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Well-behaved (Lect., Conv. & Letters)

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

So even these are the problems, therefore they must be based on religion. Religion means to become well-behaved, to abide... Just like good citizen means well-behaved, to abide by the state laws. So first thing is religion, to learn how to become God conscious. This is the first business of human society. But they have rejected religion. They have become secular. Secular..., what does it mean secular? It means don't care for any kind of religion; Just work very hard for economic development day and night. This is the modern civilization. No. That is misleading. From the very beginning of life. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja advised, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). The boys... He was five-years-old boy. He said, "My dear..." He was preaching amongst his class friend. This is Vaiṣṇavism.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Who is sādhu? Sādhu means devotee. Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He's sādhu. Not a sādhu having big beard or mustaches and having red cloth without any sense of Kṛṣṇa. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means one who is fully engaged in the service of the Lord. He's sādhu. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Even if he's not very well-behaved, su-durācāra, still he's sādhu. Why? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He has no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa. This is the symptom of sādhu.

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

Devotee: "After reaching his own camp, Arjuna, along with his dear friend and charioteer (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), entrusted the murderer unto his dear wife, who was lamenting for her murdered sons.

"Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: Draupadī then saw Aśvatthāmā, who was bound with ropes like an animal and silent for having enacted the most inglorious murder. Due to her female nature, and due to her being naturally good and well-behaved, she showed him due respects as a brāhmaṇa."

Prabhupāda: You read the purport also.

Pradyumna: Both verses?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

Avātsīt. Sat-kṛto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pāṇḍavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pāṇḍavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Whether Kṛṣṇa pats somebody and kills somebody, the result is the same. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Absolute. It is not ordinary fortune to be killed by God. It is a great fortune. Just like Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu. They were Kṛṣṇa's personal guards, Jaya-Vijaya. Some way or other, they became offender to the Kumāras. So they cursed him that "You are not well-behaved." They stopped him going in the house of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So they became very angry. They cursed him that "You do not deserve this place. You must go to the material world. In the material world there is enviousness, jealousy. In the spiritual world you have become envious. So you are not fit. You must go down to the material world." So they became very much disturbed. Lord Nārāyaṇa personally came out to settle up. "So this you have been cursed; it cannot be withdrawn. You have to go. But after going in the material world, if you treat Me as your enemy, then in three births you will be liberated and you will come back. But if you treat Me as my friend, then it will take seven, seven births."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

Suhṛdaḥ, and he's a well-wisher. He's well-wisher not only for the human beings, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29), for all living entities. Like this person just, who are very friendly to the human being, but they sell the poor animals to the slaughter-house. Saintly person. Saintly person is suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, for all living entities he's friend. Suhṛdaḥ and sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means well-behaved. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣanāḥ, well-behaved. The well-behavior is described in the śāstra, to become a devotee of the Lord. (break) ...of saintly person is to become devotee of the Lord. (break) ...finish this now. You can ask if you have got any questions.

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

Nitāi: "In this material world, following the path of the pure devotees who are well behaved and completely endowed with first-class qualifications due to their having fully taken to the service of Nārāyaṇa as their life and soul is certainly the most auspicious, without any fear, and authorized by the śāstra."

Prabhupāda:

sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke
panthāḥ kṣemo 'kuto-bhayaḥ
suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra
nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ
(SB 6.1.17)

So the śāstra says that the association of devotees... Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ means devotees. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa, one who has taken Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate goal of life. Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—They are of the same tattva, viṣṇu-tattva. So people do not know this, that to approach the platform of worshiping Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the most exalted and assured platform. Just like we get insurance, so this is assured. Assured by whom? Assured by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66).

