Sinful actions (Lectures)

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"sinful act" |"sinful action" |"sinful actions" |"sinful acts"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

"Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness."

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

Pradyumna reading Translation: "Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness."

Prabhupāda:

aho bata mahat-pāpaṁ

kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam

yad rājya-sukha-lobhena

hantuṁ svajanam udyatāḥ

(BG 1.44)

So sometimes Arjuna is accused, Bhagavad-gītā is also accused, that "There is violence. There is violence. Bhagavad-gītā is full of violence." Yes, it is full of violence. The warfield. But here the Vaiṣṇava thinking, Arjuna is thinking that it was arranged for his rājya-sukha. Yad rājya-sukha-lobhena. Lobhena. It was arranged for the satisfaction of Arjuna so that he could enjoy the kingdom and the happiness thereof. Actually, it was not so. It was arranged by Kṛṣṇa for His satisfaction, not for Arjuna's satisfaction. So that is the difference between ordinary work and devotional service. Devotional service and ordinary work, they look almost equal. Just like we are living in this house. The neighbors, they may think that "Some people are living here, chanting, dancing. We also dance. We also sometimes sing. And eating, they are also eating. Then what is the difference?" They may think that "What is the difference between devotional service and ordinary work?" It looks almost equal. Therefore people misunderstand that Bhagavad-gītā is ordinary warfare, violence. But it is not that. It is arranged by Kṛṣṇa because, to fulfill His mission. His mission is paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). That is His satisfaction, not Arjuna's satisfaction, not anyone's satisfaction. It is His plan. He comes, He descends on this planet, in this universe, just to establish the real purpose of religious life and to kill, to vanquish those who are opposing the real purpose of life, human life. That is His mission, simultaneously two things.

If we want to kill anyone, any living entity, for my satisfaction, either my tongue satisfaction or any sense satisfaction, it is mahā-pāpam, great sinful act.

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

So in this verse Kṛṣṇa says, er, Arjuna says that yad rājya-sukha-lobhena hantuṁ svajanam udyatāḥ (BG 1.44). So when are killing animals for the satisfaction of our tongue, this is mahat pāpam. Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna says, aho bata mahat pāpam. Mahat pāpam, great sinful act, great sinful act. If we want to kill anyone, any living entity, for my satisfaction, either my tongue satisfaction or any sense satisfaction, it is mahā-pāpam, great sinful act. Because they are all svajana. You cannot kill, either you take this sense or that sense. But Arjuna is speaking in a limited sense; he is thinking of his own family members. But if one is actually in knowledge, brahma-jñāna, he thinks in the same way that "The lower animals, they are also our family members. And if I kill him for my satisfaction, my sense satisfaction, it is great sinful act." Unfortunately, everyone is killing for his sense gratification in the name of religion. In the name of religion, although it is prohibited, still they are killing. Just imagine how much sinful activities they are doing. And how they can be happy? Happiness, of course, a hog also thinks that he is very happy that he is eating stool, living in filthy place, and because he has got the facility of sex life without any discrimination he may think happy life, but that is not happiness. Happiness is different thing.

They do not know the very first thing of spiritual knowledge, that "I am not this body." They are doing so many sinful acts on account of this body; still, they are going as religious, or spiritualist.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

So dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). All of us, the living entity, soul, is within this body. Not this body I am. So one who has realized this thing, that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul, and living by nature's arrangement, I have been allowed to live in such and such body," then he is learned. That is the beginning. So Kṛṣṇa, from the previous verse, that is actual spiritual education. In the world, these rascals are going on, spiritualists. They do not know the very first thing of spiritual knowledge, that "I am not this body." They are doing so many sinful acts on account of this body; still, they are going as religious, or spiritualist. Nobody is spiritualist unless one understands his spiritual identification, neither one is religious. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā the last word is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), because you rascal, fools, you have created so many religious system simply on the differences of body. That is not religion. Real religion is that "I am the Supreme Soul, Parambrahma, Kṛṣṇa. And you are My part and parcel. So we have intimate relation, like father and son. So it is the son's duty to obey the father. That is perfection of life." That's all.

Why should Arjuna be afraid of or aggrieved at the death of his relatives since he was discharging his proper duty? He did not deserve to break the law, thereby becoming subjected to the reactions of sinful acts, of which he was so afraid.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

This cycle of birth and death does not, however, support unnecessary murder, slaughter and war unnecessarily. But at the same time, violence and war are inevitable factors in human society for keeping law and order. The Battle of Kurukṣetra, being the will of the Supreme, was an inevitable event, and to fight for the right cause is the duty of a kṣatriya. Why should he be afraid of or aggrieved at the death of his relatives since he was discharging his proper duty? He did not deserve to break the law, thereby becoming subjected to the reactions of sinful acts, of which he was so afraid. By ceasing from the discharge of his proper duty, he would not be able to stop the death of his relatives, and he would be degraded on account of his selection of the wrong path of action." 28: "All created beings are unmanifest in their beginnings, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation (BG 2.28)?" 29.

Now, if I am protected from the reaction of my sinful acts, but it does not mean that I shall surrender unto the Supreme Lord at the same time continue to act sinfully, no, not that.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

You have got some duties, but if you give up all your duties and simply surrender unto the Supreme Lord, then you are liquidated at once. This is the version of Bhāgavata and this is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that "If you surrender unto Me, giving up all your other obligation, then I shall give you all protection." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Now, if I am protected from the reaction of my sinful acts, but it does not mean that I shall surrender unto the Supreme Lord at the same time continue to act sinfully, no, not that. Or if I am obliged to continue, the God, or the Supreme Lord will protect me. That is the version. Therefore everyone should act yajña. Yajña means work to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is called yajña. If we do not do that, then we shall be obliged. Otherwise... "Otherwise" means the act which is done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, that is immune from all reaction, but anything which is not done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, that will oblige me in so many bondage of obligation, and I will have to repay that after many, many continuation of this repetition of births and deaths. That is the secret of life.

That is the injunction of every scripture, either Bible, Koran, or any religious scripture, that we suffer due to our sinful actions.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

"Oh, I shall give up everything and simply I shall follow You?" "Yes." "Oh, how can I do? I have got so many department of knowledge and department of things. How can I?" No. He says, mā śucaḥ: "Don't hesitate." Now, what will be the result? The result will be ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall deliver you from all reactions of your sinful acts."

You know, of course, according to Vedic literature... And I don't say about the Vedic literature. That is the injunction of every scripture, either Bible, Koran, or any religious scripture, that we suffer due to our sinful actions. And our sinful actions are due to our ignorance. This is the cause.

