Compassion (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"compassion" |"compassionate" |"compassionately"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

For their purpose, he, Sūta Gosvāmī, is so kind that he explained. Saṁsariṇaṁ karuṇayā. Karuṇayā means out of compassionate, compassion for the persons who are suffering continually birth and death

Conversation Including SB 1.2.1-34 Recitation and Explanation -- April 1, 1969, San Francisco: Prabhupāda: Sūta Gosvāmī is offering respect to his spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. And he is repeating the history of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, just after taking birth from the mother's womb, immediately he started, without staying for a moment. Just see the brahmacārī. The... Father, they are naturally affectionate. So father saw that "This man, child, immediately after birth is going away? How is that? My dear boy, where you are going? Where you are going?" (laughter) So that is being ex... Yaṁ pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kṛtyaṁ [SB 1.2.2]. The Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was going without any ceremonial function... Because after birth there is ceremony, there is nāma-karaṇa, so many things to be done. But he didn't care for anything, any rituals. He immediately started. So it is specifically mentioned that he began to start without observing any formality any rituals. Immediately started. Yaṁ pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kṛtyaṁ [SB 1.2.2]. Kṛtyaṁ means things which have to be done. Just like you are initiated, there are so many things to be done. So he didn't care for anything. Dvaipāyano ciraha-kātara ājuhāva. Dvaipayana is father's name, Dvaipayāna Vyāsa. Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, his father's name.So viraha-kātara, too much affected. "The son born and immediately he's going?" Just see how much he is... "My dear boy, where you are going?" Ājuhāva. He didn't care whether father or mother is cut. Putreti tan-māyātayā taravo 'bhinedus. And there was vibration. He was passing through the jungle, and the trees as he vibrated... He was asking, "My dear son, my dear son," and the vibration "My dear son, my dear son." Like that. Taṁ sarva-bhūta-hṛdayaṁ munim ānato 'smi [SB 1.2.2]. So "I am offering my respect to that saintly person." That means his qualification described and offered respect.And then next qualification, what is that? Yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam ākhyātma-dīpam atititīrṣataṁ tamo 'ndham [SB 1.2.3]. And his other qualification is that he presented the gist, essence, substance, of Vedic knowledge for the persons who are eager to get out of the darkness of this material existence. Atititīrṣataṁ tamo 'ndham saṁsariṇaṁ karuṇayāha [SB 1.2.3]. And purāṇa guhyam. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called the mahā-purāṇa, I mean to say, "the greatest history." Purāṇa means history, old history. Guhyam, very confidential. He explained this great, confidential history for the people who are suffering the repeated birth and death. For their purpose, he is so kind that he explained. Saṁsariṇaṁ karuṇayā.Karuṇayā means out of compassionate, compassion for the persons who are suffering continually birth and death. Taṁ vyāsa-sūnam upayāmi guruṁ munīnām. So "I offer my respect to that son of Vyasa who is spiritual master of many other saintly persons."

These are taken from authoritative śāstras. Yes. This is the test, whether you are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious or not. You have to test yourself, whether you are developing these qualities

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 13, 1969, Columbus, Ohio: Prabhupāda: That song you were reading last night, Nitāi pada kamala? That is Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's song. For the Vaiṣṇava, to become poet is another qualification. Vaiṣṇava has twenty-six qualifications. I think it is written there.

Allen Ginsberg: And one of them is to become poet also.

Prabhupāda: Poet. He must be poet. All the Vaiṣṇavas, they are poet.

Guest (1): Because they are so deep in love with God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Poetry comes out in deep love with something.

Allen Ginsberg: Is that published somewhere?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kīrtanānanda: Arjuna just typed it up, and...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kīrtanānanda: You want to see?

Allen Ginsberg: No, don't take it down. I'll look. On my way out I'll read.

Prabhupāda: Hṛṣīkeśa, you can read loudly. We'll hear.

