During this time a great Kashmir scholar named Keśava Kāśmīrī came to Navadvīpa to hold discussions on the śāstras. The Kashmir paṇḍita was a champion scholar, and he had traveled to all places of learning in India. Finally he came to Navadvīpa to contest the learned paṇḍitas there. The paṇḍitas of Navadvīpa decided to match Nimāi Paṇḍita (Lord Caitanya) with the Kashmir paṇḍita, thinking that if Nimāi Paṇḍita were defeated, they would have another chance to debate with the scholar, for Nimāi Paṇḍita was only a boy. And if the Kashmir paṇḍita were defeated, then they would even be more glorified because people would proclaim that a mere boy of Navadvīpa had defeated a champion scholar who was famous throughout India. It so happened that Nimāi Paṇḍita met Keśava Kāśmīrī while strolling on the banks of the Ganges. The Lord requested him to compose a Sanskrit verse in praise of the Ganges, and the paṇḍita within a short time composed a hundred ślokas, reciting the verses like a storm and showing the strength of his vast learning.
Another chance
Expressions researched:
"another chance"
|"another good chance"
|"more chances"
|"one more chance"
|"second chance"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Preface and Introduction
SB Canto 2
The vānaprasthas, or those retired from family life, and the sannyāsīs, or the renounced persons, cannot break the vow of celibacy if they want success in the process. The brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas and sannyāsīs do not intend to take rebirth (apraja), nor are they meant for secretly indulging in sex life. Such a falldown by the spiritualist may be compensated by another chance for human life in good families of learned brāhmaṇas or of rich merchants for another term of elevation, but the best thing is to attain the highest perfection of deathlessness as soon as the human form of life is attained; otherwise the whole policy of human life will prove to be a total failure. Lord Caitanya was very strict in advising His followers in this matter of celibacy. One of His personal attendants, Choṭa Haridāsa, was severely punished by Lord Caitanya because of his failure to observe the vow of celibacy. For a transcendentalist, therefore, who at all wants to be promoted to the kingdom beyond material miseries, it is worse than suicide to deliberately indulge in sex life, especially in the renounced order of life. Sex life in the renounced order of life is the most perverted form of religious life, and such a misguided person can only be saved if, by chance, he meets a pure devotee.
The Lord is so kind that even if a devotee of the Lord cannot fulfill the complete course of devotional service unalloyed and uncontaminated by material association, he is given another chance in the next life by being awarded a birth in the family of a devotee or rich man so that without being engaged in the struggle for material existence the devotee can finish the remaining purification of his existence and thus immediately, after relinquishing the present body, go back home, back to Godhead. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.
SB Canto 3
The Lord is the supreme seer because only by His glance did the material energy become active for cosmic manifestation. At that time the seer was there, but the external energy, over which the glance of the Lord is cast, was not present. He felt somewhat insufficient, like a husband feeling lonely in the absence of his wife. This is a poetic simile. The Lord wanted to create the cosmic manifestation to give another chance to the conditioned souls who were dormant in forgetfulness. The cosmic manifestation gives the conditioned souls a chance to go back home, back to Godhead, and that is its main purpose. The Lord is so kind that in the absence of such a manifestation He feels something wanting, and thus the creation takes place.
It has been explained that the conditioned soul is put into the Andha-tāmisra and Tāmisra hellish conditions, and after suffering there he gets a hellish body like the dog's or hog's. After several such births, he again comes into the form of a human being. How the human being is born is also described by Kapiladeva. The human being develops in the mother's abdomen and suffers there and comes out again. After all these sufferings, if he gets another chance in a human body and wastes his valuable time in the association of persons who are concerned with sexual life and palatable dishes, then naturally he again glides down to the same Andha-tāmisra and Tāmisra hells.
SB Canto 4
If one is factually engaged in the service of the Lord, bhakti-yoga, he will automatically control his senses, his tongue and so many other things. Once engaged in the bhakti-yoga process with all sincerity, one will have no chance of falling down. Even if one falls down, there is no loss. One's devotional activities may be stunned or choked for the time being, but as soon as there is another chance, the practitioner begins from the point where he left off.
Originally the living entity is a spiritual being, but when he actually desires to enjoy this material world, he comes down. From this verse we can understand that the living entity first accepts a body that is human in form, but gradually, due to his degraded activities, he falls into lower forms of life—into the animal, plant and aquatic forms. By the gradual process of evolution, the living entity again attains the body of a human being and is given another chance to get out of the process of transmigration. If he again misses his chance in the human form to understand his position, he is again placed in the cycle of birth and death in various types of bodies.
Karma is the aggregate of fruitive activities conducted to make this body comfortable or uncomfortable. We have actually seen that when one man was about to die he requested his physician to give him a chance to live four more years so that he could finish his plans. This means that while dying he was thinking of his plans. After his body was destroyed, he doubtlessly carried his plans with him by means of the subtle body, composed of mind, intelligence and ego. Thus he would get another chance by the grace of the Supreme Lord, the Supersoul, who is always within the heart.
SB Canto 5
Anantadeva's main mission is to dissolve this material creation, but He checks His anger and intolerance. This material world is created to give the conditioned souls another chance to go back home, back to Godhead, but most of them do not take advantage of this facility. After the creation, they again exercise their old propensity for lording it over the material world. These activities of the conditioned souls anger Anantadeva, and He desires to destroy the entire material world. Yet, because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is kind toward us and checks His anger and intolerance. Only at certain times does He express His anger and destroy the material world.
SB Canto 7
Of course, the medical man was unsuccessful in expanding the life of the man, who therefore died in great bereavement. Everyone must die in this way, and after one's mental condition is taken into account by the laws of material nature, he is given another chance to fulfill his desires in a different body. Material plans for material happiness have no value, but under the spell of the illusory energy we consider them extremely valuable. There were many politicians, social reformers and philosophers who died very miserably, without deriving any practical value from their material plans. Therefore, a sane and sensible man never desires to work hard under the conditions of threefold miseries, only to die in disappointment.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa was influenced and allured by nomads or gypsies, who enticed him with women. Māyā is so strong that Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa left Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's company to join gypsy women. Even though a person may associate with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he can be allured by māyā and leave the Lord's company due to his slight independence. Only one who is overwhelmed by māyā can be so unfortunate as to leave Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's company, yet unless one is very conscientious, the influence of māyā can drag one away, even though he be the personal assistant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And what to speak of others? The Bhaṭṭathāris used to increase their numbers by using women to allure outsiders. This is factual evidence showing that it is possible at any time to fall down from the Lord's association. One need only misuse his little independence. Once fallen and separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead's association, one becomes a candidate for suffering in the material world. Although rejected by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa was given another chance, as the following verses relate.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Sometimes it is found that a neophyte is taking part in chanting and dancing very enthusiastically, but within himself he is under the impression that he has become one with the supreme whole. This conception of monism is completely different from pure, transcendental devotional service. If, however, it is seen that a person has developed a high standard of devotion without having undergone even the regulative principles, it is to be understood that his status of devotional service was achieved in a former life. For some reason or another it had been temporarily stopped, most probably by an offense committed at the lotus feet of a devotee. Now, with a good second chance, it has again begun to develop. The conclusion is that steady progress in devotional service can be attained only in the association of pure devotees.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
While Kṛṣṇa was thus engaged in His transcendental pastimes, exhibiting His internal potency in the company of the supermost fortunate cowherd boys, there occurred another chance for Him to exhibit the superhuman powers of Godhead. His most intimate friends Śrīdāmā, Subala and Stoka-kṛṣṇa addressed Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with great love and affection thus: “Dear Balarāma, You are very powerful; Your arms are very strong. Dear Kṛṣṇa, You are very expert in killing all kinds of disturbing demons. Will You kindly note that just near this place there is a big forest of the name Tālavana? This forest is full of palm trees, and all the trees are filled with fruits.
