Just like you collect all the dirty things from the room, sweeping and then kick out, don't keep it within the room. Similarly, cheating type of religious system—kicked out. It is not such religion, "this religion," "that religion." Any religion system, if there is jealousy, that is not religion. Jealousy means... We should understand jealousy, what is jealousy. Jealousy means that you are rightful owner of something; I won't allow you to take it. This is jealousy. This is jealousy. Jealousy, try to understand. Suppose you are rightful owner of something, and I am trying that "You don't own it. I shall own it. Or somebody own it. I shall not allow it." This is jealousy.
That is not religion
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:
This is religion. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa is advising that sarva-dharmān parityajya, (BG 18.66) "You give up all religious system?" He came—dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. He came to reestablish the principles of religion. Now He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up all." That means anything without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without God consciousness, they are all cheating religion. They are not religion. Religion means dharmāṁ tu sākṣat bhagavat-praṇītam, the order of the Supreme Lord. If we do not know who is the Supreme Lord, if we do not know what is the order of the Supreme Lord, then where is religion? That is not religion. That may go on in the name of religion, but that is cheating. So the Bhagavad-gītā ends: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Bhāgavata begins from that point.
Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:
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.
Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:
According to the government. If the government says that "Keep to the right" is right, then you have to accept that. And the government says, "Keep to the left, that is right," then it is right. We cannot say that "In my country I keep to the left. Why shall I keep to the right?" No. That will not be accepted.
Try to understand what is religion. So God is one. God cannot say somewhere that "This is religion and this is not religion."
Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:
Similarly, religion can be performed by a person who has full conception of God. Without God, religion is a farce. That is not religion. Religion means you must have obligation to God, you must have clear conception of God. That is called... That is... And that relationship is based on love. Just like father and child. What is the relationship between the child? There are hundreds of thousands of children in the street. Why you are interested with your own children? Because there is love. Similarly, religion means love of God. And irreligion means forgetfulness of God. That's all.
Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:
That is bhāgavata-dharma. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religion." What is that? "Where love of God is enthused." That is first-class religion. And if you follow ritualistic processes and your love of Godhead is gone to hell—your love of materialistic life or love of this world is increasing, love of sense gratification is increasing—that is not religion. That is not religion. Test of religion is how much you are increasing your love of God.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:
. Because He comes down to establish real religious system. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. He has come. He came to establish real religious principle. Real religious principle means to accept the codes of Kṛṣṇa. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Nobody can create religious principle. A man cannot create. That is not possible. Any religious system which is created by man, that is not religion. Religion means what is created by God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt. Sākṣāt mean directly. So this Bhagavad-gītā is real religion, because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the benefit of the whole human society. And Kṛṣṇa says also that "If you have got any other faith, religion. you give it up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Only one. God is one; religion is one. The process of religion is one, and the activity, who is in God-relationship, his activity's also one. That is oneness. There cannot be any different activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is teaching mayy āsakta-manāḥ.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:
If you do that, then you are a good citizen. And if you don't know what is government, if you do not know what government desires, expects from you, then what is the meaning of your good citizenship? There is no meaning. Similarly, to become religious without any clear understanding of God is bogus, is cheating. That is cheating. That is not religion. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt..." God may be personal, impersonal, or this, that, but you must know it perfectly well. Don't say, "Perhaps it may be like this. Perhaps may be like this..." That is imperfect knowledge. That is no knowledge. So therefore Kṛṣṇa personally says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. This is a yogi.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:
So modern civilization, everyone, mostly, they're under the bodily concept of life and they're fighting like animals, because that is animal life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa instructs at the end that "You Hindus, Muslims, Christians, this, that, kindly kick out all these conceptions of religion." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Because that is not religion. This is bodily concept of life, the business of ass and cows. "So you give up this business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge: "I come down just to reestablish the principles of religion."
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:
Yes. I have already explained what is meaning of religion. Religion means to render service to God. If you do not render service to God, that is not religion; that is cheating. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2), that "Cheating type of religion is completely rejected from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." That is not dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the codes and the law given by God." So God says that, to surrender unto Him. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So if one does not surrender to God, that religion has no meaning. It is useless.
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:
Yes. I have already explained what is meaning of religion. Religion means to render service to God. If you do not render service to God, that is not religion; that is cheating. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2), that "Cheating type of religion is completely rejected from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." That is not dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the codes and the law given by God." So God says that, to surrender unto Him. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So if one does not surrender to God, that religion has no meaning. It is useless.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:
Similarly, the word dharma, religion, is explained in the English dictionary, "a sect of faith." And people have interpreted in a different way, that "I can manufacture my own way of religion." It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat. As many ways there are, they are all perfect. That somebody said that to cut throat is my religion. That is also accepted. But that is not religion. Religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:
So how you can attain that dharma? Dharma means the occupational duty. Dharma is not a sentiment. Practically, nowadays people have taken dharma, religious means..., "religion" means a kind of faith. But that is not the description of the Vedic śāstra. Faith we can change. Today you are Hindu. Tomorrow you can become Muslim. Or today you are Muslim. Tomorrow you can become Christian. You can change your faith. But that is not religion. Change of faith or accepting some faith, that is not religion. Religion means which you cannot change. Even if you become from Hindu to Muslim or from Muslim to Christian, that your occupational duty, you cannot change. Take, for example, suppose you are a government servant. You are serving in the secretariat. But tomorrow you become Hindu or Muslim or Christian. But do you mean to say that your service in the government will be changed also? No. That will continue.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:
The test is how far you have developed love of God. That is the test. If you have developed the sense of love for God, then it is to be understood that you have actually followed the religious principle. Not the rituals that go in a hectic way to a temple or to a mosque or to a church, and as a matter of formalities you pay something and come back and do all nonsense of things. That is not religion. Religion is how far you have... Just like in the same way a man is supposed to be great. How? He is considered a great man if he has got riches or he has got knowledge or he has got influence or he has got beauty, so many things.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:
Therefore it is said here, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Paraḥ means Supreme. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, "Wherein this is taught, 'Just surrender to the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class religion." All other religions, they are bogus. That is not religion. Just like good citizenship means to abide by the laws of the state, of the government. That is good citizenship.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:
So, so many so-called incarnation of God, they come for money, for beautiful wife, and many followers. So that is not wanted. That is not religion. Religion means without wanting all these things. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye. Not for any material... Ahaituky apratihatā. "Oh, I am a poor man, I cannot love God. I cannot enhance my devotional service." No. Devotional service is so nice, apratihatā, it cannot be checked by any material condition. That is dharma. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). This is re... This is test how much I am religious, how much I am devotee. This is the test.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
So religion means how to get that eyes, how to get that hand, how to get that leg, so that I can appreciate God. That should be the process of human civilization. Not that how I can compete with tiger, how I can compete with cats and dogs. That is not religion. Religion means how you have developed your love of God, how we are seeing God in every state. Everywhere. God is everywhere, that's a fact. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu cayāntara-stham, God is within atom also. These are the description in the Vedic literature.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:
So bhukti-mukti-siddhi. Bhukti means karmīs, those who are aspiring after being elevated to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, or higher status of life. That is called bhukti. And mukti, the jñānīs, nirbheda-brahmānusandhana, just to become merged into the existence of the Absolute Brahman. They are, they are called jñānīs, or muktīs, mukti-kāmī. Bhukti-kāmī. And siddhi-kāmīs means the yogis. They are aspiring after so many material opulences. So because they are demanding something, aspiring something for sense gratification, therefore that is cheating. That is not religion. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Aśānta. If you have, if you have got some intention to cheat others, then you will be restless, aśānta. But if you are simple, plain, then there is no aśānta. There is śānti.
Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:
Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is dharma, obedience to God. Religion means obedience to God. Nowadays it has become a fashion to drive away God and make a so-called show of religion. Drive away: "No God." Just like our secular state. "Don't think of God. This is botheration. Kill God." Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa secular state. "Don't talk of God." Rāvaṇa's secular state. Without God, what is life? Without... If you do not follow the codes or the rules or the laws given by God, then what is your religion? That is not religion.
Lecture on SB 1.3.24 -- Los Angeles, September 29, 1972:
So Lord Buddha appeared at a time where people were too much addicted to animal killing. Still it is going on. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. Paśu-ghātam. Any religion where paśu-ghātam is there, that is not religion. That is not religion. That is simply barbarianism, under the name of religion. So God Himself becomes so much disturbed that these rascals are simply killing. At that time, of course, the Buddha religion was not there. The so-called followers of the Vedic religion.
Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:
So I have to convert from this servitorship to Kṛṣṇa's servitorship. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, dharma-saṁsthāpana. This is dharma. Saṁsthāpana. What dharma, what kind of religion Kṛṣṇa established? He said that "I incarnate to establish religion." He never came to establish Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muhammadan religion or Buddha religion. He established real religion. What is that real religion? Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all these nonsense, so-called religion and faith. You simply surrender unto Me." That is religion. That is real religion. All other, any other religion which does not teach how to surrender unto God, that is pretension. That is not religion. According to Vedic understanding, this is religion. This is natural function.
Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973:
So Kṛṣṇa comes to introduce the system by which one can get relief from this continuous, troublesome life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir, glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Just like you suffer when you create some disturbance in the law. Then you suffer. We have got experience. If we violate the state laws, then you have to suffer. Similarly, religious, religion means God's laws. They do not know. "Religion means faith." Faith, you may have faith something. I may have faith something. I may believe you or you may not believe me. That is not religion.
Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:
That is dharmasya glāniḥ, discrepancy in the matter of discharging religion. Just like when you begin to break laws, everyone, then government becomes very furious, arrest, punish, hang—these things are going on. But if you are abiding by the laws of government, there is no such question to harass you. There is no... You live peacefully. This is the process going on. And bhū-bhāraḥ, when people become irreligious, not abiding by the laws of God, then it becomes burdensome. How one can say that "To cut throat is my religion"? Nobody can say like that. That is not religion. That means he has no sense of God consciousness. He's a rascal.
God consciousness person, God conscious person, what is the symptom of God conscious person? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:
So what is that religion? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). This is religion, to surrender to God. It doesn't matter what religion you profess. It doesn't matter. But you must learn how to obey the Supreme Lord. That is religion. Religion does not mean that you stamp some stereotype religion, "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Buddhist," and then fight. That is not religion. That is fanaticism. Religion means how one has become devoted to God. That is religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). You claim to be religious, or you claim to be Hindu or Christian or Buddhist. That's all right. But do you know what is God? Oh, everyone silent. Everyone, all nonsense rascals, silent. He does not know what is God. And what is his religion? If you do not know what is God, a vague idea, that is not religion.
Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:
If you give up the injunction of the scripture, revealed scriptures, you consider something as God, that is not God. Or you consider something as religion, that is not religion. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sa siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23). If you become aberrant to the injunction of the śāstras, then na sukhaṁ sāvāpnoti, you'll never get happiness. Na sukham, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na, na sa siddhim avāpnoti. There is no question of siddhi, perfection, neither there is question of happiness, na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim, and what to speak of going back home, back to Godhead. It is useless.
Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:
So just like people are engaged formally. Their temple, church, is sometimes, simply formality. Real, their real business is how to satisfy their senses. "If for satisfying my senses I'll have to pose myself as a religious person, so let me do that." That is their religion. But that is not religion. Real religion is no sense satisfaction, simply to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is real religion. Therefore (s)he says, bhavān hi veda tat sarvam.
Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:
It is not so easily obtained. We have to pass through evolutionary process, 8,400,000 species of life, aquatics... Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. We have to pass through aquatics, animals in the water, then trees, plants, then insects, birds, beasts. After all, we get this human form of life, especially civilized form of life, with some idea of religion. If we do not utilize it... Religion means to understand God. That is religion. In religion, a godless religion, where there is no conception of God, that is not religion. That is called cheating religion. In the name of religion, but there is no conception of God. That is not religion.
Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:
The education is so cramped, they do not even consider that these are... They say, Darwin's theory, developing the body. So the education is going on in that way. This is our position. You should take advantage of the scientific knowledge given by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Amalaṁ purāṇam. Spotless education, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore, in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Atra śrīmad-bhāgavata. "In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, cheating type of religious system is kicked out." Kicked out. In religion where there is no discrimination of foodstuff, what is that religion? What is that religion? This is fanaticism. That is not religion. Religion is to understand God. And one cannot understand God, the purest of all pure, unless one is pure. Next, hogs.
Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:
Therefore we have to follow the rules and regulation. That is called sad-dharma. Dharma means the laws given by God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Bhagavat-praṇītam. It is given by Bhagavān, the laws. That laws, laws means they are written in books. Because... Just like Manu-saṁhitā. There are many other books, Vedic literature, what is dharma. But real dharma is... Just like law means to obey Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa means God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So dharma means if one does not care for Kṛṣṇa, or God, that is not religion.
Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:
You have to take knowledge from the tattva-darśī, one who has seen the truth. Otherwise, you'll be frustrated. Similarly religion. Religion you cannot manufacture: "This is our religion. This is this religion, that religion, that religion." So that is not religion. Religion is this: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktim. This is religion. Anything else, that is cheating. That is not religion.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:
In the name of religion, they were killing so many animals. Therefore to stop this nonsense, he appeared. And he declined to accept the Vedic principles because there was no other way to stop. If he would have accepted Vedic principles, then these animal-killers would have shown him evidences that in the Vedas there is mention of animal-killing in the sacrifice. But he wanted to stop completely animal-killing; so therefore he adopted a new type of religion. But those who were followers of Vedic religion, they did not accept because that is not religion because it is against the Vedas. These are the principles.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975:
You manufacture your religion. Don't fight. Let us become brother." This is going on. So how you can be brother? The dog remains a dog. How they can become brother? It is not possible. Therefore so many religious systems, they are all rascaldom. One religion: that is the order of God. That is religion. If you want one religion, then you must know who is God and you must abide by the order of God. That is religion, very simple thing. You cannot manufacture, concoction. That is not religion. Therefore Bhāgavata, it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ: "All these cheating type of religion is rejected, kicked out from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." What is that religion there? Paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi: "The Supreme Truth, the Absolute Truth, we are accepting." This is religion.
Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:
So we must follow the rules and regulations as given by God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the law which is given by God, and if you follow, then your life is successful. This is religion. Religion is not that concocted, you manufacture some religion. That is not religion. Just like you cannot manufacture law. The law is given by the state, by the government. That is law. Similarly, religion means the law given by God. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā the real religion means sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't manufacture concocted religion, this samāj, this religion, that, all nonsense.
Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:
So bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaivato 'tra: "That kind of cheating religion is rejected." Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. That is not religion. Religion is for... Religion means the relationship between Bhagavān and me, or everything. Bhāgavata-dharma. So the Bhāgavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavān Himself, Bhagavad-gītā. So He says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. He says. That is bhāgavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is śūdra, no brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:
Actually, religion does not mean to improve your material condition. That is not religion. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata therefore says that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That type of religion is first class which elevates one to the platform of pure devotional service to the Absolute Truth." That is religion. People are not attracted to the bhāgavata-dharma, or the religion. Bhāgavata-dharma is actually sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma does not mean that one must have a certain type of religious life. Sanātana-dharma means the eternal religion. Sanātana-dharma is applicable for all living entities.
Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:
So Yamarāja says, "My dear boys, that..." (reads commentary:) Tam eva dharmam ity aha etavani na ca pramāṇaṁ vaktavyam drstatyady aha nama-sarana iti yenaiva kevalayam sakrd ity aditena.(?) So Yamarāja says that "Nobody can manufacture, even the great sages or demigods, or the chief of the siddhas, who have attained all kinds of perfections, and what to speak of others?" This is very important verse, that any manufactured religion, that is not religion. That is not... The principle of religion is our relationship with God. In any religion where is no such conception, that is not religion.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:
So here it is said, kaumāram ācaret prājño dharmān. Dharmān bhāgavata. So dharma, which is generally translated into English, that is one for everyone. It is not that we are Hindus, somebody else Christians, somebody else Buddhists, "we have got different faith," "we have got different faith." What is depending on faith, that is not dharma, that is not religion. The quality which you cannot change, that is religion. Therefore, the definition of dharma is given in the Vedic literature: dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the codes or the laws which is given by God.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:
So everyone has to obey the God's law. That is religion. Religion means... What do you mean by religion? Religion means... Just like good citizen. What do you mean by good citizen? Who obeys the laws of the state. So what is religion? Religion means to obey the laws of God. That's all. Religion. Religion you cannot manufacture, just like you cannot manufacture law. Law is made by the state. You cannot manufacture law. If you say, "I have manufactured this law," who cares for your law? Similarly, so-called religion, nonsense religion, there are so many manufactured, who cares for? That is not religion. Religion means God's law.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Dallas, March 4, 1975:
. The God is eternal; therefore His law is eternal. So how we can manufacture? You cannot manufacture religion. God is eternal, and His law is also eternal. Therefore God personally comes, and He says that "You have manufactured so many religions, but that is not religion. You give it up. You give them up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up all this nonsense." Then what should be my religion? Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, that's all. This is eternal religion. Mām ekaṁ: "Only unto Me." The religion is very simplified, but still, people are... Because mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10), they have got some nasty ideas, they manufacture different types of religion. Religion is one. That is eternal. God is one. That is eternal.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966:
That is dharma, religion. Why in human society there is religion? The purpose is to elevate himself to the transcendental position. That is religion. Where there is no such aim to raise one from the fallen condition to the liberated state, that is not religion. That is sentiment. Religion means that one should be raised from the fallen condition to the highest elevated condition. Therefore there are so many rules and regulations. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, yad icchantam, yad icchantam brahmacaryaṁ caranti. Yad icchantam. (aside:) Just open the... I think it is in the Eighth Chapter. Eighth Chapter, fifteenth verse. Open it.