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

Sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo 'kuto-bhayaḥ. Our life is to attain the transcendental platform of knowledge. That is our goal of life. Then how it can be done? Suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ. You associate with that cultural institution where there are suśīlāḥ, very well behaved. Now, find out any institution throughout the whole world who are suśīla. You will find here in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. You won't find anywhere. This is called suśīla, well behaved. Suśīla means... śīla means behavior, or custom. Here you will find they are taking bath three times, they are changing cloth, everything neat and clean, personally their character, their behavior, suśīla. Suśīlāḥ sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means saintly. What are the saintly characteristics? That is also mentioned:

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

You produce food grains. Why you are producing so much unnecessary things—television and tools, and stool also, so many thing. Why? They are not necessary. Live in the village, produce your own food, your own cloth, and drink milk sufficiently—all economic questions solved. Then you become suśīla, well behaved. And if you go on killing animals and drinking wine and gambling, when you will be suśīla? You are always bad character.

Here it is said suśīla, "well behaved," "good character." Suśīlāḥ sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ, character like ideal. You have got ideal, Lord Jesus Christ. Suśīlāḥ sādhavaḥ nārāyaṇa... Why? Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ: because they are devotee of Nārāyaṇa. If you become simply nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa, devotee of Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa, all good qualities will come to you automatically. All good qualities. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Take practical example. These boys, these girls, how they have become so nice? They are known as "bright-faced." Why?

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

"The path followed by pure devotees, who are well behaved and fully endowed with the best qualifications, is certainly the most auspicious path in this material world. It is free from fear, and it is authorized by the śāstras."

So this is the summarization of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that the path followed by pure devotees. Pure devotees means who has no material desire. That is pure devotee. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Śūnya means zero, one who has made all material desires zero. That is the way. In the Buddha philosophy it is called nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means make zero, śūnyavādi. But we cannot remain in the śūnya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

There is no other duty. But we have created so many duties, and that is designation.

So we can be designationless when you live with the pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said that suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra. That path is very nice. Akuto bhayam, fearlessness. Where? Now, suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra: "Where well-behaved saintly persons are there." Well behaved. It is the first word, suśīla. Śīla means character, very nice character. A devotee cannot be bad character. Because Kṛṣṇa is paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitram (BG 10.12)—pavitra means pure—so impure cannot approach Him. That is not possible. If you want to enter fire, you must be fire. And if you are not fire, then you will burn. So first of all we have to revive, because Kṛṣṇa... The example is given that Kṛṣṇa is the big fire and we are sparks of fire. We are also fire, very small. The sparks of fire can play, can remain within fire, and it is beautiful: "Phat! Phat!" There is spark. You have seen while fire is going on. It is very beautiful.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

That is sarvopādhi vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), to free from all designation. Nārāyaṇa parāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa society or Kṛṣṇa society, the same thing.

So this is very nice verse, substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that those who are conducting this movement, they must be suśīla, very well behaved. Nobody can find out any fault. That is suśīla, well behaved. The behavior should be so nice. That is the test how you have become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the test. Spotless. You study Caitanya Mahāprabhu's behavior, character, He's ideal. Throughout His whole life you'll not find a spot. You read Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Find out some fault, that "Here is Caitanya... Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is faulty." No. That is suśīla. And that is sādhu. Sādhava. Sādhava means sādhu, saintly person. What is saintly person?

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply giving chance to people without any discrimination, "Please come. Become Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa, devotee, and automatically you'll become suśīla and sādhu." As soon as—that is the test—you become a devotee, nārāyaṇa-para, then automatically you become suṣīla and sādhava. And if you become well behaved and sādhava, committing no sinful activities, sādhava, and simply serving Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, then for our elevation or salvation, that is the panthāḥ kṣemo akuto-bhayaḥ. Akuto-bhayam. Now we are fearless. If on the devotional path, then you have no fear. Why? Now, Kṛṣṇa takes charge of you. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati: (BG 9.31) "Kaunteya, Arjuna, you can declare throughout the whole world that one who has become My devotee, he will never be vanquished." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

