Desa-kala-patra

Expressions researched:
"desa-kala-patra"

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 7.38, Translation and Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in order to deliver all the fallen souls. Therefore He devised many methods to liberate them from the clutches of māyā.

It is the concern of the ācārya to show mercy to the fallen souls. In this connection, deśa-kāla-pātra (the place, the time and the object) should be taken into consideration. Since the European and American boys and girls in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement preach together, less intelligent men criticize that they are mingling without restriction. In Europe and America boys and girls mingle unrestrictedly and have equal rights; therefore it is not possible to completely separate the men from the women. However, we are thoroughly instructing both men and women how to preach, and actually they are preaching wonderfully. Of course, we very strictly prohibit illicit sex. Boys and girls who are not married are not allowed to sleep together or live together, and there are separate arrangements for boys and girls in every temple. Gṛhasthas live outside the temple, for in the temple we do not allow even husband and wife to live together. The results of this are wonderful. Both men and women are preaching the gospel of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Kṛṣṇa with redoubled strength. In this verse the words sabā nistārite kare cāturī apāra indicate that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to deliver one and all. Therefore it is a principle that a preacher must strictly follow the rules and regulations laid down in the śāstras yet at the same time devise a means by which the preaching work to reclaim the fallen may go on with full force.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

To surrender to God the great and to abide by His instruction, that is called religion. It may be that the Hindus may be following the same principle in a different way or the Christian may be following the same principle in different way. That is called deśa-kāla-pātra. According to time, atmosphere, and the performer, there may be little difference. But real purpose of dharma is to surrender to God and try to love Him. That is religion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

So a brahmacārī is strictly prohibited not to see even one young woman. But what can be done? In the Western countries, the boys and girls, they mix very freely. And if I say, "My dear boys, you cannot see even a young girl," then finished. My business there is finished. Therefore I have to arrange according to the country, according to the circumstances, as far as possible. So gradually, they are coming to the perfectional stage. So we have to adopt deśa-kāla-pātra, according to time, according to... But we are keeping our principles as it is, but making arrangement according to the circumstances. That is required.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ: "You are so merciful that in this age You have incarnated, You have descended in Your name." Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. And in the name there is all potencies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There are multipotencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All the potencies are there in the holy name of the Lord. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Deśa-kāla-pātra. There is no distinction. Anywhere, either in England or in Vṛndāvana or in Calcutta, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe. No kālākāla-vicāra, that "This is aśuddha-kāla, this is śuddha-kāla." Anytime. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). You have to chant only Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

Vaiṣṇava who is preaching, it may be in a different way, according to time and place and the party—they have to change something, deśa-kāla-pātra—but we have to see the essence. Wherever there is God consciousness, wherever is there understanding... Just like we sometime consult dictionary, a small dictionary, pocket dictionary, and a big international dictionary. Both of them are dictionaries. But according to time, deśa-kāla-pātra, for small child, that small dictionary is sufficient. Higher mathematics: higher mathematics and lower class ma... But the two plus two is always the same, in higher mathematics or lower mathematics. It is not that in the higher mathematics two plus two equal to five, no.

So the principle is the same. It is the distinction of deśa-kāla-pātra, things are... Just like the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are meant for highly developed conscious persons. They are not for ordinary persons.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:

When there is some vicāra, judgment, it must be done very nicely. A criminal is judged before the magistrate. He is taken just to make proper judgment, "Whether this man is punishable? He committed some criminal activities." The circumstances, the condition of the mind—everything should be judged. This is called judgment. So who is punishable? Deśa-kāla-pātra. There is consideration, deśa-kāla-pātra. Deśa means situation, and kāla, time, and pātra, and the subject. Just like a child, he takes one fruit here. So he is not punishable. According to Vedic system, a child, a woman, a brāhmaṇa, a cow and a saintly person, they are not punishable. Cow, woman, saintly person, brāhmaṇa and child—they are beyond all laws. Even they commit some... They do not do. They have no criminal purpose. Formerly the women were trained up in such a way, very chaste and obedient. So they had no chance to commit any offense. And brāhmaṇas, they are also trained up.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:

So, children are not punishable. (laughter, more applause) Neither the women. (more applause, laughter) Hm. But don't take advantage. (laughter) And here we have got these brāhmaṇas, saintly persons, women and children. So who is to be punished? (laughter) Yes. Kathaṁ svid dhriyate daṇḍaḥ. So the judge must know who is to be punished. That is judgment. Kathaṁ svid dhriyate daṇḍaḥ sthānam. Deśa-kāla-pātra: according to time, according to circumstances, according to the subject, everything scrutinizingly judged, not whimsically. Nowadays it is the time for emergency. Anyone can be punished without any judgment. But this is not good position.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1971, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: So what Christ teaches? Let us see what Christ teaches, then we can understand whether only through Christ we can... What is his teaching?

Devotee (1) (lady): His first teaching is that, "Love the Lord thy God with all they heart, with all thy might, with all thy (indistinct)."

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Nara-Nārāyaṇa: He is also saying that, "I have no will but to do the will of my father who has sent me, and that everything I am saying are not my words but are the words of Him (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Complete surrender.

Nara-Nārāyaṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. But they do not follow and still they say they are Christians. They do not follow. Christ is all right. According to the time, according to the country, according to the atmosphere, he's all right, but the followers, they reject.

Devotee (1): The followers try to make everyone fear God. Their whole aim is to make everyone so much afraid. They always try to instill fear in everyone they speak to. "You are going to hell."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is the principle of eternal hell that is used to make people surrender, fear of eternal hell.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (1): Fear of God.

Prabhupāda: According to time... Deśa-kāla-pātra. That kind of forceful, does not act very nicely. One should know the science, but the class of men to whom Jesus Christ said, they are not very much advanced. Under the circumstances, the fearfulness of hell is quite appropriate for them. Actually, one who does not go back to home, back to Godhead, he is put into the hellish condition of life. That is fearfulness, but we are so blunt that we do not take care. It is fearful. Just like Prahlāda Maharaja said that "Nṛsiṁhadeva, I am not afraid of your this fierce feature of Narasiṁha, but I am very much afraid of this materialistic way of life."