The corridors and verandas of the houses were decorated with silk cloth and embroidery work in jewels and pearls. In front of the balcony windows were pigeons and peacocks walking and cooing. All the grain dealers' shops within the city were decorated with different kinds of flowers and garlands, newly grown grass and pleasing flowers like narcissus and roses.
Pigeon
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB 1.12.20, Purport:
The King of heaven once took the shape of a pigeon-hunter bird (eagle), and Agni, the fire-god, took the shape of a pigeon. The pigeon, while being chased by the eagle, took shelter on the lap of Mahārāja Śibi, and the hunter eagle wanted the pigeon back from the King. The King wanted to give it some other meat to eat and requested the bird not to kill the pigeon. The hunter bird refused to accept the King's offer, but it was settled later on that the eagle would accept flesh from the body of the King of the pigeon's equivalent weight. The King began to cut flesh from his body to weigh in the balance equivalent to the weight of the pigeon, but the mystic pigeon always remained heavier. The King then put himself on the balance to equate with the pigeon, and the demigods were pleased with him. The King of heaven and the fire-god disclosed their identity, and the King was blessed by them. Devarṣi Nārada also glorified Mahārāja Śibi for his great achievements, specifically in charity and protection. Mahārāja Śibi sacrificed his own son for the satisfaction of human beings in his kingdom.
SB 1.14.14, Translation:
Just see! This pigeon is like a messenger of death. The shrieks of the owls and their rival crows make my heart tremble. It appears that they want to make a void of the whole universe.
SB Canto 3
SB 3.15.18, Translation:
When the king of bees hums in a high pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, there is a temporary lull in the noise of the pigeon, the cuckoo, the crane, the cakravāka, the swan, the parrot, the partridge and the peacock. Such transcendental birds stop their own singing simply to hear the glories of the Lord.
SB 3.23.20, Translation:
Here and there in that palace were multitudes of live swans and pigeons, as well as artificial swans and pigeons so lifelike that the real swans rose above them again and again, thinking them live birds like themselves. Thus the palace vibrated with the sounds of these birds.
SB Canto 4
SB 4.12.27, Purport:
The Vaikuṇṭha airplane does not move by mechanical arrangement. There are three processes for moving in outer space. One of the processes is known to the modern scientist. It is called ka-pota-vāyu. Ka means "outer space," and pota means "ship." There is a second process also called kapota-vāyu. Kapota means "pigeon." One can train pigeons to carry one into outer space. The third process is very subtle. It is called ākāśa-patana. This ākāśa-patana system is also material. Just as the mind can fly anywhere one likes without mechanical arrangement, so the ākāśa-patana airplane can fly at the speed of mind.
SB Canto 5
SB 5.24.9, Translation:
My dear King, in the imitation heavens known as bila-svarga there is a great demon named Maya Dānava, who is an expert artist and architect. He has constructed many brilliantly decorated cities. There are many wonderful houses, walls, gates, assembly houses, temples, yards and temple compounds, as well as many hotels serving as residential quarters for foreigners. The houses for the leaders of these planets are constructed with the most valuable jewels, and they are always crowded with living entities known as Nāgas and Asuras, as well as many pigeons, parrots and similar birds. All in all, these imitation heavenly cities are most beautifully situated and attractively decorated.
SB Canto 8
SB 8.15.20, Translation:
The city was shaded by canopies decorated with pearls, and the domes of the palaces had flags of pearl and gold. The city always resounded with the vibrations of peacocks, pigeons and bees, and above the city flew airplanes full of beautiful women who constantly chanted auspicious songs that were very pleasing to the ear.
SB Canto 9
SB 9.10.17, Translation:
After entering Laṅkā, the monkey soldiers, led by chiefs like Sugrīva, Nīla and Hanumān, occupied all the sporting houses, granaries, treasuries, palace doorways, city gates, assembly houses, palace frontages and even the resting houses of the pigeons. When the city's crossroads, platforms, flags and golden waterpots on its domes were all destroyed, the entire city of Laṅkā appeared like a river disturbed by a herd of elephants.
