Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Affection for... (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

There is verse in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dehāpatya. What is that verse? Dehāpatya-kalatrādi (SB 2.1.4). Deha, first affection is with our body. "I am this Mr. Such and such. This is I am, this body." I have got attraction for this body. Then the offsprings, the by-products of this body. Apatya. Apatya means children. And how this by-product is made? Kalatra, through wife. Strī. Strī means which expands. Vistara, expands. I am alone. I accept wife, strī, and with her cooperation I expand. So one who helps me to expand, that is called strī. Every Sanskrit word has got meaning. Why woman is called strī? Because she helps, expanding myself. How expanding? Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). I get my children. First of all I was affectionate to my body. Then, as soon as I get a wife, I become affectionate to her. Then, as soon as I get children, I become affectionate to children. In this way I expand my affection for this material world. This material world, attachment. It is not required. It is a foreign thing. This material body is foreign. I am spiritual. I am spiritual, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But because I wanted to lord it over the material nature, Kṛṣṇa has given me this body.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

You know, the Communist country, the Khruschev was driven out because he was patronizing his own men. That was the defect. So you can advertise that "I am for everyone," but there is affection for own men. Nepotism. Nepotism. It's called nepotism. So many big, big leaders. Our Jawaharhal Nehru, he was sending his own men as ambassador. Vijaya Lakshmi, a woman, she was being sent as ambassador. She was high commissioner here. So this "own men" question is very prominent everywhere.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "It is better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though they are avaricious, they are nonetheless superiors. If they are killed, then our spoils will be tainted with blood (BG 2.5)."

Prabhupāda: This is another indication how superiors should be shown respect. Arjuna says, "Although they have become avaricious, still, they are my superior." Avaricious, why? "They have got full affection for me. My grandfather Bhīṣma has got full affection for me. And Droṇācārya, I am his very dear student so he has also my very affection... good affection for me. But because Duryodhana has paid them, he has accepted their service. Paid them. So avaricious. Simply for money, in spite of so much affection and intimate relationship, they have accepted the service of Duryodhana, counting on money. So therefore they are avaricious. But in spite of their being avaricious, they are my respectful." This is respect.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Only the devotees who have loving affection for Kṛṣṇa, who has developed loving propensity... The loving propensity's there already. But we have transferred, the loving propensity to Kṛṣṇa, we have transferred the loving propensity to the māyā.

So whole Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is again transferring the loving propensity from māyā to Kṛṣṇa. This is the simple method.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

If you have got some faith, then you will find out some sādhu, sādhu or some saint, some sage, who can give you some spiritual enlightenment. That is called sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Ādau śraddhā. The basic principle is śraddhā, and the next step is sādhu-saṅga, association of spiritually realized persons. That is called sādhu... Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. And if there is actually association of spiritually self-realized persons, then he will give you some process of spiritual activities. That is called bhajana-kriyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ atha bhajana-kriyā tataḥ anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. And as you are more and more engaged in spiritual activities, so, proportionately, your material activities and affection for material activities will diminish.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Devotee: Prabhupāda, I heard it said that the spiritual master will always come back until his devotees, his disciples, have achieved God realization. Can you explain that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But don't try to take advantage of it. (laughter) Don't try to give trouble to your spiritual master like that. Finish your business in this life. That is especially meant for those who are slack. His devotee, his disciple should be serious in serving spiritual master. If he is intelligent he should know that "Why should I act in such a way that my spiritual master has to take the trouble to reclaim me again? Let my business be finished in this life." That should be the right way of thinking. Not that, "Oh I am sure my spiritual master will come, let me do all nonsense." No. So if you have got any, I mean to say, affection for the spiritual master, then you should finish your business in this life so that he may not come again to reclaim you. Is that all right? Don't take advantage of this business. Rather, be serious to finish your business. That is a fact.