The creation of the material world can therefore be taken as one of the pastimes of the Lord; it is called one of the Lord's pastimes because He creates this material world whenever He desires. This desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also extreme mercy on His part because it gives the conditioned souls another chance to develop their original consciousness and thus go back to Godhead. Therefore no one can blame the Supreme Lord for creating this material world.
Sri Isopanisad
When altruistic activities are executed in the spirit of Śrī Īśopaniṣad, they become a form of karma-yoga. Such activities are recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.5-9), for they guarantee their executor protection from the danger of sliding down into the evolutionary process of birth and death. Even though such God-centered activities may be half-finished, they are still good for the executor because they will guarantee him a human form in his next birth. In this way one can have another chance to improve his position on the path of liberation.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
That is the problem. Eko yo bahūnām. Because He supplies all the necessities, the supply will be restricted. As we become more and more sinful and without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be put into difficulties, they will be dying within the womb, they will be killed, within the womb, there will be war, there will be pestilence, there will be famine, there will be earthquake. In so many ways, we have to die. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Again, take birth, this business will go on. And ultimately, when the whole universe is annihilated, then again we take shelter in the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu and live for, in that way, without any body, for many millions of years. Again, there is creation, and then again given chance. "All right, take another chance. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious."
But one thing. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, once you begin, even one percent you can realize, that will never be lost. That will remain a permanent settlement. Now suppose if you are trying for BA examination, or you have passed your B.A. examination. Now, with the end of this body, that, your qualification as graduate of Columbia University or any university, is finished. Now your life begins in another body, and you have to acquire knowledge again to become qualified to graduate. But this knowledge is not like that. Because it is spiritual knowledge, absolute knowledge, it goes with you, your spirit. That you will find, explanation. And another chance is that one who tries to assimilate this knowledge, even if he is not, I mean to, perfect, so there is no harm. Because whatever he has learned, that remains an asset, and you get another chance of human body to begin from where you have ended in this life.
And why this temporary material world is created? Just to give the rebelled, I mean to say, living entities who are averse to God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to give another chance for developing, for developing. So if we miss this chance, then again, when this material world will be dissolved, oh, we do not know how many millions of years we have to become unconscious. We shall remain in the unconscious, sleeping stage. Then again there will be creation. Then again our body will be created, and... So these are very subtle laws. We should not miss. We should be very much serious about this life.
Yes. If you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even though you cannot finish it properly, still, you get the chance of getting a human, a higher standard human form of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). One who could not finish this yoga system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gets his life again as a human being in very rich family or in a very pure family. So at least human body is guaranteed, even one fails to complete the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he gets another chance. To get birth in a rich family means he has no economic problem. He can completely engage himself to understand what is God. But people are not doing that. As soon as he gets birth in a rich family, he thinks that "For nothing I have got so much money. Let me engage in sense gratification." No guide. Otherwise there is a chance. Similarly, in a pure brāhmaṇa family also, the family is already enlightened. Just like the children of our students. From the very beginning they are getting chance to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is a very good chance. From childhood. Fortunately, we got such father and mother. So two alternatives. If a Kṛṣṇa conscious person could not complete the course, then he gets another chance. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. Yoga-bhraṣṭa, means one who falls down... But there is no cause of falling down if we are strict. Just like if a student is studying nicely, he will pass his examination.
So this is the opportunity. So this knowledge, rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam, susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Avyayam means in ordinary fruitive activities whatever you do... Suppose by karma, by material activities, fruitive activities, you become very rich man or very learned man, very good office. But everything will be finished with your death. As soon as the body is finished, all your asset finished. But if you become a devotee, your body may be finished but the soul is eternal. The soul will carry your assets of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and nature will give you another chance of taking birth in a very rich family or in a Vaiṣṇava family. To get birth in a Vaiṣṇava family is greater asset than to take birth in rich family. Rich family means there is no economic problem. But on account of richness one may fall down, but if one takes birth in a Vaiṣṇava family there is no more fall down. He makes progress further and further. In this way he is allowed again go back to home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much. (end)
If you are regulated in the modes of goodness, sattva-sthā, sattva-guṇa, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system, higher system of life. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjāyate (BG 6.41). One who is not mature in his performance of yoga, he is given chance, another chance—another chance in a very nice family, śucīnām, very pure brāhmaṇa family; śrīmatām, very rich, royal or very rich mercantile family. These are chances. Nature, under the order of Kṛṣṇa, is giving chances to us, giving chance to us to come out of the entanglement of birth and death: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). One should be intelligent to see the troubles of these four incidences of life: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is the whole Vedic system—how to get out of these clutches. But they're given chance that "You do this, you do that, you do that," so regulated life, so that ultimately he can come out.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So when they... As brāhmaṇas, they wanted something. "Yes, what do you want?" Then they said that "We want to fight with you." So Jarāsandha could understand, "They are in disguise. They are kṣatriyas." So Jarāsandha said, "Yes, accepted. Then who will fight with me? You are three." Then they challenged also, "Anyone. Anyone. You can accept." So Jarāsandha said that "Kṛṣṇa, He fled away." Kṛṣṇa is Ranchor. Sometimes He did that. The purpose was to save the innocent soldiers, and He would take another chance to kill Jarāsandha. But he thought that He fled away. Anyway, so he said that "Kṛṣṇa is afraid of me. I cannot fight with Him. I reject Him. And Arjuna is younger than me; so I cannot fight with who is younger, inferior, to me. But I can accept Bhīma, to fight with him."
