Living in the temple (Lectures)

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Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You follow the temple procedure. You can remain anywhere. It doesn't matter. What is temple? They are following some rules and regulation.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Girl devotee: Is Jesus in the paramparā?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He says, "There is God. I am son of God." That is paramparā. Yes. Unfortunately nobody cares to follow Jesus Christ. That I must say. Jesus Christ says, "Thou shall not kill," and Christians are very expert to kill. (laughter) They take pride in bullfighting. This is the position. So it is very difficult to find out a real Christian.

Man: (Spanish)

Hṛdayānanda: He wants to ask something which is not about you. (?)

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Girl Devotee: (translating) At the present, I can't live in the temple, can't live in the āśrama, but I can still see the devotees. What else can I do?

Prabhupāda: You follow the temple procedure. You can remain anywhere. It doesn't matter. What is temple? They are following some rules and regulation. (break) If you are eating something and if you get a better thing, you'll give it up. So when one takes to bhakti means he understands the inferior quality of karma. So you take the superior quality activities and you forget inferior quality. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). This is the Vedic version. When one finds out superior engagement, he gives up inferior engagement.

Oh, but as you come come, anyone can come. Everyone is welcome. We don't charge anything for this dancing. You go to ball dance and so many other dances, you pay for it. But we don't charge. We simply, our, these students simply beg something because we have to maintain. We don't charge anything. So if you simply come and chant for recreation, it is very nice.

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

Devotee: What is recreation for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person?

Prabhupāda: Recreation? Dancing. (laughter) Come on, dance with us. Is it not recreation? And when you get tired take prasādam. Do you want more recreation than this? What is your answer. Is it not recreation?

Devotee: Yes. I think it is difficult for someone who comes from...

Prabhupāda: Why difficult? Dancing is difficult? Chant and dance?

Devotee: It's easier for a devotee who lives in the temple.

Prabhupāda: Oh, but as you come come, anyone can come. Everyone is welcome. We don't charge anything for this dancing. You go to ball dance and so many other dances, you pay for it. But we don't charge. We simply, our, these students simply beg something because we have to maintain. We don't charge anything. So if you simply come and chant for recreation, it is very nice. Everything is there in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We want music, there is music. We want dancing, there is dancing. You can bring nice musical instruments, you can join. We distribute nice palatable dishes. So practically this is a system of recreation only. (laughter) Yes. If you seriously think, you'll find, this system, there is no labor at all. Simply recreation. Su-sukham (BG 9.2). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Ninth Chapter you'll find, su-sukham . Everything is pleasing and happy. Find out anything in our system, that this is troublesome. Tell me practically, anyone. "This point is very troublesome." Just put your counterargument. Simply pleasing. It is simply recreation. That's all. You just point out, "Swamiji, this point is not very recreation or not, that is unhappy position." Nothing.

If you live in the temple or if you live in God's business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are in the spiritual world. You are not in the material world. Material world means where God is forgotten.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

Whatever you see in this material world or spiritual world... Material world... The difference between material world and spiritual world means in the material world we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Material means... When we forget God, that is material. And when we know God, existence of God, then that is spiritual. This is the difference between material and spiritual.

Just like this temple is spiritual because here there is no forgetfulness of God. Everyone is... Every moment, twenty-four hours, they are always remembering God. Therefore it is spiritual world, nirguṇa. If you live in the temple or if you live in God's business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are in the spiritual world. You are not in the material world. Material world means where God is forgotten. That is material world. So God is expanded by His energies. Tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. Spiritual world means when His spiritual energy is expanded, that is spiritual world. And when His material energy is expanded. Both of them are God energies, but in one energy...

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

And where there is no māyā? Tell me a place where there is no māyā. We shall go there. (laughter) In the temple there is no māyā. Because I am in māyā, I am thinking that temple is māyā.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Girl: (translated by Hṛdayānanda)(break) She says at the temple there is much māyā and that the people who live in the temple are phonies.

Prabhupāda: And where there is no māyā? Tell me a place where there is no māyā. We shall go there. (laughter) In the temple there is no māyā. Because I am in māyā, I am thinking that temple is māyā. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "One, anyone, who surrenders to Me, he overcomes the influence of māyā." Therefore... Every member in this temple, they are surrendered. Therefore they are not in māyā.