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

Arjuna's another name is Kaunteya because he is the son of Kuntī. His mother's name is Kuntī. Therefore he is addressed as Kaunteya. And Kuntī has got relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kuntī is the sister of Kṛṣṇa's father, Vasudeva. Therefore out of affection for his aunt, He is addressing Arjuna as the son of his aunt Kuntī, Kaunteya.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

All-attractive means, therefore, that Kṛṣṇa is attractive to everyone, either one is Kṛṣṇa's devotee or nondevotee. The best example is Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa heard that the eighth son of his sister, Devakī, would kill him. Since that time, he became attracted to Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, somebody's coming in the name Kṛṣṇa, as my sister's eighth son. So He will kill me. So let me kill my sister, the source of Kṛṣṇa." So he first of all wanted to kill his sister. That is due to attraction of Kṛṣṇa. He was very kind to his sister. After the marriage of his sister he was taking very jubilantly his sister and his brother-in-law in a chariot, and he was personally driving, because Devakī happened to be younger sister of Kaṁsa. Naturally, everyone has got some love for younger brother and sister. So he was affectionate. Although he was a nondevotee demon, still, natural attraction one cannot avoid. Just like a tiger. Tiger is killer of everyone. But still, the tiger and the tigress have got affection for the cubs. That is natural. So he had the natural attraction for his sister, but when he heard that his sister would be the killer of him, he immediately wanted to kill his sister.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness means somehow or other try to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Then your life is successful. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, he was a great sinner—we shall one day describe about Ajāmila's life—but at the time of death, out of his affection for his youngest son, whose name was Nārāyaṇa, he thrice called "Nārāyaṇa! Nārāyaṇa!" But the original Nārāyaṇa took notice of it: "Oh, this man is calling Nārāyaṇa." Immediately sent His personal assistant to take him back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

In this material world there is nothing like love. It is only, everything perverted reflection of love. Just like you have got affection for children. That is there also, but that is without any inebrieties. Here also the same man and woman, male and female, there is attraction between one another. Similarly there is also, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. But there is no inebriety. That is full and that is perfect. Here it is imperfect due to material contamination.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

The moral principle is that when you are going out of home, you should not take your wife with you, pathe nārī vivaryaya, because there may be so many dangers. That actually happened, Sītā-devī, because Lord Rāmacandra was ordered to go to the forest. Not Sītā-devī, neither anyone, neither Lakṣmaṇa. They, out of their own affection for Lord Rāmacandra, they decided to go with Him. But because Sītā-devī went with Rāmacandra, so many catastrophes happened. She was kidnapped, and there was fight, and the whole dynasty of Rāvaṇa was killed, and so many things happened. So this instruction that pathe nārī vivaryaya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

So Dhṛtarāṣṭra took charge as the eldest member. So māyā is very strong. He began to think that "Actually this kingdom belongs to me. I am the eldest son, but because I am born blind, therefore it was given to my younger brother. Now he is dead. Now he's dead, so the property belongs to me. Some way or other, it was transferred to my younger brother. Now the younger brother is dead. Then again I become proprietor. So at least I could not rule over the kingdom, why not my sons?" This was the beginning.

Just like one of our Godbrothers, he's thinking that "This institution was started by me and Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī as partners. Now the senior partner is dead. Therefore I am the sole proprietor. Who are these Godbrothers? Let them go away." So this is māyā, the same māyā Dhṛtarāṣṭra was thinking. And his brother-in-law, Śakuni, was very expert in conspiracy. So he was advising him, "Yes, you are the proprietor. At least your sons should be..." This is natural. Every... Everyone has got some affection for the family. So this is the beginning of the conspiracy. Otherwise, he was taking care of the children very nicely. But māyā was dictating that "You are taking care of the children of your brother. What about your own children?" "Yes, why not my children?"

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

So as a man has got one family, the woman has got two families. Affection... A man has got affection for one family, but a woman has got affection for two families: father's family and husband's family.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

Anyone can become Vaiṣṇava provided he stops his demonic activities. Anyone. Anyone is welcome provided he accepts this philosophy, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So this is the way that Kuntī is praying, that sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi dṛḍham . So in this way we can get rid of the so-called affection for society, friendship, love, country, nationalism... No. Our sneha, affection, is completely transferred to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

So our affection for this material world has to be cut into pieces. That is the aim of human life. The living being, nobody knows when he dropped into this ocean of material existence. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Anādi. Ādi means the beginning of creation, and anādi means before that. This creation, this material world, it is created and annihilated, as is the nature of anything material. We have got experience from our body, or any body. Everything here is created and annihilated.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa is trying to make His devotee more and more opulent and comfortable, and the devotee is trying to please Kṛṣṇa more and more. That is the business between devotee and Kṛṣṇa. It is called, Caitanya-cari...: dui lage hura huri.(?) Just like if I want to please you or if you want to please me, so there is competition. So that competition should be there. But that competition, that realization, is impossible so long you are attached to this rascal material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa say..., Kuntī's first request is that sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi, "Please destroy this attraction, affection for this material friendship, society, family. Please destroy it."

