Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism; while philosophy without religion is mental speculation--- Swami Prabhupada
His Divine Grace, Vedic Scholar and an authority on भक्तियोगा, Swami Prabhupada (Sep 1896--Nov 1977), the founder Acharya of ( ISKCON-- International Society for Krishna Consciousness), was deeply involved with intensive devotional service to Lord Krishna. Following the philosophy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, propagated by his spiritual master " Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur", he created a massive Hare Krishna Movement across many countries of the globe.
As a charismatic spiritual leader, he brought India's culture and religious festivals such as रथयात्रा to the West. His contribution was acknowledged by several international religious scholars. He translated and commented on Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagvad Gita and associated spiritual literature, which touched great milestones of dissemination all over the globe. His book titled," Bhagvad Gita As It Is" is considered as one of the finest literary works of Vaishnaivism, translated into English language. His publication, " Back to Godhead"disseminated his philosophy & activities for the spiritually hungry masses of society.Swami Prabhupada wrote more than eighty books, which his disciples translated into twenty five languages. He was an oriental scholar, Guru, mystic, Yoga teacher, meditation instructor and an embodiment of a whole culture which he implanted into the west. To begin with,let me share a few of his value studded philosophical highlights /quotes.
- In this age of Quarrel and Hypocrisy, the best means of spiritual realization is chanting the holy name of Lord. There is no other way. ( Bhagwad Gita As It Is--- 6.11 & 6.12)
- One should not be Happy or Distressed over desirable s & undesirables, knowing that such feelings are just created by the mind & the mind should only be carried away by your dictation. ( Special Nectar of the words of Krishna on Bhagwad Gita As It Is)
- One has to learn Tolerance in the face of dualities such as Happiness & Distress, or Cold & Warmth, & by tolerating such dualities one becomes free from anxieties regarding gain & loss. ( Bhagwad Gita As It Is--- 2.45)
- Ignorance is the cause of sinful life & sinful life is the cause of one's dragging on into material existence. ( Bhagwad Gita As It Is--4.31)
- Happiness derived from a combination of senses and sense objects is always a cause of distress and should be avoided by all means. ( Bhagwad Gita As It Is--- 18.38)
- Religion means to know God and to love Him. Nowadays, because of lack of training, nobody knows God, what to speak of loving Him ( The Science of Self Realization).
- भक्तया मम अभिजानती-- Only through the process of devotion (भक्ति ), can one understand God. No other process can help you ( The Science of Self Realization).
- We are always rendering service to someone, either to our family, country or society, yet in-spite of serving to the best of our ability, we are not satisfied---- Reason, the service is not properly directed. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead ie Lord Krishna is served, all other parts and parcels will be automatically served ( The Science of Self Realization).
- सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणम् व्रज। अहंत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि माशुचः। ie Abandon all varieties of Religion and just surrender into me. I shall protect you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear ( The Science of Self Realization).
- Try to learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively & render service unto him. The Self Realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth ( The Science of Self Realization).
- One, who is however, taking pleasure in the self, who is illuminated in the self, who rejoices in & is satisfied with the self only,fully satiated, for him, there is no duty (3.17 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- One whose happiness is within, who is active within, rejoices within & is illuminated within, is actually the perfect mystic ( 5.24 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- Those, who are free from anger & all materialistic desires, who are self realized, self disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in near future ( 5.26 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- One who is free from illusion, false prestige, false association, who understands the eternal, who is done with material lust & is freed from dualities of happiness and distress & who knows how to surrender into Supreme person, attains to that eternal kingdom ( 15.05 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- Serenity, Simplicity, Gravity, Self- Control and Purity of Thoughts are the austerities of the mind ( 17.16 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- यज्ञदानतपः कर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत। यज्ञो दानं तपश्रोव पावनानि मनीषिणाम। ie Acts of sacrifice, charity& penance are not to be given up but should be performed. All these purify even the great souls ( 18 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- That understanding which considers irreligion (अधर्म ) to be religion (धर्म ) and vice-versa under the spell of illusion & darkness, and always strives in the wrong direction, is in the mode of ignorance ( 18.32 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- That happiness which is blind to self-realization, which is delusion from beginning to the end and which arises from sleep, laziness & illusion is said to be of the nature of ignorance ( 18.39 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- शमो दमस्तपः शौचम् क्षान्तिराजरवमेव च। ज्ञानं विज्ञानं मास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म सवभाजय। Shares some of the good qualities to be possessed by an ethical person like Peacefulness, Self Control, Austerity, Purity, Tolerance, Honesty, Wisdom, Knowledge and Religiousness ( 18.42 Bhagwat Gita As It Is).
- Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest because it is eternal while happiness derived from materialistic understanding is inferior because it is temporary ( The Nectar of Devotion).
- The devotee should be more tolerant than the tree and more submissive than the grass. He should offer all honor to others, but may not accept any honor for himself ( The Nectar of Devotion).
