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{{terms|"necessity knows no law"|"necessity has no law"|"when there is necessity, they neglect all international law"|"necessity is now law"}}

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[[Category:Necessity]]

[[Category:Know]]

[[Category:Law]]

[[Category:Proverbs Quoted by Srila Prabhupada]]

== Srimad-Bhagavatam ==

=== SB Canto 5 ===

<span class="q_heading">'''As the English proverb goes, necessity knows no law. When a conditioned soul needs something, he forgets his relationship with his relatives and exploits his own father or son.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 5.14.14|SB 5.14.14, Translation and Purport]]: In this material world, when the conditioned soul cannot arrange for his own maintenance, despite exploiting others, he tries to exploit his own father or son, taking away that relative's possessions, although they may be very insignificant. If he cannot acquire things from his father, son or other relatives, he is prepared to give them all kinds of trouble.'''

Once we actually saw a distressed man steal ornaments from his daughter just to maintain himself. As the English proverb goes, necessity knows no law. When a conditioned soul needs something, he forgets his relationship with his relatives and exploits his own father or son. We also receive information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that in this age of Kali the time is quickly approaching when a relative will kill another relative for a small farthing. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, people will deteriorate further and further into a hellish condition wherein they will perform abominable acts.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''It is said that necessity knows no law. When the conditioned soul needs money to acquire life's bare necessities, he adopts any means. He begs, borrows or steals. Instead of receiving these things, he is insulted and chastised. Unless one is very well organized, one cannot accumulate riches by unfair means.'''</span>

<span class="SB-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:SB 5.14.36|SB 5.14.36, Translation and Purport]]: Sometimes, having no money, the conditioned soul does not get sufficient accommodations. Sometimes he doesn't even have a place to sit, nor does he have the other necessities. In other words, he falls into scarcity, and at that time, when he is unable to secure the necessities by fair means, he decides to seize the property of others unfairly. When he cannot get the things he wants, he simply receives insults from others and thus becomes very morose.'''

It is said that necessity knows no law. When the conditioned soul needs money to acquire life's bare necessities, he adopts any means. He begs, borrows or steals. Instead of receiving these things, he is insulted and chastised. Unless one is very well organized, one cannot accumulate riches by unfair means. Even if one acquires riches by unfair means, he cannot avoid punishment and insult from the government or the general populace. There are many instances of important people's embezzling money, getting caught and being put in prison. One may be able to avoid the punishment of prison, but one cannot avoid the punishment of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who works through the agency of material nature. This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Nature is very cruel. She does not excuse anyone. When people do not care for nature, they commit all kinds of sinful activities, and consequently they have to suffer.</span>

== Lectures ==

=== Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures ===

<span class="q_heading">'''So necessity has no law. This brahma-bandhu, he knew how to create this brahmāstra. He learned it. But he knew it also that this weapon is not to be used generally.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.7.20-21 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1976|Lecture on SB 1.7.20-21 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1976]]:''' So necessity has no law. This brahma-bandhu, he knew how to create this brahmāstra. He learned it. But he knew it also that this weapon is not to be used generally. In very, very rare cases this should be used. As I explained, that atomic bomb, the nuclear weapon, is not used when there is fight between two dogs. It is not so insignificant. When the fight is very severe, just like your country used this nuclear bomb. When the Japanese people dared to attack your Pearl Harbor, at that time, your President was Mr. Truman. So it was not to be used, but he took little more precaution. Anyway, such weapon, deadly weapon, should not be used ordinarily. Therefore here it is said that prāṇa-kṛcchra upasthite. He knew that Arjuna was after him, and there is no escape. He would be killed. So whatever last resort he knew, he used that knowledge to throw brahmāstra so that the other party may be killed altogether. But ajānann api saṁhāram. He was not willing, but he did not know how to withdraw that. Formerly they used to know it. They could throw one brahmāstra, and if he likes he can withdraw. Or the other party he, can nullify it. This is warfare. But he did not know that. How to counteract it, he did not know that.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''But nowadays they have manufactured "Necessity has no law." "I require money, somehow or other I must have it and let me adopt this means, that means." The hypocrisy life will not make one advanced in spiritual life.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976|Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976]]:''' Real mother and guru-patni, the wife of spiritual master or teacher. Ādau mātā guru-patni, brāhmaṇi, the wife of a brāhmaṇa, and rāja-patnikā, the queen, she is also mother, rāja. Dhenu, cow. Dhenu, dhātrī, nurse. Dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī, as well as the earth. Earth is mother because she is giving us so many things, fruits, flowers, grains for our eating. Mother gives for eating, cow gives us milk. This is sense. But if one becomes addicted to prostitute hunting then he will be fallen. That is the example. Then he'll become thief, rascal, cheater, drunkard, and so on, so on, so on. Why? Now, only for maintaining the family. The family maintenance, the cats and dogs, they also do, the birds also do, but they do not do anything unnatural. The bird maintains his children, brings some fruit or something in the mouth and push into mouth of the small kiddies. That is natural. But why one should take unfair means for maintaining family? This is culture. This is culture. But nowadays they have manufactured "Necessity has no law." "I require money, somehow or other I must have it and let me adopt this means, that means." No. So evaṁ nivasatas tasya lālayānasya. Lālayānasya tat-sutān. So without understanding what is the duty of human being, because he is fallen... We should not bother for maintaining our family and children till the time of death. No. Up to twenty-five years. A brahmacārī is trained to refrain from sex life, that is brahmacārī, celibacy. But if he is still not able, then he is allowed to accept gṛhastha life. There is no cheating, hypocrisy, that I proclaim myself as brahmacārī or sannyāsī and I secretly do all nonsense. This is hypocrisy. The hypocrisy life will not make one advanced in spiritual life.</span>

