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'''Theme Analysis''' | |||
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the practice of taking a vow (vrata) is a fundamental aspect of spiritual life, acting as the foundation for determination and sense control. In the material world, the mind is naturally pulled toward sense gratification, but by committing to a firm vow—such as chanting a fixed number of rounds or following the four regulative principles—a devotee builds the spiritual strength necessary to resist illusion. Vows are not meant to be empty rituals; they are a means of satisfying the Supreme Lord and the spiritual master. Whether it is the great vow of celibacy (brahmacarya), the specific vows of a chaste wife, or the seasonal vows like Cāturmāsya, the purpose is always the same: to minimize material hankerings and fix the consciousness on the eternal service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. | |||
* '''The Necessity of Regulative Vows:''' Spiritual advancement is impossible without the determination to follow fixed rules. By strictly adhering to one's promises, especially those made at initiation, a devotee becomes purified and spiritually strong. | |||
* '''Purifying the Heart through Vows:''' Religious vows, sacrifices, and fasting act as a cleansing process for the heart. They counteract the reactions of sinful life and gradually uproot the material desires that keep the soul entangled. | |||
* '''The Vow of Celibacy (Brahmacarya):''' Restricting the sex urge through a great vow (bṛhad-vrata) is essential for self-realization. This austerity allows the practitioner to divert their energy toward transcendental knowledge and service. | |||
* '''Firmly Fixed in Truthfulness:''' A vow is a test of one's character and truthfulness. Great personalities like Bali Mahārāja and Yudhiṣṭhira are celebrated because they refused to break their word, even under the most extreme pressure or suffering. | |||
* Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: [[Vanipedia:The Necessity of Regulative Vows|The Necessity of Regulative Vows.]] | |||
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[[Category:Promise]] | [[Category:Promise]] | ||
[[Category:Real, False, and Truth - Umbrella Category]] | [[Category:Real, False, and Truth - Umbrella Category]] | ||
[[Category:All Categories - Vaniquotes]] | [[Category:All Categories - Vaniquotes]] | ||
Revision as of 18:42, 5 April 2026
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the practice of taking a vow (vrata) is a fundamental aspect of spiritual life, acting as the foundation for determination and sense control. In the material world, the mind is naturally pulled toward sense gratification, but by committing to a firm vow—such as chanting a fixed number of rounds or following the four regulative principles—a devotee builds the spiritual strength necessary to resist illusion. Vows are not meant to be empty rituals; they are a means of satisfying the Supreme Lord and the spiritual master. Whether it is the great vow of celibacy (brahmacarya), the specific vows of a chaste wife, or the seasonal vows like Cāturmāsya, the purpose is always the same: to minimize material hankerings and fix the consciousness on the eternal service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
- The Necessity of Regulative Vows: Spiritual advancement is impossible without the determination to follow fixed rules. By strictly adhering to one's promises, especially those made at initiation, a devotee becomes purified and spiritually strong.
- Purifying the Heart through Vows: Religious vows, sacrifices, and fasting act as a cleansing process for the heart. They counteract the reactions of sinful life and gradually uproot the material desires that keep the soul entangled.
- The Vow of Celibacy (Brahmacarya): Restricting the sex urge through a great vow (bṛhad-vrata) is essential for self-realization. This austerity allows the practitioner to divert their energy toward transcendental knowledge and service.
- Firmly Fixed in Truthfulness: A vow is a test of one's character and truthfulness. Great personalities like Bali Mahārāja and Yudhiṣṭhira are celebrated because they refused to break their word, even under the most extreme pressure or suffering.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: The Necessity of Regulative Vows.
Subcategories
This category has the following 14 subcategories, out of 14 total.
A
B
C
F
K
O
T
V
Pages in category "Vow"
The following 243 pages are in this category, out of 243 total.