SB 9.18.25, Purport:
When a brāhmaṇa adopts the profession of a kapota, or pigeon, he lives by collecting grains from the field. This is called uñcha-vṛtti. A brāhmaṇa who takes to this uñcha-vṛtti profession is called first class because he depends completely on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not beg from anyone.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
SB 10.72.21, Translation:
Hariścandra, Rantideva, Uñchavṛtti Mudgala, Śibi, Bali, the legendary hunter and pigeon, and many others have attained the permanent by means of the impermanent.
SB 11.7.33-35, Translation:
O King, I have taken shelter of twenty-four gurus, who are the following: the earth, air, sky, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon and python; the sea, moth, honeybee, elephant and honey thief; the deer, the fish, the prostitute Piṅgalā, the kurara bird and the child; and the young girl, arrow maker, serpent, spider and wasp. My dear King, by studying their activities I have learned the science of the self.
SB 11.7.52, Translation:
One should never indulge in excessive affection or concern for anyone or anything; otherwise one will have to experience great suffering, just like the foolish pigeon.
SB 11.7.53, Translation:
There once was a pigeon who lived in the forest along with his wife. He had built a nest within a tree and lived there for several years in her company.
SB 11.7.54, Translation:
The two pigeons were very much devoted to their household duties. Their hearts being tied together by sentimental affection, they were each attracted by the other's glances, bodily features and states of mind. Thus, they completely bound each other in affection.
SB 11.7.56, Translation:
Whenever she desired anything, O King, the she-pigeon would flatteringly cajole her husband, and he in turn would gratify her by faithfully doing whatever she wanted, even with great personal difficulty. Thus, he could not control his senses in her association.
SB 11.7.57, Translation:
Then the female pigeon experienced her first pregnancy. When the time arrived, the chaste lady delivered a number of eggs within the nest in the presence of her husband.
SB 11.7.58, Translation:
When the time was ripe, baby pigeons, with tender limbs and feathers created by the inconceivable potencies of the Lord, were born from those eggs.
SB 11.7.59, Translation:
The two pigeons became most affectionate to their children and took great pleasure in listening to their awkward chirping, which sounded very sweet to the parents. Thus with love they began to raise the little birds who were born of them.
SB 11.7.63, Translation:
At that time a certain hunter who happened to be wandering through the forest saw the young pigeons moving about near their nest. Spreading out his net he captured them all.
SB 11.7.64, Translation:
The pigeon and his wife were always anxious for the maintenance of their children, and they were wandering in the forest for that purpose. Having obtained proper food, they now returned to their nest.
SB 11.7.65, Translation:
When the lady pigeon caught sight of her own children trapped within the hunter's net, she was overwhelmed with anguish, and crying out, she rushed toward them as they cried out to her in return.
SB 11.7.66, Translation:
The lady pigeon had always allowed herself to be bound by the ropes of intense material affection, and thus her mind was overwhelmed by anguish. Being in the grip of the illusory energy of the Lord, she completely forgot herself, and rushing forward to her helpless children, she was immediately bound in the hunter's net.
SB 11.7.67, Translation:
Seeing his own children, who were more dear to him than life itself, fatally bound in the hunter's net along with his dearmost wife, whom he considered equal in every way to himself, the poor male pigeon began to lament wretchedly.
SB 11.7.68, Translation:
The male pigeon said: Alas, just see how I am now destroyed! I am obviously a great fool, for I did not properly execute pious activities. I could not satisfy myself, nor could I fulfill the purpose of life. My dear family, which was the basis of my religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, is now hopelessly ruined.
SB 11.7.71, Translation:
As the father pigeon wretchedly stared at his poor children trapped in the net and on the verge of death, pathetically struggling to free themselves, his mind went blank, and thus he himself fell into the hunter's net.
SB 11.7.72, Translation:
The cruel hunter, having fulfilled his desire by capturing the head pigeon, his wife and all of their children, set off for his own home.