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

So Bhīṣma wanted to conquer over Kṛṣṇa. He promised. How he conquered, that you know, the story, that when Duryodhana showed some reluctance, that "My dear grandfather, you are not fighting with the Pāṇḍavas wholeheartedly because you have got affection for them. So you are on my side. You should fight wholeheartedly." A little criticizing. So to, in order to please Duryodhana, Bhīṣma promised that "Tomorrow I shall kill all the five brothers. Is that all right?" 'Yes, sir. Do that." "So they cannot be saved unless Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise." Kṛṣṇa said that... Both the parties were informed that "It is family fight. I cannot take part in the family. But I can divide Myself into two: My soldiers one side, and I am one side. But even if I am in one side, I'll not fight." So this was His promise, that He would not fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. But Bhīṣma obliged Him to fight, to break His promise in order to save Arjuna.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

In Mahābhārata these stories are there. Bhīṣmadeva actually had some affection. So Duryodhana thought that "My grandfather is not fighting properly because the other side, his beloved grandsons. I am also grandson, but I am not so beloved. But the other side, Pāṇḍavas, because they are fatherless, he has more affection for them. So he is officially fighting. He is not fighting with his real vigor." He complained that. But actually, that wasn't a fact, that "My dear grandfather, you are not fighting with Arjuna with your full vigor. I can understand that." "Oh, I am not fighting? So what do you think?" "Now, I want that you decide to kill them all tomorrow. You can do that." "All right. I shall do that. If you are doubting about my fighting, then I shall..."

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Even the lower animals, they are also thinking of giving protection to the children. I have got personal experience in Kanpur, I was sitting in my room, and one monkey was outside the door with his (her) kitty to take something out of my eating. But by chance the small kitty entered through the bars of the window within the room, and I saw the mother became almost mad immediately: "Oh, my son has gone inside, and it will not be allowed to come again." Anyway, I managed to push the small kitty to go away; then she was relieved. So this affection for children, for wife, for family members, increase, then to society, to country, even to the whole human society. There are so many persons. They have given their state (estate) for benefit of the whole human society. There are many, many philanthropists, charitably disposed men. They do that.

But all these activities are simply moha, illusion, only moha. It has no value.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Sometimes we take sannyāsa. I have seen. One of our Godbrother, big Godbrother, he took sannyāsa. So his son was crying, and he was also crying. Then, if you have got affection for your family, society, then why you are taking sannyāsa? That is prākṛtena. We should not be carried away by this material affection, no. That is not good. You must do your duty. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that "Arjuna, you are being carried away by your material affection, and you are hesitating to execute your duty. This is not good."

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

When the child, when we are children, we have got little affection for playing or for father, mother, that's all, limited. But the more we grow, and especially when you are married, then this material affection increases, more entangled. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). This material life means sex life. So a man is searching after woman, and woman is searching after man. This is material bondage. This is natural not only human society—in dog society. Just see. The dog is crying, is crying at night because he has lost that woman. Is it not? Just see, even in the dog, what to speak of human being. So this is material life, to be affectionate unnecessarily. Therefore devotional service means vairāgya-vidyā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed by His example how He gave up the affection of young, beautiful wife, very nice home, most affectionate mother, most influential position in the society—gave up.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Actually, the perfection of life is no more affection for anything material: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). That is the beginning, when we have lost complete affection for... We are not cruel; that is not another... But we know, we should know, that this is not required. This is simply moha. This is simply moha. This is illusion. It has no meaning. It is simply entanglement. That one must know. That is called vairāgya. Vairāgya-vidyā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Vairāgya-vidyā means you become detestful to the material thing—paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59)—but, as Kuntī said that "My affection may increase for you," vairāgya-vidyā means not only simply give up affection of this material, but you increase your affection for Kṛṣṇa. That is vairāgya, not that giving up all affection for the material world, you become zero. The zero stage is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage: "I have no more any affection for material things." But zero stage, you cannot stay. That is not our nature. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). We want ānanda.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Unless we take Kṛṣṇa's association there will be no ānanda; it is simply zero. In the zero platform you cannot remain for many years or many days. Then you'll fall down. If you don't get, if you don't increase your affection for Kṛṣṇa—simply you give up the affection of this material world—then you cannot stay for many days. You'll fall down.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Vairāgya or jñāna, these two things required in human life, to become unattached to this material world and, based on jñāna, knowledge. Just like a so-called sannyāsī, they give up as a sentiment and take sannyāsa, but unless he has knowledge, he cannot stay; he'll fall down. He'll fall down. Therefore vairāgya and jñāna, two things must be there. Jñāna means full knowledge that "I am spirit soul; my only necessity is spiritual advancement of life." This is jñāna. And then, naturally, he has no more any affection for material things.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Formerly, the queens had many maidservants, and they also sometimes begot children by the king. So they were called dāsī-putra. By legal significance, they were not inheritor. So Vidura was born like that. He was not born of the queen, but of the maidservant. But his elder brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra liked him very much. He got him raised—he was younger—very nicely. He got him married and gave him sufficient property. He was very kind upon him. And therefore Vidura was also very much obliged to his eldest brother, and he was always giving him good advice, and a great devotee.