If we act sinfully, then we get a body which is result of sinful action.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ. Vikarmaṇaḥ means forbidden work, "You should not do this." Just like we are forbidding our students, no illicit sex. This is forbidden. No intoxication. This is forbidden in the śāstra. Yatra pāpaś catur-vidhāḥ, four kinds of sinful activities. These are the basic pillars, four pillars of sinful activities: illicit sex life and intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhāḥ (SB 1.17.38), the four kinds of sinful activities. So if we act sinfully, then we get a body which is result of sinful action. By pious activities, we get janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrīḥ (SB 1.8.26). Janma, first-class family, first-class nation, janma. That is very important thing, to get birth in first-class family, enlightened family, brāhmaṇa family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). These are all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

It is said that śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam: "Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are not entangled in these sinful acts."

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

So sahastānām ahastāni: "Those who have got hands, they are eating the animals which have no hands." And apadāni catuṣ-padām: "Those who have no legs, they are being eaten by the four-legged." Just like a cow eating grass. So grass cannot move. It has life, but it cannot move. So and... phalgūni tatra mahatām. Phalgūni, "those who are weak, they are being eaten by the..." Just like we find lizards. In your country you don't find lizards. In India we have got many lizards in the walls. They are eating small ants. Phalgūni mahatāṁ tatra. And in the snake, snake kingdom, you will find the small snakes are being by the big snake. Similarly, in sea water also, you will find small fishes are being eaten by the big fishes.

And the same law is applicable in human society. A big nation is trying to swallow up a small nation. You see? This is going on. This is nature's law. Nature's law. You cannot avoid it. But there are those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious. They... It is said that śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam: "Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are not entangled in these sinful acts." How? They are also maintaining their body. So when they are maintaining their body, they have to commit sins. They have to eat other animals or vegetables. Never mind. So how they are not committing sins? These are very intelligent questions. There is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Arjuna was afraid of sinful acts by killing his kinsmen and, I mean to say, grandfather. But when he understood that "I am fighting on Kṛṣṇa's account, so I am free.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Arjuna was afraid of sinful acts by killing his kinsmen and, I mean to say, grandfather. But when he understood that "I am fighting on Kṛṣṇa's account, so I am free." Śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan na āpnoti kilbiṣam. If you simply don't try to increase your artificial demands for maintaining this body... You have every right to live, and everyone has got right to live, not only myself. Even the ant has got the right to live. But in human society, so-called civilization, we give all protection to the human society, but we don't give any protection to the animal society.

The material world is so made that willingly or unwillingly... If you are not willing, unwillingly you have to commit so many sinful actions.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "When there is sexual intercourse according to the scriptural injunction, that is I am." Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sexual intercourse." In such kind of sexual intercourse there is no sin. That is another yajña. Just like we eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam by offering yajña. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. If we take kṛṣṇa-prasādam, then we become freed from all kinds of sinful reaction. Because the material world is so made that willingly or unwillingly... If you are not willing, unwillingly you have to commit so many sinful actions. Just like to kill an animal is sinful action, but you don't want to kill. Still, when you are passing on the street, you are killing so many ants. While drinking water, besides the..., all around the water jug there are so many animals. When you crush, I mean to say, spices, we kill so many animals. So we are responsible for that. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā you know, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). If you simply cook for your sense gratification, then you have to take responsibility of all the killing business.

It is prescribed in the Hindu scripture that the child, when the father dies, the boy has to perform several ceremonies which is called śrāddha ceremony, so that if the father for his sinful acts is in trouble in his next life, this ceremony will protect him.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa said that dharma-aviruddhaḥ. Aviruddhaḥ means not against religious principles. The religious principle is putrārthe kriyate bhāryā putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam. According to Vedic literature, one should marry just to have a child, putra. Putra means son. The derivative meaning of putra is pun-nāmno narakād yasmāt trāyate iti putraḥ. For our sinful reaction we have to visit some hell which is known as pun. So it is prescribed in the Hindu scripture that the child, when the father dies, the boy has to perform several ceremonies which is called śrāddha ceremony, so that if the father for his sinful acts is in trouble in his next life, this ceremony will protect him. These are some of the thoughts. And they are true. So putra means pun-nāmno narakād yasmāt trāyate iti putraḥ: "One who delivers the father from the hell which is known as pun, he is called putra." So therefore how can I have putra without wife? If one wants a son without wife, that is not possible. Therefore the scriptural injunction is that according to the Vedic rules you get yourself married and have good sons to protect your family and to protect yourself. This is called religious sex life. So this religious sex life, Kṛṣṇa recommends. And He says that "Sex life in religiosity is..., I am. I am present there. I am present there."

Pāpam means sin. "One who has been completely freed from the reactions of sinful acts"

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

So yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. Pāpam means sin. "One who has been completely freed from the reactions of sinful acts," anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, "of those persons who are simply engaged in activities of piety," te, "those people," dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ, "they can become free from this duality of interest." That means one who becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no distinction between one person to another. He has no distinction, "Oh, this is Indian," "This is American," "This is Chinese," "This is Russian." No. He transcends this. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness we can transcend this material consciousness of different interests. We have no other interest except realization of our self. But because, due to our ignorance, we have created our different interests and we are committing sins and breaking the laws of nature; and therefore we are gradually, by and by, becoming more and more entangled in this material nature. So the Lord says that "One who has surpassed this material nature and ignorance," te, "they can become free from this conception of duality," bhajante mām, "and becomes a perfect devotee of Myself." That means, in other words, one who becomes perfectly Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes liberated from this conception of duality or illusion of duality. He becomes a perfect man—jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya.

Throughout the whole life Ajāmila committed all sinful acts... But when he was at the point of death...

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Yes, if you are so fortunate... Just like Ajāmila. Throughout the whole life he committed all sinful acts. But when he was at the point of death... He had a pet child whose name was Nārāyaṇa. So he was calling, "My dear boy Nārāyaṇa." So when he was calling Nārāyaṇa, he thought of Nārāyaṇa. So immediately he achieved Nārāyaṇa.

When we become intoxicated, we become addicted to so many sinful actions, it is soma-pāḥ. When we drink soma-rasa, it is just the opposite. We become freed from all sinful reaction.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

So they are soma-pāḥ. Soma is a kind of beverage. Just like in this material world we have got different kinds of liquors. It is not intoxicating, but there is mention. Here in the Bhagavad-gītā is also mentioned, soma-pāḥ, soma-rasa. And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we get information that in the moon planet they also drink this soma-rasa. But the soma-rasa is not an intoxicant. It is a different thing. Here it is said, soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpāḥ. One who will drink the soma-rasa, he will be freed from sinful reaction. Just the opposite. Here, just like when we become intoxicated, we become addicted to so many sinful actions, it is soma-pāḥ. When we drink soma-rasa, it is just the opposite. We become freed from all sinful reaction. That soma-pāḥ is recommended here also. So either they try to go to other planets, or they manufacture here soma-pāḥ, soma-rasa. Of course, at the present moment we have no such facility. But from Bhagavad-gītā it is understood that there was a method.

In this material world, knowingly or unknowingly, we are all always committing sinful acts. So we have to get out of this reaction.

