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Natural position

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 2.55, Purport:

The highly developed soul always remains satisfied in himself by realizing himself as the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord. Such a transcendentally situated person has no sense desires resulting from petty materialism; rather, he remains always happy in his natural position of eternally serving the Supreme Lord.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.14, Purport:

The real purpose of life is to make contact with the Lord and be engaged in His service. That is the natural position of living entities. But those who are impersonalists and are unable to render any loving service to the Lord have been advised to meditate upon His impersonal feature, the virāṭ-rūpa, or universal form.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.5.3, Purport:

To be obedient to the wishes of the Supreme Lord is the natural position of every living entity. But due only to past misdeeds, a living being becomes averse to the sense of subordination to the Lord and suffers all the miseries of material existence. No one has anything to do but render devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

SB 3.25.32, Purport:

The senses, led by the mind, act under the influence of the demigods. When the service is ultimately aimed at the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the senses are in their natural position. The Lord is called Hṛṣīkeśa, for He is actually the proprietor and ultimate master of the senses.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.11.30, Translation:

Thus regaining your natural position and rendering service unto the Supreme Lord, who is the all-powerful reservoir of all pleasure and who lives in all living entities as the Supersoul, you will very soon forget the illusory understanding of "I" and "my."

SB 4.28.53, Purport:

The natural position of the living entity is to serve the Lord in a transcendental loving attitude. When the living entity wants to become Kṛṣṇa Himself or imitate Kṛṣṇa, he falls down into the material world. Since Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father, His affection for the living entity is eternal.

SB 4.29.65, Purport:

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle. We must teach people to absorb themselves always in the service of the Lord because that position is their natural position. One who is always serving the Lord is to be considered already liberated.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.5.14, Purport:

Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was in the material world, was attracted by women and money, whereas Prahlāda Mahārāja, being in his natural position, was attracted by Kṛṣṇa. In replying to Hiraṇyakaśipu's question about why Prahlāda Mahārāja had a deviant view, Prahlāda said that his view was not deviant, for the natural position of everyone is to be attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Hiraṇyakaśipu found this view deviant, Prahlāda said, because of being unnaturally unattracted by Kṛṣṇa. Hiraṇyakaśipu therefore needed purification.

SB 7.5.14, Purport:

The bhakti process purifies the living entity of all unnatural attractions. When one is purified he is attracted by Kṛṣṇa and begins to serve Kṛṣṇa instead of serving māyā. This is his natural position. A devotee is attracted by Kṛṣṇa, whereas a nondevotee, being contaminated by the dirt of material enjoyment, is not.

SB 7.10.6, Purport:

Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29), bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the proprietor of all planets, and I am the supreme enjoyer." This is the natural position of the Lord, and the natural position of the living being is to surrender unto Him (sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)).

SB 7.11.32, Purport:

If one gradually gives up his hereditary customs and duties and tries to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his natural position, he is gradually able to become free from these activities, and he attains the stage of niṣkāma, freedom from material desires.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 11.10.14-16, Translation:

My dear Uddhava, I have thus explained to you perfect knowledge. There are philosophers, however, who challenge My conclusion. They state that the natural position of the living entity is to engage in fruitive activities, and they see him as the enjoyer of the happiness and unhappiness that accrue from his own work. According to this materialistic philosophy, the world, time, the revealed scriptures and the self are all variegated and eternal, existing as a perpetual flow of transformations. Knowledge, moreover, cannot be one or eternal, because it arises from the different and changing forms of objects; thus knowledge itself is always subject to change. Even if you accept such a philosophy, My dear Uddhava, there will still be perpetual birth, death, old age and disease, since all living entities must accept a material body subject to the influence of time.

SB 11.18.43, Translation:

A householder may approach his wife for sex only at the time prescribed for begetting children. Otherwise, the householder should practice celibacy, austerity, cleanliness of mind and body, satisfaction in his natural position, and friendship toward all living entities. Worship of Me is to be practiced by all human beings, regardless of social or occupational divisions.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 5.66, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the controller of everything, and the living entities are always controlled, either by the spiritual energy or by the material energy. Therefore a living entity can never become the controller of material or spiritual energies. The natural position of the living being is always as a subordinate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one agrees to act in such a position, he attains perfection in life, but if one rebels against this principle, he is in the conditioned state.

