Our society is not like a free hotel

Expressions researched:
"Our buildings are not for our sleeping in and eating like hotels" |"free hotel" |"hotel for free"

SB Canto 5

The members of this society should always remember that the society is not like a free hotel.

SB 5.8.30, Purport:

It is significant that Mahārāja Bharata, by the grace of Vāsudeva, remembered his past life. He did not waste a moment; he returned to Pulaha-āśrama to the village known as Śālagrāma. Association is very meaningful; therefore ISKCON tries to perfect one who enters the society. The members of this society should always remember that the society is not like a free hotel. All the members should be very careful to execute their spiritual duties so that whoever comes will automatically become a devotee and will be able to return back to Godhead in this very life. Although Bharata Mahārāja acquired the body of a deer, he again left his hearth and home, in this case the Mountain Kālañjara. No one should be captivated by his birthplace and family; one should take shelter of the association of devotees and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If you waste your time to make a free hotel and sleep—useless. That will not make our mission successful, if you take advantage of free hotel and no work. That will not be successful.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to teach people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, surrender unto Him. Then they will be happy. This is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to create some ideal men. People will see them, and at least they will understand that "Here are the ideal men." They will be ashamed. So those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should be śreyān-yad yad ācarati śreyān—the best men in the society. Otherwise useless. If you waste your time to make a free hotel and sleep—useless. That will not make our mission successful, if you take advantage of free hotel and no work. That will not be successful. We must be śreyān, first-class men.

We try to give chance to the devotees, and Kṛṣṇa shall live here. Kṛṣṇa's devotees will learn how to worship Him. That is our purpose. Here it is not a free hotel for learning how to gratify senses.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

Just like we are constructing temples very sound, very strong, but they are constructing skyscraper building, strong, permanent. But he does not know, "Whether I shall be able to live here permanently?" So they can put the argument to us also, that "This is the case with you also." But our case is different. We are constructing this temple not for our living but for Kṛṣṇa's. That is the difference. That is the difference. We do not make any temple or house for ourself. We try to give chance to the devotees, and Kṛṣṇa shall live here. Kṛṣṇa's devotees will learn how to worship Him. That is our purpose. Here it is not a free hotel for learning how to gratify senses. No. This is not our aim and object. That is the difference. Therefore nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. The same energy is being enacted here for constructing big house, but it is nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandha.

If somebody comes here, the free hotel and free sleeping accommodation, then his coming to this association is useless. He must learn how to serve.

Lecture on SB 7.9.24 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1976:

Nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam means just like apprentice. Apprentice, one apprentice is engaged to one expert man. By and by, the apprentice learns how to do the things. Therefore he says, nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam. "Not that immediately I become very expert servant, but let me..." Our this institution is for that purpose. If somebody comes here, the free hotel and free sleeping accommodation, then his coming to this association is useless. He must learn how to serve. Nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam. Those who are serving, the... One should learn from him how he's serving twenty-four hours; then our joining this institution will be successful. And if we take it that "Here is an institution where we can have free hotel, free living and free sense gratification," then the whole institution will be spoiled. Be careful. All the GBC's, they should be careful that this mentality may not increase. Everyone should be very eager to serve, to learn how to serve. Nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam, Then life will be successful.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Free hotel will not endure.

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1975, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda Swami: Prabhupāda, you know the ISKCON centres you have started they are just like actually Vaikuṇṭha, they are so nice. Even the Gauḍīya Matha centres were not so nice. Just like an installation of Vaikuṇṭha. They're so clean and nice. (indistinct) ...help becoming devotees by visiting your centers. Becomes almost automatic.

Prabhupāda: Follow the regulative principles, it will remain, always Vaikuṇṭha. Otherwise again material world.

Akṣayānanda Swami: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Free hotel. (laughs) That's all. And free hotel will not endure.

Akṣayānanda Swami: No.

Prabhupāda: Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. By service spirit beginning with tongue Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is revealed, Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere...

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

See that they do not make it a free hotel for eating and sleeping. Don't allow this. It should be clean.

Morning Walk -- January 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: You clean in the evening and in the morning it is so dirty?

Devotee (3): Well, they're passing through here to their living quarters.

Prabhupāda: And therefore it should be dirty. Then what for cleaning? Just see. What is the cleaning? You clean in the evening; in the morning it is dirty. Is that very good reason? Clean. Engage them. (break) ...you are chanting, śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nana-śrṅgara-tan-man..., tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. This is all temple. This is not ordinary hotel, free hotel. If they cannot take care as temple, they must go away. (break) ...eating, sleeping. That's all, not working. See that they do not make it a free hotel for eating and sleeping. Don't allow this. It should be clean. Why in the evening? Every morning it should be clean and washed and mopped.