1
A
- A devotee like Narada Muni is addressed as suvrata. Su means "good," and vrata means "vow." Thus the word suvrata refers to a person who has nothing to do with the material world, which is always bad
- A grhavrata, one who has taken a vow to execute family duties, has no chance to become Krsna conscious. This is because most grhavratas are guided by sense gratification and therefore gradually glide down to the darkest regions of material existence
- A man should not desire to become a father and the woman should not desire to become a mother unless both of them have taken the vow that - I shall beget a child and stop his cycle of birth and death
- A sinful life can be counteracted by various processes of religion such as yajna, vrata and dana - that is, the performance of sacrifices, the taking of a vow for some religious ritual, and the giving of charity
- A student should practice completely controlling his senses. He should be submissive and should have an attitude of firm friendship for the spiritual master. With a great vow, the brahmacari should live at the guru-kula, only for the benefit of the guru
- Above all, the mendicants who take a vow to refrain from sex life no longer feel sexual urges when fixed in the transcendental service of the Lord
- After hearing from the great sage Maitreya about the Lord's incarnation as Varaha, Vidura, who had taken a vow, begged him with folded hands to please narrate further transcendental activities of the Lord, since he (Vidura) did not yet feel satisfied
- After hearing this statement, Krsna could understand that the King did not want to break his vow. Thus, in order to fulfill his desire, He tightened His belt and prepared to fight with the bulls
- Although bereft of his riches, fallen from his original position, defeated and arrested by his enemies, rebuked and deserted by his relatives and friends, Bali Maharaja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness
- Although Brahma had forced Priyavrata to accept the management of worldly affairs, thus breaking his vow to remain brahmacari and completely engage in devotional service, Narada and Priyavrata did not look upon Brahma with resentment
- Although he (Daksa) was fallen, his vow was to execute the sacrifice, as is the duty of brahmanas, and thus he began his prayers to Lord Siva
- Although one may neutralize the reactions of sinful life through austerity, charity, vows and other such methods, these pious activities cannot uproot the material desires in one's heart
- Although rebuked and cursed by his spiritual master, Bali Maharaja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness
- Although suffering the pain of being bound and although rebuked and cursed by his spiritual master, Bali Maharaja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness
- Amba thought that Bhismadeva would marry her and became attached to him, but Bhismadeva refused to marry her, for he had taken the vow of brahmacarya
- Ananta-caturdasi-vrata
- Another word Maharaja Pariksit used when he addressed Sukadeva Gosvami is suvrata, which means to take a vow to enact pious activities. Sukadeva Gosvami was an educated brahmacari, and under the circumstances it was not possible for him to indulge in sex
- Any brahmana or brahmana's wife who drinks liquor is taken by the agents of Yamaraja to the hell known as Ayahpana. This hell also awaits any ksatriya, vaisya, or person under a vow who in illusion drinks soma-rasa
- Anyone who executes the chanting of this mantra has to abide by certain principles and vows. Although Balarama and Krsna are transcendental personalities, They strictly followed the regulative principles
- As long as the vow to chant is unfulfilled, I do not desire anything else. When I finish my chanting, then I have an opportunity to do anything
- As soon as one takes a vow to live in the forest, he must simply eat roots, tree trunks, fruits, dried leaves or whatever nature provides in that way
- As soon as we take this vow, that "From this day my life is dedicated to Krsna. Krsna wants everyone to surrender. I surrender. I believe," from that day you become free from all designation
B
- Because of her chastity, the woman was very powerful. Therefore when she heard about the curse (Markandeya Rsi, who cursed her husband to die at sunrise) , she vowed to stop the sunrise
- Because of my vow on the verge of death, I (Parikisit) have given up even drinking water
- Before taking initiation, one promises to have no illicit sex, no intoxicants, no gambling, and no meat-eating, and this vow one should strictly follow. Then one will be clean
- Being thus successful in her mission (breaking Kandu's vows and austerities), Pramloca returned to the heavenly planets, leaving the newborn child to the care of the trees. Fortunately, the trees accepted the child and agreed to raise her