Why? Now, Kṛṣṇa takes charge of you. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati: (BG 9.31) "Kaunteya, Arjuna, you can declare throughout the whole world that one who has become My devotee, he will never be vanquished." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati. You get immediately Kṛṣṇa's help. So if we depend completely on Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa-para, then automatically we become sādhu, automatically we become well behaved, and automatically we are protected. Therefore this path is the best way of advancing in our life and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:

So there was a dvijaḥ. Dvijaḥ means he was born in the family of a brāhmaṇa. And he was sanctified also. From the life history of this man we understand that in his early age, when he was up to his youthful life, sixteen or seventeen or up to twenty years, he was very well behaved boy. He was under the care of his father and mother, and how by bad association he became a debauch, that is stated here. It is stated that, kānyakubje dvijaḥ kaścid āsīt dāsī-patir ajāmilaḥ. Ajāmilaḥ, his name was Ajāmila, and he was a brāhmaṇa. But he contacted some woman which is called dāsī, or prostitute, and he remained with her. Dāsī-patiḥ. In India also, still, the practice is that if anyone, any person, wants contact of more woman than his wife, then he cannot disturb in the society. He has to search out this dāsī, or some prostitute. So from time, very long, long ago, even in Kṛṣṇa's time we find that there was a prostitute class. When Kṛṣṇa entered Dvārakā, these, some of the... They were still devotee.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:

So it does not matter even if one is prostitute, she cannot be devotee. She can be devotee also. So this man, Ajāmila, contacted a prostitute. Dāsī-patiḥ ajāmilaḥ nāmnā naṣṭa-sadācāraḥ dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ. And because, although he was born in a nice family, he contacted the association of a prostitute, his sadācāraḥ, his well-behaved life, became lost.

Well-behaved life... Sadācāraḥ and durācāraḥ. Sadācāraḥ means those who are following the regulative principles, they are called sadācāraḥ. And those who are not following the regulative principles, they are called durācāraḥ. So here it is said that dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ. Being contaminated by the association of the prostitute, he lost his life of well behavior. And what is that? How did he lose his well behavior?

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

And his livelihood—by voluntary contribution; whatever people will give, that's all right. People used to give brāhmaṇa. So paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa would receive... People were very honest, that "This man is teaching our children. He does not charge. This man is teaching me how to worship, how to become well behaved." So they have no scarcity, enough. So he would simply use as much as he required; balance he will give in charity. Not that keep in stock for tomorrow. No. That is not brāhmaṇa's business. Whatever is come today, I use it for my necessities of life, and balance, I give to the poor or somebody else, somebody else, somebody..., or make some festival. So paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. So we require some income for our maintenance. So this was the brāhmaṇa's business. There is no question of doing some business or making some profession or going to the office or going to the factory. This is not brāhmaṇa's business.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

There is no question of doing some business or making some profession or going to the office or going to the factory. This is not brāhmaṇa's business.

Then kṣatriya, next, second-class man. So what is his livelihood? His livelihood: to take tax. The kṣatriyas were entrusted certain villages, that "You look after these villages, that the people are becoming well behaved." So kṣatriya's business was to see whether brāhmaṇa is actually acting as brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya actually acting as kṣatriya. This was the ruler's business to see. And to see that nobody is unemployed, nobody is a devil's workshop. Because if you have no business, no occupation, then your brain will plan something. This plan is cauryam and cheating. They had no opportunity to plan all these things. So kṣatriya's income is to take some tax. What is that tax? Not in money. But people are engaged in agricultural work, so whatever he has produced, he gives twenty-five percent to the ruler. That's all. That includes income tax, this tax, that tax. No more tax. "Take. Whatever I have got, you take twenty-five percent."