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

Martya means those who are eligible for dying. Who are? These conditioned souls, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, they are all martya. Martya means there is a time when they will die. So martyeṣu. Amongst the dying mortals he becomes the most intelligent. Asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu. Why? Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. He is free from all kinds of reactions of sinful action. In this world, in this material world, I mean to say, knowingly or unknowingly, we are all always committing sinful acts. So we have to get out of this reaction. And how to get out of it? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). If you do, act only for Kṛṣṇa... Yajña means Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. If you only act for Kṛṣṇa, then you are freed from the reaction of anything.

Nārada went to the vyādha, hunter, that "Why you are doing this business? Better kill them altogether so that they may not suffer. It is a great sinful act.

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

There is a nice example. A hunter... In Sanskrit language it is called vyādha. He was hunting in the forest and killing the animals, boar and other, deer and so many animals—hunter's business is to kill animals—so half-dead. And Nārada was passing through that road. He saw that "These half-dead animals are flapping. Who has killed them in that way, half-dead? Why not full kill?" So he went to the vyādha, hunter, that "Why you are doing this business? Better kill them altogether so that they may not suffer. It is a great sinful act." So he explained, "Oh, I do not know what is sinful or not, pious. My father has taught me this business. I am doing this." So Nārada explained him, "So it is not a very good business. You better do another business for your livelihood. Simply killing, and half-killing. Better kill them fully. That is also (not) very good." So he said, "Then I am committing sins?" And Nārada said, "Yes, you are committing sins." "Then, if I give up this business, how shall I eat, my living?" Nārada said, "All right, I shall give you your necessities of life. I shall supply you. You give up this business." So he was initiated, and he was seated in a sacred place.

Those who are eating and cooking for themselves, for satisfying the taste, such persons are eating the resultant action of sinful acts.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

"Those who are eating and cooking for themselves, for satisfying the taste, such persons are eating the resultant action of sinful acts." They are all sinful. They are, who are cooking for themself without offering to the proprietor, to the master, they're all sinful. Therefore our program is to eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam, the foodstuff, remnants of foodstuff, left by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. If you offer something to Kṛṣṇa, He eats the offering. It is not that He's not eating. He is eating but at the same time keeping it for you as it was offered. He's not like us. If you give me something to eat, I'll finish the whole plate. Kṛṣṇa is not like that. (laughter) Kṛṣṇa... The atheist will say that He has not eaten. No, He has eaten. And that is Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Our first restriction is no meat-eating. It is a most sinful act. Meat-eating, or intoxication, drinking, gambling, and illicit sex. These are the four pillars of sinful life.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So sinful civilization. Therefore our first restriction is no meat-eating. It is a most sinful act. Meat-eating, or intoxication, drinking, gambling, and illicit sex. These are the four pillars of sinful life. So unless you stop, you break these four pillars, how you can think of God? God is not so cheap. The rascal says, "You can do whatever you like. I give you... I push your eyes and you see God. You push your nose, you see God." You see? These nonsense things are going on. But God is not so cheap. He is cheap, very cheap. He is very kind. But we want to remain sinful. Therefore we cannot see God. Arjuna addressed Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ dhāma paraṁ brahma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. "You are the most pure." So how you can approach God with sinful life? That is not possible. That is simply bogus thing, that you keep your sinful life, at the same time you want to see God, you want to talk with God. That is not possible.

Actually, the Gopīs did sinful acts, action, by leaving their father, brother or husband and went to Kṛṣṇa at dead of night. They were all young girls. That is, according to Vedic injunction that is sinful.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

There are many instances. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, you can see. Prahlāda Mahārāja is standing, and his father is being killed before him. This is sinful. Can you tolerate? Suppose if somebody comes to kill me, and you will see and laugh? You'll do, will you do that? Why? That is sinful. So here Prahlāda Mahārāja is seeing. It is not protesting. Prahlāda Mahārāja is not protesting, "Why you are killing my father?" No. He's seeing. So why Prahlāda Mahārāja is worshiped? Why he has become a mahājana, authority? You can say, "Oh, he's a most sinful. He has seen in his presence, his father is being killed, and he did not protest." You can say so. But because it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa, Prahlāda Mahārāja is the most exalted devotee. He's not sinful. The gopīs. The gopīs, they were wives, householder's wife, sister, daughter. So they went at dead of night to dance with Kṛṣṇa. This is sinful according to Vedic injunction. No young girl can go to any young boy without being married. That is Vedic injunction. So practically it was sinful. And... But because it was with Kṛṣṇa, in connection with Kṛṣṇa, they went to dance with Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs are worshiped more than any devotee in the world. Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Gopīs, exalted. Ramyā kacid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. So actually, they did sinful acts, action, by leaving their father, brother or husband and went to Kṛṣṇa at dead of night. They were all young girls. That is, according to Vedic injunction that is sinful. But they are worshiped.

Duṣkṛtinaḥ means these rascals, these demons, these atheists, these godless men can act in any way for their sense gratification. They can do any sinful act, never mind, however grievous it may be.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

You may be very great man. You may be very well situated man, very much educated, but if you are godless, then you are demon. Viṣṇu-bhakta... That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Duṣkṛtinaḥ. Duṣkṛtinaḥ means these rascals, these demons, these atheists, these godless men can act in any way for their sense gratification. They can do any sinful act, never mind, however grievous it may be. If it is applicable for their satisfaction of senses, they'll do it. They'll do it. They don't care anything. "Oh, I can satisfy my senses by this way. Never mind. Oh, we don't care for God, don't care for sin or hell or this or that. They are all simply allegory." Hedonism.

All the sinful living entities are brought before Yamarāja, and according to the gravity of criminality, sinful action, he punishes. Just like magistrate.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

"Because I have got very good means of living, very good means of sleeping, nice house, and very good wife and very good bank balance and good government, therefore I am secure." That is nonsense. Pramatta. That is called pramatta. Means he does not know that at any moment Yamarāja can come and kick him out from this position. At any moment. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Yamarāja is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, a servant of Kṛṣṇa. He is Vaiṣṇava. Yamarāja, we are very much afraid of Yamarāja, but he Vaiṣṇava. Not only Vaiṣṇava, but he's one of the mahājanas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). He's mahājana in this sense: All the sinful living entities are brought before him, and according to the gravity of criminality, sinful action, he punishes. Just like magistrate. Magistrate, before the magistrate all criminals are brought in, and he considers the gravity of the case, and according to the case, somebody is hanged, somebody is put into the jail for three years, somebody for six years, somebody for six months. That is Yamarāja's duty.

After our death, we are brought before the justice Yamarāja, what kind of next birth I may have. So Yamarāja is not śūdra. He is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, although he has the duty to punish the criminals.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

Nitāi: "As long as Vidura played the part of a śūdra, being cursed by Maṇḍūka Muni, Aryamā officiated at the post of Yamarāja to punish those who committed sinful acts."