- Bhakti-lata is drdha-vrata, the great vow, for when the mind is completely engaged in devotional service, the mind does not fall down
- Brahmacarya essentially means the vow not to marry but to observe strict celibacy (brhad-vrata). A brahmacari or sannyasi should avoid talking with women or reading literature concerning talks between man and woman
- By following the strict vows of a chaste woman, Princess Devahuti became very skinny, and her husband became compassionate. He knew that she was the daughter of a great king and yet was serving him just like an ordinary woman
C
- Celestial beauties, the companions of Cupid, went to try to break His vows, but they were unsuccessful, for they saw that many beauties like them were emanating from Him, the Personality of Godhead
- Citti, wife of the sage Atharva, gave birth to a son named Asvasira by accepting a great vow called Dadhyanca. Now you may hear from me (Maitreya) about the descendants of the sage Bhrgu
D
- Determined to deliver all the fallen souls, Advaita Acarya decided to cause Krsna to descend. With this vow, He began to offer Ganges water and tulasi leaves to worship the Lord
- Devaki got Krsna as his child. So every father and mother should take this vow that, "Unless our children become first class, we don't want children." This is ideal. What is the use of begetting cats and dogs? You must have first-class children
- Devotional service is the path of vairagya-vidya (renunciation and knowledge). Haridasa Thakura was following this path, but Ramacandra Khan planned to induce him to break his vows
- Diti replied: My dear brahmana, I must accept your advice and follow the vow. Now let me understand what I have to do, what is forbidden and what will not break the vow. Please clearly state all this to me
- Diti worshiped Lord Visnu for almost one year, adhering to a great vow. Because of such strength in spiritual life, the forty-nine Maruts were born
- During that sacrifice, Sraddha, Manu's wife, who was observing the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk, approached the priest offering the sacrifice, offered obeisances to him and begged for a daughter
- During these periods of seasonal change, if one bathes in the Ganges, in the Yamuna or in another sacred place, if one chants, offers fire sacrifices or executes vows, whatever he gives in charity yields a permanently beneficial result
- Durvasa Muni: A powerful mystic brahmana determined to observe the principles of religion with great vows and under strict austerities
F
- First of all, in the beginning of creation, there were the four unmarried sons of Brahma (the Kumaras), who, being situated in a vow of celibacy, underwent severe austerities for realization of the Absolute Truth
- For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and observing austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how this serpent Kaliya got such an opportunity
- Freeing himself from all kinds of associations and attachments, he (Pariksit) accepted the vows of a sage
H
- Haridasa Thakura said, "My dear friend, what can I do? I have made a vow. How, then, can I give it up"
- Haridasa Thakura was strictly renounced, and thus Ramacandra Khan called for prostitutes because prostitutes know how to break a man's vow of celibacy by their feminine influence and thus pollute a mendicant or a person engaged in devotional life
- Haridasa Thakura, fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Krsna, was always absorbed in thoughts of Krsna by chanting the holy names of the Lord 300,000 times daily as a vow
- Having grown weak and thin because of strictly following the principles of the vow, Diti once unfortunately neglected to wash her mouth, hands and feet after eating and went to sleep during the evening twilight
- He (Banasura) was very intelligent and liberal also, and his activities are all praiseworthy because he never deviated from his promise and word of honor; he was very truthful & fixed in his vow. In those days, he was ruling over the city of Sonitapura
- He (Rukmi) presented himself as a big commander and vowed before all the princes, "Unless I kill Krsna in the fight and bring back my sister from His clutches, I shall not return to my capital city, Kundina"
- He thought it wise to educate his son properly, and being absorbed in this unsuccessful endeavor, he tried to teach his son the rules and regulations of brahmacarya - including the execution of the Vedic vows, cleanliness and study of the Vedas
- Here (in SB 8.16.25) it is recommended that one observe the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk
- His (Krsna's) favorite plant (tulasi), His devotees, and the observance of fasts and vows connected to His devotion all awaken the symptoms of ecstatic love
