Fearlessness (Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"fearless" |"fearlessly" |"fearlessness"

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Kṛṣṇa is the vaccination to remain fearless.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Paramahaṁsa: It is said that a devotee is supposed to be fearless.

Prabhupāda: Fearless because devotee means one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He's devotee. He's fearless. And one who has not taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, how he can be fearless? Suppose there is epidemic disease, if you have got vaccination, then you can remain fearless. Otherwise, the epidemic will contaminate and then you'll have to suffer. So Kṛṣṇa is the vaccination to remain fearless.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: You have used the example, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that just like a little child, when he's near his father, he knows he has nothing to worry about. His father will protect him.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Even if you are fearless, you should not be a fool. Because if you know that "There is danger, I must be very careful," that is intelligence. That is not fearfulness.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: If the devotee is fearless, how is it Prahlāda was expressing his fearfulness of the material nature?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Even you are fearless, you should not be fool. Because, if you know that "There is danger, I must be very careful," that is intelligence. That is not fearfulness. Besides that, a devotee like Prahlāda, he's fearless, but he's fearful for others. That is stated. Just like the mother. She knows that she'll not catch fire, she'll not fall down in the water, but she is always anxious to see her child that the child may not fall into the water, may not catch fire. She's working in her own way, but always fearful of the child. Similarly, a Vaiṣṇava, he's not fearless for himself, but because he's sympathetic, because he knows that all these rascals, they are wrongly wasting their time, therefore he's anxious, fearful. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. They are unhappy by seeing others unhappy. For themselves, there is no unhappiness. That is their grace. And Vaiṣṇava is fearless, even if he's sent to hell, he's not unhappy. Because wherever he goes, he'll chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So actually he has no fear, fearfulness.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

The kṣatriyas, they must be fearless; they must be very boldly, face fighting the enemies; they must have the capacity to govern nicely so that people will not have any complaint against the government.

Morning Walk -- May 10, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: The caste system is there as a matter of necessity. You cannot abolish it. But it is now existing in a deformed manner. People should be systematic and organized. That we are trying to. Not that a new thing we are trying to introduce. It is already there. Our proposition is that "You priestly class, you must act exactly as a priest-ideal priest. You are a drunkard, you are woman-hunter, you are doing everything nonsense, and at the same time you are passing on as priest—this should be stopped." This should be stopped. The priestly class, or the brāhmaṇas, they should be trained up to become truthful, how to control mind, how to control senses, and tolerant, and very learned, knowing God also—these things are required. They should be the first-class, ideal men. Similarly, the kṣatriyas, they must be fearless; they must be very boldly, face fighting the enemies; they must have the capacity to govern nicely so that people will not have any complaint against the government. In this way they should be trained up.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Then if you become fearless, that is secure. But without knowing, if you are not afraid, that is risk.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So you must be aware what is going to happen after death. Then if you become fearless, that is secure. But without knowing, if you are not afraid, that is risk.

And who is fearless? Everyone is fearful.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: "Fearlessness, purification of one's existence."

Prabhupāda: And who is fearless? Everyone is fearful. And fearlessness is good quality, who understands it? Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca, this is animal life. To eat, sleep, sex and become fearful, that is animal life. And one has to become fearless. So who cares for it? They are thinking to become fearless means to keep gun. That is also one way.

Oh, yes. He's fearless. Natural. I have seen in my practical life.

Evening Darsana -- August 15, 1976, Bombay:

Indian: He can be fearless, free.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He's fearless. Natural. I have seen in my practical life. Long ago I was going in a tram car. So my son, he was two years old. The conductor: "Paisa, amsa." Bolte.(?)(Hindi) "Ha! Mana pitājī he!" (Hindi) He's confident, "My father is there. How he can get me down?" This is natural. Sanātha-jīvitam. Kadāham aikāntika-nitya-kiṅkaraḥ praharṣayiṣyāmi. That is ānanda. That "I have no fear. I have got my father here. I have got my protector."

Yes. Bhakti itself is rare. Bhakti is not cheap. Don't think it is cheap commodity.

Garden Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: Such stage of Bhakti is very rare, Prabhupāda. To be on such a high platform is very rare. To be fearless.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhakti itself is rare. Bhakti is not cheap. Don't think it is cheap commodity. There is a verse, I now forget. Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation, but He hesitates to give bhakti.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

If we give genuine thing, it will act.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They did not know what is truth, beginning from Vivekananda.

Yogi Amrit Desai: All the way, right. See, after you came... I was there in 1960. I started teaching yoga. But after you came I became fearless to teach bhakti and chant mantras. So now we have lots of bhakti in āśrama, lots of bhakti. And I paid that respect to you because I was afraid to give them because I thought, "They are Christians. They will not like so much devotion. They will misunderstand." But you have performed a miracle. God, Kṛṣṇa, has performed miracle through you. It's just very amazing, greatest miracle on earth. I just feel so strongly about it.

Prabhupāda: It is very kind of you that you give this statement. If we give genuine thing, it will act.

He is robust also, like kṣatriya.

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

Nanda-kumāra: Some of our devotees have got that spirit, some of our men. Keśava has sometimes taken ten men at a time. Once in San Francisco at Ratha-yātrā some men were attacking the Deity, throwing rocks.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? When?

Nanda-kumāra: Keśava was picking... In San Francisco about four years back.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Nanda-kumāra: Black men.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Nanda-kumāra: Keśava was picking them up over his head and throwing them across cars. Ten men. He took all of them, only himself. Finished all of them. He didn't kill them, but he stopped them. He said he felt Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva helping him. But he was fearless.

Prabhupāda: He is robust also, like kṣatriya, Keśava, Karandhara's brother.

So you are feeling on this stronger platform?

Room Conversation -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you are feeling on this stronger platform? Hm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That is wanted.

Hari-śauri: In this movement we can't do anything except gain, become stronger more and more.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: You have taught us how to become fearless and strong. Those are good platforms.

Prabhupāda: Anyone who does not know Kṛṣṇa is a mūḍha. So the only difficulty is that we have to deal with mūḍhas. But our position is different. We are not mūḍhas.

1971 Correspondence

You ask that you become strong enough to fearlessly preach Krishna Consciousness. Yes, I know that you have got Krishna's blessings.

Letter to Krsnakanti -- Bombay 11 April, 1971:

You ask that you become strong enough to fearlessly preach Krishna Consciousness. Yes, I know that you have got Krishna's blessings. Therefore you are strong enough to go on preaching and as you do so your strength will increase more and more. I am very pleased with your service from the very beginning. Please go on in this way and push on the cause of our mission.

1973 Correspondence

Sannyasis also have great responsibility to become fearless preachers of our Krsna Consciousness movement.

Letter to Danavir -- Calcutta 6 February, 1973:

This taking of sannyasa should not be a whimsical proposition, and should not be an excuse for becoming irresponsible, no responsibility of grhastha, brahmacari, etc. Sannyasis also have great responsibility to become fearless preachers of our Krsna Consciousness movement. So you consider all these things, and I shall see you and we can discuss further in Los Angeles.