If you live in the temple, that is transcendence, that is Vaikuṇṭha. So in this way we have to detach ourselves from the association of the three guṇas.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

" The best qualities of association is devotional service, a devotee. Because they're transcendental, above goodness, above goodness. Just like you are living in this temple. This is above goodness according to Vedic.... If you live in the forest that is goodness, association with goodness, because there is no material contamination, simple life in the forest. Or in the village, not in the village, in the forest. Therefore formerly all the sages and saintly persons they used to live in the forest. That is goodness. And if you live in the city that is association with passion. And in the city if you live in the brothel, the liquor shop, gambling, that is association with ignorance. Three kinds. But if you live in the temple, that is transcendence, that is Vaikuṇṭha. So in this way we have to detach ourselves from the association of the three guṇas.

There is no such hard and fast rule that one should live in the temple." You can live anywhere, but the spiritual practices should be going on. Kṛṣṇa never says that you live in the temple or you go to the jungle or Himalaya. Never say.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

Although God is ajita, He becomes jita, means conquered, by His devotee. That is also stated: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām. This process we have introduced, opening center, that is the system in spiritual, to hear. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Śruti. Śruti means this ear, aural reception. Everyone may remain in his own position. It doesn't require to change. Just like one gentleman was asking whether, for spiritual advancement, one has to live in the temple. I said, "No. There is no such hard and fast rule that one should live in the temple." You can live anywhere, but the spiritual practices should be going on. Kṛṣṇa never says that you live in the temple or you go to the jungle or Himalaya. Never say. You'll never find in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "You give up this fighting and go to the jungle or to the Himalaya and become perfect person." No. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). You follow this... "Always think of Me," man-manāḥ, mad-bhaktaḥ, "you become My devotee." Man-manā bhava mad..., mad-yājī, "Worship Me and offer your obeisances unto Me." These four things. You can do anywhere. It doesn't matter. But you do all these things.

If you live in temple, you live in Vaikuṇṭha. Above goodness. So all of you should be very careful that you may not fall down again from the Vaikuṇṭha place. That should be your first business, that you have been given opportunity to live in Vaikuṇṭha, but don't fall down again.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

This temple is pilgrimage. It is not ordinary house; it is Vaikuṇṭha. In the śāstra it is said that to live in the forest is living in goodness. There are three qualities, you know—goodness, passion, ignorance—in this material world. So when you live in the forest, you live in goodness.

When you live in a city, in a town, then you live in passion. And when you live in a liquor shop, in a brothel or Bowery street, then it is living in ignorance. There are three kinds of living. Everything, three kinds. Sattva, rajas, tamas, goodness, passion ... But if you live in temple, you live in Vaikuṇṭha. Above goodness. So all of you should be very careful that you may not fall down again from the Vaikuṇṭha place. That should be your first business, that you have been given opportunity to live in Vaikuṇṭha, but don't fall down again. Either you fall down on goodness, passion... That is material. They go to forest for meditation, but that is goodness, material goodness. But one who lives in temple, he's not concerned with material goodness, passion, or ignorance. He lives in Vaikuṇṭha. In this age it is not possible. You can imagine that "Now I shall go to Himalaya and forest and practice meditation." They're all bogus; you cannot do that. That is not possible.

They are, the sādhus, the devotees, who are living in the temple, if you associate with them, talk with them about Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be benefited.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

Any of them you take, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The main is śravaṇam. Just you are hearing. This is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā. This is śraddhā, that "Here people are talking about Kṛṣṇa. Why not hear us? Let me hear." That is śraddhā, little faith. You have come here with a little faith. That increasing of that faith here with a little faith. That increasing of that faith is advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required. Ādau śraddhā. First of all little faith: "Let us see." Then sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). They are, the sādhus, the devotees, who are living in the temple, if you associate with them, talk with them about Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be benefited. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Then gradually bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā. Actually engaged in service, officially being initiated to take service of the Lord, that is called bhajana-kriyā. And bhajana-kriyā means anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then anartha, all these rascal habits, namely illicit sex, and intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling-nivṛtti, no more.

And above all these thing—to live in the temple—that is nirguṇa, above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Therefore those who are inhabitants of the temple, they are in Vaikuṇṭha.

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

Temple is called nirguṇa. Temple is called nirguṇa. In the śāstra the forest is sattva-guṇa, and city is rajo-guṇa, and the places like these four sinful activities are going on—illicit sex, intoxication, gambling... There are places. Every one of us aware of it. So they are called tamo-guṇa. So to live in such places where illicit sex or prostitution is going on, the place where drinking is going on, the place where meat-eating, hotels, restaurant is going on, and gambling going on, these places are tamo-guṇa. And ordinary cities and towns, they are called rajo-guṇa. And forest... Therefore formerly those who were aspiring after spiritual under..., they left either city or these things, everything. They went to the forest. That is called vānaprastha. Vānaprastha. Vana means forest. Before taking sannyāsī, one leaves his family connection and goes to the forest. Vanaṁ gato yaḥ harim āśrayeta. Vanam, vanaṁ gato harim āśrayeta. Then why they used to go to the forest? To take shelter of Hari. Vanaṁ gato yaḥ harim āśrayeta. So that is sāttvika. And above all these thing—to live in the temple—that is nirguṇa, above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Therefore those who are inhabitants of the temple, they are in Vaikuṇṭha.

