Imperfection (Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"imperfection" |"imperfectional" |"imperfections"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Another side there is imperfection. Not everybody is satisfied by your service. But if you serve Kṛṣṇa, everybody is satisfied.

Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: You may become a great man in the estimation of your country, but in others' estimation, your enemy, "Oh, this man is dead. Now our enemy is finished. That's nice." So another side there is imperfection. Not everybody is satisfied by your service. But if you serve Kṛṣṇa, everybody is satisfied. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance, nobody will be dissatisfied. At least they will say, "Ah..." Just like in the paper, "The boys are very nice." You see? You have seen. Instead of not very sympathetic, they have remarked this, "Oh, these boys are very nice." At least, people will appreciate, "Oh, these boys are... These Kṛṣṇa conscious men are very nice. They do not smoke. They do not drink. They have no illicit sex life. They do not kill for satisfy the tongue. They are satisfied with natural food. And their behavior is very good." Who will deny it? And the other asset they cannot estimate, that how much he is in contact with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme. That, they have no estimating power, but at least they will appreciate these external features.

That is the perfection: to keep individuality and agree with God in total agreement. That is perfection. And imperfection so long we are in rebelled condition that is material because one who has a slightest desire of disagreement with Kṛṣṇa, he cannot live there.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Our surrender means we agree with Kṛṣṇa in everything, although we are individual. If Kṛṣṇa says you have to die, we die; out of love. But we are individual, I can deny "Why shall I die?" That reality I have got. Just like Arjuna was asked, "Now I have taught you Bhagavad-gītā, now whatever you like you do," yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63), "as you like." He doesn't touch the individuality. But Arjuna voluntarily surrendered: "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73), "yes, I shall do whatever You ask." He changed his decision. He decided not to fight, but he agreed, "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava. This agreement, this is oneness. Not oneness does not mean mix up homogeneously. No, He keeps his individuality. Kṛṣṇa keeps his individuality, yathecchasi tathā kuru: "Now whatever you like you do." He says, "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73), "I shall do what you say." So this is oneness. Not to lose individuality. Because we cannot lose our individuality. We are individually made originally. Kṛṣṇa is individual, we are individual, everyone is individual. Merging means merging in that total agreement. That is liberation. Total agreement without any disagreement. And that is the perfection: to keep individuality and agree with God in total agreement. That is perfection. And imperfection so long we are in rebelled condition that is material because one who has a slightest desire of disagreement with Kṛṣṇa, he cannot live there. There the only predominant figure is Kṛṣṇa. So one who is trained fully to agree with Kṛṣṇa, they are accepted as associates.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Above the illusion, above cheating, above imperfection. This is God.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: But God means He's above mistake,

Dr. Weir: Yes.

Prabhupāda: ...above the illusion, above cheating, above imperfection. This is God.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Similarly, scientists, they do not know what is imperfection, and they are scientists.

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Homosex. They are supporting homosex. So degraded, and still they say, "What we have done?" They do not know what is degradation, and they are priest. They are teaching others. They do not know what is the meaning of degradation.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So if the leader is degraded, how can the followers...

Prabhupāda: Similarly, scientists, they do not know what is imperfection, and they are scientists.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Imperfect means here you cannot get happiness and cannot live permanently. This is imperfection.

Morning Walk -- April 25, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Every... all this scientific research is going on for perfection. They say the world is imperfect. That's, that is a fact. Imperfect. Imperfect means here you cannot get happiness and cannot live permanently. This is imperfection. That they do not know. That question they set aside. The problem, if you say to the scientist: "What you have done for the human society to live eternally in perfect happiness?" What is their answer?

Four kinds of defects of material life—to commit mistake, to become illusioned, to cheat, and imperfection of the senses—these things are not there.

Morning Walk -- May 4, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Just like the king or the president, we may make mistake. We may accept somebody as "Here is president." No. But the associates of the president, he knows. They know that "Here is president." Similarly, there is no question of mistake there. Four kinds of defects of material life—to commit mistake, to become illusioned, to cheat, and imperfection of the senses—these things are not there. Everyone's senses are perfect. When he sees God, he sees perfectly. He does not mistake. He is not illusioned. And there is no cheating and there is no imperfection of the senses. There is no mistake. These are spiritual life.