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Honolulu, May 25, 1976:

Sad-ācāra So here it is said that Ajamila, he became the husband of a prostitute. It is not the sastric injunction. You can become husband, but not the husband of a prostitute. Then your life is finished. Naṣṭa sad-ācāra. You will be lost all... Therefore so much stress is given that wife should be chaste and husband should be very well behaved, then life will be successful. Arjuna argued with Kṛṣṇa that "You're asking me to kill my brothers and relatives on the other side, so don't You think that if I kill them, their wives will be widowed and they'll be polluted? And as soon as they'll be polluted, there will be varṇa-saṅkara." Varṇa-saṅkara, the practical example of varṇa-saṅkara is the hippies in your country: no caste, no creed, neither useful for the material world, neither useful for the spiritual. That is called varṇa-saṅkara. Then he said, "My...," Arjuna... Strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkara (indistinct). "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are asking me to kill my...

Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

And so they were explaining.

Now, these Yamadūtas explained about the past life of Ajāmila. His past life is described in this way, ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ: "This man, Ajāmila, was formerly, was a very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa." Śruta. Śruta means Vedic knowledge, and sampannaḥ means accomplished. So ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ. "And very well behaved, properly situated in his position," dhṛta-vrata, "and avowedly following the regulative principles." So he was learned, he was well-behaved, and he was avowedly, strictly following the regulative principles. Mṛduḥ. Mṛdu means very gentle. Dāntaḥ: he had control over his senses. Satya-vāṅ: he was very truthful. Mantra vit śuciḥ: and he knew all the Vedic mantras and he was very clean. Then gurv-agny-atithi-vṛddhānām. Guru, spiritual master; agni, sacrificial fire; vṛddhā, aged person; and atithi... Atithi means guest without invitation. This is the Vedic culture, that these men should be well received. Guru means spiritual master; agni, fire; atithi... Atithi.

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

This kind of study of Vedas is useless. Now, we have seen so many sannyāsīs, so-called sannyāsīs, talking on Vedānta and smoking at the same time. You see? So Ajāmila was not like that. He was a scholar in the Vedic literature. Ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ. And he was very well behaved and reservoir of all good qualities. Guṇālayaḥ. Dhṛta-vrataḥ, and avowed to follow the regulative principles.

This point we have already discussed, that the most important point is that even one is such qualified, there is chance of falldown as Ajāmila.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). It is said that the greatest success of life is at the time of (death) remembering Nārāyaṇa, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ. Just like Ajāmila. He, at the end of his life, remembered Nārāyaṇa. So this is success. But this can be possible if we practice from the very beginning. Ajāmila, first of all, he was a brahmacārī, brāhmaṇa, very well behaved brāhmaṇa, learned everything, but due to bad association he fell down. But Kṛṣṇa gave him the opportunity, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, na me bhakta praṇaśyati. If once one has sincerely become the pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that will never go in vain. So Kṛṣṇa saw this Ajāmila in his childhood and boyhood and youthhood a devotee, so He gave him the chance. At last, he had ten sons. The tenth son was named as Nārāyaṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's policy, that "This rascal is forgetting Me, so I'll give him a child whose name is Nārāyaṇa." So, with reference to his son, he was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." "Nārāyaṇa, please come here, my dear son. Nārāyaṇa, please take this food."

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 14, 1976:

With our, this institution, the center is meant for giving a chance to the common people to get association of devotee. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Sādhu means those who are well-behaved in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not upstarts. They are called sādhu. So, those who are living in this temple, they must be strictly very well behaved, so that whoever may come out of śraddhā, if he sits down for some time and sees your behavior, then he'll be influenced. And if you become third-class, then how sādhu-saṅgaḥ will be effective? No. You must strictly follow the regulative principles as given to you by your spiritual master, śāstra. You must follow. Then people will come in contact with you, they will be benefited. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15), and if he regularly makes sādhu-saṅgaḥ, then the effect will be he will try to become a sādhu.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

And because he is hovering on the mental plane—the mind's business is to change—so he will change from one platform to another, another platform to another. He has no fixed idea; therefore his qualification has no value. In several places In the Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk: "If a person is found even unclean or not very well behaved but he has got unflinching faith in Me, Kṛṣṇa," sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30), "oḥ, he is sādhu. He is saintly person." He is saintly because that one qualification, that he has full faith in God, Kṛṣṇa, that one qualification makes him a saintly person. Others may have all the good qualification, but simply for one minor godlessness, he is nonqualified.

