Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Religion means to surrender. A good citizen means to surrender to the government law. Similarly, a religious person means who has surrendered to God

Expressions researched:
"Religion means to surrender. A good citizen means to surrender to the government laws. Similarly, a religious person means who has surrendered to God"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

The Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is religion. We have manufactured so many types of religion, and here God says that, "You give up your manufactured religion. You just surrender unto Me." This is religion. Religion means to surrender. A good citizen means to surrender to the government laws. Similarly, a religious person means who has surrendered to God.

Guest (2): . . . (indistinct) . . . to understand religion is . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. They must be the same. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣad bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the course, or the laws, given by God. Just like law means the law given by the state. I cannot manufacture law. The citizen cannot manufacture law. The law is manufactured by the legislative assembly of the government. Similarly, religion means the order given by God.

Now we have to understand who is God and what is His order, and how it is applicable to everyone. That is the system of religion. We cannot whimsically give some rituals as religion. The principle of religion is to obey the orders of God. Therefore the first principle is to know who is God. Unless I know what is God, then how I can know what is His order?

So in the Bhagavad-gītā, the religion is given that . . .

(aside) You are feeling sleepy, you can go.

The Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is religion. We have manufactured so many types of religion, and here God says that, "You give up your manufactured religion. You just surrender unto Me." This is religion. Religion means to surrender. A good citizen means to surrender to the government laws. Similarly, a religious person means who has surrendered to God.

Nowadays it has become a regrettable fashion that everyone is God, when we surrender to one. And this false prestige that, "I am God. I haven't got to surrender to anyone. I am God. What surrender?" this atheism is going on and spoiling the whole human society. God has become so cheap thing, any nonsense can claim, "I am God." That is the defect of the modern society. There is a great necessity to understand God. If everyone is God, then where is the necessity of religion? If everyone is president, then where is the necessity of lawmaking? So this is going on. This is very unfortunate situation. What is your idea?

Guest (2): (indistinct) . . . translator in our Hindu text, for example, that when it's expressed ahaṁ brahmāsmi, so . . .

Page Title:Religion means to surrender. A good citizen means to surrender to the government law. Similarly, a religious person means who has surrendered to God
Compiler:Anurag
Created:2022-11-05, 14:35:09
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1