View source for Fire will act, regardless...

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{{compiler|Labangalatika}}
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[[Category:Fire]]
[[Category:Act]]
[[Category:Regardless]]
[[Category:Prabhupada's Analogies]]
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_2" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 2"><h3>SB Canto 2</h3>
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<div id="SB2936_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_2" book="SB" index="314" link="SB 2.9.36" link_text="SB 2.9.36">
<div class="heading">Fire is always fire, and thus if someone touches the fire, knowingly or unknowingly, the fire will act in its own way without discrimination. The principle is: harir harati pāpāni duṣṭa-cittair api smṛtaḥ. The all-powerful Lord can purify the devotee of all sinful reactions, just as the sun can sterilize all sorts of infections by its powerful rays.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 2.9.36|SB 2.9.36, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Even if a person is fully addicted to all sorts of sinful acts, if he happens to be engaged in the loving transcendental service of the Lord under proper guidance, he is to be considered the most perfect holy man without a doubt. And thus any person, whatsoever and whosoever he or she may be—even the fallen woman, the less intelligent laborer, the dull mercantile man, or even a man lower than all these—can attain the highest perfection of life by going back home, back to Godhead, provided he or she takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord in all earnestness. This sincere earnestness is the only qualification that can lead one to the highest perfectional stage of life, and unless and until such real earnestness is aroused, there is a difference between cleanliness or uncleanliness, learning or nonlearning, in the material estimation. Fire is always fire, and thus if someone touches the fire, knowingly or unknowingly, the fire will act in its own way without discrimination. The principle is: harir harati pāpāni duṣṭa-cittair api smṛtaḥ. The all-powerful Lord can purify the devotee of all sinful reactions, just as the sun can sterilize all sorts of infections by its powerful rays. "Attraction for material enjoyment cannot act upon a pure devotee of the Lord." There are hundreds and thousands of aphorisms in the revealed scriptures.</p>
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<div id="SB_Canto_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3>
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<div id="SB6218_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="78" link="SB 6.2.18" link_text="SB 6.2.18">
<div class="heading">Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.2.18|SB 6.2.18, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">As a fire burns dry grass to ashes, so the holy name of the Lord, whether chanted knowingly or unknowingly, burns to ashes, without fail, all the reactions of one's sinful activities.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power. For example, if a field of straw or dry grass is set afire, either by an elderly man who knows the power of fire or by a child who does not, the grass will be burned to ashes. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but if one chants the holy name he will become free from all sinful reactions.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG62529LosAngelesFebruary181969_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="217" link="Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969" link_text="Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969">
<div class="heading">Just like if the child touches this fire, it will act. It will not excuse the child, that, "Oh, he is child, he does not know." The fire will act. Similarly if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, a child who may take part in it, Kṛṣṇa will act.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969|Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Why we are welcoming these children? Because he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. You are giving them chance to, as much as possible, to take part in the kīrtana, to taste the prasāda. That child who comes, imitates like this, oh, don't think that it is growing in vain. Something done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, knowing or not knowing it will have it's effect. These children who are bowing down or trying to vibrate "Kṛṣṇa" or clap. These things are being accumulated in bank account of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like if the child touches this fire, it will act. It will not excuse the child, that, "Oh, he is child, he does not know." The fire will act. Similarly if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, a child who may take part in it, Kṛṣṇa will act. You may know it do not know it. It doesn't matter. Because Kṛṣṇa is there. So it is so nice. Therefore every living being should be given chance.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG72886NewYorkOctober231966_1" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="287" link="Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966" link_text="Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966">
<div class="heading">All kind of sins we perform, it is due to ignorance. And ignorance is no excuse at the same time. Suppose a child does not know that fire burns, but the child catches fire. The fire is so cruel that it will not excuse. The laws of fire will act, even on the child.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966|Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Pāpam means sin. So sin, we commit sins out of ignorance. Our sinful nature is due to ignorance. Just like a person who does not know the laws of the state, he commits something which he does not know, but he is captured, he is arrested under the law. So similarly, all kind of sins we perform, it is due to ignorance. And ignorance is no excuse at the same time. Suppose a child does not know that fire burns, but the child catches fire. The fire is so cruel that it will not excuse. The laws of fire will act, even on the child. The child is innocent or ignorant. Innocence is also sometimes ignorance, due to ignorance. We sometimes praise the quality of child, the ignorance. But that child, when grown up, becomes a vicious man. So this ignorance, or innocence, they are not very good qualities.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG72886NewYorkOctober231966_2" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="287" link="Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966" link_text="Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966">
<div class="heading">Either you understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness scientifically, or philosophically, or you touch it directly, the action is the same. The action is the same. A child, without knowing the science of fire, physical constitution of fire, if he touches the fire, the fire will act.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966|Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So if anyone wants to understand on the basis of philosophy and science, oh, we have got ample philosophy and science on this point. But if you accept it, then it is the same thing. Acceptance is required—if you directly accept it. Suppose the fire, the fire, you accept it at once or you accept fire by scientific study, "What is fire? What is the quality? What is the...?" Go on! You can understand scientifically fire. But either you understand it scientifically, or philosophically, or you touch it directly, the action is the same. The action is the same. A child, without knowing the science of fire, physical constitution of fire, if he touches the fire, the fire will act. And, I mean to say, a great scientist who has physical knowledge of this fire, if he touches also fire, he'll get..., he is also burnt. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that you accept without understanding any philosophy or science about it—this, it will act. But if you want to understand it through philosophy or science, we have got ample stock in the Bhagavad-gītā.</p>