CC Adi 17.266, Purport:

All the sannyāsīs in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, who are preaching all over the world, are regular brāhmaṇa-sannyāsīs. Thus the so-called caste brāhmaṇas should not object to offering them respectful obeisances. By offering such obeisances, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will diminish their offenses and automatically awaken to their natural position of devotional service. As it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya: (Cc. madhya 22.107) kṛṣṇa-prema can be awakened in a purified heart. The more we offer obeisances to sannyāsīs, especially Vaiṣṇava sannyāsīs, the more we diminish our offenses and purify our hearts.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8.89, Purport:

The fulfillment of human life is summarized in this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.82.44). There are two important words in this verse: bhakti (devotional service) and amṛtatva (eternal life). The aim of human life is to attain the natural position of eternal life. This eternal life can be achieved only by devotional service.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 9:

When one realizes something of his constitutional relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he understands his original position and wants to be reinstated in this position, either as friend, servant, parent or conjugal lover of Kṛṣṇa. That is called lālasāmayī, or very eagerly desiring to go to one's natural position. This lālasāmayī stage of submission comes in the stage of perfect liberation, which is technically called svarūpa-siddhi, when the living entity understands, by perfect spiritual advancement and revelation, his original relationship with the Lord.

Nectar of Devotion 9:

In the same Padma Purāṇa there is a statement about submission in humbleness. It is stated there, "My dear Lord, there is no sinful living entity who is more of a sinner than myself. Nor is there a greater offender than myself. I am so greatly sinful and offensive that when I come to confess my sinful activities before You, I am ashamed." This is a natural position for a devotee. As far as the conditioned soul is concerned, there is no wonder that he has some sinful activities in his past life, and this should be admitted and confessed before the Lord.

Message of Godhead

Message of Godhead 2:

In Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa affirms that each and every living entity that be is His part and parcel, and as such, each and every living entity is His eternal, transcendental servitor. The natural position of one who is part and parcel is to render service to the complete whole. In Hitopadeśa, a Vedic book of ancient fables, there is a lucid analogy entitled Uddeśa Indriyāṇām which explains the relationship of the parts of the body to the whole.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973:

This is material. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Why anxiety? Because we have accepted something asat, which will not stay. But we are eternal, we want to stay. Our natural position is eternity. So we don't want this temporary body. Therefore we try to save the body as much as possible. But it will not be saved.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

Faith can be changed. But dharma is a word which cannot be changed. If it is changed, it is to be understood artificial. Just like the water. Water is liquid, everyone knows. But sometimes water becomes hard, very hard, ice. So that is not the natural position of water. Artificially, on account of excessive cold or by artificial means the water becomes solid. But the real position of water is liquidity.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

So when we are detached from the service of the Lord, this is also unnatural, unnatural. Natural position is that we must be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is our natural position. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava kavi says that kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare. When a living entity forgets Kṛṣṇa, forgets Kṛṣṇa's position... Kṛṣṇa's position... Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the proprietor, I am the enjoyer." This is the Kṛṣṇa's position. He never falls down that position. Kṛṣṇa is enjoyer.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

We are originally, our function is to render service, and where the service is to be rendered? To the Supreme. That is our natural position. Now, under designation, we are rendering the same service to so many things. That function is already there. Because... Just like the water. Water is liquid always, either black water, or green water or yellow water, or white water, it is always liquid. Because the water has become black, it does not mean the liquidity is lost.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

A child also, he'll try to serve the father, his mother. He'll try to assist mother. Mother is cooking. He'll try to assist the mother. So this is the position, that our natural position is to render service. Now, where to render service and how the service is being misused. That we have to understand. That's all.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Everyone is trying to be master. Therefore so much trouble of existence. If everyone becomes servant, there is no struggle. There is no struggle. Everyone becomes happy because he comes to his natural position. But here, artificially, we are trying to be the master, which I am not. That is my artificial life. Everyone is trying to predominate, to be the... He's trying to dominate over the material resources to his best. But he cannot have any domination of the material nature.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

