My authority

Expressions researched:
"my authorities" |"my authority"

SB Canto 8

My dear Lord Brahmā, because of material opulence a foolish person becomes dull-witted and mad. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds and defies even My authority.

SB 8.22.24, Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Lord Brahmā, because of material opulence a foolish person becomes dull-witted and mad. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds and defies even My authority. To such a person I show special favor by first taking away all his possessions.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Indra further declared, “These cowherd men in Vṛndāvana have neglected my authority".

Krsna Book 25: Indra further declared, “These cowherd men in Vṛndāvana have neglected my authority on the advice of this talkative boy who is known as Kṛṣṇa. He is nothing but a child, and by believing this child, they have enraged me.” Thus he ordered the Sāṁvartaka cloud to go and destroy the prosperity of Vṛndāvana.

If you have come to challenge My authority, then I am prepared to fight you.” In this way, Kṛṣṇa challenged the demon.

Krsna Book 36: The situation became very terrible, and all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana began to cry, “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa, please save us!” Kṛṣṇa saw that the cows were running away, and He immediately replied, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.” He then appeared before Ariṣṭāsura and said, “You lowest of living entities! Why are you frightening the inhabitants of Gokula? What will you gain by this action? If you have come to challenge My authority, then I am prepared to fight you.” In this way, Kṛṣṇa challenged the demon, and the demon became very angry by the words of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa stood before the bull, resting His hand on the shoulder of a friend. The bull proceeded toward Kṛṣṇa in anger.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Parīkṣit Mahārāja went for digvijaya just to challenge all over the world, "Now I have been selected by my grandfather as the emperor of the world. If you do not accept my authority, then here is fight. Come on.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974: So here the same digvijaya. Digvijaya, for learned scholar, by arguing on śāstra, that is another kind of digvijaya. And digvijaya for kṣatriya, by subduing others who do not accept the authority. So here Parīkṣit Mahārāja went for digvijaya just to challenge all over the world, "Now I have been selected by my grandfather as the emperor of the world. If you do not accept my authority, then here is fight. Come on. Here is fight. Let us fight."

Your authority is America, and my authority is śāstra. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

Indian man (2): I want to know one thing, Prabhupāda. You have just said that in the moon there is a cold atmosphere and there is still a living entity there? You see? But what the Americans have said... Of course, they have sent man there, different rockets there, satellites...

Prabhupāda: So I understand. Your authority is America, and my authority is śāstra. That is the difference.

Indian man (2): But they...

Prabhupāda: That is the difference. That means your authority is America. You say through the words of the American. You have not experienced. Your position: you have no experience. My position: I have no experience. But you accept the Americans, authority, and I accept the śāstra as authority. That is the difference.

Philosophy Discussions

If you don't accept my authority, then I don't accept your authority.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: You tell me that Rāma and some other higher creatures lived on this planet so many millions of years ago, so I can expect some day to find evidence of that?

Prabhupāda: The evidence is the authority, Vedic literature.

Karandhara: What other authority will you accept? If you dig up a bone and make a test with your own senses and accept that as an authority...

Prabhupāda: Bone authority. So you will be satisfied with your own authority. We have got our different... If you don't accept my authority, then I don't accept your authority.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

My authority is Vedic literature, yes. You'll find Bhagavad-gītā.

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Journalist: At least, five thousand years ago the last time that any, that we would... Are they in human form?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So far we get information, sometimes great sacrifices were performed, and demigods from other planets, they were invited, and they used to come.

Journalist: Where...? Where...? And this is... Your authority for this statement is based in the Vedic literature?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Journalist: I see. I see.

Prabhupāda: It is not manufactured by me.

Journalist: Oh, I know! No! I'm not implying that. But I just want to know where the...

Prabhupāda: My authority is Vedic literature, yes. You'll find Bhagavad-gītā... You have seen our book Bhagavad-gītā?

Journalist: Yes. We have it at the office. I've seen it.

Prabhupāda: There are descriptions. There are descriptions of these things. There is description of another nature which is called spiritual nature. This is material nature. The sky, as far as you can see, this is one universe. Similarly, there are millions of universes. And all these together, that is material sky. And beyond that, there is spiritual sky, which is far, far greater than this. And there are spiritual planets. So this information we have got from Bhagavad-gītā, what to speak of other Vedic literatures. Bhagavad-gītā, it is daily read by practically all over the world, but they do not understand it. Simply they become student of Bhagavad-gītā, or simply just to think falsely that "I am God." That's all. But they don't take any particular information. There is a verse in the Eighth Chapter, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ [Bg. 8.20]. There is another nature beyond this material nature which is eternal. This nature is coming into existence, again dissolution. But that nature is eternal. These things are there. Similarly, there, planets are also eternal. There, living entities, they are also eternal. That is called sanātana. Sanātana means eternal, without any end, without any beginning. But this nature, as we have, this body has got a beginning and it has end, similarly anything, this cosmic nature has a beginning and it has an end. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to transfer our self to that nature, eternal nature.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Authority he has made himself. Yes. I am my authority. Authority has to accept. But he does not know that I am fool No. 1, what is the value of my authority?

