1. Cleanliness is next to godliness

    Cleanliness is essential. "Cleanliness is next to godliness." In India, especially in the villages, you'll find cleanliness. He has got one cloth, poverty-stricken, one cloth, not very white. Due to dirt, it is black. But that one cloth should be washed daily, still, one cloth. They'll take one napkin and wash the cloth, and India, tropical climate, here also, and spread it on the floor. Within five minutes it will be dry, and then change clothes. And early in the...
  2. Banning polygamy is demonic

    People have become so degraded in this age that on the one hand they restrict polygamy and on the other hand they hunt for women in so many ways. Many business concerns publicly advertise that topless girls are available in this club or in that shop. Thus women have become instruments of sense enjoyment in modern society. The Vedas enjoin, however, that if a man has the propensity to enjoy more than one wife -- as is sometimes the...
  3. Advice from Hari-bhakti-vilasa on employment

    From Hari-bhakti-vilasa: atmano nicalokanam sevanam vrttisiddhaye nitaram nindyate sadbhirvaisnavasya visesatah ||9.256|| "For livelihood, the service of lower grade persons is blameworthy (nindaniya) for a respectable man. This is especially so for Vaisnavas." Digdarsini tika for the above verse: atmanah sakasat ye nica lokastesam, vaisnavasya tu nicalokasevanam visesato'dhikam nindyate, nicasevanena nicanam-avaisnavadustajananam-adhinatva mahadosapatte ||256||
  4. The qualification

    The Supreme Lord is achieved by devotion (bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]). One's devotion and sincere desire to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the only qualifications. Rupa Gosvami has also said that the price for achieving God's favor is simply one's sincere eagerness to have it (laulyam ekam mulyam).
  5. Sanatana-dharma everywhere

    ...the process by which we can understand our sanatana nature, that is called sanatana-dharma, not that having a big tilaka and considering this rascal lump of matter as "I am brahmana. This body is brahmana, and sanatana-dharma." This is all nonsense. Sanatana-dharma means you first of all you must know what you are. That is sanatana-dharma. Is it... Is sanatana-dharma is limited to a certain area? How it can be? Sarva-gatah. Sanatana-dharma must be there everywhere. Isavasyam idam sarvam...
  6. Our real purpose

    Our plan is not to sponsor the Hindus or any other individual group. Our real purpose is to spread Krishna Consciousness. This means that there is one God; Krishna, there is one scripture; Bhagavad-gita As It Is, there is one mantra; Hare Krishna, and there is one work; service of Lord Krishna. We want to preach this cult all over the world, and I am sure people from all groups of religion will join us. If we establish a...
  7. Krsna supplies both devotees and nondevotees

    It is Krsna's pleasure that whatever you want, you can get it. You get all advantage by Krsna. If you want to become a demon, Krsna will supply you: "All right, you become a demon. You take whatever you want from Me." He will give you. Similarly, if you want to become a demigod or devotee, Krsna will supply you all the necessities. Now it is my choice whether I shall become a demon and whether I shall become...
  8. How to learn to do anything

    Srila Prabhupada said, "A devotee can learn to do anything if they repeat this prayer before they begin any service." And then he spoke this wonderful prayer: om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam
  9. How to learn to do anything

    Srila Prabhupada said, "A devotee can learn to do anything if they repeat this prayer before they begin any service." And then he spoke this wonderful prayer: om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam
  10. Female sannyasis

    A female is never awarded the order of Sannyasam. Because a female is never considered independent and Sannyasam was never awarded to any female in the past by the great Acaryas like Sankara, Ramanuja etc. The female Sannyasins are to be immediately understood as pretenders or prostitutes. In India they have organized so many organizations where specially young females are maintained to attract rich women-hunters who pretend to pose as righteous in the society. This is the age of...