So why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa? He says and śāstra says, the ācārya says, Vyāsadeva says, Nārada says, your Guru Mahārāja says. Why not accept? Why rascaldom? Why you are searching after any other God? Here is God. Name, address, activities, everything is there, authorized statement of the Vedas. So is there any difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? But this rascal will not take it. Persistent. "Oh, why Kṛṣṇa can be accepted? I have got a God, manufactured." This is misfortune. Durbhaga, durbuddhi, miscreant rascal.
Misfortune (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:
Therefore Bhāgavata says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ. People are wandering within this material world, living entity, in different forms of life under different conditions of life. But they are not getting the information of Kṛṣṇa. That is their misfortune. So one who is fortunate during this period of continuous wandering in different species of life on different planets, he contacts another devotee. Guru-Kṛṣṇa. Or one who is actually anxious to unite with the Supreme Lord, how one gets this consciousness—by associating with devotees. Just like we are holding this class. Even those who are not devotee, outsider, if they come they can also understand, then he becomes, one becomes very seriously anxious how to understand God, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Then Kṛṣṇa immediately helps. This is the process. Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:
So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very pious movement, the most, the most glorious welfare activities. And we are preaching this movement all over the world. Just to place Kṛṣṇa... Our only ambition is that to place Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is our proposition. We don't want to become Kṛṣṇa, but we want to become the most obedient servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is our proposition. So we invite everyone, from all parts of the world, and they are coming, they are joining. So in India Kṛṣṇa appeared. India has got a special advantage to understand Kṛṣṇa, and the Indians neglect it. That's a great misfortune, but we request everyone to join this movement, study the philosophy and become happy. That is our proposition. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:
Similarly, acceptance of spiritual master means representative of God. Of course, he, he must be representative of God. If unfortunately I accept a bogus man as representative of..., that is my misfortune. But actually, acceptance of spiritual master means he's a bona fide representative of God. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. That paramparā system, disciplic succession, ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Just like we accept our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, or any Indian philosophy, they accept this paramparā, guru-paramparā. They accept it. Sampradāya. Just like we have got sampradā..., Rāmānuja-sampradāya, Madhva-sampradāya. So we have to accept the sampradāya, disciplic succession, to receive real knowledge.
Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:
He would have gone back to home, back to Godhead, and danced with Him, and lived very nicely, eternally, blissfully. Now he's rotting here as a hog, or as a human being, or as a king. The same thing. It is for few years only." So a devotee therefore tries to take him out of this illusion. Therefore, he's called para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. He's actually feeling others' distressed condition. Not these political leaders or social... What they can do? They make their own fortune. That's all. Or what is that fortune? That is also misfortune. If somebody thinks "I have got some money. I am very fortunate." It is, actually it is not fortune. Real fortunate is he who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is fortunate. Otherwise, all are unfortunate. All are unfortunate.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:
So to make our life perfect is not at all difficult. We are simply neglecting. That is our misfortune. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Because we are manda, manda-mataḥ, we have accept some bogus logic, bogus "ism," and wasting our time. We should take from the śāstra the real path. Then we shall become intelligent. Su-medhasaḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). The short-cut method. Intelligent class of men will take this saṅkīrtana movement for his spiritual elevation of life. It is a fact, it is scientific, it is authorized. So don't neglect. Take this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa heart and soul, and anywhere... Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. There is no rules and regulations, that "You have to chant at this time or that time, in this position or that position."
Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:
Everyone has prema, love. This propensity to love others. That is... There is, everywhere. But that prema, that love, is originally for Kṛṣṇa. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is the original prema. But because we are illusioned, that prema is being applied or used for so many māyā. Prema I have got. I have got my love. That is a fact. But I do not know where to repose that love. That is my misfortune. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You have got prema. You apply it to Me. Then you'll be benefited." Prema is already there. You are simply misusing it. Therefore you are not happy.
Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:
So Kṛṣṇa is popular in India very much. Every house, they observe Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. Unfortunately (applause) you are forgetting. You are forgetting this. That is the misfortune. (laughter)
Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:
So there is very nice program, er, proverb in Bengali. Yadi yao bhaṅge kaphala yabe saṅge.(?) That means "Wherever you go, your, this fortune..." Generally, when we speak of fortune we touch our head. Sometimes we say, "Oh, it is my misfortune." That means fortune may be written here. It is said. So "Wherever you go, your, this fortune will go with you." So how you can avoid your..." If you have got nonsense fortune, then it will go with you. Either you go to Canada, or you go to hell, or you go to heaven, the fortune will go with you.
The Bhāgavata says, therefore, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). You cannot change your fortune. That means, fortune means, you are, with this body, you have got certain amount of enjoyment and certain amount of distress. That is made already according to your past activities. That you can change. Just like due to some mistake, I may have some disease, infection, but there is medicine also to counteract that infection. That is possible. It is not that because I am misfortunate, it cannot be changed.
Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:
Why should we go to anyone else when Kṛṣṇa is there? When Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there in the shape of Bhagavad-gītā, why shall I read any nonsense book? That is my fault. Can anyone give better instruction than Kṛṣṇa for solving all the problems of the world? No. That is not possible. But still, we shall find out some imitation Kṛṣṇa. This is our ill luck, misfortune.
Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:
Especially it is ordered to the Indians, the inhabitants of the Bhārata-varṣa. Because in Bhārata-varṣa it is easier to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Because by nature, because they have taken birth in this land of Bhārata-varṣa, in the blood there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But unfortunately, the leaders are inducing them to forget Kṛṣṇa. This is the misfortune of present-day Bhārata-varṣa. You go to the village and if there is bhāgavata-pāṭha, hundreds and thousands of people will gather immediately. Immediately. Not only in the village. In the town, when we held Kṛṣṇa festival in Bombay, Calcutta, twenty-thousand, thirty-thousand people come. By nature. We cannot expect this big assembly in other countries. That is my experience. But India, because it is Bhārata-varṣa, it is very easy.
But we are sacrificing this birthright, Bhārata-varṣa. Oh, we are misled in such a way that we are forgetting, trying to forget Kṛṣṇa: "Throw away these śāstras. Throw away these ... Throw away... And put all impediments to the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement." This is our misfortune. Actually, every Indian is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Sometimes they ask me in foreign countries that "How many Kṛṣṇa conscious people are there in India." And cent percent, all. Even Mohammedans. What to speak of the Hindus.
Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:
Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. We are, by nature, we are not matter. We are Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The propaganda of Śaṅkarācārya was mainly based on this understanding, that "We should not think that we are the products of this material nature." We are not products of material nature. It is by some accident, by freaks of nature, by misfortune or some way or other, we are now in contact with it. But actually I am spirit, Brahman. So that Brahman nature has to be invoked, has to be...
We are... Actually, just like a diseased person, he has to be brought into the healthy condition of life, to cure the disease. So just a man, when he's diseased and when he's healthy, from external feature, the same.
Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:
But they have now taken it very cheaply. All rascals and fools and rogues, they are claiming that "I am Kṛṣṇa, I am." They have taken because India has fallen. Because there is no brahminical culture, they cannot understand these rascals, that the fools and rascals, they are claiming to be Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so cheap? No. That is our misfortune, that instead of Kṛṣṇa, we are accepting some imitation, rogue Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune.
Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:
Kṛṣṇa is accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all the śāstras. Vyāsadeva, He writes, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). In the Brahma-saṁhitā, Brahmā writes, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa personally says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā, he accepts. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). The ācāryas, Śaṅkarācārya, Mādhvācārya, Rāma..., they accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was.... Then what evidence want you more? What is your knowledge? You do not accept so many authorities? You are so proud? That is our misfortune. Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ, and disturbed condition of life. That is our misfortune.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:
Now, what is śravaṇam? Chanting. If there is chanting or there is some speaking, then we can hear. That is recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that simply hear. There are many places, recommended, that "Hear." So but it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These present blunt senses, material senses, cannot receive even this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. They say, "This is nuisance." Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, catur-vidhā bhajante mām: "Four classes of men who begins bhagavad bhajana," sukṛtina, "those who are pious..." But the modern leaders, they say, "This bhajana nuisance." This is our misfortune. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). These are the explanation in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:
Then again, we are not such much advanced. We are always disturbed in our circumstances. There is disease; there is war; there is pestilence; there is famine—so many disturbances. So our duration of life is smaller, and at the same time, we are disturbed, and we are not intelligent, and we are unfortunate at the same time. At the present moment, you will find, 80% people, they are unfortunate. If we compare what is fortune or misfortune, then we'll find, in every country, 80% people, they are unfortunate, and therefore this world is getting to Communism because they are fighting. They are fighting. So this is the condition of the present day.
Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:
Because at heart there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but, by external forces, they are being suppressed. That is going on. It is not natural. It is unnatural. Natural is every Indian is Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is natural. By artificial means they are being suppressed. This is the misfortune of the present day of India. (break) ...can be done? In the educational system no Bhagavad-gītā. Just see. How much unfortunate... One Indian girl in Berkeley University, she asked me, "Swamiji, what is God?" Just see. She's Indian, where God takes birth, Rāmacandra, Kṛṣṇa, and she is now materially advanced. Now she is asking what is God. This is our position. The land where God come, from that land a advanced student is asking: "What is God?" This is our advancement. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:
Therefore our process is—we have repeatedly explained this—that we do not speculate about God. Just like there are so many others, theosophists and theologists, they're speculating what is God. They don't accept... God personally explaining, they would not accept. They would simply speculate. This is their disease. When God is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā... Rather, they will mislead the readings of the Bhagavad-gītā in different interpretation, but they will not accept what is being taught by God Himself. This is their misfortune. "Why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa as God?" Although He has proved Himself when He was present by the qualification which God needs.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:
So this is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to distribute perfect knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that will make the whole world happy. So try to distribute this knowledge to your best capacity. Kṛṣṇa will recognize you, that you are trying your best to work on His behalf because He comes down to distribute the knowledge. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).
Because we are all His sons—we are suffering—so He wants to see that our sufferings are mitigated immediately. But we are obstinate. We don't accept the supreme father's advice. That is our difficulty. He says repeatedly,
- sarva-dharmān parityajya
- mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
- ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
- mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
- (BG 18.66)
But we will not accept it. This is our misfortune. So voluntarily we should try to accept the knowledge and instruction given by Kṛṣṇa. Then our life will be perfect. Thank you very much.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:
The rascals, they think that "They are worshiping a man. Kṛṣṇa was historical man." No. That is avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. They are rascals. Kṛṣṇa comes to become visible to you so that you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. So five thousand years Kṛṣṇa advented Himself, and He remained just like a human being. He took part in the battle of Kurukṣetra. So... He was dancing, He was playing in Vṛndāvana so that you may be attracted, you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came. But we are so unfortunate. Although Kṛṣṇa comes Himself to show Himself, show His activities, His power, His opulence, His beauty, His message, still, we miss Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune. Why? Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Although Kṛṣṇa is present, Kṛṣṇa is manifesting Himself, but māyayāpahṛta jñāna, māyā is so strong that it is taking away our knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:
And another facility is that because sometimes we cannot understand what is actually Bhagavad-gītā's purpose. It is very plain. Still, as we are very much unfortunate, we cannot understand. That misfortune can be avoided by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It will cleanse the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). We are suffering for misunderstanding—misunderstanding that "I am this body, I belong to this nation, I belong to this family, I belong to this, that, so many things." All misunderstanding, all misunderstanding. My real identity is ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul. Fortunately or unfortunately, by my own work, I have been put into the encagement of this body, temporary body, and I am creating another body. In this way I am traveling from one body to another, from one planet to another, from one place to another. This is going on." Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). "I am taking my birth and again I am becoming annihilated, although I am eternal."
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:
First of all we have to make our life perfect by following these principles. Not that we shall remain all along gṛhastha. No. That is not Vedic injunction. At a certain age you must give up your gṛhastha life. Whatever is done is done. That's all. Finished. That is Vedic civilization. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha, uh..., gṛhastha, vānaprastha, then sannyāsa. Four orders of spiritual life and four orders of material life, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. So India, it is especially practiced, India. This bhārata-bhūmi specially. Therefore bhārata-bhūmi is called puṇya-bhūmi. But we are giving up all this. We are becoming allured by something else. That is our misfortune.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:
So we are discussing for the last few days about the asuras, demons. (aside:) Stop. So the beginning is, na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāro na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate. The asuras, they are aśuci, unclean. That is their misfortune, that they cannot understand what is the right way, what is the wrong way. So śuci, cleanliness, is the first qualification of the daiva-prakṛti or devatās. There are two classes of men. One class is devatā, and the other class asura. So asura class, they will have to suffer. They cannot get liberation from the material bondage. Mūḍhā janmani janmani mām aprāpya eva (BG 16.20). Unless we achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our sufferings in the material world will continue. It will not stop. We are trying to stop all kinds of suffering by adjustment of this material world. That is not possible. That is stated in the śāstra. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā, hopeless.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:
So in this way, Vyāsadeva compiled all these books for benefit of the people in this age of Kali. Unfortunately, people are not interested in these literatures. What to speak of other people, even our Indians are not interested. They are making research work, but what is already there by mature research work of Vyāsadeva, they are not interested. That is the misfortune of India. So Vyāsadeva summarized all the Vedic literature in the Vedānta-sūtra. Veda means knowledge; anta means end. There is... Everything, there is some summit or the ultimate goal. So about education, knowledge, the ultimate goal is Vedānta. Veda means knowledge; anta means ultimate. If you know Vedānta, then you have known everything. Kasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. So still, after compiling Vedānta-sūtra philosophy, Vyāsadeva was not satisfied. He was feeling some vacancy. He was sorry.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:
So everything is there. Fortunately in India we have got everything, but our modern leaders, they are neglecting their own thing. They are begging technology from other countries. That is their misfortune. But actually... Just like I am, singlehanded, trying to present the original Vedic culture. People are accepting all over the world very happily. India should have tried. The government should have known this. Unfortunately, they are all bereft of this knowledge, their own culture. There is a Bengali verse written by one poet, āpanār dhana vilaya-diye bhikṣā-māge parera dvāre.(?) They have lost their own culture; now they are begging from other countries.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
So in this way, as they are stated in the śāstra, if you follow, then it is step by step. First beginning is śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Try to hear Kṛṣṇa's message. That is Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. You hear it. You understand it. What is the difficulty? Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ. Don't misinterpret. Hear it as it is. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Hear it and execute it. Where is the difficulty? But we shall not agree to, we shall not hear. We shall not act according to the instruction given. And that is our misfortune. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ: "You are so merciful that in this age You have incarnated, You have descended in Your name." Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. And in the name there is all potencies.
Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:
The child is insisting: "Father, I want this." Father says, "No, you don't take it." "I shall touch it. I shall touch the fire." Father says, "No, don't touch it." But he's insisting and crying, so father says, "All right, you touch." Similarly, we create our own fortune and misfortune. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). So the father wants us to do something else, but we want to do something else against the wish of the father. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa wants that everyone of us should surrender unto Him and work according to His direction, but we want to do against His will. Therefore we create our own fortune and misfortune. That is the way.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:
That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of India, Bhāratavarṣa... Just see how Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives power to every Indian. Every Indian has got this opportunity because his land of religion, the land of knowledge, spiritual knowledge. But these rascal men, they are being taught that "Throw away these books." You see. Such misfortunate condition is now in India. They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India, to make this business... Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals. So the sooner the Indians give up their..., now, so long these nonsensical things are going on, it is better. It is better.
Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:
Now, at the present moment, especially the famous movement, Communist movement, they are after completely driving out religious system. This is the misfortune of this age. So they are not in fault in one sense, because the guardians of the religious system, they are fallen. Just like immediately our Śubhavilāsa Prabhu was asking me that "We have seen so many temples. Why they are so neglected?" Is it not your question? And why they should not neglect it? The, mostly, the temples, they have become the means of livelihood. That is the defect. Temple is not meant for means of livelihood. Then it will deteriorate. How long you can falsely worship Deity and make show of ārati? You cannot go on very long time. That is not possible. You'll be disgusted. Unless there is feeling, bhāva, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has very kindly come here to receive, to take, accept my humble service. He's so great that He cannot be approached by a person like me." Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :
Otherwise how this big cosmic manifestation is going on? Huh? Not only that, He is everywhere, even within the atom, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayān... Still we can not understand where is Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune. Duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, they can not understand. Why they cannot understand? That because they are duṣkṛtinaḥ, always engaged in sinful activities. Who can see Kṛṣṇa? Who is not sinful. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam (BG 7.28), one who has finished his life of sinful activities, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is our request to everyone: Please do not commit these four kinds of sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. This is the preliminary qualification to understand God. Especially one must not kill animals. The Bible also. Therefore it is said, "Thou shalt not kill. You rascal, if you want to understand what is God, you must stop this killing art. Thou shalt not kill." But these rascals will not understand. This is the mis..., misfortune.
Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:
We cannot accept this tapasya. You see. We are so fallen. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). This is a kind of tapasya which is very easy to do and it is very pleasant. Still, we are not agreeable. We shall rot in the street, lie down anywhere and everywhere and still, I shall drink and have sex and lie down. So what can be done? We are giving good facilities. Come here, chant, dance and live very peacefully and take kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Be happy. But people will not accept. That is called misfortune.
Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:
Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that: etādṛśī tava kṛpā. "My dear Lord, You have given Me so nice facilities to contact You, but durdaiva, but My, I am so unfortunate, I have no attachment for these things. I have no attachment. I have got so many attachments for other things. But I have got no attachment for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is My misfortune." Kṛṣṇa has given so much facilities, that He is present before you by transcendental vibration in His name, and the name has got all the potencies of Kṛṣṇa. So if you remain in contact with the name, you get all the benefit of Kṛṣṇa's benediction, but still, I am not inclined to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. this is misfortune.
Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:
The Kuntīdevī is presenting his (her) conception of Kṛṣṇa, or God consciousness. Perfectly he's (she's) presenting that samaṁ carantaṁ sarvatra: "Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is present everywhere. And He is equal, equally merciful or... In everything He equal to everyone." Just like the sun. The sun is equally distributing the sunshine. Now, in some country, we find there is cloud; sun is covered. There is no sunshine. The sun is shining, but due to our misfortune or something else, the sun is covered, and we cannot see. It is not that the sunshine is stopped. Sunshine is there. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's mercy is equally there. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29).
Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:
This is the misfortune of the present civilization. Present godless civilization... Therefore they have created simply chaotic situation all over the world. Therefore the movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is very, very important and essential. Those who are sober, they are understanding it. Just like in Australia, the priestly class, they understood that this movement is trying to (?) people to see towards God, back to Godhead. You have advanced in civilization by so-called material advancement, scientific..., but what you have done? You have created simply chaos. Therefore we say... Our magazine is named Back to Godhead. "Now you have finished your business—now see back to Godhead." Just like if you do not see the sun, if you keep the sun backside, then you'll simply see a long shadow of your body, black shadow. That's all. But if you turn towards the sun, you'll not see the black shadow; you'll see all light. Simply you have to turn. So we have named this Back to Godhead very scientifically. You see towards God; then everything is light. "Where there is God, there is no nescience."
Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:
So this is your opportunity. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi. "My dear Lord, You are so kind upon Me that You are giving Your association always, constantly. You are prepared. You are giving Durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ. But I am so unfortunate. I am not taking advantage of it." Durdaiva. Misfortune. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply requesting people: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
There was a caricature-picture in some paper. Perhaps you remember. From Montreal or here, I don't remember. One old lady and her husband, sitting, face to face. The lady is requesting the husband: "Chant, chant, chant." And the husband is answering: "Can't, can't, can't." So this is going on. We are requesting everyone: "Please chant, chant, chant." And they are replying: "Can't, can't." This is their misfortune. This is their misfortune.
So still it is our duty to make all these misfortunate, unfortunate creatures fortunate. That is our mission.
Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Mayapura, October 10, 1974:
The more we hear about Kṛṣṇa, we become purified. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa because we are not purified. But the, simply if you hear the Kṛṣṇa name—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare—if you chant and hear, you become purified. So why should we not this, take this simple method and as it is recommended in the śāstra, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21), simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, twenty-four hours? Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). You become perfect. Why we are losing this opportunity? That is our misfortune. That is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi: "My Lord, You have shown Your mercy so liberally that name, chanting of Your name, is sufficient." Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. This chanting of the name, abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ... (CC Madhya 17.133), there is all potency of Him.
Lecture on SB 1.10.14 -- Mayapura, June 27, 1973:
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- nyarundhann udgalad bāṣpam
- autkaṇṭhyād devakī-sute
- 5niryāty agārān no 'bhadram
- iti syād bāndhava-striyaḥ
- (SB 1.10.14)
Translation: "The female relatives, whose eyes were flooded with tears out of anxiety for Kṛṣṇa, came out of the palace. They could only stop their tears with great difficulty. They feared that tears would cause misfortune at the time of departure."
Prabhupāda:
- nyarundhann udgalad bāṣpam
- autkaṇṭhyād devakī-sute
- niryāty agārān no 'bhadram
- iti syād bāndhava-striyaḥ
- (SB 1.10.14)
You can practice this diacritic mark. English transliteration is there. It is not very difficult. Simply if you practice twice, thrice, four times, it will come exactly, the pronunciation. You have to learn the diacritic marks. Then it will be all right
Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:
Therefore if we want actually protection, we should take protection of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa, or His devotee. Kṛṣṇa is suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (BG 5.29) "I am the friend of everyone." He can become friend. He is living within our heart as friend. But we refuse the guidance of such a nice friend. That is our misfortune. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, so friendly, that you are... Just like one bird is flying from one tree to another, and another bird is following him. So similarly we are flying from one body to another. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). But Kṛṣṇa does not leave us. He's also going with you just to give you guidance. But we won't give Him. Just like father... It is very natural.
Lecture on SB 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973:
So this kind of civilization will not help. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad... So therefore they do not know what is the actual aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These rascals, they do not know what should be the aim of life. The aim of life is God realization, God realization, that "There is God, His name is Kṛṣṇa, His address is Vaikuṇṭha, His number is this, He has got so many friends, He has got so many lovers." Everything we are giving. But still, the rascal will not take. We are giving the name, address, activities, everything. "You come, go there." But no, they will not do that. This is called misfortune.
Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:
So people are voluntarily accepting some nonsense method, and they are not happy. That is their misfortune. Misfortune. Narādhama. The, everything is there, but because they do not know... Duṣkṛtina, narādhama. Duṣkṛtina, duṣkṛtina means misfortunate, or always engaged in sinful activities. They'll not meditate upon Vāsudeva; they'll meditate on something, some color, some zero, or something like that. We do not know what kind of meditation there is. But real meditation, recommended in the Vedas, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi. Yogis see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by meditation. Meditation, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, mind is absorbed in the Supreme Personality. That is the real process of yoga system and meditation—to see the form of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, this is the recommended process, standard recommended process.
Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:
There is no guarantee what kind of body you are going to get. But they are so rascals, they do not understand that "I am going to get another body." And there are so many varieties of body. If I get the body of a tree, now standed up for seven thousand years... How much risk we are taking. But all this risk can be avoided in this human form of life simply by thinking of Vāsudeva, simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Why people are reluctant? This is their misfortune. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). This Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be accepted only by the most fortunate person. Not less fortunate, alpa-medhasa. Those who have got little brain, or little fortunate, they cannot. They cannot. Sukṛtina. Sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means very fortunate, very pious. And duṣkṛtina cannot take it. Vāsudeva..., thinking of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is very easy, but those who are sinful, they cannot take to it. That is the difficulty.
Lecture on SB 1.15.32 -- Los Angeles, December 10, 1973:
He is so beautiful. His address is this. You can go there by this process." "No. We don't want." "Then what you want?" "I want to become a pig. (laughter) That's all." "All right, you become pig. What can be done? And what shall you eat?" "I will eat stool. That's all." "All right. Not prasādam?" "No."
So what can we do? We are distributing you prasādam, and he will go to eat some rascal thing in the restaurant. Just see. This is misfortune. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Because unfortunate in this age, they will accept something wrong. Therefore our task is very responsible. We have to canvass. We have to plead, solicit, "Please come here. Please come here in this temple and learn something."
Thank you very much.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:
If they are advised that "Don't do this. This is very dangerous. You will be involved again in the birth and death cycle..." They have no knowledge what is birth, what is death, what is this body, what is the aim of... No. Simply blind animals. Simply blind animals. And still, they are going under the name of scientist, philosopher, politician. This is the misfortune of the present age. So nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). The same thing is explained here: vyavāyonmukha-jīva. Indriya-prītaye. Simply for sense gratification they are doing anything nonsense, as madman. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute yad indriya-prītaye. What is the aim? Aim is not self-realization. Aim is how to satisfy. "Never mind. Risk everything. Satisfy your senses." Therefore real civilization is to teach the children from the very beginning of life how to control senses. That is called brahmacārī. That is called brahmacārī life. To learn how to control the senses.
Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:
Everyone has got a particular type of understanding. Sumanda-matayaḥ. That is not bona fide. Sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ: "And everyone is misfortunate, unfortunate." Upadrutāḥ: "And they are disturbed by so many causes." And the gradually, the situation will be like this. It is already manifest. Anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ: (SB 12.2.9) "There will be no rain in the sky, and there will be scarcity of foodstuff," and kara-pīḍitāḥ, "and government will levy tax very heavily." These are already predicted, and we are experiencing. So this age is very miserable. Kali-yuga is very miserable. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He came. He advised all people of the world that "You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Very simple thing. Harer nāma harer nāma. It is not His invention, but it is in the śāstras, Purāṇas.
Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:
That is being attempted. Anyone who has taken birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, it is his duty to make his life successful by taking advantage of this Vedic literature. But we are not taking advantage of Vedic literature. We are going to learn technology. That is our misfortune. Technology is śilpa-karma. Just like an artistic man. That is not real education. Real education is how to solve the problems of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is education. So this education, this transcendental education, is to enlighten people how to become relieved from this entanglement of material life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.
Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:
So Śukadeva Gosvāmī, śuka-pakṣī. Śuka means parrot. He's speaking. Śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam, pibata bhuvi bhāvukāḥ rasam ālayam. These are the recommendations. So people are not interested. It is a great regret, matter of regret, that in India, where these literatures are available, where the sages and saintly persons left for us such nice literature, vidyā-bhāgavatāvadhi, the limit of all education, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are not interested. They are interested in some other, Marx literatures, Karl Marx literature, not Bhāgavatam. This is the India's misfortune.
Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:
This much tapasya, we are not ready. Etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is more interested to get us in the apavarga-vartmani, in the path of liberation. And He has given very simple method: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Still... Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. And to practice this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no hard and fast rule. Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Any time suitable you can chant and you get perfection. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. This much little trouble, austerity, or whatever you call. But we have no interest. Being contaminated by this material, this Kali-yuga... Etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam, misfortune, durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ. "I have no attraction."
Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:
There are many gods, why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa?" Immediately, "There are many gods, why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa?" But śāstra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That we will not hear. I will not take lesson from the śāstra, from the ācāryas. At least in India we have got big, big ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, even Śaṅkarācārya, even Guru Nanak, they have accepted, all, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why should we not? Why you? I shall be another competitor to Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune. Therefore Bhagavān said, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Because we are sinful, because we are rascals, we do not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after Kṛṣṇa, making speculation, philosophical. Don't do that. Accept Kṛṣṇa and be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy. Thank you very much.
Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:
That is His mission. He is requesting every Indian, every Indian, because they have got the facility for understanding what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, what is Vedas. They have got this opportunity. Therefore He says, janma sārthaka kari': "You have taken your birth in India. You make your life successful by taking advantage of these scriptures and then assimilate the knowledge and preach all over the world." They are in darkness. That is being repeatedly said. But we are not taking advantage of. We are so misfortunate. We are misguided by the so-called leaders that we are neglecting this valuable literature which is spoken by Bhagavān. We are talking of some nonsense. That is our misfortune. So we have to take knowledge from Bhagavān and spread it all over the world. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... So He says that "You become guru." He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā: (CC Madhya 7.128) "By My order." Don't become a so-called guru, manufactured guru. "You become guru by following My instruction." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā.
Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:
But that is... People do not know. They want some opulence, material opulence, but he doesn't want Kṛṣṇa, the proprietor of all opulences. And that is our misfortune. The proprietor of all opulences, He said, "Just surrender to Me. I'll take care of you." "No, no. It is not possible. I shall have to take care of my business. That will maintain me. I will have to take care of my this and that, my country, and so many family, friends, and..." Kṛṣṇa says, "No, no. You simply surrender. I'll do everything for you." And He assures Arjuna in the Sixth Chap..., yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ: "You just do..., try to achieve that thing which achieving you will be no more aspiring for achieving anything more." That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna, he did it very conscientiously. Kṛṣṇa said that "This war, your fight, is family. I am connected with both the families.
Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:
Why Vedic literatures are there? To make us intelligent. Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīva... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā (CC Madhya 20.117). We are so foolish rascals that we have forgotten. We are suffering every moment, and still, we are thinking we are very happy. Therefore it is our misfortune that human life is meant for understanding, "What is the position of my life? Why I am suffering?" So for that understanding Kṛṣṇa has given us so many Vedic literature: four Vedas and the Purāṇas and the Upaniṣad and Vedānta-sūtra, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. We have got enough source of knowledge, treasure house of knowledge, but we are reluctant. We are busy with the newspaper. We have got time to waste our time to read the newspaper, bunch of newspaper, but we have no time to read Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Vedānta-sūtra, the books of actual knowledge. This is our misfortune.
Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:
So they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), we foolish people, we think, "Oh, it is too much. Kṛṣṇa is so proud that He is commanding us that 'You surrender unto Me.' Oh, I am not so fool. I am not going to do that." This is the position. Mūḍha. Because mūḍha, they are taking Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Because He is so kind He comes as human being and gives you the right information, right instruction. But we are so rascal that we do not accept it, do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Those who are fortunate enough, they accept Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That fortune comes not so easily—after struggling, after associating with Vaiṣṇavas, with devotees, after cultivating knowledge for many, many births.
