Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Hindrance

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

The Lord was then married with great pomp and gaiety, and at this time He began to preach the congregational chanting of the holy name of, the Lord at Navadvīpa. Some of the brāhmaṇas became envious of His popularity, and they put many hindrances on His path. They were so jealous that they finally took the matter before the Muslim magistrate at Navadvīpa. Bengal was then governed by Pathans, and the governor of the province was Nawab Hussain Shah. The Muslim magistrate of Navadvīpa took up the complaints of the brāhmaṇas seriously, and at first he warned the followers of Nimāi Paṇḍita not to chant loudly the name of Hari. But Lord Caitanya asked His followers to disobey the orders of the Kazi, and they went on with their saṅkīrtana (chanting) party as usual. The magistrate then sent constables who interrupted a saṅkīrtana and broke some of the mṛdaṅgas (drums). When Nimāi Paṇḍita heard of this incident He organized a party for civil disobedience. He is the pioneer of the civil disobedience movement in India for the right cause. He organized a procession of one hundred thousand men with thousands of mṛdaṅgas and karatālas (hand cymbals), and this procession passed over the roads of Navadvīpa in defiance of the Kazi who had issued the order.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.8.42, Translation:

O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else.

SB 1.9.38, Purport:

But He did so because the warrior devotee wanted to see the transcendental beauty of the Lord decorated with wounds created by a pure devotee. This is the way of exchanging transcendental rasa, or relations between the Lord and the servitor. By such dealings both the Lord and the devotee become glorified in their respective positions. The Lord was so angry that Arjuna checked Him when He was moving towards Bhīṣmadeva, but in spite of Arjuna's checking, He proceeded towards Bhīṣmadeva as a lover goes to a lover, without caring for hindrances. Apparently His determination was to kill Bhīṣmadeva, but factually it was to please him as a great devotee of the Lord. The Lord is undoubtedly the deliverer of all conditioned souls. The impersonalists desire salvation from Him, and He always awards them according to their aspiration, but here Bhīṣmadeva aspires to see the Lord in His personal feature. All pure devotees aspire for this.

SB 1.11.32, Purport:

Although due to feminine shyness there were many hindrances to embracing the dear husband, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the queens performed that act by seeing Him, by putting Him in the cores of their hearts, and by sending their sons to embrace Him. Still, the act remained unfinished, and tears rolled down their cheeks despite all endeavors to check them. One indirectly embraces the husband by sending the son to embrace him because the son is developed as part of the mother's body. The embrace of the son is not exactly the embrace of husband and wife from the sexual point of view, but the embrace is satisfaction from the affectionate point of view. The embrace of the eyes is more effective in the conjugal relation, and thus according to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī there is nothing wrong in such an exchange of feeling between husband and wife.

SB 1.13.56, Translation:

He will have to suspend all the actions of the senses, even from the outside, and will have to be impervious to interactions of the senses, which are influenced by the modes of material nature. After renouncing all material duties, he must become immovably established, beyond all sources of hindrances on the path.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.4.18, Purport:

The system of caste, or varṇāśrama-dharma, is no longer regular even amongst the so-called followers of the system. Nor is it now possible to reestablish the institutional function in the present context of social, political and economic revolution. Without any reference to the particular custom of a country, one can be accepted to the Vaiṣṇava cult spiritually, and there is no hindrance in the transcendental process. So by the order of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the cult of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or the Bhagavad-gītā can be preached all over the world, reclaiming all persons willing to accept the transcendental cult.

SB 2.7.52, Purport:

As we have already explained, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is so scientifically presented that any sincere student of this great science will be able to understand the science of God simply by reading it with attention or simply by regularly hearing it from the bona fide speaker. Everyone is hankering after happiness in life, but in this age the members of human society, blind as they are, do not have the proper vision that the Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all happiness because He is the ultimate source of everything (janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1)). Happiness in complete perfection without hindrance can be achieved only by our devotional relationship with Him. And it is only by His association that we can get free of distressful material existence. Even those who are after the enjoyment of this material world can also take shelter of the great science of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and they will be successful at the end. Nārada is therefore requested or ordered by his spiritual master to present this science with determination and in good plan. Nārada was never advised to preach the principles of Bhāgavatam to earn a livelihood; he was ordered by his spiritual master to take the matter very seriously in a missionary spirit.

SB 2.9.25, Translation:

Lord Brahmā said: O Personality of Godhead, You are situated in every living entity's heart as the supreme director, and therefore You are aware of all endeavors by Your superior intelligence, without any hindrance whatsoever.

SB 2.9.30, Purport:

Devotees of the Lord are engaged in the specific duty offered by the Lord, and such duties are successfully carried out without hindrance because they are ordained by the Lord. The credit of success goes not to the doer but to the Lord. But persons with a poor fund of knowledge take the credit of success into their own accounts and give nothing to the credit of the Lord. That is the symptom of the nondevotee class of men.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.24.40, Purport:

Kardama Muni was anxious about his good wife, Devahūti, while leaving home, and so the worthy son promised that not only would Kardama Muni be freed from the material entanglement, but Devahūti would also be freed by receiving instruction from her son. A very good example is set here: the husband goes away, taking the sannyāsa order for self-realization, but his representative, the son, who is equally educated, remains at home to deliver the mother. A sannyāsī is not supposed to take his wife with him. At the vānaprastha stage of retired life, or the stage midway between householder life and renounced life, one may keep his wife as an assistant without sex relations, but in the sannyāsa order of life one cannot keep his wife with him. Otherwise, a person like Kardama Muni could have kept his wife with him, and there would have been no hindrance to his prosecution of self-realization.

SB 3.29.28, Purport:

Experience shows that some hills and mountains grow. This is due to the presence of the soul within that stone. Above that, the next manifestation of the living condition is development of consciousness, and the next manifestation is the development of sense perception. In the Mokṣa-dharma section of the Mahābhārata it is stated that trees have developed sense perception; they can see and smell. We know by experience that trees can see. Sometimes in its growth a large tree changes its course of development to avoid some hindrances. This means that a tree can see, and according to Mahābhārata, a tree can also smell. This indicates the development of sense perception.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.30.17, Translation:

The Lord then blessed all the Pracetās, saying: My dear princes, by My mercy, you can enjoy all the facilities of this world as well as the heavenly world. Indeed, you can enjoy all of them without hindrance and with full strength for one million celestial years.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.8.27-28, Translation:

May the glorification of the transcendental name, form, qualities and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect us from the influence of bad planets, meteors, envious human beings, serpents, scorpions, and animals like tigers and wolves. May it protect us from ghosts and the material elements like earth, water, fire and air, and may it also protect us from lightning and our past sins. We are always afraid of these hindrances to our auspicious life. Therefore, may they all be completely destroyed by the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.15.43-44, Purport:

The actual aim of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, but there are many hindrances created by the three modes of material nature—sometimes by a combination of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, the modes of passion and ignorance, and sometimes by the mode of goodness. In the material world, even if one is a philanthropist, a nationalist and a good man according to materialistic estimations, these conceptions of life form a hindrance to spiritual advancement. How much more of a hindrance, then, are hostility, greed, illusion, lamentation and too much attachment to material enjoyment? To progress toward the target of Viṣṇu, which is our real self-interest, one must become very powerful in conquering these various hindrances or enemies. In other words, one should not be attached to being a good man or a bad man in this material world.

SB 7.15.43-44, Purport:

"The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self." (BG 2.45) Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: (BG 14.18) if one becomes a very good person—in other words, if one is in the mode of goodness—he may be elevated to the higher planetary systems. Similarly, if one is infected by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, he may remain in this world or go down to the animal kingdom. But all of these situations are hindrances on the path of spiritual salvation.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.7.8, Purport:

Here is evidence that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme controller of everything. As we have previously described, there are two classes of men—the demons and the demigods—but neither of them are supremely powerful. Everyone has experienced that hindrances are imposed upon us by the supreme power. The demons regard these hindrances as mere accidents or chance, but devotees accept them to be acts of the supreme ruler. When faced with hindrances, therefore, devotees pray to the Lord. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). Devotees endure hindrances, accepting them to be caused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and regarding them as benedictions. Demons, however, being unable to understand the supreme controller, regard such hindrances as accidental. Here, of course, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present personally. It was by His will that there were hindrances, and by His will those hindrances were removed. The Lord appeared as a tortoise to support the great mountain. Kṣitir iha vipulatare tava tiṣṭhati pṛṣṭhe. The Lord held the great mountain on His back. Keśava dhṛta-kūrma-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. Dangers can be created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they can also be removed by Him. This is known to devotees, but demons cannot understand it.