So on this account of family dissension, he left home. And after the battle of Kurukṣetra, when everything was finished, so still, he had affection for his eldest brother, "My dear brother, now everything is finished, your all sons, for whom you intrigued so much. And you are still living, I mean, shamelessly. Because you treated Pāṇḍavas, your nephews, very badly—you wanted to kill them in so many ways—you fell. Then there was battle. So your sons and grandsons all finished. And still, you are shamelessly living in the house of your nephew, with whom you treated so badly. You have no shame." So in this way he very strongly criticized his brother, and then he surrendered, "My dear brother, what do you want me to do?" So he said that "You immediately come with me. Don't remain here." So immediately he left home, and then he underwent tapasya, and then he got salvation.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

Bharata Mahārāja, he was the king of this planet, and at the age of twenty-four years, very young age, young wife, young children, kingdom of the whole planet, he left everything. He went to the forest for cultivating spiritual advancement. But one day he saw that a deer was drinking water in front. In the meantime there was a roaring of a lion, and the deer was pregnant. She gave birth to a calf and she fled away. So Bharata Mahārāja saw the little calf is dying. He picked up and kept and it became..., it began to growing. So he had some little affection, just like we have got affection for cubs of dog and others. So one day, that little calf did not return in the evening, and he went to search out on the hill, and accidentally he fell down, and next life he became a deer.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- New York, April 10, 1969:

I do not know whether in Buddha school the spiritual master is accepted. But our Vaiṣṇava school, without acceptance of spiritual master, there is no possibility of self-realization. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Then, (reading) "Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa from his childhood, so he had natural affection for Kṛṣṇa, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī could understand his devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he welcomed the question about his duty because the king hinted that worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate function of every living entity. Śukadeva Gosvāmī welcomed this suggestion and said, 'Because you have raised the question about Kṛṣṇa, your question is most glorious.' "

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

So Kapiladeva will describe the Sāṅkhya philosophy to His mother, and not only mother, but tanvābhijātaḥ. Naturally, if we take birth from my mother, I have got natural affection for my mother, but Devahūti is not ordinary mātā. She is very submissive. Therefore it is said that jāta-snehaḥ. Naturally there is affection, and when Kapiladeva saw that "This woman... Woman is supposed to be less intelligent, but she is very submissive and My mother," in both ways He became compassionate, that "She is eager to know about the truth, and she is so submissive, and after all, I have taken, I have received this body from this woman, My mother. So let Me try to give her the best of the philosophical conclusion." And that is Sāṅkhya philosophy.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

Svaccham means transparent, clear. Now that svacchatvam is explained, what is the meaning of clarity, clear-uncontaminated. These are the symptoms: svacchatvam avikāritvam, without any change. "Freedom from all distraction." Just like here there are many mothers sitting, and the natural affection for the child and the child's complete dependence on the mother's mercy is visible. There is no need of explanation. That is natural. If the mother is taking care of the child, it is not artificial. And if the child is feeling uncomfort without being on the lap of the mother, that is also natural. This is called avikāritvam, natural affection between the mother and the son. Similarly, we have got our natural affection for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

It doesn't require to, how to awaken sex impulse, natural; similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is our natural inheritance because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or sons of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). It is the same example, that as the mother and the child has got natural affection, similarly, with Bhagavān we have got natural affection. Bhagavān has got natural affection for us, and we have got also natural affection for Bhagavān. And the external covering which checks this natural affection, this is called māyā. Just like touch... What is called, magnetic stone? Magnetic stone naturally attracts the iron, and iron is naturally attracted by the magnetic stone. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is not something which is unnaturally taught or unnaturally gained, artificial.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

There is a very nice verse written by Rūpa Gosvāmī. He is explaining, yuvatīnāṁ yathā yūni yūnāṁ yathā yuvatau.(?) Yuvatī means young girl, and yūna means young boy. So he is expressing his desire, "My dear Lord, as a young boy has got natural affection for a young girl, or a young girl has got a natural affection for a young boy..." Spontaneously. It is not to be taught or to be educated in the schools and colleges. Spontaneously the attraction is there. "...how my attraction for You will be like that, spontaneous?"

