Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 196

Krishna’s obligation

If one renders even a small amount of sincere devotional service, Krishna becomes obliged to elevate such person; and what to speak of one whose entire life and soul has been dedicated to Krishna’s service.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Harer Nama — London 6 November, 1969

Nonsense “for Krsna” will not be accepted

How to become Krsna conscious? Yat karosi: “Whatever you do,” kurusva tad mad-arpanam, “the result you give Me.” Then it will be Krsna consciousness. You always think that you are doing for Krsna. Of course, by the order of Krsna or by His representative, not whimsically. If you do something nonsense and if you think that “I am doing for Krsna,” that will not be accepted. It must be verified by the acceptance of Krsna and Krsna’s…, or Krsna’s representative. Arjuna did not fight without Krsna’s order. Therefore we must receive the order. If we say that “We do not find Krsna. How shall I…?” then Krsna’s representative. That is sadhu. The Krsna’s representative is sadhu.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.24 — November 24, 1974, Bombay

Earthworm civilization

Prabhupada: So many people, there are so many earthworms also. Ants also, gathered together. Does it mean they are independent? Hare Krsna. You know the earthworms? They heap up earth and disappear. So you are, if you take it in that way, that big, big buildings, just like earthworms gathering up earth and then disappears. Like the worms, we gather together and become a nation and apply all our energy, heaps of buildings, then finished. We go somewhere, you go somewhere. And who knows what he’s going to be next life? Everything is going like that, family, community, national. Like the same earthworm, they gather so much huge manure.

Morning Walk — July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.

Jaya Sri Rama!

Lord Ramacandra’s spotless name and fame, which vanquish all sinful reactions, are celebrated in all directions, like the ornamental cloth of the victorious elephant that conquers all directions. Great saintly persons like Markandeya Rsi still glorify His characteristics in the assemblies of great emperors like Maharaja Yudhisthira. Similarly, all the saintly kings and all the demigods, including Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, worship the Lord by bowing down with their helmets. Let me offer my obeisances unto His lotus feet.

Srila Prabhupada’s translation of SB 9.11.21

Lord Ramacandra demonstrated the duty of a faithful husband

Another aspect of the Lord’s instructions is that one who accepts a wife must be a faithful husband and give her full protection. Human society is divided into two classes of men — those who strictly follow the religious principles and those who are devotees. By His personal example, Lord Ramacandra wanted to instruct both of them how to fully adopt the discipline of the religious system and how to be a beloved and dutiful husband. Otherwise He had no reason to undergo apparent tribulations. One who strictly follows religious principles must not neglect to provide all facilities for the complete protection of his wife. There may be some suffering because of this, but one must nevertheless endure it. That is the duty of a faithful husband. By His personal example, Lord Ramacandra demonstrated this duty. Lord Ramacandra could have produced hundreds and thousands of Sitas from His pleasure energy, but just to show the duty of a faithful husband, He not only rescued Sita from the hands of Ravana but also killed Ravana and all the members of his family.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 5.19.6

A little misunderstanding between Godbrothers

Sometimes there will be a little misunderstanding between Godbrothers, that is even going on amongst liberated souls. What is important is that everyone must engage in Krishna’s service under the direction of the spiritual master.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Bhakta Ralph — Nellore 7 January, 1976

Wasting energy with modern amenities

We may apply our intelligence to manufacture an automobile, radio or television for sense gratification, but we have to understand that this is not knowledge. Rather, this is plundered intelligence. Intelligence was given to man to understand the problems of life, but it is being misused. People are thinking that they have acquired knowledge because they know how to manufacture and drive cars, but before the car was here people were still going from one place to another. It is just that the facility has been increased, but along with this facility come additional problems — air pollution and over-crowded highways. This is maya; we are creating facilities, but these facilities in their turn are creating so many problems. Instead of wasting our energy to supply ourselves with so many facilities and modern amenities, we should apply intelligence to understand who and what we are.