SB 8.20.2, Purport:

Anything that hampers such determination should certainly be rejected. This is the principle of bhakti. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam (CC Madhya 22.100). To perform devotional service, one must accept only that which is favorable and reject that which is unfavorable. Bali Mahārāja had the opportunity to contribute everything he possessed to the lotus feet of Lord Vāmanadeva, but Śukrācārya was putting forward a material argument to hamper this process of devotional service. Under the circumstances, Bali Mahārāja decided that such hindrances should certainly be avoided. In other words, he decided immediately to reject the advice of Śukrācārya and go on with his duty. Thus he gave all his possessions to Lord Vāmanadeva.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.8.19, Purport:

Gargamuni wanted to impress upon the mind of Nanda Mahārāja, "Your worshipable Deity, Nārāyaṇa, is so pleased with you that He has sent you a son almost equal to Him in qualifications. Therefore you may designate your son with a similar name, such as Mukunda or Madhusūdana. But you must always remember that whenever you want to do something very good, there will be many hindrances. Therefore you should raise and protect this child with great care. If you can protect this child very cautiously, as Nārāyaṇa always protects you, the child will be as good as Nārāyaṇa." Gargamuni also indicated that although the child was exaltedly qualified like Nārāyaṇa, He would enjoy more than Nārāyaṇa as rāsa-vihārī, the central enjoyer of the rāsa dance. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam: (Bs. 5.29) He would be served by many gopīs, who would all be as good as the goddess of fortune.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 1.56, Purport:

Those who are serious about the knowledge of the transcendental world, which is far beyond the material cosmic creation, must approach a bona fide spiritual master to learn the science both directly and indirectly. One must learn both the means to approach the desired destination and the hindrances to such progress. The spiritual master knows how to regulate the habits of a neophyte disciple, and therefore a serious student must learn the science in all its aspects from him.

CC Adi 4.67, Purport:

The activities of the samvit-śakti produce the effect of cognition. Both the Lord and the living entities are cognizant. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has full knowledge of everything everywhere, and therefore there are no hindrances to His cognition. He can have knowledge merely by glancing over an object, whereas innumerable impediments block the cognition of ordinary living beings. The cognition of the living beings has three divisions: direct knowledge, indirect knowledge and perverted knowledge. Sense perception of material objects by the mundane senses, such as the eye, ear, nose and hand, always produces definitely perverted knowledge.

CC Adi 7.39, Purport:

Since these impersonalists who do not have perfect spiritual knowledge cannot understand the principles of bhakti-yoga, they must be classified among the nondevotees who are against the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We sometimes feel inconvenienced by the hindrances offered by these impersonalists, but we do not care about their so-called philosophy, for we are propagating our own philosophy as presented in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and getting successful results. Theorizing as if devotional service were subject to their mental speculation, both kinds of Māyāvādī impersonalists conclude that the subject matter of bhakti-yoga is a creation of māyā and that Kṛṣṇa, devotional service and the devotee are also māyā.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 12.193, Translation:

Nityānanda Prabhu immediately refuted Śrīla Advaita Ācārya, saying, “You are a teacher of impersonal monism, and the monistic conclusion is a great hindrance to progressive, pure devotional service.

CC Madhya 24.21, Translation:

“"Even if a learned man is able to count all the minute atoms in this material world, he still cannot count the potencies of Lord Viṣṇu. In the form of the Vāmana incarnation, Lord Viṣṇu, without hindrance, captured all the planets, extending from the root of the material world up to Satyaloka. Indeed, He caused every planetary system to tremble by the force of His steps."

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 8.98, Translation:

After his departure, everything was happy once again. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted invitations as usual and led congregational chanting and dancing. Everyone else also accepted prasādam without hindrances.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 18:

When the devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the transcendental vibration of the holy name, he is quite fit to become a spiritual master and to deliver all the people of the world. The chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it gradually establishes its supremacy above everything in the world. The devotee who chants it becomes transcendentally situated in ecstasy and sometimes laughs, cries and dances in his ecstasy. Sometimes the unintelligent put hindrances in the path of the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but one who is situated on the platform of love of Godhead continues to chant the holy name loudly for the benefit of all concerned. As a result, everyone becomes initiated into the chanting of the holy names—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. By chanting and hearing the holy names of Kṛṣṇa, a person can remember the forms and qualities of Kṛṣṇa.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 31:

Those who are elevated by virtue of experimental knowledge can only satisfy their blunt material senses, either by gross bodily activities or by mental speculation. Everything generated from the body or the mind is always imperfect and perishable, but transcendental spiritual activities are always bright and wonderful. Pure love on the transcendental platform is the paragon of purity because it is devoid of material affection and is completely spiritual. Affection for matter is perishable, as indicated by the inebriety of sex in the material world. But there is no such inebriety in the spiritual world. Hindrances on the path of sense satisfaction cause material distress, but one cannot compare that with the spiritual distress of separation from Kṛṣṇa. In such spiritual separation there is neither inebriety nor ineffectiveness, as one finds with material separation.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion Introduction:

Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality (passive adoration), servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā, and ultimately Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing The Nectar of Devotion, impelled by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda.

Nectar of Devotion 37:

The first symptom of anubhāva, or engagement in a particular type of service, is exemplified by Dāruka, a servant of Kṛṣṇa who used to fan Kṛṣṇa with a cāmara, a bunch of hair. When he was engaged in such service, he was filled with ecstatic love, and the symptoms of ecstatic love became manifest in his body. But Dāruka was so serious about his service that he checked all of these manifestations of ecstatic love and considered them hindrances to his engagement. He did not care very much for these manifestations, although they automatically developed.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 2, Purport:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement offers a spiritual community that can bring about a peaceful condition in the world. Every intelligent man should purify his consciousness and rid himself of the above-mentioned six hindrances to devotional service by taking wholehearted shelter of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Nectar of Instruction 3, Purport:

Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of devotional service and take to the path of the karmī, jñānī or yogī. This is called utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 16:

After hearing this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was acting as a small human child, ordered the serpent thus: “You must immediately leave this place and go to the ocean. Leave without delay. You can take with you all your offspring, wives and everything that you possess. Don’t pollute the waters of the Yamunā. Let it be drunk by My cows and cowherd boys without hindrance.” The Lord then declared that the order given to the Kāliya snake be recited and heard by everyone so that no one need fear Kāliya any longer.

Krsna Book 23:

Kṛṣṇa welcomed them with the following words: "My dear wives of the brāhmaṇas, you are all very fortunate and are welcome here. Please let Me know what I can do for you. Your coming here to see Me, neglecting all the restrictions and hindrances of relatives, fathers, brothers and husbands, is completely befitting. One who does this actually knows his self-interest, because rendering transcendental loving service unto Me, without motive or restriction, is actually auspicious for the living entities."

Krsna Book 36:

That is my plan. And after killing these two boys, I shall kill Vasudeva and Nanda, who are supporters of the Vṛṣṇi and Bhoja dynasties. I shall also kill my father, Ugrasena, and his brother Devaka, because they are actually my enemies and are hindrances to my diplomacy and politics. Thus I shall get rid of all my enemies. Jarāsandha is my father-in-law, and I have a great monkey friend named Dvivida. With their help it will be easy to kill all the kings on the surface of the earth who support the demigods. This is my plan. In this way I shall be free from all opposition, and it will be very pleasant to rule the world without obstruction. You may know also that Śambara, Narakāsura and Bāṇāsura are my intimate friends, and when I begin this war against the kings who support the demigods, they will help me considerably. Surely I shall be rid of all my enemies. Please go immediately to Vṛndāvana and encourage the boys to come here to see the beauty of Mathurā and take pleasure in the wrestling competition.”

After hearing this plan of Kaṁsa's, Akrūra replied, “My dear King, your plan is very excellently made to counteract the hindrances to your diplomatic activities. But you should maintain equilibrium, for the result of your activities may be fruitful or may not be fruitful.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.2:

However, the path to this perfect realization is fraught with hindrances caused by māyā, the insurmountable material energy. In this regard one may ask, "If by serving Lord Kṛṣṇa one can automatically discharge all subsidiary duties, then why doesn't everyone in the world surrender to Lord Kṛṣṇa and worship Him as the supreme absolute being? Almost everyone in the world more or less agrees that there is only one God, not two or more. Yet when that one and only Supreme Personality, Lord Kṛṣṇa, comes personally to declare this truth, why do people still refuse to surrender to Him? Perhaps it is understandable that those who are illiterate and ignorant cannot accept Lord Kṛṣṇa's supremacy and therefore do not surrender to Him. But there are many erudite scholars, philosophers, and leaders of society who extensively discuss the scriptures yet still do not take shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.11:

We should simply follow in the footsteps of the previous spiritual masters. In the Lord's presence, everyone is equal. Therefore, whoever serves the Lord with unwavering single-mindedness is listed among His close associates. They are truly "hari-janas," Lord Hari's own men. To rubber-stamp as a hari-jana a person who does not possess the prerequisite—devotional service—is a farce and an onerous hindrance on the path of devotional surrender.