But at the present moment, I am thinking that I am master, I'm not servant. This is called māyā. Actually I am servant, but I am thinking master. Everyone is trying to lord it over the material nature according to his capacity. Controller, master, he's trying to be, but actually his position is servant. So when he forgets his servitorship, that is called dharmasya glānir, discrepancy of his natural position. Dharmasya.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

We accept some leader and follow his principles. Just like you have elected your leader as President Johnson, the president of your state. He is supposed to be the leader of your nation, and he is asking you to go to the Vietnam and sacrifice your life. So you are following. So this is the natural position. Even if we do not accept God, if we do not accept the leadership of God, we have to select another leader. We cannot get rid of this principle, that we can live without leader. That is our constitutional position.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Just like a woman. Natural position is to remain dependent on man. That is natural position. But if some woman artificially tries to become man or master, that is suffering. That is suffering. We have given this example that in India the women, they voluntarily surrender to the subjugation of the husband, but there are many families, hundreds and thousands even—they are happy. That's a fact.

Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

The renounced order means that I renounce my material propensities. That is called renunciation. A living entity is living. He has got his different propensities. That is his natural position. If I say that "You don't desire," no, that is not possible. I cannot desire, I don't desire... If I am desireless, then I am dead. What is my life? Desire... Somebody says that "You become desireless." That is an impossible, sir. Desireless means don't desire materially. That is desireless.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Because you have forgotten. That is your natural position. You have forgotten the service of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, therefore you have become the servant of māyā. You are servant of māyā, your senses. Therefore I am teaching, that "You are serving your senses, now you turn your service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, you'll be happy. Service you have to render. Either Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or māyā, illusion, senses. Everybody is serving to the senses.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Just like my part and parcel of the finger; so without finger, my body's imperfect. Finger must be... So the existence of finger with this body, it is natural. Similarly, to remain with Kṛṣṇa, that is our natural position, constitutional position. Remain with Kṛṣṇa as cowherd boy, as gopī, as Kṛṣṇa's father, Kṛṣṇa's mother, Kṛṣṇa's servant, Kṛṣṇa's trees, Kṛṣṇa's Yamunā, Kṛṣṇa's flower, Kṛṣṇa's Vṛndāvana land—remain with Kṛṣṇa in any form you like. Śānta dāsya sākhya vātsalya mādhurya. In any mellow, humor, you can remain with Kṛṣṇa. That is our natural position. But when we try to imitate Kṛṣṇa, to become a imitation Kṛṣṇa... Just like there are so many persons, they say, "I am Kṛṣṇa." This is māyā.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

When your existential position will be purified, then you get your And the whole process of chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is purifying process. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). It is all purifying process. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Purification means now we have got so many designations. So when we shall be free from all designation and simply understand that "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa," that is my natural position. This is very important question.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

That dissatisfaction is always there. Just like if a animal or a living entity is put into the water, then however expert swimmer he may be, it is struggle. In the water... That... Because that is not his natural position. The same man, if he is taken over the water, one inch over the water, he feels relief immediately. And if he is put into the land, then he's perfectly relieved.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

Man is supposed to be the enjoyer, and the woman is supposed to be enjoyed. Similarly, prak ṛti is not enjoyer; prakṛti is enjoyed. If the prakṛti remains in her own position as being enjoyed, that is her natural position. And if she superficially, artificially tries to be enjoyer, a puruṣa, she never becomes happy. According to our Manu-saṁhitā it is said that woman has no independence. Na strī svātantryam arhati. According to Manu-saṁhitā, a woman should remain always dependent, and that is her real happiness.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

Prakṛti means to remain dependent on the supreme husband or on the supreme father. You can accept Kṛṣṇa as father. You can love Kṛṣṇa as father, as husband, as master. Dependent. Remain dependent. And Kṛṣṇa has come to teach us that natural position of the living entities. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is our position, not to be puffed up, that "I am God, I am Kṛṣṇa, everyone is Kṛṣṇa." This is māyā, the last snare of māyā.