You want to enjoy as human being. All right, take a body of human being. If you want to enjoy like a tiger, all right, take a body. If you want to enjoy as demigod, all right, take a body." Kṛṣṇa is so liberal, "Take, and enjoy as you like. But you'll never be happy." That is the crucial point. "If you want to happy, then surrender unto Me." This is the point. You cannot manufacture your happiness. That is not possible. Therefore this is, this creation is there. Try to understand. Why there is creation? This creation is a chance given to the conditioned soul, how to come to his senses, that living entity, that he is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa, part and parcel. His only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So here is a chance. If we don't take this chance, then again the creation will be wound up, it will be destroyed. Again there will be creation, again another chance will be given. This is going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. It is manifested sometimes and maintained for some time and again destroyed.
Just like we are inviting, we are attracting, middle class of men. Those who are too much rich, in consideration of this, they are not attracted. They think that "All right, these boys are chanting in the street. All right." Not, I don't think very rich men contributes. They also, middle class of men, they contribute something. So to become too much rich, too much puffed up with opulence like the two sons of Kuvera, is another chance of being degraded. To remain a little poor is better condition for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore our duty should be not to become a very great man in the consideration of these materialistic men. If he wants thousands and millions of dollars, become like a Rockefeller or Ford, that will be great a estimation of these common materialistic man, but from spiritual point of view, such things have no value—unless such opulence is engaged in the service of the Lord. Otherwise, it is the cause of falldown.
Just like you are all. You have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on account of their, of your very nice background. In your past life you must have cultivated Kṛṣṇa consciousness, advanced, but it was not complete. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa has given the chance again: "Now come to this platform and make your life successful." Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭa. Those who could not fulfill or finish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness business completely, they're given another chance, another chance. What is that chance? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe. Śucīnām means very pure family, brāhmaṇa family, Vaiṣṇava family. Just like these children. They have taken birth now in the Vaiṣṇava family. Father is Vaiṣṇava, mother is Vaiṣṇava. And they are taken care of. So very exalted life. From the very beginning of life, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they are dancing, they are taking prasādam. The atmosphere is so congenial for spiritual life. They are getting chance. So this is a chance. These children are not ordinary children. Because they could not complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness in their previous life, they have been given chance to take birth in a family, the father and mother, they're Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is... Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). These are there.
So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, even if you fail in this life, in one life, there is no loss. There is no loss in this way that you get another chance. But if you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is no certainty whether you are getting next life human form of life or cat's or dog's. There is no... That will be decided according to your karma. Therefore we should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously and try our best to complete it in this life. Not waiting for another life. Although there is chance. The next life, even if we fail... But we should not be indolent: "O, if I fail in this life, I shall have another chance." No. We must decide to finish this Kṛṣṇa consciousness business in this life and immediately go back to home, back to Godhead. That should be our determination.
Of course, from the śāstras we can understand that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). To take birth by a devotee is different little than another's. Because one who has dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, He is under Kṛṣṇa's control, direct. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So that bhakti means he is sinless, spotless. So therefore there is no possibility of his taking birth in lower animal group. That is not. He will get birth; that is assured—śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe—either in a very rich family or in a pure brāhmaṇa's family. Because he will get another chance of developing his devotional service in a pure brāhmaṇa family or pure Vaiṣṇava family. Vaiṣṇava is greater than a brāhmaṇa. That is a great opportunity. Because the father, mother, they are engaged in devotional service. Just like these children who were born amongst our devotees, they are not ordinary children. Because from the very beginning they are getting chance of devotional service: dancing, chanting, seeing the Deity, offering a flower, offering obeisances to the spiritual master. These things will not go in vain. Don't think. Every account is kept. Every account.
All right. So bhava-bhāvana. Kṛṣṇa... This world is created by Kṛṣṇa, and He wants to see it is properly maintained. And who will maintain? His own representative. Not the demons. Therefore king is supposed to be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. He will maintain this world properly. A Vaiṣṇava, he knows how to utilize everything for Kṛṣṇa. The aim of this creation is giving these conditioned souls another chance for liberation. That is the purpose. When the whole world is annihilated, then all the living entities again enter into the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Then, when there is again creation, then the living entities again come out, according to their past position. We do not accept this rascal theory, Darwin's, that from lower-grade life they... There is a promotion like that, but in the creation everything is there. All the 8,400,000 species, they are all there. Although the gradations are there. So according to the past karma, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), everyone comes out again, gets a different type of body, and begins his work. Again another chance. "Yes. You come to the point of human understanding. Try to understand your relationship with Kṛṣṇa and get yourself liberated. Go home, back to home, back to..." If you lose this opportunity—this creation is made for that purpose—then again you remain. Again, when everything is annihilated, you remain in dormant stage, millions of years. Again you become created.
So therefore it is the duty of the elderly son, those who are advanced, not to kill the insufficient son, but to give them education of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the duty. It is not that "Because this living entity is useless, then kill him." So you can kill, but you will be implicated. Therefore Yamarāja is there. Yamarāja's business is to see how much sinful this living entity is, and he is offered a similar body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You will be judged after your death, every one of us. Of course, if he takes Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, then the path is automatic. Automatically you go back to home, back to Godhead. There is no question of judgment. Judgment is for the criminals, the rascals who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. But if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, even if you cannot finish the job in this life, even if you fall, still, you will be given another chance of human body, to begin where you ended, to begin from the point where you fell down.
We used to do so. Every children, every child does so. So if the mother is a devotee, the child automatically becomes a devotee, without any effort. If the father, mother is devotee... Therefore śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Kṛṣṇa says that those who are yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ, could not fulfill the whole program of devotional service, some way or other fallen down, so they are given chance, another chance. What is that chance? The chance is he is given a human form of life and born in a devotee's house, so that from the very beginning of life he will again be in connection with devotional service. So these children, they are not ordinary children. Formerly, they were also devotees. Somehow or other, could not fulfill the whole program. Now Kṛṣṇa has given the chance to take birth in the womb of a devotee mother so that from the very beginning of life they're learning devotional service. So the mother, father also should be careful, that "They are Vaiṣṇavas, they have come under my care. So that he may not be spoiled. Let him become a perfect Vaiṣṇava, and his life become perfect." This is... This is very nice program.
He, from the very childhood, from the womb of his mother, he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. And he had the opportunity of taking birth in a family where every member was Kṛṣṇa conscious, especially his grandfather Arjuna. So that chance was there. From the very beginning of his life, he was given the chance of worshiping Kṛṣṇa Deity. Not only that. He was king. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭa means one who falls down from the path of spiritual advancement. For them, the facility is that they are given another chance to take birth in the human society. Not only in human society... Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe, in very rich family and very pure family. Śucīnām means pure, brāhmaṇa. So in India still, if one is born in a very nice, rich and pure family, he is considered to be very pious in his past life. That's a fact. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). These four things, janma, high grade birth; aiśvarya, riches. Janmaiśvarya... śruta, education; and śrī, means beauty.