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad 18, Translation:

O my Lord, as powerful as fire, O omnipotent one, now I offer You all obeisances, falling on the ground at Your feet. O my Lord, please lead me on the right path to reach You, and since You know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my past sins so that there will be no hindrance to my progress.

Sri Isopanisad 18, Purport:

As described in the previous mantras, the real or ultimate aspect of the Absolute is His feature as the Personality of Godhead, and His impersonal brahma-jyotir feature is a dazzling covering over His face. Fruitive activities, or the karma-kāṇḍa path of self-realization, is the lowest stage in this endeavor. As soon as such activities even slightly deviate from the regulative principles of the Vedas, they are transformed into vikarma, or acts against the interest of the actor. Such vikarma is enacted by the illusioned living entity simply for sense gratification, and thus such activities become hindrances on the path of self-realization.

Mukunda-mala-stotra (mantras 1 to 6 only)

Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 5, Purport:

Genuine religion, however, does not culminate in either economic development, sense gratification, or salvation. The perfection of religion is to attain complete satisfaction of the spirit soul, and this is accomplished by rendering devotional service to the Lord, who is beyond the perception of the material senses. When the living being directs his eternal service attitude toward the eternal Supreme Being, such service can never be hampered by any sort of material hindrance. Such transcendental service is above even salvation, and therefore it certainly does not aim at any kind of material reward in the shape of name, fame, or gain.

Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 6, Purport:

The defiance is due to the transcendental position of the Lord's form, name, qualities, pastimes, and so on. The śruti mantras declare that although the Lord has no hands He can accept anything we offer Him with devotion, although He has no feet He can travel anywhere, and although He has no mundane eyes He can see anywhere and

everywhere without hindrance. The Brahma-saṁhitā describes each of His senses as omnipotent. The mundane eye can see but not hear, but His eyes can see, hear, eat, generate offspring, and so on. The śruti mantras say that He impregnates material nature with the seeds of living beings simply by casting His glance at her. He does not need any other kind of intercourse with mother nature to beget the living beings in her womb and become their father.

Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)

Narada Bhakti Sutra 1, Purport:

In the present sūtra Nārada Muni states that a pure devotee is "indifferent toward what stands in the way of (the Lord's) service." If a devotee encounters some hindrance in his service to the Lord, he prays to the Lord to please remove it. A good example is Queen Kuntī:

atha viśveśa viśvātman viśva-mūrte svakeṣu me
sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi dṛḍhaṁ pāṇḍuṣu vṛṣṇiṣu
tvayi me 'nanya-viṣayā matir madhu-pate 'sakṛt
ratim udvahatād addhā gaṅgevaugham udanvati

"O Lord of the universe, soul of the universe, O personality of the form of the universe, please, therefore, sever my tie of affection for my kinsmen, the Pāṇḍavas and the Vṛṣṇis. O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else" (SB 1.8.41-42).

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Therefore we have to take from Arjuna how he accepted Bhagavad-gītā. He said, sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye: (BG 10.14) "Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever You are speaking, whatever You have spoken, I take them as it is." This is study of Bhagavad-gītā. So the hindrance is this svajanam. Now he is presenting. He is presenting himself as fool number one, although he is not so. But he is creating the ground for Kṛṣṇa's speaking on Bhagavad-gītā. This is the principle. Therefore he is not at all affected by the svajanam, but he is presenting, "This is my problem, that I have to kill..." Dṛṣṭvā imaṁ svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa. "By seeing my own kinsmen, because I am fool number one..." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tridhātuke (SB 10.84.13)." I am calling them svajana. In śāstra it is called svajanākhya-dasyu.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

These people, they do not know. Because they are asuras, they do not know what to do in this human form of life and what not to do. They are killing animals without any hesitation. They do not know these rascals. And still they are spiritual leaders. How horrible condition is this, in this Kali-yuga. Just imagine. Without any restriction, without any hindrance, they are committing sinful life. They do not know, next life, all this boastfulness, pride, will be finished. He will have to accept another body, which will be offered by the material nature. You cannot say that "I will not accept this body; I want this body." No. Nature is not under your dictation. You have to abide by the dictation of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. This verse of Bhagavad-gītā is very important.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Then there is anomaly. There is some chaos in the society. So at the present moment the education department does not distinguish who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya or a śūdra. And because the things have topsy-turvied, there is chaos all over the world, not only here or there, because the division of labor or the division of working has been overlapped. Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for creating some brāhmaṇas, or the most intelligent class of men. There is no hindrance. Anyone can become brāhmaṇa. Just like in education anyone can become engineer, anyone can become medical practitioner or anyone can become lawyer if he takes such education from the very beginning, similarly, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, there are natural division of the society. But at the present moment there is scarcity of brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means who has got very nice intellectual brain, who can understand the Absolute Truth. He is called brāhmaṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create some good brains so that he can understand, one can understand what is the Absolute Truth. This is the movement.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

But because they do everything in relation with the Supreme Lord, therefore they are called devatās, devatā. Devatā means demigods. And asura. Asura means just the opposite. They simply enjoy life for the matter of sense pleasure. That's all. So those who are interested in sense pleasure, they are called asuras, and those who are interested, unending spiritual pleasure, they are called devatās. Devatā and asura does not mean that asuras are very ugly and devatās are very beautiful. Even the ugly man can become a devatā, or even a beautiful man may become asura. That is due to his mentality. Because, after all, the soul is pure. When he is in unnatural condition of life, wants to enjoy simply the material senses, he becomes asura. So asura can be turned into devatā. There is no hindrance.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Actually, we are eternal. Both God and the living entities they are qualitatively one, eternal. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sat means eternity, and cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of joy. These are the qualifications of God and living entity. Therefore we are hankering after pleasure. All people are working hard, day and night, for pleasure. Because by constitution, he is pleasureful, joyful. As soon as there is little hindrance to the process of his joyfulness he becomes sorry. This is my nature. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). But God and the living entity, both being sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ... Vigraha means form, individuality. So God has form, and you have got also form, I have got also form, everyone has got form. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme individual personality, and we are subordinate personalities. That is the difference. Otherwise, in quality, God, you and me, are all the same. That Kṛṣṇa says.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

First class or superior dharma. Paraḥ means superior, transcendental. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). When we surrender to the Adhokṣaja... Adhokṣaja means the supreme transcendence, or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja. Ahaituky apratihatā. Ahaitukī means without any cause. Without any cause. Not that "Kṛṣṇa is such and such, therefore I surrender." No. Without any cause. Ahaituky apratihatā. And it cannot be checked. Nobody can check. If you want to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no checking, there is no hindrance. You can do it in any position. You can do it. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. Then you will, ātmā, your ātmā, your soul, your mind, your body, will be satisfied. This is the process.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

You know that the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, they have got the sacred thread. You have seen. I have got the sacred thread. This is, of course, not very valuable. It is... (chuckles) It is made of cotton. But this is a badge. This badge is given to a person who is twice-born, who is twice-born.

So anyone can become twice-born. There is no hindrance.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

They're mad after Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is not due to my bribing them. They're actually realizing that they are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. So anyone can do that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, therefore, that there are many thousands of names of God. Although we say that the only perfect name is Kṛṣṇa, but if you think, "No, we have got another name," that's all right. But it must be the name of God. It must be full with the conception of God. If you have got, you can chant that name also. There is no hindrance. Nāmnām akāri. Because every name being identical with God, every name of God is as powerful as God. As powerful, because identical. Identical; therefore every name has got the same power and potency as the Supreme Person, God, has got. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija sarva śaktis. Nija sarva śaktis: all potencies are there. Tatrārpitā. There is, it is already endowed with all the potencies.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

That is a different subject matter. But the difficulty is, at the present moment especially, the more one becomes advanced in this material knowledge, he becomes atheist. He becomes disbeliever. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, jaḍa-vidyā yata māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. It is simply hindrances. anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā jīva ke karaye gadha. Every word has got meaning. Jīva ke karaye gadha. This gāḍha, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said... It is not Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wordings; it is the Vedic scripture. Kṛṣṇa also said, na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍhāḥ, mūḍhāḥ means gāḍha, "who has no knowledge." So anyone who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, what he is? He is in the four classes: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

