Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Religious functions

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.1.2, Purport:

In the lower stages of human civilization, there is always competition to lord it over the material nature or, in other words, there is a continuous rivalry to satisfy the senses. Driven by such consciousness, man turns to religion. He thus performs pious activities or religious functions in order to gain something material. But if such material gains are obtainable in other ways, then so-called religion is neglected. This is the situation in modern civilization. Man is thriving economically, so at present he is not very interested in religion. Churches, mosques or temples are now practically vacant. Men are more interested in factories, shops, and cinemas than in religious places which were erected by their forefathers. This practically proves that religion is performed for some economic gains. Economic gains are needed for sense gratification. Often when one is baffled in the pursuit of sense gratification, he takes to salvation and tries to become one with the Supreme Lord. Consequently, all these states are simply different types of sense gratification.

SB 1.5.15, Purport:

The human beings, by long material association, life after life, have a natural inclination, by practice, to endeavor to lord it over material energy. They have no sense of the responsibility of human life. This human form of life is a chance to get out of the clutches of illusory matter. The Vedas are meant for going back to Godhead, going back home. To revolve in the cycle of transmigration in a series of lives numbering 8,400,000 is an imprisoned life for the condemned conditioned souls. The human form of life is a chance to get out of this imprisoned life, and as such the only occupation of the human being is to reestablish his lost relationship with God. Under the circumstances, one should never be encouraged in making a plan for sense enjoyment in the name of religious functions. Such diversion of the human energy results in a misguided civilization. Śrīla Vyāsadeva is the authority in Vedic explanations in the Mahābhārata, etc., and his encouragement in sense enjoyment in some form or other is a great barrier for spiritual advancement because the people in general will not agree to renounce material activities which hold them in material bondage. At a certain stage of human civilization when such material activities in the name of religion (as sacrificing animals in the name of yajña) were too much rampant, the Lord incarnated Himself as Buddha and decried the authority of the Vedas in order to stop animal sacrifice in the name of religion. This was foreseen by Nārada, and therefore he condemned such literatures.

SB 1.8.20, Purport:

Others may go on thinking about Him for years together, yet He is unknowable. This very fact is corroborated by the Queen, who is playing the part of an innocent woman. Women in general are unable to speculate like philosophers, but they are blessed by the Lord because they believe at once in the superiority and almightiness of the Lord, and thus they offer obeisances without reservation. The Lord is so kind that He does not show special favor only to one who is a great philosopher. He knows the sincerity of purpose. For this reason only, women generally assemble in great number in any sort of religious function. In every country and in every sect of religion it appears that the women are more interested than the men. This simplicity of acceptance of the Lord's authority is more effective than showy insincere religious fervor.

SB 1.9.6-7, Purport:

Dhaumya: A great sage who practiced severe penances at Utkocaka Tīrtha and was appointed royal priest of the Pāṇḍava kings. He acted as the priest in many religious functions of the Pāṇḍavas (saṁskāra), and also each of the Pāṇḍavas was attended by him at the betrothal of Draupadī. He was present even during the exile of the Pāṇḍavas and used to advise them in circumstances when they were perplexed. He instructed them how to live incognito for one year, and his instructions were strictly followed by the Pāṇḍavas during that time. His name is mentioned also when the general funeral ceremony was performed after the Battle of Kurukṣetra. In the Anuṣāsana-parva of Mahābhārata (127.15-16), he gave religious instructions very elaborately to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was actually the right type of priest of a householder, for he could guide the Pāṇḍavas on the right path of religion. A priest is meant for guiding the householder progressively in the right path of āśrama-dharma, or the occupational duty of a particular caste. There is practically no difference between the family priest and the spiritual master. The sages, saints and brāhmaṇas were especially meant for such functions.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.6.33, Translation and Purport:

Thereafter, service was manifested from the legs of the Personality of Godhead for the sake of perfecting the religious function. Situated on the legs are the śūdras, who satisfy the Lord by service.

