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Tigers in a dream

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

A man may see a tiger swallowing him in a dream, and he may cry for this calamity. Actually there is no tiger and there is no suffering; it is simply a case of dreams. In the same way, all calamities of life are said to be dreams.
SB 1.8.25, Purport:

This material world is certified by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gītā as a dangerous place full of calamities. Less intelligent persons prepare plans to adjust to those calamities without knowing that the nature of this place is itself full of calamities. They have no information of the abode of the Lord, which is full of bliss and without trace of calamity. The duty of the sane person, therefore, is to be undisturbed by worldly calamities, which are sure to happen in all circumstances. Suffering all sorts of unavoidable misfortunes, one should make progress in spiritual realization because that is the mission of human life. The spirit soul is transcendental to all material calamities; therefore, the so-called calamities are called false. A man may see a tiger swallowing him in a dream, and he may cry for this calamity. Actually there is no tiger and there is no suffering; it is simply a case of dreams. In the same way, all calamities of life are said to be dreams. If someone is lucky enough to get in contact with the Lord by devotional service, it is all gain. Contact with the Lord by any one of the nine devotional services is always a forward step on the path going back to Godhead.

A person may be fearful of a tiger in a dream, but another man who is awake by his side sees no tiger there. The tiger is a myth for both of them, namely the person dreaming and the person awake, because actually there is no tiger; but the man forgetful of his awakened life is fearful, whereas the man who has not forgotten his position is not at all fearful.
SB 1.14.38, Purport:

A forgetful, conditioned soul is fearful. But a liberated soul is never fearful, just as a small child completely dependent on the mercy of his father is never fearful of anyone. Fearfulness is a sort of illusion for the living being when he is in slumber and forgetting his eternal relation with the Lord. Since the living being is never to die by his constitution, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.20), then what is the cause of fearfulness? A person may be fearful of a tiger in a dream, but another man who is awake by his side sees no tiger there. The tiger is a myth for both of them, namely the person dreaming and the person awake, because actually there is no tiger; but the man forgetful of his awakened life is fearful, whereas the man who has not forgotten his position is not at all fearful. Thus the members of the Yadu dynasty were fully awake in their service to the Lord, and therefore there was no tiger for them to be afraid of at any time. Even if there were a real tiger, the Lord was there to protect them.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.29.35, Translation:

Sometimes we suffer because we see a tiger in a dream or a snake in a vision, but actually there is neither a tiger nor a snake. Thus we create some situation in a subtle form and suffer the consequences. These sufferings cannot be mitigated unless we are awakened from our dream.

SB Canto 6

At night when we dream of tigers and snakes, they are not actually present, but we are afraid because we are affected by what we envision in our dreams.
SB 6.15.24, Purport:

Everything material is a mental concoction because it is sometimes visible and sometimes not. At night when we dream of tigers and snakes, they are not actually present, but we are afraid because we are affected by what we envision in our dreams. Everything material is like a dream because it actually has no permanent existence.

At night one dreams of tigers and snakes, and while dreaming he actually sees them, but as soon as the dream is broken they no longer exist.
SB 6.15.24, Purport:

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura writes as follows in his commentary: arthena vyāghra-sarpādinā vinaiva dṛśyamānāḥ svapnādi-bhaṅge sati na dṛśyante tad evaṁ dārādayo 'vāstava-vastu-bhūtāḥ svapnādayo 'vastu-bhūtāś ca sarve manobhavāḥ mano-vāsanā janyatvān manobhavāḥ. At night one dreams of tigers and snakes, and while dreaming he actually sees them, but as soon as the dream is broken they no longer exist. Similarly, the material world is a creation of our mental concoctions. We have come to this material world to enjoy material resources, and by mental concoction we discover many, many objects of enjoyment because our minds are absorbed in material things. This is why we receive various bodies. According to our mental concoctions we work in various ways, desiring various achievements, and by nature and the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (karmaṇā-daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1)) we get the advantages we desire.