That does not mean science. Why don't you admit your imperfectional senses?

Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But you cannot observe, your rascal eyes are so imperfect, you cannot observe so many things. That does not mean science. Why don't you admit your imperfectional senses? You first of all admit the imperfectional senses. You cannot see. You cannot experience. That, does it mean that is science? So many dogs they cannot understand what is the law of nature. Does it mean that nature does not exist? Why do you think your sense are perfect? First of all, admit that you're the most imperfect.

Mr. Nixon loves his countrymen. Why not love his country cows? They are also born in the land. They require also. They have right to live, so why they are killed? That is imperfection.

Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So who can be perfect lover than Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa, He loves everyone. Where is that man, he loves everyone? The so-called patriot, they love their countrymen, but kill their animals. Why? Mr. Nixon loves his countrymen. Why not love his country cows? They are also born in the land. They require also. They have right to live, so why they are killed? That is imperfection. And Kṛṣṇa is embracing the calf, come on, and embracing Rādhārāṇī also. That is perfection. That is perfection. Kṛṣṇa talks with birds. These are there. One day on the bank of Yamunā He was talking with a bird. One old lady saw and said, "Oh, He's talking with a bird?" That is perfection.

You have got so many imperfections. Why you are cheating people? That is our protest.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: That means... these rascals, they have simply imperfect knowledge. Still, they are leader. That is our protest. That why you become leader? You have got so many imperfections. Why you are cheating people? That is our protest. You have no perfect knowledge. Still, you become leader. Why?

But if we begin from the perfect, the conclusion will be perfect.

Room Conversation with Dr. Christian Hauser, Psychiatrist -- September 10, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: But if we begin from the perfect, the conclusion will be perfect. What are the four defects? Explain.

Haṁsadūta: Uh, four de... Every conditioned soul, you or I, anyone, born in this material world, he's defective by four things. He has got imperfect senses. Just like you don't see what's happening beyond the wall. So this is imperfection of the senses. There are so many examples. The next thing is you're subjected to be illusioned. You may accept a thing for real which is not real. Just like we accept the body as self, but we are not the body. The body is a lump of matter. We are simply witnessing the changes of the body, but we are not the... So this is illusion. Then...

Prabhupāda: Mistakes.

Haṁsadūta: He's subjected to make mistakes. He'll make a mistake. Everybody knows. To err is human, right? And he...

Prabhupāda: Cheating.

No, potential does not fall down.

Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You have got the potential. That's it.

Hṛdayānanda: But if I say that... If I, I'm originally in the spiritual world, but even the potential to fall down is an imperfection in the creation.

Prabhupāda: No, potential does not fall down. Just like a child has got the potency to pass the M.A. examination. So he has to be educated. If you don't educate him, he'll remain a foolish child. So we are educating to develop that potentiality.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Unless they glorify their imperfection, how they can stand?

Morning Walk -- January 3, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: They glorify such imperfections, Śrīla Prabhupāda, by saying...

Prabhupāda: Unless they glorify their imperfection, how they can stand? (laughter) They have no standing. If they do not glorify, then they are proved rascals. There will be no argument. They'll have to accept that "we are rascals." Therefore they have to glorify. The glorifying society... That is mentioned in the Bhāgavata. The glorifying society is consisting of ass, camel, hog, and what is the other?

Devotees: Dog.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Origin of pain means as soon as you come to the material world, is the origin of pain.

Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Guest (Hṛdayānanda): You have mentioned pain within the body. What is the origin of pain and the origin of imperfection?

Prabhupāda: Origin of pain means as soon as you come to the material world, is the origin of pain. Just like the... It can be appreciated very nicely. Just like water. Water is sometimes painful, and sometimes pleasing. Is it not? Do you agree or not? No, I just try to... Water is the same thing, but sometimes it is painful and sometimes it is pleasing, is it not? So how the same thing becomes pleasing and painful? This is circumstantial.

