View source for Reform the character

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{{terms|"reforming their character"|"reform their character"|"character is reformed"|"reformation, to mold the character"|"character must reform"|"reform him about his character"|"reform the character"}}

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[[Category:reformation|2]]

[[Category:Character|2]]
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<div class="section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Canto_6" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 6.18.19" link_text="SB 6.18.19, Translation and Purport">
<div class="heading">Apparently even demons can be elevated to positions as demigods when their atheistic character is reformed.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 6.18.19|SB 6.18.19, Translation and Purport]]: The forty-nine Marut demigods were also born from the womb of Diti. None of them had sons. Although they were born of Diti, King Indra gave them a position as demigods.'''

Apparently even demons can be elevated to positions as demigods when their atheistic character is reformed. There are two kinds of men throughout the universe. Those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu are called demigods, and those who are just the opposite are called demons. Even the demons can be transformed into demigods, as the statement of this verse proves.</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="SB_Canto_8" text="SB Canto 8"><h3>SB Canto 8</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="SB" link="SB 8.19.41" link_text="SB 8.19.41, Purport">
<div class="heading">This movement is always kind to the poor, both in money and in knowledge, we are therefore opening hundreds and thousands of centers to enlighten them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and reform their character by teaching them how to avoid the most sinful activities which cause people to suffer, life after life. The best way to use money is to open such a center, where all may come live and reform their character.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:SB 8.19.41|SB 8.19.41, Purport]]:''' The best solution is that of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement is always kind to the poor, not only because it feeds them but also because it gives them enlightenment by teaching them how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. We are therefore opening hundreds and thousands of centers for those who are poor, both in money and in knowledge, to enlighten them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and reform their character by teaching them how to avoid illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling, which are the most sinful activities and which cause people to suffer, life after life. The best way to use money is to open such a center, where all may come live and reform their character. They may live very comfortably, without denial of any of the body's necessities, but they live under spiritual control, and thus they live happily and save time for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one has money, it should not be squandered away on nothing. It should be used to push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that all of human society will become happy, prosperous and hopeful of being promoted back home, back to Godhead. The Vedic mantra in this regard reads as follows:
parāg vā etad riktam akṣaraṁ yad etad om iti tad yat kiñcid om iti āhātraivāsmai tad ricyate; sa yat sarvam oṁ kuryād ricyād ātmānaṁ sa kāmebhyo nālaṁ syāt.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Lectures" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973, Purport">
<div class="heading">The material world is conducted by three guṇas, according to quality and karma. So the first, second, and third-class division, they are all dvijas, twice-born. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Dvija means saṁskāra, reformation, to mold the character.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973|Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973, Purport]]:''' So this birth you can get. This human form of birth you can get. That is the special significance. Father, mother, you can get anywhere. It doesn't matter. But you cannot get Kṛṣṇa and guru. That you can get in this birth. Therefore twice-born. You must get another birth, through the initiation of the spiritual master, dīkṣā. Dīkṣā means initiation. Di means divya jñānam, and kṣa means kṣapayati. From the day of initiation, you simply get spiritual knowledge, transcendental knowledge. That is the special significance of human form of body. Therefore in the Vedic civilization, the classification is made: first-class, second-class, third-class, four-class men.
There are three guṇas. The material world is conducted by three guṇas, means the quality of goodness, the quality of passion, the quality of ignorance, and mixed. So first, second, third, and the mixed is called fourth. That is called varṇāśrama. Cātur-varṇyam. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. According to quality and karma. So the first, second, and third-class division, they are all dvijas, twice-born. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Dvija means saṁskāra, reformation, to mold the character. That is called saṁskāra. Just like you can train even a tiger, even an animal, to dance according to your desire. That is practical. So you cannot train a human being to become a brāhmaṇa? With such intelligence? But there is no such training. They are simply training all cats and dogs. But the Vedic civilization takes this opportunity of human being, to make him perfect in his life. What is that perfection? That perfection is to understand God and become His devotee. That is perfection, not that to become very stout and strong, as strong as the tiger, or as cunning as the jackal. Not that. That is not training.</div>
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<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture)" link_text="Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture)">
<div class="heading">This Society is necessary to give chance to the people that they may come and live in the Society and they reform their character, their habits.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture)|Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture)]]:''' Guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā sarva-labdhārpaṇena ca, saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām. And you have to live with society who are trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sādhu-saṅgena. Simply official offering will not help you. You have to contact. Therefore this association required. This Society is necessary to give chance to the people that they may come and live in the Society and they reform their character, their habits. So that is required. These are all recommended: saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām. Sādhu-bhaktānām. Sādhu and bhakta. Not the karmīs. There are different classes of men. Some of them are called karmīs, some of them are called jñānīs, some of them are called yogis, and some of them are called bhaktas, or devotees. So here Prahlāda Mahārāja does not recommend that you have to make your association with karmīs or you have to make your association with jñānīs or you have to make your association with the yogis. But here it is clearly stated, saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām. Sādhu means a devotee, and bhakta means who is actually engaged in devotional service. With their association you have to develop, not with the karmīs. Who are karmīs? Karmīs means those who are after sense gratification. They will work hard day and night like any animal and, when they get some result, they engage all the profits in sense gratification. That is called karmī. And jñānī means those who are still not in actual Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but they are trying to understand that this life is not good.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="1972_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1972 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1972 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York" link_text="Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York">
<div class="heading">I am making good character. Don't you see their face? Now they are known as bright faces, serious character. Their character must reform. So we have taken from the root. We are making men of character, knowledge, sincerity, God conscious. Don't you appreciate it?</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York|Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York]]:'''

