Seriousness (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"seriousness"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

If one is going to take spiritual life they must be serious.

Temple Press Conference -- August 5, 1971, London:

Woman Interviewer: So do you think people should beware?

Prabhupāda: They should be serious.

Woman Interviewer: I mean if someone in all seriousness wishes to find the spiritual life and happens to finish up with the wrong guru, I mean should they beware?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But... When ordinary education, to take ordinary education one has to devote so much time, labor, and understand, and if one is going to take spiritual life they must be serious. And how is that, they think that simply by some wonderful mantra within six months they become God? Why they want like that? That is... That means they want to be cheated.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our seriousness will be proved when our books and (indistinct) around thinking men, scholars.

Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupada: That this institution, ISKCON will give to the world so many valuable jewels. There is no comparison. That you will have to see, (indistinct). Already they are appreciating on account of (indistinct). The paper, what is that paper...

Devotee: Which one?

Prabhupāda: Sun Times?

Devotee: Los Angeles Times.

Prabhupāda: Maybe. They are not (indistinct)

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: They are serious. They have got, they have got (indistinct). Our seriousness will be proved when our books and (indistinct) around thinking men, scholars. Similarly, we should introduce our (indistinct) colleges and universities. This is our program.

So that seriousness is also very difficult, to become very serious that "In this life I shall finish my business and go home, back to home, back to Godhead."

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego: Prabhupāda: Well, this seriousness comes after many, many births. It is also not so easy. Rūpa Gosvāmī says, tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalaṁ janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate. He wrote a verse, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate: "The kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this thing, if you can purchase somewhere, just immediately purchase it." Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatām: "Just purchase." Yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. First of all, if you want to purchase, the things must be available. Yadi kuto. Therefore kuto 'pi, "If it is available, immediately purchase." Then next question is, "What is the value? What is the price I have to pay?" Then he said, tatra laulyam ekalaṁ mūlyam, "Simply your serious eagerness to have it. That is the price." "Oh, that I can have very easily." "No." Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate: "That laulyam, that seriousness, is not obtained after thousands of years' pious activities." It is so difficult. Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate. People are acting piously, but that kind of seriousness is not available even after executing pious activities for thousands of lives. So that seriousness is also very difficult, to become very serious that "In this life I shall finish my business and go home, back to home, back to Godhead." Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. Kṛṣṇa says, "After many, many births, when actually one becomes in knowledge, he surrenders unto Me."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

That, that is seriousness. Suppose you are going on a plane to Vaikuṇṭha. So your business should be that you may not fall down. The plane may not stop.

Morning Walk -- January 7, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupada: In a big machine, even one screw is slack, the machine stops. You know that? So we should not commit such mistake. "Don't care. It is a small screw." No. Even that small screw can stop the whole machine. [break] ...that we are on the platform of deathlessness. Then we can be careful about falling down. And this is a fact.

Bali Mardana: And we will not want to fall down.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That, that is seriousness. Suppose you are going on a plane to Vaikuṇṭha. So your business should be that you may not fall down. The plane may not stop. It is like that. [break] ...Bhāgavata, simply this point is being stressed, that "This is the platform of deathlessness."

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

They are taking care only of this body which is—dead or alive—it is not subject matter of seriousness.

Morning Walk -- May 18, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: So, these classes of men are now predominant.

Amogha: They are what?

Śrutakīrti: Predominant.

Amogha: Predominant.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are taking care only of this body which is—dead or alive—it is not subject matter of seriousness. I shall tell you later on.

So without understanding, you were initiated? Do you think? Why you were initiated if you did not understand the seriousness?

Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Hari-śauri: But one must come to that point of being serious to recognize the problems of life? Before one can understand your books, the karmī must become serious to understand that he is in misery and that he must get out?

Prabhupāda: So without understanding, you were initiated? Do you think? Why you were initiated if you did not understand the seriousness? Why do you take initiation? That means cheating. You do not understand; still, you show that "I am now understanding." [break]

Hari-śauri: It seems to be very difficult if they are not very serious about anything...

Prabhupāda: No, that is missionary activities, that they do not understand, but you have to make them understand.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

But when they read our books, higher class, they understand the seriousness of it.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Hari-śauri: It's amazing when you think how we're expanding all the time. It's really amazing.

Prabhupāda: It is Kṛṣṇa's grace. Therefore they take us as one of these Guruji and Babaji, like this, like that. But when they read our books, higher class, they understand the seriousness of it. They admit that this is India's original, traditional knowledge. Higher, higher circle, they don't want any imitation.

Hari-śauri: No, someone with a little intelligence, he's not befooled by...

Prabhupāda: No. During British period, high British officers, big, big managers, they liked Indians with original culture. They did not like any Indian with European imitation-pants, coats. They didn't like these imitations.

Take seriousness... Especially those who are educated, they should take serious consideration of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London: Prabhupada: Take advantage of this institution. Don't waste a moment of your life. Take it very seriously. Āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Take seriousness... Especially those who are educated, they should take serious consideration of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand each and every verse of Bhagavad-gītā, especially, and, if possible, Bhāgavatam. There are so many books. We have got program to publish at least eighty-four books like this, four hundred pages each. So we have already published fifty-four books. So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa through science and philosophy, read these books. Otherwise—very easy method—come here; chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. There is no difficulty.

So everything depends on the sincerity and seriousness.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran: Prabhupada: Instead of becoming godless, if somebody approaches God, it doesn't matter in some way, some ritual, it is better than this atheist class of men. At least they are accepting God, and if they offer prayers sincerely, God is there within your heart, He'll gradually reveal. The more you become purified, the more He reveals. Then He'll talk with you. So everything depends on the sincerity and seriousness. And if we take these ritualistic ceremonies, "Now I've gone to church or mosque, I have gone to temple, finish. Now let me do whatever I like." Then that is waste of time.