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There is no question of spiritual life

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

One who has made his vow that "This worldly live, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, this is all in all," for them, there is no question of spiritual life.
Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966: There is a very nice verse in Bhāgavata: matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām [SB 7.5.30]. The purpose is that those who are uncontrolled of their senses and those whose mind is fixed up only for this material enjoyment, they cannot enter into the sphere of spiritual life. Matir na kṛṣṇe. This Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Matiḥ means attention. So attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Even by hearing instruction from learned, I mean to say, transcendentalists or by self-study. Parataḥ. Parataḥ means taking lessons or taking instruction from others. And svataḥ means by self-culture. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho vā. Mitho vā: "by assembly." By assembly. Na: "It will never be." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām means... Gṛha means "house," and vrata means "vow." One who has made his vow that "This worldly live, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, this is all in all," for them, there is no question of spiritual life. We have to decide it that spiritual life and material life, they are different angles of vision. If we give more stress to the material life, material way of life, then it is not possible to have any spiritual realization or spiritual emancipation.
So long we are entrapped with the bodily concept of life, there is no question of spiritual life.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975: In the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa has begun the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā from this point, that "I am not this body." This is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. So long we are entrapped with the bodily concept of life, there is no question of spiritual life. That is the beginning.
To worship the demigods means cent percent materialism. There is no question of spiritual life.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973: Kṛṣṇa does not give intelligence how one can gain some material prosperity. That is entrusted to the māyā—daivī māyā or Durgādevī. Therefore people are not very much interested in worshiping Kṛṣṇa. They are generally interested in worshiping goddess Durgā, Lord Śiva. Because by worshiping Lord Śiva, goddess Durgā, they get material opulence. So to worship the demigods means cent percent materialism. There is no question of spiritual life.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

So long the mind is disturbed by lusty desires and greediness, there is no question of spiritual life.
Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles: Prabhupāda: The base quality, the platform of base quality is this: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling. So tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaṣ ca ye [SB 1.2.19]. When one is free from at least to these base qualities... Base quality means kama, lusty desires, and greediness. In material world, generally, they are under these base quality, means always filled up with lusty desires and not satisfied, greedy. So when we conquer over these base qualities, then we become happy. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaṣ ca ye, ceta etair anaviddham. When the consciousness is not influenced by these base qualities, ceta etair ana..., sthitaḥ sattve prasīdati, being situated on the platform of sattva-guṇa, he feels happy. That is the beginning of spiritual life. When... So long the mind is disturbed by lusty desires and greediness, there is no question of spiritual life. Therefore the first business is how to control the mind so that it may not be influenced by the base quality, lusty desires and greediness.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone is working hard for himself, for his family, and expand the family, for society, and expand the society, for the nation. There is no question of spiritual life.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Maharastrians are very neat and clean. Upper class, they are very. [break] ...karmī.

Mr. Malhotra: Good man.

Prabhupāda: Good man from worldly point of view, but from spiritual point of view, in the lowest stage. Karmī is the lowest stage. Then jñānī, then yogi, then bhakta.

Mr. Malhotra: More a politician.

Prabhupāda: Yes, karmī means this how to enjoy this world. Whole life they have struggled how to enjoy this, how to enjoy myself, how to allow my men to enjoy. This is karmī platform. Everyone is doing that. Everyone is working hard for himself, for his family, and expand the family, for society, and expand the society, for the nation. Here is karmī plan. Gandhi, Birla they are all... There is no question of spiritual life.

Correspondence

1975 Correspondence

Everyone must rise early, take bath attend mangala arati, chant at least 16 good rounds, attend class, and follow the four regulative principles strictly. If these things are lax, then there is no question of spiritual life.
Letter to Abhirama -- Bombay 16 January, 1975: You must make sure that all of these devotees are following the regulative principles very nicely. Everyone must rise early, take bath attend mangala arati, chant at least 16 good rounds, attend class, and follow the four regulative principles strictly. If these things are lax, then there is no question of spiritual life. Any one who does not accept these things staunchly will have to fall down. You must teach them by your own personal example otherwise how will they learn. If you are loose in your habits, then everyone in your temple will also be loose in their habits. So, as one of my elder disciples, be strong. Do not deviate and you will be blessed.
I hope that you are being very careful to strictly observe all of our basic rules and regulations such as rising early (before 4:00 AM), attending mangala arati and classes, chanting 16 rounds without fail and of course the four regulative principles. Without accepting these things seriously, there is no question of spiritual life.
Letter to Jivananda -- Honolulu 3 February, 1975: I hope that you are being very careful to strictly observe all of our basic rules and regulations such as rising early (before 4:00 AM), attending mangala arati and classes, chanting 16 rounds without fail and of course the four regulative principles. Without accepting these things seriously, there is no question of spiritual life. So, I hope you understand the utmost necessity of these things and are remaining pure in your activities.
Unless we catch up the spirit soul within the body, there is no question of spiritual life or culture.
Letter to Mrs. Mohini H. Singh -- Brooklyn 6 March, 1975: Our movement is completely a spiritual movement, therefore sometimes it appears to be a little different from the materialistic cultural movement. In the Bhagavad-gita, the spiritual hint is there in the beginning of the lesson to Arjuna. Krishna wanted to pick up the spiritual soul from within the body: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. So, the spirit soul is within the body. Unless we catch up the spirit soul within the body, there is no question of spiritual life or culture. Still, we are trying to push this movement in the western countries and many of them are taking it very seriously.
You must rise early (before 4:00 AM), attend the mangala arati, attend the classes, chant at least 16 good rounds daily, and observe the four basic principles. These things you must do without fail otherwise, there is no question of spiritual life.
Letter to Caranaravinda -- Mayapur 2 April, 1975: I am very glad to hear report of your programs going on there, especially with the young boys. Please continue these programs with added enthusiasm. They are very important. You should be very careful to follow all of the principles very rigidly. You must rise early (before 4:00 AM), attend the mangala arati, attend the classes, chant at least 16 good rounds daily, and observe the four basic principles. These things you must do without fail otherwise, there is no question of spiritual life.
Page Title:There is no question of spiritual life
Compiler:Serene, MadhuGopaldas
Created:10 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=2, Let=4
No. of Quotes:9