So those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is a chance. You had previously some advantage of executing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Somehow or other, you could not... Not you or you—all of us, we could not. So Kṛṣṇa has given another chance. So don't miss this chance. Make it complete. Make it complete and go to Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka. Such a nice proposal. Where it is? Who can give this? Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī adored Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "Oh, You are the greatest of the munificent." Namo mahā... Vadānya means the greatest munificent, who gives charity in the greatest... So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving that. What is that? Kṛṣṇa-prema. Simply by loving Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted. This is the greatest gift. The human society is so rascal, they cannot understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Although we find in the neophyte devotee some bad behavior due to his past experience, so we should not take him as nondevotee. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He is sādhu—if he sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the bad habits which are visible now, it will disappear. It will disappear. So we have to give chance because we see some bad habits of a devotee, we should not reject. We should give another chance. We should give another chance because he has taken the right thing, but to past behavior he appears to be again going to the māyā's clutches. So we should not reject, but we should give chance. One may take little more time to come to the standard, but we should give him chance. If he sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very soon all these defects will be disappearing. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. He will be completely a dharmātmā, a mahātmā. Why? Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "Anyone who has taken seriously My lotus feet, seriously surrendered to Me, he will never be anxious. He will never be anxious, although sometimes it appears that he is coming down." So this should be our principle. We stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then everything will be all right in due course of time. So the varieties of life there is. That variety is actual variety.
So if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life is secure, guaranteed. If you make complete the Kṛṣṇa conscious life in this life, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That is wanted. But don't be neglectful. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should be very serious. Why should you take another chance of getting birth in a very rich family or a brāhmaṇa family? That is also risky because it is not guarantee. Because generally, those who are rich, they don't care for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Oh, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is meant for the poor fellow." Or if somebody is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is also puffed up. He is thinking, "Oh, these are mlecchas, yavanas, Americans. Oh, I am brāhmaṇa. I am born in a very high family." That is a cause of falldown, yes, proud, pride, unnecessary pride. A Vaiṣṇava is very humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena. We have already discussed. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām (SB 3.25.21).
So the atheistic philosopher, they think that this combination of prakṛti and puruṣa is without any aim, without any idea, just like a man and woman meets and they may have sex. There was no idea, but they have sex. They give this example. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Sixteenth Chapter. There is no aim, and that puruṣa becomes subdued by the prakṛti, and the manifestation comes. But this Kapiladeva, you will find, and we Vaiṣṇava philosophers, we do not admit this, that "without any aim." There is aim. Why Kṛṣṇa says that this material world, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19)? Bhūtvā bhūtvā. There is aim. The manifestation of prakṛti, cosmic manifestation, is there to give the living entities another chance for liberation. One chance is given. Just like we have got. Śrī Prakṛti is now manifested, and we are living entities. We are here, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4), in many varieties. So what is the aim? The aim is God realization. By evolutionary process, gradually, we come to the human form of life. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva jīva-jātiṣu, jīva-jāti. Jīva, under different species of life, they are evolving.
The same arrangement for spiritual education... Not that by birth, because one is born of a brāhmaṇa family, he remains a brāhmaṇa although he becomes less than śūdra. No. There must be education. The twice-born, he must approach the spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Just like the Sattva Satyakāma, Jabala-Satyakāma Upaniṣad. The boy approached Gautama Muni that "Kindly accept me, your disciple. Initiate me." Formerly, without becoming a brāhmaṇa specially, they were not initiated. So in those days all the families were very pure. Therefore born of a brāhmaṇa father is understood that he has got the training of a brāhmaṇa. That is a facility. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). By pious activities or by practice of bhakti-yoga, if one has not completed, yoga-bhraṣṭa, one who falls down from the yoga practice, such person is given another chance to take birth in a nice family, a brāhmaṇa family or a rich mercantile family. The brāhmaṇa family is rich in knowledge, and the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas, they are rich in opulence, wealth, material riches. And śūdras, they are not rich either in material wealth or in knowledge. Therefore they are called śūdras.
So our mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt, position is like that. Teṣām ahaṁ anukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ. Teṣām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt (BG 12.7). So we should understand our position. Nobody wants to die, but he is slaughtered. Again he is given another chance, another body. Again he is slaughtered. This is the laws of nature, going on. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We should seriously understand this, that how to stop this slaughtering process of material nature. That is intelligence. Otherwise, to become happy like cats and dogs, "Oh, I am very nicely eating and jumping. I don't care for being slaughtered," that is not very good intelligence. Intelligence is how to stop this slaughtering process of nature. That is intelligence. That is being discussed.
So whatever we are acquiring here, that is not avyayam. Vyayam means expenditure, and a means "not," not expenditure. If you have got some money, if you spend, then it is vyayam, finished after some time. Avyayam means you spend as much, still not finished. That is avyayam. So devotional service of Kṛṣṇa is explained as susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. Whatever you do, if you have attained success ten percent, that ten percent your permanent. Therefore it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). Those who could not finish the bhakti-yoga in this life, they get another chance of human life. Not only human life, it is stated they go to the heavenly planet, they enjoy there, and then again come back in this planet. And that also not ordinary man. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe: he takes birth in very sanctified family, just like brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, śucīnām, and śrīmatām, very rich family. Then it is his duty. So those who are born rich... You Americans, you are supposed to be born rich. Actually it is so. So you should think in this term, that "Due to our previous devotional service, by Kṛṣṇa's grace we have got our birth in this country. There is no poverty," śrīmatām. So you should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. You have got the opportunity. You are not poverty-stricken. You haven't got to waste your time, "Where is food? Where is food? Where is food?" Just like in other, poverty-stricken country, they are embarrassed to find out food. But you are very fortunate, so don't waste this opportunity by becoming hippies. Don't waste. Become devotee, Kṛṣṇa's devotee. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, and we have got so many centers. Just try to learn this Kṛṣṇa consciousness science and make your life perfect. That is our request.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja, by the grace of Nārada Muni, he became a great devotee, and... From the beginning of his life. This is another advantage. If you become a devotee of the Lord, then your next life is guaranteed as human being. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sanjāyate. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). One who is a devotee but could not finish the devotional function in one life, he is given chance another, another chance to take birth in a very good family. Good family means śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe: either in the family of a very highly elevated brāhmaṇa, śucīnām, or śrīmatāṁ, or very rich family. Brāhmaṇa or vaiśya family or kṣatriya family. So either brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, it doesn't matter—a human being. So yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sanjāyate. Let us begin our life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life. It doesn't matter if we cannot finish, but whatever we can finish, that is our eternal asset. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even if we slightly touch only Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then mahato bhayāt. Just like Ajamila, he was saved.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is another chance for changing the company, the society. Here in the temple, those who are coming and associating with us, now, we chant, we talk about God, we hear authoritative scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and we distribute prasādam, and we chant, we dance, we restrict ourself, we restrain ourself. We do not allow illicit sex. We do not, I mean to say, take any intoxicants. We do not indulge in gambling. We do not indulge in meat-eating. Similarly, we are trying to form character and God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So therefore it is not that this society is opened for exploiting others. This society is for giving good association to the, I mean to say, misguided people, this society, so that by association they will gradually develop godly qualities. The godly qualities are already within you. It is dormant. Not that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is being injected in you. Oh, that is not possible. You are more advanced in every way, you Americans. And because I have come from India with some poor knowledge, I am injecting something in your brain? No. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is already there. I am simply helping you to revive it. That's all.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
So we are given chance when there is creation, another cosmic manifestation. We are given chance. Now, you take another chance. Come back home, back, go back to home, back to Godhead. But we misuse this chance. On account of our ignorance, we misuse this chance, especially this human form of body. Here is a chance. We can go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore the śāstras are there. The Vedas are there. The Upaniṣads are there. Why? To give us information. To awaken us. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibhodata. The Vedas say, "Now you wake up, take advantage." Prāpya varān. "You have got this book. You fulfill your mission. Don't rot in this material world." Kṛṣṇa Himself comes, He..., to recall us. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But still we cannot understand Him. We say Kṛṣṇa is dark, Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Why Kṛṣṇa is unknown? Kṛṣṇa, He is giving His own identification, and I am authority of explaining Bhagavad-gītā, I say Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Just see the fuss. I am writing comments on Bhagavad-gītā for misleading others, and personally when I'm asked, "What you know?" "That Kṛṣṇa is unknown to me." This is going on.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Caitanya Mahāprabhu was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita because He was boy, sixteen-years-old boy, very learned scholar, especially in logic He was very learned scholar, logician. He was so... Even in His sixth year, with His class friends He will establish one theory; again He will cut it; again He will establish; again He will cut it; again the same, in His own way. He was so learned scholar, logician. So the elderly scholars of Navadvīpa, they designed that "This Nimāi Paṇḍita should be forwarded first to talk with Keśava Kāśmīrī because He is a boy. But He is a very nice boy. He is a very learned boy. If He becomes victorious, then our Navadvīpa will be glorified, that 'Keśava Kāśmīrī was defeated by a sixteen-years-old boy in Navadvīpa.' And if Nimāi Paṇḍita is defeated, then we shall go forward. We shall say, 'Oh, you have defeated a boy. Let us..., come to us.' So we get second chance." So that was the plan, Bengali plan, second chance: first chance, second chance. So it was arranged like that, that Lord Caitanya, Nimāi Paṇḍita, would talk, would discuss with Keśava Kāśmīrī.
Initiation Lectures
And the next initiation is this dvijatvam. Dvijatvam means twice-born. Twice-born one becomes immediately when he approaches a spiritual master, but the sacred thread is offered as the symbol that he has a spiritual master. Just like there is some phase, there is some degree. So this sacred thread is offered after one year. One who has followed strictly the rules and regulation and chanted sixteen rounds Hare Kṛṣṇa at least, so he is given the second chance. The third chance is to offer renunciation. If he wants to completely in the service of the Lord, there is sannyāsa. Just like the other day we were discussing, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). Of course, these are formal regulative principles. Real life is within, how much one is sincere in the service of the Lord. So according to rigid class of Hindus, this sacred thread ceremony, they say it is to be offered only to the person who are born in the brāhmaṇa family. Perhaps you have studied all these things while you were in India. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says no. There is no question of birthright that because one is born in the brāhmaṇa family, therefore he can become brāhmaṇa.
General Lectures
Prabhupāda: That we are experiencing. This godless civilization is... There is no peace, although we are improving... Just like I was talking yesterday. We have discovered this airplane, but we have given another chance of danger. What is that? Skyjack? Devotee: Highjack.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is going on. We are making something for our convenience, but we are creating something else which is inconvenient. So this is due to godless civilization. But if we become God conscious, then our progress of civilization will be very peaceful and happy. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: "Anyone who has got devotion to the Lord, he is qualified with all the good qualities." Just like you are God conscious, so you have invited us to hear because you..., the good qualities are there.
Philosophy Discussions
Karandhara: They baffle the population. Everyone believes "Now I'm living longer. I have more chances to live a healthy life than ever before." They think this is what this modern society gives him, a chance to live longer. Śyāmasundara: By discovering new medicines and new techniques to improve our health. Prabhupāda: So where is the medicine which stops disease? You are discovering medicine, and many new diseases are coming out, so where is the stopper? Karandhara: That's supposed to come. That is the promise. Prabhupāda: Promise, a fool can promise anything. And... Śyāmasundara: And instead all they do is... Prabhupāda: That is a different thing.
Śyāmasundara: He is a believer, but the extent of his belief we'll discuss in a few moments. He says that the one who disbelieves faces the added risk of losing any chance of discovering the truth.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: So it is better to believe, even though one doesn't know for sure. It is better to believe because it gives one more chance of discovering the truth. He says that we have the right to believe in God, even in the absence of absolute proof. Even though there is no absolute proof, he says, of the existence of God, still we have the right to believe in God because this helps us to get closer to the truth. It gives us a better chance.
Prabhupāda: That means he accepts God is truth and that He's existing. Does he say like that or not?
Śyāmasundara: Yes. He says there is no absolute proof, but...
Prabhupāda: But that is proof.
Śyāmasundara: ...by my belief I get more...
Prabhupāda: That he is saying, that if somebody believes, he has got greater chance. Unless the fact is there, simply by believing, how there is chance?
Śyāmasundara: He says that by this belief I get some strength, some happiness, some practical advantage; therefore I have the right to believe, because I get a practical benefit.
Prabhupāda: So practical benefit... Suppose you are getting some warmth, so you believe there must be some fire. So I believe. Unless there is fire, how there is warmth?
Śyāmasundara: Yes. So the belief itself is the proof.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So when he came to Navadvīpa, that was the... In all other places he was victorious. So all the Navadvīpa paṇḍitas, they conferred that "Nimāi Paṇḍita should be forwarded to talk with him. And if he is defeated by Nimāi Paṇḍita, then we'll become victorious because a boy has defeated him. But if Nimāi Paṇḍita becomes defeated, then we'll get another chance: 'No, you have defeated boy. Let us come.' " In this way they make. So Keśava Kāśmīrī was informed that first of all he'll have to talk with Nimāi Paṇḍita. So one day Nimāi Paṇḍita, boy Nimāi Paṇḍita, was talking with his disciples, students. And Keśava Kāśmīrī was strolling on the Ganges side. So he heard that this boy is Nimāi Paṇḍita. "Oh, I will have to talk with Him? He is a boy." So he went there, and when He was acquainted that Keśava Kāśmīrī..., "Oh, please come down, sit." So Nimāi Paṇḍita said that "I have heard that you are so learned scholar. Now we are on the Ganges side. You can chant the glorification of mother Ganges. She may hear and enjoy." So he was very learned scholar. Immediately he composed hundred verses, one hundred. And fluent, very fluently he went on. Then, out of that one hundred verses, in the sixty-fourth verse there was some poetic discrepancies. The word was bhavānī-bhārtā. Bhavānī means the wife of Bhava. Lord Śiva is called Bhava.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Mohsin Hassan: What if someone deviates from your teaching?