There may be many mountains, rivers, trees, bees, tigers and snakes that are situated far away, but in a dream one may imagine them to be nearby.
SB 6.16.53-54, Purport:

None of these conditions of the living entities—namely, deep sleep, dreaming and wakefulness—is substantial. They are simply displays of various phases of conditional life. There may be many mountains, rivers, trees, bees, tigers and snakes that are situated far away, but in a dream one may imagine them to be nearby. Similarly, as one has subtle dreams at night, when the living entity is awake he lives in gross dreams of nation, community, society, possessions, skyscrapers, bank balance, position and honor. Under the circumstances, one should know that his position is due to his contact with the material world. One is situated in different positions in various forms of life that are all but creations of the illusory energy, which works under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Just like in dream we see sometimes I am attacked with a tiger; my head is being cut off. So many things. So actually there is no tiger, my head is not being cut off, but still, I am crying: "Oh, here is a tiger, here is a tiger!" So our attachment for this world is like that.
Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

In this material world, we are so much attached to this bodily relationship that it is to be considered just like we are ghostly haunted. In a poetry, Prema-vivarta, it is said that piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya, māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya. Māyā-grasta jīva. Māyā-grasta. Māyā means illusion, hallucination. So we are, in this material world, we are all illusioned. Illusioned means accepting something as fact which is not. Something... Just like in dream we see sometimes I am attacked with a tiger; my head is being cut off. So many things. So actually there is no tiger, my head is not being cut off, but still, I am crying: "Oh, here is a tiger, here is a tiger!" So our attachment for this world is like that. It is illusion. I am thinking that "Without me, everything will be spoiled. My presence is required." And so on, so on. Just like sometimes our political leaders. Each and every one of them thinks that without him, the whole situation will be spoiled.

This is called illusion. The same example, just a man in dreaming, crying, "There is tiger, there is tiger. It is eating me," and the man who is awakened, he smiles, "Where is the tiger?"
Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

So when we become very serious in a dangerous position, as if we are lost, but Kṛṣṇa smiles. You see? Sometimes we think... This is called illusion. The same example, just a man in dreaming, crying, "There is tiger, there is tiger. It is eating me," and the man who is awakened, he smiles, "Where is the tiger?" (chuckles) "Where is the tiger?" And this man is crying, "Tiger, tiger, tiger." Similarly, when we are very much perplexed... Just like the politicians, they are sometimes perplexed in political situation and claiming, "This is my land, my country," and other party also claiming, "It is my land, my country," and they are fighting very gravely. Kṛṣṇa smiles. "What these nonsense are claiming 'my country, my land'? It is My land, and they are claiming 'my land' and fighting."

At night I get another body. I dream. I dream there is tiger. I go to the forest, and there is a tiger, and it is coming to kill me. Then I am crying, and actually I am crying.
Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

Here in the Western country, big, big professor, they are also under the same impression, that when the body is finished, everything is finished. No. That is not. Therefore that is the beginning of instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). You are changing different bodies. By finishing the body, you are not finished. You are not finished. We can understand with little thinking that in this body I am..., even in this life. At night I get another body. I dream. I dream there is tiger. I go to the forest, and there is a tiger, and it is coming to kill me. Then I am crying, and actually I am crying. Or, in other way, I have gone to some beloved, man and woman. We are embracing, but the bodily action is going on. Otherwise why I am crying? And why there is discharge of semina? So people do not know that I am leaving this gross body, but I am entering into subtle body. Subtle body is there, not question of inside.