SB 11.7.73, Translation:
In this way, one who is too attached to family life becomes disturbed at heart. Like the pigeon, he tries to find pleasure in mundane sex attraction. Busily engaged in maintaining his own family, the miserly person is fated to suffer greatly, along with all his family members.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Krsna Book 72:
Such a person cannot be condemned enough, and his refusal to give charity is lamentable throughout his whole life. Your Majesty must have heard the glorious names of charitable personalities such as Hariścandra, Rantideva and Mudgala, who used to live only on grains picked up from the paddy field, and the great Mahārāja Śibi, who saved the life of a pigeon by supplying flesh from his own body.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:
And actually I give you my frank admission that when I was in India I was thinking the Americans may be of different type of people or they may be thinking in otherwise. They may be... So, so many differences. But here I see there is no difference at all. No difference at all. Only some bodily features. Even I study the pigeons, I see, oh, this same pigeons are here, what, playing just like Indian pigeons. Even I see the sparrow. So there is no difference.
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:
So you can eat that. When there is no rain... That is also eatable. The peacocks, they eat. The pigeons, they eat. Yes, the, they can eat. You have seen? They're eating. So everything is there eatable. So there is no question of overpopulation. Overpopulation is already there, anantyāya kalpate.
Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969:
So there are many varieties of life. Just like somebody is very lusty, and he wants sex enjoyment so many times a day. So there are many animals, many birds. They are given the opportunity like that. Just like the pigeons, the sparrows. Or there are many birds, the swans, the ducks. They have got every day twenty times, sex intercourse. So this facility is given to them.
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:
If you go to the forest there are societies of different animals: elephant society, tiger society, deer society, jackal society, wolf society. Even in the birds, you'll find, the birds of the same feather flock together. This is the natural way. You'll find that all the pigeons, they flock together, not the crows and the pigeons flock together. The ducks, they flock together. Similarly, this is the natural way, and there... In every group there is a leader.
Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:
So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata you'll find that whatever property is... In this morning also I was speaking. Just if you throw in the street some bags of grains, the pigeons will come, but they will pick up only four, five, six, eight, ten grains, and they will go away. They will not take even one grain more than it needs. As soon as he's satisfied to his heart's content—"Oh, I am full now"—oḥ, he'll go away. It will go away. He'll not stock. Similarly, this is natural. This is natural.
Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:
But if we put here a hundred bags of flour and if we ask people that "Come and take," then somebody will take ten bags, somebody will take fifteen bags, somebody will take, will not take any bags because, if he's weak, he cannot take. So the distribution will not be equal. That is our advancement of civilization. The knowledge which the pigeons, the cats and dogs have got, we are lacking in that knowledge, that the whole thing belongs to the Supreme Lord and we can accept them, whatever we need, not more than that. That is knowledge. That is knowledge. There will be no difficulty.
Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:
If to the elephant you give two hundred pounds foodstuff, he'll take only a hundred pounds as he requires. Neither he'll take the foodstuff to his place to stock it for next day. No. You see these pigeons. You see. Whenever you give some foodstuff they take whatever they require, but they don't take anything for the next day.
Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:
Early in the morning they'll sweep over the whole house, not this apartment, three feet, no, but it is a good house. There is courtyard. Without courtyard, it is pigeon's hole. But you like pigeon's hole, this big, big skyscraper building containing so many pigeon's hole. That's all. So in India still, although poor country, they have got a courtyard, a little garden. That kind of house, in the village that is the system. So the first business is cleanliness. Everything should remain clean.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:
You have seen sometimes the pigeons fighting. But a pigeon and crow does not fight. A pigeon and pigeon fights. So this is also another indirect way of love. You'll see the pigeons, they will fight and again sit down in the assembly of the pigeons, not that the pigeon is going to the assembly of crows. Go on.
Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:
The ka means the sky, and pota means ship. So as there is science how to manufacture the airship, that is there. There is another science of the same type, it is called kapota-vāhī. Kapota means pigeons. You can train up pigeons, and they will carry you from one place to another. There is another science which is called ākāśa-yānam. Ākāśa-yānam means in the ākāśa, in the sky, you can fly with any vehicle. There are mantras... Suppose I am sitting on this throne.
Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:
So that is called society. That is there in the... You'll find all the ants are together. All the birds are together. All the beasts are together. So we form this animal society or the human society. That is not a new thing. That is a... You'll see all the crows, they will flock together. The crows will not mix with the pigeons. The pigeons will not mix with the crows. That is natural.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:
So if we give up this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, then it will be thought that "Our Guru Mahārāja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Otherwise all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger. That is being done. Nobody is interested. Such, such things...
Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa has given different foodstuff for different animals and human beings. Kṛṣṇa has given stool for the pigs and so nice foodstuff, fruits and grains and milk, for the human being. Not that every food is for everyone. No. What is called? "One man's food, another man's poison." So the stool is also a kind of food. Everything is a kind of food. Even the stone is also food. You know? The pigeons, they eat the stones particles. They can digest. For them, the hardest peas are supplied. So they can digest. Pāyarā-maṭara. It is called in India, pāyarā-maṭara. Pāyarā means pigeon. Pigeon's peas. They require such thing. Just like the gorilla. The gorilla animal, where they live in the African jungles... We have read book. There are trees, the fruits of that tree are so hard, harder than the iron bullet. You can hammer on the bullet; it may bend. But that fruit will not bend. So those fruits are taken by the gorillas, and they chew it just like you chew peanuts or something like that, yes.
Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:
It is not possible to make classless society because every living entity is being controlled by a different quality. So the qualitative distinction must be there. You cannot make them classless. It is all imagination. The crow class, the swan class, the pigeon class, the dog class, even in the animals, even in the birds, even in the plants... There is a plant, rose tree, and there are other plants, useless, no fruit, no flower.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:
These examples are given in the śāstras. It is not that the animal-eaters or meat-eaters have got more passion than the vegetable-eaters. No. The example is given there is the śāstra, comparison between lion and the pigeons. The pigeons are vegetarian. They simply eat grains. And the lions, they eat only meat and flesh. So... But still, in spite the lion's eating flesh, he has got only one sex appetite, once in a year. But the vegetarian, the pigeon, although eating grains, oh, at least hundred times daily. You see? So it is not that the vegetarians are less passionate than the animal-eaters or flesh-eaters.
Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:
So we should know, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8), this material world is nothing but a false attraction between man and woman. Not only in human society—in birds, beast, animal, aquatics, trees, plants, everywhere. You will find these pigeons, as soon as one female pigeon is there, and the male pigeon immediately wants to canvass, "Please come, let us unite." You have seen this is nature's way, sparrow. The same things: puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī. So, therefore in the human society, by Vedic knowledge, by education, you have to understand that we are bound up within this material world.
Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:
Similarly, Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Purāṇa, these are Purāṇas in the modes of goodness. There are different types of people. The example is given just like there are different types of birds. A pigeon class... "Birds of the same feather flocks together." You see? That is natural. The pigeons will flock together and the crows will flock together. The swans will flock together. The swans will never go to the crow or the crow will never go to the swan. In human society also the same natural tendency is there. Of course, now we are becoming more liberal.
Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1976:
The life is finished there is no sex life. Actually that is the fact here. Birds, beast, you will find the pigeons, the dogs, they are enjoying sex at least four times in a hour. There are men also like that. So here in this material world the sex life is the top pleasure.
Lecture on SB 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1976:
The crows come there. Where all rotten things are there, all the crows will come. But when there is lotus, the crows will not go there; the haṁsa, swan, they'll go there. Even in the bird society there are classes: crow society, swan society, pigeon society, sparrow society. Everyone has got society. But one society is different from another society. Similarly, where there is kṛṣṇa-kathā, the crowslike men will not come.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:
That's not good. Then you forget yourself. This material attraction is sex life. Not only human society—in animal society, in bird society, everywhere. You have seen the sparrows, the pigeons, they're having sex life three hundred times daily, you see, although they are very vegetarian. Yes. And the lion is not vegetarian, but it has got sex life only once in a year.
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:
So the problem—eating, sleeping, mating—these problems are there amongst the living entities other than human being. Other than human being, they're many. If you take a census of the living entities in different categories, how many human beings are there in this city, how many sparrows are there, how many pigeons are there, how many dogs are there, how many trees are there, how many insects are there—they're all living entities—the number of other-than—human-being will be far, far greater.