Service is the real constitutional occupation of all living entities. The living entities are meant to render service to the Lord, and they can attain religious perfection by this service attitude. One cannot attain religious perfection simply by speculating to attain theoretical knowledge. The jñānī division of spiritualists go on speculating only to distinguish the soul from matter, but they have no information of the activities of the soul after being liberated by knowledge. It is said that persons who only mentally speculate to know things as they are and who do not engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord are simply wasting their time.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.25.39, Purport:

In this verse the woman is advocating pravṛtti-mārga only and is discouraging the path of nivṛtti-mārga. She clearly says that the yatis, the transcendentalists, who are concerned only with spiritual life (kaivalya), cannot imagine the happiness of pravṛtti-mārga. In other words, the man who follows the Vedic principles enjoys the materialistic way of life not only by becoming happy in this life, but also in the next life by being promoted to the heavenly planets. In this life such a person gets all kinds of material opulences, such as sons and grandsons, because he is always engaged in various religious functions. The material distresses are birth, old age, disease and death, but those who are interested in pravṛtti-mārga hold various religious functions at the time of birth, old age, disease and death. Without caring for the distresses of birth, old age, disease and death, they are addicted to performing the special functions according to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 23:

In the lower stage of human civilization there is always competition between men in their attempt to dominate material nature. In other words, there is continuous rivalry in an attempt to satisfy the senses. Thus driven by sense gratificatory consciousness, men enact religious rituals. Thus pious activities and religious functions are performed with an aim to acquire some material gain, and if such material gain is obtainable in another way, this so-called religion is neglected. This can be seen in modern human civilization. Since the economic desires of the people appear to be fulfilled in another way, no one is interested in religion now. The churches, mosques and temples are practically vacant, for people are more interested in factories, shops and cinemas. Thus they have deserted the religious places erected by their forefathers. This is evidence that religion is generally performed for the sake of economic development, and economic development is required for sense gratification. When one is baffled in his attempt to attain sense gratification, he takes to the cause of salvation in order to become one with the supreme whole. All these activities arise with the same aim in view—sense gratification.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 70:

After His meditation, the Lord would regularly bathe early in the morning with clear, sanctified water. Then He would change into fresh clothing, cover Himself with a wrapper and engage Himself in His daily religious functions. Out of His many religious duties, the first was to offer oblations into the sacrificial fire and silently chant the Gāyatrī mantra. Lord Kṛṣṇa, as the ideal householder, executed all the religious functions of a householder without deviation. When the sunrise became visible, the Lord would offer specific prayers to the sun-god. The sun-god and other demigods mentioned in the Vedic scriptures are described as different limbs of the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and it is the duty of the householder to offer respects to the demigods and great sages, as well as the forefathers.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

So Arjuna is clearing that, and Kṛṣṇa is saying, "The difference is that I take, I appear..." As you will find later on, Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Whenever there is discrepancies in the procedure of religious function and there is predominance of irreligiosity, at that time God or God's representative comes to this world to make things nicely. So Kṛṣṇa appears. Kṛṣṇa appears, and we also appear.

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

Now, it is, it is here stated, dharma. Dharma is translated in English as religion, but religion is meant just like a kind of faith. Just like "I am Hindu." "I am Hindu" means I have got faith in the Hindu system of religious functions. You are Christian. That means you have faith in the Christian system of religious functions. So religion, so far English dictionary is concerned, it is described as a matter of faith. But the word dharma, it is not exactly the same meaning, faith. Faith you may change. Suppose I am Hindu today. Now I can invest tomorrow in Christian religion. Or you are Christian. You can become a Hindu. There are so many changes. People are free to accept one faith and give up another faith. That is going on. But dharma does not mean that faith which can be changed. Dharma is a thing which cannot be changed. That means there is something in you, in me and everyone... That is called dharma. That is called... That cannot be changed. And what is that? This is a very fine analysis of human nature.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

Pradyumna: "Driven by such consciousness, man turns to religion. He thus performs pious activities or religious functions in order to gain something material."