Suppose, in dream, I was put on the throne, and I was working like a king, and after the dream is over, I am not sorry. Similarly, in dream I was seeing that tiger has attacked me. I was actually crying "Here is tiger! Here is tiger! Save me."
Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So one should not be disturbed by this dreaming condition. That is spiritual life. One should not be disturbed. Just like we are not disturbed. Suppose, in dream, I was put on the throne, and I was working like a king, and after the dream is over, I am not sorry. Similarly, in dream I was seeing that tiger has attacked me. I was actually crying "Here is tiger! Here is tiger! Save me." And the person who is lying behind me or beside me, he says, "Oh, why you are crying? Where is tiger?" So when he's awakened, he sees there is no tiger. So everything is like that. But this dream, these gross and subtle dreams, are simply reflections. Just like what is dream? The whole day, what I think, the dreaming is a reflection, reflection. My father was doing cloth business. So sometimes he, in dreaming he was quoting price: "This is the price." So similarly it is all dreaming. This material existence, made of these five gross elements and three subtle elements, they're exactly like dream. Smara nityam aniyatām.(?) Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, smara nityam aniyatām. This anitya, temporary... Dreaming is always temporary.

Suppose you are dreaming. So either you suffer in the presence of a tiger, or you become a king in dream, what is the value? It is the same thing.
Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So in this way, one should come to the spiritual understanding, and the symptom is he's not disturbed by the material upheavals. Yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha, sama-duḥkha-sukham. The symptom is sama-duḥkha... Because he knows this is dreaming. Suppose you are dreaming. So either you suffer in the presence of a tiger, or you become a king in dream, what is the value? It is the same thing. There is no difference. After all, it is dreaming. Therefore sama-sukha-duḥkha. If I become very happy because I have become a king or some big man, that is also dream. And if I think that "I am so poor, Oh, I am suffering, I am diseased," that is also the same thing. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has in the previous verses said: tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. "Just little practice to tolerate. Do your own business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7).

Just like you dream something. That is called illusion. But dream is actually not illusion. Because although in dream you see some tiger, he's attacking, that is illusion.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

Illusion means it is temporary. Just like you dream something. That is called illusion. But dream is actually not illusion. Because although in dream you see some tiger, he's attacking, that is illusion. And you are crying, "Save me! Save me! Here is a tiger!" But one who is awakened, he say, "Why you are crying?" "There is a tiger." "Where is tiger?" This is illusion. But when you are dreaming that there is a tiger, you are crying, that is not illusion. It is acting. Similarly, this material manifestation, it is not illusion, but for the time being it is illusion. We are attracted with this material world, society, friendship and love. But in a second we can be slapped by the material nature and get out of this illusion, just like dream. So in this sense it is illusion, but so long it is there, it is fact also. So chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like you are dreaming, crying, "There is tiger, tiger." And if somebody pushes you, "Why you are doing that?" And if you immediately become awake "Oh! All tiger finished."
Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 22, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is eternal, we are eternal, and our dealings with Kṛṣṇa is also eternal. But sometimes it becomes interrupted by the māyā, which is called svapna. Svapna means dreamlike. As dream has no fact, it is all hallucination, similarly our detachment from Kṛṣṇa is also a hallucination. Actually, there is no detachment. And when we are covered by this hallucination... Just like in dream we cry, "Oh, here is a tiger! Here is a tiger!" Tiger. Where is tiger? Similarly, this forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa is like that. So if we simply follow the rules and regulations given by the great ācāryas, then immediately we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't take even second. The method...(?) Just like you are dreaming, crying, "There is tiger, tiger." And if somebody pushes you, "Why you are doing that?" And if you immediately become awake "Oh! All tiger finished." (laughter) "All tiger finished." So one has to give the push that "There is no tiger." Then immediately the whole hallucination will go.

You're dreaming that "I am being attacked by a tiger." So the mukti means some way or other if somebody pushes you and you are awakened, no more tiger. Finished.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:

So mukti and conditioned, there is no difference. Simply due to our ignorance we become conditioned. If we change the ignorance, immediately we are mukta. Immediately liberated. Just like... The same example: you're dreaming that "I am being attacked by a tiger." So the mukti means some way or other if somebody pushes you and you are awakened, no more tiger. Finished. So mukti and conditioned life... The whole world is conditioned because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And as soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is mukta, immediately liberated. What is that Kṛṣṇa conscious? Now, "Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. I am not enjoyer. Why I am struggling so hard? Whatever prasāda will Kṛṣṇa give me, that's all." That is mukti. So one can become liberated in one second. In one second.