Prabhupāda:

abibhrad aryamā daṇḍaṁ

yathāvad agha-kāriṣu

yāvad dadhāra śūdratvaṁ

śāpād varṣa-śataṁ yamaḥ

(SB 1.13.15)

So Vidura is Yamarāja, the superintendent of death. After our death, we are brought before the justice Yamarāja, what kind of next birth I may have. So Yamarāja is not śūdra. He is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, although he has the duty to punish the criminals. Just like a magistrate is always punishing the criminals. That is his business, but he is not criminal. He is giving judgment to the criminals. Similarly, Yamarāja is the appointed magistrate, superintendent. After death, one has to go before him and take the judgment of his next life.

Agha means sinful activities, and kāriṣu. Kāriṣu means those who commit sinful acts. And yathāvat. Yathāvat means exactly to the point, how he should be punished.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

The office must go on, the magistrate post cannot be vacant. Somebody must come and act. So Aryamā was acting. Yathāvad agha-kāriṣu. Agha-kāriṣu. Agha-kāri means... Agha means sinful activities, and kāriṣu. Kāriṣu means those who commit sinful acts. And yathāvat. Yathāvat means exactly to the point, how he should be punished. Yathāvad agha-kāriṣu. Yāvad dadhāra śūdratvam. So long Yamarāja continued as a śūdra, Aryamā was officiating in his place as Yamarāja. This is the purport. (reads purport:) "Vidura, born in the womb of a śūdra mother, was forbidden even to be a party of royal heritage along with his brothers Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu. Then how could he occupy the post of a preacher to instruct such learned...? Answer is that even though it is accepted that he was a śūdra by birth, because he renounced the world for spiritual enlightenment by the authority of Ṛṣi Maitreya and was thoroughly educated by him in transcendental knowledge, he was quite competent to occupy the post of an ācārya or spiritual preceptor." Vidura was a śūdra, born śūdra. Then how he became a preacher?

So the reason is... "According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, anyone who is conversant in the transcendental knowledge or the science of Godhead, be he a brāhmaṇa or śūdra, a householder or a sannyāsī, is eligible to become a spiritual master." Not that because he was born a śūdra, he cannot preach, he cannot take the post of ācārya or spiritual master. That is not Caitanya philosophy.

Yamarāja is always busy in his plutonic kingdom, punishing the doers of sinful acts.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

Being a mahājana, it is the duty of Yamarāja to preach the cult of devotion to the people of the world as Nārada, Brahmā and other mahājanas do. But Yamarāja is always busy in his plutonic kingdom, punishing the doers of sinful acts. Yamarāja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet some hundreds of thousands of miles away from this planet." That is mentioned. He has got a different planet, where the criminals are taken away after death, and he gives the judgment, what kind of body he will have. And not like the theosophists' thinking, "Now I have got human body. It is permanent settlement." No, that is not permanent settlement. According to one's work... Work means all sinful acts. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful activities. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for Yajña, for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Otherwise, you will be entangled. And who is serving Kṛṣṇa? Nobody is serving Kṛṣṇa. So everyone is being entangled. This is the material world.

Vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ. Those who are washed off of the sinful act... Therefore we prescribe that "Don't be associated with sinful activities."

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

The proprietor of the body. So that is to be understood. So how it can be understood? Vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ. Those who are washed off of the sinful act... Therefore we prescribe that "Don't be associated with sinful activities." What is that? Illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. One who is washed off of these, vidhūta-kalmaṣā sthānam, that sthānam, that place, is virajena ātmanaiva vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ... Those who are washed of... Otherwise it is not possible. If you think that "I shall do this and do that," then do this, not that. That is finished. You go on doing this life after life, and remain in this material world. That is the point.

If we get different bodies, that is due to our sinful actions.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

Upādhi means pāpa. Upādhi... If we get different bodies, that is due to our sinful actions. If I am given the chance to execute as a human being, this human form of body... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). We have got this body after many, many evolutionary process. So this is a chance given to we. Hari hari biphale. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is singing, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have wasted my time for nothing, uselessly.

"If you do this sinful act, you will go to this kind of hell." There are description in the Fifth Canto.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

During Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time, the cows milk bag was so filled up that in the pasturing ground they were dropping, and the whole pasturing ground became moist, muddy with milk. The land used to be muddy with milk, not with water. That was the position. Therefore cow is so important that we can get nice food, the milk. Milk is required every morning. But what is this justice, that after taking milk from the animal and kill it? Is that very good justice? So it is very, very sinful, and we have to suffer for that. And they are stated in the śāstras that "If you do this sinful act, you will go to this kind of hell." There are description in the Fifth Canto.

The bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas' business is that if you have committed some sinful act, you should immediately go and consult the bhattācārya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Just like by any means you cannot get released a man who is condemned in the prison. Against law. However sympathetic you may be to your friend, but you cannot release him. That is against law. Similarly, people are suffering, undoubtedly, but they have to undergo the prāyaścitta process. In the śāstras there are prāyaścitta process. Formerly, even our childhood days, we have seen in Calcutta, there is a special quarter of the bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas. The bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas' business is that if you have committed some sinful act, you should immediately go and consult the bhattācārya: "What is the process of prāyaścitta?" Just like you go in case of disease, consult a physician, and take his prescription and diagnosis, similarly, that was the Vedic system.

In our Kṛṣṇa conscious society, or those who are Vaiṣṇava, some of them are thinking, that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, so if I commit some sinful act, then I shall again chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and it will be adjusted."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

If people continue to act sinfully, then what is the use of this kind of prāyaścitta?" This is a very intelligent question. Suppose a man suffering from venereal disease goes to a doctor and he prescribes some medicine and gives him some diagnosis that "You should live in this way, in that way." But after the disease is cured, immediately if he commits the same sinful act, then what is the value of the treatment? The same thing, just like nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. In every society this is going on. In our Kṛṣṇa conscious society, or those who are Vaiṣṇava, they are, some of them are thinking like that, that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, so if I commit some sinful act, then I shall again chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and it will be adjusted." And Christians also think like that, that "I may commit sins throughout the whole week, and on Sunday I shall go to the church and confess it.

Kṛṣṇa says: "You just surrender unto Me and I shall give you protection from the sinful acts."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Just like we are preaching, "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)—your sinful activities will be counteracted. Kṛṣṇa says that 'You just surrender unto Me and I shall give you protection from the sinful acts.' " So if I think, "It is very good. Then I shall go to Kṛṣṇa. I shall take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and He will protect me from the sinful reaction. So it is a great opportunity. You become Kṛṣṇa conscious and commit all sinful activities, Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." And that will create certainly atheism: "What is this bogus thing?" But that does not mean... So, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa takes charge of your past sinful activities. But that does not mean that I shall remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, at the same time I shall go on committing sin. This, for this facility, if anyone takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is most sinful, that "I shall take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness because whatever sinful activities I shall do, it will be counteracted by Kṛṣṇa.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit said, "One may know that sinful activity is injurious for him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the government and rebuked by people in general, and because he hears from the scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish condition in the next life for committing sinful act.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

The Mahārāja Parīkṣit said, "One may know that sinful activity is injurious for him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the government and rebuked by people in general, and because he hears from the scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish condition in the next life for committing sinful act. Nevertheless, in spite of such knowledge one is forced to commit sins again and again, even after performing acts of atonement. Therefore what is the value of such atonement?" (break) Parīkṣit Mahārāja was ruler, the king. He knew everything practically, that so many citizens committing criminal act were imprisoned and punished. Still, they, after coming back from the jail, prisonhouse, again committed. So on the whole, Parīkṣit Mahārāja did not like, the process of prāyaścitta is ultimately beneficial to the people.