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Why he is going to the factory, to the office? This is the nature, that small serves the great. So God, He is the greatest. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Then what is your business? To serve Him, that's all. This is natural position. In the material world he is going to serve somebody, ready(?), from somebody else for his bread; still, he is thinking, "I am God." Just see what kind of God he is. (laughter) This is rascal, he is thinking that he is God. If he is driven away from the office, he'll not get his bread, and he is God. This is material world. Everyone is thinking "I am God." Therefore they have been called mūḍhas, rascals.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

As liquidity is natural state of water, similarly, dharma is our natural state, the living entity. The living entity being part and parcel of God, it has got a natural position. Natural position. Just like the finger is the part and parcel of your body. It has got a natural position. The natural position is that finger, as you wish to work, the finger works, serves you. The different parts of your body, limbs, they are meant for serving the whole body. The finger catches a nice foodstuff, cake, but the finger does not use it. The finger takes it to the mouth. That means finger serves the body.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

Eternally conditioned means... We cannot be eternally conditioned, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Our natural position is ever liberated, eternally liberated. But because we wanted to imitate Kṛṣṇa, we wanted to become Kṛṣṇa, as the Māyāvādīs want to do, therefore in the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

Everywhere, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme proprietor. Therefore he is the supreme enjoyer. We cannot be enjoyer. We each can simply be servitor; that is our natural position. Just like a dog, when it serves a nice master, he's happy. Otherwise, it is street dog. Nobody cares for it. Street dog. A street dog has no position. Sometimes they are killed. Similarly, when we live under the full protection of the Supreme Lord, that is our healthy condition, that is our real life.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

Just (as in) school (or) college, to become graduate means to become distinguished from the fools and rascals. Similarly, human being does not mean the struggle for existence as the one big fish is eating another small fish, another is... No, no, that is not human. That is natural, but you have to rectify the natural position for the..., for realization of the utmost aim of life. That is human life. Not to treat like animals. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So that spiritual consciousness begins when one understands that he is soul; he is not this body, he is spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:

We have got experience in this material world also: prakṛti, strī, and puruṣa, husband and wife. Natural position is that the wife is under or subordinate to the husband. At least that is the Vedic conception. Therefore woman places herself in the position of dāsī. Dāsī, maidservant. Even the queens of Kṛṣṇa, when... You will find in the Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, when there was talking between the queens and Draupadī at Kurukṣetra on some festival, that, as women, mixing together, they talk about their marriage, about their family, about their husband, so they were also talking.

Lecture on SB 5.5.27 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1976:

Mind is subtle matter; it is not spirit. So in this way, separated energy and the jīva, the living entity, although he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, he wanted to enjoy life separately or independently without Kṛṣṇa, and that is called material world, struggle for existence. Without Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he has to come to Kṛṣṇa if he wants to stop his struggle for existence with mind and senses, then he must come to Kṛṣṇa. That is the natural position.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So our present position is solid: "Don't hear anything about God." But natural position is that we are servant of God. Because we are seeking master... The supreme master is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the master of the whole creation. I am the enjoyer." He is the master. Caitanya-caritāmṛta also said, ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa. Īśvara means controller or master. Ekala īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya: "Except Kṛṣṇa, they are, any big or small living entity, they are all servants, except Kṛṣṇa." You will therefore see: Kṛṣṇa is not serving anybody. He is simply enjoying.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

You have to learn from the śāstra that who is the master. I have to serve. The master is Kṛṣṇa. And that is our natural position. And if we do not serve Kṛṣṇa, if we serve a big man or a demigod or any other but he is not Kṛṣṇa, that is adharma. So dharma and adharma, these two things, are there. You serve either of them. But the result—according to your service. If you are serving as high-court judge, that salary, and if you serving as ordinary, what is called, washer of dishes, that salary cannot be equal.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