Festival Lectures
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:
That's very nice. Or maybe I'll become Hindu." No. You see these boys and girls, they're not Hindus, they're not Christians, they're not Jews. What are they? You see the spiritual master. He's not Hindu. You may be thinking, "Oh, he's from India. And these American or these Canadian boys and girls, they've taken some fad. They like these Indian things." No, it's not like that at all. This is not religion. According to Sanskrit definition, religion means that quality of the living entity which after everything is removed... Oh, you can lose all your money, you can lose your family, you can lose your nationality, but when everything is removed, that religion remains. So what is that? What is that quality that's common to every living entity? What is that? Just like fire.
Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:
So, ya evaṁ visṛjed dharmam. Dharmam means one must execute. That is dharma. Just like to become hungry, it is my religion. This is called religion. We should know what is the meaning of religion. Religion means which we cannot separate from myself. The religion which you can change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I become Christian. So neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian is religion. It is a dictionary, English dictionary, word. But dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which you can change. I have several times explained this fact. Dharma cannot be changed. Therefore we must find out what is our dharma, what is our religion. Which we are professing, that "Christianity is my religion," "Hinduism, my religion," that is not religion.
Initiation Lectures
Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:
So anywhere the four prime religions of the world, namely Hinduism, Christianism, Mohammedanism or Buddhism, directly or indirectly, they are accepting God. And without accepting God there is no meaning of religion. That is not religion. According to Bhāgavata, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, what this dharma, religion means, the codes given by God. That's all.
General Lectures
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:
It doesn't matter whether it is Christianity or Buddhism or Hinduism or anything. That is Bhāgavata religion. Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religious system. What is that? Which trains the followers to love God. That is first-class religion. And religion without God, that is not religion. That is not religion. Because Bhāgavata says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt bhagavat-praṇītam. Bhagavad-gītā also says that: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Religion means re-establish relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is religion.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:
So this religion, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), directly spoken by the Supreme Lord. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also does not give any manufactured religion. This Caitanya cult is not a manufactured religion. It is also following. This is the process of religion. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). We have to get the religious principle by the disciplic succession, not that I become an authority automatically and I manufacture religion. That is not religion.
Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:
Similarly, here it is stated, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ (SB 6.3.19). Ṛṣaya, ṛṣaya means great sages. Ṛṣaya, great sages, great saintly persons or great thoughtful philosophers, even scientists, they cannot create dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād. Sākṣād: directly. Dharma is directly made by God. Not that because one is very great saintly person, great philosopher, great scientist, he can make a kind of religious system. No. That is not possible. That will not be religion. That may be something else, but that is not religion. Religion must be given by God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād (SB 6.3.19). Denied here in this verse: na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ. Vidur, vidur means knowing; ṛṣaya, great saintly person. Na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ. Devāḥ means demigods.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
That religion is first class which makes the follower a lover of God. This is simple definition of religion, first-class religion. If we do not awaken our dormant love for God, then śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Then you follow any type of religion, you simply wasting your time. That's all. That is not religion. Religion means to understand God and to learn how to love God. So here Arjuna, he loves Kṛṣṇa, he's a lover of God; therefore he's asking question from Kṛṣṇa. But whatever question is answered by Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect, because He is perfect. So our process of receiving knowledge: from the perfect.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:
Prabhupāda: No. Our principle is to know God from God, and religion means the principles given by God. Just like the law means the principle given by the state, similarly the principles given by God, that is religion. Otherwise it is pseudoreligion. If there is no conception of God, there is no direction of God, that is not religion. Religion is not a kind of blind faith. Religion is factual. That factual religion can be given by God Himself, and if we know God and what is His instruction, then we are religious.
Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:
Prabhupāda: Well, that I have already answered. Anything manufactured by man, that is not religion. That is not religion. That I have already answered. Religion is not manufactured, but it is given by God. That is our point, that God is giving religion, "Here is religion: surrender unto Me." So any religious system may be different in method, but ultimately if it comes to this point, (surrendering to God), then it is religion. Otherwise it is not religion; reject it.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: Evidently he is frustrated, without any knowledge of religion. He had no idea. He has seen that so many sentimental religious system, and he has concluded like that. But first of all let him understand what is religion. Religion cannot come into existence without understanding the idea of God. Religion without God cannot be religion. According to Vedic system, religion means the order given by God. But if one has no conception of God, that there is no question of religion. So Godless religion is, certainly, it is sentiment. That is not religion. So he has studied something which is not religion; therefore he has got so many doubts about religion. Real religion is that there is God, that is a fact, and whatever orders the God gives, that is religion. So he does not know what is God. How he will know what order He is giving? So for him everything is not religion.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: First of all, he does not know what is religion. That is the defect in him. We say religion means the order given by God. Simple thing. But he has no conception of God. How he can get orders from God? Therefore how he can understand what is religion? He has got some ideas of fictitious religion, which is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kaitava, cheating. Cheating religion. That is not religion. Religion means, just like law. Law means the order given by the government. You cannot manufacture law at your home. That is not... Similarly, if somebody manufactures law at home and says that "I have manufactured one law. You take it," so who, what sane man will accept that law? "Sir, you keep your law in your pocket." Similarly, this so-called religious system, which is not given by God, that is just like outlaws. They are not religion. He has simply studied which is not religion. That is his defect. Real religion is the law given by God. So he has no conception of God, how he can understand what is religion? He has studied only pseudoreligion, cheating religion; therefore he is dissatisfied.
Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:
Prabhupāda: Outside the domain of knowledge, so that means it depends on the verdict of God. If God says, "This is good," then it is good. If God says, "This is bad," then it is bad. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if you surrender unto Him, that is religion. And any religion which does not teach to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is not religion. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa can say sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)? Any religion which does not preach to surrender to the Supreme, that is not religion.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Prabhupāda: Well, that I have already answered. Anything manufactured by man, that is not religion. That is not religion. That I have already explained. Religion is not manufactured, but it is given by God. That is our point. God is giving religion, "Here is religion. Surrender unto Me." So any religious system may be different in method, but ultimately, if it comes to this point, surrendering to God, then it is religion. Otherwise, it is not religion. Reject it.