Amongst the ten kinds of offenses, one offense is very grievous offense—nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ—if one thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa; therefore whatever sinful acts I am doing, it is becoming counteracted."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

Therefore our request is that you take to this chanting method. It is very easy, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, and gradually you shall become free from all sinful reaction of life. But one thing we must be very careful, that we should not commit again sinful life. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become free immediately from all sinful reaction. But if you commit again sinful life, that is your responsibility. This is warned very... Amongst the ten kinds of offenses, one offense is very grievous offense—nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ—if one thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa; therefore whatever sinful acts I am doing, it is becoming counteracted." If you keep yourself on the platform of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and do not commit willfully again sinful life, then you are liberated. So not only mukti-mārga, if you keep yourself always pure, do not commit any sinful activity and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then your life is successful. Don't commit the mistake of the elephant that take bath thoroughly and again come and throw dust on your body.

In the law court if you say, "Sir, it was not known to me," so that does not mean that you will be excused. Similarly, knowingly or unknowingly, if you do something, sinful act, then you are immediately criminal.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

So if some Indian gentleman says that "I am accustomed to drive on the left side. So what is wrong there?" "No, this country's law is 'right side.' You know or do not know, whatever may be in your country, because you have driven your car on the left side, you are criminal." So ignorance is no excuse. In the law court if you say, "Sir, it was not known to me," so that does not mean that you will be excused. Similarly, knowingly or unknowingly, if you do something, sinful act, then you are immediately criminal. You'll be punishable. It doesn't matter whether you know or not know. Just like fire. This child, if he touches the fire, the fire will not excuse. There is no consideration, "Sir, here is a little child. He does not know this fire is burning." But as soon as he touches, it will burn. This is nature's law.

Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that sinful person, he is getting experience from the both kinds of senses, dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām, and by that experience he knows that "This is not good. This is a sinful act.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

Just like you gather knowledge from book. So we have got two senses—not two senses, but ten senses: five senses, knowledge gathering, and five senses, directing, knowledge, working senses. So dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām means by two senses, two kinds of senses: knowledge-gathering senses and working senses. We have experience by two kinds of senses. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that a person, means a sinful person, he is getting experience from the both kinds of senses, dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām, and by that experience he knows that "This is not good. This is a sinful act.

You commit some sinful activities and go to the church and pay some fine, and again you commit sinful acts. So it is useless.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

So he knows it, that "I am smoking something which is detrimental to my health." But why he is smoking? Why he is smoking? This is the question. Prāyaścitta... Now from smoking sometimes he gets bronchitis or something, some disease in the heart. So he goes to the doctor, he suffers, and he takes medicine and he is cured, then again smoking, again do the same thing. One is suffering from syphilis, and he is suffering so much. The doctor gives injection and so on, so on. Then, after being cured, again doing the same. That is his question. It is not that a man always commits sinful activities without knowledge. No. They have full knowledge. So if one does, cannot resist himself from sinful activity, then what is the meaning of this atonement? He rejects, "This is useless." You commit some sinful activities and go to the church and pay some fine, and again you commit sinful acts. So it is useless. That is questioned by Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Prāyaścittam atho katham: "What is this?"That is intelligence. He is devotee. He knows that this kind of atonement is useless. It has no meaning.

One may know that sinful activity is injurious for him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the government and rebuked by the people in general, and because he hears from the scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish condition in the next life for committing sinful acts.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

Prabhupāda reading: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: One may know that sinful activity is injurious for him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the government and rebuked by the people in general, and because he hears from the scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish condition in the next life for committing sinful acts. Nevertheless, in spite of such knowledge one is forced to commit sins again and again, even after performing acts of atonement.

Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

Prabhupāda reading: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an elephant, for an elephant cleanses itself by taking a full bath but then throws dust over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land."

Only a rare person who has adopted complete unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the weeds of sinful action with no possibility that they will revive.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

"Only a rare person who has adopted complete unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the weeds of sinful action with no possibility that they will revive." Kevalayā bhaktyā. "Simply... He can do the simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays." So by other processes temporarily it can be ceased, but actually from the root of the cause it is not possible to get it out.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that for any sinful action one has to atone.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

The Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that for any sinful action one has to atone. So immediately catches the word, this is intelligent disciple, that "What is the value of this atonement? If he cannot correct himself to commit the sinful activity, then what is the value of atonement?" This is very nice question. We shall discuss tomorrow.

Parīkṣit Mahārāja is devotee. He knows what are these material activities. Punaḥ punaś carvita carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). This word is used here, punaḥ. Punaḥ means "again and again." Carvita-carvaṇānām.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1975:

Santoṣa: "Sometimes one who is very alert not to commit sinful acts is victimized by sinful life again. If one atones for the sins after committing them but then repeatedly commits the same sins, his atonement is a useless process. Indeed, it is like the bathing of an elephant, for the elephant fully cleanses itself but then throws dust all over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land."

Prabhupāda:

kvacin nivartate' bhadrāt

kvacic carati tat punaḥ

prāyaścittam atho 'pārthaṁ

manye kuñjara-śaucavat

(SB 6.1.10)

Parīkṣit Mahārāja is devotee. He knows what are these material activities. Punaḥ punaś carvita carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). This word is used here, punaḥ. Punaḥ means "again and again." Carvita-carvaṇānām.

People suffer on account of sinful reaction, ignorance. Out of ignorance, they commit sinful action, and sinful action reacts. Just like a child, ignorant, he touches blazing fire, and it burns the hand, and he suffers.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Denver, June 30, 1975:

So people do not know this, that to approach the platform of worshiping Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the most exalted and assured platform. Just like we get insurance, so this is assured. Assured by whom? Assured by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa man... (BG 9.30). So many assurances there. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Kṛṣṇa says personally that "I shall protect you." People suffer on account of sinful reaction, ignorance. Out of ignorance, they commit sinful action, and sinful action reacts. Just like a child, ignorant, he touches blazing fire, and it burns the hand, and he suffers. You cannot say that "Child is innocent, and the fire has burned." No. This is nature's law. Ignorance. So sinful activities are done out of ignorance. Therefore one should be in knowledge. Ignorance of law is no excuse. If you go to the court and if you plead, "Sir, I did not know that I have to suffer, I have to go to imprisonment for six months because I have stolen. This was unknown to me..." No. Known or unknown, you must go to the jail.