<span class="q_heading">'''But why one should take unfair means for maintaining family? This is culture. So but nowadays they have manufactured. "Necessity has no law." "I require money, so somehow or other I must have it.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976|Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976]]:''' But if one becomes addicted to prostitute-hunting then he'll be fallen. That is the example. Then he'll become thief, rascal, cheater, drunkard, and so on, so on, so on. Why? Now, only for maintaining the family. The family maintenance, the cats and dogs, they also do, the birds also do, but they do not do anything unnatural. A bird maintains his children, brings some fruit or something in the mouth and puts into the mouth of the small kiddies. So that is natural. But why one should take unfair means for maintaining family? This is culture. This is culture. So but nowadays they have manufactured. "Necessity has no law." "I require money, so somehow or other I must have it. Let me adopt this means, that means." No. So evaṁ nivasatas tasya lālayānasya. The lālayānasya tat-sutān. So without understanding what is the duty of human being, because he is fallen, so we should not bother for maintaining our family and children till the time of death.</span>

=== Nectar of Devotion Lectures ===

<span class="q_heading">'''There are so many international law of the fighting, but when there is necessity, they neglect all international law and they take advantage.'''</span>

<span class="LEC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972|The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972]]:''' Now the question is whether this kind of black marketing, bribing, is required for spiritual life. And the answer is that everything is required, provided you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is the principle. In, according to time, circumstances, the dealing... Just like Arjuna, we have, in the battlefield, there was fighting, and Kṛṣṇa is advising Yudhiṣṭhira that "You go and tell Dronācārya that your son, Aśvatthāmā, is dead." So Kṛṣṇa is advising to speak lie. And Yudhiṣṭhira hesitated: "How can I speak lie? I never spoke lie in my life." So the idea is that our dealings in the ordinary... When there is fighting, in fighting, they take all means, all propaganda, all means, you know that. Fighting, one... The aim is how to own victory. Although there are so many international laws, they don't care for it. Just like bombing. Bombing. Sometimes the opposite party, they keep soldiers under Red Cross, because Red Cross is not bombed according to international... But they, they get information and they bomb also. These are common practice. Just like in India, in the Hindu-Muslim fight, the Muslims were keeping weapons within mosques. You know that. Everyone knows. So there (are) so many international law of the fighting, but when there is necessity, they neglect all international law and they take advantage.</span>

== Conversations and Morning Walks ==

=== 1970 Conversations and Morning Walks ===

<span class="q_heading">'''You are in want of money. You are suffering. Therefore necessity is now law. Therefore you are accepting. Even you know that stealing is bad, still, you are accepting it because that is a suffering.'''</span>

<span class="CON-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore|Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore]]:'''

Prabhupāda: Although ātmā, the self, is different from this body—that is the first lesson in spiritual life—still, this body, although temporary, but as soon as you accept this material body you will have to suffer according to the body. If you get a dog's body you suffer according to that. If you get a man's body... Suffering will be there more or less as soon as you get this material body. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva said, na sādhu mānye: "You are acting abominable. It is not good because you are already suffering in this body." Otherwise why you are stealing? You are in want of money. You are suffering. Therefore necessity is now law. Therefore you are accepting. Even you know that stealing is bad, still, you are accepting it because that is a suffering. So for some of your activities in the past life you are now suffering, and if you go on, continuing committing this nonsense, then you will again, you will have to again accept a body and you'll suffer. Therefore garhitāṁ. There are so many things to know but these things are not discussed nowadays. Very cheap thing: "You can do whatever you like. You simply meditate and become God, that's all." So much cheating is going on everywhere, all over the world. So-called yogis, they go, "Oh, you meditate. You are... And as soon as you realize, you are God, within six months." No. Therefore in this age the only method... It is a concession to the fallen people of this world, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. They 'll not be able to follow all the regulative principles; therefore they must commit all kinds of abominable activities. Under the circumstances the śāstra or God has given a concession that you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gradually you will be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life.</span>

=== 1976 Conversations and Morning Walks ===

<span class="q_heading">'''Dress is not important. Practically, as sannyāsī, brahmacārī, we dress with saffron cloth, but sometimes you do not like, but we have to do business with you; therefore we change. What can be done? "Necessity has no law."'''</span>

<span class="CON-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.|Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.]]:'''

Hari-śauri: She's pointing out that in recent years we've changed our dressing style while we're on the street selling books.

Prabhupāda: Dress? Dress is not important. Practically, as sannyāsī, brahmacārī, we dress with saffron cloth, but sometimes you do not like, but we have to do business with you; therefore we change. What can be done? "Necessity has no law."</span>