Prabhupāda: Now, formerly... Now also. Those who are not atheists, when there are problems, they turn to God, who are theists. Those who are atheists, they will not. That is, two classes of men there are: atheists and theists. The theist, who believes in God, whenever he is distressed, whenever he is facing some problem, he turns towards God: "God save us." That is nice, very nice. They are called pious. When there are problems, when they look towards God, such person is called pious. It is described in Bhagavad-gītā, catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna. Sukṛtina means pious. Su means good, and kṛtina means activities. And similarly, the opposite number, that is called duṣkṛtina. Du means... Duṣ means bad, and kṛtina means activities.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

Formerly, gṛhasthas, in different ceremonies, after taking bath, they would throw away their garments, their..., so that poor people, they can take it and use it. And new. Every religious function... In our childhood also we have seen. As soon as there was a new function or pūjā, there was new cloth. Even household pūjā... That takes place practically every month. Lakṣmī-pūjā, Kārttika-pūjā... Bara mase tara upara bhan.(?) The... Actually there are twelve months, but the festivals are thirteen. It was very difficult to adjust where the another festival, in which month it should be observed. So we have got experience—in Lakṣmī-pūjā, all new cloth. The children, at least, at least the children and the housewife will have new cloth for every function. And what was the price of cloth? Very cheap. One rupee, four annas; one rupee, six annas, per pair. So we have seen it.

Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:

That was done in the case of Mahārāja Veṇa. Mahārāja Veṇa, he was upstart. He was born of a low-class mother, so he become so upstart that in his boyhood he was playing with friends, and if there was some quarrel, he would kill such friend. So his father became so disgusted, tried to reform him in so many ways, but he could not be reformed. The father, Mahārāja Aṅga, he left the kingdom all of a sudden, being disgusted. Then the brāhmaṇas asked the king that "You are not ruling very nicely. You have stopped all religious functions. This is not good for the people, neither for you." They first of all tried to pacify him by nice instruction. But the king said, "You brāhmaṇas, you do not know me very well. I am God" and this and that. Then he was killed by the brāhmaṇas. You know that Jāmadagnya, Paraśurāma, when he saw that the kings were not responsible, he killed the whole kṣatriya family for twenty-one times. So that was the government. If the brāhmaṇas would see that the kṣatriyas, the kings were not ruling properly according to the Vedic principle, sometimes they would kill the king.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: No, it is not religion. It is simply mental speculation—how to adjust material things. It will never be able to adjust it. That is their simply imagination. It will all fail at the ultimate end.

Hayagrīva: He says, "A natural function which has existed from the beginning like the religious function cannot be disposed of with rationalistic and so-called enlightened criticism."

Prabhupāda: The thing is that these people, they do not understand what is religion. Religion you cannot avoid. That is characteristic. Just like we gave several times this example, that everything has got a particular characteristic. Just like salt, salt is never sweet, and sweet is never salt. It has got a characteristic. A chile is pungent. Similarly, living entity, we are..., what is our characteristic? Our characteristic is to render service. Either you take Communism or this "ism" or that "ism," your real characteristic to render service, that will not change. The, in the capitalist country they are asking people that "You work in the factory and work for me, and whatever I say, you do," and the same thing is being dictated by the Communist leaders. Where is the difference? There is no difference, but it is only difference of nonsensical idea. Therefore a mass of people, they have to render service, either to Mr. Lenin or Mr. Roosevelt, it doesn't matter. He has to render service.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And they gave us place. At the last moment they rejected. First of all they gave. Then, at the last moment, the municipality said, "No, this land cannot be given to any religious function." Rejected. And offered, "If you like, you can take this place." So we had no other alternative to accept it. We advertised that "We are going to hold this ceremony," and the authority rejected at the eleventh hour and offered the Tal Kotara place. We had to accept it. And the government indirectly giving us so many hindrances in India. Yes. They do not like. One of the important member of the cabinet, he frankly said that "We do not want that your movement will increase very fast in India." Because they know it, Indira Gandhi and company, that India is naturally inclined to Kṛṣṇa. And if the selected people of the world, combined together, they push this movement in India, then the whole program of the modern leaders will collapse. That's a fact. And that was my idea. I wanted to start this movement from India. But nobody cooperated. So then I decided to come to America. And my plan was successful.