Just like in the dream I am feeling that a tiger is eating me, and I am crying, "Here is a tiger eating me, eating me. Save me." But there is no tiger. This is called illusion, or māyā.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

So our present condition is diseased. Why you are dying? Because you are diseased. Why you are becoming old? Because you are diseased. That is due to this body. But actually I am spirit soul. I am neither old nor diseased, but I have fallen into the condition of material contamination. Therefore I am thinking that I am diseased. This is called māyā. Just like in the dream I am feeling that a tiger is eating me, and I am crying, "Here is a tiger eating me, eating me. Save me." But there is no tiger. This is called illusion, or māyā. But so long we'll have this body just like so long we shall dream, we shall have to suffer the effect, even it is illusion. A man is crying, "There is a tiger." Actually, there is no tiger; neither tiger is eating. But because he is in hallucination, he is feeling the pain. That is actual fact. So the whole process is to stop this illusion, bodily contamination. Then we are in real life. And then we can understand what is love, what is reciprocation of love, everything. That is real, healthy life.

There cannot be any meaning of this relationship except like a man dreaming and he is creating a situation. He is dreaming there is a tiger and he is creating a situation, fearful situation. Actually there is no cause of fear. There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Parasyānubhavātmanaḥ. Na ghaṭeta artha-sambandha. There cannot be any relation at all. Na ghaṭeta. Cannot be. Artha sambandhaḥ. Svapna-draṣṭur ivāñjasā. The very exact example is given, svapna-draṣṭuḥ. Just like a man seeing dream: "Oh, there is tiger, tiger, tiger, tiger! Save me!" He is crying. Another man is, "Where is tiger? Why you are crying? Where is tiger?" But he, in the dream, he is actually feeling: "The tiger has attacked me." Therefore this example is given, na ghaṭetārtha-sambandhaḥ. There cannot be any meaning of this relationship except like a man dreaming and he is creating a situation. He is dreaming there is a tiger and he is creating a situation, fearful situation. Actually there is no cause of fear. There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream. Actually there is no tiger. Similarly we have created this material world and activity. People are running, "Oh..., sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," identifying that "Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this, I am that. We have got his politics. We have to defeat such competitors." All these things are created exactly like that, svapna-draṣṭur ivāñjasā, just like a man is creating his particular situation simply by dream. That's all.

"When one has become in contact with this material nature?" He has not become in contact. He is thinking by the influence of the external energy. Just like the same example: A man is dreaming; there is no contact with tiger.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

So the answer is, when somebody asks you that "When one has become in contact with this material nature?" He has not become in contact. He is thinking by the influence of the external energy. Just like the same example: A man is dreaming; there is no contact with tiger. Actually he has no contact with that. Similarly, actually we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. But we have created a situation that we are, become... Try to understand understand. It is very important point. We have simply created a situation. We have not created a situation, Kṛṣṇa has given us a situation.

Simple dreaming. Just like you are dreaming. Next moment when the dream is gone, everything is finished. No more tiger, no more jungle, no more... Everything is finished.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

So everyone in this material world, they are playing some part. They wanted, "I want to be prime minister." "All right." "I want to become very big business magnate." "I want to be leader." "I want to be a philosopher." "I want to be a scientist." So all this nonsense, they are trying to play—Kṛṣṇa is giving him the opportunity: "All right." But it is a nonsense, all nonsense. Simple dreaming. Just like you are dreaming. Next moment when the dream is gone, everything is finished. No more tiger, no more jungle, no more... Everything is finished. Similarly, so long this body is continuing, I am thinking, "I am a responsible leader, I am this, I am that." But as soon as this body is finished, oh, these are (indistinct) gone.

