Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 136

Vaisnava dress is necessary

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31]. Then preksaniya, “He is worth seeing.” We are accustomed to see so many things. That is our bondage. Aksnoh phalam. If by the eyes you see the Deity, the Vaisnavas… The Vaisnavas, with tilaka, with kunti, with chanting beads, as soon as you see… And practically you know. As soon as they see these Hare Krsna movement people, they also chant, “Hare Krsna,” giving a chance to the others. The dress is also required. You should be always equipped with tilaka, kunti, and sikha, sutra. Then, as soon as a common man sees, “Oh, here is a Hare Krsna man. Hare Krsna,” he’ll chant. Automatically you give a chance to chant Hare Krsna.

So this is required. The foolish rascals, they say that “What is the necessity of this, that?” No. This is necessity. You must always remain dressed like a Vaisnava. That is necessity. So preksaniya: “is very beautiful to see.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.28.19, Nairobi, October 29, 1975

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Health

Guest (2): What is the importance of health in life, and how does Guruji advise people to maintain health, and how does it connect to your mission?

Prabhupada: Where is health? First of all you have to understand that however healthy you may be, you must die. What problem you have solved? Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9], Krsna says. It is not my manufacture. However you may try to remain very healthy, nature’s law is that you must die. How you can help yourself? After all, you have to meet death. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. So long you have got this material body, there is no question of health. You must suffer. You may be very great scientist, but nature’s law must act.

March 23, 1977, Bombay, at Cross Maidan Pandal

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Switching off & on a fan

“Your sinful karma is like a revolving fan,” Swamiji explains. “By chanting Hare Krishna, you turn it off. The fan may still revolve for a while after
being turned off, but since it is getting no more juice, it will soon stop.” “When it stops, does it stop for good?” someone asks. “You know where the switch is,” Swamiji says. “You can always turn it back on.”

(From: The Hare Krishna Explosion by Hayagriva Dasa)

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Vaisnava preachers are harassed

It is said that in the Kali-yuga if one cannot spend money in court, one cannot get justice. Indeed, in courts of justice it is often found that magistrates are bribed for favorable judgments. Sometimes religious men who preach the Krsna consciousness movement for the benefit of the entire populace are arrested and harassed by the police and courts. The Visnudutas, who are Vaisnavas, lamented for these very regrettable facts. Because of their spiritual compassion for all the fallen souls, Vaisnavas go out to preach according to the standard method of all religious principles, but unfortunately, because of the influence of Kali-yuga, Vaisnavas who have dedicated their lives to preaching the glories of the Lord are sometimes harassed and punished by courts on false charges of disturbing the peace.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 6.2.2, ppt.

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United Nations of criminals

There is another story. A group of thieves stolen some things, and when they were dividing, one of them: ‘Kindly, morally divide. Morally divide. Honestly divide.’ The thing is taken dishonestly, and they are dividing honestly. This is going on, whole world. Everything is taken dishonestly, and when there is question of division, the United Nations honestly divides it. The association of the honest men, United Nations. All plunderers, rogues, thieves, and they have made an association, United Nations, basically they’re all rogues and thieves. As soon as there is opportunity, they’ll commit all criminal activities. And they’re doing. So this is not philosophy. So here happiness by material possession is the happiness of the rogues and the thieves.

Srila Prabhupada; lecture on The Nectar of Devotion, Calcutta, January 29, 1973

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Lessons from world history

If we study the history of the world, we see that it is simply a history of struggle. Mankind attempts to relieve its miserable condition, but it simply brings about another miserable condition. As we try to overcome one problem, another problem arises. Our determination to renounce our association with this material world is called mukti. Mukti means coming to the spiritual platform. Since we belong to the spiritual atmosphere, it is impossible for us to be happy in the material atmosphere. If a land animal is placed in water, he will simply struggle for existence, despite being an expert swimmer. We have come into this material world to gratify our senses, but our attempts will never be successful. If we actually want to attain a state beyond fear, we have to accept this bhakti-yoga process enunciated by Lord Kapiladeva.

Srila Prabhupada, TLK Vs 43

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Srila Prabhupada discusses women’s liberation

Prabhupada: I condemn everyone, that “You are all dogs and hogs.” And United Nations a pack of dogs barking. That’s a fact. And in Chicago I said, all women, “You cannot have freedom. You have got only thirty-four-ounce brain, and man has got sixty-four-ounce.” I told them. So I became a subject of very great criticism.