Philosophy Discussion on Blaise Pascal:
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact. Because religion means the orders given by God. So if we faithfully carry out the orders of God, then that is religion. But if we don't carry out the orders of God, this is cheating religion. That is not religion. That is condemned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That cheating religion are kicked out from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So any religious system which has no conception of God and does everything, every year changes by resolution of the priests, that "Now this is all right," against religious principles—that is a farce. That is not religion.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:
Prabhupāda: So without religion, without spiritual ideas, then what is the difference between dogs and man? There is no difference. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. That is the verdict of Vedic civilization. If you do not know what is the spiritual necessity of life, and for awakening his spiritual interest of life the religious system is introduced in the human society... But in that, of course so-called religion system will not help. Therefore we repeatedly say religion means the execution of the order of God. So if you have no conception of God, no conception, no idea what is God's order, then there is no religion also. That is not religion. So that kind of religion is also, can be neglected, but religion must be there. Otherwise the human society becomes another edition of the animal society.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. (reading letter:) "This can be made extensive by your team of followers from America arriving in..." They are greater. So Indian and American combined kīrtana, oh, it will be very nice. Big kīrtana, and every city will receive. And we shall preach that "Here is the common platform for everyone. There is no distinction of nation or religion or anything. Come to the platform." So the Mohammedans also will join. The government will appreciate that here is something secular, real secular; at the same time, God is there. Actually, it is that. All religious people, so-called religious, come here. And religion means this, to love, I mean to say, develop love of God. That is religion. What is this formularies? Simply formula that "I keep this, I copy that." That is not religion, simply by dressing in different way or sitting in a different way.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- April 6, 1971, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It is the same because when Kṛṣṇa kills somebody, he is also liberated immediately. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. And he comes to reestablish the principles of religion. What is that principle of religion? That is stated by Kṛṣṇa in the last paragraph of Bhagavad-gītā, not last, in the last chapter. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Anything which... Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya: "I come to reestablish the religious principles." But again He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya, parityajya that any religion which does not teach how to surrender to God, that is not religion. Therefore He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is only religion.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Hear and narrate. So, whatever you have heard, you can speak. (break) So, in your country also they do not like this organized Christian religion (indistinct). The difficulty is that either Hindu religion or Christian religion, religion is one. So what is that one religion nobody knows perfectly, and it was not presented because they did not know what is religion. They are simply sticking to a particular kind of faith. Faith can be changed, faith can be given up but real religion, that cannot be given up. It may be perverted. Real religion is to render service to the Supreme Lord. That cannot be changed. We are serving, if not to the Lord, we are serving māyā. But my, that characteristic to serve is continued. So religion is presented simply on formulas and stereo-typed ideas, but actual religion is this surrender. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Bhakti means serving. Bhaja sevayā. Sevayā means serving. So, religion means to serve the Supreme Lord, that is religion. Anything which has no such idea, that is not religion.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:
Prabhupāda: Hm. Comparative religion, from our point of view, that there cannot be many religions, cannot be many religions. Religion means... We define religion as the law given by God. So we understand from Bhagavad-gītā that God says, Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: "Always think of Me, become My devotee, offer your obeisances unto Me." So any religion that has no conception of God, how he can think of God? If I think of something, that something must be known to me; otherwise how can I think of it? If I imagine something, that is not wanted. My imagination of God... God is not a thing to be imagined by me. He is a concrete thing. Therefore according to our philosophy, any so-called religion which has no conception of God, that is not religion. That is simply mental speculation. We accept that religion means the law given by God. But if you do not know what is God, what is His law, then where is religion? Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that all types of pseudo religion is rejected. You can ask any religious man, "What is your conception of God?" he cannot give any clear conception. So far we are concerned, we can immediately give conception of God—His name, His address, everything. That is the difference. Strictly speaking, we do not accept any system of religion as bona fide. They are all rejected. That is not religion. They do not know what is God. What is that religion? Strictly speaking, that is not religion.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: This is not religion. This is the only business. Religion is different thing. Suppose... Just like... I have already explained, that you are sleeping, and you have got a good engagement. And somebody's trying to awake you, that "You have to go there. Just get up! Get up!" So this kind of business is not religion. Religion is a, what is a kind of faith, a sentiment. That is different thing. It is the main business of human being. Because we are part and parcel of... Just like a boy, he's very rich man's son. Some way or other, he's out of his home, and he's suffering for want of food, want of shelter. And somebody's giving information that "I know you are such and such big man's son. Why you are loitering in the street? Why don't you go back to your home, back to your father?" So is it not the best business. So everyone is suffering. That I have already explained, how they are suffering. We are trying to save his suffering by dispatching him back to home, back to Godhead. This is our business. So it is not religion. It is the most important humanitarian work.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa. That is religion. Other things are cheating. If they have no sense of God, they do not know what is God, how to abide by the orders of God, that is not religion. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ-projjhita kaitavo atra: (SB 1.1.2) "All cheating types of religion system is rejected, kicked out from this Bhāgavata." They're all cheating. "I am God. You are God. I am everything. You are..." This is not religion. It is all humbug religion. Go on. (break) ...has written about Kṛṣṇa by Vyāsadeva, and people say, "There was no Kṛṣṇa. It is all fictitious." Vyāsadeva had to take so much trouble for some fictitious. Just see their intelligence. Even no common sense. Why Śukadeva Gosvāmī will take interest? Why Vyāsadeva will write such book? Therefore they do not recognize that Bhāgavata is written by Vyāsadeva. But how they can deny? Bhagavad-gītā, that is also written by Vyāsadeva.
Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: There is no different religion. As soon as one tries to understand different religion, it is to be concluded that he does not know what is religion. That religion cannot be different. Religion is one. God is one. And the order given by God, that is religion. But "different" means according to time and circumstances... Just like Lord Buddha, he is giving the same religion. He is God, incarnation of God. He is asking, "Just obey Me." The same philosophy is being taught by Kṛṣṇa, "Surrender unto Me." That is religion. Buddha also says "Surrender unto Me. Obey Me." So that is religion. Yes. So the religion is... One who knows God and surrenders to Him, that is religion, and anything, that is all cheating. Anything else, that is all cheating. That is not religion. This is religion. God is one, and surrender to God, that is religion. That's all. You take any religion, it doesn't matter. If one has learned what is God and how to surrender to Him, that is religion.
Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: That is not religion. That is sentiment. (French)
Devotee: (To Prabhupāda, as Frenchman speaks in French:) They're on the phone speaking with Brahmānanda Mahārāja.
Jyotirmayī: So he says that those who have been just religious and working for the independence, they didn't do any real good.
Prabhupāda: Now, first of all, our proposition is what does he mean by religion? (French)
Jyotirmayī: He said that there cannot be an abstract definition of religion, but only the experience of religion.
Prabhupāda: No, we have got definition of religion. Let him learn from us.
Morning Walk -- June 14, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Yes, but as soon as you become strong, naturally there will be more enemies. That is natural. Therefore last night I said, "If there is no understanding of God, where is religion?" This is not religion, the cheating. There cannot be any conception of religion without conception of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the law given by God. So if you have no idea about God, where is your religion? Religion does not mean some formalities. No, that is not religion. Formalities we have also, but we have clear conception of God. Here is Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: It is not religion. It is fact. It is not... Religion is sometimes explained as sentiment, but this is fact, that father and son... Without father there is no existence of son, and without son there is no meaning of father. This is science. This is not religion. This is science. As soon as you speak of father means he must have a son, or most. And as soon as a son, he must have a father. So this is a question of "must," not sentiment.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: That is pretending religion. Therefore in the Bhāgavata you'll find, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) "All pretending type of religion is rejected." And Kṛṣṇa also said the same thing, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all this pretending religion. You simply surrender unto Me. That is real religion." What is the use of speculating on pretending religion. That is not religion at all. Just like pretending law. Law cannot be pretending. Law is law, given by the state. Similarly, religion means the order given by God. That is religion. If you follow, then you are religious. If you don't follow, then you are demon. Make things very simplified. Then it will be appealing to everyone. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for making things very simplified. Accept God, accept your position as God's servant and serve God. That's all, three words.
Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: Religion, as it is passing on at the present moment, "a kind of faith," this is not religion. This is not religion. According to... Religion means dharma, the characteristic. Just like you are eating something salty, something sweet. So the sugar, the characteristic, it is sweet. That is religion. And the salt is salty. The chili is pungent. So these characteristic is religion. So you'll have to find out religion, what is your real characteristic. That is religion. Now, religion is going, "I believe in this way." That is another thing, sentiment. Religion without philosophy is sentiment, and philosophy without religion, mental speculation. Those two things must be combined, philosophy and sentiment. Then it is religion.
Room Conversation with Press Representative -- March 21, 1975, Calcutta:
Prabhupāda: According to... No, why according? This is fact. Religion which is not on the samyavāda, that is not religion. That is some mental concoction. This samyavāda platform is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, as I have quoted already, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one is spiritually realized, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ, and the symptom is prasannātmā. So when one is prasannātmā, naturally he is on the samyavāda platform. On the material platform, nobody is prasannātmā. Nobody.
Room Conversation with Alcohol and Drug Hospital People -- May 16, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: This is not religion. This is a culture.
Guest (1): Oh. Yes, this culture...
Prabhupāda: Because we are admitting persons from various religions, various nations, various countries, and they accept this culture and they become purified.
Room Conversation with Journalist -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Validity... Any religion which is seeking after God, that is valid. If any religion does not obey God, does not know God, that is cheating. That is not religion. Yes.
Journalist: How would you say this godlessness is...
Prabhupāda: Godlessness is one does not know what is God. And just like you know me. You have come to me. You know I am a person, I am talking, I have written so many books. This is knowing me. Similarly, one must know what is God, what is His feature, what does He do, what does He teach, what law He gives. This is knowing God. Simply to understand, "Oh, well, that is God. Let Him remain at His place, and let me do whatever I like," that is not understanding of God. You must know God just like you must know your father. If you are interested with your father's property, then you must know your father, who is your father.
Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:
Prabhupāda: Religion means primarily to know God and love Him. That is religion. And nobody knows God, and what to speak of loving Him? Nobody is trained up how to know God and how to love Him. They are satisfied by going to the church: "O God, give us our daily bread." That also not everyone goes. So the Communist says that "You don't go to the church. Bread we shall supply." So poor innocent persons, they get bread elsewhere, so they do not go to church. But nobody is serious to understand what is God and how to love Him. Nobody is serious. Therefore in Bhāgavatam, it is said, it is cheating religion. I profess some religion, but I do not know what is God and how to love Him. That's all. So that type of religion is cheating religion. Religion means to know God and love Him. But generally, a man does not know what is God and what to speak of loving Him? So therefore that is cheating religion. That is not religion.
Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:
Prabhupāda: This is religion. I have already explained that religion means to become lover of God. That is religion. When there is no love of God, that is not religion. Religion means—I have already explained—to know God and to love Him. So if you do not know what is God, where is the question of loving Him? So that is not religion. It is going on in the name of religion. But religion means to know God and to love Him. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇitām (SB 6.3.19). Can you find out this verse? Give him. You don't find?
Nitai: Yes, 3.19.
Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:
Prabhupāda: This is offering that you want to be religious, so you try to understand religious principles from God. Because if one is lawyer, if one wants to become a lawyer, he must learn laws which is given by the government. He cannot become a lawyer at home. Similarly, if you want to become religious, you must learn what is religion from God. You don't manufacture your own religion. That is not religion. This is the first principle. But if I do not know what is God, what is the order given by God, then what is religion? That is going on. Everyone is manufacturing his own religion. This is the modern method, that religion is private. Anyone can accept any type of religion. That is liberalism, is it not?
Jayatīrtha: Yes.
Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: We are speaking of religion. Religion means to know God and to love God. So does the Christian-Jewish religious system deny this? Then where is the difference? If Christian religion is meant for understanding God and try to love Him, the same thing we are preaching. The same thing, Jewish religion may be preaching. And where is that religion who denies the supremacy of God? What is that religion? Is there any religion in the world who denies the supremacy of God? We say, "Religion means the laws given by God." This is our definition. Therefore we must know what is God, what are His orders, and we must carry out the order and what is the end of carrying out such orders. If we try to understand these three or four things, then we are religious. If there is no attempt to understand what is God and what is His order and how we are acting, what is the goal of our life, then where is religion? That is not religion. Religion means these four principles: What is God, what we are, what is our relationship with God, and act accordingly and achieve the goal of life. This is religion. So any religious system which does not consider all these things, that is not religion.
Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: But that is not religion. Why you accept the Pope as religious?
Devotee (4): No, we don't accept...
Prabhupāda: You reject. You reject. Come to us. Why do you accept these rascals as religious? That is your fault. Why should you stick to them? They cannot teach what is real religion, so let us give you.
Morning Walk -- September 3, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: As soon as you make "Hindu religion," "Muslim religion," "Christian religion," immediately it is not religion, immediately. Because Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Why does He say, sarva-dharmān parityajya? (Aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. Because that is not religion. The so-called religions which are going on, they are not religion. That we do not say at the present moment because you are not so strong. But we have to say that. There is no religion. All cheating. Why Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)? Why?
Akṣayānanda: Because there is no other religion.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no religion.
Morning Walk -- October 20, 1975, Johannesburg:
Prabhupāda: Where is religion in Western countries? There is no religion. All bogus thing. Religion means to surrender to God. Then where is God, and whom to surrender? They surrender to senses, that's all. So unless there is God, what is the meaning of religion? That is not religion. They have created something, civilized human society. There must be some religion. Just like aristocracy means he must have a good dog, that's all. There is no religion in the world except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All bogus.
Morning Walk -- November 12, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Such kind of religious system is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavaḥ. Kaitava means cheating. To cheat God or to be cheated by God, this kind of religion is rejected. But people are very much fond of that kind of religion by which the God is cheated and he is cheated. He will commit all kinds of sins and he will be excused. That means God is cheated. And if he thinks that "I will go on committing sinful; God will excuse me," that is also cheating. He is cheating himself, as if God is so fool that he will go on committing sin and God will excuse. These are cheating. This is not religion.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Yes. So this thing you have to convince them. Why should you allow them to remain a rascal? Now the sun is rising. Does it mean all of a sudden a sun is created? So these are the examples. You have to preach like that. Simply believe your eyes? You believe also there was no sun; now it is sun. That means all of a sudden a sun became created. See the intelligent persons and convince them. Yad yad ācārati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). Pick up the best man. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He picked up the best men, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. So His movement became successful. Sanātana Gosvāmī was not an ordinary man. Very educated, learned brāhmaṇa and minister, Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up. Similarly Rūpa Gosvāmī, similarly Jīva Gosvāmī. Picked up means by His preaching they became converted. So similarly pick up a person like Sanātana Gosvāmī, intelligent, in position, and try to convince him. Why he will not be convinced, if he's a human being? This is not religion. That I am breathing, what is this breathing? Eh? What is the breathing?
Guru-kṛpā: Air going in and out.
Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: It cannot be amended. Just like this rule, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). When the change of body, how you can change the rule? A perfect definition. You cannot change it. (break) ...religion, the so-called religion, it is changed. Formerly there was no Christianity and now Christianity. Now, from Christianity, so many others, so many others. That is not religion.
Room Conversation -- May 1, 1976, Fiji:
Prabhupāda: Therefore they're not religion. They're cheating. This is not religion, this is cheating.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So simply they're talking about God?
Prabhupāda: Yes. What is this?
Hari-śauri: This is dob juice, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no, you can keep that. Actually, there is no religion. In the name of religion, some farce is going on.
Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Don't misunderstand. It is.... Religion, it means a kind of faith. Just like you are Christian, I am Hindu. So you have faith in Christian religion, I have faith in Hin.... That is another thing. But this is.... We understand religion in a different way according to English dictionary. But real religion means the law given by God. This is the shortcut definition of religion. And if you do not know what is God, and if you do not know what is His law, then what is the meaning of religion? There is no meaning of religion. If blindly, if I have some faith in some dogmas and ritualistic ceremonies, that is not religion.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: One religion is there already, that how to love God. This is one religion. Will the Christian say, "No. We don't want to love God"? Will the Christians say? Will the Mohammedans say, "No, no. We don't want to love God"? So religion means how to love God, and any religion which teaches how to love God, that is perfect. It doesn't matter whether he's Christian or Muslim or Hindu. It doesn't matter. You have to be educated to take your degree. It doesn't matter from which college you take degree. Similarly, religion means you have to learn how to love God. If you have no love for God, it is all useless. That is not religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Sākṣād, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says, "You surrender unto Me." You cannot surrender until you love. You are surrendered to me, I am also an Indian. Because you have love for me, therefore there is surrender. If I say that "You die," you'll die. Why? Because you love me. So when there will be surrender? Unless one loves God. Unless that platform is not there, that "I love you, I can sacrifice everything for you." That is on the the basic principle of love. Therefore that religion is perfect which teaches the followers how to love God. This is religious principle. So let everyone come to this platform, how to love God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are teaching nothing, but training them how to love God, how they can sacrifice everything for God. So that is religion. Otherwise a bogus waste of time, simply following the ritualistic ceremonies. That is not religion. That is superfluous.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: If you maintain slaughterhouse and disobey the order of Christ, thou shall not kill, and you proclaim yourself as Christian or Hindu or this.... That is not religion. Then śrama eva hi kevalam. Your going to the temple and church and everything is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Because you do not understand God. You have no love for God. That is going on, all over the world. They're stamping under some sect, but there is no real religion. So in order to bring them all in one platform, they have to accept the principles of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If you do not accept in the beginning Kṛṣṇa, that He is the supreme, then you try to understand that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: This is religion. This is religion. So this religion is applicable to everyone, any human being. Why do you bring Christian or Hindu or Muslim, or...? Everyone has to accept that. That is real religion. And this is not religion, "We believe there is no soul of the animal." That is not religion. That is most unscientific. That is not religion. Religion means scientific understanding of the supreme controller. So now if you accept the supreme controller, then if you violate something, you must be punished. Immediately you have to accept. As soon as you accept there is supreme controller, so immediately as you violate the laws of the supreme controller, immediately you are punished. That is nature's law.
