A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Quotes

Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a Gaudiya Vaishnavism spiritual teacher and the founder preceptor of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness , commonly known as the "Hare Krishna Movement". Adherents of the ISKCON movement view Prabhupada as a pure devotee and messenger of Krishna.

Born Abhay Charan De in Calcutta, he was educated at the Scottish Church College in Calcutta. Before adopting the life of a pious renunciant in 1950, he was married with children and owned a small pharmaceutical business. In 1959 he took a vow of renunciation and started writing commentaries on Vaishnava scriptures. In his later years, as a travelling Vaishnava monk, he became an influential communicator of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology to India and specifically to the West through his leadership of ISKCON, founded in 1966. As the founder of ISKCON, he "emerged as a major figure of the Western counterculture, initiating thousands of young Americans." He received criticism from anti-cult groups, as well as a favourable welcome from religious scholars such as J. Stillson Judah, Harvey Cox, Larry Shinn and Thomas Hopkins, who praised Bhaktivedanta Swami's translations and defended the group against distorted media images and misinterpretations. In respect to his achievements, religious leaders from other Gaudiya Vaishnava movements have also given him credit.

He has been described as a charismatic leader, in the sense used by sociologist Max Weber, as he was successful in acquiring followers in the United States, Europe, India and elsewhere. His mission was to propagate, throughout the world, Krishna Consciousness that had been taught to him by his guru, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. After his death in 1977, ISKCON, the society he founded based on Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is of Bhagavata Purana as a central scripture, continued to grow. In February 2014, ISKCON's news agency reported reaching a milestone of distributing over half a billion of his books since 1965. His translation and commentaries of the Bhagavad-Gītā As It Is is considered by adherents to the ISKCON movement and many Vedic scholars as one of the finest literary works of Vaishnavism translated into the English Language.



✵ 1. September 1896 – 14. November 1977   •   Other names Swami Prabhupada, ए सी भक्तिवेदान्त स्वमी प्रभुपद
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada photo
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: 54   quotes 69   likes

Famous A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Quotes

“A woman’s attachment to her husband may elevate her to the body of a man in her next life, but a mans attachment to woman will degrade him, and in his next life he will get the body of a woman.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 3, Chapter 31, verse 41, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/3/31/41
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

“Religion means to know God and to love Him.”

Source: The Science of Self-Realization

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Quotes about God

“Love of God is dormant in every living entity.”

Multiple books, 1970 to 1977. Vanipedia http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Love_of_God_is_dormant_in_every_living_entity
Quotes from Books: Loving God

“If you want to love God, there is nothing throughout the whole world which can check you. Simply you have to develop your eagerness: "Kṛṣṇa, I want You." That's all. Then there is no question of checking. In any condition you'll increase your love, increase your love.”

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 - Los Angeles, May 3, 1970. Vanipedia http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/If_you_want_to_love_God,_there_is_nothing_throughout_the_whole_world_which_can_check_you._Simply_you_have_to_develop_your_eagerness:_%22Krsna,_I_want_You.%22_That%27s_all._Then_there_is_no_question_of_checking
Quotes from other Sources, Quotes from other Sources: Loving God

“Actually, it doesn't matter – Krishna or Christ – the name is the same. The main point is to follow the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures that recommend chanting the name of God in this age.”

The Science of Self-Realization http://www.krishna.com/books/the-science-of-self-realization. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1977. Vanipedia http://vanisource.org/wiki/SSR4a_Krsna_or_Christ_-_The_Name_Is_the_Same

“Those who are yogis, bhakta-yogis, because they are in love with God, Kṛṣṇa, they are seeing every moment within their heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyone you love, you see always within your heart. Similarly, if you have love for God, Kṛṣṇa, then you can see Kṛṣṇa always. That is called yoga system.”