Lecture on SB 3.26.28 -- Bombay, January 5, 1975:
What is the necessity of these things? If you say there is some ānanda, that is not ānanda. Ānanda is here, to hear about the Supreme Lord. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23)—that is ānanda. This is not ānanda. This is false ānanda. But we are accustomed to this. That is our misfortune. Anartha. So (to) come to the bhakti platform, one has to become free form the anarthas. Otherwise bhakti will not be substantial. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Tato niṣṭhā. When anarthas are finished, no more attraction... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If one is really devotee, then he will be detached to the anarthas, unwanted things. That is the test of bhakti. And "I am devotee; also I am devotee of biḍi," that is not devotee. "I am smoking, also chanting." In the Bengal it is said, āmi dugha khai tamogha khai.(?) No, not like that.
Lecture on SB 3.26.46 -- Bombay, January 21, 1975:
So where is the difficulty? Where is the loss? If we ask you to do something, if you think there will be loss, you may reject it. But if there is no loss and the gain is that you get Kṛṣṇa, then why don't you do it? Such is our, what is called, bigotry, "No, we shall not chant. We shall not do this." This is our misfortune. Therefore, those who have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they are the most fortunate persons in the world. Yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam, the śāstra says. Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān: "Even one is born in the family of dog-eaters, but somehow or other, if he takes to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, he is garīyān, he is glorious. He is very glorious." Nāma tubhyam. Tepus tapas te: (SB 3.33.7) "It is to be understood in their previous life they undergone severe type of penances and austerities." Tepus tapas te sasnur āryāḥ: (SB 3.33.7) "They are really Aryan."
Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:
Prabhupāda: They are missing the opportunity. That is their misfortune. They do not take advantage of the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavatam. They are taking to technology. What can be done?
Brahmānanda: Her question was of the demigods, that you said that they wanted to take their birth in India, but is not the Vedic culture in the heavenly planets?
Prabhupāda: No, heavenly, they... By pious activities they go to the heavenly planets, but they find there inconvenience in God consciousness. Therefore they desire that "By our pious activities we have come to this higher planetary system, and as soon as our reaction, or the resultant action of pious activities will be finished, we shall have to go again to the material, or this Bhūrloka. So if remaining little balance of our pious activities, instead of going anywhere, let us take birth in India." They desire like that.
Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:
If I am going to take birth at all, so give me this concession, that let me take birth as an ant even in the house of a devotee." So Bhāratvarṣa, the devatās, the demigods, they desire to take birth in India because here is the opportunity. Still, so much broken, you will find, you have seen, that when we hold this Hare Kṛṣṇa festival, twenty thousand, fifty thousand men come automatically. You will find never in any other country. Still in India you will find that. Why? Because they have taken birth in India the facility is there. So it is very unfortunate that Indians are trying to forget Kṛṣṇa. Very unfortunate. Kṛpaṇa. If you have got money, if you don't utilize is properly, that is your misfortune. Similarly, in India, those who have taken birth, they have got the opportunity. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in India, but they are reluctant. They're reluctant. This is their misfortune.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:
Why we are spoiling our life? Of course, Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book. Practically everyone reads. But unfortunately they do not... Most of them, they do not take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That is the difficulty. If you take Bhagavad-gītā as it is, you become self-realized liberated soul. But the misfortune is that we become more than Kṛṣṇa, and we want to comment Bhagavad-gītā in our own way. That is our misfortune. (applause) That is our misfortune.
So don't be misfortunate. Be fortunate. Everything is there. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā. And here, in the Fifth Chapter, Fifth Canto, of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the same thing is recommended by Ṛṣabhadeva to his sons. The first paragraph we have discussed last night. The second paragraph, the Ṛṣabhadeva says, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). If you want to be liberated from this entanglement of bodily concept of life and mental concept of life and become more and more entangled in the process of transmigration of the soul from one body to another... That is entanglement. And to come out of this entanglement is called mukti.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:
So mahā-bhāga yathā eva narakāt naraḥ. So this is Sixth Canto. In the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is description of the hellish condition of life. According to the... Just like there is punishment according to criminality, similarly, there is punishment by nature's law. According to impious life, there is punishment. So people do not care for impious life. That is misfortune. No knowledge. Impious or vicious activities are done out of ignorance. Just like a person commits some criminality without knowing the laws, government laws. Ordinarily, just like in your country, "Keep to the right." If you drive your car on the left side, immediately you become a criminal. So in our country the car is driven on the left side. In this country the car is driven on the right side. So if some Indian gentleman says that "I am accustomed to drive on the left side. So what is wrong there?" "No, this country's law is 'right side.'
Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:
They cannot believe that here there is ball dance and there is Kṛṣṇa dancing with the gopīs—it is the same thing. So how it is reality? This is their misfortune. They cannot judge that unless in Kṛṣṇa there is ball dance, how this ball dance can be shadow? The variety is there. But unless there is reality, how the shadow... We are after shadow. Shadow is not reality. But there must be reality. And if in the shadow there are so many varieties, so why not reality also full of varieties? The poor fund of knowledge of the Māyāvādī... They cannot understand even that unless in the shadow there are so much varieties, unless there is reality... And in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) "The living entities and the Supreme Being, they are full of enjoyment." Why we are seeking enjoyment here in this mater...? Everyone is seeking after enjoyment. But they are seeking after false enjoyment.
Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:
The body is senses. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. Bodily enjoy means the sense enjoyment. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhiḥ (BG 3.42). In this way we have to understand that this body is false; therefore the bodily enjoyment is also false. That they cannot understand. This is their misfortune. Therefore one who does not understand in the beginning of spiritual life that "I am not this body. I am different from body..." Then his spiritual life begins. Otherwise, cats and dogs and everyone is engaged with this bodily enjoyment. So long we shall be captivated by this bodily enjoyment, we are in the groups of animals. That's all.
Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:
Otherwise there is no need of opening so many centers all over the world. But the idea is that to give the chance of good association. Therefore, those who are members of this society, they should be ideal. Simply by their association people will become good, very good responsibility. And if they become bad themselves, there is no possibility because we are giving instruction. We are behaving like that. Still, one becomes bad—oḥ, that is very great misfortune. Therefore all our members, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness society, should be ideal. At least people may see that "Here is a class of men—ideal character, ideal behavior, spiritual advanced, and very frugal and very nice." That is... Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). That is natural.
Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:
So it is our misfortune that we become doubtful about Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune. Otherwise, to become liberated, to go back to home, back to Godhead, very easy thing—provided we accept the Kṛṣṇa's version as it is, without any change. It is very easy. Kṛṣṇa, when He comes personally, He comes to bestow the mercy to the fallen souls, and He speaks very clearly that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more better positive truth than Myself." But we don't believe. That is the misfortune. But this man, although he did not know what he is doing, but very faithfully he chanted, vivaśaḥ, vivaśaḥ, without any hesitation. Vivaśaḥ. Vivaśaḥ means being forced. He was forced to chant. So yena tena prakāreṇa. If you chant without any committing any offense the holy name of the Lord, then you become liberated. This is the purpose of this Ajāmila upākhyāna. Ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveṣaḥ. Nirveṣa means atonement. If you commit some sin, then you should atone for it. Otherwise you have to carry the reaction of your sinful life to the next life. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, there is prāyaścitta. So prāyaścitta, that is also very heavy task. In this age nobody can perform prāyaścitta. And even one is able to perform prāyaścitta, then he..., there is possibility of again falling down unless one is clear consciousness, and that, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is every chance of falling down.
Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:
They are thinking, "We shall make plan here and live peacefully." That is going on. And God is coming, Kṛṣṇa is coming, canvassing, that "Come back to home, back to Godhead," and we are not interested. We are making plan here. This is our misfortune. But this plan will be frustrated. That is the nature's law. Daivi hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Whatever plan you make, it will be frustrated. It will never be successful. Therefore śāstra says, bahir-artha-maninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Where is the destination of life, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ. These rascals, those who have come to this material world, they do not know where is the goal of life because they are rascals, mūḍha, narādhama. Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that "Give up all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Nobody will hear. He will manufacture his own way. This is the disease. Why? Because under the spell of māyā.
Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:
Why an impersonalist, although very advanced in knowledge, in Vedic knowledge, still he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa? He inquires, "What is God?" Just see. God is canvassing, "Here I am," and he is inquiring, "What is God?" So this is our misfortune. Why they cannot realize? Duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina means acting sinfully. Specifically denying the existence of God. That is the greatest offense. Suppose you are a gentleman, and if I say, "You are blind. You are lame. You are handless. You are armless. You have no head. You are...," will you be sat..., happy? Will anybody be happy? Similarly, those persons who are describing the Absolute Personality of Godhead, "He has no eyes..." In other words, he is blind. "He has no hand" mean armless. "He has no leg," then he is lame man. "He has no tongue." In this way it is the definition by negation, and after all, make it zero. If you cut my hand, leg, my head, my eyes, ears, then what I remain?
Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:
But you don't accept Kṛṣṇa's guidance. That is the difficulty. Just like you are taking the guidance of Americans. You are elderly man, educated man, you prefer to take guidance from the Americans, not from Kṛṣṇa. So what can be done? That is Kṛṣṇa's ill luck and your misfortune. What can be done? All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977:
There is possibility, and very easily, because we are fallen, mandāḥ, very slow, very bad. Mandāḥ and sumanda-matayo. And because we are bad, everyone has manufactured a theory. Sumanda. Mata. Mata means opinion. And what is that opinion? Not only mandā but sumanda, very, very bad. Sumanda-matayo. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10), and all unfortunate or misfortunate. Why? When there is knowledge, they'll not take. They will theorize. They're unfortunate. Ready knowledge, but they will theorize, "It is like this. It is like that. It is like that. Perhaps... Maybe..." This is going on. Therefore manda-bhāgyāh. Just like here is money. One will not take that money.
Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:
Everyone is His son. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Just like the father teaches every son to become good, but there are unfortunate sons who do not take care of the father and remains to be unfortunate. So it is not Kṛṣṇa's partiality; it is our misfortune that we do not take care of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and suffer in this material world. This is the position. These rascals, they inquire, "Why, if Kṛṣṇa is so good, why He has put me into this position?" The rascal does not know that Kṛṣṇa wants you all to be happy, and He has given the instruction how to become happy, but we are unfortunate.
Lecture on SB 7.9.54 -- Vrndavana, April 9, 1976:
If you want to enjoy these material facilities, then you can go to such kind of men, such kind of men, and... If you want to learn drinking, so go to a club where drinking is very encouraged. Preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy sex, go to the club where prostitutes are available. That is preyas-kāmāḥ. But if you want to reach the goal of life, then go to Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. There are two kinds of men, sreyas-kāmāḥ, preyas-kāmāḥ, so two things are there. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the śreyas-kāmāḥ. And who becomes śreyas-kāmāḥ? Mahā-bhāga, with great fortune. Not ordinary person. Unfortunate or misfortunate, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mahā-bhāga. Very, very great fortunate person.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:
That is fortunate. Because our misfortune has begun by forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of our misfortune. That is the beginning. Because as soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of my misfortune. So in order to be, in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṇa māyā..., ataeva māyā tāre galila baddhiya (?). Some way or other, we forgot Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunate because we are, even we have got this opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to avoid Him. We are bringing so many nonsense things: "Why not this? Why not that? Why not...?" This is misfortune. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. But we are presenting, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?" this is our misfortune. Why? Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam. Why shall I try to put another alternative? Why? What is the reason? That is our misfortune. Kṛṣṇa is offering the fortune. Sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is fortune. But I'll not take that. Kṛṣṇa says, "Get up. Give up all other engagements. Simply take shelter of Me. I shall give you all protection." But I don't believe Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is my misfortune. This fortune, to become fortunate and misfortunate... Just like in English word, "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Is it not? "Man is the architect of his own fortune." But if you, as you are architect of your own fortune, you are architect of your own misfortune also. So if you don't accept Kṛṣṇa's advice, then you must consider yourself unfortunate. We should be cautious: "Why shall I become unfortunate? I must become fortunate." So that, to become fortunate, is not very difficult thing. All these Kṛṣṇa consciousness people, they are fortunate. They have taken Kṛṣṇa's advice as it is, without any change. They're fortunate. And that is being manifested, that they are fortunate.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:
So this is the process. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, if we are sincere and serious, then Kṛṣṇa becomes kind upon us and gives direction: buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. "I give them buddhi-yogam." Buddhi means intelligence. So here, everyone has got intelligence. At least, he thinks that he is very intelligent. Everyone thinks. Although he's fool number one, he thinks himself as very intelligent. Because intelligence is there. But when the intelligence is used for material fortune, that is unfortunate. When intelligence used for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is fortune. So we can set up our own fortune or misfortune.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:
This is our material disease. People are interested in material engagements and they have created different varieties of engagements. Sociology, communism, and this "ism," that "ism," philanthropism, altruism, internationalism, nationalism—many, many duties they have created. That is all material. Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy... (children crying) Stop that children. Out of His causeless mercy, He comes, He descends. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Glānir, this is glānir. Human life is meant for one thing, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth. But instead of doing that, they have created so many "isms." That is their misfortune.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:
So this Caitanya-caritāmṛta means we are talking of the living force, not of the dead matter. We should always remember. So the guru belongs to that living force. And Īśa, Īśa means controller. So everyone, that living force. Gurūn, īśa, īśa-bhaktān, īśa-bhaktān and īśam. So they are all living force. The Lord, His devotee, His representative, everyone, they belong to the spiritual platform, living force. Caitanya-saṁjñakam. Caitanya means living. That personification of all living forces is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. People mistake Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu because by misfortune they understand Kṛṣṇa Caitanya as a devotee or just like so-called sādhu or yogi, like that. That is mistake. Kṛṣṇa Caitanya means the original living force, Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.14 -- Mayapur, April 7, 1975:
We have got hundreds of centers, but this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's birthplace. You have come from very, very distant places all over the world. So here, you simply take prasādam, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, then your life is successful. It is not at all difficult. But we are so stubborn that we do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our misfortune. But still, as we struggle against misfortune, to become fortunate in the material world, similarly, we have to struggle against misfortune. Māyā is very strong. But the way is also there, how to get out of the clutches of māyā. Pāsate māyā tāre jāpaṭīyā dhare. Māyā has captured by embracing, just like if you capture somebody very tightly, it is very difficult to go out. Hands and legs are all caught up. Similarly, we are under the clutches of māyā in that way. But māyā's business is just to punish, but as soon as we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately māyā lets loose. Yes. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Very easy thing.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. They are bewildered. Nature's business is to keep you fool always. And if you can surpass the bewilderment of material nature, if you agree to be controlled by the supreme controller, then your life is successful. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says that "Here is the controller," ekala, "one." And Kṛṣṇa also says, mām ekam. Not that imitation Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be befooled. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.