Lecture on SB 7.9.28 -- Mayapur, March 6, 1976:

"Don't hear from the professional men who are not situated in the Vaiṣṇava behavior." One must be..., behavior in Vaiṣṇava. Sadācāra-sampannaḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has warned that "Don't mix it with Vaiṣṇava who is not well trained up, well behaved." You can offer him respect. A Vaiṣṇava offers respect even to the ant. That is another thing. But he has warned, "Don't mix with them, these professional, so-called Vaiṣṇava, sahajiyās." This is warned. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam: "You should not hear." "Eh? Huh? What is the wrong there? The Kṛṣṇa-kathā is there." No, Kṛṣṇa-kathā is there just like milk is there, but if it is touched by the lips of a serpent, it is no more to be taken. It has become poison. Unless one is situated as pure Vaiṣṇava in his dealing, in his behavior, inside and outside, he should not become a preacher because it will not be effective, neither one should hear from such person.

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) to understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore our movement is known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So chandāṁsy adhīyīta guror āhūtaś cet suyantritaḥ. Very well behaved. Just like machine works systematically. You have seen. Everyone has seen. The machine of the watch is working very systematically, correctly. Similarly, every student, every disciple must work very correctly, like the machine. There is no question, "Why you did not attend school or the class?" You cannot say that "This is this. This is this." No. As machine work, everyone should attend the class, rise early in the morning, attend maṅgala-ārati. This is called suyantritaḥ, working like machine, no discrepancy. That is wanted. Suyantritaḥ. Then upakrame avasāne. In the beginning the students should come and offer obeisances to the lotus feet of guru. This is begin.

Lecture on SB 7.12.6 -- Bombay, April 17, 1976:

Pradyumna: "Brahmacārīs should be very polite and well... The Brahmacārī should be quite well behaved and gentle in nature. He should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the śāstra. In this way, fully controlled over the senses, behave with women as much as necessary, as well as persons who are controlled by women, should be associated with only as much as necessary."

Prabhupāda:

suśīlo mita-bhug dakṣaḥ
śraddadhāno jitendriyaḥ
yāvad-arthaṁ vyavaharet
strīṣu strī-nirjiteṣu ca
(SB 7.12.6)

So now, actually behavior, the first thing is suśīla, very well behaved, gentle. Śīla means behavior, and su means very good. Suśīlo mita-bhuk. This can be attained only when one practices eating whatever is absolutely necessary, not eating more. This is also enjoined by Rūpa Gosvāmī: atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Atyāhāra, eating more than necessary, is condemned everywhere. Spiritual life means reducing eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That is spiritual life. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. The Rūpa Gosvāmī and other six Gosvāmīs, they conquered over these things, nidrā-āhāra. So a brahmacārī should not eat anything except prasādam, that also when he is called by the spiritual master, "You can come and eat." This we have discussed.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

And He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). Bhraṣṭaḥ means one who is fallen from this devotional service. So for them also, it is guaranteed a human life. Not only human life, but in very good family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe. Śucīnām means by perfectly well behaved, cleansed family, brāhmaṇa family. Śucīnām. Śuci means very clean. So you are becoming all brāhmaṇas. You must remain always very clean. Śucīnām, that is called śuci. And muci means unclean, cobbler. Śuci and muci. So don't become muci. (laughter) Yes. Uncleanliness is muci, cobbler. They are dealing always with skin, and bad smell, and no bathing. So in our country, muci, the cobbler, is taken as the lowest of the mankind, narādhamāḥ, because their business is when the cow dies, so the mucis are prepared to take away the dead cow or bull. They eat the flesh, and they take out the skin and the bones for their business. Muci prepare shoes.

