Going astray

Expressions researched:
"astray"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

One has to follow those rules and regulations, unattached to them, because practice of sense gratification under regulations may also lead one to go astray—as much as there is always the chance of an accident, even on the royal roads.

BG 3.34, Purport:

According to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex relationships with any women other than one's wife. All other women are to be considered as one's mother. But in spite of such injunctions, a man is still inclined to have sex relationships with other women. These propensities are to be curbed; otherwise they will be stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization. As long as the material body is there, the necessities of the material body are allowed, but under rules and regulations. And yet, we should not rely upon the control of such allowances. One has to follow those rules and regulations, unattached to them, because practice of sense gratification under regulations may also lead one to go astray—as much as there is always the chance of an accident, even on the royal roads. Although they may be very carefully maintained, no one can guarantee that there will be no danger even on the safest road. The sense enjoyment spirit has been current a very long, long time, owing to material association. Therefore, in spite of regulated sense enjoyment, there is every chance of falling down; therefore any attachment for regulated sense enjoyment must also be avoided by all means.

SB Canto 1

As the monkeys are too sexually inclined and dogs are shameless in sexual intercourse, the general mass of population born of illegitimate connection will systematically go astray from the Vedic way of good manners and qualitative engagements in the castes and orders of life.

SB 1.18.45, Purport:

It is foretold herein that in the absence of a monarchical regime, the general mass of people will be an unwanted population like dogs and monkeys. As the monkeys are too sexually inclined and dogs are shameless in sexual intercourse, the general mass of population born of illegitimate connection will systematically go astray from the Vedic way of good manners and qualitative engagements in the castes and orders of life.

The Vedic way of life is the progressive march of the civilization of the Āryans. The Āryans are progressive in Vedic civilization. The Vedic civilization's destination is to go back to Godhead, back home, where there is no birth, no death, no old age and no disease. The Vedas direct everyone not to remain in the darkness of the material world but to go towards the light of the spiritual kingdom far beyond the material sky. The qualitative caste system and the orders of life are scientifically planned by the Lord and His representatives, the great ṛṣis. The perfect way of life gives all sorts of instruction in things both material and spiritual. The Vedic way of life does not allow any man to be like the monkeys and dogs. A degraded civilization of sense gratification and economic development is the by-product of a godless or kingless government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The people should not, therefore, begrudge the poor administrations they themselves elect.

SB Canto 2

The devotee's senses, being engaged in the service of the Lord, never go astray under the attraction of false material enjoyment.

SB 2.6.34, Purport:

The devotees are always liberated, but that does not mean that they are impersonal. The Lord is a person eternally, and the devotee of the Lord is also a person eternally. Because the devotee has his sense organs even at the liberated stage, he is therefore a person always. And because the devotee's service is accepted by the Lord in full reciprocation, the Lord is also a person in His complete spiritual embodiment. The devotee's senses, being engaged in the service of the Lord, never go astray under the attraction of false material enjoyment. The plans of the devotee never go in vain, and all this is due to the faithful attachment of the devotee for the service of the Lord. This is the standard of perfection and liberation. Anyone, beginning from Brahmājī down to the human being, is at once put on the path of liberation simply by his attachment in great earnestness for the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the primeval Lord.

Mahārāja Vena went astray from the path of righteousness, and the brāhmaṇas chastised him by the thunderbolt curse.

SB 2.7.9, Translation and Purport:

Mahārāja Vena went astray from the path of righteousness, and the brāhmaṇas chastised him by the thunderbolt curse. By this King Vena was burnt with his good deeds and opulence and was en route to hell. The Lord, by His causeless mercy, descended as his son, by the name of Pṛthu, delivered the condemned King Vena from hell, and exploited the earth by drawing all kinds of crops as produce.

According to the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, the pious and learned brāhmaṇas were the natural guardians of society. The brāhmaṇas, by their learned labor of love, would instruct the administrator-kings how to rule the country in complete righteousness, and thus the process would go on as a perfect welfare state. The kings or the kṣatriya administrators would always consult the council of learned brāhmaṇas. They were never autocratic monarchs. The scriptures like Manu-saṁhitā and other authorized books of the great sages were guiding principles for ruling the subjects, and there was no need for less intelligent persons to manufacture a code of law in the name of democracy. The less intelligent mass of people have very little knowledge of their own welfare, as a child has very little knowledge of its future well-being. The experienced father guides the innocent child towards the path of progress, and the childlike mass of people need similar guidance. The standard welfare codes are already there in the Manu-saṁhitā and other Vedic literatures. The learned brāhmaṇas would advise the king in terms of those standard books of knowledge and with reference to the particular situation of time and place. Such brāhmaṇas were not paid servants of the king, and therefore they had the strength to dictate to the king on the principles of scriptures. This system continued even up to the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, and the brāhmaṇa Cāṇakya was his unpaid prime minister.