If you want to make progress in the matter of chanting the holy name of the Lord, then you have to learn also toleration. So many people will criticize. So many people will be prepared to unnecessarily put hindrances in your path. So one has to learn if one is serious to make progress in knowledge. Actual knowledge is to understand God, that is actual knowledge. Therefore it is called Vedānta. Vedānta. Veda means knowledge and anta means the ultimate. The ultimate knowledge is to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

So the ladies and gentlemen who are present here, kindly take this instruction of the śāstra. Then you become situated in the transcendental, first-class system of religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). Ahaituki. But don't chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with any motive. That is not good. Even if you chant with motive, that will take little time to become pure devotee, but better without any motive. As a matter of duty, you chant regularly. Ahaituky apratihatā. Then there will be no hindrances. You'll make progress without any hindrances. Ahaituky apratihatā. And then you'll be pleased. Yenātmā samprasīdati. Then you'll be feeling transcendental bliss. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni (CC Antya 20.12). And all the blazing fire of this material world will be extinguished. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni. Here, in this material world, it is compared with dāvāgni. Dāvāgni means the forest fire. Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes place.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

That is the general public; they say like that. But no. Bhakti is not that conditional, that you finish your business of sense gratification, then you become bhakta. No. Become bhakta immediately. Immediately. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). If one is intelligent, he should begin devotional service immediately. As soon as he gets the information that devotional service is the perfect type of religion, he should take immediately, without waiting. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is not that "I am conditioned by so many things. I cannot take to bhakti just now." No. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā. Without any check. Without any hindrance, you can adopt bhakti.

In another place... Of course, we shall come to that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

If you have come here for sex life, if you increase your sex life, then you'll be bound up by the material laws. Again accept... If you want to increase your sex life, nature will give you facilities: "All right, you become a hog. You can have sex life without any discrimination." The hog has no discrimination, mother, sister. So nature will give you that facilities. "You want sex life? All right, you get. Un..., without any hindrance, take it."

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

So therefore it is said here that ahaituky apratihatā. Do not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead for some material benefit. That is not pure devotion. Pure devotion means it should be without any motive and it cannot be checked. It cannot be checked. There may be so many hindrances. But one who is pure devotee, his business cannot be stopped. Therefore it is called ahaituky apratihatā. And when one comes to that stage, then ātmā suprasīdati. The example is vivid. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was insulted by his stepmother, and therefore he wanted, according to the instruction of his mother, to pray to God to retaliate the insult of stepmother. And he went to the forest and meditated and practiced how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Within six months he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But when he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was fully satisfied. He said that kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnam: "Sir, I came to search out some particles of glass.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

The result of bhajana will be substantiated when anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, he's no more interested with some unwanted things. We have practiced so many unwanted things. The first of all—illicit sex, making so-called lusty affairs without any married bondage, illicit sex. This is anartha. Why? If you want sex, get yourself married according to śāstra. Then there is no hindrance. According to Vedic civilization, the, a girl must be married. But in every country I see the female population is more than the male population. Then how every girl should be married? Therefore in India more than one wife was allowed. Now it is not allowed. That is the Vedic injunction, kanyā-dāna. The father must get, find out a husband for his daughter. There are many histories, the Kulīna brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

So following her footsteps, any woman can also understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ready to be understood by anyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ... (BG 9.32). Simply we have to follow the path how to appreciate Kṛṣṇa, how to understand Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to talk with Him, how to walk with Him. These things are there. That is called bhakti-yoga. Where you learn this science of bhakti-yoga—that we have mentioned, Nectar of Devotion, the perfect science of bhakti-yoga. So if one is interested in seeing Kṛṣṇa, then there is no hindrance, there is no block. Anyone. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

Devotee:

tvayi me 'nanya-viṣayā
matir madhu-pate 'sakṛt
ratim udvahatād addhā
gaṅgevaugham udanvati
(SB 1.8.42)

"O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else."

Prabhupāda: In the previous verse, Kuntī prayed that sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi dṛḍhaṁ pāṇḍuṣu vṛṣṇiṣu. She prayed, "My dear Lord, kindly cut off my attraction for the Pāṇḍu, Pāṇḍava family and Vṛṣṇi family." So by cutting off or giving up the attraction for material things, that is not sufficient. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This world is false and Brahman is truth." We also say the same thing. But what is the difference? The difference is that you are living entity.

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

Pradyumna: "O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You, without being diverted to anyone else."

Prabhupāda:

tvayi me 'nanya-viṣayā
matir madhu-pate 'sakṛt
ratim udvahatād addhā
gaṅgevaugham udanvati
(SB 1.8.42)

So in the previous verse, Kuntīdevī prayed to Kṛṣṇa, sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi: "Please cut off my attraction, the rope..." Just like rope is cut. If your hands and legs are tied up with rope, and if you want to be free, then the knot is cut into pieces.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

So the father denied, "No, no, I cannot give you my daughter to you." "Why?" "Because you have got grown-up son, and he will be the king. Why my daughter shall be married with you just like a maid-servant? No." So Bhīṣmadeva could understand that "My father desires to marry this young girl, Satyavatī, and there is some hindrances." So he approached, that "Why don't you give my father your daughter?" So he said, "Because you are his eldest son. You will become king." So he immediately promised that "No, your daughter's son will become king. I will not become king. Give my father, sir." So he said, "No, no, still it is not possible." "Why?" "Because you may not become king. Then your son will become king. I don't want that." So in this way Bhīṣmadeva said, "No, then I shall not marry. Is that all right? Still..." Then he gave his daughter, "Yes." Satyavatī.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

So that is very difficult. Therefore a sādhu is advised, titikṣavaḥ, tolerate! Tolerate all this nonsense! What can be done? We have no other alternative, to tolerate. Nobody's coming to help us. Our business is so thankless task. Because we are trying to create one temple, so many enemies, they are giving hindrance, "You cannot do it." Therefore titikṣava. You have to remain sādhu. You cannot become asādhu. You have to tolerate. What can be done? Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ (SB 3.25.21). At the same time, you have to become merciful. You know what has happened in this place, Hare Krishna Land.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

Money we have got sufficient. Just to become merciful upon these fallen, conditioned souls, who are suffering on account of becoming animalistic, without any Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore the preacher, the sādhus... These are the sādhus. Titikṣavaḥ, tolerant. "Never mind. Whatever hindrances and tribulations they are offering to us, never mind. Tolerate." Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ (SB 3.25.21). Suhṛdaḥ, means the heart is so nice. Su means nice, and hṛd means heart. They have no other desire. Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means... Just like there are different words: mitra, suhṛdaḥ, bandhu... And Sanskrit is very perfect language. Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means a person who is always thinking of welfare for others. He's called suhṛdaḥ. Otherwise kuhṛdaḥ. The ordinary persons, they are thinking how to make him subdued, how to make him defeated, in competition. That is the polluted heart. And the Vaiṣṇava, he's always thinking how a man can be saved from the clutches of māyā. He's called suhṛdaḥ. He has no other desire. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Not "For my brother, or family," but sarva-dehinām, for all dehīs, all dehīs.

Lecture on SB 3.28.19 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

That will give the impression of the Lord within the heart, and then, either you are walking or you are sitting or you are lying or you are eating or you are talking, you'll always think of Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. It will be automatically done. Sthitaṁ vrajantam āsīnaṁ śayānaṁ vā guhāśayam. Generally the yogis, they try to find out the Viṣṇu mūrti within the core of the heart, but this is as good. When you are walking on the street, then, if you are thinking, there will be no hindrance to your activities, but you can think of Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Just like Mahārāja Ambarish. He was emperor. He had many responsibilities, but he practiced how to think of Kṛṣṇa always.