General Lectures

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

Suhṛdaḥ means well-wisher friend. A Vaiṣṇava or spiritual master or a saintly person is suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means he is well-wisher friend. As Kṛṣṇa is suhṛdaḥ, He is the friend of all living entities... Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. Similarly, a Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa's devotee, is also suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. Suhṛdaḥ. Sādhava. And sādhava means well-behaved. Sādhavaḥ. Sadācāra. His character is firm, without any spot. So these are the qualifications of sādhu, mahātmā, or spiritual master. Sama-cittāḥ, praśāntā, vimanyavaḥ, suhṛdaḥ, and sādhavaḥ.

So when one is in contact with such person, then the door of liberation is open. If one is in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord, it should be understood, if he follows his instruction, then it is sure and certain that he is going to Kṛṣṇa without any fail.

Thank you very much. Any question? Yes.

Lecture -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

If one has actually taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will never be lost, even though you find for the present he is not well-behaved. That is the version of Bhagavad-gītā. Even a thief, even a rogue, even a sinful man takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and follows the rules and regulation, for the time being you may find there are some faults, but it will vanish very soon. Just like the electric fan, it is moving. You make the switch off, you will find still moving. But it will stop moving very soon, because the switch is off. Similarly, if anyone takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, if you find that still he is not well-behaved, that is not very important thing. He has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is important thing. Because this superficial external misbehavior will stop. There are many śāstras' example.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation Including Discussion on SB 1.5.11 -- January 19, 1972, Jaipur:

Prabhupāda: He is mad after Kṛṣṇa, He is falling down in the sea. You see? So that is wanted. And the Bhāgavata also says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir (SB 1.2.6), how one has increased his devotion and love for Kṛṣṇa, that is the test of it. Not these formalities. Another place Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Even sudurācāraḥ, even not well behaved but unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30), he is sādhu. Don't consider about his misbehaviors. That is not consideration. That will be corrected. Because he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, gradually those things, those defects will be corrected. kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati, he will become very soon a great religious soul because he has taken to Kṛṣṇa. So in the beginning if there is some defect, we should not consider that. We have to see how much his love for Kṛṣṇa has increased, that is the test. Not the formalities. That is the test, how much he has sacrificed for Kṛṣṇa, how much he is prepared to sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation with Kenneth Keating, U.S. Ambassador to India -- October 14, 1972, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: No, he's not.

Ambassador: But your wife is here?

Śyāmasundara: Yes, she's here in India.

Ambassador: It's a lovely little girl, and so well behaved. She must have already had a part of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our little girls at that age don't behave so well, usually. But she is so quiet and sweet.

Śyāmasundara: Her only education has been from Prabhupāda.

Ambassador and Guest: Really!

Śyāmasundara: Completely. She doesn't know anything but Kṛṣṇa and...

Mrs. Keating: Really.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Officer Harry Edwards, the Village Policeman -- August 30, 1973, Bhaktivedanta Manor, London:

Harry: Ah yes, time... yeah. I dare say, I mean, possibly about next year, there may be something, someone else may have bought another house. So, so there'd be rumors about that.

Prabhupāda: In America, we are recognized by the police: We are well-behaved, peaceful persons.

Harry: Yes.

Guest: In America, we are recognized by the police as peaceful persons.

Harry: That's right. Yes.

Śyāmasundara: Every Sunday, we want to have the neighbors come if they will. We will have every Sunday a feast here for everyone in the village.