Mahārāja Vena did not adhere to this principle of ruling, and he disobeyed the learned brāhmaṇas. The broad-minded brāhmaṇas were not self-interested, but looked to the interest of complete welfare for all the subjects. They wanted to chastise King Vena for his misconduct and so prayed to the Almighty Lord as well as cursed the king.

When the ruling administrators, who are known as the kṣatriyas, turned astray from the path of the Absolute Truth, being desirous to suffer in hell, the Lord, in His incarnation as the sage Paraśurāma, uprooted those unwanted kings, who appeared as the thorns of the earth.

SB 2.7.22, Translation and Purport:

When the ruling administrators, who are known as the kṣatriyas, turned astray from the path of the Absolute Truth, being desirous to suffer in hell, the Lord, in His incarnation as the sage Paraśurāma, uprooted those unwanted kings, who appeared as the thorns of the earth. Thus He thrice seven times uprooted the kṣatriyas with His keenly sharpened chopper.

The kṣatriyas, or the ruling administrators of any part of the universe, either on this planet or on other planets, are factually the representatives of the Almighty Personality of Godhead, and they are meant to lead the subjects towards the path of God realization. Every state and its administrators, regardless of the nature of the administration—monarchy or democracy, oligarchy or dictatorship or autocracy—have the prime responsibility to lead the citizens toward God realization. This is essential for all human beings, and it is the duty of the father, spiritual master, and ultimately the state to take up the responsibility of leading the citizens towards this end. The whole creation of material existence is made for this purpose, just to give a chance to the fallen souls who rebelled against the will of the Supreme Father and thus became conditioned by material nature. The force of material nature gradually leads one to a hellish condition of perpetual pains and miseries.

SB Canto 6

"A man should not associate with a woman in a solitary place, not even with his mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that they lead astray even a person advanced in knowledge."

SB 6.18.30, Purport:

When man and woman unite, the hard knot of this attraction becomes increasingly tight, and thus a man is implicated in the materialistic way of life. This is the illusion of the material world. This illusion acted upon Kaśyapa Muni, although he was very learned and advanced in spiritual knowledge. As stated in the Manu-saṁhitā (2.215) and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (9.19.17) :

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā

nāviviktāsano bhavet

balavān indriya-grāmo

vidvāṁsam api karṣati

"A man should not associate with a woman in a solitary place, not even with his mother, sister or daughter, for the senses are so strong that they lead astray even a person advanced in knowledge." When a man remains in a solitary place with a woman, his sexual desires undoubtedly increase. Therefore the words ekānta-bhūtāni, which are used here, indicate that to avoid sexual desires one should avoid the company of women as far as possible. Sexual desire is so powerful that one is saturated with it if he stays in a solitary place with any woman, even his mother, sister or daughter.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

He was ordering His friends to do this and that, and He was controlling the calves and going into the forest to search for them when they went astray, allured by new grass, but these calves and boys were He Himself.

SB 10.13.20, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa usually stayed in the forest and pasturing ground, taking care of the calves and cows with His associates the cowherd boys. Now that the original group had been taken away by Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa Himself assumed the forms of every member of the group, without anyone's knowledge, even the knowledge of Baladeva, and continued the usual program. He was ordering His friends to do this and that, and He was controlling the calves and going into the forest to search for them when they went astray, allured by new grass, but these calves and boys were He Himself. This was Kṛṣṇa's inconceivable potency. As explained by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmāt. Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are the same. Kṛṣṇa, by expanding His pleasure potency, becomes Rādhārāṇī. The same pleasure potency (ānanda-cinmaya-rasa) was expanded by Kṛṣṇa when He Himself became all the calves and boys and enjoyed transcendental bliss in Vrajabhūmi. This was done by the yogamāyā potency and was inconceivable to persons under the potency of mahāmāyā.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