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: Yes, first stage is that you are inquisitively trying to understand. This is the first stage. This is called śraddha, that you have got some faith, "What is this movement? Let me study." This is the beginning. Then, if you are serious, then those who are cultivating this knowledge, you mix with them, try to understand how they are feeling. Then you'll feel, "Why not become one of them?" Then when you become one of them, then all your misgivings go away. And then you become more faithful and you, then you get a taste. Why these boys are not going to see the cinema? They can go-other boys are going. They never ask me. Neither they would like to see even. They hate. Their taste is different. Why they do not eat meat, go to the restaurant? Their taste has changed. In this way you make progress. Firm faith, taste is changed, then God-realization, then love of Godhead, the perfection. That is wanted, love of Godhead. That is first-class religion. Not that ritualistic ceremony, "I believe," "This belief." That is not religion; that is cheating. Really when you develop your love for God, that is perfection of religion.
Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: No, that is not Christianity. If you can change, there is no religion. That is mental concoction. As soon as you make change, we reject immediately, useless. Religion (is) the world of God. Religion means the word of God. You cannot change the word of God. If you change the word of God, that is material, that is not religion. You cannot change the word of God by your votes. That is useless. If you say that religion..., religion means the dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Find out this verse, Sixth Canto. There is no Sixth Canto there?
Hari-śauri: We have one volume, but it's the wrong volume. We have Volume Two.
Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: Oh. The definition of religion is just like law. Law can be given by the government. You cannot make law. If you make at home some law, nobody will touch it. It is not obligatory. But if government says "Keep to the right," it is obligatory. This is law. So religion, you cannot manufacture religion. Religion means the word of God. And if yearly or quarterly you change the words, that is not religion. That is not religion. That is mental concoction. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. No change. Others, they are interpreting in their own way. That is not Bhagavad-gītā. That is something else. (to devotee:) Keep it there. He will take. In the words of God there is no question of changing. You cannot change. As soon as you make a change, immediately it is material; it has nothing to do with spiritual world. The same example, the law of government is one, and if you make change, that is not law. Government says "Keep to the right," you have to keep to the right. You cannot make "Keep to the left," no. That is nowadays happening—which edition of Christianity? There are so many. Therefore it is, the purport of Christianity is lost. That is lost. You have, what that verse I wanted?
Hari-śauri: They couldn't find the book.
Morning Walk at Niavaran Park -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Yes, so-called dharmas. Just like we have created so many dharma, Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma. They are so-called. They are not dharmas. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means what is given to you by the Supreme Lord, that is dharma. Otherwise, if you manufacture some ritualistic ceremonies, some formulas, some dogmas, that is cheating. That is not religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is first-class religion. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Wherefrom you learn how to love God. If you learn, "I believe this," "I believe that," "This is our ritualistic ceremony," these are all cheating. As people are cheating one another in different ways, this is another cheating. That's all. They will say, "We believe in this way," "We believe in that way."
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: No, no, we are talking of religion, not so-called religion. So-called religion is finished. That is not religion.
Dayānanda: Then it is very difficult to find out what is real religion.
Prabhupāda: Why not? Why the original, any religious scripture you can see.
Dayānanda: Then they will interpret.
Prabhupāda: No, that is wrong. You cannot interpret, you cannot change by resolution. That is not.
Dayānanda: Then they must have someone to tell them. Then they must have an authority.
Prabhupāda: It is already there, just like in the Bible.
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Religion is now misunderstood. Religion is described in the dictionary, "a faith." So faith..., your faith may be something, my faith may be something, that is not religion. Religion is described in the Vedic literature, "the law given by God." That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). So, just like law means the order given by the state, similarly, religion means the order given by God. So if you do not know what is God, what is His order, then what is your religion? Do you believe it or not? If you do not know what is God, if you do not know what is His word or what is His order, then where is your religion? If you do not know what is the government and if you do not know what is the government's order, then where is the question of law-abiding? Religion means, according to Vedic description.... Just like Kṛṣṇa said, mām ekām śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is religion.
Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Religion means to understand God and to follow God's order. That is religion. Just like government and government law. So if the citizen understands what is the law of the government and abides by it, then he's a good citizen. Similarly, any person who understands God and abides by the order of God, then he is religious. Why do you stand? You may be Christian; I may be Hindu; he may be Mohammedan. It doesn't matter. Everyone should understand God and the relationship with God and act accordingly. Then it is perfect religion. And if there is no conception of God, no carrying out order of the God, that is not religion.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: First of all we must understand what do you mean by religion. First of all let me know. What do you mean by religion? Hm? Religion means, according to Vedic śāstra, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). "Religion means the law given by God." It is very simple. But is you do not know what is God and if you do not know what law He has given, then where is religion? This is cheating. Just like law means the principle or the regulation given by the state, by the government. That is law, not that you manufacture some law at your home, as it is going on—yato mata tato patha. You manufacture something, rascal law, and that becomes a religion. That is not religion.
Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: He's very clever.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. A good businessman. They outright... This they outrightly say. "This is not religion. No question of religion, nothing about God." They advertise like that. "It is not religion."
Prabhupāda: That is true.
Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:
Pañcadraviḍa: Because they are saying this is not religion, and we're saying, "How you can say it's not religion when already 650,000,000 people are following it?"
Prabhupāda: The practical example is there. In everywhere they are coming to the temple. So in England there is opposition.
| Page Title: | That is not religion |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 11 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=55, Con=40, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 95 |