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

Grandfather is sometimes criticized by the grandsons. It is not an offense. You cannot criticize superiors, but between grandfather and grandchildren the relation is different. The grandfather also criticizes the grandchildren. So Duryodhana criticized Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear grandfather, you have got affection for the Pāṇḍavas. Then you are not fighting sincerely. You have been appointed the commander-in-chief, but out of your affection you are neglecting your duty." Indirectly he said. So old grandfather became little angry. "What do you want?" "No, can finish them in one day. Why you are taking so much time?" "All right, I shall finish today. Tomorrow I shall do that. At least I shall finish Arjuna tomorrow. Either his intimate friend Kṛṣṇa will have to break His promise or His friend will die. You'll see tomorrow."

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Honolulu, May 9, 1976:

They are so affectionate for the poor, suffering souls. Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā. So Vaiṣṇava is very, very merciful. They are merciful to the fallen souls. Their only concern is how to deliver these fallen souls. They are under the clutches of māyā, suffering. So various means adopting, just try to save them. This is Vaiṣṇava business.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Chicago, July 11, 1975:

If the father and mother hasn't got such affection, then the helpless child... In the beginning there is no other means of living. Even cats and dogs, even tigers, they also take care. So this is not very extraordinary thing, that human being has got affection. That affection is there even in tiger. So you are not very in that way advanced. That is natural. That kind of affection for the small child, you will find in cats and dogs and tigers, even snake. These things are not extraordinary thing. They are very much proud, "How I have to take care of my children." So that is taken care by other animals also. Bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ, bhojayan pāyayan mūḍhaḥ. In spite of so much affection and taking care of the children, he is addressed here, mūḍha. Just see. (laughs) They are very much proud of being affectionate, but śāstra says, "You are rascal, that's all."

Lecture on SB 6.1.26-27 -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

He was thinking, "I am so affectionate father. I am taking care of my son, little son. In all respect I am feeding him, I am patting him, and so many things I am... I am very faithful and very honest father." But śāstra says, "Here is a mūḍha, rascal." You see here. It says, bhojayan pāyayan mūḍhaḥ. Why he is mūḍha? Na vedāgatam antakam. He does not say, does not know, that "Behind me, the death is awaiting. He has come to take me." Now, "How your affection for your so-called son and society and family and nation will save you? Here is death." That he cannot answer. He cannot answer that death is there. So we shall be prepared. That is human life. We must always know that "There is death behind me." At any moment he can capture my neck and take it away.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Indore, December 15, 1970:

There are thousands of Viṣṇu's name. The people would keep the children's name according to that so that, so that indirectly, directly, they would be able to chant the holy name of the Lord. That was the process. And by doing so he will be gradually developing his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ. By affection. Some way or other, we have to increase our affection for Kṛṣṇa, love of Godhead. Through the channel of the affection of one's son or children, one can increase—that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Indore, December 15, 1970:
sa evaṁ vartamāno 'jño
mṛtyu-kāla upasthite
matiṁ cakāra tanaye
bāle nārāyaṇāhvaye
(SB 6.1.27)

So when he was just on the point of death, naturally he had affection for his son, so he was calling, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, please come here, please come here." That is natural. I know my father, when he was dying, so I was not at home. So he lived for one day to see me. He was always inquiring "Whether Abhay has come back, come back," like that. So by the paternal affection he showed that. Similarly, the Ajāmila was also calling, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa."

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

This Kṛṣṇa says. "One who has ended the process of sinful activities and engaged in pious activities, such person can become a firm devotee." So these four principle, as we have recommended, you must follow. There is no question of optional, "I may do it, I may not do." No, you must. Otherwise, the progress will be checked. Kṛṣṇa will not leave you. Just like the Ajāmila. The progress was checked, but because he did not do it willfully, therefore Kṛṣṇa was giving him opportunity. As soon as possible, again capture him. Because he did not do anything willfully. First of all, this is the condition, circumstantial. Therefore Kṛṣṇa was very kind. He gave him the son, "Call him. You have affection for your son? All right, chant 'Nārāyaṇa' by calling your son."