Festival Lectures
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968:
So his next life is hellish. Because if you indulge in sex life, then Kṛṣṇa will give you facility to have sex life three times in an hour, just like the pigeons, the monkeys, the sparrows, they are very sexually strong. You have seen it. So the facility is given. So princely order, they are after sense enjoyment.
General Lectures
Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:
So long you are not self-realized, you are full of anxieties. That is the nature, material nature. Not only we, human beings, even birds, beasts, they are also full of anxiety. You give some eatables to the pigeons, to the birds, he will eat and look like this: "Oh, somebody may not come, kill me." Yes. This is the nature. Now, you are American people, supposed to be the richest country. Oh, you have also many anxieties. You are (not) free from anxieties.
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:
But if you pour water in it, how it will grow? So in the human form of life we do not go according to natural intuition. Just like amongst the animals, amongst the birds you'll see. Take the pigeons. You give them some peas—they will eat. But if you give them some particles of meat, they'll not eat because they are living natural life. A tiger, he will not accept. You give him nice foodstuff, prepare your vegetables, he'll not accept.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on William James:
Prabhupāda: Just like Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa says, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo: (BG 15.15) "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca, "I am giving experience." So when the Africans are constructing a house or cottage like the Indians, that is not that the Africans came to India and learned this experience. Or the Indians are constructing a cottage just like the Africans, that does not mean that... Several times I have told you that so far as the pigeon is concerned, the sparrow, I mean to say, either American or Indian, they are of the same size and doing the same thing.
Philosophy Discussion on William James:
Śyāmasundara: I think that we have discussed this before under the categories of acquired knowledge and intuitive knowledge, that some knowledge is acquired, experienced; some knowledge is intuitive.
Prabhupāda: So the pigeons or the sparrows or the doves are doing the same thing in India as in America. It does not mean these pigeons have gone to America from India.
Śyāmasundara: So it's intuitive.
Prabhupāda: But because they are Kṛṣṇa's... As Paramātmā is there, within the heart of the pigeon in India and America, they are acting similarly. Therefore original experience comes from God. And He says that "I know everything past, present, and future." That is real experience.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: That means Freud is a most imperfect person. He is taking sex as very important thing, which the dog enjoys. As a dog's life and a hog's life, the hog has got very good facility. The monkey has got very good facility for sex life, and he is thinking this is ultimate goal, and then sleep. So that is going on. So if sex life is so big thing, the hogs, they have got good facility. The pigeons, they have got very good facility. I think every hour they have four times sex life, these pigeons. So if that is, then you become a pigeon. You pray to God that "Make me a pigeon, make me a hog." Why you are becoming philosopher? Now our philosophy is different—not to become a pig. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). The life simply for sense gratification, and for that purpose working so hard, but that is the business of the pig.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:
Śyāmasundara: His idea is taken from his work with rats and pigeons.
Prabhupāda: His authority is rats and pigeons. Our authority is Vedavyāsa. (laughter) That is the difference. Our authority is Kṛṣṇa. Our authority is Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Manu, and his authority is rats and pigeons. That is the difference between the West and East.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:
Prabhupāda: How you can change the social environment?
Śyāmasundara: Those rewards are quantitative. Just like the pigeon gets a certain number of kernels of corn.
Atreya Ṛṣi: (indistinct)
Śyāmasundara: But how do you know? You don't know what he said. Listen to what he said. He said that each time that a criminal avoids doing bad, he is given some advantage, some material advantage.
Devotee: So we understand that material advantage isn't satisfying.
Śyāmasundara: That is the difference between the pigeons and the man. The pigeons are satisfied with a few kernels of corn. They don't want more than they can eat. But a man wants more and more and more.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- August 25, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: Even they are not animal. Less than animal. In animal society there is no problem. There is problem, but not so acute. They are free. Just like the ducks, the pigeons, they fly from one country to another. They have no problem of immigration department, passport, or visa. They have no problem.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation Including Discussion on SB 1.5.11 -- January 19, 1972, Jaipur:
Prabhupāda: If you remain crows, then you cannot, that is not possible. By nature's example we have to see if crows-like and swans-like, pigeons-like, birds of the same feather. Birds of the same feather flock together, is it not? So you have to change your feather, then he will be pleased. If you keep your feather crows-like, then you cannot mix with the swans, that is not possible. This is the test.
Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:
Bob: No, not even fully. But since last time I've become vegetarian, and...
Prabhupāda: No, no, vegetarian is no qualification.
Bob: Not much.
Prabhupāda: You see, vegetarian, the pigeon is vegetarian. The monkey is vegetarian. But most rubbish creature.
Bob: Well...
Prabhupāda: A monkey is vegetarian, naked sannyāsī, lives in the forest, the most mischievous.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:
David Wynne: Yes. The last words: "England expects that every man this day will do his duty." And all that. He was a hero because he died young, I think.
Prabhupāda: Maybe. I do not know. But Nelson, Lord Nelson, was famous man, soldier.
Śyāmasundara: Now the pigeons are sitting on his head.
David Wynne: I have just come from Morocco. I've been with the King of Morocco, who is... It's very strange because he is an absolute ruler, and when an ordinary man is an absolute ruler, it's rather dangerous.
Prabhupāda: No. If the man is really Kṛṣṇa's representative, then it is all right.
David Wynne: Yeah.
Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: They're all fools, rascals, animals. An animal does not know that there is soul and the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. This is animal conception. You cannot teach these pigeons that "You are spirit soul. Your body's different from you." They will, they have no power to understand. So if a human being cannot understand, what is the difference between these pigeons and cats and dogs and him? Then basic principle is wrong. Just like in mathematical calculation, if at one point you have mistaken, then will that be correct ever? It will go on, mistaking, mistaking, mistaking, mistaking.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. There are subtle sciences. These are gross sciences. There are subtle science also. Just like now mechanically you are flying. But there is science... Anything. I can fly with this stick. That is possible. Ākāśa-patana. There is a science, ākāśa-patana. Kapota-vāyu. Kapota-vāyu. Now, you can train the pigeons, and it will, you'll fly in the sky.
Morning Walk -- May 30, 1974, Rome:
Prabhupāda: Similarly, I want to have sex. I have to arrange for that, find out some... But the female bird is always around him, at any time. This sparrow, the pigeon. You have seen it? Immediately ready for sex life. And eating? Oh, there is some fruit. Immediately he can eat. And sleeping? That is also very comfortable.
Morning Walk -- May 30, 1974, Rome:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is demanding that you do it, "Surrender unto Me." The śāstra also says, "Surrender unto the representative of Kṛṣṇa," mahīyasām. But if they do not do, what can be done? Just see this sparrow. The sex is always accompanying, any time ready. The pigeons, any time ready. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. That is the only attachment for this material world, viṣaya. Whole world is fighting for this viṣaya. "I must have nice eating, I must have nice sleeping, I must have very good sex, and I should be defended by bank balance, by military soldiers, by police force, by atomic weapons." This is going on.
Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: If they unite, if they try to unite on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then. Otherwise.... We are all part and parcel of God. Somehow or other we are all differently dressed, although we are one. (indistinct) Now just like you are Canadian, I am Indian. (indistinct). There are crows, there are pigeons, there are sparrows (indistinct). Why they are not quarreling? Simply you are designated European, Indian and Canadian, German, so we have to give up this designation.
Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 14, 1974, Los Angeles:
Jayatīrtha: No, I don't know. They get nutrition from the stones?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: No. You said they have a special power to digest.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Especially these, what is this called? Duck?
Bahulāśva: Pigeon.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, pigeon. Yes.
Prabhupāda: Peacock. Peacock also.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They swallow the...
Prabhupāda: Peacock also, they can digest.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:
Atreya Ṛṣi: Doves, doves.
Prabhupāda: So there are doves, there are pigeons, there are sparrows, there are crows. Now Iran, the same doves, same... Why they are not called "Iranian sparrow"? Why they are called only sparrow?
Ambassador: (chuckles) It's only people.