Actually there is no tiger; it is dreaming. Similarly, our fallen condition is also dreaming. We are not fallen. We can simply give up that illusory condition at any moment.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

When the fearful dreaming becomes too much intolerable, we break the dream. We break the dream when it becomes intolerable. Similarly, we can break this material connection at any moment as soon as we come to the point of Kṛṣṇa conscious. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master. I am His servant." That's all. This is the way. Actually we are not fallen. There cannot be any fallen. The same example: Actually there is no tiger; it is dreaming. Similarly, our fallen condition is also dreaming. We are not fallen. We can simply give up that illusory condition at any moment. At any moment. So if you study all these verses very nicely, you get all this knowledge quickly.

In dream I am not attacked by the tiger, but I am thinking, "Oh, tiger is there." It is simply dreaming condition. as soon as you understand, "All this material condition of life we are simply dreaming; I am actually servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you are liberated. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Prabhupāda: The same example. In dream I am not attacked by the tiger, but I am thinking, "Oh, tiger is there." It is simply dreaming condition.

Trivikrama: But so many Vaiṣṇavas are praying...

Prabhupāda: So as soon as you understand that "This is not... I am not in contact with tiger. It is all a dream," then you are delivered. Similarly, as soon as you understand, "All this material condition of life we are simply dreaming; I am actually servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you are liberated. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. If you keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you are liberated.

You are dreaming that you have gone to the jungle. You are meeting some animals. The tiger is there coming to attack you, and you are crying, "Here is tiger! Tiger! Tiger!" And the man who is not dreaming, he says, "Where is tiger? Why you are crying?"
Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

This gross body is finished; it is no more working. Just like at night the gross body does not work. We are thinking, "I am sleeping." Sleeping means the body is so much tired, it is no more working. But your another body, which is made of mind, intelligence, and ego—subtle body—that is working. Everyone has got this experience. The subtle body takes you to another place or another condition. You are dreaming that you have gone to the jungle. You are meeting some animals. The tiger is there coming to attack you, and you are crying, "Here is tiger! Tiger! Tiger!" And the man who is not dreaming, he says, "Where is tiger? Why you are crying?" But he's actually... The result is there. Don't think that the result is not there. In dream you are thinking your lover is there, you are embracing, and you get discharge, not that that you are not working and it is not, there is no result. There is result. I cannot see what is the result, what you are dreaming. I am fool. I do not know. But the man who is dreaming, he is experiencing.

"Somebody is... Some tiger is eating me," and so many things, you sleeping, you dreaming. This is another stage, active stage. Then sleeping stage.
Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

So according to the mind, mind is taking me sometimes somewhere. I am thinking that "I am flying." I am thinking, "I am on somebody's place" or "I have become king." Or "I have become poverty." Or "Somebody is... Some tiger is eating me," and so many things, you sleeping, you dreaming. This is another stage, active stage. Then sleeping stage. And then another stage is which is called deep sleep, deep sleep. Just like you are under chloroform or LSD. That is a kind of sleep only. It is not, does not mean that you have become free from this material bondage. You are simply under some mental condition, sleeping condition. Suṣuptiḥ. Just like our death. What is this death? Death means a sound sleep for seven months. That's all.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Māyā means illusion, which has no existence, hallucination. The same thing as we see tiger when dreaming and crying: "Oh, here is tiger! Save me! Save me!" This is the example of hallucination.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

Serving the Lord favorably. Not whimsically. Favorably. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). This is the exact word, ānukūla. Ānukūla means favorably, "What I want, you shall do." That is favorable. I want something and you do something else, that is not favorable. Favorable means what Kṛṣṇa wants, you do that. So to come to this understanding, preliminarily... Because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, or God, at the present stage, in our material condition of life. Material condition means forgetting our relationship with God. That is material condition. The, this is... Therefore it is called māyā. Māyā means illusion, which has no existence, hallucination. The same thing as we see tiger when dreaming and crying: "Oh, here is tiger! Save me! Save me!" So this is called... This is the example of hallucination. There are many others. Just like water in the desert. Sometimes there is, due to reflection of the sun, it appears there is vast mass of water, and the animals, they go after it, the water. These are the, some of the examples of hallucination, illusion. So this hal... To be in the stage of hallucination, illusion, that is called māyā. This is called māyā. Mā-yā. Mā means "not"; yā means "this."