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

The father was an asura, and the son was a devatā, Prahlāda Mahārāja. And the father became enemy of the son. Naturally, father is always affectionate. But because he was asura, he became against his beloved son. That is the nature of the asura. Even asuras... Just like tiger also has got affection for the cub, so this Hiraṇyakaśipu was affectionate because Prahlāda Mahārāja was very nice boy, five years old, very good looking. Natural affection. He was youngest.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

Karttikeya: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Even if a person is completely engrossed in material activities, but somehow or other, they utter the name of Kṛṣṇa... Like you said my mother attained Kṛṣṇa's kingdom, although she was completely absorbed in material activities...

Prabhupāda: That was due to your grace. You reminded your mother at the time of her death, "Kṛṣṇa." You were a good boy of your mother, and she got the opportunity, remembering Kṛṣṇa, and got all the profit due to having a good son like you. Yes, his mother... I do not wish to discuss. But we are not at all... Just like European ladies there. So he was visiting his mother and inspiring her, "Mother, you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," whatever he has learned from me. She got some idea of Kṛṣṇa, later on developed little affection for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So at the time of death, by seeing him, she simply inquired from him, "Is your Kṛṣṇa here?" and died immediately. So she was fortunate to have a good son like him who reminded, by his presence, "Kṛṣṇa," and she became liberated.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

Somebody is very much attached to the body. That is natural for every living being, body, bodily attachment is there. Even an animal like hog is living in filthy place and eating stool, still, he has got affection for the body. When the hog is taken from the flock for being killed, he screams very loudly, "Don't want. I don't want to be killed." Although the life is very abominable, still he's attached to the body. The old man is attached to the body. So this is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Atheists... In our Los Angeles temple we have seen, there are so many karmīs, and when there was earthquake they screamed like anything. So no one wants to die. They say, "No, I can die." No. At the time of death they scream, they do not like. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. So gṛheṣu saktasya. Generally, people become too much attached to family life. I sometimes say that in the Western countries the young boys, they come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their only one great asset is they are not family-wise attached. That is very good qualification.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

Professor Marshall, he has given reason for economic development: the family affection. Unless one has got family affection, he is not interested in money. So therefore I sometimes say that these hippies, they are little advanced because they have no affection for family and they have no affection for money also. This is... In the other way, these are good qualification: no interest, no affection. Everyone is working on account of family affection, sneha-pāśair. He has got wife and children, and he requires money to make the family happy. So..., and for maintaining the family, he requires money.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

So on account of this deep affection for maintaining family, everyone is risking life. The example is given here that taskaraḥ. There are many professional thieves, any country, India also. They are family men—not they are loafers—but their business is to steal. Their business is to steal. Why? They steal, they know it is risky,. He has heard it that "If you steal you'll be arrested, you'll be put into jail." Knowledge is gathered by hearing and by seeing. Hm? In Hindi it is called 'dekha śuna'-dekhavyair śunavyair, that "Have you seen or heard it?" That is experience. So thief knows he has heard it from lawbooks that stealing is not good, and from religious scripture also, that "It is sinful. Do not commit theft. Do not become criminal." But still he does, at the risk of ad At night he goes in the house of rich man and risk his life. Especially in Western countries, there is fire gun, and trespassers, even without permission, if anyone enters anyone's house, he can kill him. Is it not the law in your country? Trespassing? So there is risk of life, but he has entered the house for stealing. And why stealing? The family affection. That is the impetus for economic development.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

Today you are Indian; tomorrow you may be something else. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change your body. So what is the next body? Are you going to be again Indian? No guarantee. Even if you have got very much affection for India, all right, according to your karma you'll get body. Even if you get the Indian body of a tree, then you will stand up for five thousand years. What is the benefit? Kṛṣṇa says tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. He does not say that a human being is going to be again a human being. There is no guarantee. Some rascals they say that once getting this human body, he does not degrade. No. That is not the fact. The fact is that out of 8,400,000's of different species of life, according to your karma you'll get a body. That's all.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