Every living entity is by nature joyful, spiritually, and because he is materially covered, his joyfulness is hampered. That is the real position. Feverish condition, one becomes sick, attacked by fever—his joyfulness goes away. He becomes sick. Similarly, our natural position is joy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. Kṛṣṇa is joyful. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore I must be also joyful. That is natural. If my father is black, then I am also black. If my mother is black, I am also black. So our father, the supreme father Kṛṣṇa, is joyful. Don't you see Kṛṣṇa's attitude? Anywhere you see, Kṛṣṇa is joyful.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

As soon as I desire, "Finger, you come to this place," immediately it comes. "Finger, you come to this place," it immediately comes. So we can study. What is the meaning of part and parcel? Part and parcel means to serve the whole. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth. We are relative truth. Therefore it is our duty to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is our natural position.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

Constitutionally, you are servant, nothing but servant. Artificially, you are claiming that "I am master." Nobody's master. You are servant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is the real identity of jīva. He's eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. So as soon as you accept that position, you are liberated. That is your natural position. You are constitutionally a servant. Artificially, you are thinking, "I am master." That is māyā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

Just like I am part and parcel of the Supreme. So if I desire to work in cooperation with the Supreme, that is my natural position. That is desirelessness. If you... Suppose in this material condition, if you desire to eat, oh, that is natural. So long you have got this body, you have to eat. If somebody says, "Oh, you are desiring eating...?" Nobody says like that.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

Just like a baby, the part and parcel of the mother, crying, so many people trying to pacify the baby, taking on the lap, but still it is crying. But as soon as the baby is on the breast of the mother, immediately happy. Naturally. The baby knows, "Now I have come to the right place." Although it cannot speak, it cannot express, but the natural position, as soon as realized.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

We haven't got to study more: whether he is Kṛṣṇa conscious, whether he has got any portion of his heart attracted, attached to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means attraction. So whether he has been attracted by Kṛṣṇa. That is our natural position—to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Just like the magnetic stone attracts the iron. It is natural. And if the iron is covered with dirt, then it does not become attracted. So this is the test, to make people prepared for being attracted by Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

You might have read that when Brahmā stolen all Kṛṣṇa's associates, so He created Himself again all of them, and everyone was feeling more attracted by Kṛṣṇa. So this is natural. This is not unnatural. Our position is, natural position is, to be attracted by Kṛṣṇa. If we do not become attracted by Kṛṣṇa, that is unnatural. And to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa, that is not unnatural. That is natural.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

So we want to revive our natural position, uncovered position. Now we are covered by dust, by dirt, by corroding materials. So we have to cleanse this. Therefore the bhakti process is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). I am thinking I am Indian. You are thinking you are American. This is a dirty thing, covering the spirit soul. So we have to cleanse this. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means cleansed. When we become cleansed of all dirty things of material modes of nature, then we are prepared to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

Due to our ignorance, we have been very much serious with the temporary situation of māyā and we have forgotten the eternal position. This is our present conditional life. Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means His treatment to reclaim the living entity from the clutches of māyā. Then he is situated in his natural position.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

So father, mother never forgets the affection, but child forgets by bad association. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa does not forget us, but we have forgotten. So this process is to revive our natural position to love Kṛṣṇa. Now we are unnatural, in unnatural condition, forgetting Kṛṣṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to bring back everyone to his original consciousness, affection, love between the child and the father. And that is the best service to the society.

Departure Talks

Conversation -- Hawaii, June 20, 1975:

The law is that the stronger is dominating the weaker. That is the law. You cannot avoid it. So wherefrom this idea came unless it is in God? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). All ideas come from the Supreme. That is the law, that the strong predominate over the weak. So who can be stronger than God? So this is our natural position, to serve God.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: This is innate truth: as three angles of a triangle are equal to 180 degrees, similarly snow is white. Snow is white, water is liquid, stone is hard, chili is hot, sugar is sweet. These are eternal truths, fundamental truths. Similarly, a living entity is eternal servant of God. This is eternal truth. It cannot be changed. Water is liquid. That is the natural position, but when water becomes hard, it is due to temperature, under certain conditions, but as soon as the temperature reduces, the water becomes liquid. So liquidity of water is truth. Similarly, whiteness of snow is truth.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: That's the fact. He explains..., this fact is explained in the Vedic literature, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), Kaṭha Upaniṣad, that He is also living being and we are also living being. So He is also eternal; we are also eternal. So qualitatively we are one, but quantitatively we are different, because eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: that one, singular number, eternal living being, Kṛṣṇa, or God, He is maintaining everyone. So that is the difference. The one living being, the Supreme Living Being, the great living being, is maintaining other living beings who are part and parcel of the Supreme. So both of us, we are the living beings, individual, eternal, but God is Supreme; we are subordinate. That is difference. So our natural position should be to love God, being part and parcel of God.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: So everyone is serving, but when he realizes that "I am serving. I am not the master," that is the position actually. Ask anybody in this world whether he is master or serving, the conclusion will be that he is serving. His natural position is to serve. So if one hasn't got a family to serve, he keeps a dozen of dog to serve. That is going on, and especially in the Western countries we see that at the old age, when he has no children, so he keeps a dog or two or three pets to serve.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: That is not possible. That is rascaldom. We have divided already four classes of men. Even in Russia... Even in Russia, I have seen, they have created two classes, the worker class, the manager class. I have seen it. Yes. So you cannot say that everyone will do the same work. That is not possible. I have given already the example, the brain, the arms, the abdomen and the leg. The leg cannot do the work of brain. Leg can cooperate with the brain, but cannot do the work of brain. This is natural position.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: You should always know that "I must be conditioned. That is my life." Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Condition. Still conditioned, but daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, under the spiritual nature. That is Mahātmā. Mahātmā is not independent. He is also conditioned. So first of all, we must understand that our natural position is to be conditioned. Now, why, where I shall be conditioned? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). You condition here. "You become conditioned by Me. Then you will be happy." Those who are thinking that "We shall not be conditioned," they are still in māyā. You cannot be without condition.

Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Satsvarūpa: "But if the constitution of the living entity is accepted as being the minute part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, then automatically he becomes a controlled living entity under a supreme energy or power. This is his constitutional position. Therefore if he remains as he is created in that natural position, he can attain..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are created as being controlled. So instead of aspiring to become controller, if we remain controlled, that is our natural position. But some rascals, they are trying to become controller, "I am... By meditation I have become God." But if you are a God, then how you have become dog? This is going on. The cheating, the so-called swamis. Do they not say, "I am God?" Do they not say? "I am God. You are God. Everyone God."

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- March 5, 1975, New York:

Female Reporter: That goes against the thinking of a lot of people in America now. Do you know that?

Prabhupāda: No... America, maybe, but this is the natural position. Women require protection.

Female Reporter: Who decides who's natural? And what's natural?

Prabhupāda: Natural means just like in psychology it is said that woman, the highest brain substance of woman is thirty-six ounce, whereas the highest brain substance of man is sixty-four ounce. So there is difference by nature, of the brain.

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: There is no material. When you forget Kṛṣṇa, that is material. Just like madness. Madness is not our natural position, but when your brain is deranged, then it is madness. Madness has no separate existence, but when our brain is not in order, there is madness. Similarly, there is nothing material, because everything has come from Kṛṣṇa. The original source is Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So the material world, the so-called material world, has come from Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- November 10, 1975, Bombay:

Devotee (3): But if his desire is not steady. For instance, if he...

Prabhupāda: If he hears about Kṛṣṇa, everything will be done nicely. śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathā kṛṣṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa will help. And that is natural position, to hear about Kṛṣṇa, to act for Kṛṣṇa, to think of Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is all right. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is the easiest process and genuine, without any failure. Ceto-darpana-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam (CC Antya 20.12).

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Guru dāsa: So that's his ignorance.

Prabhupāda: That is ignorance. His nature is to become happy. He is happy, happy. Just like our natural position is we are healthy. Nature has made this body. But we create such situation that we become ill, sick. And at that time we see, "Oh, I am..." What is that? "I am infected. I have been contaminated." Go to the doctor, injection. But the natural life is no disease.