Prabhupāda: Yes. If I get government help, I can give protection to these confused, frustrated youths. I have no proper house to accommodate them, to feed them. With great difficulty I am pushing on this movement. So if the government comes forward, this means a little facility, I can turn the face of your country, immediately. There will be no problem.

Guest (2): What can you cure? What can you make better?

Prabhupāda: This is the cure: I am making good character. Don't you see their face? Some of them were hippies, frustrated, wretched condition. Now they are known as bright faces, serious character. They don't have any illicit sex. They don't eat meat. They don't have any intoxication. They don't engage in gambling. These are the four pillars of sinful life. If you allow people to indulge in sinful life, how you can expect good citizen? That is not possible. Their character must reform. So we have taken from the root. We are making men of character, knowledge, sincerity, God conscious. Don't you appreciate it?</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1976 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1976 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana" link_text="Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana">
<div class="heading">If one is Hindu you make him a Christian, and you change the name. But what is the use of changing the name if you do not reform him about his character?</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana|Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana]]:'''

Prabhupāda: After initiation, his second birth is there. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Then he's allowed to read the scripture. Veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ. He becomes vipra. Then when he really comes to the knowledge of Brahman, his relationship with Brahman, and acts accordingly, then he is brāhmaṇa. And when he is perfectly situated in the eternal relationship with God, Viṣṇu, then he becomes a Vaiṣṇava. That is perfection of life.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is this practical in the present context?

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are doing it. See. If anyone has eyes to see they can see how we are accepting the pāpa-yoni, so-called pāpa-yoni to become the topmost Vaiṣṇava, that is possible. Unless it is possible how it is being done all over the world? There is no consideration. The process is so effective that it is being done. They are taking it as a proselytization. But it is not proselytizing. Proselytization is superflous. If one is Hindu you make him a Christian, and you change the name. But what is the use of changing the name if you do not reform him about his character? Simply changing the name from Hindu to Muslim or Muslim to Christian, that does not make him better...</div>
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<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London" link_text="Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London">
<div class="heading">When I see so many boys and hundreds of centers, they are living very peacefully in a nice house, getting good prasādam, having good knowledge in the books, and reforming their character, and getting some good home, that is my success.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London|Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London]]:'''

Prabhupāda: Because my Guru Mahārāja ordered that "You go and teach this gospel in the Western world."

Jayatīrtha: His teacher instructed him to do this.

Cline Cross: Yes. And are you surprised at the great success you've had?

Prabhupāda: That is my Guru Mahārāja's blessing. He ordered me, I tried my best, so there is little success. When I see so many boys and hundreds of centers, they are living very peacefully in a nice house, getting good prasādam, having good knowledge in the books, and reforming their character, and getting some good home, that is my success. Otherwise, they are loitering, no home, no character, no peace of mind. So at least this is my success. I have given so many boys a life. That is my success.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Correspondence" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="1973_Correspondence" text="1973 Correspondence"><h3>1973 Correspondence</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Let" link="Letter to Minister in charge of Immigration -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 November, 1973" link_text="Letter to Minister in charge of Immigration -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 November, 1973">
<div class="heading">Everywhere we are very much peaceful, trying to reform the character of the modern man. We teach our students to follow the following regulative principles, namely no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no intoxication, and no gambling.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Letter to Minister in charge of Immigration -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 November, 1973|Letter to Minister in charge of Immigration -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 24 November, 1973]]:''' Perhaps you have heard the very good name of Bhagavad-gita. Our preaching is on the basis of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. In this Bhagavad-gita it is stated that God is the Supreme Being, and He is the proprietor of all planets and actually He is the enjoyer of all benefits. Anyone who will understand these three principles of life will be automatically peaceful. So, if every individual is peaceful, naturally there will be peace and prosperity in the community, society, and nation of all over the world. This is our principle. We are trying to broadcast this message on the authority of Vedic knowledge. Everywhere we are very much peaceful, trying to reform the character of the modern man. We teach our students to follow the following regulative principles, namely no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no intoxication, and no gambling. These are the negative principles, and the positive principle is to chant always the Holy Name of God. By the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have become successful everywhere, in all parts of the world. We have no principle striction that one is Indian, one is America, one is African, or one is Hindu, one is Christian, one is Mohammedan. We invite everyone to understand the philosophy and reform the activities of life. This is our mission.</div>
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