"One who attains pure unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a person who doesn't develop such service, despite all material qualifications, is sure to go astray, for he hovers on the mental platform."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 11:

One can thus conclude that when a person shows love for God and friendship for devotees, displays mercy towards the innocent and is reluctant to associate with nondevotees, he may be considered a pure devotee. By developing devotional service, such a person can perceive that every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme. In each and every living entity he can see the Supreme Person, and therefore he becomes highly developed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At this stage he does not distinguish between the devotee and the nondevotee, for he sees everyone in the service of the Lord. He continues to develop all great qualities while engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12):

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ

harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā

mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ

"One who attains pure unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a person who doesn't develop such service, despite all material qualifications, is sure to go astray, for he hovers on the mental platform." Thus material qualifications are valueless without devotional service.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

To educate those who are enamored by empirical arguments and who do not receive transcendental knowledge through any bona fide disciplic succession—and who are thus going astray—we have compiled the essential knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā in a nutshell.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.5:

The transcendental knowledge of the Gītā is available only through the transparent medium of the authorized disciplic succession. The devotees and saints are solely concerned with receiving the Lord's message in the Gītā as it is, while the mundane scholars fond of word jugglery look for secondary meanings.

To educate those who are enamored by empirical arguments and who do not receive transcendental knowledge through any bona fide disciplic succession—and who are thus going astray—we have compiled the essential knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā in a nutshell:

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Just like a person born as the son of a medical man, from the childhood he is learning all the medical terms and how his father is treating patient. So before entering medical college he is half medical man. That is the facility. But if we don't take the facility, we go astray...

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

If you have the opportunity to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family, then you have got the best opportunity to acquire the brahminical qualification. Just like a person born as the son of a medical man, from the childhood he is learning all the medical terms and how his father is treating patient. So before entering medical college he is half medical man. That is the facility. But if we don't take the facility, we go astray... They are called brahma-bandhu. And if we have acquired the qualification of a śūdra, then, even though one is born in the brāhmaṇa family, he should be accepted as śūdra. Similarly, if a person is born in a śūdra family, but he has acquired these qualities, śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucam, he should be designated as brāhmaṇa. That is the injunction of the śāstras in many places. So if by force I want to assume myself as a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya without qualification, that is the cause of India's cultural ruination. Such a high Vedic culture of India is now ruined because we have misused the terms. That is the cause.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

That is God's mission. That is natural affection of God. Not that because some of His sons are gone astray God is, God has become poorer. No. He can produce millions and trillions of sons by His desire.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Because God is the Supreme Father, He likes that all His sons, we are all His sons, we go back to Him, back to home, back to Godhead. Just like rich father, if his son comes out of home and suffers for want of so many things, the father becomes very sorry that "This rascal boy has gone out of home, he's suffering." So he wishes that "This boy, let him come back home. I have got sufficient means to provide him. Let him be happy." That is God's mission. That is natural affection of God. Not that because some of His sons are gone astray God is, God has become poorer. No. He can produce millions and trillions of sons by His desire. And why He's hankering after one son? That is His affection. That is His kindness.

You should be very cautious, careful, that children are not going astray, they are becoming actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. That means you have to be devotee, and they will imitate.

Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Children who appear in such families fortunately generally imitate such worship of the Deities, even in the way..."

Prabhupāda: Children's nature is to imitate, because they have to learn. So nature has given them the propensity to imitate. So the first imitation begins from the parents. So if the parent is nice Kṛṣṇa devotee, naturally the children become devotees. That is the opportunity of taking birth in a Vaiṣṇava family. So you are all Vaiṣṇavas. If your children do not become Vaiṣṇava in the future, then it is a great, I meant to say, fault on your part. So you should be very cautious, careful, that children are not going astray, they are becoming actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. That means you have to imitate, er, you have to be devotee, and they will imitate. By imitation, imitation, imitation, they will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then they will never give it up. Go on.

Simply you have to practice. Don't allow your mind to go astray, then everything is all right.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he was a great emperor of this world, but his mind was fixed up on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padaravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. When you talk, you will talk about Kṛṣṇa only. You practice. You always see, you see Kṛṣṇa's picture, Kṛṣṇa's Deity. You hear Kṛṣṇa's topics, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In, in this way engage all your senses. Your seeing power, your hearing power, your talking power, your eating power, your sleeping power. Everything, if you make Kṛṣṇa conscious, then generally or automatically, you'll remember at the time of death Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you remember Kṛṣṇa, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6), then your life is perfect. There is no difficulty. Simply you have to practice. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā (BG 8.8). Don't allow your mind to go astray, then everything is all right. Hm.

