Without culture
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB Canto 2
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Prabhupāda: So according to Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-guhyatamam, the Lord says that "The most confidential part of knowledge I am speaking to you, my dear Arjuna, because you are My very dear friend, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]." So one who has the conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and has surrendered unto Him, he is considered to be highest, topmost spiritualist.
Indian: What is the importance of prasādam? Importance of prasādam?
Prabhupāda: Prasāda? Prasāda means mercy. Mercy. Prasāda means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa sīdati. That is prasāda means completely satisfied.
Indian: At the end of this, you will give us some prasāda. What is the importance of that prasāda?
Prabhupāda: Oh, that. Yes. Prasāda. Very good. That prasāda is Kṛṣṇa's favor. Kṛṣṇa's special favor. That is prasāda. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. If we simply eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda, without any culture, we can get spiritual knowledge. All right. Let us have saṅkīrtana. (end)- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
[Bg. 7.3]
There are so many human beings all over the world, Mostly, they're like animals—without culture. Because, according to our Vedic culture, unless one takes to the institution of varṇa and āśrama, he's not a human being. He's not accepted. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. Who is accepting this varṇāśrama? No. Chaotic condition. So in that chaotic condition you cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. Out of many, many thousands and millions of people, one takes to the scientific institute of varṇāśrama-dharma. That means followers of the Vedas, strictly. Out of these persons who are following the Vedic principles, mostly they're attached to karma-kāṇḍa, ritualistic ceremonies.Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
- yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ
- varṇābhivyañjakam
- yady anyatrāpi vinirdṛśyeta
- tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
[SB 7.11.35]
So lakṣaṇam must be, lakṣaṇam, the symptom, what is brāhmaṇas' symptoms. So my request to you, the Europeans and American boys, you have been initiated as brāhmaṇa but you must practice the lakṣaṇa. Otherwise, if you think, puffed up, that "Now I have got the sacred thread. My business is finished. I can do whatever I like," no. That is not. Lakṣaṇam. Lakṣaṇam means symptoms.Initiation Lectures
General Lectures
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They're dreaming so many things.
Prabhupāda: Idle brain is a devils' workshop. Because they have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their brain is a workshop of the devil. That's all. Harer nāma harer nāma... [Cc. Ādi 17.21]. (pause) And without culture men are becoming rogues and thieves, uncultured. Communist movement. Atheistic... Everywhere, nobody's happy. The government's duty, first duty should be that everyone is happy. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Even there was no natural disturbances. No excessive heat, no excessive cold. No anxiety. People are dying now out of anxieties. They're becoming mad, committing suicide, drinking liquors more and more. Just for anxiety. When they cannot solve any big problem, "Bring bottle." Is it not?1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Aryans means to follow Vedic instructions.
Dr. Patel: They have forgotten.
Prabhupāda: That is Aryans. So they are now the same thing. A person born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is claiming "I am brāhmaṇa." Similarly, even though born in Aryan family, without any culture they are claiming "I am Aryan." Kṛṣṇa observed it in Arjuna, and therefore He chastised him, "This kind of proposal is anārya-juṣṭam. Under the non-Aryans, you're forgetting your duty." That is the beginning of loss of culture. A small beginning, it creates havoc. Kṛṣṇa warned this, anārya-juṣṭam. Kṣatriya's description is given in the Bhāgavata: yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam, not to go behind. They must fight. That is Aryan culture.Dr. Patel: Sir, what is the distinction between a culture and an education?
Prabhupāda: Culture means human being.
Dr. Patel: Human...?
Prabhupāda: Human being. Just like Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. This is culture to see every woman as mother. This is not education. Education, the modern meaning of education is rubbish, to learn ABCD. This is not education. Without culture, what is the meaning of education?
Dr. Patel: So culture is the background for all these things.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Education is required to help culture. Not that you take degrees from the university and remain a dog. That is not education. Here is education, as Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says:
- mātṛvat para-dāreṣu
- para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
- ātmāvat sarva-bhūteṣu
- yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Near Durban. Ācchā.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they had fifteen thousand people attending at the Janmāṣṭamī celebration. Here you see some go-pūjā. (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: Without culture they're suffering. If you want to mitigate their sufferings, give this Gītā culture. That is my experience. (Hindi) We have sold this Caitanya-caritāmṛta even in Russian countries.Page Title: | Without culture |
Compiler: | Rati, Vraj Kishori |
Created: | 24 of Nov, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=9, Con=5, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 16 |