In Vṛndāvana still, a snake found in the house is never killed, snake. Still a rat is never killed. If you kill a rat in Vṛndāvana, then so many people will come: "Oh, you are committing such sinful acts. You are killing a rat." That depends on the mentality of the person.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

In Vṛndāvana still, a snake found in the house is never killed, snake. Still a rat is never killed. If you kill a rat in Vṛndāvana, then so many people will come: "Oh, you are committing such sinful acts. You are killing a rat." That depends on the mentality of the person. You can take care of this animal, I mean to say, against the disturbance created by this animal, but you cannot kill them. That is not. But when it is unavoidable, we have to do like that. But as far as possible we should avoid. We have heard from our father that his elder brother in the village had a cloth shop, and there were rats. So at night he would keep a big bowl of rice in the middle of the shop, and the rats will eat whole night. They would not commit any harm to the cloth. They respect it. They are also hungry, they are also living entities. They have also right to live, to eat.

Dharma means obeying the laws. Just like good citizens means who is obeying the laws of the state. He is good citizen. And other person who is disobeying, they are called outlaws.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976:

Pradyumna: Translation: "The candidates for punishment are those who are confirmed by these many witnesses to have deviated from their prescribed regulative duties. Everyone engaged in fruitive activities is suitable to be subjected to punishment according to his sinful acts."

Prabhupāda:

etair adharmo vijñātaḥ

sthānaṁ daṇḍasya yujyate

sarve karmānurodhena

daṇḍam arhanti kāriṇaḥ

(SB 6.1.43)

So you can say that "God is dead" or "There is no God," but that is not the fact. The atheist class of men, they want that there may not be any God; they can do whatever they like. That is not possible. Just like in a small state there are so many CID, police and so many other depart..., detectives, just to find out who is transgressing the law. So in this big government of the universe, how do you think that there is no system of finding out who is culprit? So what is adharma? Etair adharmo vijñātaḥ. Adharma, irreligiosity, or transgressing the law, that is adharma. Dharma and adharma... Dharma means obeying the laws. Just like good citizens means who is obeying the laws of the state. He is good citizen. And other person who is disobeying, they are called outlaws. So what is dharma? Just like it is the duty of good citizen to abide by the laws of the state, similarly, dharmī, a person who is religious, means who is abiding by the laws of God. That's all. And who is not abiding, he is adharmi. That is the difference.

This material world is karma-kṛt—you have to do something. Kṛṣṇa has explained that "Without acting, you cannot even maintain your body and soul together."

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

Pradyumna: Translation: "O inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha, you are sinless, but those within this material world are all karmīs, whether acting piously or impiously. Both kinds of action are possible for them because they are contaminated by the three modes of nature and must act accordingly. One who has accepted a material body cannot be inactive, and sinful action is inevitable for one acting under the modes of material nature. Therefore all the living entities within this material world are punishable."

Prabhupāda:

sambhavanti hi bhadrāṇi

viparītāni cānaghāḥ

kāriṇāṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sti

dehavān na hy akarma-kṛt

(SB 6.1.44)

This material world is karma-kṛt—you have to do something. Kṛṣṇa has explained that "Without acting, you cannot even maintain your body and soul together." Śarīra-yātrāpi te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ. If you become idle, then you cannot even maintain your body. That is the difference between civilized man and uncivilized man or developed country... (aside:) Stop that. Developed country and undeveloped country. Just like America. This land was inhabited by the Red Indians. They could not do anything, but the Europeans, when they migrated, they made it so beautiful country. So karma-kṛt, one has to work. This material world is so made.

Everything is derivative, and it has got sound substance in each and every word of Sanskrit. Who is putra? There is a naraka, hell, hell, and if somebody by his sinful action is sent to that hell, the putra will deliver him.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

In India it is the old custom that a prostitute quarter is maintained for the lusty people. Those who are not satisfied with one wife, they should not pollute the society, but they should go to the prostitutes. So that means illicit sex, sex without the, I mean to say, intention for begetting a nice child, that is illicit sex. There are two kinds of illic... Avaidha-strī-saṅga. Avaidha. Avaidha means against the vidhi, against the regulation. Putra-piṇḍa. Putrārthe kriyate bhāryā. Bhāryā means wife. Wife is accepted simply for begetting sons. Therefore it is called dharma-patnī. Dharma-patnī. A son is required... Why one should accept a wife for begetting son? Putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam. According to Vedic dharma the piṇḍa-dāna, offering piṇḍa, oblations to the forefather, putra is pun-nāmno narakād yasmāt trāyate iti putraḥ. Well, everything is derivative, and it has got sound substance in each and every word of Sanskrit. Who is putra? There is a naraka, hell, hell, and if somebody by his sinful action is sent to that hell, the putra will deliver him. Pun-nāmno narakād yasmāt trāyate. That pun-nāmna, that pu... Pun-nāmno narakāt, the first word of that naraka, pu, and trāyate, tra, if combined together, it becomes putra. So putra has meaning. Putra is not a product of sexual intercourse. No. Putra means "who can deliver the forefather if by chance he is fallen in the hellish condition." Therefore putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam. What is putra-piṇḍa? Caitanya Mahāprabhu also showed us the example.

These Yamadūtas came to arrest Ajāmila, who was already relieved from all sinful actions simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa."

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-8 -- Calcutta, January 10, 1971:

The charge of Viṣṇudūtas for the Yamadūta was that they did not know whom to arrest and whom not to arrest. Therefore he was criticizing. Yamarāja is meant for arresting the criminals, sinful persons. But these Yamadūtas came to arrest Ajāmila, who was already relieved from all sinful actions simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa." That was not known to them. So in order to criticize them, that "You do not know where to go and where not to go," they described in so many ways. Now they are positively saying that ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveśo janma-koṭy-aṁhasām api: "Even though he committed sinful activity for millions of years, he is now free." Ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveśaḥ: "He has completely counteracted all those sinful activities." How? Yad vyājahāra vivaśo nāma svasty-ayanaṁ hareḥ. So vivaśaḥ: "Somehow or other, he has chanted the holy name of Hari." Asya pāpena daṇḍe kim artham akrośa kriyate tatrāhur ayaṁ hriyate:(?) (commentary) "Why you are attempting to arrest this person as criminal?" Yamadūta, yad yada vivaśi 'pi harer nāma vyājahāra uccaritavan:(?) "There was no intention of chanting the holy name of Hari, but even though consciously or unconsciously he has chanted the holy name of Hari, therefore he is now free."