That is stated in the śāstra: bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā and kāraṇa-patāvā. We are qualified with these imperfections, and therefore we cannot manufacture.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- March 13, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Everyone is thinking that he is this body—he is Indian, he is American, he is Hindu, he is Muslim. That is illusion. He is not this body. Similarly, our senses are imperfect, and so long we are in the imperfect condition, if we teach, that means we cheat. I have no perfect knowledge, and still, I am trying to teach. That is cheating. Nobody should try to preach with imperfect knowledge. That is cheating. That is stated in the śāstra: bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā and kāraṇa-patāvā. We are qualified with these imperfections, and therefore we cannot manufacture. Somebody says "in my opinion." So what is the value of your opinion? You are imperfect. If the child says "in my opinion," what is the value? Therefore we don't say, "in my opinion," "our opinion." We say "Kṛṣṇa says this," that's all.

Then you do not understand. Ācārya is not God, omniscient. He is servant of God.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1975, Mayapur:

Jayādvaita: ...an imperfection.

Prabhupāda: That is not the... Then you do not understand. Ācārya is not God, omniscient. He is servant of God. His business is to preach bhakti cult. That is ācārya.

Jayādvaita: And that is the perfection.

Prabhupāda: That is the perfection. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

He is present within and without, but still we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. That is my foolishness, that is my imperfection.

Evening Discussion -- May 6, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Difficulty is mind; otherwise there is no difficulty. I am foolish, therefore... Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is visible to everyone. We have got two kinds of experience, within and without. He is present within and without, but still we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. That is my foolishness, that is my imperfection. We have to become perfect, then we will see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. That is morning sādhana, spiritual consciousness, advancement. The more we advance in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa we'll realize more and more.

They do not admit the imperfection of the senses.

Morning Walk -- May 17, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: All rubbish theory. Life is mentioned Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-gaḥ: "everywhere." And why these rascals say there is no life?

Paramahaṁsa: They want to see with telescope.

Prabhupāda: This is nonsense, this telescope. That is their defect. They do not admit the imperfection of the senses. What we calculated? How many billions?

Śrutakīrti: To the sun?

Prabhupāda: No, no, the length and breadth.

Śrutakīrti: Oh, it is four billion miles.

Imperfection, yes.

Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You can say whatever thing, but anger, all, whatever you have got, God has got in bigger quantity and perfect quantity. That is the conception of God, without any, what is called?

John Mize: Imperfection?

Prabhupāda: Imperfection, yes.

John Mize: I hope He doesn't have my ignorance in such a mass.

But many parents are very happy because their...

Morning Walk -- June 25, 1975, Los Angeles:

Dr. Judah: ...it has many imperfections of which I am well aware. Mistakes that I hope in another edition can be corrected.

Prabhupāda: But many parents are very happy because their...

Dr. Judah: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They are very happy. Some of them come to me to give me thanks.

Gradations, that I give the example: stool, this side and that side, the dry side and the moist side. Somebody says, "Oh, this side is very good. It is dry stool."

Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No science is perfect. Asato dhavato bahiḥ.

Dr. Patel: In imperfection also there can be gradations.

Prabhupāda: Gradations, that I give the example: stool, this side and that side, the dry side and the moist side. Somebody says, "Oh, this side is very good. It is dry stool."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is your imperfection.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no, deviate, that you have got independence to deviate from anything.

Madhudviṣa: So that is the imperfection.

Prabhupāda: That is your imperfection.

Madhudviṣa: So they will say that is the imperfection in Communism, also, that the system is perfect but we have imperfect people.

Prabhupāda: But if there is an ism where there is no such defects, why should you not accept it?

No mistake, no illusion, no cheating, no imperfection. Anyone who commits mistake, he's illusioned, he's a cheater and imperfect—he cannot lead.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What... Śrīla Prabhupāda, what are the qualifications of a perfect leader?