I
- I (Prahlada Maharaja) see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the Himalayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence (mauna-vrata)
- I (Vyasadeva) have, under strict disciplinary vows, unpretentiously worshiped the Vedas, the spiritual master and the altar of sacrifice
- I am known as a grhavrata because these yajnas are called vratas (vows). Unfortunately, you have given me great displeasure by misguiding my sons, for no reason, to the path of renunciation. This can be tolerated once
- I have acquired such a disposition that the goddess of fortune does not leave Me, even though I have no attachment for her and others praise her beauty and observe sacred vows to secure from her even a slight favor
- I have been initiated into a vow to perform a great sacrifice by chanting the holy name a certain number of times every day
- I have vowed to chant ten million names in a month. I have taken this vow, but now it is nearing its end
- I shall go to see Sacimata, but I shall not go for Your sake. I shall be responsible for the abandoning of my vow and service to Gopinatha
- If one is not even able to chant 16 rounds, then he must make it up the next day. He must be sure to keep his vow. If he does not strictly follow this out, then he is sure to be negligent. That is offensive in the service of the Lord
- If this vow or ritualistic ceremony is observed according to the description of sastra, even in this life a man will be able to achieve all the benedictions he desires from the Lord
- In order to be freed from the wrath of Varunadeva, as well as to fulfill the desired end of their (the gopis') vows and ultimately to please their worshipable Lord, Krsna, they immediately abided by His order
- In other places, the following offenses (to Deity worship) are listed: (q) to refuse flowers offered to the Deity, (r) to take a vow or oath in the holy name of the Lord
- In the bright fortnight of the month of Phalguna (February and March), for twelve days ending with Dvadasi, one should observe the vow of subsisting only on milk and should worship the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead with all devotion
- In the chilly cold of winter they will immerse themselves in water up to the neck and meditate. Such vows are prescribed in strict systems of tapasya. But Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu does not give us such a prescription
- In the month of Karttika, after observing that vow for one year, after observing a fast for three nights and after bathing in the Yamuna, Maharaja Ambarisa worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, in Madhuvana
- In the Vedas it is said that one who observes the caturmasya vow will attain eternal happiness in the heavenly kingdom
- In this age, devotional service of hearing and repeating the holy glories of the Lord is strongly recommended, and one who takes the vow of renunciation of family life need not imitate the parivrajakacarya like Narada or Lord Caitanya
- Indra was very much afraid of the severe austerities performed by the great sage Kandu, and he sent Pramloca to break his vows and austerities. A similar incident took place in the case of Visvamitra
- Indra's purpose was to cheat Diti as soon as he could find some fault in the way she discharged the vows of the ritualistic ceremony. However, he wanted to be undetected, and therefore he served her very carefully
- It is abominable for a person living in the grhastha-asrama to give up the regulative principles, or for a brahmacari not to follow the brahmacari vows while living under the care of the guru
- It is better if one fixes up a regulative principle according to his own ability and then follows that vow without fail. That will make him advanced in spiritual life
- It is essential that everyone fulfill a specific vow to chant the Hare Krsna mantra
- It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me, saying "My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours," and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on
- It is not that because one is a fool and cannot speak nicely he therefore takes the vow of mauna. Rather, one becomes silent so that people will not disturb him
- It is very important for peaceful householder life that a woman follow the vow of her husband. Any disagreement with the husband's vow will disrupt family life
- It was in great fun that the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Krsna. The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Krsna
J
- Jagadananda Pandita says, "Do not think of women even in dreams. You have accepted the renounced order of life with a vow that forbids you to associate with women"
