Prabhupada: This man is with us for the last six months. He is not ready to sacrifice his hair. Tamala Krsna: Some dead stool. Some lump of stool on the head. Even that, he won’t give up. Prabhupada: What is the value of this hair?  He has got some conviction, “I am not ready still for give up […]

These varnas and asramas have their respective duties, and unless human society is divided according to these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts according to his position, there can be no peace in the world. varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the proper execution of […]

According to sastra, we have prescribed, “No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication.” Four no’s. Then you become free from sinful activities. And then chant Hare Krsna. Your life is successful. It is not very difficult, provided you are serious to take it. So that is our request. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Cc. Adi […]

Pure devotees, out of compassion for the fallen souls, are krpalu, very kind to people in general; they distribute this Bhagavata knowledge all over the world. A kindhearted devotee is called dina-natha, protector of the poor, ignorant mass of people. Lord Krsna is also known as dina-natha or dina-bandhu, the master or actual friend of the poor living entities, […]

We accept the guru as the superman because he is worshipped like God. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah [Sri Gurv-astaka 8]. By the mercy of the superman, one can get in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (From Srila Prabhupada’s philosophy discussions with Syamasundara Dasa)

If you teach them not to become drunkards, not to become woman-hunter, the modern society, where you can…, where is our business? Our business is to [indistinct] the problems, and stop them, [indistinct] and drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, and so many problems. And then what is our business? Teach the Westerners: “Give up,” like that. So what is […]

When you are in prison life, you will find evil. But that evil is good for you, so that you can learn some lesson, and when you are out of the prison you will not come again. That is the blessings of evil. (From Srila Prabhupada’s philosophy discussions with Syamasundara Dasa)

Japanese man: I always want to ask whether if you met demigods or Indra or Brahma or… Prabhupada: Then what benefit will be for you? Suppose if I met, now what benefit you will derive out of it? If I say, “Yes, I have met,” then what benefit you will get? Why you are asking this question? That […]

If you continue in this way, strictly following the four regulative principles, making sure to chant at least sixteen rounds on the beads daily, it is without a doubt that at the end of this lifetime, you can go back home, back to Godhead. [Srila Prabhupada; letter to Amogha, Bombay, 26 December, 1972]

Dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo ‘smi bharatarsabha. Sex is allowed only for the begetting of children, not for enjoyment. One can indulge in sex to beget a good child for the benefit of the family, society and world. Otherwise, sex is against the rules and regulations of religious life. A materialistic person does not believe that everything is managed in nature, […]

Srila Prabhupada recounted as follows: “When I was five or six years old, any carpenter I saw I would ask him why don’t you make a Rathayatra cart for me. ‘Yes, why not,’ they would say. I would have my father take me to the carpenter shop, but none of them would make it. One old lady saw […]

I remember in Hyderabad during the temple opening in August 1976 a devotee asked you about Visnujana Maharaja. You looked concerned for a moment then said he was on a higher planetary level continuing his devotional service. Bhavabhuti Prabhu, who was then co-temple president of ISKCON Madras [Chennai], then asked you about taking sannyasa. “I understand the value of taking […]