Prabhupāda: No mistake, no illusion, no cheating, no imperfection. Anyone who commits mistake, he's illusioned, he's a cheater and imperfect—he cannot lead. So bring any leader of these rascal groups and test with these four principles; he is misleader.

Trivikrama: They're all servants of their senses.

No imperfection.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Madhudviṣa: They will also say that within our movement the so-called leaders also have imperfections.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Madhudviṣa: They will say, within our movement, that the leaders also have imperfection.

Prabhupāda: No imperfection.

Trivikrama: No imperfection.

Madhudviṣa: They will say, "Yes, we can give you examples."

Prabhupāda: No. No, no. Why? Why you shall accept? They will say. Because therefore they are saying, we shall accept?

So how you can give perfect knowledge with all this imperfection?

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, that we say practically. What is the use of "ism," manufactured by imperfect senses. We have got defects. Our..., we commit mistake. Who is the person who does not commit mistake? None. We accept this body, which I am not, this is called pramada. Pramada vipralipsa,(?) without any perfect knowledge you want to teach. That is cheating. Vipralipsa. And karnapada(?), our senses are imperfect. So how you can give perfect knowledge with all this imperfection? Unless you become perfect, you cannot give perfect knowledge. So any knowledge given by any imperfect person, we reject immediately, useless waste of time. And actually that is the fact.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

We are not perfect. We're trying to be perfect.

Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So they're getting this information, but what can they do? They're getting so much information from these devotees who have left.

Prabhupāda: What is that information?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're trying to find some imperfection, but they cannot.

Prabhupāda: We are not perfect. We're trying to be perfect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's just like the Christian church. The book may be very good, but if someone doesn't follow it doesn't mean their religion is bad.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

In this way the research work of scientific thought are constantly changing because the very research work is done by person who is himself a condition by the four principles of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection.

Letter to Sri Padampat Singhania -- Kanpur 7 May, 1957:

As soon as we get this information the whole conclusion that a man is mortal—is at once changed and we have to say that some men are mortal. In this way the research work of scientific thought are constantly changing because the very research work is done by person who is himself a condition by the four principles of mistake, illusion, cheating and imperfection. Therefore, the Deductive Process is more effective. Man is mortal we have heard it from very authoritative sources like the Vedas and we have accepted it.

1973 Correspondence

It is above all deficiency, namely mistake, illusion, cheating, and the imperfection of the senses.

Letter to Indira Gandhi -- New Delhi 6 November, 1973:

We think that Bhagavad-gita As It Is without a wrong interpretation can solve all the problems of human society, namely social, political, religious, economic, philosophical, cultural, or from any angle of vision, because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is above all deficiency, namely mistake, illusion, cheating, and the imperfection of the senses.

Whatever imperfections and discrepancies may exist, if you all agree to my directions and cooperate in the right spirit then everything will turn out.

Letter to Gurukrpa , Yasodanandana -- Los Angeles 25 December, 1973:

So I have no objection if you return to India. Rather, I know you both can be a great asset for our programs there. I am requesting you, therefore, to concentrate on preaching and kirtana and work cooperatively with Tamala Krsna Goswami who is in charge there. Whatever imperfections and discrepancies may exist, if you all agree to my directions and cooperate in the right spirit then everything will turn out, but it will require everyone involved to be responsible and cooperate in executing and following the instructions of the Spiritual Master.

1975 Correspondence

The word progress is used when there is imperfection at the beginning.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Bombay 17 December, 1975:

There are so many contradictions, but we have our own defence. Why should we blindly accept imperfect scientists, they are imperfect because they are changing their position in the name of progress. The word progress is used when there is imperfection at the beginning. So this regular changing of standard knowledge in the name of progress proves that they are always imperfect.

1977 Correspondence

Misuse of independence is the cause of imperfection.

Letter to Nandarani, Unknown -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

P.S. Krsna has made all living entities perfect and therefore every living entity has independence. Misuse of independence is the cause of imperfection. Living entity being minute there is always a chance of misuse of his independence. This is unavoidable because that is the meaning of independence.