We are not simply supplying food. Anyone who is coming, he is getting spiritual education. Not that it is a free hotel.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Jayādvaita: He's suggesting that because we are requiring that a person come to us for food, that somehow this is interfering with his independence.

Prabhupāda: Where is that independence? With his family he can come and take food. What is wrong there? We say that we should not..., we are not simply supplying food. Anyone who is coming, he is getting spiritual education. Not that it is a free hotel. No. It is not that. We give them spiritual education. You come here, you take your shelter, you take your food and learn how to be first-class man. That is our program. Don't be implicated in sinful activities. Be God conscious and live here with us comfortably, take your food. We have got this nice palace.

It may not be the association of lazy people. Free hotel. No.

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

Jayapatākā: That is what we simply need, are people... I saw the program so nicely if people would simply come and work sincerely, they'll make spiritual advancement. They'll chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very quickly they'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So now we're seeing that... We're demanding that sincere people come.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it may not be the association of lazy people. Free hotel. No.

Jayapatākā: Bhavānanda, he's strict on that.

Gargamuni: He's very strict. Without working, no one can eat.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not only work. Attending the program. That is essential.

Jayapatākā: They all attend maṅgala-ārati, evening ārati. They should also attend morning class.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Work is partial. These things are essential.

But they want free hotel.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, they take it, advantage. "Oh, we shall get all books and live forever. There is no charge. Pay. "That misunderstanding should be...

Gargamuni: So now we say they can live forever but as we live.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's all right. That... That you can do.

Gargamuni: Not that they will get special privilege of..., as hotel.

Prabhupāda: But they want free hotel. That is... They want free.

Jayapatākā: Sometimes old man who has got some money...

Prabhupāda: No, old, old man is different.

Jayapatākā: He wants to live, and he is too weak to do anything.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Jayapatākā: He wants to chant and give some money.

Prabhupāda: Let him purchase one room. Let him live... For life he can live, and we give him prasāda free.

They must be engaged twenty-four hours. That is wanted. It is not a lazy free hotel. Anyone lives, he must be engaged twenty-four hours.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Harikeśa: There should be a budget here.

Prabhupāda: Budget is there. Hundred rupees per head. Fifty men if you keep, it is five thousand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can keep less. We don't want fifty.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. It will be less. But I'm prepared to pay you five thousand rupees for fifty men. Not more than that. That I can pay. You do not require to collect. You sit down. But work hard here. Not that eating, sleeping. No. That cannot be. That cannot be done. They must be engaged twenty-four hours. That is wanted. It is not a lazy free hotel. Anyone lives, he must be engaged twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). If he has no work, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa here. That should be done.

1974 Correspondence

Our buildings are not for our sleeping in and eating like hotels, but whoever wants to join us should understand the philosophy of regulated devotional service.

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1974:

Our activities are arati, kirtana, classes, just as we do here in Los Angeles. Everything is done in conformity to a regular standard. For example, all the temple members, without exception must rise by 4:AM and attend mangala arati. Everyone living in the temple must agree to the standard by proper understanding of the philosophy of tapasya. We cannot expect our guests to follow all our principles, but whoever lives in the temple must follow. That means all must sit down together and hear the Bhagavatam class just as I held it day after day when I was at the Manor. There should be a regular daily schedule of events and it should be followed closely. After the class and breakfast everyone should go to their respective duties, deity worship, sankirtana, clean-up and so throughout the day this atmosphere of constant engagement will produce the truly happy result of transcendental life. So you should set the example and also see that the others are following. Our buildings are not for our sleeping in and eating like hotels, but whoever wants to join us should understand the philosophy of regulated devotional service. Here in L.A. they have elaborate Sunday festivals and erect a tent on the front lawn. There are hours of kirtana, a philosophic lecture and lots of sumptuous prasadam distribution. Another thing is, here they have a 24 hour security guard, with pistol and holster who is in the temple at all times. So you should do this like this.

1975 Correspondence

Don't make a hotel for free boarding and lodging. Everyone must be full-time engaged and the best engagement for them is to sell books.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 9 January, 1975:

Regarding the new building, if it is suitable, never mind if it is a little more or less, you should get it. We can rent the unused space, and the householders can live in the building as long as they have separate floors. One thing is that they must be fully engaged. Don't make a hotel for free boarding and lodging. Everyone must be full-time engaged and the best engagement for them is to sell books. That will be very nice. Don't allow anyone to simply eat and sleep. All should attend classes 2 or 3 times daily, chant 16 rounds, and go out for street sankirtana. Eating should be minimized. Too much eating leads to too much sleeping, and then sex desire. So, management should be done very carefully to see that there is not easy-going, lazy attitude which will only end in fall down.