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1974, Geneva:

Satsvarūpa: Ultimately, they don't follow anyone, although they may like people, they...

Prabhupāda: No, they follow.

Devotee: They say our only...

Prabhupāda: But they are manufacture their own philosophy. Philosophy there must be. They've become their own authority. That is a chaotic condition. Authority he has made himself. Yes. I am my authority. Authority has to accept. But he does not know that I am fool No. 1, what is the value of my authority? Authority he must accept. But he makes himself his authority. That is the tendency now. "In my opinion." All rascals say like that. "In my opinion." He does not... He's rascal No. 1, what is the value of his opinion? But he'll say, "In my opinion." That is the difficulty. And this is called creative philosophy. Is it not?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: This is going on. All rascals have creative philosophy.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

If you defy my authority, why shall I accept your authority?

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1975, Mayapur:

Rāmeśvara: Within, the atoms, there is movement.

Prabhupāda: Then here, today, this morning, you'll see it is lying there. Tomorrow you'll come. You'll see it is lying there. Where it is moving? What does it mean by moving?

Rāmeśvara: Well, they say that when atoms...

Prabhupāda: They say! You say what it is. Don't say "They say." You use your intelligence. If the foolish man says something, shall I have to accept it? You use your own intelligence. "They say." If they are authority, then we have got authority. If you do not accept my authority, why shall I accept your authority? Come to argument. "They say." Why we will accept "They say"? They... Why? Are they authority?

Rāmeśvara: No.

Prabhupāda: Then? What is the use of "They say"? You say. When you'll say "They say," I'll say "They say," (laughter) my authorities. My authorities. If you defy my authority, why shall I accept your authority? Then come to plain logic.

Madhudviṣa: Well, you look at the earth, and you see it. It is stationary.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Madhudviṣa: Just like we look at the building over there. From a distance, it is stationary. But if we go inside, we can see there is so much movement.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: So similarly, you may walk by this earth every day and see it is stationary, but if you analyze it underneath a microscope, you will see that there is so much movement going on within.

Prabhupāda: But that is due to air. That is due to air. Just like we can see so many atoms are moving in the hole from the wall, but that is due to air. So this is also moving. The whole thing is moving by air.

Viṣṇujana: But not of itself.

Prabhupāda: Not automatically.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

But I'm just a common Christian. I'm following my authority. They say it's all right.

Morning Walk -- May 7, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: He says clearly, "Thou shall not kill." And when I cut grass, it is not called killing. You should know dictionary. Because you are uneducated, you do not know the meaning of the dictionary.

Śrutakīrti: But I'm just a common Christian. I'm following my authority. They say it's all right. The Pope.

Paramahaṁsa: He's the supreme authority. The Pope is eating meat.

If you quote authority, I have got my authority.

Morning Walk -- December 12, 1975, Vrndavana:

Harikeśa: My body is ninety per cent water. The scientists say that this material body is ninety percent water.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: Human body. So I've got a watery body...

Prabhupāda: Ninety percent water?

Harikeśa: That's what they say.

Prabhupāda: They say. They are rascals. (laughter) So much bones and flesh and so many things, others. And ninety percent water.

Harikeśa: Well, they take a cell and they say in the cell...

Prabhupāda: "They take," they... Don't quote them, they are all rascals. You come to your own reason. They say, then you accept them as authority. Then why don't you accept authority of Bhagavad-gītā, rascal? You are quoting some rascals and fools, and I am quoting from Bhagavad-gītā. Then whose quotation is favorable? "They say." And when we say, "Kṛṣṇa says," that is nothing! Just see, how foolish. "They say." These rascals, meat eaters, huh? Bachelor daddies, (laughter) they say something, that is authority. And (if) Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, (then) "Oh, that we cannot accept." Just see nonsense. That I... This argument I put forward with Professor Kotovsky that, "After all, we have to follow leader. So your leader is Lenin. And my leader is Kṛṣṇa. So where is the difference between the process? You have to accept some authority. Now it is to be seen whether Lenin is perfect or Kṛṣṇa is perfect. That is another thing, but you have to follow some authority. So you are stopped."

Harikeśa: But in science...

Prabhupāda: Again science.

Harikeśa: No, as far as the process goes, they are very proud of the fact that there's no authority.

Prabhupāda: But why you are following? Why you are quoting Newton? You are quoting this scientist, that scientist, why you are quoting?

Harikeśa: Well, Newton sat there, and saw the apple falling...

Prabhupāda: If you don't follow authority, then why you quote so many previous scientists? What is the use of quoting if there is no authority?

Harikeśa: But the trend is, because Newton speculated the law of gravity...

Prabhupāda: No, no, first of all you settle up. Don't go away from the point. (laughter) The point is that there is no need of authority. Then why you quote this scientist, that scientist? You stop this nonsense. There is no authority. Hm?

Harikeśa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Haṁsadūta?

Haṁsadūta: Hm.

Prabhupāda: If there is no authority, why do you quote so many rascals? Then come to reason, argument, that's all. If you quote authority, I have got my authority.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is our business. If you don't believe me I don't believe you. Finished business. You have got your authority, I've got my authority.

Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Yadubara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we're taking this from the Bhāgavatam. Won't they just think that this is myth?

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) is myth? Who believes you? If you don't believe me, I don't believe you. Finished.

Yadubara: So we should present our side.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our business. If you don't believe me I don't believe you. Finished business. You have got your authority, I've got my authority. Why shall I...?

Hari-śauri: Actually we have authority and they have no authority.

Prabhupāda: What is your age? You are all scientists within 200 years. And our Bhāgavata is written 5,000 years ago. Why shall I accept yours?

We have got our authority, I have got my authority, Bhāgavatam, Vedic literatures. Why shall I give you better preference, your authority?

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Prabhupāda: We have got our authority, I have got my authority, Bhāgavatam, Vedic literatures. Why shall I give you better preference, your authority? I have got my authority.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we'll explain there are two types of acquiring knowledge. Two different techniques. Now the scientists are believing their own...

Prabhupāda: That is imperfect. Inductive knowledge is always imperfect. Deductive knowledge is perfect if it is taken from the authority. Suppose man is mortal. So inductive process is that you examine every man whether he's mortal or immortal. So suppose you have seen millions of men, and they are all mortal, they die. Then your conclusion is man is mortal. But I can say you have not seen a man who does not die. I can say that. So this inductive knowledge will remain always imperfect. It will never be perfect, because your examination is limited. So I can that say you have not seen the person, man... Suppose if I say you have not seen Vyāsadeva, he's immortal. You have not seen Aśvatthāmā, he's immortal. So how this scientific research can be perfect, inductive? It is never perfect. Because you may be missing somebody who is immortal. Then your conclusion is wrong. There is no scope of studying all the living beings. There is no such scope. You have limited scope. So your seeing power is limited. How you can decide from the limited seeing power?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

They might argue that "I have my authority, and I'm happy to live by it."

Morning Walk -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: That's even... That's their philosophy. There's a saying, "Nobody's perfect."

Prabhupāda: No. That you do not know, who is perfect. That is your ignorance. We know. If I know who is perfect, why shall I take your advice, "Nobody is perfect"? Kṛṣṇa is perfect. I know from authorities, from perfect persons.

Hari-śauri: Then they might argue that "I have my authority, and I'm happy to live by it."

Prabhupāda: But you do not believe in authority. You say, "Nobody is perfect." How you get, have, authority? Your statement is "Nobody is perfect," so how you can get?

Hari-śauri: But as far as my own happiness goes...

Prabhupāda: You are unhappy.

If I say that "Girirāja, you go there, to the bank," "No, no, I cannot do this. I can do only this," then where is my authority?

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay: Prabhupāda: The Cinmayananda, they are now: "I'll change according to my whims." Then where is the authority? If I say that "Girirāja, you go there, to the bank," "No, no, I cannot do this. I can do only this," then where is my authority? (laughs) Just see. These rascals are doing that. We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, no change. We do not change. Anybody seriously reading our book, he'll be liberated. There is no doubt. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg. 4.9]. That's a fact. If not all books, simply Kṛṣṇa book, if one reads carefully, daily, he is liberated undoubtedly.

A good lawyer means he will give reference "Under section... This is my authority." That is authority.

Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They will take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and do their business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What are some of the important shastric references in regard to developing an article on cheating?

Prabhupāda: Hm? Where is authority, that you are speaking rightly? Just like in the law court, when they plead, they give the reference to the lawbook that... A good lawyer means he will give reference "Under section... This is my authority." That is authority.

1969 Correspondence

At the present moment everyone is working under my authority. Similarly, Kirtanananda also should work under my authority.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hamburg 30 August, 1969: Everyone should treat his Godbrothers as Prabhu. But nobody should try to claim any extra honor on account of an official position. I do not know why Kirtanananda Maharaja says that his authority overrides yours. At the present moment everyone is working under my authority. Similarly, Kirtanananda also should work under my authority. So the condition imposed by Kirtanananda as stated by you does not look well.

1972 Correspondence

My authorities and so-called officers, they sometimes also order in such a way that everything becomes topsy-turvy.

Letter to Jayadharma -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972: This individual begging must be stopped. So many questions, it's not good at all. This question-begging is going on, even some of the important men are doing like that, that I know. So how I can say your question from here? I do not know what you are trying to do by such question. Of course, my authorities and so-called officers, they sometimes also order in such a way that everything becomes topsy-turvy. So you may write to me your grievance—what can I do?—but meanwhile you must follow him exactly whatever he says. If there is complaint, I can make adjustment later. But first of all you must without hesitation obey. It is something like the appealing to the higher court if one is not satisfied by decision of the lower court.

1975 Correspondence

If you don't accept my authority, then I don't accept your authority.

Letter to Bahu Rupa -- Vrindaban 1 September, 1975: The Bhagavad-gita was also spoken at the beginning of the fight, so we take it as 5,000 years ago. From the Bhagavad-gita we learn it was spoken by the sun god millions of years ago. We take this as authority. If you don't accept my authority, then I don't accept your authority. That is the way of evidence, to accept the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Vedic literature. The calculation is that the Kali yuga is 432,000 years, out of which we have passed 5,000 years.