We dream something dangerous, a tiger is coming, a snake is coming; sometimes we want to change to another sort of dream. Those who have got practical experience... Dreaming another dream in dream.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

They are unnecessarily, hopelessly trying to become happy within this material world. And people, the so-called scientists, so-called advancement of material education means... Now, the scientist says that they have finished their business; they have no more to discover. But the discomforts of life still is there. As it was two hundred years ago, still, I think it is more acute now than two hundred years ago. So in this way, we cannot... The another example is that just like we dream. We dream something dangerous, a tiger is coming, a snake is coming; sometimes we want to change to another sort of dream. Those who have got practical experience... Dreaming another dream in dream. Similarly, our attempt, so-called attempt to become comfortable in this material world, and manufacturing some ways of comforts, it is simply useless endeavor, because such kind of artificial endeavoring will not make us happy.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

You are liberated. Simply just a cloud has covered you. Drive away the cloud. There is no question that you were ever. You are ever-liberated. That, the sky is always spiritual, but it is sometimes overcrowded with cloud, this māyā. This is called māyā. Actually, you are not conditioned. You are thinking. Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream. Don't you sometimes dream that tiger is eating you? Is there any tiger? You are simply thinking. So if you keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that nonsense thinking will go away. Therefore we have to keep ourself always in Kṛṣṇa—thinking so that this dream will never come. If you are always awakened, then dream never comes. So keep yourself always awakened by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

I am in the front of tiger, there is ghost, there is so many things. So these problems, actually there is no problem, but by dreaming he is creating, mental.
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971:

Actually there is no problem. Exactly the same example, just like at night in dream we create so many problems, but actually there is no problem. But dreaming, that I am in such and such position, I am being harassed, somebody is taking my money, somebody is pinching me, so many things. I am in the front of tiger, there is ghost, there is so many things. So these problems, actually there is no problem, but by dreaming he is creating, mental. Asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ, Veda says that this puruṣa, the ātmā, the soul has no connection with all these things. So we have created, by material concoction, so many problems. So the whole process is how to cleanse this dreaming condition of life.

Philosophy Discussions

Mind creates a dream, a tiger, and there is physical action. He is crying loudly, "Here is a tiger. Here is a tiger." Actually, there is no tiger.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: And then the second function of the mind is enjoyment, where there is a mental awareness of an inner, physiological activity as a result of the contemplation.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are so many examples. Just like one man dreams some woman and there is nocturnal discharges. Mind creates like that and there is physical action actually. Mind creates a dream, a tiger, and there is physical action. He is crying loudly, "Here is a tiger. Here is a tiger." Actually, there is no tiger.

When I dream of a woman or a tiger, there is objective reality. In dream it may be. There may be no existence of woman or tiger, but there is real existence of tiger, my dreaming.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that even these mental images in dreams are real, that they have an objective reality.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Objective reality. When I dream of a woman or a tiger, there is objective reality. In dream it may be. There may be no existence of woman or tiger, but there is real existence of tiger, my dreaming. The impression of a tiger in my mind, the impression of a woman in my mind is created as hallucination, and that reacts on my physical life.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just like in dream he is falsely thinking there is a tiger. There is no tiger, but he is actuated by this false impression, "Oh, tiger is eating me. It has attacked me. Save me."
Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: So this living entity's declaring independence means he is insane, different kinds of insanity. He cannot be independent. Let him think very deeply that it cannot be independent. He is thinking independent of God, but he is dependent on his sense pleasure. That's all. And some intoxication, a voluntarily accept dependence of something māyā. That's all. Who is independent. Is there anyone independent? Nobody is independent. To think of independence is māyā. Best thing is that "I am dependent, and let me remain dependent in properly. Then I am protected." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So your question is answered? Material consciousness means thinking falsely independent. That is material consciousness. Falsely. He is not independent, but he is thinking falsely, "I am independent." This is māyā. Just like in dream he is falsely thinking there is a tiger. There is no tiger, but he is actuated by this false impression, "Oh, tiger is eating me. It has attacked me. Save me." So this material existence means because he is insane, he is thinking there are so many problems, "The tiger is there. He is attacking me. This, that, so many enemies, friends...," creating so many things. But they are all false. But he is attacked by that false hallucination. That's all. This is māyā.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is dream, but you are crying, "There is tiger, tiger, tiger!" Where is tiger? But you are seeing it is fact, tiger. "I am being killed by a tiger." But where is tiger....in dream you are embracing some beautiful girl.
Morning Walk -- January 9, 1974, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: When you dream at night, then you think that is real.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is real. You cry... It is dream, but you are crying, "There is tiger, tiger, tiger!" Where is tiger? But you are seeing it is fact, tiger. "I am being killed by a tiger." But where is tiger. (break) ...in dream you are embracing some beautiful girl. Where is that beautiful girl? But actually this is happening.