Hṛṣīkeśa: "Qualifications of devotee: 1) kind to everyone, 2) does not quarrel with anyone, 3) fixed in the Absolute Truth, 4) equal to everyone, 5) faultless, 6) charitable, 7) mild, 8) clean, 9) simple, 10) benevolent, 11) peaceful, 12) completely attached to Kṛṣṇa, 13) no material hankering, 14) meek, 15) steady, 16) self-controlled, 17) does not eat more than required, 18) sane, 19) respectful..." (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Not insane.

Hṛṣīkeśa: "...20) humble, 21) grave, 22) compassionate, 23) friendly, 24) poetic, 25) expert..."

Prabhupāda: Poetic.

Hṛṣīkeśa: "...25) expert, and 26) silent."

Prabhupāda: These are the qualities.

Allen Ginsberg: Whose list is that? Is that an old list or have you made that up for young Americans?"

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, these are taken from authoritative śāstras. Yes. This is the test, whether you are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious or not. You have to test yourself, whether you are developing these qualities. This is for testing.

Allen Ginsberg: I'm slowly developing all qualities except sanity. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Insanity for seeking Kṛṣṇa, that is required. Yes. Unless you become insane after Kṛṣṇa just like Lord Caitanya became... Yes. His worship is to become insane after Kṛṣṇa.

"My dear Lord, now You have appeared as Lord Buddha. You are so much compassionate to see poor animals being killed unnecessarily"

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 13, 1969, Columbus, Ohio: Prabhupāda: Śaṅkarācārya's conclusion was to defeat Buddhism. They do not know it, but actually, when there was too much animal-killing and people became almost atheist under the shadow of Vedic rituals, Lord Buddha appeared. He wanted to stop men from the sinful activities of killing unnecessarily under the plea of Vedas. So he invented that ahiṁsa, nonviolence. And... Because people will give evidence, "Oh, in the Vedas there is..." They are not following, actually, the Vedic rituals, but just like crooked lawyers take advantage of law books, similarly... Therefore, Lord Buddha said that "I do not follow Vedic rituals. I have nothing to do with Vedas. It is my own formula." So Jayadeva has written one prayer because the Vaiṣṇavas can understand how God is playing. So he writes, nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ: "My dear Lord, now You have appeared as Lord Buddha. You are decrying the Vedic rituals." Śruti-jātaṁ. Śruti-jātaṁ means Vedic. Why? Sadaya-hṛdaya-darṣita-paśu-ghātam: "You are so much compassionate to see poor animals being killed unnecessarily." Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare: "All glories to Jagadīśa. You have now assumed the form of Lord Buddha, and You are playing in pastimes." So Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. In Bhāgavata also it is stated. He is accepted as the tenth incarnation.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

The Supreme Lord became too much compassionate when he saw that people are unnecessarily killing animals, as it is going on still

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore: Prabhupāda: But a Vaiṣṇava is praying, "My dear Lord, you are defying the Vedic principles." He knows why the Lord is now defying the Vedic principles; therefore he is devotee. In spite of Lord Buddha's defying the Vedic principles, a devotee is offering him obeisances. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. He knows the Lord, how He is playing, how He is bewildering the atheistic class of men. The atheistic class of men did not believe in God. Lord Buddha says, "Yes, you don't require to believe in God. There is no God. But you feel yourself that when you are attacked with violence you feel pain. Why should you offer to others?" Because his mission was to stop animal killing. Sadaya-hṛdaya-darṣita-paśu-ghātam. The Supreme Lord became too much compassionate when he saw that people are unnecessarily killing animals, as it is going on still. Instead of... At least those who are claiming Buddhist, they are killing animals.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

The saintly persons were very much compassionate. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Therefore, Vaiṣṇava is always unhappy by seeing other's unhappiness

Room Conversation Including Discussion on SB 4.13.48 to SB 4.14.11 -- January 18, 1972, Jaipur: Prabhupāda: Everyone has got experience in every country. When he has no difficulty to get money, then what he will do? He will simply drink or invent some means of intoxication, naked dance. So they became very much perturbed. Venasyāvekṣya durvṛttasya viceṣṭitam, vimṛśya loka-vyasanaṁ kṛpaya ucuḥ sma... Kṛpāya, they were very much compassionate. They cannot see. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Therefore, Vaiṣṇava is always unhappy by seeing other's unhappiness. They know how they are going to hell. Just like any gentleman will be aggrieved when they pass on the Bowery Street, seeing their fallen condition. So if any gentleman can become unhappy by seeing such condition of people, what to speak of saintly persons who are supposed to be responsible for spiritual up...