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

If you simply follow these four principles without arguing foolishly and rascally, manmanā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65), these four principles. "Always think of Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Not I am saying, but Kṛṣṇa personally saying, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto: "Just become My devotee," and māṁ namaskuru, "worship Me." So it doesn't require any M.A., Ph.D. degrees. It doesn't require that Apratihatā. Bhakti is apratihatā, without any hindrance. Nobody can say that "Because I am poor," "Because I am uneducated," "Because I am black," "Because I am white"—no "because." Any condition of life, you can become a devotee and go back to home, back to This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. No material condition can check you. This is our movement.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

So they were busy, nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika. They were consulting many authoritative scriptures, how to put people in the right religious way of life. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika, sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau, actually for doing welfare activities to the people in general, not for themselves. A Vaiṣṇava is liberated, and he can keep himself liberated always, anywhere, any place, without any hindrance, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... So... But still they are very much anxious for the conditioned souls.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

So he became... The training was that he was training to become a brāhmaṇa, śamo, dama, but the progress became checked on account of being attached to a woman. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman is accepted as hindrance to spiritual advancement. The whole basic civilization is how to avoid... Woman... You do not think that only woman is woman. The man is also woman. Don't think that the woman is condemned; man is not. Woman means enjoyed, and man means enjoyer. So this feeling, this feeling is condemned. If I see one woman for enjoyment, so I am man. And if woman also sees another man for enjoyment, she is also man. Woman means enjoyed and man means enjoyer. So anyone who has got feeling of enjoyment, he is considered to be man. So here both sexes meant for... Everyone is planning, "How I shall enjoy?" Therefore he is puruṣa, artificially. Otherwise, originally, we are all prakṛti, jīva, either woman or man. This is outward dress.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

Dāya-bhāk. Dāya-bhāk means just like the son inherits the father's property without any check. Nobody can check. Law is there—"The father's property must be inherited by the son." Similarly, those who are strictly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness despite all kinds of hindrances, his liberation is guaranteed. His liberation is guaranteed. And if he becomes little, immediately disturbed with little inconvenience, and "What is this nonsense, Kṛṣṇa con...? Give it up. Let me enjoy," then he is again in the clutches of māyā. But if one sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in spite of all difficulties, then his liberation, going back to home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. Mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk. This is the statement of the śāstra. Dāya-bhāk means nobody can check him.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Vrndavana, December 4, 1975:

So this is not our business. Our business is to revive our original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter in which pot I am at the present moment. Ahaituky apratihatā. You can taste Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any hesitation, without any check, without any hindrance. You can have. Simply you have to see inside to our consciousness and rectify the consciousness. That is required in this human form of life. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja in the beginning said, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This understanding, this knowledge can be attained only in human form of life. This analysis of unhappiness and distress can be explained before a human being. If I call three dozen dogs here and ask him, "Now hear Bhāgavata," it is not possible. The dog will not be able to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but a man, however low he may be, if he has got little intelligence, he will be able to understand. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. You have got the opportunity to understand what is bhāgavata-dharma. Don't lose it like cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976:

In that condition you cannot approach God. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). (aside:) Who is talking? Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme pure, pavitraṁ paramam. Paramam means extreme. So nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa while He is impure. That is not possible. Just like some rascals, they say, "It doesn't matter what you are eating, what you are doing. There is no hindrance for your spiritual advancement." These rascals, these fools, misleading the whole world that in the matter of understanding the Supreme Person one can behave like the low-grade persons. No. That is not possible. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 7.9.55 -- Vrndavana, April 10, 1976:

So one who is such devotee, simply depending on Kṛṣṇa, naicchat, he doesn't require, neither he desires all those material profits. Tān asurottamaḥ. Asurottamaḥ. Although he was born in the asura family, materialistic family, still, he is uttama; he is no more in the material world. Uttama. Udgata-tama hy asmād. Tama means this material world. So those who are devotees, they are not living in this material world. They are in the spiritual world, uttama. It doesn't matter in which family he is born. Everyone can become a devotee. There is no hindrance, and there is no check in any material condition to become a devotee. Simply one has to desire how to become a devotee. Then it is fulfilled.

Thank you very much.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

Pradyumna: "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration, servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā, and ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing The Nectar of Devotion, impelled by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is described as akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So there are different rasas, five primary rasas. Rasa means the mellow or the taste which we enjoy in every activity. That is called rasa. Everything is done with some taste. Whatever you do, you must enjoy some taste out of it. So there are twelve rasas, out of which five rasas are primary and seven rasas are secondary. They are described here.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975:

This is the fact. So don't think that very big, big businessman or one who has got enough money, he has no anxiety. Anxiety there should be. This is the place of anxiety, kuṇṭha. Prahlāda Mahārāja pointed it out that tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Here, in this material world, whoever is there... The Brahmā is also anxiety, in full of anxiety. Indra... You know. Pṛthu Mahārāja was sacrificing hundred times, and Indra became very much anxious that "If Pṛthu becomes so great, then he may occupy my seat." So he wanted to put hindrances so that he may not fulfill the so many yajñas.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

"God, I am very distressed. Kindly get me relief from this distressed condition." Or "God, I am in need of money, I am very poor. Kindly give me some money." Or any other, "I am now implicated in war." Just like Churchill, he introduced that everyone should go and pray for victory. So England was also praying for victory, and Germany was also praying for victory. So (chuckles) God is perplexed. (laughter) The thief is praying to God that "This night, I may steal without any hindrances." And the householder is praying, "My Lord, thief may not come here and steal my goods." And God has to adjust everything. So just imagine how much busy is God. There are millions and trillions of living entities. Each one of them, if they are at all interested in God—not all—so they are praying. Everyone is praying, "God, give me this benediction. Give me this benediction."

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:

So if something offered by you to Kṛṣṇa is accepted by Him, then you should know that your life is successful. So there is no question of offering God so many things very gorgeously prepared, but you can offer a little flower, a little fruit and little water with love and affection. That means even the poorest man in the world can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no hindrance. Ahaituky apratihatā. Devotional service cannot be checked by any material condition. If anyone wants to worship God, he can do in any condition of life. There is no restriction.

Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakanatha Deity Installation -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

There is no hindrance for anyone to become Harijana. Harijana means God's person or devotee. Hari means God, Kṛṣṇa, and jana means His person. Just like we have got here government servant, special, or ordinary person. So Harijana means the servants of the Supreme Lord. So that is not ordinary thing. There is no harm to create Harijana by regular process, but you cannot make Harijana simply by stamping.

General Lectures

Srila Prabhupada and Disciples Speak -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So Kṛṣṇa showed all these demonstrations just to attract us. Just to let us know what is God. You are puzzled about God, you are speculating. Somebody is saying, "There is no God." Somebody is saying, "There is this, there is that." But here is actual God. So you see. And if you want God, then "Come on. I have come to take you back, back to home, back to Godhead." So this same thing is still going on. If you want to go to God, you can go. There is no hindrance.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Why not? There is no restriction. Marriage is sanctified prescription in every scripture. There were many great souls who were married. Marriage is no hindrance.

Guest (2): But what about celibacy?

Prabhupāda: Celibacy is still better. But one cannot, I mean to say, prosecute a celibate life, he can marry. There is no such restriction.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: He also felt that materialistic progress is a possible hindrance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very good idea. That is confirmed by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā. Material progress means expansion of the external energy, māyā, illusion. So we are already in illusion, and therefore we practically see the so-called scientists, so-called philosophers, because they are materially advanced, they cannot understand even what is God and what is our relationship. So this is hindrance, the so-called advancement of material science, of material knowledge, is undoubtedly hindrance. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are all hindrances to the progressive march of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When we minimize our necessities, that is saintly life—the bare necessities of life. We are not after very luxurious way of life. We are satisfied only with the bare necessities of life. So it is not an attempt for material progress. It is simply an attempt to make spiritual progress, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:
Prabhupāda: That is demonic. Naturally one is in love with God. He should love God. But when he is in māyā he thinks himself as separate from God. Instead of loving Him, he thinks himself as separate from God. Instead of loving Him, he thinks that God is hindrance, my competitor of sense gratification, therefore avoid God, kill God, I become absolute sense gratifier. Anyone who hates God means he is a demon.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Oblations. Yes. This, and to beget child by the husband's younger brother. Formerly, the society allowed that if a woman is young, she has no child, but husband died, so if the husband has younger brother, through the younger brother she could have a child. This system was current. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that these five things are forbidden in this age. So Chand Kazi also replied that "Cow killing is also not generally recommended in the Koran. Actually, beef-eating or flesh-eating is not in the higher stage. But those who are inclined to take flesh, for them it is recommended that instead of killing many small animals, one big animal should be killed. So actually in Mecca, Medina, they kill camel. That is also in the mosque." So the substance of his speech was that flesh-eating ultimately is not recommended. "But those who have no other means, they eat flesh and they recommend that one big animal should be killed. So India, the cow is big animal, therefore we kill. But that is not recommended for advanced spiritual students." In this way... So they were friends, and he understood, Chand Kazi understood that it is very nice movement, that "You are preaching love of Godhead. So I did not understand. So my dear boy, henceforward there will be no hindrances in Your movement and I promise that not only myself but all my descendants will never object Your movement, this saṅkīrtana movement."