Morning Walk -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: That is Darwin's theory.
Jayatīrtha: Yes. (break) Gradually, they'll become pigeons. Because they want sex life so much, so more and more they'll develop the bodies of pigeons.
Prabhupāda: Now the thing is who are they? That they do not know. They say "They are," but who are "they?" That they do not know. (break)
Bahulāśva: In Kṛṣṇa Book and Bhagavad-gītā both, you explain there are five states of consciousness, beginning with annamaya, manomaya, pranamaya, like that. Do these states of consciousness manifest in different species of life?
Morning Walk -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:
Harikeśa: Viśakha? No. (break)
Yadubara: ...four years, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and I was full of anxiety all the time. (break)
Dharmādhyakṣa: ...Śrīla Prabhupāda, more pictures of rats and pigeons than human beings. In the modern textbooks of psychology you find more pictures of rats and pigeons than human beings.
Prabhupāda: Why?
Dharmādhyakṣa: Because they feel that they can study the behavior of rats and pigeons very easily, much more easily than a human being. They can manipulate them. And then they extrapolate from their data on the rats and pigeons as to what human behavior is.
Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: They capture other birds.
Bhaktadāsa: Yes, right. They eat mice, and birds.
Citsukhānanda: And chickens. They come flying, those chickens.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...call gaj pat(?). They eat pigeons also. (break) ...not very clear. Dirty water. (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...of the trees in Seva-kuñj.
Prabhupāda: Mm. (break) ...are exactly Indian. (break) They have good facilities on this lake.
Morning Walk -- November 20, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: (break) ...ago, there was one Mr. Badhuri in Benares. He was a great astrologer. So he told me that from Benares the Germans have taken three books: one is Akāśa-patola, one is Kapota-vahi and his Khapoda-vahi. Khapoda-vahi, this airplane. Kha means akasa. And there is another science, kapota-vahi, to carry man by the pigeons. That is not yet displayed. Kapota-vahi. And there is another, Akasa-patola. Any, any, even your chairs you sit down; by mantra it will go on.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Who?
Guru-kṛpā: Soil. One lady was eating soil, one glass, saying it was good for health.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think the goat, the animal, the goat, they eat cans. They can eat metal.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. The pigeons, they can eat stone.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you once explained how the cow eats grass, and it produces such a rich vitamin food like milk.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: You hand over the steer of your...
Prabhupāda: Yes. The next line is mārobi rākhobi, yo icchā tohārā. (Hindi) This is surrender.
Dr. Patel: Yes, sir, that reminds me of a story that I read that one man, one English lord, had gone on a pigeon shooting. I told once this story. And he had got lot of pigeons in a gunny bag, and he would allow one pigeon to go and shoot. One pigeon, instead of flying, fell down at his feet. He could not shoot it. Like that. And this reminds me, this story, always reminds me, this complete surrender. He could not shoot that.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Patel: So God will not mara na(?). He will never maro, cannot maro, because you are at His very feet.
Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Similarly, they only find the remains of the cave dwellers.
Mahendra: Also you've said that now they're headed back to caves to hide. By the end of Kali-yuga many will live in caves.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Even now there are people living in caves.
Hari-śauri: They were living in caves then, and now they are living in pigeon holes.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rādhāvallabha: There was another article in the magazine that was talking about rats in India. This article was talking about rats in India.
Prabhupāda: Rats?
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: And in the morning, he knows, somewhere there is some fruit, he'll get his food. He's not anxious. He goes anywhere. And for mating, the male and female bird are always together. The pigeons, they are having every hour, four times, five times, mating. So that arrangement is always there. And defense? They are on the ground. As soon as there is some man, immediately they go up, defense. So they know, everyone knows, how to enjoy this viṣaya-eating, sleeping, mating and defending.
Morning Walk -- July 17, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: (break) Just like New Vrindaban they have a dozen brahmacārīs.
Kīrtanānanda: They have an expert teacher, Gopīnātha.
Prabhupāda: Also Los Angeles. (break) ...and big, big city like Calcutta, Bombay, there are many, many more pigeons. Why they are so small?