So all the verdict of the śāstra is the same. It is simply our misfortune that we do not understand the verdict of the śāstra. In the śāstra, everything is there. So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. That is the verdict of the śāstra.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:
Kṛṣṇa is always prepared to accept you. He's always prepared. But because He has given us independence, we misuse it and we fall under the clutches of māyā. That is our misfortune. We create this misfortune, and we can create our good fortune. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." So if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, it is to your good fortune. If you become māyā conscious, it is to your bad fortune. You are the creator.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:
There are many poor. Intentionally, they have become poor. So therefore it is called manda-bhāgyā, that this... Each word of the Vedic scriptures is so nice. In spite of... In America I have seen. In spite of ample money and resources, some people have voluntarily accepted to remain as very poor and wretched. Voluntarily. They like that. They have no systematic life. Therefore Bhāgavata says, manda-bhāgyā. If we are unfortunate, even despite all facilities, we cannot be able to accept it. That is called misfortune. Not that in the absence of money and other facilities, one becomes unfortunate, but even in the presence of all these things, one is unfortunate. That is the characteristics of this age. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:
Because they have become bara-sab. Especially in the foreign countries, they become bara-sab. So that is the misfortune of India. They are giving up their culture and being misguided. So if they actually feel that they must maintain their own culture, then it is not difficult. It is the duty of every Indian, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that,
- bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
- janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
If that mentality is developed, that "In India we were born, we have got the greatest culture, recognized by all the world. So I must make my life successful by taking this culture and distribute it to the whole world," that is real Indian culture. If... They are thinking that they are poverty-stricken. Poverty-stricken because they have given their own culture; therefore poverty-stricken. Otherwise, there is no question of poverty-stricken. So anyway this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message, that every Indian should take advantage of the great culture, Vedic culture, and make his life successful, and after acquiring mature knowledge he should distribute the knowledge throughout the whole world.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:
Confusion... How you should be confused? Where is Kṛṣṇa says? The basic (indistinct) is in person? Kṛṣṇa's teaching personally. Where is the imperson? Why you should be misled unless you are also one of them. Kṛṣṇa is always person. He's always speaking aham. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Person. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mattaḥ. This, ahaṁ-śabdaḥ, is used. So they misinterpret just to mislead people; therefore whole India has become godless. This is the misfortune of India. On account of these impersonalists, Māyāvādīs, India is now godless. Very difficult position. So don't be misled by these rascals. Take real Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you'll be benefited. That's all.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966:
After loving so much his country, the result was that he was killed by his country. So in this material world the love is like that. It is never perfect. It cannot be perfect. So Lord Caitanya, taking compassion on these poor fellows, He taught love of Godhead. If you love Kṛṣṇa, then you will feel pleasure. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said that "Every living creature is searching after pleasure, pleasure." Therefore we have presented this small booklet, that Kṛṣṇa is the Reservoir of Pleasure. If you can love Kṛṣṇa, then you will get pleasure. Otherwise, there is no pleasure. You will be frustrated. This is a fact. If you take it, it is nice. If you don't take it, then that is your misfortune.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.14-20 -- New York, January 10, 1967:
The idea is that we shall enjoy reciprocally. My disciples and we shall talk about Kṛṣṇa, and we shall eat together and we shall chant together. This is the idea. Now if some of the disciples become overrule, then it becomes a very precarious condition for me. Similarly, God expanded Himself as the living entities for enjoyment, reciprocal, not that God's own enjoyment. When there is question of enjoyment, all the parties who participate in a particular type of enjoyment, they enjoy. So the perfection of enjoyment—when God desired that "I should expand Myself so that I can enjoy." So His enjoyment is not deficient, but if we want not to enjoy with God but we want to enjoy in a different way, that is my misfortune.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:
They do not want to cover; they think that they are advanced. But Kṛṣṇa covers Himself so that they may not understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not want. Kṛṣṇa wants that one should surrender and take to devotional service. So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ: (BG 7.25) "I do not reveal Myself to everyone, one and all. No. I cover Myself." So these impersonalists, due to their, I mean to say, less intelligence, or misfortune, they cannot see Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 -- San Francisco, January 24, 1967:
Generally, even the aborigines, they have got some sense of God. Whenever they find something extraordinary, just like lightening, or a great hill, or a great tree, they offer their respect. So that is sense of God. Sense of God is there in everyone's heart. Unless he is an animal, everyone heart there is. Artificially, we try to drive away this obedience. But there are other Even in the civilized society, there are persons, they are put into such a circumstances that they will never be able to understand what is God consciousness or what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are so misfortunate. And as soon as one becomes godless or forgetful (of) his eternal relationship with God, then his life is immediately condemned.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Sri Isopanisad Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1971:
So such things it is useless, try to understand by arguments. That is simply nonsense. You can, of course, inquire, but that inquiry is not challenge. If you inquire from your spiritual master by challenge, then it is your misfortune. You have to inquire from the spiritual master—that is indicated-sevayā, by service, by making him satisfied. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). First of all you have to surrender, and then you have to please him by service. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If you can please him, then naturally Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon you. That is the injunction. So this praśna... First of all you should find out somebody where you can surrender. If there is duplicity in surrender, that is useless. First of all see whether you can surrender there; then accept him spiritual master and then please him by your service and inquiry. That is Vedic principle.
Festival Lectures
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:
So this illusion means māyā. māyā... If you want to get out of this illusion, māyā, then you have to accept the Kṛṣṇa's formula. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā for guidance if we accept the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Everything is there. Peace is there, prosperity is there. So that is a fact. Unfortunately, we do not accept it. That is our misfortune.
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:
So Indians, Indians are meant for para-upakāra. Indians are not meant for exploiting others. That is not Indians' business. Indian history is all along for para-upakāra. And formerly, from all parts of the world, used to come to India to learn what is spiritual life. Even Jesus Christ went there. And from China and from other countries. That is history. And we are forgetting our own asset. How much we are callous. Such a great movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is going on all over the world, but our Indians are callous, our government is callous. They do not take. That is our misfortune.
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Ceremony -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:
Virāha. Virāha dāsa. I am not asking individually about the four principles. I suppose you know this. But just I was explaining sat and asat. These two things are side by side. Just like there is darkness and there is light, you can see merging in the sunlight. You'll see, one side is light, and one side is dark. Similarly, sat and asat, they are existing side by side. If you don't remain this side, then you come to this side. So it is my choice. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa is the bright side, and the other things, material activities and sinful activities, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, the dark side. So it is your choice. If you remain the bright side, then your progress is certain, and if you fall down again on the dark side, that is your misfortune. So you should always remember that.
General Lectures
Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:
So it is very hard task for us to convince them, but the fact is this. Either they accept or not accept, it is our misfortune or their misfortune, but the fact is this, that as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, or as Lord Kṛṣṇa said, that mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All these living entities are My part and parcels." So what is the duty of part and parcel? The part and parcel is... Of course, the same example. Just my, this hand is part and parcel of the body. So the duty of the hand is to serve the whole body. That's all. There is no other duty.
Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:
We should be little careful that this knowledge, transcendental knowledge, as distributed by Lord Caitanya, should be seriously taken up by the responsible Indians present here. Unfortunately, I see that Indians are not very much interested, but that is our misfortune. Actually, Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted this mission that anyone who has taken birth as human being on the land of Bhārata-varṣa should learn this spiritual science very seriously, make his life successful, and distribute all over the world so that people of the world may become happy. That was His mission.
Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:
Prabhupāda: That is your misfortune. If your mother misleads you, gives you misinformation, then that is your misfortune, but there is no other way to know who is your father except your mother.
Young woman: But also there is no way for me to know who my mother is.
Prabhupāda: That may be, but I am speaking of the process to understand. This is the process. I may be the, the man who is presenting or the woman who is presenting somebody as your father, she might be misleading you. That is a different thing. But you have no other process to understand your father except your mother.
Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:
This simple method. This simple method will make you liberated if you do it sincerely, without any, I mean to say, reservation. That we are teaching. Simply kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). And you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be perfect. Your life will be perfect. That is injunction of all śāstras, and especially Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead teaching personally. Why do you say "There is no God. What is God?" I was surprised. When I was speaking in the Berkeley University, one Indian girl asked me, "Swamijī, what is God?" You see? I inquired from her, "Are you Indian? You are so misfortunate, you are coming from India—India is the place of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāma—and you are asking me what is God?" So much degradation. Apan dhan vilaya ye vikram aje pare tyaje(?). (laughter) You see? So you should be careful now. You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously and you'll be happy. That is our propaganda.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
We have got book, very big, big books, four hundred, five hundred pages, one dozen books. If you have time, you read this philosophy, this science, and try to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But it is not a new movement. It is already known in India. Unfortunately, we Indian people, we are rejecting. That is our misfortune. Our misfortune is, as it is said, (Hindi). We have kicked out our own culture; now we are trying to develop another culture from other spheres of the world.
Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:
Kṛṣṇa is always speaking: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). The first person is used everywhere. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Aham. Kṛṣṇa says aham, person. So why we should think of Kṛṣṇa being imperson? This is our misfortune. Therefore it takes many, many births. Even one is jñānavān it takes many, many births to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Although he's jñānavān, superficially, still his jñāna has been taken away. Māyayā apahṛta-jñānā. Although he's proud of his knowledge, the māyā says, "No, no, no. Why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa as person? He's imperson." So māyā is dictating and taking away his knowledge. māyayā apahṛta-jñānā. Kṛṣṇa says aham, "I, Me." These are first person, person, first person. And still these people are thinking of Kṛṣṇa as imperson. Why? This is called māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. They have studied the Vedic literature but could not understand what is Kṛṣṇa.
Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:
So this is the opportunity in human life. Kṛṣṇa is explaining, God is explaining Himself, and still if you remain dulls and fools and rascals, then it is our misfortune. That is explained narādhama. Narādhama. Narādhama cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Narādhama, lowest of the mankind. Narādhama. Nara means man and adhama means lowest. So those who are narādhama they will escape this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:
So these things are there. Unfortunately, we do not take care of it. Bhagavad-gītā, I think, throughout the whole world, at least in India, in every house, every home, there is Bhagavad-gītā. But we do not understand Kṛṣṇa. This is our misfortune. This is our misfortune. This is dharmasya glāni, that Kṛṣṇa explaining, the śāstra explaining that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), but we do not understand. And mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). This is due to misfortune. Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a tiny little attempt to convince people that "You are searching after God. Take. Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. Take His address. Take His father's name. Take His mother's name. Why you are searching? Here is God." This is our mission. So we haven't got to manufacture anything, because every information is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. And especially Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has explained. What is Kṛṣṇa, He has explained. And Kṛṣṇa has explained. Then where is the difficulty to understand God? There is no difficulty.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:
If somebody says that "I do not see the father. How I can believe?" that is foolishness. You believe or not believe, you see or not see, there must be father. This is the conclusion. This is theory, that this world is going on, everything is coming out of the mother earth, then there must be father. And that father is present, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "I am the father."
So it is our misfortune that we do not recognize the father. So it may be, "How can I recognize my father?" Ask you mother. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). All Vedic literature will say, "Here is father." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).
Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:
So now this Kṛṣṇa movement is being appreciated all over the world. Unfortunately, although Bhagavad-gītā is spoken in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, Chandigarh, the Kurukṣetra, we do not allow Kṛṣṇa to speak. This is our misfortune. Kṛṣṇa spoke these words of Bhagavad-gītā. Many scholars, many so-called saintly persons, they have misinterpreted the words of Bhagavad-gītā. They did not allow to speak Kṛṣṇa. They wanted to speak on behalf of Kṛṣṇa... Not on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. I am sorry. They wanted to speak about themself. If one speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. But if one manufactures some idea from the words of Kṛṣṇa by misinterpretation and does not allow Kṛṣṇa to speak, it is a great dangerous position. That has become actually the fact in India. Otherwise such a big culture, complete culture... From the Bhagavad-gītā, any question you can raise, the answer is there. Political, social, religious, philosophical, cultural—any way you study Bhagavad-gītā, the complete answer is there. Therefore our request is that let Kṛṣṇa speak for Himself. Don't try to misinterpret the words of Kṛṣṇa or the words in the Bhagavad-gītā. That will spoil it.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:
Prabhupāda: How he can be convinced? There are so many evidences. That is the misfortune of the human society. A learned person like Mill, he cannot understand, what to speak of the others. This is simple truth. Any child can understand but due to misfortune they cannot understand.
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:
Prabhupāda: Humanity is not worship. Every, every... According to God conscious person, everything is worshipable, even an ant, but supreme worshipable is God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So that is wanted. Nature, these persons, they are taking as nature as the Supreme. But those who are actually in awareness of God, they know that God is the controller of nature also. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, māyadhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Nature is matter. Matter cannot act independently. In the Bhagavad-gītā, as (indistinct), the difference, what is the difference between matter and the living being. The difference is the matter is being handled, controlled by the living being. Therefore living being is the superior nature, and matter is inferior nature. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). This earth, water, air, fire, etc., everything, these are inferior nature. Just try to understand nature. And above this inferior nature there is superior nature. That, the inferior nature, is a vast ocean, but the superior nature, man, has a big ship. The ocean will not allow to walk over it, and they have control over the ocean, not exclusive control, but little control. Because he is living being, he can cross over the big mass of water by inventing some means, so that at least they are controlling to some extent. But above this ocean and the man who is trying to control over the ocean, there is another controller. That is supreme controller. That is God. It is very easy to understand that there are two natures: one, the active nature; inactive nature. And above these both, active and inactive, there is another active personality who is controlling both of them. That we can understand by Vedic literature very clearly. There is no difficulty. But those who are obstinate, they will not accept. That is their misfortune. What can be done? But this is the fact.
Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:
Prabhupāda: Everyone is trying to get out of the suffering. But when Kṛṣṇa says that these things will not help you, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), he does not catch up. That is his misfortune. God Himself says that "You take." "You take Me" means by His instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. "You take to Me, you will be saved." But they will not. That is their obstinacy. And the Vedas therefore says, tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain in the dark well. You come out to the light." But they will not come to the light. They want to remain in the dark well. And if you want to become perfect, that is their misfortune.
Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:
Prabhupāda: So this training, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means those who are fortunate, they have come to accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This movement is training them how to know perfectly well that he is..., he will be or he is always very, very happy in Kṛṣṇa, not without Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. When practically we see anyone who has given up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they are not happy. I don't find anyone. That's fact. They are not happy. They are rotting in degradation. That is their misfortune, less intelligent.
Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is one sense correct. Because we are fallen condition and we are sons of God, so we are suffering. God is very much compassionate; therefore He comes personally to teach us: "You rascal, why you are rotting in this material world? You surrender to Me and go back to home, back to Godhead, you will be happy." Therefore He is consulting. Otherwise why He comes from Vaikuṇṭha? Everyone, just like a son is rotting in his own way, but the father comes: "My dear son, why you are rotting in this way? You come home. You have got state. You will live there comfortably." But he does not come. That is his misfortune.
Purports to Songs
Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1969:
Viṣaya majiyā, rohili bhuliyā. He's addressing himself, "My dear mind, you are entrapped in the sense gratification process and you have no attraction for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Viṣaya bhuliyā, rohili majiyā, se pade nahilo āśa: "You have no attraction for the lotus feet of Caitanya-Nityānanda. So what can I say? It is only..." Āpana karama, bhuñjāya śamana: "I can simply think of my misfortune only that Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, he is punishing me in this way, that he is not allowing me to be attracted to this movement." This is the statement of Kahoye locana-dāsa: "This is the statement of Locana dāsa Ṭhākura."
| Page Title: | Misfortune (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 22 of Dec, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=102, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 102 |