Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Acknowledge the authority

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

The four classes of good men acknowledge the authority of the Almighty God
SB 1.5.40, Purport: Śrī Nārada Muni from practical experience definitely asserts that the prime solution of all problems of material work is to broadcast very widely the transcendental glories of the Supreme Lord. There are four classes of good men, and there are four classes of bad men also. The four classes of good men acknowledge the authority of the Almighty God, and therefore such good men (1) when they are in difficulty, (2) when they are in need of money, (3) when they are advanced in knowledge and (4) when they are inquisitive to know more and more about God, intuitively take shelter of the Lord. As such, Nāradajī advises Vyāsadeva to broadcast the transcendental knowledge of God in terms of the vast Vedic knowledge which he had already attained. As far as the bad men are concerned, they are also four in number: (1) those who are simply addicted to the mode of progressive fruitive work and thus are subjected to the accompanying miseries, (2) those who are simply addicted to vicious work for sense satisfaction and so suffer the consequence, (3) those who are materially very much advanced in knowledge, but who suffer because they do not have the sense to acknowledge the authority of the Almighty Lord, and (4) the class of men who are known as atheists and who therefore purposely hate the very name of God, although they are always in difficulty.

SB Canto 2

One should gain knowledge by surrendering unto the Lord and by acknowledging the authority of the persons mentioned herein
SB 2.7.43-45, Purport: All the great devotees of the Lord, as mentioned above, who flourished in the past or present, and all the devotees of the Lord who will come in the future, are aware of the different potencies of the Lord along with the potency of His name, quality, pastimes, entourage, personality, etc. And how do they know? Certainly it is not by mental speculation, nor by any attempt by dint of limited instruments of knowledge. By the limited instruments of knowledge (either the senses or the material instruments like microscopes and telescopes) one cannot even fully know the Lord's material potencies, which are manifested before our eyes. For example there are many millions and billions of planets far, far beyond the scientist's calculation. But these are only the manifestations of the Lord's material energy. What can the scientist hope to know of the spiritual potency of the Lord by such material efforts? Mental speculations, by adding some dozens of "if's" and "maybe's," cannot aid the advancement of knowledge—on the contrary, such mental speculations will only end in despair by dismissing the case abruptly and declaring the nonexistence of God. The sane person, therefore, ceases to speculate on subjects beyond the jurisdiction of his tiny brain, and as a matter of course he tries to learn to surrender unto the Supreme Lord, who alone can lead one to the platform of real knowledge. In the Upaniṣads it is clearly said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never be known simply by working very hard and taxing the good brain, nor can He be known simply by mental speculation and jugglery of words. The Lord is knowable only by one who is a surrendered soul. Herein Brahmājī, the greatest of all material living beings, acknowledges this truth. Therefore, the fruitless spoiling of energy by pursuing the path of experimental knowledge must be given up. One should gain knowledge by surrendering unto the Lord and by acknowledging the authority of the persons mentioned herein. The Lord is unlimited and, by the grace of the yogamāyā, helps the surrendered soul to know Him proportionately with the advance of one's surrender.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Buddha religion is also Indian religion. Lord Buddha, He was Indian. He, just like Lord Caitanya began His propaganda from Bengal, Lord Buddha made His propaganda from Bihar. He was Indian. But the defect was that He did not acknowledge the authority of the Vedas
If you do not acknowledge, if you do not acknowledge the authority, if you do not feel your gratitude for the supplier, then you are a thief
Introduction to Gitopanisad: Prabhupāda: Yes. Simply you have nice foodstuff, palatable dishes. You can prepare palatable dishes for Kṛṣṇa. There are hundreds and thousands of preparation. But as soon as you prepare for yourself or you try to satisfy your tongue, then you are bound up by the laws of nature. Anything. Because that is sinful. Sinful. If you do not acknowledge, if you do not acknowledge the authority, if you do not feel your gratitude for the supplier, then you are a thief. Especially it is mentioned. "It is thief." I am taking your things, I am eating, but I am not feeling any gratitude for you, then I am a thief. Yes. Go on.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Because the young people gradually degrading. They do not acknowledge authority. (French)
Room Conversation with Mr. Tran-van-Kha, and President and Members of the Society of Buddhists in France -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Jyotirmayī: He was very sad yesterday when there was some people making noises.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the difficulty. They are... Gradually, the population of the world are becoming urchins.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Urchins. Very degraded.

Jyotirmayī: (French)

Prabhupāda: That I was discussing from Bhāgavatam, how people will degrade in this age. And this is due to lack of God consciousness. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says your lecture yesterday evening was very objectionable to many of the young people who made so much disruption. They found many of the things you were discussing...

Prabhupāda: Because the young people gradually degrading. They do not acknowledge authority. (French)

Yogeśvara: Yes. When they saw how much we were speaking authoritative, they rejected it. They reacted.

Prabhupāda: So that is their degradation, due to degradation. They cannot accept any authority. And knowledge cannot advance without authority. (French) But one thing I may say that the disobedience to the authority has begun from their fathers.

Yogeśvara: From?

Prabhupāda: From their fathers. Yes. Because in the Bible it is said, "Thou shalt not kill," and their fathers indulge in killing

business. So naturally their generation has degraded. (French)
Page Title:Acknowledge the authority
Compiler: Siddha Rupa
Created: 12March08 ,
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:5