Suppose your life is full of sin, sinful actions. So your destiny is already there.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

But He can change your destiny. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Nobody can change, but He can change. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Suppose your life is full of sin, sinful actions. So your destiny is already there. But Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, "I shall give you protection." So He can change what you (indistinct). You haven't got to undergo the result of your destiny. Brahma-saṁhitā also says, karmāṇi nirdahati ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Bhakti-bhājām, those who are engaged in devotion, they are karmāṇi nirdahati.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Sometimes it appears that this is a sinful act, but if it is done for Kṛṣṇa... We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa is asking me to tell lie. Yes, I shall tell lie." That is bhakti.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

sSo these things take place in war, sometimes. There is no international law, no humanitarian... Everything goes on. Everything. Similarly, the point is that as people act, hooks and crooks, everything, for satisfying the senses, gaining some material profit, similarly, if need be, everything can be accepted for Kṛṣṇa's service. Everything can be, can be accepted. Otherwise, how Sanātana Gosvāmī is bribing? How Kṛṣṇa is advising Yudhiṣṭhira to speak lie? There is a verse, man nimitte kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ puṇya eva kalpate. Sometimes it appears that this is a sinful act, but if it is done for Kṛṣṇa, the, our bhakti is ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa is asking me to tell lie. Yes, I shall tell lie." That is bhakti. If I consider, "Oh, I never spoken lies in my life. How can I speak lie?" that is not bhakti. Because it is prātikūla, against the desire of Kṛṣṇa. Common people cannot understand this. They'll be shuddered. (aside:) Why one candle is not burning? Get it. You should... They think, "Oh, oh, Kṛṣṇa is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira, such a nice man, religious person, and He's teaching him to speak lie.

A devotee should not commit wilfully any sinful activities in order to keep himself always fit in devotional service. He should try to keep himself steady, without committing any sinful actions.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

So those who are sincerely devotee of Vāsudeva, sometimes due to their past habits, may commit something sinful, not knowingly, but habituated; that is excused by Kṛṣṇa. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. But not wilfully. Wilfully, if we commit some sinful activities, that can be excused once, twice, but not thrice. then you'll be punished. Therefore a devotee should not commit wilfully any sinful activities in order to keep himself always fit in devotional service. He should try to keep himself steady, without committing any sinful actions. The primary sinful activities are described, and we try to follow. And if we chant sixteen rounds and keep ourself always aloof from the sinful activities, then it is certain, niścayāt, utsāhān dhairyāt, niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sato vṛtteḥ sādhu-saṅge ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Persons who have done never any sinful action but always engaged in the matter of pious activities, puṇya-karmāṇam, such persons can only devote himself fully in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

Yeṣām means those who are anta-gataṁ pāpam. Pāpam means sinful reactions. One who has surpassed all sinful reactions. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānām. Such persons, puṇya-karmāṇam, who have done never any sinful action but always engaged in the matter of pious activities, puṇya-karmāṇam, such persons can only devote himself fully in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa. (aside:) Have you got it? What is that?

In the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that when king punishes a citizen, he is reduced in his sinful actions so that he may not subjected in his next birth for that sinful reaction if he undergoes the punishment of a king.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

King. He is also considered as the incarnation of God, king. Because when Sanātana, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he resigned from government service... So, when the King, Nawab Shah, Nawab Hussain Shah, came to his house—"What is the matter that my minister Sanātana is not joining office? And he's taking leave under so many pretexts?" So when he personally came to the house of Sanātana Gosvāmī... He was not at that time Gosvāmī. His name was Dabira Khāsa. Khāsa shah. So he was received very well, and when the Nawab Shah said... There was some topics, conversation with the minister and the Nawab. The minister wanted to resign, and Nawab Shah did not like that idea. So at last it was... Nawab Shah said that "If you whimsically, whimsically resign your responsible post, then I shall arrest you." At this order, Sanātana Gosvāmī replied that "If you think I shall be punished, I shall accept it, because you are God's representative. You are God's representative." So this was the idea of king and Nawab. Now, although he was Muhammadan and he was brāhmaṇa, but, so far the respect of a king is concerned, Sanātana Gosvāmī rightly told him that "You are Nawab. You are king. You are not ordinary man. Therefore you are empowered by the Supreme Lord. So anything you punish..." Because king's punishment has to be accepted. And in the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that when king punishes a citizen, he is reduced in his sinful actions so that he may not subjected in his next birth for that sinful reaction if he undergoes the punishment of a king.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by one of His devotees that "Sir, You have so kindly come. Please liberate all the living entities of this brahmāṇḍa, and You take them with You to Vaikuṇṭha. And if You think that they're so sinful they cannot be taken away, then please give all their sinful actions to me. I shall suffer. You take them."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by one of His devotees that "Sir, You have so kindly come. Please liberate all the living entities of this brahmāṇḍa, and You take them with You to Vaikuṇṭha. And if You think that they're so sinful they cannot be taken away, then please give all their sinful actions to me. I shall suffer. You take them." This is (not) Vaiṣṇava's philosophy, that "You suffer. I'll go to Vaikuṇṭha." That is not Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that "I take your all sinful activities. Let me suffer here. You go to Vaikuṇṭha." This is Vaiṣṇava. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Suppose I take all the living entities to Vaikuṇṭha. Do you think that the māyā's business will be stopped? No. This brahmāṇḍa is one of the mustard seeds in the bag of mustard seeds." In the bag of mustard seeds, can anybody count how many mustard seeds are there? So here it is called kona brahmāṇḍa. This is one of the brahmāṇḍa, universe. And there are so many universes that is just like this one seed of mustard. One grain of mustard seed, and there is a bag of mustard seeds. That is kona brahmāṇḍe. So in each brahmāṇḍa Kṛṣṇa's līlā is going on. Now you count. This is Kṛṣṇa. They become very cheaply God, Kṛṣṇa, but they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they take it so cheaply, that "Anyone can become God. Anyone can become Kṛṣṇa."

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

How can Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, be contaminated by any kind of sinful action? God is good. There cannot be any sinful action.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 8 -- Los Angeles, May 11, 1970:

No sin can pollute Kṛṣṇa. There is nothing sinful for Kṛṣṇa. How it is? The example is given generally, just like the sun. There is no contamination for the sun. There is no possibility of the sun being contaminated, or the sun being dark. This is a material thing. So how Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He can be contaminated by any kind of sinful action? God is good. There cannot be any sinful action. Sometimes less intelligent class of men, they criticize Kṛṣṇa, "Why Kṛṣṇa did it?" Yes, Kṛṣṇa is God. He can do anything, whatever He likes. Your laws cannot restrict Kṛṣṇa. You may... For you there may be so many restrictive laws, but for Kṛṣṇa there is no restrictive law. He can surpass all restrictive regulations. This question was put to Parīkṣit Mahārāja after rasa-līlā that "Kṛṣṇa came to establish the principles of moral and religious life. How He enjoyed the company of so many young girls who were not...? They were wives of other persons. So how it is so?" So the answer was given that Kṛṣṇa cannot be contaminated. Rather, anything comes to Kṛṣṇa, even with contaminated mind, becomes purified. The same example: the sun cannot be contaminated, but anything contaminated, if you put into the sunshine, it becomes purified. So you approach Kṛṣṇa with any desire... Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). The gopīs... Of course, that is not this material thing. Still, as young girls, they were captivated by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. So they approached Kṛṣṇa with a view to accept Him as parmour. But actually, they became purified.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