Because mind is inclined, inclined to go astray. Asat-pathe.

Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:

Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. He was also great emperor, and he had to rule over all over the world. Still, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ: (SB 9.4.18) he always fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. That is the art of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In spite of your all engagement, your mind should be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Naikāntikaṁ tad dhi kṛte 'pi niṣkṛte manaḥ punar dhāvati ced asat-pathe. Because mind is inclined, inclined to go astray. Asat-pathe. Asat means this material, and pathe means way. Mind is generally attracted to this asat-pathe. but you have to draw the mind to the sat-pathe. Sat means spiritual, eternal. That is the practice.

If one son is going astray by drinking, "Oh, young men, they can do that." But he becomes a devotee, he immediately becomes warned, "Oh, what danger is...!"

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Nobody wants that his son should be a devotee. They will not tolerate that. If somebody's son comes to us to become devotee, I have experienced, the father and mother immediately come: "Oh, Swamijī, what you are doing?" But his son becomes hippie—he will tolerate. That he will tolerate. But he becomes devotee—"Oh, we can't tolerate. How can we...?" You see? This is the nature. This is the nature. If one son is going astray by drinking, "Oh, young men, they can do that." But he becomes a devotee, he immediately becomes warned, "Oh, what danger is...!" (laughter) "He is going to be a devotee." This is the nature of demons. If the father, mother, are demons, how you can expect nice child? You see? That is the defect of the modern civilization. Therefore the whole world is unhappy. There is need of devotees, need of real brāhmaṇas. That is wanted. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... Even a certain little percentage of people becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, the whole face of the world will change. It is so nice.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

These Americans, they wanted to be the richest nation in the world. They have become. But their children—not happy. They are becoming hippies. Their father is also not happy, because his boy has gone astray. The government is perturbed, bewildered, "What to do with these boys?"

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Suppose if somebody wanted that "Let me have one crores of rupees." "All right, you have it. Here is one crore of rupees." But after one crore of rupees you are not happy. These Americans, they wanted to be the richest nation in the world. They have become. But their children—not happy. They are becoming hippies. Their father is also not happy, because his boy has gone astray. The government is perturbed, bewildered, "What to do with these boys?"

Therefore, so long we shall want something for our sense gratification, without serving Kṛṣṇa we shall suffer. That is the proposition. In different ways we shall suffer. Therefore Kṛṣṇa very kindly, most confidential... Sarva-guhyatamam. Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna that "I am talking to you most confidential matter." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "This is the secret of life.

Festival Lectures

But this modern civilization is misleading us in different ways. So I wrote this, that "Misled we are, all going astray. Save us, lord, our fervent pray. Wonder thy ways to turn our face, adore they feet, Your Divine Grace."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So forty years ago I remember the same thing as it is in 1922, and still the same thing is going on. There is nothing new. We have nothing to do, new. Simply let us present as it is; it will be successful. There is no... You see. The spirit of my writing is the same. "Misled we are, all going astray." This soul-killing civilization is misleading us. We must know this, this very misleading civilization. Our real aim of life is to understand our spiritual identification and search out our relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. That is our real business. But this modern civilization is misleading us in different ways. So I wrote this, that "Misled we are, all going astray. Save us, lord, our fervent pray. Wonder thy ways to turn our face, adore they feet, Your Divine Grace." So this portion he very much appreciated.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

You are helping other parts of the world who are not very much developed with money, resources. That is a very good idea. But in your country you do not see how the younger generation are going astray, how they're baffled and confused.

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

So I especially appeal to the Americans, whose boys and girls are helping me so much, please take this philosophy, try to understand this philosophy. Make your life successful—your country and the whole world. You are helping other parts of the world who are not very much developed with money, resources. That is a very good idea. But in your country you do not see how the younger generation are going astray, how they're baffled and confused. You should take care of this. The flower of your country, they are becoming hopeless, confused. Try to save them. And this is the only remedy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that can save your country and the whole world.

