1. The basis of India’s unity

    India was united on the strength of religious culture and Sanskrit language. All over India the lingua franca, or the language, common language, at least for the scholars, not for the common man… The common man could speak any language — Hindi, Parsi, or Bengali, Oriya, Telugu, so many. There are so many languages. In every district you […]
  2. Villages are better than cities

    Actually, I have no desire to start the school in any city. City life, especially in this age of Kali-yuga, is very much polluted. Poet Cowper stated that the city is made by man and the village is made by God. So in the village there is a natural tendency for Krishna consciousness. (From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to […]
  3. Everywhere people will join

    Brahmananda: …Srimad-Bhagavatam about the kiratas and so on. That means we can go to any community in the world… Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Brahmananda: …and preach, and some will join. Prabhupada: Yes. That is actually happening. (Morning Walk — March 11, 1975, London)
  4. Chanting various names of God

    Regarding your questions about various names of God, we have nothing to do with Jehova, Allah, Jesus, etc. If somebody else wants to chant in this way it is all right, but nobody is chanting Jesus etc. If they like, let them do that but as far as we are concerned, we should be satisfied with the Hare Krishna […]
  5. Very difficult with these rascals

    This Kali-yuga is so strong that it attacks even the so-called devotees also. Kali-yuga is very strong. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended that if you want to save yourself, if you at all desire to take the position of amrta, if you are interested… Nobody is interested. Krsna says sa amrtatvaya kalpate. That is the aim of life: How […]
  6. Krsna’s ideal household life

    The wives of Krsna were so fortunate that they got the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their husband, although their husband’s personality was unknown even to Brahma and the other demigods. In their dealings as husband and wife, Krsna and His queens would smile, talk, joke, embrace and so on, and their conjugal relationship ever-increasingly developed. In this way, […]
  7. Preaching means fighting

    We have to fight; otherwise what is the meaning of preaching? If you think that everything will be accepted very easily, then where is the necessity of preaching and propaganda? You must know that they are all rascals. That I say: rascals, unbelievers. You have to convert them to be sane man. That is preaching. That is preaching. Why […]
  8. Haridasa Thakura: ideal Vaisnava, humble and submissive

    Although personally called by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu to take prasadam with Them, still, out of great humility, Haridasa Thakura submitted, “I shall take the prasadam outside of the house.” Although Haridasa Thakura was an exalted Vaisnava accepted by Advaita Acarya, Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, nonetheless, in order not to disturb social tranquillity, he humbly kept […]
  9. Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s genuine humility

    A maha-bhagavata feels, “I am the lowest.” Just like Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, amara jivana sada pape rata nahika punyera lesa. He says like that, that “My life is always engaged in sinful activities. I’ve not a trace of pious activity.” Amara jivana sada ape rata nahika punyera lesa. “I have given so much distress to all […]
  10. Determined activities

    In devotional service there are certain activities which are called determined, such as fasting on certain days, like the eleventh day of the moon, Ekadasi, and on the appearance day of the Lord. All these rules and regulations are offered by the great acaryas for those who are actually interested in getting admission into the association […]