We were student of economics. So in that book Mr. Marshall explained that the family affection is the origin of economic impetus. That's a fact. These hippies, they have no family affection. They are not married, and therefore there is no economic impetus. They can live in any way, any wretched condition of life. And one who is married, responsible man, he has got some responsibility to see that..., provided he has got affection for the family. Otherwise, practically, so-called family life, there is no affection.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

You know the story, that Bhīṣma was criticized by Duryodhana: "My dear Grandfather, you are not fighting in full strength with Arjuna because the, on the other side, they are your grandsons, and you have got, you have got very natural affection for them. So I think you are not fighting according to your strength. Otherwise, they would have been finished by this time." So Bhīṣma also could understand that, his criticism. Then he promised immediately that: "Tomorrow I shall finish all these five brothers. Will that be happy for you? So I am keeping five arrows to be used tomorrow for killing these five brothers." So Duryodhana became doubtful. So he request grandfather, "My dear grandfather, may I keep these five arrows with me so that you can take it from me tomorrow and use it?" "All right, you keep it."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. Deha-smṛti: it is simply to understand. Just like I have given several times this example: you are in a very nice car, Cadillac, and you are very proud of it, and if by chance the car is by accident broken then your heart breaks. Why? You are not the car. But because your thoughts are absorbed in the car, that "This is my car," therefore your heart becomes broken. Actually you have nothing to do with the car. Even the car is broken into pieces, you are not affected. But because I have got affection for the car, therefore I am... So this affection can be withdrawn by cultivation of knowledge. That I am not this car, it is a fact, but on account of my ignorance and attachment I am thinking, "Now I am finished because my car is broken." It is simple truth. Similarly those who are too much absorbed in the thought that "I am this body," their sufferings are more on account of this misconception that "I am this body."

General Lectures

Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

Kīrtanānanda: Hṛṣīkeśa's lawyer, he just walked up here two miles looking for his dog.

Prabhupāda: Oh, his dog lost?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. And he is all upset.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So it is Kṛṣṇa's grace. (laughter) He had some affection for the dog. Now he can turn his affection for Kṛṣṇa. The dog is lost. So... No, dog will not be lost. He will greet. The dog, they are very... They will soon smell and find out the way. Dog will never be lost.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is in everyone's heart, dormant. Every living entity. Because every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like a father and son, there is natural affection; it is not artificial. Even there is misunderstanding between father and the son, and if they meet at a time after many years' misunderstanding, immediately the affection of father and son will act, immediately. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our affection for Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's affection for us is eternal. Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to reclaim us from this miserable condition of life than we are, because we are sons of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

You are part and parcel of Brahman..." Therefore there are so many literatures-vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15)—just to draw your attention to come to Kṛṣṇa. Just to draw your attention, that "You are My part and parcel. You are My eternal son. Why you are rotting in this miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Therefore Kṛṣṇa's advice is give up all nonsense engagement; simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa favorably, not like Kaṁsa or so-called scholars, but with natural affection for Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. That is our program.

We are preaching all over this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement just to awaken their natural affection for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

We have to learn from the authorized śāstras, from the Bhagavad-gītā, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from Vedas, not from the rascals. Then you'll understand. Your real affection for Kṛṣṇa will be awakened and your life will be successful.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

Adhīra means senseless, crazy, and dhīra means with sense. He's not bewildered. He's called dhīra. So when somebody dies, one who is dhīra, he understands, "My father, my brother, or my relative, or somebody else, he has simply changed this body." Tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir. "So what is the cause of lamenting?" These things are discussed in the Bhagavad-gītā. But even if you have got affection for that body, still Kṛṣṇa says,

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino anitya
tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata
(BG 2.14)

"My dear Arjuna, even if you are very much affected when the body of your son or your relative is finished, these things are temporary," āgamāpāyina anitya. This death is also temporary because he'll accept immediately another body. So because we are accustomed to think that "This body is my son," or "my father," "my this, that," there is some pain, causes of pain. But Kṛṣṇa says, "These are temporary." You'll not forever cry for your father, for son. Say one day, two days, three days, that's all.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Śyāmasundara: He also wants to abolish all inheritance rights, all rights of inheritance.

Prabhupāda: That is another nonsense proposal, because everyone's tendency is to give money to his children. That is the law everywhere. I have got some affection for my children. I want to give something to my children. So how you can stop this (indistinct). They are proposing all impractical.

Page Title:Affection for... (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Priya
Created:20 of Jun, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=54, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:54