To live in the temple is transcendental. Transcendental. It is above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, to live in temple.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

So these are all due to different infection of the guṇa. Tamo-guṇa means shameless, tamo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa means lusty desire. And sattva-guṇa means knowledge, to see things as they are. So just like here in the temple, we are cultivating sattva-guṇa, or more than that, above sattva-guṇa. Above sattva-guṇa. It is said in the śāstra that to live in the forest is sattva-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, people have got tendency to live in a secluded place, solitary place, without any disturbance. That is sign of sattva-guṇa. And to live in the cities, big, big cities, skyscraper building, this is rajo-guṇa. And to live in the brothel, in the liquor shop, in the slaughterhouse, this is tamo-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But to live in the temple is transcendental. Transcendental. It is above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, to live in temple. Therefore we are introducing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, living in the temple according to the regulative principles, they are above all these sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. That is wanted. Nistraiguṇya. Traiguṇya means three guṇas, and niḥ means negative. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. That is our aim, that although we are in this material world, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process we shall live above these three guṇas. These three guṇas cannot touch me.

If you live in the brothel or liquor house or gambling house, that is tamo-guṇa. But if you live in the temple, that is nirguṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣaya-vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. This is advice of Kṛṣṇa.

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

So grāmya-kathā should be avoided. The temple is specially meant for Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Here there is no other business than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore a temple is always transcendental, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. If you live in the forest, that is sattva-guṇa. If you live in the city, that is rajo-guṇa. And if you live in the brothel or liquor house or gambling house, that is tamo-guṇa. But if you live in the temple, that is nirguṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣaya-vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. This is advice of Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is complicated with the three modes of material nature, and you have to become above this material nature.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Attraction or attachment for living in the temple, vasati, where Kṛṣṇa lives. Kṛṣṇa lives everywhere, but specifically, to give us chance to meet, He lives in the temple or in places like Vṛndāvana.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1970:

Value of time is so great that one moment of your life lost, it cannot be returned even in exchange of millions of dollars. Therefore every moment should be properly utilized. Avyartha kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). When one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness his business becomes to see, "Whether I am wasting my time?" That is one of the sign of advanced devotee. Avyartha kālatvam. Nāma-gāne sadā ruci (CC Madhya 23.32). Attachment for chanting always. Prītis tad-vasati sthale: (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19) and attraction or attachment for living in the temple, vasati, where Kṛṣṇa lives. Kṛṣṇa lives everywhere, but specifically, to give us chance to meet, He lives in the temple or in places like Vṛndāvana. So prītis tad-vasati sthale. One should be enhanced in attachment for living where Kṛṣṇa is living. Prītis tad... Nāma-gāne sadā ruci (CC Madhya 23.32). And taste for singing always the holy name. These are development.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

To live in the temple is transcendental, above goodness, pure goodness. In the material world goodness is sometimes mixed up with ignorance and passion, but in the spiritual world there is pure goodness—no contamination or tinges of passion and ignorance.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, October 30, 1968:

The temple is transcendental. According to Vedic civilization, to live in the forest is residential quarter in goodness, to live in the forest. Therefore, formerly, great sages and saintly persons, they used to go to the forest and live there. And the government would give them protection. The king's duty was to supply them food. What sort of food? The king used to give them in charity cows, nice cows. So they would take little milk, and whatever fruits are available in the forest, that was sufficient for them. And the king would sometimes hunt ferocious animals so that they may not disturb. But actually, they do not disturb saintly persons still. So to live in the forest is in the mode of goodness, and to live in the city, or town, is..., is in the mode of passion, and to live in slaughterhouse and brothel and drunkards, these are the residential quarter in ignorance. And to live in the temple is transcendental, above goodness, pure goodness. In the material world goodness is sometimes mixed up with ignorance and passion, but in the spiritual world there is pure goodness—no contamination or tinges of passion and ignorance. Therefore it is called śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva. Śabdam, sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam: "That pure goodness is called Vasudeva, and in that pure goodness one can realize God." Therefore God's name is Vāsudeva, "produced from Vasudeva." Vasudeva is the father of Vāsudeva.