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Deki, yes. Simply dag da dag da dag dak. (sound imitation) But the rice is already taken away. So their labor is being spoiled in that way. They, pleasure... For the pleasure's sake, they are spoiling the human facilities. This is their intelligence. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says: jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā jībake karaye gādhā. This jaḍa-vidyā, this material science, is simply a hindrance to our progress of spiritual life. All these rascal scientists, they'll deny God. That is their business. Just like you said yesterday that somebody was accepting God, and the other scientists, they thought: "No, it is insult." So already they are in oblivion. They cannot understand what is God. And these rascals are making them more and more rascals. "There is no God." By their scientific research, the rascals are becoming more rascals. And they're becoming captivated: "This is pleasure." What pleasure you will do you with. Therefore they are, they are gādhā. They are gādhā and they are creating gādhās. That is the song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra... It is expansion of māyā's illusory energy. The so-called scientific advancement is simply expanding the influence of māyā's illusory energy. They're already rascals and fools, and still they are being made rascals and fools. So they're forgetting their real purpose of life and the whole human life is spoiled. This is the result of so-called scientific advancement.

Morning Walk -- December 13, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. One who knows that these material things, it has got a beginning and it has got an end... In every day we see that. Even with our body we see that it has a beginning and it has an end. I have seen my father was born and he died. So I am also born; I'll also die. My son is also born; my son will die. This is real experience. But if somebody says that "I shall not die. We are trying to become immortal," so that is foolishness. That is foolishness. By experience from time immemorial, historical reference, there is no such thing as immortality. But if somebody says, "By chemical evolution we shall become immortal..." Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness proposition is that human life is meant for factual knowledge or ultimate knowledge. But these rascals are checking that progress. That means the prerogative of human life is being denied to the human society. So this kind of hindrances should be stopped, either by soliciting or even by force, because the human society is being ruined. These things have to be stopped. Therefore I was inquiring that "Why American went to Vietnam?" To stop communism, but that sort of stopping will not make any solution. We have to stop demoniac civilization. Then the human society will be happy and in normal condition.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 29, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. In Bombay also, we can go without Deity or... Things are going on. There is no hindrance. Our members are coming. They are becoming members. You see? There is no difficulty. (break) You know the parliamentary question?

Gargamuni: Yes.

Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: Yes, and they gave us that park and at the last moment they rejected. First of all they gave then at the last moment the municipality thought that this land cannot be given to any religion. And offered that (indistinct). So we had no other alternative. (indistinct) And the government indirectly giving us so much hindrance. They do not like it. One of the important members (indistinct), he frankly said that we do not want that your movement will increase very fast in India. Because they know it, (indistinct), that India is naturally inclined to Kṛṣṇa. And if the selected people of the world combine together and push this movement in India, the whole program of the modern leaders (indistinct) That's a fact. And that was my (indistinct) I wanted to start this movement from India but nobody cooperated, so then I decided to come to America and my plan was successful.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And they gave us place. At the last moment they rejected. First of all they gave. Then, at the last moment, the municipality said, "No, this land cannot be given to any religious function." Rejected. And offered, "If you like, you can take this place." So we had no other alternative to accept it. We advertised that "We are going to hold this ceremony," and the authority rejected at the eleventh hour and offered the Tal Kotara place. We had to accept it. And the government indirectly giving us so many hindrances in India. Yes. They do not like. One of the important member of the cabinet, he frankly said that "We do not want that your movement will increase very fast in India." Because they know it, Indira Gandhi and company, that India is naturally inclined to Kṛṣṇa. And if the selected people of the world, combined together, they push this movement in India, then the whole program of the modern leaders will collapse. That's a fact. And that was my idea. I wanted to start this movement from India. But nobody cooperated. So then I decided to come to America. And my plan was successful.

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Australian, that's nice. Learn this art and preach. There is good potency in your country. You are also not poverty. Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣi means very rich, kings. He never said, "All the bungees understood it. All the wretched class understood it." He never taught. It is meant for the leaders of the society, opulent kings and leaders. It is meant for them. Poverty-stricken man cannot under... But there is no bar, there is no hindrance. But this is especially meant for the opulent person. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ? And He instructed first to the sun-god. He is not ordinary person. He instructed later on to Arjuna. He is not ordinary person. Because one important person learns the science, he will preach it all over the earth. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has directly said they are not ordinary persons. So unless one is materially not ordinary, he cannot preach. All the Gosvāmīs, they were coming from respectable... And where Gauḍīya Maṭha came? These are third-class men, no position in their past life.

Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Jagadīśa is having some preaching programs. So your family is no hindrance. Preaching is not hindered by family, one way or the other.

Prabhupāda: Ahaituky apratihatā. Why don't you understand? Preaching cannot be checked by anything—if you want to preach. In any circumstances you can preach. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Preaching can be executed by four things: by your life, by your money, by your intelligence, and by your words. You have got so many assets. So you can utilize it for preaching. Dedicate your life. If you think that you are family man, you cannot dedicate twenty-four hours, then earn money and give it to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as other family men, they are earning money. Eh? Is it not? You can earn. In America there is good facility for earning money. They want that you work and take money.

Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...for money, the money which will push them to hell. This is their intelligence. We have to give them intelligence, open their eyes. (break) ...angry first of all because mūrkhāyo 'padeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye: "If you give good intelligence to the fools and rascals, they will be angry." But still, you have to do it. Just like when Nityānanda Prabhu went to Jagāi-Mādhāi to deliver them, they became angry and injured. So that is preacher. These rascals will be angry, will sometimes do harm to you, and still, you have to do it. That is preaching. Are you understanding what is preaching? Yes. You have to prepare like that. At all risk you have to preach. (break) ...world is full of rascals, and you have to educate them. So according to one's capacity let them preach, prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. But everyone can preach to some extent. There is no hindrance.

Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: After all, they are human being. Therefore we have collected some nice souls. (break) If you can go to the jungle, that is no hindrance, but let us take the opportunity of the civilized nations, preach them. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). They are leading the whole civilization. If they are convinced, it will be great benefit to the human race. (break) Also my Guru Mahārāja said that "You go to the western country." If he had said that "You go to the jungle," I would have gone. (break) ...preacher, either the jungle or the city is the same. Nārāyaṇa-paraḥ na kutaścana bibhayati. One who is devotee of the Lord, he does not make any discrimination that "This is jungle and this is city." Svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ (SB 6.17.28). For them, everywhere, Kṛṣṇa's property. So where Kṛṣṇa asks him to go and serve, he will go. That's all.

Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: Settle this. I create something which has got so power that it is localized, at the same time sarva-vyāpaka. And I myself, I cannot be sarva-vyāpaka. What is this logic?

Indian man (3): The sun rays are not actually... When there is hindrance, it cannot be on the other side.

Prabhupāda: No, hin... There is question of hindrance. I am seeing as it is. That is another thing.

Indian man (2): Hindrance is already there, as I described before. (laughter) Swamijī, my request is that the world is divided into two main things. One, some people believe, a group, believe that world is formless. Some say world has got a form. So instead of entering to this controversy, why we should not agree that whatever you...?

Prabhupāda: No, this is not controversy.

Morning Walk -- November 11, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is life. This artificial life is no life. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has described this modern civilization of artificial life. So he says, jaḍā vidyā sab, māyāra vaibhava. He declares all these artificial way of life, advancement of material civilization, means advancement of influence of māyā. Jaḍā vidyā sab, māyāra vaibhava. Expansion of the influence of māyā. Then? What is the result? The result is anitya saṁsāre, moho janmeiya. Jaḍā vidyā sab, māyār vaibhava, tomāra bhajane badha. māyā means forgetfulness of God. This is māyā. māyā means the more you forget Kṛṣṇa, the more you are involved in māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So māyā's business is to cover you more and more as you forget Kṛṣṇa. This is māyā's business. So therefore, expansion of māyā's influence means forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Tomāra bhajane badha. They're all hindrances only to make spiritual progress and to understand God.

Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And this American government even, they never put any hindrance in my movement. They have, rather, appreciated. And many American old gentlemen came to congratulate me.

Morning Walk -- December 17, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: He never prayed for her to die. (everyone laughing) He prayed that because now he will have less hindrance in the worship of God. That is what he meant.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is God conscious. Vaiṣṇava, vāñch-kalpa-tarubhya ca krp-sindhubhya eva ca. Vaiṣṇava is an ocean of mercy. Why he should, we should expect another death...? No, no, I'm saying... Nobody, no Vaiṣṇava aspires or thinks that "He may be hampered or he may be harmed for my benefit."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: I possess so much. I possess so much." You'll not be allowed to enjoy, but still.... Therefore all these material possessions are the paraphernalia of māyā. So what is the wrong there? Now, wrong is this, jaḍā-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are hindrances for advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the aim of human life. That, you forget that. So tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre, moha janamiyā. The result is that he becomes more attached to this temporary world and remains the rascal. Because without being rascal, nobody comes in this material world to enjoy. As soon as anyone has come to this material world, he's a rascal. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare, nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare (Prema-vivarta).
Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: If they allow us to forward our movement, then we are satisfied. And when there is hindrance, the person who is hindering, finished. But don't do it now, (chuckles) then you will be finished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you think the time will come when we will...?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Because Kṛṣṇa has two business, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). We are for delivering all people. Anyone who will put hindrance, then we have to finish. Not small, big. That is going on all over the world, politics.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

towards developing pure love.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another place they quote that regulative principles are a hindrance on the path. Because there's a statement that I think Yāmunācārya says.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a statement somewhere in one of your books that when one attains the highest platform...

