Srila Prabhupada's Quote Of The Day

Topic

January 9

In order to change this materialistic society and prevent them from gliding to hell, first thing is to educate them. All decent men want to give service to humanity, only thing is they do not have information really what is that service. Hospitals, feeding the poor, Red Cross, these are service to the bodies only, not to the man. Service to humanity means jnana. By giving people knowledge, jnana, that is the highest service to humanity. So we are performing the actual welfare work of society by informing everyone through our literatures who is God, who they are, and what is the relationship. In this way everyone who hears our message gets the opportunity to fulfill his actual position as human entity and become delivered from the clutches of maya.

Letter to Ramesvara, 9 January, 1973

December 8

Krsna has many incarnations. Sometimes He appears in the species of fish. Kesava dhrta-mina-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. That does not mean that he belongs to the fish community. Similarly, when Krsna appeared as the son of Vasudeva, Vasudeva belonged to the ksatriyas. That does not mean that He belonged to the ksatriya community. Then again He was transferred to Vrndavana to become the foster son of Nanda Maharaja. And Nanda Maharaja was a vaisya, mercantile community man. So that does not mean that Krsna belonged to the vaisya community. He does not belong to any community. So you should not take Krsna that because He appeared in India therefore He is Indian or Indian god. That is a mistake. Krsna is for everyone.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.11-18, Los Angeles, January 8, 1969

January 7

There are so many conceptions of sadhu. But sadhu is described in the Bhagavad-gita by the Lord Himself, who is sadhu. He said api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Sadhu is one who is unflinchingly engaged in loving service of the Lord. He is a sadhu. That is the test, who is a sadhu.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 10.8, New York, January 7, 1967

January 6

Yesterday we have visited a very old and famous Ranganatha Temple here in Nellore. Everything is being managed very nicely and there are very nice arrangements for those who come for darsana. So similarly our temple in Vrindaban must be managed expertly that everyone who comes is given caranamrta and prasadam of the Deity.

Letter to Aksayananda Maharaja, 6 January, 1976

January 5

If there is any occasion of necessity, if there are not very many men available or if there is prohibition by the municipal authorities, something like that, we may assign everyone for distributing our literatures, there is no loss for that. But it is always better if there are also some devotees chanting loudly on the street. If there is even one man to two men or a small party who are chanting Hare Krishna, that will increase also the book sales. So if there are sufficient men, and if we have got sanction by the authorities, it is always better to have at least a small party chanting along with as many distributers of books as possible.

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa, 5 January, 1973

January 4

You may dress Lord Caitanya in the standard way, main things is do it nicely, don't make it funny. In your Western countries Lord Caitanya should be entirely covered, He should not appear bare-chested.

Letter to Dhruvananda, 4 January, 1973

January 3

Most of the money collected in India has been deposited in my Bhaktivedanta Book Trust fund for printing and purchasing books for distribution in India. Actually, our main business in this country shall be to distribute our books profusely. Mayapur, Vrindaban, these temples shall be utilized for the most part by foreigners. So far the work in India of spreading Krsna consciousness, there are already millions of temples, so what shall our two more temples accomplish for spreading Krsna consciousness? They are meant for the foreigners and big life members. But our emphasis for preaching work will be on these books.

Letter to Bhavananda, 3 January, 1973

January 2

The GBC men are there, the world is divided into 12 zones for gradual development by these, my chosen right hand men.

Letter to Hamsaduta, 2 January, 1973

January 1

Nobody wants to die, that's a fact, but death is enforced. No young man wants to become old man, but it is enforced. You cannot avoid it. So we should understand - this is sense - that we are not independent. That's a fact. Prakrteh kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27]. And above prakrti there is Krsna.

Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 3.27, Madras, January 1, 1976

December 31

Rupa Gosvami has introduced this system of regulative principles which I have taught to you also. These regulative principles, such as rising before 4 a.m. for mangala aratrika, chanting 16 rounds minimum on beads daily, reading books, going for the street sankirtana, preaching to anyone and everyone, offering the prasadam, like that, these principles of devotional service are there to safeguard us from maya's attack by keeping us always enthusiastic.

Letter to Dhananjaya, 31 December, 1972

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