Trivikrama: Women’s liberation.

Prabhupada: I denied, “No, you cannot have.” I told them. One girl in the airship, she was seeing like (makes some gesture-laughter). I asked her, “Give me 7-Up.” “It is locked now.” So I frankly said that “No, no. You cannot have equal rights because your brain is thirty-four ounce.” Actually that’s a fact. Where is woman philosopher, mathematician, scientist? Not a single.

Dr. Patel: Apart from that, I mean, they are made for a particular mission.

Prabhupada: How they can have equal rights? Up to date in the history there is not a single woman who is a great scientist or great philosopher or
great.

Dr. Patel: Madame Curie was a.

Prabhupada: All bogus. (laughter)

Dr. Patel: You are getting too harsh on them because.

Prabhupada: No, no. How can I give you equal rights, because your brain is less substance.

Dr. Patel: We cannot degrade our mothers that way.

Prabhupada: It is not degrading. It is accepting the actual fact.

Dr. Patel: These girls are misled, these American girls.

Prabhupada: There is no history. There is no history. Just like Kunti’s mother. She produced so many heroes, but she was not hero. She could produce heroes like Arjuna, like Bhima. But not that she becomes hero.

Dr. Patel: Mother can produce heroes.

Prabhupada: That’s all right. Still, nobody will say that Kunti is as good as Arjuna or Bhima.

Dr. Patel: How can anybody say?

Prabhupada: That isi How you’ll get the equal rights?

Dr. Patel: No woman smaller than Kunti could have produced an Arjuna.

Prabhupada: You can produce. That is another thing. A cook can produce foodstuff suitable for rich man, but that does not mean he is rich man.

Morning Walk, January 9, 1977, Bombay

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Thanksgiving celebration

Prabhupada: Generally, any animal you kill, that is sinful. But especially cow killing is sinful. Go-hatya. And that cow killing is going on in the Christian world, and still, they are religious. What kind of religion? Christian religion says generally, “Thou shalt not kill.” And especially they are killing cows. Generally killing and especially killing. First thing is why they shall kill at all? In America, oh, they have got sufficient food. So much rice, so much wheat, so much oats, fruits, grains and butter and ghee. So why they shall kill? What is the reason?

Umapati: Uncontrollable tongue.

Prabhupada: Yes. Now what is that bird who is killed in Christmas?

Devotees: Turkey.

Prabhupada: Turkey, you see…Christmas, God’s Christmas, Jesus Christ. He said, “Thou shalt not kill.” But his birthday is observed by killing, killing, killing, killing, killing.

Krsna-kanti: Actually, they kill the turkey on Thanksgiving, which is the day that they acknowledge and give thanks to the Lord.

Umapati: For this great country.

Prabhupada: For giving them opportunity to kill? And where is the opportunity? The Lord said, “Thou shalt not kill.” Where do they get the opportunity of killing? That is another blaspheming. Where do they get this opportunity? They manufacture.

From a Morning Walk at Cheviot Hills Golf Course – May 15, 1973, Los
Angeles

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Vedic cosmology: stars are like the moon

Modern scientists and astronomers try to explain the cosmic situation and the vastness of space, and some of them believe that all the glittering stars are different suns. From Bhagavad-gita, however, we understand that all these stars (naksatras) are like the moon, in that they reflect the sunshine [Bg 15.12]. They are not independent luminaries.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 5.16.4, purport

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Prepare to play with Krsna and dance with Krsna and eat with Krsna

Krsna says, dhiras tatra na muhyati: [Bg. 2.13] “A sober man is not perplexed at the time of death.” If you prepare yourself for death, why should you be perplexed? For example, if in your childhood and boyhood you prepare yourself nicely, if you become educated, then you will get a nice job, a nice situation, and be happy. Similarly, if you prepare yourself in this life for going back home, back to Godhead, then where is your perplexity at the time of death? There is no perplexity. You’ll know, “I am going to Krsna. I am going back home, back to Godhead. Now I’ll not have to change material bodies; I’ll have my spiritual body. Now I shall play with Krsna and dance with Krsna and eat with Krsna.” This is Krsna consciousness — to prepare yourself for the next life.

From: The Journey of Self-Discovery, by Srila Prabhupada

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