Kīrtanānanda: They kill them.
Prabhupāda: Kill.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They kill them?
Devotee: They poison them.
Morning Walk -- October 2, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: No, monkeys.
Haṁsadūta: Oh, for monkeys. It keeps the birds out too. We have so many birds that come in. They sleep in the tree and they pass stool all over the place.
Hari-śauri: Pigeons too.
Haṁsadūta: Yes pigeons and small birds. In the lamps they are, in the fans they are.
Prabhupāda: Pigeons will come. (laughs) They'll enter with this.
Devotee: In the grills.
Haṁsadūta: Yes, but even here a screen can be put.
Devotee: Every year we'll have to change the screen.
Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: You were... Two thousand years ago, Christ, he was born in Jewish family, he was horrified by seeing animal sacrifices in the synagogue. Therefore his first commandment is, "Thou shall not kill." He was so horrified. Why he has given this commandment? He was so much horrified. What is this? Therefore he gave up the Jewish religion. He started his own. This is the history. And he first commanded, "Thou shall not kill."
Dr. Patel: And the Jews were killing the pigeons in the temple.
Prabhupāda: They are very expert in killing.
Dr. Patel: I don't know how the religiosity could even...
Prabhupāda: So where is religion?
Dr. Patel: They have misinterpreted religion.
Prabhupāda: Therefore Bhāgavata has criticized all so-called religion.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Everywhere people are simple. That is my opinion. Mass people, they are simple. The leaders spoil them.
Hari-śauri: Yes. That's a fact. Most people are just... They're in ignorance.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The human psychology is the same for man, woman. That's all. Amongst the lower animals you see. The pigeons, they are the same. The sparrow, they are the same everywhere. The squirrels, the same, the same. So why men should be different?
Hari-śauri: It's artificial, the differences they've created themselves.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: On national basis.
Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Why India's such big culture should be lost for the matter of these rascal leaders? This should be stopped. As Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma (BG 4.13). There must be ideal brāhmaṇa, ideal kṣatriya, ideal vaiśya, as Kṛṣṇa says. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is all-inclusive. Economic question? Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Grow food. Practical. Just like when I was going to the pandals, millions of clerks were coming—"Education. Educated." And who is growing food? And they have to be provided in these pigeon holes and depend on ration. Is that civilization? And throngs of people are coming, just like machine, ants. Ants are coming.
Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Don't go to the city. That is my determination. The hellish city. In city nobody has got the opportunity for living in such comfortable place. It is all Kṛṣṇa's mercy that we have got. Otherwise if you go to the Bombay city, even here, these pigeon holes, three small rooms... It is not expected that everyone will be able to live in such palatial building. That is not possible. Even they have no bathroom in Bombay. In the room, in the corner, there is a tap, and you have to go to the public well, latrine. This is the system. So whole family will take advantage of the corner tap and then have to go to public latrine. There is no bathroom.
Room Conversation With Bharadvaja -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:
Bharadvāja: Then we have... We are showing that human and animal, they have the same activity basically. So what is the difference between man and animal? So we show in this diorama. And we also show that actually sometimes animals are superior to man because they sometimes have better senses. The dog can smell better, the elephant can eat more, and the pigeon can have more sex, etcetera. So, again, why is man considered superior if animals have better senses? So then the third point, we are showing that human life means responsibility.
Prabhupāda: No, vulture, from miles afar can find out where is a dead carcass.
Bharadvāja: Vulture. Very strong eyes. Right.
Prabhupāda: Strong eye, but looking third class.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Nandarani -- Seattle 18 October, 1968:
It is essential information for human life. So all these old men and women, they should be interested in the value of life. There are many vegetarians animals also; the monkeys are vegetarians, the pigeons are vegetarians, so to become vegetarian is not very good credit. But to become Krishna Consciousness is the most important business of life. You should try to convince your friends in that way. They should try to learn about Krishna Consciousness. But because they are vegetarians, there is great possibility for them to understand this philosophy.
| Page Title: | Pigeon |
| Compiler: | Rishab, JayaNitaiGaura |
| Created: | 08 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=27, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=29, Con=27, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 86 |