Prabhupāda: There is no loss. This was, I was explaining. Because this, it is spiritual science. Anything spiritual, that is eternal. It is never, I mean to say, lost, never destroyed. So whatever they have learned, that is basic for other learning. Suppose they cannot finish the total process, program, then they will get a chance, another chance to begin in the human form. So practically there is no loss. As ordinary beings, whatever they are creating in this life, after giving up this body everything is lost. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even it is not completed, whatever they have learned, that will go with them, because it is spiritual, it will not be destroyed. But they're being trained up to finish the course and program within this life, not to wait for the next life. That is our goal. They have got the regulative principles that you must follow this, that no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling, and chanting in a prescribed method Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, taking only Kṛṣṇa prasādam, and be twenty-four hours... You'll find, whenever you'll come to our temple, you'll find they're busy with something. Similarly, we are simply busy with Kṛṣṇa business. We try to remember Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours. That is our method. So this method of religious prescription I think you'll not find. At least in the Western world you'll won't find. Twenty-four hours they're engaged, twenty-four hours.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: We say that in whatever occupation you may be, try to find out some time and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our preaching. So it will help you. At least you will get, even if you are attached to the material activities, you will get next birth a human body, rich family, another chance, or Vaiṣṇava family. That is also great benefit. Even there is no salvation, but he gets opportunity again. (sings another line) So Karandhara Prabhu, what advantage you will get by opening their office there?
Karandhara: Well, all of the communications can be done with the liaison officer. He'll have a telex, so I won't have to wait for two weeks to get a letter back. I'll just speak with him, and he can telex. And we can save the money we're spending now on telex. And sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's hard for them to understand my English and it's hard for me to understand their English. It takes a little elaboration. So if there's a person there to speak with and he can speak with them in Japanese and with me in English, it's simpler.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Oh, there will be a great many advantages, but they have to expend for that service. They will expect some more business. That will... We think we shall be able to give him.
Prabhupāda: So these people, the sahajiyās, they have become dogs and hogs. Now after this life, (indistinct). For their sinful activities they have become dogs and hogs. Now unconsciously as dogs and hogs they are taking advantage of the Vṛndāvana land. Now they... Now they will become pure devotees. Just like we see in the life of Bharata Mahārāja. So much austerity, and because a little attachment for the deer, the next life he was (indistinct). Yamala-arjuna, they became trees. But on account of staying in Vṛndāvana, next life (indistinct). So we should be intelligent. Why should we take another chance of becoming hogs and dogs? But that requires intelligence. Ultimately they will be delivered, but it will be delayed by becoming hogs and dogs once(?).
Gurudāsa: Acyutānanda Mahārāja said that he has heard that Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī has said that these turtles in Vṛndāvana were previously caste gosvāmīs.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So...
Gurudāsa: It's a result of trying to cheat māyā then?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Gurudāsa: It's a result of trying to...
Prabhupāda: Yes, this is... They are showing that "We are gosvāmī," but doing all nonsense. This is cheating. Like this man, he is thinking that "Somehow or other I will get his money through Dāmodara, and I shall drink and everything (indistinct)." It is not cheating? Gosvāmī means one who has full control over the senses. That is gosvāmī. But he is taking the title of gosvāmī but he has no control over his senses. That is cheating. So you cannot cheat that way, Kṛṣṇa or māyā. Whatever little success I have got, I have tried always not to cheat Kṛṣṇa or māyā. That's all.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Never go in vain. This is her... She had executed devotional service in her past life. Therefore from the very beginning of her life, she's in association of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very beginning. This is the chance. Now it is the duty of the father and mother, and when she grows up it is her duty to finish this business, go to back to home. This is chance. So where is the loss? Even she failed last life, then where is the loss? She's getting another chance, whereas the ordinary karmīs, they'll not get that chance. That is explained. Read it.
Śrutakīrti: One who has forsaken his material occupation to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything.
Prabhupāda: That is the translation.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Guru-gaurāṅga: They have made studies and that if a woman gives birth at the age less than twenty there are more chances that she die according to their statistics.
Prabhupāda: Their statistics in the western world... Inductive knowledge is always imperfect. They have not seen in India. My wife gave birth at the age of fourteen years. She is still living. She is ten years younger than me. So sixty-eight, sixty-nine, she is. She gave birth child at the age of fourteen. In 1918 I was married, and 1921 she gave birth the child, my first son. And she was never unhealthy; neither she had to go to the hospital for maternity hell. Natural delivery of child. Hare Kṛṣṇa. This illicit sex, even with wife... If sex life is indulged after the period of menstruation, that is also illicit sex. There are so many rules and regulations about sex life in Vedic culture. That is real use of sex life. In the Bhagavad-gītā, sex life, He says that dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi. "Sex life which is under regulative principle of the Vedic knowledge," Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sex life. I am that sex life." And beyond that, that is illicit sex life. And yesterday I was reading that dharma... When there is irreligious sex, then it increases varṇa-saṅkara, unwanted population. So the modern civilization, they're letting loose the women for prostitution, and they want nice children. That is not possible. Why this park is kept like this?
Guru-gaurāṅga: It's more of a forest, I think.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Rūpānuga: So that process is transmigration of the soul.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.
Rūpānuga: That is evolution.
Prabhupāda: So in the last creation, if somebody could not come to the human form of body, now again he will be able to come. Therefore the creation is there. Another chance is given.
Rūpānuga: Yes. Otherwise there would be no chance.
Dr. Wolf: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there is the idea that matter comes from life.
Prabhupāda: Life, yes.
Dr. Wolf: I do not quite see how. I do not quite understand how matter can come from life.
Prabhupāda: Just like a man, a mechanic, was sleeping, and as soon as he awakes, he again begins to manufacture motorcar. In the sleeping stage he was doing nothing. But awakened state, he begins his work. So therefore he is living being, and the motorcar comes from him, not that the motorcar was sleeping. He was sleeping, the living entity.
Amogha: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When people in the street hear Kṛṣṇa's name, the chanting, or they get some literature, does that mean they will not take birth as an animal?
Prabhupāda: No. They'll get birth in a good family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41). If they simply appreciate "It is very nice," then in the next life, human life is guaranteed. In a very nice family. Simply if he appreciates, "Yes, it is very nice"—that's all. Then he'll get another chance.
Amogha: Many people think the pictures are very nice.