That suffering is just like you suffer in the dream. You are attacked by a tiger. There is no tiger. Actually there is no suffering. But on account of ignorance, you are thinking, "The tiger is eating me."
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Professor Durckheim: But in order to get there, to feel that one is neither this nor that, one must have suffered by first having thought that one is this or that.

Prabhupāda: That suffering is just like you suffer in the dream. You are attacked by a tiger. There is no tiger. Actually there is no suffering. But on account of ignorance, you are thinking, "The tiger is eating me."

Professor Durckheim: Yes, but this is a very good example because the dream of the tiger comes very often. And it always means that you are pursued by some of your inner instincts, yourself. So you discover in the image of the tiger something which is not right in yourself.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

I'm seeing this ocean, and I will leave my gross body in dream, I go to India. So the seer is the same. That is the proof of transmigration. He's dreaming tiger, and he's crying, "Here is a tiger, tiger, tiger," and another man, who is seer of the body, he says, "Where is tiger?" So this is the difference.
Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The soul is going there. The seer is the same in this gross body or in the subtle bodies. I am in the, walking in this gross body, I'm seeing this ocean, and I will leave my gross body in dream, I go to India. So the seer is the same. That is the proof of transmigration. He's dreaming tiger, and he's crying, "Here is a tiger, tiger, tiger," and another man, who is seer of the body, he says, "Where is tiger?" So this is the difference. One is seeing through this gross body, another seeing through the subtle body, but the seer is the same. Transmigration of the soul means, when he's seeing through.... That is practical. The child, when he's seeing through the childish body, he's talking nonsense. The same soul, when he's talking as an elderly person, he's talking beautiful (indistinct). The seer is the same, simply the glass is changed. Sometimes blue, sometimes red.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

You cannot see even how the subtle body is working, and what to speak of the soul. He's dreaming means his subtle body, mind, is working, and therefore, within the mind, he is seeing some tiger and he's crying, "Oh, here is tiger! Save me! Save me! Save me!"
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: You see that he is sleeping, that he's not working. But he is working. Where is that brain? And it is a fact. I see the man is sleeping, but he has gone somewhere else. That is our daily experience. You cannot see it, where he has gone. He has gone to the jungle. He's seeing there is a tiger and he's crying, "Tiger! Tiger!" You cannot see. So why he's crying? So how can you see his activities? You have no such eyes. You cannot see even how the subtle body is working, and what to speak of the soul. He's dreaming means his subtle body, mind, is working, and therefore, within the mind, he is seeing some tiger and he's crying, "Oh, here is tiger! Save me! Save me! Save me!" And the man in the gross, he cannot see: "Where is tiger?" You cannot see; it does not mean that he does not see. And that is another brainless proposal. "You cannot see." What you can see?

Hari-śauri: But then they could argue that actually the dream is just imagination. When the man wakes up, then he's back in reality.

Page Title:Tigers in a dream
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:11 of Jul, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=6, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=22, Con=5, Let=0
No. of Quotes:33