- The senses are always desiring sense enjoyment, but when a devotee develops transcendental love for Supreme Lord ( Krishna), his senses are no longer attracted by material desires. This state of mind is called Detachment. ( The Nectar of Devotion).
- When a devotee, in-spite of possessing all the qualities of pure realization, is not proud of his position, that is called Pridelessness ( The Nectar of Devotion).
- " Yas tu sarvani bhutany, atmany evanupasyati; sarvbhutesu, catmanam, tato na vijugupsate." meaning thereby that a person, who sees everything in relation to Supreme Lord and sees all entities as His parts and parcels, & who sees the Supreme Lord within anything, never hates anything, nor any being (Sri Isopanishad).
- तदेजति तन्नैजति तद दूरे तद्वन्तिके। तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाहंताः। meaning thereby that the Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He is far away, but He is very near as well. He is within everything, and again He is outside of everything (Sri Isopanishad).
While " Perfect Questions Perfect Answers"deal with general views on ethical/ spiritual living, " Dialectic Spiritualism"shares his Vedic view on several western philosophies propagated from Socrates, to Aristotle and Pluto & many others. . As per him, none could measure up to the high standard of Vedic ideals. He said that Dharma refers to the orders given by God and if we follow these orders, we are following Dharma.
- To a question," Is the real Goal of life to know God?", Swami Prabhupada replied," Yes, To go back to Godhead, We have come from God & now we are embarrassed by material life. Our aim is to get out of this situation & go back home to Godhead ( Ch 3, The Real Goal of Life, Perfect Questions Perfect Answers, Feb 28,1972).
- To a question," Pl explain what is meant by the mode of ignorance & the mode of goodness", Swami ji replied," Ignorance is animal life--- one does not know what is God, why we are in this world or how to become happy and so on. In passion, one identifies with his material body and tries to gratify his senses. In Goodness, one can understand things in proper perspective. He knows that there is God & the world was created by Him. Helping others or Giving assistance are some of the examples on act of Goodness ( Ch 4, Perfect Questions Perfect Answers).
- To a question," How I can come to feel closer to God?, Swami ji replied," You have to be purified. The whole life is meant for purification. If you do not purify your existence, you will have to transmigrate-- from one body to another. Instead of serving the senses, serve Krishna, the God & lead a spiritual life. The more you become purified, the more you will feel closer to God." Ch 5, Becoming Pure, Perfect Questions Perfect Answers, Feb 29,1972).
- To another question on searching for a friend to give us Peace and Tranquility, Swami ji replied," That friend is Krishna, God. Just make friendship with Him; you will find everyone to be your friend because God is situated in everyone's heart., He will dictate from within so that you are also treated in a friendly way." Ch 9, The Real Peace Formula, Perfect Questions Perfect Answers ).
- On a philosophical viewpoint of Socrates that Truth is absolute, not subjective while Ptotagaros had said," What is true for you is true for you & what is true for me is true for me; the truth is subjective," Swami ji opined that absolute truth is true for everyone and the relative truth is relative to a particular position. God is the absolute truth and the material world is the relative truth.
- According to Socrates, the real pursuit of man is the search for Absolute Good. Swami ji agreed with this view but opined that before realizing Supreme Good, we must first come to the platform of Satwa Guna including prohibiting meat eating, illicit sex, intoxication, gambling. Ultimately, we must transcend even the mode of Goodness thru Bhakti and get liberated.
- Socrates believed that thru meditation, a person can attain knowledge & thru knowledge he can become virtuous and becomes happy. Prabhupada differed slightly and said that by knowing yourselves thru meditation, or insight, one can gain self control and by being self controlled, we attain happiness.
- Socrates recommended association with good and virtuous people to develop good qualities. He believed that ignorance results in bad actions and his philosophy was a philosophy of Ethics. Swami Prabhupada concurred with this viewpoint and always felt that God is Good and full of morality.
- Plato preached that Perfection within the world of senses can never be attained but it is important that we mould our lives in such a way as to attain perfection. Swami Prabhupada agreed and felt that every endeavor of material world has some defect and Perfection can be achieved thru devotional service to Lord Krishna.
- Aristotle and Prabhupada differed on several key philosophical aspects. Aristotle said that imperfection is inherent in the substance matter & because man is made of matter, he must be imperfect. Prabhupada opined that man is not made of matter but is covered by matter and man is made of Spirit ( God). Man is originally Perfect.
- Aristotle believed in the Rational faculty of mind ( intelligence)and said that activities of mind are Pure and Perfect. For him, the goal of action is to realize our potential & attain happiness. Prabhupada differed since he believed that mind is never Perfect. Soul is perfect and has all the qualities of God.
ॐ , पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात पूर्णमुदच्यते। पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते।
The personality of Godhead is Perfect & Complete, and because He is Perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as a Complete Whole. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also Complete by itself. He remains the complete balance.