Prabhupāda: Then where is that highest platform?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, there's no question of it.

Rāmeśvara: One must go through stages.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They questioned, many people think this is a hindrance to progress.

Prabhupāda: So what is progress? In India still, in so fallen condition, we have got practical experience. If there is some arrangement... Sometimes we arrange Hare Kṛṣṇa festival. Each day not less than twenty thousand, thirty thousand, forty thousand people come. Although these, mostly these foreigners, they are chanting, and we are speaking in English, still, to hear the kīrtana, they come from remote villages. In Calcutta I have seen. That is natural tendency of Indians. Bhārata-bhūmi, anyone who has taken birth in India, naturally Kṛṣṇa conscious. By artificial means, they are being suppressed. Just like this Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, they have questioned that... What they have said?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They said that there are many thinkers in India who consider that the Hinduism is fatalistic, and therefore it doesn't encourage people to make material progress.

Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's a fact that the material opulence is actually a hindrance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām, vyavasāyātmikā buddhi... What is that? Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44). Their life will be spoiled. And when they are tired, give them sex, and wine, and meat, and gambling, they are satisfied. Again as soon as they get little energy, again begin another skyscraper. You got this human life for solving all the problem. He is not given the chance. He's engaged otherwise, his life is spoiled.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Soon the whole, our program is going on.

Gargamuni: Oh, yes. No, it's going on more. The book distribution is going on more. More people are joining. There's no hindrance.

Prabhupāda: That I want.

Garden Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh:

Prabhupāda: And he has called Padma-locana. Similarly, this harijana movement is a farce because they remain the Cāmāra and Bhangis, and still they are called harijana. The same thing. No locana, but padma-locana. Everyone has got right. You can become the most advanced devotee. There is no hindrance. But they must be trained up as harijana. Not that artificially you simply rubberstamp harijana. Therefore that movement is failure. We have no objection to make anyone... Kṛṣṇa says māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni, lower class.

Garden Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh:
Prabhupāda: So the spiritual movement means to take up the spirit soul within the body and to elevate him from the conditioned life. That is spiritual movement. He has been put into condition. So that action can be taken without any hindrances. Without any impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. That verse I was speaking yesterday, that without any cause, without any impediments, the soul can be raised by the process. Kṛṣṇa says māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Never mind one is born in low class family, poor, ugly, uneducated family. It doesn't matter.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, attached or not attached, if you touch fire it will burn. That's all. This is karma. If you... Just like child touches fire. It doesn't matter whether he is child or not; fire's business is to burn. Karmaṇā. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). So karma, śubhā-śubha saba bhaktir baddha. Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Śubha karma or a śubha karma, they are all hindrances to spiritual progress. In material world, good and bad, both are the same. Dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. Bhadra and abhadra. Bhadra means good; abhadra means bad. Sakali samāna ei bhala, ei manda—saba 'manodharma.. "This is good, this is bad"—they are simply mental concoction. So Mr. Kapoor has sent one letter to take the key.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: There is no hindrance on account of this counter propaganda?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So far, I know only in Atlanta and Washington.

Prabhupāda: No, what is the position, Atlanta and Washington?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Atlanta also, they have difficulty. Balavanta told me just before I left that...

Prabhupāda: June.

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, everything requires intelligence. If you haven't got that standard of intelligence, how you can do it? Nowadays, suppose if you do some business, is there a hindrance that "You are low class, you cannot do this business." Neither the government nor the society. You can do it. Why you cannot do it? Just like in Bengal, the Marwaris are rich and Bengalis are... Their land, their country, and their naturals. And the Marwaris have big (indistinct). It is your incapability. Why don't you admit that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Look at this question, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It says "Who are these harijanas? What is their origin? What sins did they commit?"

Prabhupāda: Then you answer that.

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The caste system... Where is the hindrance in the caste system? If you want to become a brāhmaṇa, you can become a brāhmaṇa. Why it should be abolished?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Incorrect understanding of it should be abolished.

Prabhupāda: "This is the definition of becoming a brāhmaṇa." Give this.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is yes. A rascal can become intelligent man. That's good. But without becoming intelligent, remaining rascal, they are living. Otherwise there is no hindrance. I may be rascal, but in future, I may be intelligent by education, by... That is not checked. But the difficulty is that he remains a rascal and claims to be intelligent. That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty. We don't say that "Because you are rascal, you shall continue to remain a rascal." No. You become intelligent. Take advantage of intelligent person. But you remain a rascal and claim to be intelligent, and that is... They are doing. Little learning is dangerous. We say that don't remain rascal. Tamaso mā: "Don't remain in darkness." We say; we are canvassing. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose, that "You are rascal, but don't remain a rascal. Come to the light."

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And especially you can send them from Bombay to Calcutta. There's no hindrance. (Girirāja whispering)

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Girirāja: Well, I wrote a prayer to Lord Kṛṣṇa for your health. So I was... It's in the next room. I was thinking of bringing it and reading it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Doctor Visit and Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Let me hear Hare Kṛṣṇa and peacefully pass away.

Dr. Gopal: But I think I am not making any hindrance in your normal routine. And whatever medicine I am giving you, I will cut it down by fifty percent now.

Prabhupāda: If I can pass in that way, that will be very nice.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 7 April, 1967:

Brahmananda may try Mr. Kallman and Mr. Fulton to help me getting a permanent Visa immediately. These two gentlemen have entered into Contract with me for recording and lecturing all over U.S.A. and it will be a great loss on their part if I am not granted a permanent Visa. Mr. Fulton may arrange immediately some lectures in Canada and that will help us both ways namely to save the Visa from being cancelled at the same time I can visit Montreal without any hindrance.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

So far I am personally concerned, Kirtanananda was doubtful about my existence because he thought that I am dependent on his massaging, so the thought that there is no necessity of Spiritual Master, because Spiritual Master is an ordinary man, and to depend on an ordinary man is a tyranny. Therefore one should always think of Spiritual Master not an ordinary man. You are intelligent and advanced in Krishna Consciousness, and you can understand what is the attack of Spiritual Master by Maya. Maya's duty is to keep the conditioned souls under her clutches, so if there is any hindrance by anyone in the discharge of her duties, she must attack the opposite party. But Krishna saves his sincere servant in Krishna Consciousness. The Pandavas were declared devotees of Krishna ___ and so many troubles in their life; but ultimately they were victorious by the Mercy of Krishna. This is the process of understanding Krishna and his devotees.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Montreal 3 July, 1968:

Question 1, answer: That is the materialistic way of worshiping. Materialists are always careful for maintaining his material status quo first, and then please Visnu. Although they profess to be devotees of Visnu. Therefore the Krishna Consciousness persons are greater than such materialistic worshippers. Materialist person perform all pious activities or devotional activities for some material gain, and as soon as there is any hindrance in the path of material gain, they at once become demon. Therefore bhakti means without any material desires. That is the sign of pure devotee. He has no motive to satisfy his material desires by devotional service.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- West Virginia 3 June, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 30, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I can understand the disturbance of your mind, but why you keep yourself in such artificial disturbance? You can become a householder. That is not prohibited. There are so many good examples of householders, and similarly you can become a householder. Our principle is to enter into the family of Krishna. In the Vaikuntha world there are many devotees who have their wifes, but they are so much absorbed in Krishna Consciousness that they forget the idea of sex-life. Anyway, instead of being agitated in mind, it is better to become a married man and in peaceful mind execute Krishna Consciousness. That is my verdict, and ever since I started this movement I have encouraged marriage to so many disciples. So there is no hindrance in this respect, and you can do the needful.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 11 July, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated July 1, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am pleased to note that you are diligently going out on Sankirtana everyday, and you are managing the temple affairs nicely. You have requested that some brahmacaris may come out to help you in Montreal, but one problem is that the American boys cannot work in Montreal. This is one hindrance. I shall consult with Tamala Krishna to see if there are any boys available from the Los Angeles temple who may go there, but I do not think that these American boys will be able to hold jobs in Montreal. I am anxious to know what is the position of the French Back To Godhead. I received issue #3 several months ago, but since then there has been no further word about this very important publication.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 31 July, 1969:

