1. Srila Prabhupada’s civil suicide (sannyasa)

    Prabhupada: Before leaving my family life I wanted to get my all sons and daughters married, but some of them disagreed, some of them… My wife disagreed. Let them go to hell, I don’t care. Time is up. Never mind you are married or not married. Then see [to] your own business.

    Then who will take care of the marriage of your daughter? Suppose you die immediately? Then who will take care?

    Guest (1): God will give them.

    Prabhupada: Then why don’t you do that now? God will take care. It is called, my Guru Maharaja used to say, civil suicide. Civil suicide. Just like if you commit suicide, that is criminal. But this is voluntarily committing suicide: “Now I am dead. Whatever you like, you do.” So we have to commit civil suicide if we are actually attached to Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya… [Bg 18.66]. That is grha-dharma. But Krsna says, “Give up that.” But that attachment is there. I do not think… Suppose I die immediately. Who will take care of my daughter? At that time we say “God.” And why not now?

    Conversation – December 26, 1976, Bombay