Harry: Yes.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). As soon as you become a unalloyed devotee of God, all the good qualities will manifest in you. If the good qualities does not manifest in you, that means you are not yet perfect in God consciousness. Just like you European boys, American boys, why you have given... (break) ...one of the item is that good quality that "Why shall I give trouble, pain, to other animals?" This is within the God consciousness. Just like poor-feeding. This program we also follow. In our temple, especially in India, any man can come and take his food. Yes. We have got arrangement. In the U.S.A also, Los Angeles, New York, we invite anyone, "Come and take food." We don't want to see that anyone is hungry. We don't want to see. So God consciousness means all the good ideas we are manufacturing, they will be manifested in God consciousness automatically. Therefore our duty should be, if we want to make all human being well-behaved, then we must try to make every one of them God conscious.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: Hindi. (Hindi) You read it thoroughly and you explain it either in English or Hindi, as you think befitting to your friends. So we have got so many literatures in French language. We are also asking some men from Europe. That will create some impression. Yes. White elephant. (laughter) Dancing. Everyone will purchase ticket. Yes. (Hindi) Bring some white elephant. So literature is there. But one thing is that you must be placed in sadācāra, well behaved. So you have to sacrifice, especially your long hair. And if you sacrifice your hair, we can export it and get some money. (laughter) Because in Western countries they want these hairs to make wigs. Yes. So just... (Hindi) As they have been trained up to rise early in the morning, this will give you spiritual strength. If you simply becomes a gramophone speaker, then it will not be effective. Gramophone or tape record speaker, that will not be.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Jayādvaita: The only place I found some difficulty is that sometimes if there is some discrepancy in behavior of our students, some petty stealing or something like that, then that is...

Prabhupāda: That you have to train our men so that they may be well behaved.

Jayādvaita: In Laguna Beach we had so many complaints, that they were trying to stop the temple. And their main complaint was that the devotees were taking flowers from people's gardens and without any permission, without any, simply taking. And just on that account they wanted to stop us. Some petty stealing, fifty dollars worth of flowers.

Prabhupāda: So why our devotees should take flowers from them? Stop it.

Jayādvaita: Yes, I stopped it. Instead I sent a letter to the neighbors that no one is taking flowers and we are planting a big garden. Now they've done that, and the neighbors come and they appreciate that such a nice garden is there, they remark.

Prabhupāda: You can make them friends, that "Your flowers in the garden will dry and fall down, so while it is fresh, if it is offered to God, and you'll get benefit out of it, why you object?" Yes. That's a fact.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Harbanslal -- Bombay 2 August, 1958:

Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy began from this philosophy of universal brotherhood which is not restricted to the human kind but to all the species of life. That is the sign of real intelligence. In the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that a learned man looks upon a well educated Brahmin who is well behaved by education and so also upon a candala who is accustomed to eat the dogs. And what is the purport of this equal vision? The purport is that we should look upon every one as the spark of the Supreme Brahman and we should not look upon the outer dress which every one has to give up one birth after another. I hope you will preach this Indian way of thinking every where in the foreign countries wherever you will have the opportunity. I think that people need this Indian message in this hour of necessity when the atomic bomb is hovering over the head of the human society.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Taittiriya -- Vrindaban 15 September, 1974:

It will be a great event when we meet together for a greater program in Japan. I have got very good respect for Japanese people. So far I have met the Japanese boys and girls in our temple there, they are so well behaved that I was astonished that they were more respectful than my direct disciples. I think there is great prospect to spread Krsna consciousness in Japan as well as China, because both China and Japan belong to oriental culture. A little endeavor tactfully in pushing Krsna consciousness in these two countries will be sure advancement. This is my conviction. Always think how to do it, and Krsna will give you intelligence. Let us perform this noble activity for the successful termination of this human form of life. Our project is to help the whole human society without any bodily conception of life.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Dhananjaya -- Berkeley 18 July, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 14, 1975 and have noted the contents. Yes, if you get guests there in the asrama you can easily make them Life and Patron members. For a gentleman who stays with us there is no difficulty in paying one or two thousand Rupees for this purpose. They come there to Vrindaban to spend for religious purpose their money. But, those who stay with us must be well behaved. From our side we will attend to their needs and make them comfortable, and from their side they must be clean and attend the aratis. Somehow or other they must be induced to take interest in spiritual life. Then it will be successful. You will get money and they will get spiritual profit. Both will be benefited by the grace of Krishna Balarama.

Page Title:Well-behaved (Lect., Conv. & Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:06 of May, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=30, Con=6, Let=3
No. of Quotes:39