Initiation Lectures

Don't manufacture anything. That is not good. You'll manufacture today something; next day you'll manufacture something; then you'll go astray. Don't do that.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Viṣṇujana: Is it all right to play like he's fighting the battle as servant of the servant of Bhīṣma? He likes to play like he's in the battle. He likes to run and play. It makes him think of the Lord.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you are playing in the battle? No, you should not manufacture anything. You should be directed by the spiritual master. Don't manufacture anything. That is not good. You'll manufacture today something; next day you'll manufacture something; then you'll go astray. Don't do that. To be under disciplinary activities means to be directed by the authorities. Don't manufacture anything. There are so many activities. Why should we manufacture some other thing? Manufacturing means Māyāvāda, mental concoction. That is not the process of bhakti. Yes.

General Lectures

So secular state does not mean that we should be neglectful of the spiritual progress of life. The government should be very careful that in the name of secularism people are going to, astray. No.

Ceremony Speech Excerpt -- Vrndavana, August 18, 1974:

Vedic literature that kṣatraṁ dvijatvaṁ ca parasparārtham. They are meant for cooperation. So secular state does not mean that we should be neglectful of the spiritual progress of life. The government should be very careful that in the name of secularism people are going to, astray. No. So this is the movement that kṣatraṁ dvijatvaṁ ca parasparārtham. We are trying to cooperate with the political power, and we are trying to impart spiritual instruction. This is our attempt. And another thing is that according to our Vedic literature, there cannot be different religions. It is not possible. Because God is one. God cannot be two. "This is Hindu God, this is Muslim God," or "This is Christian God..." No. God is one. And dharma means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "The law which is given by God, that is dharma." This is the simple definition of dharma. And at the end of Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the ultimate religion. One has to surrender to the Supreme Lord. This is religion.

Philosophy Discussions

Yes. Therefore you have to take advantage of an experienced man who knows things. He does not accept any superior.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: You can think, but if you are helped by somebody else who knows the way, then it becomes easier. You are thinking of driving a car. If somebody expert... (break) ...that is practical. Yes.

Śyāmasundara: He says that it is very difficult because the nonego objects are always trying to lead us astray.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore you have to take advantage of an experienced man who knows things. He does not accept any superior.

So just like it is the father's duty if the son goes astray, in wrong way, the father is always affectionate. He tries to bring him back again home by, either by punishing or some way or some means. That is father's duty.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like we are discussing Ajāmila's, this Ajāmila is going to be punished. The Yamarāja is there, the officer is there. He has sent his men to arrest. So just like it is the father's duty if the son goes astray, in wrong way, the father is always affectionate. He tries to bring him back again home by, either by punishing or some way or some means. That is father's duty. So this is going on. Those who are in this material world, they are simply suffering on account of foolishness. So they are punished. This punishment means to correct him, to correct him to the proper position, and this is going on. So without being corrected, if one is intelligent enough, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa and revives his old constitutional position, and that is the platform of spiritual life of bliss and knowledge.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Even if you get next life birth in a rich man's family, that is not guarantee. Because generally, rich man's sons, they go astray. They get money for nothing and they want to squander it.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1973, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Therefore we forbid to take to the karmī's life. Because at the time of death, if he remains a karmī, then he'll have to take birth as a karmī. That is the risk. So this regulated life, holding class, chanting, that will not make us fall down. That is essential. It is essential, regulate, to follow the regulative principles, chanting sixteen rounds, holding class. You can do anything, but this will keep us alive to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform. If you neglect that, then that is very risky. Even if you get next life birth in a rich man's family, that is not guarantee. Because generally, rich man's sons, they go astray. They get money for nothing and they want to squander it. And material world, if you have got money, so many bad associates will come and help you to squander your money and spoil your life. Because you have got money, then so many friends will come. As soon as you have no money, nobody will come. Even your wife, children will not come. Therefore hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Kṛṣṇa, first of all, takes away the money, makes him poor so that everyone will neglect him, and because he's Kṛṣṇa conscious, he'll take Kṛṣṇa, "Sir, I have no other alternative. Please give me protection." That is also another Kṛṣṇa's policy, special favor, that "This man wanted Me. Now he's going astray. All right. That's all right. Take everything of his..."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

For Vaiṣṇava there is no suffering, personally. But he is very much anxious: "How these rascals will be happy?" That is his business. "These rascals are misled. They are going astray, unhappy. So how they should be happy?"