One who is devotee, and simply engaged in devotional service, aghaṁ dhunvanti, immediately Kṛṣṇa causes disappearance of all sinful action.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

"You give up everything, all other occupation. You simply surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo. So this aghaṁ dhunvanti, He destroys all kinds of resultant activities of sinful life. Not he does; it is done by Kṛṣṇa. He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo: "I'll help you. I will release you from all kinds of reaction. You simply surrender." Therefore vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, one who is devotee, and simply engaged in devotional service, aghaṁ dhunvanti, immediately He causes disappearance of all sinful action. How? The example is given: aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena, wholesale, immediately. How? Nihārām iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like fog is immediately, I mean to say, moved, simply by sunrise. Sunrise. Just like this is night, darkness. In the morning, as soon as there will be sunrise, there will be no more darkness. Immediately all thousands and millions of miles of darkness immediately moved. So try to make Kṛṣṇa sūrya, the sun, Kṛṣṇa, rise in your heart, and everything will be solved.

Initiation Lectures

Does God give sanction for sinful action? Yes. When one insists that "I shall do it." "All right, do it. And suffer the consequences."

Brahmana Initiation Lecture with Professor O'Connell -- Boston, May 6, 1968, (Glenville Ave. Temple):

Satata means always. Twenty-four hours, one who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to him He gives instruction from within because he's qualified. Others, instruction He's giving, but other is not obeying the instruction. Just like a man is ready to commit some sinful activities. He thinks, "Shall I do it?" From within, "No, no. Don't do it." Again he says, "Why not? Let me do it." In this way, when he insists, oh, then He says, "All right, do it. Do it." So the word that "Nothing can happen without the sanction of God," that is a fact. Nobody can act anything... Then the question is why a man acts sinfully? Why...? Does God give sanction for sinful action? Yes. When one insists that "I shall do it." "All right, do it. And suffer the consequences."

Confession means I confess that I have done this sinful act, and as soon as I come out from the church I do it again. No.

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

There is no interpretation. The direct meaning is that we are praying Kṛṣṇa and His energy to accept me in the society of His service. This is the simple... There is no other interpretation. Or artha-vādaḥ. And sāmya-śubha-kriyā-pramādaḥ, one should not accept chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa with some, something śubha-kriyā. Just like generally the materialist persons, they go to churches or temple just to become purified of their sinful activities. Just like in Christian religion it is the custom, what is called? Confession. So we should not (be) like that. It is not confession. Confession means I confess that I have done this sinful act, and as soon as I come out from the church I do it again. No. We should know that all sinful activities are washed off by chanting, but that does not mean we shall commit it again. Whatever we have done, that is washed off. Now we should be careful. And that four principles—no illicit sex life, no meat-eating, and no gambling, no intoxication—you try and follow. You must follow. As you are taking this mantra, you must now follow. Whatever is done is done. Finished. And we, we allow marriage. So there is no restriction. One can marry. But no illicit sex. So these four principles should be followed, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be pleased.

When you confess before the church, before God, you are free from all sinful action. That's all right.

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

Now we have explained the mantra that as soon as one chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately, bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ, he becomes purified. Now if one takes advantage of this holy name, "Let me commit sins..." Just like sometimes in the Christian church they take advantages that by confessing sin one becomes free from sinful reaction. So go to church and confess, and again come out and do all sorts of sins, and again confess. This sort of (laughs) minimizing is nonsense. It is fact. When you confess before the church, before God, you are free from all sinful action. That's all right. But if you commit again, then next confession will not be accepted. They do not know this. You cannot... Suppose a child has committed some mistake. Father says, "All right, don't do this." If he again does it, there is no excuse. They do not know that. They think, "We shall commit sin and go to church and confess and finish. So let us do this balancing business." Yes. Similarly, don't do this balancing business, that "Because chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa will wash off all my accounts of sinful activities, so in the morning, from morning to night, let me do all kinds of sinful activities, and at night, at bedtime, let me chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then finish." No. (laughs) Don't do that. Don't do that. That is the greatest offense. Yes. You'll never be forgiven.

God can counteract anything, or God's representative can do that. But again just coming from the church again I begin the same thing? It is the gravest type of sinful act.

Initiation Lecture -- London, August 22, 1971:

So there are certain systems that... Just like in Christian religion, they go weekly to the church and confess their sinful activities, and it is counteracted. That's all right. God can counteract anything, or God's representative can do that. But again just coming from the church again I begin the same thing? It is the gravest type of sinful act. That is the Vedic injunction. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. Anyone who commits sin on the strength of chanting the holy name of Viṣṇu, oh, his sinful activities cannot be vanquished even by so much attempt performing sacrifices or penances. No it is not possible. He's condemned. Just like you have committed some criminal act, and you are presented in the court, and you say, "My lord, I did not know this act. I have committed this. I may be excused. I'll not do this." Then you are excused, there is a... "That's all right." But if you are excused and again come back and again do the same sinful activities, criminal activities, and if you are again arrested, then you'll be very, very severely punished. It is a common sense. How people think that "Because I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or I take the holy name of God or I go to church, therefore I can commit so much sins, never mind. It will be counteracted next week or next moment when I shall chant." This is one of the gravest offense in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You should always remember. By this initiation, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, your sinful activities will be counteracted, undoubtedly. But don't commit again. Then it will be the gravest offense.

The sinful act... The basic principles of sinful activities are mentioned in the śāstra-striya, sūnā, dyūta, pāna. Pāna means intoxication, including chewing pan and drinking tea.

Initiation Lecture -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

Just like here there will be fire. If you favorably ignite the fire, it will be blazing. But if you ignite the fire and pour water at the same time, then there will be no blazing fire. Similarly, to advance in spiritual life and at the same time indulge in sinful activities will not help us. The sinful act... The basic principles of sinful activities are mentioned in the śāstra-striya, sūnā, dyūta, pāna. Pāna means intoxication, including chewing pan and drinking tea. Chaya pāna. So one has to give up this pāna. And drinking, smoking, drinking tea, chewing pan should be given up. Pāna. This is one of the pillar of the sinful activity. And meat-eating. Meat, fish, eggs, they should be given up. And gambling, dyūta, pāna dyūta (SB 1.17.38), that should be given up. And avaidha stri-saṅgi should be given up. In this way, if you become cleansed, then... Just like if we get dry wood, then the fire ignites very easily. If we get moist wood, then it takes some time. So voluntarily we should give up these sinful activities. Then spiritual advancement of life will be very quick. And those who are being first-initiated, they must chant at least sixteen rounds.