Jagannatha and Krishna are the same Supreme Personality. If it is Krishna's desire that He should enjoy the function on Janmastami Day, it might be He put some hindrance on the Rathayatra Day plans. So if you decide to hold the function on Janmastami Day, September 4, 1969, then on hearing from you I shall give you further instructions in this connection. But in any case don't be disappointed. Keep your enthusiasm. Be patient, and Krishna will reward your attempts with success.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

The government is neither encouraging or discouraging. sometimes the police department prohibits our Sankirtana Party when they go out in the street. In the United States this hindrance by the police is not very much, but in London they have practically stopped us. In Hamburg and Tokyo they are also not very strict. In the beginning we have difficulty everywhere. By now, as people in general are appreciating our movement—that we are devotees of the Lord, boys and girls of nice behavior and character—they give us as far as possible all concessions. The government draft board has accepted our Society as religious, so they are kind upon us. But, we do not get any direct financial help either from the government or big foundations. Neither have we been able to contact the richer section of the people.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 14 April, 1970:

I am so pleased to learn how the crowd gave their attention to your street play. This is transcendental entertainment. And to distribute Prasadam sumptuously to the crowd is strictly in our Vedic tradition. Now the police have given you permission for continuing the program of festivals throughout the summer, so you get this permission positively. That will serve our purpose in many ways. If the people do not put any hindrance to our routine work, surely we will be able to render a great service to the state.

Another thing, whether Locana das can make a nice statue for placing in the sanctuary of this place? If he can, please send him immediately to do it immediately.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 4 July, 1970:

Regarding the land, many hindrances are coming one after another but still I say that you purchase the land of Jabed Ali. We shall take the risk because the proprietorship of Jabed Ali is clear, so there is not risk of purchasing the land. The next risk is that they will not allow us to construct building. The land in that part of the country is agricultural certainly and Sridhara Maharaja or Yayabar Maharaja have got land in that vicinity however. Sridhara Maharaja's land is not very big plot. So I will be glad to know what is the measurement of the land and what is the price. If Sridhara Maharaja and others' lands are on the agricultural plot and they are permitted to construct building why we shall be refused for doing so? I think you shall purchase the land of Jabed Ali Sekh and at the same time apply for permission. That will be nice. Please immediately let me know if you have removed to the Ballygunge apartment as informed to me previously—this is essential.

Letter to Vrindaban Candra -- Bombay 9 November, 1970:

The important thing is to see that everyone is following a regulated schedule of chanting 16 rounds, reading, Sankirtana, and temple worship. Any breakage in the performance of one's duties will surely be a hindrance in one's advancement. So, as President, you should see that everyone stays engaged 24 hours a day in Krishna's service.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 28 November, 1970:

In hopelessness they declare that God is dead. So these books will supply clear idea of God, not only that but anyone who will read this KRSNA book in two parts, Nectar of Devotion, and if possible Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I'm sure he cannot go away from becoming a devotee of Krishna. So try to push our books, especially Bhagavad-gita As It Is, TLC, KRSNA, NOD, backed by a regular supply of our magazines and regular performance of sankirtana. Then I'm sure Krishna Consciousness Movement will go forward without any hindrance. You have a strong governing body, all determined to push forward this movement and I'm sure of success in the future.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972:

I have instructed all of the GBC men to give up their staying in one place and to remain always constantly traveling throughout their zones from temple to temple. Recently, I have given Sannyasa order of life to Rupanuga, Satsvarupa, and Bali Mardan, and I have made Brahmananda the GBC man for Africa, and I wanted that you should be GBC man for South Pacific zone. So being Sannyasi is no hindrance for being also GBC. In fact, the duties of the GBC men are now to be just like the duties of the Sannyasis. I want that the GBC men should leave the management of the individual centers to the local presidents and concentrate themselves upon preaching work.

Letter to Niranjana -- Vrindaban 1 November, 1972:

Ref: Your second letter from Allahabad. It appears that you have been poisoned by some rascals. Such rascals cannot do anything to push on the mission of Lord Caitanya but can put hindrances in the path of spreading KC all over the world. I am very sorry that you have fallen a victim of such poisonous serpents. Because such easy going rascals are unable to assume the position of "Prabhupada" or unfit for the post, they are so envious and you are talking on their behalf. I am very sorry for this.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 19 December, 1972:

Therefore you are successful, and the work is going on quickly to completion. That is because all of you working there have become very much attached to the dust from Lord Caitanya's Lotus Feet, and because you have got such deep personal interest with that engagement of work, you want to see that it is done nicely without any hindrance of selfish motivation, never mind all kinds of conditions of the material nature. That idea has become prominent for all of you, it is bigger than maya's idea, therefore maya cannot interfere to make you quarrel or other things. But you especially are to take the credit.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Madhukara -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

He accepts not only His occupational duty as cowherd boy, royal prince, but also He accepts married life, He enters politics, He is philosopher, He is even chariot driver during a great battle, He does not give example of Himself avoiding His occupational duty. So if Krsna Himself is exhibiting by His own conduct what is the perfection of existence, then we should heed such example if we are intelligent. Even supposing there is wife at home, with children, that does not matter, that is no hindrance to our spiritual life. And once we have accepted these things, occupational duties, we should not lightly give them up. That is the point. Of course, our occupational duty is as preachers of Krsna consciousness. So we must stick to that business under all circumstances, that is the main thing.

Letter to Dinatarini -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

So far geography and history are concerned, you may teach geography as it is, there is no harm to getting knowledge about our material earth planet, even up to learning all of the countries and places, names, landscape, production, natural resources, climates, oceans, deserts, everything should be there. Krsna Consciousness devotees shall not be known as fools. All of you nice boys and girls have had that kind of education, and you are preaching now Krsna consciousness in its pure form, so there is no hindrance for learning such things, just as you have also learned them as child. So teach them in this way, exactly as you have also been taught geography, history and other things.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Krsnakatha -- Bombay 22 November, 1974:

There is no hindrance of your being a householder so far as distributing books are concerned. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu had many householder disciples who would preach Krishna Consciousness. I understand recently in Toronto the entire temple distributed many "Isopanisads" and other books. So you can engage your self in spare time in this book distribution without any hindrance. Side by side you can also paint pictures for Krishna. In this way fully engage yourself in Krishna's service. That is what I want. Nothing else.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Gurudasa -- New Delhi 21 August, 1975:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 6, 1975 and have noted the contents. The purpose of sannyasa is that now one has no hindrances for preaching work. The purpose is to increase preaching. So if one takes sannyasa and does not increase preaching, then there is no value. So you take this opportunity seriously, and preach and inspire others to also preach. Then there will be no question of thinking of other things. This will all vanish. I have complete faith in you.

Letter to Giriraja -- Vrindaban 26 August, 1975:

I am enclosing a copy of the latest "Back to Godhead", and I am requesting that in your Janmastami Festival meeting you read the article under "ISKCON NEWS" about the Ratha Yatra Festival. The point is that in the foreign countries they are accepting this a bona fide religion and making holidays and our Ratha Yatra is regularly established. But, in our own country they are giving so many hindrances. Anyway, after all we have got the permission. I am also sending you a copy of the corrspondence with Raj Kapoor. This should also be discussed in your meeting how prominent people are giving us respect, why are others making false propaganda? This correspondence can be published by you along with his photograph. I think you have one publication of Member Lists. It can go in there.

Letter to Tripurari -- Bombay 9 November, 1975:

am very much obliged to you and your government that both the people and the government of America do not put any hindrances in distributing our books. This kindness of your nation will cause the blessings of Lord Caitanya to be showered upon them and the higher section of American people will all of them become Krsna conscious. So many books they are reading, so will there not be any effect?

I hope this meets you in good health.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Ajita -- Honolulu 11 May, 1976:

Also, I am accepting Robert Hamilton (Sthayibhava das), and Joseph Hall (Mahamantra das) as my disciples. You can hold fire sacrifice and their beads may be chanted upon by Kirtanananda Swami. They must agree to strictly follow the regulative principles: no illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating, and to chant minimum 16 rounds of japa daily. See that everyone is maintaining this standard of regulation so that there will be no hindrance to developing Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Harikesa -- Vrindaban 28 September, 1976:

Please accept my blessings. I am very much perturbed to hear you are suffering from maleria in Delhi. So don't be worried, you'll very soon recover, but I think it is a hindrance for you going to Europe. I therefore request you not to proceed to Europe immediately, but stay and recoup your health, and then we shall think over your going abroad. In the meantime deposit the money in my account at State Bank of India, Connaught Place. Tejiyas knows the bank and he will do the needful.

Page Title:Hindrance
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:22 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=18, CC=6, OB=16, Lec=38, Con=29, Let=22
No. of Quotes:129