Srila Prabhupada, in On The Way To Krishna ch. 4: The Roads of the Foolish and the Wise

Srila Prabhupada’s idea of civilization

Prabhupada: The idea which I am giving, you can start anywhere, anywhere, any part of the world. It doesn’t matter. Locally you produce your own food. You get your own cloth. Have sufficient milk, vegetables. Then what you want more? And chant Hare Krsna. This is Vedic civilization: plain living, high thinking. And poor thinking, poor in thought, poor in behavior, and living with motorcar and this, that, nonsense. It is all nonsense civilization…

Guest (Indian man): Car is a necessity, Swamiji, don’t you think so? Car is a necessity.

Prabhupada: Not necessary. What is the use of car? If you locate yourself to get everything, your necessity, then where is the use of car? If you require car, you have a bullock cart. That’s all. Why should you hanker after petrol, mobile (Mobil?) oil, machine, this, that, so many things. Why?

Guest: Yes, but don’t you think that it would be impossible for you to come mostly?

Prabhupada: No, no. So long it is not available, we must take the best advantage. That is another thing. But gradually we shall develop a society that all these unnecessary rubbish things should be rejected. That is the idea. Or those who are interested, let them manufacture car; we take advantage. We don’t bother ourself how to manufacture car.

Morning Walk, Johannesburg, October 16, 1975

Disadvantages of modern civilization

This morning our scientist, Svarupa Damodara, was speaking about an article: the scientists are very much busy that the source of supply is being decreased. Just like petroleum. Petroleum, gas, that is diminishing. Now, whole modern materialistic civilization is depending on the motorcars and aeroplanes, transportation. So if the petroleum supply is stopped, then what will be the condition of the society?

Formerly there was no need of going to see a friend thirty miles away, because every friend was within the village. Now, because we have got motorcar, we create friendship with a man who lives fifty miles away. We accept a job fifty miles away. In Hawaii our Gaurasundara was going to attend office fifty miles off.

In big, big cities like New York, Calcutta, we have seen people are coming to attend their office from hundred miles off. I have seen also in England. Many workers or gentlemen, they are coming from Glasgow to London for working, by aeroplane. So we have created a civilization that… We have created a facility for transport by motorcar or by aeroplane, but side by side, we have created another difficulty, that a man has to go to his work three hundred miles away. Side by side.

Formerly, a man used to work on his field, a few steps from his house. Now we have created facility of transport; therefore we have to go to work three hundred miles away from home. This is the position. But they have no brain. They’re thinking they’re advancing. (chuckles) Advancing in this way, that for my livelihood I have to go three hundred miles, three hours at least, not less than three hours. Or six hours I have to spoil. Then I can go to my office. Then I work there whole day, and again come, again six hours. Then I come at night to sleep along with my family for three hours. Yes. This is our facility.  . . .

So we are advancing in science, but at the same time, the so-called science, we are creating many disadvantages. Many disadvantages. From practical experience I say that when I came to your country… In India it is very difficult to get a telephone. You have to wait in the waiting list at least for two years or you have to bribe the authorities, say, five thousand, two thousand, like that. So when I got this facility of telephone… Because as soon as I deposited forty dollars, the next day the telephone was in my room. So I was very glad. But after getting my telephone, I was disturbed always. (laughter) Some of my students asking, phoning me, (telephone sound) cling, cling, and Swamiji, how you are feeling? At twelve o’clock at night. (laughter). Yes. So I asked him, it is the time to inquire? I am very sorry. Not only one, I become so much disturbed. Then I asked them, get out this telephone. Yes.

So try to understand. The so-called facility of the modern science means creating so many difficulties also.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.10 — Los Angeles, September 16, 1972

Forget and forgive

We should learn to forget and forgive minor incidents because whenever there are two men in a place, there is always some misunderstanding. Such misunderstanding happens even between husband and wife — what to speak of others. But we have to adjust things on the basis of Krishna Consciousness. We should always remember that K.C. is a challenge to the modern misguided human society, and we have to meet many unfavorable incidents.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Gargamuni — Los Angeles 11 January, 1968