Lecture on The Nectar of Devotion - Bombay, December 27, 1972. Vanipedia http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Anyone_you_love,_you_see_always_within_your_heart._Similarly,_if_you_have_love_for_God,_Krsna,_then_you_can_see_Krsna_always._That_is_called_yoga_system
Quotes from other Sources, Quotes from other Sources: Loving God

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Quotes about love

“We are not teaching some ritualistic process, that "You become Hindu. You become Christian. You become Muhammadan." We are simply teaching, "You try to love God. You have forgotten God. You have declared, 'God is dead.' These are all nonsense. God is there. You are here. You are suffering because you have forgotten God. You try to love God. Your normal life will come back. You will be happy."”

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lecture on Bhagavad-gītā 4.7-10 - Los Angeles, (6 January 1969) Vanipedia http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/You_have_forgotten_God._You_have_declared,_%27God_is_dead.%27_These_are_all_nonsense._God_is_there._You_are_here._You_are_suffering_because_you_have_forgotten_God._You_try_to_love_God._Your_normal_life_will_come_back._You_will_be_happy._This_is_KC_movement
Quotes from other Sources

“When one's relationship with the Supreme Lord is established, the next program is to act in that relationship. This is called abhidheya, or activity in relationship with the Lord. After executing such prescribed duties, when one attains the highest goal of life, love of Godhead, he achieves prayojana-siddhi, or the fulfillment of his human mission.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ādi-līlā 7.146, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, (1975) Vanipedia http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/After_executing_such_prescribed_duties,_when_one_attains_the_highest_goal_of_life,_love_of_Godhead,_he_achieves_prayojana-siddhi,_or_the_fulfillment_of_his_human_mission]
Quotes from Books: Loving God

“Although there is no difference between a devotee in śānta-rasa or dāsya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa or mādhurya-rasa, one can still make a comparative study of the intensity of love in these different transcendental positions. For example, it may be said that dāsya-rasa is better than śānta-rasa, yet transcendental love of God is there in both of them.”

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 8.83, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1975. Vanipedia http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/It_may_be_said_that_dasya-rasa_is_better_than_santa-rasa,_yet_transcendental_love_of_God_is_there_in_both_of_them
Quotes from Books: Loving God

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada: Trending quotes

“Why not make me an Hon. teacher in the Religion Department for teaching the cult of Lord Caitanya which is the living religion of the world. All other religions of the world are carried by more sentiments than philosophy but Caitanya cult is full of philosophy and transcendental sentiments or emotions.”

Letter to Kirtanananda, New York, 14 April, 1967 PrabhupadaBooks.com http://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/new_york/april/14/1967/kirtanananda?d=1
Quotes from other Sources, Quotes from other Sources: Religious and Cultural Elitism

“Women as a class are no better than boys, and therefore they have no discriminatory power like that of a man.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 1, Chapter 7, verse 42, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/1/7/42
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

“Generally, separation between husband and wife is due to womanly behavior; divorce takes place due to womanly weakness. The best course for a woman is to abide by the orders of her husband.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 4, Chapter 4, verse 3, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/4/4/3
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Quotes

“Prabhupada: Yes. That is Tulasi dasa’s remark. So in many passages of his poetry he has not done very justice to woman. And another poetry, he writes, dhol gunar sudra nari. Dhol gunar sudra nari ihe sab sasan ke adhikari. (?) Dhol gunar pasu sudra nari, ihe sab sasan ke adhikari. Dhol, dhol means drum, mrdanga. Gunar, gunar means… What is called English? A fool, fool. Illiterate fool, what is one word?
Brahmananda: Buffoon?
Prabhupada: Maybe buffoon. Buffoon is sometimes troublesome. But gunar means he doesn’t understand very nicely.
Brahmananda: Dullard.
Prabhupada: Dull, dull. Dhol gunar, dhol means drum and gunar means dull. Sudra, and the laborer class. Three. Dhol, gunar, sudra, and pasu, household animals, just like cows, dogs.
Brahmananda: Pet.
Prabhupada: Pet, like that. Dhol gunar sudra pasu and nari. Nari means woman. (laughs) Just see. He has classified the nari amongst these class, dhol, gunar, sudra, pasu, nari. Ihe sab sasan ke adhikari. Sasan ke adhikari means all these are subjected for punishment. And what about the guest?
Govinda dasi: Oh, the guest? It’s coming.
Prabhupada: So sasan ke adhikari means they should be punished. (laughs) Punished means, just like dhol, when the, I mean to say, sound is not very hard, dag-dag, if you beat it on the border, then it comes to be nice tune. Similarly, pasu, animals, if you request, “My dear dog, please do not go there.” Hut! (laughter) “No, my dear dog.” Hut! This is the way.(?) Similarly, woman. If you become lenient, then she will be troublesome. So in India still, in villages, whenever there is some quarrel between husband wife, the husband beats and she is tamed. (laughs) In civilized society, “Oh, you have done this?” Immediately some criminal case. But in uncivilized society they don’t care for court or civilized way of…”