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Guru-kṛpā: Then they say, "Why you desire to serve Kṛṣṇa?"

Prabhupāda: Huh? That is not desire. It is a natural. That is natural. Obedience to Kṛṣṇa, that is my natural business. Servant's business is always ready: "What can I do, sir?" This is not desire. This is natural position. He's not desiring anything. He's simply ready, "What can I do?" Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). That is, he's not desiring anything. Desire means when I want something for my satisfaction, that is desire. (break) ...mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya. He's simply expecting what spiritual master will order. Citta. Āra nā koriho... He has no other desire. That is desirelessness. (break) Desireless means a wooden stone.

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Indian man (2): Swamiji, you think bhakti is the solution to the problem of the world today?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes. That is your natural position. You are protected, and God is protector. That's a fact. You cannot live even for a moment without protection of God. That is your position. That is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Perhaps you have read it in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. You have read Caitanya-caritāmṛta? Yes. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, He immediately gives the definition and position of the living entity: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: This is not wanted. He is spirit. He has nothing to do with this material world, but he wanted it. Or the real thing is that he wanted to enjoy by becoming the master. He is servant... Sometimes servants desire it that "Why I become servant? Why not master?" That is natural. But the natural position is he is servant. If he remains servant of Kṛṣṇa, then he's happy always. But because he desired to become master, so he cannot become master in the spiritual world, because in the spiritual world the master is one. So he is given the chance, "All right, go to the material world and become a master." But that is a falldown.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is not proselytization. Proselytization has no meaning. To bring one to the real understanding. Kṛṣṇa says that mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). All living entities are His part and parcel. He claims, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). In all forms of life, as many living entities are there, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ, I am the seed-giving father. So the natural position is that every living entity, not only human being, but also animals, plants, everyone... So why not Indian, American, or Czechoslavakian, everyone is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa? So it not the process of proselytizing to convince the idea. It is actually bringing them to their real position, that they're all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: However big nationalist you may be, you cannot make happy anyone. That is not possible. Take for example our Mahatma Gandhi. He's recognized nationally, but he was killed by his countrymen. That's a fact. That means he could not make happy anyone. So we have got some loving propensity. If we love... That is our natural position. If we love God, then our love for others will automatically be done. And on account of loving God, our life will be perfect. What do you think of this philosophy? What do you think of this philosophy?

Morning Walk -- August 30, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Free means desire should be purified. That means desires should be to render service to the Lord. That is real purification. The example is given, just like gold. There are impurities. That impurities, you cannot cleanse it simply by washing. You have to put into the fire. When it is melted then automatically all the dirty things are gone. His natural position is part and parcel of God, to render service to God. So unless he takes up that thing, there is no question of desirelessness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is demanding, "Surrender." And as soon as he surrenders, then material desires become vanquished. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Otherwise, the... He cannot rectify one desire by another desire. That is not possible. Then it will produce another desire.

Correspondence

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Chaturbhus -- Bombay 21 January, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I am happy to receive your nice letter of January 10, 1972, and I am pleased to note that you are asking very intelligent questions. that is natural position for the neophyte devotee who is sincerely seeking to understand what is the Absolute Truth. So I am very much engladdened to hear that you are very intelligent boy, like your father, and that your whole family is advancing in Krishna Consciousness. May Krishna give you all blessings.

Letter to Niranjan -- Honolulu May 5, 1972:

We don't perform any ritualistic ceremonies for some material gain or economic development, nor do we waste our time in mental speculation to try to find out the Lord with our tiny brain, nor do we perform so many difficult penances and austerities or gymnastic exercises for becoming one with God. We simply surrender to Krishna and His representative, and serve Him with the consciousness that "My Lod, I am Yours. Please always keep me engaged in Your service and protect me from maya." This is real religion, and is the natural position of the living being. I hope this will answer your questions.

Page Title:Natural position
Compiler:Rati, Serene
Created:24 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=12, CC=3, OB=3, Lec=39, Con=13, Let=2
No. of Quotes:73