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: A Vaiṣṇava has no problem. Because he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he has no problem. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa also gives guarantee, "Anyone who has taken shelter of My..., he is saved. I will give him protection." Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ mokṣayiṣyāmi sarva... Everything is there. For Vaiṣṇava there is no suffering, personally. But he is very much anxious: "How these rascals will be happy?" That is his business. "These rascals are misled. They are going astray, unhappy. So how they should be happy?" So that is Vaiṣṇava's business. So the Vaiṣṇava, therefore, will have no politics. Politics means planning for one's own happiness. That is politics. So in our society there should be no diplomacy, no politics. Everyone should be eager how to do good to others. That is Vaiṣṇava. If he's planning something, that "I shall be leader," "I shall be doing something," that is not Vaiṣṇavism. That politics is not good.

That's all right. But why you should kill animal?

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Yogeśvara: (translates) There's a story. Someone asked Lord Jesus to describe how we should love all people. Describe... Just like a man who has one hundred sheep and there is one of them who has gone astray, he is lost, so the man leaves aside all of his other hundred sheep to go looking for that one sheep. So in the same way, he says, we must take care of the people who are suffering. The minority, those who are suffering, they must receive food, they must be given help and fed.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But why you should kill animal?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

So almost fifty percent of my devotees are, they are collected from these disappointed persons, young men. They are going astray. So they appreciate that I have saved them.

Radio Interview -- May 25, 1975, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: Because Indian people, being subjugated for at least one thousand years, they have lost their original culture. And, being poverty-stricken, they are simply after money, by hook and crook. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayā apahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). Persons who have lost their consciousness on account of being too much attached to material enjoyment, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I thought that America, they have enjoyed enough of this material happiness, money and women, and they are now becoming disappointed. So they are at least on the platform of renunciation. They don't want any more like their fathers and grandfathers. Of course, they are not guided. Therefore I preferred to go there to guide them. So almost fifty percent of my devotees are, they are collected from these disappointed persons, young men. They are going astray. So they appreciate that I have saved them. Therefore they are after me, this younger generation, and they are helping me in broadcasting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1967 Correspondence

Even amongst our God-brothers we have misunderstanding but none of us is astray from the service of Krishna. My Guru Maharaja ordered us to execute his mission combinedly.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 18 November, 1967:

The best way to get out of the clutches of Maya is to concentrate our attention in the loving service of Krishna. I understand that Hayagriva and Kirtanananda are continuing to chant Hare Krishna is their center. I hope therefore they will not go astray and the misunderstanding may be cleared up in due course of time. (Even amongst our God-brothers we have misunderstanding but none of us is astray from the service of Krishna. My Guru Maharaja ordered us to execute his mission combinedly. Unfortunately we are now separated. But none of us have stopped preaching Krishna Consciousness. Even if there was misunderstanding amongst the God-brothers of my Guru Maharaja none of them deviated from the transcendental loving service of Krishna. The idea is that provocation and misunderstanding may remain between one man and another. But our staunch faith in Krishna Consciousness may not allow any material disruption. Please therefore try to be sympathetic with any person even if they differ. The only qualification we have to scrutinize is if one is acting in Krishna Consciousness as far as one is able to do it.)

1971 Correspondence

It appears that Lilasakti is a very good preacher, so help each other to become better and better preachers of this Krishna Consciousness movement. Don't fall astray.

Letter to Madhucara -- Nairobi 25 September, 1971:

So far your getting yourself married is concerned, I have no objection if it meets with Karandhara's approval. It appears that Lilasakti is a very good preacher, so help each other to become better and better preachers of this Krishna Consciousness movement. Don't fall astray. Separation is absolutely forbidden at any time. Always think of Krishna and be happy.

1972 Correspondence

They are interested to get knowledge, but the materialistic knowledge will lead them astray from real goal of their intelligence, and all of their credits in education will only add up to so many zeros.

Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

Because there is close proximity of many students, the important thing to give them is our book and literature. They are interested to get knowledge, but the materialistic knowledge will lead them astray from real goal of their intelligence, and all of their credits in education will only add up to so many zeros. But if you yourself are very much well-acquainted with our Krishna philosophy, you will be able to convince them that if they make Krishna or God the center of their learning process, never mind they're scientists, chemists, politicians, whatever they may be, if they put Krishna in front of so many zeros they will come out with a huge sum and their life will be very much perfect.