Conversation, New York, April 12, 1969 PrabhupadaBooks.com http://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1969/apr/new_york/april/12/1969?d=1
Quotes from other Sources, Quotes from other Sources: Violence and Dictatorship

“However great a woman may be, she must place herself before her husband in this way; that is to say, she must be ready to carry out her husband’s orders and please him in all circumstances. Then her life will be successful. When the wife becomes as irritable as the husband, their life at home is sure to be disturbed or ultimately completely broken. In the modern day, the wife is never submissive, and therefore home life is broken even by slight incidents. Either the wife or the husband may take advantage of the divorce laws. According to the Vedic law, however, there is no such thing as divorce laws, and a woman must be trained to be submissive to the will of her husband. Westerners contend that this is a slave mentality for the wife, but factually it is not; it is the tactic by which a woman can conquer the heart of her husband, however irritable or cruel he may be. In this case we clearly see that although Cyavana Muni was not young but indeed old enough to be Sukanya’s grandfather and was also very irritable, Sukanya, the beautiful young daughter of a king, submitted herself to her old husband and tried to please him in all respects. Thus she was a faithful and chaste wife.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 9, Chapter 6, verse 53, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/9/6/53
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

“The floating of the planets in the weightless air is due to the inner constitution of the globes, and the modernized drilling of the earth to exploit oil from within is a sort of disturbance by the modern demons and can result in a greatly harmful reaction to the floating condition of the earth.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 2, Chapter 7, verse 1, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/2/7/1
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Science

“In this regard, the word vikhyatam is very significant. A man is always famous for his aggression toward a beautiful woman, and such aggression is sometimes considered rape. Although rape is not legally allowed, it is a fact that a woman likes a man who is very expert at rape.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 4, Chapter 25, verse 41, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/4/25/41
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

“Mahabharata is also a division of the Vedas, but it is meant for women, sudras and dvija-bandhus, the worthless children of the higher section. The less intelligent section of society can avail themselves of the Vedic instructions simply by studying the Mahabharata.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1999. Canto 3, Chapter 7, verse 29, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/3/7/29
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

“Now, in the Manu-samhita it is clearly stated that a woman should not be given freedom. That does not mean that women are to be kept as slaves, but they are like children. The demons have now neglected such injunctions, and they think that women should be given as much freedom as men.”

Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1972. Chapter 16, verse 7, purport. Vedabase http://www.vedabase.com/en/bg/16/7
Quotes from Books: Loving God, Quotes from Books: Regression of Women's Rights

“If the state is regulated by the above process, naturally there will be God consciousness everywhere.”

Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Canto 1, Chapter 17, verse 36. (1999)

“The topmost devotee sees everything in Krishna, and Krishna in everything.”

Letter to Satsvarupa, San Francisco, http://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/san_francisco/april/09/1968/satsvarupa?d=1 (9 April 1968)

“One can attain salvation simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord.”

Srimad Bhagvatam https://vrajvrindavan.com/srimad-bhagavatam/ (1.18.7)

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