So just see how the saintly persons became compassionate to the people

Room Conversation Including Discussion on SB 4.13.48 to SB 4.14.11 -- January 18, 1972, Jaipur: Prabhupāda: People, they are now disturbed both ways. One way, the king is a rascal. Another way is that taking advantage of the bad king, the thieves and rogues, they are also very powerful. So just see how the saintly persons became compassionate to the people that they are both ways. Actually at the present moment, people are disturbed by unnecessary taxes, at the same time bad elements. So without proper king, without nice state, everyone is unhappy. And that is going on nowadays. In the Kali-yuga, it will go on continual, and more and more people will be unhappy.

Now there is another saintly compassion, "Never mind he has done so much mischievous activities, this king, still it is our duty to go to him and give him good advice so that all these disturbances may be stopped and people will become happy"

Room Conversation Including Discussion on SB 4.13.48 to SB 4.14.11 -- January 18, 1972, Jaipur: Prabhupāda: He has been elected as the king to protect the citizens. Instead of protecting, he is disturbing.

nirūpitaḥ prajā-pālaḥ

sa jighāṁsati vai prajāḥ

tathāpi sāntvayemāmuṁ

nāsmāṁs tat-pātakaṁ spṛśet

[SB 4.14.11]

Now there is another saintly compassion, "Never mind he has done so much mischievous activities, this king, still it is our duty to go to him and give him good advice so that all these disturbances may be stopped and people will become happy." Just mark this point that formerly the government could not be irresponsible because the saintly person, they are always thinking welfare of the people in general. Mark this point.

"In the Vedas animal killing is sanctioned." So Lord Buddha appeared, just being compassionate to the poor animals. Sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam. Sadaya. He became very compassionate, that "All these poor animals are being killed unnecessarily"

Room Conversation with Maharishi Impersonalists -- April 7, 1972, Melbourne: Prabhupāda: Yes. About Lord Buddha is also mentioned in the śāstra that Lord Buddha will appear in Gayā Pradesh, in the province of Gayā, and his business will be to cheat the atheists. That is described. Now, how he is cheating? He is the incarnation of God, but he is preaching amongst people who don't believe in God. So he is cheating in this way, that "Yes, there is no God. You hear me." But he is God. The people amongst whom he is preaching, they don't believe in God, but they accept Lord Buddha. But he is God. So by cheating, he is making others to worship God. God is there. But superficially they think, "We don't believe in God. We believe in Lord Buddha." And Lord Buddha is God. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said that his business will be cheat the atheist class of men. Sura-dviṣām. Sammohita-sura-dviṣām. Sammohita means bewilder. But his philosophy is that to make the people sinless. Ahiṁsā. "Don't kill." That is the greatest sin. So he is propagating that "Let these people be saved from the greatest sinful activities." Lord Buddha appeared... He also appeared in India. Why? He was also Hindu. He was kṣatriya, king. He promulgated this philosophy, ahiṁsā, when there was unnecessary killing of animals. According to Vedas, animal can be killed in sacrifice. That also to give a new life. But people misinterpreted and they began to kill animals like anything with the evidence of..., "In the Vedas animal killing is sanctioned." So Lord Buddha appeared, just being compassionate to the poor animals. Sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam. Sadaya. He became very compassionate, that "All these poor animals are being killed unnecessarily." So he promulgamated a new type of religion-ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ. "Don't commit violence. If I pinch your body, you feel pain. You should not pinch others." That is his religion. So, but, he... Because others, they will argue, "Oh, in the Vedas..." As I told you, that Vedas is the evidence, so "Here is... Animal killing is ordered. How you are stopping it?" Therefore he said, "I don't care for your Vedas." And because he did not care for the Vedas, therefore in India, later on, nobody accepted Buddha philosophy. Therefore Buddha philosophy has gone outside India-China, Burma, Japan—because here in India they are very strong in the standing of Vedas. Śaṅkarācārya established that "This Buddha philosophy is non-Vedic. It cannot be accepted." That was Śaṅkarācārya's propaganda. So by the propaganda of Śaṅkarācārya the Buddhism were driven away. There are so many things that one has to study. So Lord Buddha, we accept him as the incarnation of God. And his name is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. And his business is also mentioned: sammohitaṁ sura-dviṣām. His business is to cheat the atheist class of men. That cheating is not cheating. It is for the good. Just like the father sometimes cheats the small child. You see? So that does not mean father is cheater. "Well, he has got some business to do that. That's all." So when I say Lord Buddha cheated, we don't mean that Lord Buddha was a cheater like ordinary man. No. He had to accept some means to lead them to God worship. He is God. So all the Buddhists... I have seen in Japan. Their temple is as good as Hindu temple. They have got Lord Buddha's statue. They offer lamps, and they sit down. They read Buddha philosophy. It is exactly Hindu temple.

