) (break) ...such a nice building, and his enemy throws bomb on it. But the dogs, they do not do that. So who is advanced, the dog or the man?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Even though you became woman, still, that instinct was there. You had it done in your previous life.

Morning Walk -- November 2, 1975, Nairobi:

Indian woman: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am very surprised. I'm not born in India but I born in Africa. But why this culture I had in my heart from the start even? Forty-five years, that time was my... Forty years. And I only see my husband also. So I will give you service in this for fifty years. As you'll need any service from me, you take from me. Only...

Prabhupāda: That means in your previous life you were in these activities. That comes. That dictates, "Now do it." So even though you became woman, still, that instinct was there. You had it done in your previous life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our Society is practically demonstrating that this is the only business and no other business. We therefore do not try even to earn our livelihood. That is the natural instinct of every animal. But we do not try even for that.

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is called svarūpa-siddhi. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This realization, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," this stage. And from here Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching begins.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very exalted.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. So you have to preach all over the world that "You are simply wasting time by so many department of knowledge. You are so foolish, rascal." Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply wasting time. I think I explained that to that gentleman last morning? He said in one hour, two hour you should devote... Not two hour. Twenty-four hour. Did I not say? Yes. Because that is the only business. We have no other business. Our Society is practically demonstrating that this is the only business and no other business. We therefore do not try even to earn our livelihood. That is the natural instinct of every animal. But we do not try even for that.

Your father was also interested. That means naturally you have got some instinct from father, hereditary instinct.

Room Conversation with George Gullen, President of Wayne State University -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

George Gullen: I'm sure there are many interpretations of what you say. I have an interest in these matters, and I want to know more about yours, very much so. I will see that I get your literature and read it.

Prabhupāda: Your father was also interested. That means naturally you have got some instinct from father, hereditary instinct. That is natural. So we want that....

Jijñāsu is our natural instinct, but we go to who has no knowledge. That is the difficulty. We are misled.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Interviewer (4): That is something inborn, isn't it? That scientists...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is your inquisiti... You have got born inquisitiveness, jijñāsu, that is especially manifested in human form of life. So for jijñāsu it is recommended, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). You have to go to the proper person. So that we are not doing. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). These are the Vedic injunctions. Jijñāsu is our natural instinct, but we go to who has no knowledge. That is the difficulty. We are misled. But the knowledge is there already, the Vedic knowledge is there. There are so many Vedas, Upaniṣads, Vedānta-sūtra, and Bhagavad-gītā, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, but there is no systematic study of this literature. We are neglecting.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is called how to do business, (laughter) natural instinct from his father.

Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Gargamuni: Yes. It starts... They open at one, but everyone comes around four-thirty, five, up through nine. So we get about five hours. In five hours we sold 850 books.

Prabhupāda: Electric? Electricity they supply?

Gargamuni: Yes. They had a loudspeaker next to our stall. So this was hindering the film. And the manager, they wouldn't turn it down, you know, because so many people were being attracted, they wanted to stop us, so I gave some small bribe and made a man climb up and take it down, and now it's all right. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: This is called how to do business, (laughter) natural instinct from his father.

Gargamuni: I had no intelligence till I met you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.