Prabhupāda: Anything they say nice, that means it is guaranteed, next life. Or even in this life it will definitely help. As soon as he reads some pages, then it is guaranteed. Those who are enquiring, that means they are liking. Their life is guaranteed.
Amogha: One man who joined us about Rathayātrā time last year was a solicitor. He used to buy our books but he never read them. But he would keep them on his bookshelf. And he used to always think, "Those are such beautiful books." He used to think like that.
Prabhupāda: This is appreciation.
Hari-śauri: So those persons who do not take even their material predicament seriously, then it is the same when they approach, they see our devotees. They do not take us seriously.
Prabhupāda: No, they are given chance. Even they fall down, they guaranteed best life in the next birth, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41), to take birth in devotee's or nice brāhmaṇa's house. So they get again chance. So our point should be why another chance? Finish this business in this life. That is determination. Why another chance? I may be misled again. That should be our determination. "Finish this business, this life. One life let me be strict in following the discipline and regulative principles." This is called tapasya, that "Although it is inconvenient, I must do it to solve my problems." That is determination, dṛḍha-vrata, firm determination.
Faill: May I ask a few questions now?
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes.
Faill: Do we get a second chance if we don't make the most of this life? In other words, is reincarnation part of your...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Second chance means you have to change your body. Now, according to your desire you get another body. That body is not guaranteed that you shall get a human body. It may be...
Faill: If you've been bad enough, you might finish...
Prabhupāda: No, that... This I have already told you. There are 8,400,000 different forms of life. So you can enter any one of them according to your mental condition. We are under the control of the material nature. The material nature is being conducted in three modes: goodness, passion and ignorance. So just like three colors: yellow, red, and blue. Now you mix-three into three equal to nine, nine into nine equal to eighty-one. So these modes of material nature is being mixed up. Therefore there are so many varieties of life. So if we transcend this coloring platform of material nature, we come to the pure consciousness. Then we stop this repetition of birth and death in different forms of life. And if we do not that, then there is chance of going down or going up. There are different planets. If you cultivate the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system, higher standard of life. And if you don't improve or don't go down, then you may remain in the present stage. But out of ignorance, if you still degrade, commit sinful activities, violate the laws of nature, then we go down again—the animal life, the plants' life, like that. But again we have to evolve, evolutionary process, by nature's... So it may take many millions of years. So therefore a human being must be responsible that "I have got this opportunity to get out of this cycle of birth and death and different forms of life, and let me properly understand God and what is my relationship with God and act accordingly so that if we understand what is God, then we go back to home, back to Godhead."
Harikeśa: I'm curious about the destination of a neophyte devotee. If a neophyte devotee is with determination endeavoring for purification but he were to meet with death as he is still influenced by the lower modes, although he is seriously trying, then does he take another birth or does he go to Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: No, he has to take another birth. If he is not completely purified, he has to suffer another birth. Nobody is allowed to enter into the spiritual unless he is cent percent pure. No allowance. Then he has to... Therefore it is said, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjāyate (BG 6.41). He is given chance, another chance, to take birth in a very pure brāhmaṇa family or rich family so that he may take again the chance, not in, he is allowed to enter. He is given a good chance again. That is his benefit. Even if you are failure, still, your next birth as a very first-class human being is guaranteed. Not for others. It is only for the yogis. If he is... Therefore it is said that "What is the loss even if he is failure?" Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva va abhadram abhūd amuṣya kim (SB 1.5.17). This verse is very important. Even by sentiment one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and discharges the regulative duties, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, his next life is guaranteed as a human being. Even he does it for some time—he is not perfect—still, his next life is guaranteed. But others, there is no such guarantee. Even if he discharges his so-called duties, material duties, there is no guarantee that he'll become a human being.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
rabhupāda: But that is the actual fact.
Devotee (1): This philosophy's alien to everything they heard, so it's different than everything they heard.
Prabhupāda: No, no, the.... A fact is that. Why it is alien?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Well, the Western religions have taught that whatever you do in this lifetime will determine whether you go to heaven or hell, and there's no second chance.
Prabhupāda: So.... So they are not afraid of going to hell? There are two alternatives, either heaven or hell. But if he's going to hell?
Guru-kṛpā: That's why they have confession.
Prabhupāda: Oh, finished everything.
Devotee (2): Contract.
Prabhupāda: How he...?
Guru-kṛpā: Like my father is very sinful, but he would always say, "The good Lord is protecting me." He would always say, "God, God," but he never would follow anything. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...wars? Why...? Why the God does not stop the wars? And they are so much afraid of war. What is the answer?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Hari-śauri: They get one chance. Do good or bad. Then you either go to heaven or to hell. But you don't get another chance.
Prabhupāda: But if he goes heaven means there is another life. How do you say "one life"? This is defective philosophy.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But this is what God has said in the Bible; therefore we must accept.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This is what God has said in the Bible; therefore we must accept.
Prabhupāda: God, if He says something unreasonable, how it can be accepted? You say, "one life." Then who goes to the next life? That is defective. Why do you not talk back?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...cannot explain why some people are born in a more pious setting and some people are born in a more impious setting.
Prabhupāda: Because they do not know the karma. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). According to one's activities, pious or impious, he gets the next birth. That is quite reasonable. But they do not believe in karma. When I was student in Scottish Churches College, so we had to attend class, half an hour, Bible. So the Dr. Urquhart, he did.... The argument was: "So if karma is there and I am suffering for my karma, who is the witness?" But because they do not know that the witness is God.
Prabhupāda: Therefore He is seeing what you are doing. So according to your action, the Holy Ghost gives you another birth. (break) ...sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati. (break)...dictating everyone's heart, and He is observing. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...contends that if a person does not become fully aware in this lifetime of God, then they don't have another chance, and they are condemned to hell for eternity.
Prabhupāda: The hell or heaven doesn't matter. The next life is there. How you say "one life"? That is defective theory. Therefore this philosophy cannot be accepted. Anything which is defective is not to be accepted.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Simply dogma.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...rejected. That is Vedic process.
Hari-śauri: Actually, there's so many different understandings that the Christians have of the same thing. They all have different type of philosophy.
Hayagrīva: No, Christ never said that. Christ never said you only have one life.
Prabhupāda: So that is real philosophy. That is real philosophy.
Prabhupāda: My Guru Mahārāja was in favor of preaching in the city because you can get many men.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But do you think I should travel a lot, or what is the best thing?
Prabhupāda: Both things should be done.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Both. So if you... We were hoping that you could give us another chance by coming back next year.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, I'll come.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you do say that to a lot of different temples, but we will try to make this doubly big.
Prabhupāda: Always, so long I live, I must come.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If we get on Fifth Avenue, you'll come again?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: Why should you bring so many objections?
Doctor: Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact.
Doctor: Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).
Prabhupāda: But because I do not like, therefore Upaniṣads give another chance, that "Chant oṁkāra." That is the way. Because unless one is completely purified, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.
- yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
- janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
- te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
- bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
- (BG 7.28)
Kṛṣṇa bhajana is possible when one is completely free from all kinds of sinful activities. So not every one is freed from sinful activities. Therefore the indirect way. Otherwise, Upaniṣad is Veda.
Doctor: Based on Vedas. Right.
Prabhupāda: Based. Kṛṣṇa says vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). By studying Vedas, Upaniṣads, if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, that means your study is not complete. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After studying this indirect information of Kṛṣṇa, when one is actually a learned, wise man, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That is very rarely found. This is fact. So if one is intelligent, that if only the most intelligent person, after many, many births one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, why not do it immediately? Why shall I wait for many, many births? That is intelligence.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The ignorance of law... Why? Why this human form of life? To know. Why you do not try to know it? Then you must be punished. Kṛṣṇa said, aśraddhadhānāḥ puruṣā. "If you are neglectful to know," dharmasyāsya parantapa, "this dharma, this science, this duty, what I am giving..." Aśraddadhānāḥ: "Eh! Bhagavad-gītā is..." Aśraddadhānāḥ. There is no śraddhā. Rascals. "Then the result will be mām aprāpya. He does not get Me." Then what is next? Nivartante: "He goes back." Where? Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani: (BG 9.3) "Again in the cycle of birth and death, birth and death." Again, after millions and millions of years, he'll come, again get the chance of human body, another chance to know. So this is the chance to know. You cannot expect the dog will know, the cat will know. You have got human being. You must know. The signboard, "Keep to the left," is meant for the human being. If the dog goes from right to the left, he is not to be punished, because he has no knowledge. This is common sense. But you cannot neglect. You are human being. You cannot say, "I did not see the signboard. I did not know the law. Therefore, by chance, I have violated." No. No "by chance." You must be punished. This is the responsibility of... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, therefore, sings, hari hari bifale, janama goṅāinu: "I have wasted my time." How? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā: "I got this human form of life. I did not know what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa." Jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "Knowingly, I have taken poison."
Prabhupāda: This is verse of Bhagavad-gītā, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). You cannot violate the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You are strictly under the obligation, or laws of nature. Why you are talking nonsense? This should be... And under the strict laws of nature—you are eternal—simply you are suffering while transforming this body or transmigrating your soul over... And it is so risky that today you are human being; tomorrow you may be a dog, a tree. Then your life is spoiled. Today you have got so nice intelligence to deliver you from the clutches of the laws of nature, and tomorrow you may not be able. Then you are lost in the laws of nature. This is your position. So at least this institution must be there. People may take little advantage of it. If he begins, that is also great guarantee that he gets another chance, another chance. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. Why this chance should not be given to the human society? What is this nonsense dog dancing, election, and bribing, stealing, and unnecessarily struggle? What they'll do? They are all nothing, all of these. What will be gained by this?
Prabhupāda: So nice thing. Even little done, you get chance again. The students who are coming, give them nice place, nice food, nice intelligence. Organize Bombay. You will get many enlightened students, professors, doctors. "Come on, live with us."
Hari-śauri: It is quoted in the purport in connection with this,
- nehābhikrama-nāśo 'sti
- pratyavāyo na vidyate
- svalpam apy asya dharmasya
- trāyate mahato bhayāt
- (BG 2.40)
Prabhupāda: Ah.
Hari-śauri: (reads) "In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear."
Prabhupāda: The most dangerous type of fear is if my next life I become an animal. That is the most dangerous. But those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, given some service, for them there is no such fear. He gets another chance. Hmm.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
Now here is a second chance and without undergoing a long series of correspondence with Govinda Maharaja, I am directly writing you about my intention. Srila Prabhupada had a strong desire to open our preaching centres in the Western countries and both Bon Maharaja and Goswami Maharaja were deputed for this purpose without any tangible result.
1968 Correspondence
I am sure that you must appreciate like that because I am always of opinion that both you and your elder brother are the result of a good mother. So I very much appreciate both yours and your brother's activities and it appears that both of you were in your previous birth advanced in this line of Krishna Consciousness, and here is another chance to complete it. So by the Grace of Krishna you have got good intelligence, you are born of a great nation, and good family; just utilize the opportunity to finish the business of Krishna Consciousness, without waiting for further incarnation. Srimad-Bhagavatam says that we should try for the highest achievement, and complete it before the next death comes. I think that your separation from Karunamayi is Krishna's desire. So don't be sorry for it. In this connection I may tell you my personal life experience.
Regarding Gargamuni: All of a sudden I thought that he should go and take charge of his father's business. And as soon as I proposed, he phoned to his father and he also was very much anxious to receive. So this is also another chance for us, that we can show a model factory. Actually as you say, that we want to perfect everything with Krishna Consciousness. Our policy is that without Krishna, everything is zero. But zero by the side of Krishna, is 10, 100, and so on. So the whole Vaisnava philosophy is like that. The Ravana class of men, they want Sita without Rama, and therefore there is havoc. Ravana kidnapped Sita from the clutches of Ravana, and the result was that the whole nation, whole family, was vanquished. And Hanuman's policy was to bring back Sita and let her sit down by the side of Rama. So we do not neglect anything, because everything is manifestation of Krishna's energy. Krishna's energy means Sita, and Krishna is Rama.
1971 Correspondence
I have noted especially your description of the unfortunate accident which took place and which took away our friends Jananivasa das Brahmacari and Will Prabhu. So on one side we have to be very sorry if our dear friends are taken away from this world, and on the other side we should be satisfied that a pure devotee is never lost. He gets another good chance to cultivate Krishna Consciousness, or if one is advanced he goes back to Home, back to Godhead. But even if it is taken that a devotee is not mature, we should be confident that he will take birth in a rich or devotional family. So their human life in a very good position is guaranteed. A devotee's position is always better than an ordinary karmi's position. Karmis do not know what is the next life, but devotees know it as certain as anything that he is going to have a nice human form of body.
1975 Correspondence
We are very eager to give everyone a chance to become Krishna Conscious, but if someone repeatedly causes a disturbance then he may be asked to leave. That is not our business to ask people to leave our association but if they are actually causing too much disturbance by not co-operating with authorities or by not following the rules properly (especially the four regulative principles), then we are forced to do the necessary. If someone who has been asked to leave sincerely wants to be given another chance, following the rules strictly and co-operating with authority, then he may be admitted again. That is the Krishna Conscious system. Any way, whatever your position may be simply follow the rules carefully, chant 16 rounds and read my books and you will be saved from Maya. Regarding your writing, it is a little off-time. I suggest that you read my books more carefully and present things as I have presented them.
| Page Title: | Another chance |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 06 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=10, CC=1, OB=4, Lec=31, Con=20, Let=5 |
| No. of Quotes: | 71 |