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Srila Prabhupada's Quote Of The Day

August 22

Formerly, this place, Manor, was known as Piggot's Manor. Now we have named Bhaktivedanta Manor. What is the difference? Formerly, it was for sense gratification. Now it is meant for elevating one to the spiritual standard of life. So anything can be changed like that for sat-sanga. Sat-sangat mukta duhsanga. If you continue 'sat', as it is said, sat-sanga, then you advance in spiritual life. And if you associate with 'asat', then you become degraded. This is the policy. Sat-sanga chadi kainu asate vilasa te karane lagila mora karma-bandha-phansa. Don't be entangled. Try to become liberated from the entanglement. That is the mission of life.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.16, London, 22 August, 1973

August 21

We have to work very hard and with intelligence and sincerity for this movement. It is a great movement undoubtedly but it takes a little time to convince the higher section of the society. Still that is one of our businesses because unless the higher section understands this movement, it will make progress slowly. If the higher section says yes, it is a nice movement, it will progress very quickly. Our mission is undoubtedly the highest welfare activity to the human society. Everyone has forgotten his real constitutional position. Therefore all of them are hovering in the air without any concrete knowledge of the goal of life. Actually we are in the position to teach everyone, never mind however great a philosopher or scientist he may be, but everyone must learn from us about spiritual activities.

Letter to Bhagavan das, 21 August, 1971

August 20

The proof of the soul existing is that the consciousness is spread all over my body. As soon as I pinch any part of my body, I feel pain. Therefore I understand a soul is there. Just like a man who is going to die. So doctor is examining. He sees the pulse. He sees the heart - "Yes, it is beating." That is the sign that still the man is living. Similarly, the soul is there. The proof is that I can feel pains and pleasure on my body. That is explained in this verse.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.14, London, 20 August, 1973

August 19

The impersonalist who prefers to merge with the Brahman effulgence has no shelter at the lotus feet of Krishna. Therefore such impersonalist even though raised to the Brahman platform come down again to the material world for pleasure's sake. In India you will find many sannyasis who merge into the Brahma effulgence, but without any pleasure there, they come down to the platform of material activities of opening schools and hospitals - Daridra Narayana, etc. Such men with poor fund of knowledge do not know that in the material world however you try to arrange things very right, it will always fail. But in the spiritual world the spiritual varieties displayed by Krishna along with his associates gives eternal pleasure. That is wanted. The Brahma effulgence, there the pleasure is temporary.

Letter to Sridhara das, 19 August, 1974

August 18

There is no scarcity of food. So this theory that overpopulation is nonsense. There cannot be overpopulation. But there is restriction, by nature. Nature will restrict production of food if there are demons. Nature will not provide the demons. You'll find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, nature is quite prepared to supply all the foods, but as soon as there are number of demons, because the whole plan is to correct. Just like the criminals are sent to the prison house for being corrected so that they may not again commit criminals. Similarly, we are all criminals who are in this material world. The purpose is to be corrected. We wanted to imitate Krsna, to become Krsna, and therefore we violated the orders of Krsna, and that criminality means material life.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.12, London, 18 August, 1973

August 17

Actually, the presence of Maya should not surprise us because this is the Kingdom of Maya. All of the uncountable living entities in the uncountable universes are generally to be found under the stringent grip of Maya's power. So the presence of Maya is not a very wonderful thing. But what is wonderful is when a sincere soul decides to turn away from the attraction of Maya and decides to serve Krishna in pure unalloyed devotional service. So this is what we should fix our attention to: serving Krishna sincerely. Then automatically the influence of Maya will become nil and we can remember our eternal loving relationship with the Supreme Lord. But as long as we are attracted by the nonsense glittering of Maya's call, this pure state of consciousness cannot be realized within the heart.

Letter to Mahapurusa, 17 August, 1969

August 16

So hrsikeshah, prahasann iva. Krsna began to laugh, smiling, "What a nonsense this is, Arjuna." First of all he said, "Put me." Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. "Krsna, just put my chariot between the two parties of soldiers." And now... He was so enthusiastic in the beginning that "Put my chariot between the two armies." Now this rascal is saying no yotsya, "I will not fight." Just see the rascaldom. So even Arjuna, Krsna's direct friend, maya is so strong that he also becomes a rascal, what to speak of others.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.10, London, August 16, 1973

August 15

A sisya, a disciple, comes to the guru for enlightenment. Everyone is born foolish. Everyone. Even the human beings, because they are coming from the animal kingdom by evolution, so the birth is the same, ignorance, like animals. Therefore, even though one is human being, he requires education. The animal cannot take education, but a human being can take education.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.9, London, August 15, 1973

August 14

This preaching work is our mission. It is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission, my Guru Maharaja's mission, and my mission. It is through the parampara. As I am trying to discharge my Guru Maharaja's mission, you also try and things will go on nicely.

Letter to Pusta Krsna Maharaja, 14 August, 1976

August 13

Maya means things which have no existence independent of Godhead, but its business is to cover Godhead. Similarly, either the Ram Krishna Mission or Maharishi's group, they have no existence independent of Krishna, but their activities are just like the cloud covering Krishna. Actually, they never directly preach Krishna Consciousness. On the other hand, they do something to cover Krishna Consciousness. So although water is generated from fire, we cannot pour on water when the fire is blazing. We cannot adulterate Krishna Consciousness with the Ram Krishna Mission or with anything else. We must present Krishna Consciousness in its pure form.

Letter to Jaya Govinda, 13 August, 1969

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