Room Conversation -- December 14, 1975, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Separate times we become religious for being promoted to higher standard of life, economic development, big, big scheme, plans, how to make gorgeous city, buildings, roads, cars, slaughter house, scientific, how to cut throat very scientifically. These plans are going on. Some of them are trying to be religious to go to the heaven because he has heard, and that's a fact also, that heavenly planets the standard of living is more opulent, hundreds and thousands times, the sex enjoyment, is hundred and thousand times better. So by so-called religious functions and sacrifices, they are engaged the same, how to satisfy the senses. The dog is also anxious to satisfy his senses. As soon as he finds a female dog, he wants to make friendship with her and have sex. On the street, never mind. And similarly the demigods they are also engaged in the same business. In a different standard only. The business is the same. Āhāra-nidr-bhayam etam. So if one wants to continue this business then he'll continue this material body and if he wants to stop this business, come to his original position, then he makes real progress. But nobody is interested in advancement of spiritual life. Generally they take to religion, religiosity, for material happiness. Artho 'rhati. I am distressed, I have no money, or I am suffering from some disease; you'll find all these. So all of them go to the sādhus only for this purpose. Sir, I am suffering from some disease, so without going to the doctor, and saving so much money, let me pay hundred rupees to the sādhu and he'll give me his blessings. So I will save thousands of rupees, for curing the disease.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Acyutānanda: Just ritualistically in the morning the sannyāsī comes and opens the door. He holds the key. We met him at Rangaji.

Prabhupāda: Rāmānujācārya sannyāsīs, they have no influence over them.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...to me that the actual purpose of this Tirupati government committee is eventually to do away with all religious function.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's their real plan.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: How to take the money that's being donated.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the beginning. They are making a show now, but eventually the plan will be to close all the temples.

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: So it is a festival. There must be crowd. You have no festival? Unfortunate.

Guru-kṛpā: They have festival, and it's beer cans, not flowers.

Prabhupāda: So you must fight to the court. How they can stop? It is our religious function. (pause) (break) ...to curb down this movement. In Europe, America, Australia...

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: (in car) ...overeating.

Guru-kṛpā: Things are to stop their farms.

Prabhupāda: I think so. They have gone deliberately. We are against cow-killing, so if the movement increases, then their cow-killing may be jeopardized.

Guru-kṛpā: Then they'd have to close many farms. On the grounds that milk causes hepatitis...

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Abhirucir, yes. Now formerly marriage was a religious ceremony. Marriage was, this boy and this girl should be married, it is a religious function where the father and mother will see their horoscope and see if they are compatible, they will agree, they will live peacefully, so many things are there. Still, in India such things are calculated by the parents of the boy and the girl. But in this Kali-yuga, dāmpatye abhirucir. Abhirucir means the boy and the girl, if he likes, if he says, that's all. No other calculation. And the, after three days after marriage, there is divorce.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Harikeśa: Tomatoes don't grow in India?

Prabhupāda: No. It was imported. Because it was imported they would not touch. The mill cloth, because they were imported, no gentleman will touch. No religious function would allow to use mill-made cloth. And so far medicine is concerned, they would never touch it. This is the difficulty... (indistinct) sent a confidential report that if you want to keep Indians as Indian you'll never be able to do like that. Then they will gradually introduce all this nonsense, drinking tea, drinking wine. "You are uncivilized. Whatever British are doing, they are civilized way. England's work in India." And they were given facilities, those who were English educated. In this way, they first of all tried to make the whole Indian population Anglici... Not possible to all. At least, those who are educated. So the so-called Indian educated, they took it seriously.

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Nayanabhirama -- Bombay 1 December, 1970:

If you can keep cows, it is very good. You'll get fresh milk. That's a great benefit. To take care of the cow is a religious function for the Hindus but actually if care is taken for cows, it delivers us the miracle food—cow's milk, which is so valuable. And because we drink cow's milk, we should accept the cow as our mother. That is etiquette.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Tirupati 27 April, 1974:

I am asking Pradyumna to send you a list of Vaisnava functions which you can give to the Indians who are inquiring about it at the New York temple. Other than the bona fide Vaisnava functions we cannot divert our devotees' attention to such participation in so called religious functions. This has spoiled the Hindu religion into a hodge podge pseudo religion. For advancement in Krsna Consciousness we should simply concentrate on Krsna; therefore we can help them but the function has to be in connection with Krsna.

Page Title:Religious functions
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Laksmipriya
Created:28 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=6, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=6, Con=6, Let=2
No. of Quotes:22