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<div id="LectureonBG91518NewYorkDecember21966_3" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="317" link="Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966" link_text="Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966">
<div class="heading">The scientist who, after studying the characteristics fire may come to the fire, he'll also feel the warmth of the fire, the heat of the fire, the light of the fire. He'll also understand. And this man, blindly or by devotion, by love, accepts... The result is the same, because fire is fire. Either you blindly touch it or your scientifically touch it, fire will act.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966|Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">One who worships Kṛṣṇa directly, he's very intelligent. Why he's very intelligent? He does not take so much round about way. He goes directly. If it is a fact that one has to come to this point for perfection of knowledge, why not take it immediately? I may not understand anything. I accept it. Let me accept it blindly. Some scientist, and some layman... And the teacher says, "This is fire." Oh, scientist says, "Oh, I'll see the characteristics of fire. I must see. Then I shall accept." All right, you can see. And somebody says, "All right, you are teacher. You are saying it is fire. All right, I accept it." But the scientist who, after studying the characteristics fire may come to the fire, he'll also feel the warmth of the fire, the heat of the fire, the light of the fire. He'll also understand. And this man, blindly or by devotion, by love, accepts... The result is the same, because fire is fire. Either you blindly touch it or your scientifically touch it, fire will act.</p>
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<div id="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Lectures" text="Nectar of Devotion Lectures"><h3>Nectar of Devotion Lectures</h3>
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<div id="TheNectarofDevotionBombayJanuary41973_0" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" book="Lec" index="15" link="The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973" link_text="The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973">
<div class="heading">The fire will act, either you are human being or insect. If you touch fire, it will do its work. Similarly, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is transcendental vibration. When we chant loudly, anyone who hears—it doesn't matter whether he's man, animal, tree, insect—anyone who will hear, he'll get profit.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973|The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">It is not that we love only our countrymen, only Hindus, or Bengalis, or Madrasis, or... No. We love everyone, even the animals. But because human beings can understand the Kṛṣṇa philosophy, therefore we hold meetings of the human beings. But still, whenever we get opportunity, we give protection to the animals. We give them prasādam. We do not prohibit even some animal comes to hear. They also hear some, sometimes. The hear, hearing is there. Everyone can hear. Even they do not understand what is Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you chant loudly Hare Kṛṣṇa, even the ants and insect who is hearing, he'll be delivered, because it is spiritual vibration. It will act for everyone. We... Just like fire. The fire will act, either you are human being or insect. If you touch fire, it will do its work. Similarly, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is transcendental vibration. When we chant loudly, anyone who hears—it doesn't matter whether he's man, animal, tree, insect—anyone who will hear, he'll get profit. This is transcendental vibration.</p>
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<div id="Philosophy_Discussions" class="sub_section" sec_index="13" parent="Lectures" text="Philosophy Discussions"><h3>Philosophy Discussions</h3>
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<div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononBertrandRussell_0" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="20" link="Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell">
<div class="heading">Just like fire: either with scientific knowledge you touch, or without any knowledge you touch, the fire will act. Similarly, Krsna is the supreme. Either you study scientifically or not study, He is supreme. So somehow or other, if one goes to supreme he becomes purified.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell|Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So those who are vidhā, actually learned, they know that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme source of everything; therefore we should offer our obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. This is actually knowledge. And one who does not know how to (indistinct) the supreme, but suppose blindly he accepts, "Kṛṣṇa is supreme," he also derives (indistinct). Just like fire: either with scientific knowledge you touch, or without any knowledge you touch, the fire will act. Similarly, Krsna is the supreme. Either you study scientifically or not study, He is supreme. So somehow or other, if one goes to supreme he becomes purified. That is, that is the defect of the modern man. Therefore they question, question about the līlā of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. Gopī means, gopī is actually surrendered(?) to Kṛṣṇa in love. Kṛṣṇa is faithful(?). But Kṛṣṇa, He is the supreme. Their lusty desires become purified and they became the first-class devotees.</p>
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<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
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<div id="1976_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Correspondence" text="1976 Correspondence"><h3>1976 Correspondence</h3>
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<div id="LettertoTamalaKrsnaVrindaban30October1976_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Correspondence" book="Let" index="613" link="Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976" link_text="Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976">
<div class="heading">Formerly they thought these people come and go, but now they see we are staying. Now we have set fire. It will go on, it cannot be stopped. You can bring big, big fire brigades but the fire will act.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976|Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Vrindaban 30 October, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There are so many men over 30. Are they brainwashed? It may be a minority in your country, but in other places it is the majority. The diamond seller caters to a minority. Why are they allowed to sell. Always when there is something valuable only a minority will be able to purchase. Our books are not commercial, they are religion and philosophy.</p>
<p>They are now feeling the weight of this movement. Formerly they thought these people come and go, but now they see we are staying. Now we have set fire. It will go on, it cannot be stopped. You can bring big, big fire brigades but the fire will act. The brainwash books are already there. Even if they stop externally, internally it will go on. Our first class campaign is book distribution. Go house to house. The real fighting is now. Krsna will give you all protection. So, chant Hare Krsna and fight.</p>
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