He, Lord Buddha, was so much compassionate by seeing unnecessarily animal sacrifice. When there was too much animal sacrifice in India, Lord Buddha appeared

Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo: Prabhupāda: So Lord Buddha appeared to stop animal killing. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. This is Sanskrit. Lord Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, He was very much compassionate on the poor animals. "And now you have appeared as Lord Buddha," buddha-śarīra, "taking the body of Lord Buddha." Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. He was so much compassionate by seeing unnecessarily animal sacrifice. When there was too much animal sacrifice in India, Lord Buddha appeared. And in the Vedas there is recommendation for animal sacrifice in some sacrificial ceremony, not ordinarily. And that sacrifice is meant for testing the power of chanting mantra. An animal would be put into the fire, and it would come again with renewed life. In this way, there is recommendation in the Vedas that some animals... But people misunderstood it. People began to sacrifice, rather, slaughter. At that time Lord Buddha appeared. So we worship Lord Buddha as Kṛṣṇa.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

"The Blessed Lord said, fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, ... , aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness, ... , these transcendental qualities, O son of Bhārata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature"

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London: Prabhupāda: So at the present moment, the world is missing God, or they are rejecting, demonic. There are two classes of men always. One is called devatā, godly, and the other is called demon, asura. Or satanic. Whatever you call, the two classes. So those who are God conscious, they are godly. And those who have no God consciousness, they are demonic, or satanic. So these two classes of men are always there. But at the present moment, the number of demonic or satanic consciousness, they have increased. Yes. So the symptoms of the demonic people are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you kindly hear... You can s...

Pradyumna: Start with the godly?

Prabhupāda: Yes, godly. Yes.

Pradyumna:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir

jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ

dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca

svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

ahiṁsā satyam akrodhas

tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam

dayā bhūteṣv aloluptvaṁ

mārdavaṁ hrīr acāpalam

Prabhupāda: This boy is American boy, but he has learned Sanskrit very nicely.

Pradyumna:

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam

adroho nātimānitā

bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm

abhijātasya bhārata

"Translation: The Blessed Lord said, fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness, gentleness, modesty and steady determination, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor, these transcendental qualities, O son of Bhārata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature."

Prabhupāda: Then the demonic nature?

Pradyumna: Then,

dambho darpo 'bhimānaś ca

krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca

ajñānaṁ cābhijātasya

pārtha sampadam āsurīm

"Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance, these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Pṛthā."

Prabhupāda: Then characteristics of demonic people?

Pradyumna: Uh...

Prabhupāda: Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca...

Pradyumna:

pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca

janā na vidur āsurāḥ

na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāro

na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate

[Bg. 16.7]

"Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them."