- Just like we sometimes observe - no, regularly observe - the Ekadasi; it is called vrata. Vrata means fasting with a vow. Janmastami . . . just like we fast on the birthday of Krsna or Caitanya. These are called vrata. So brahmin is supposed to follow
- Just to associate with Krsna, Laksmi abandoned all transcendental happiness in Vaikuntha and for a long time accepted vows and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities
K
- Kardama accepted silence as a vow in order to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and take shelter of Him exclusively. Without association, he traveled over the surface of the globe as a sannyasi, devoid of any relationship with fire or shelter
- Kasyapa Muni continued to Diti: If there is any discrepancy in the discharge of this vow, the son will be a friend to Indra
- Kasyapa Muni continued: If you (Diti) perform this ceremony called pumsavana, adhering to the vow with faith for at least one year, you will give birth to a son destined to kill Indra
- Kasyapa Muni said: If you (Diti) deviate from this vow of following the Vaisnava principles, you will get a son who will be favorable to Indra
- Kasyapa Muni said: My dear gentle wife (Diti), if you follow my instructions regarding this vow for at least one year, you will surely get a son who will be able to kill Indra
- Kasyapa Muni said: My dear gentle wife, if you follow my instructions regarding this vow for at least one year, you will surely get a son who will be able to kill Indra
- Kasyapa Muni said: My dear wife (Diti), to follow this vow, do not be violent or cause harm to anyone. Do not curse anyone, and do not speak lies. Do not cut your nails and hair, and do not touch impure things like skulls and bones
- King Indra became successful in breaking the vow of the great sage Kandu, who became attracted by the beauty of the heavenly society girl Pramloca and begot a female child. This child is described herein (SB 4.30.13) as lotus-eyed and very beautiful
- King Nagnajit continued, "You (Krsna) may kindly know that from the very beginning I have made a vow to marry my daughter to a suitable candidate, one who can come out victorious in the test I have devised"
- Krsna said, "One should utilize first part of life in becoming a bonafide student, receiving adequate knowledge and keeping oneself in the vow of brahmacarya, one may completely devote life for service of the spiritual master without sense gratification"
L
- Later, after eight or nine days, when the brahmana could see Ramacandra personally, he would break his fast. Upon observing the brahmana’s rigid vow, Ramacandra ordered His younger brother Laksmana to deliver a pair of Sita-Rama Deities to the brahmana
- Lord Ramacandra took a vow to accept only one wife and have no connection with any other women
- Lord Siva regards no one as his relative, yet there is no one who is not connected with him; he does not regard anyone as very favorable or abominable. We respectfully worship the remnants of his foodstuff, and we vow to accept what is rejected by him
M
- Maharaja Pariksit said: My dear lord, you have already spoken about the pumsavana vow. Now I want to hear about it in detail, for I understand that by observing this vow one can please the Supreme Lord, Visnu
- Maharaja Prthu specifically appreciated the position of the Kumaras because they maintained the brahmacarya vow from the very beginning of their birth. Prthu, expressed his great appreciation of Vaisnavism by addressing the Kumaras as vaisnava-sresthah
- Many of the Lord's devotees residing in Vrndavana have taken the vow not to leave Vrndavana to preach KC. But the Lord says that KC should be spread all over the world, in every village and every town. This is the open order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- May the Lord, who is always worshiped as the protector of all devotees by great saints who observe vows of silence, meditation, devotional service and renunciation, be pleased with us
- Meditation means thinking of Krsna always (satatam cintayanto mam (BG 9.14)) and endeavoring to advance in Krsna consciousness with a firm vow - yatantas ca drdha-vratah
- Misguided conditioned souls who have come to lord it over material nature should be trained to become dhrta-vrata. This means that they should take a vow to satisfy their senses or enjoy material life only by satisfying the senses of the Supreme Lord
- My (Laksmi's) dear Lord, You (Kamadeva) are certainly the fully independent master of all the senses. Therefore all women who worship You by strictly observing vows because they wish to acquire a husband to satisfy their senses are surely under illusion
- My dear gentle lady, follow this ritualistic vow, strictly observing the regulative principles. By this process, the Supreme Person will very soon be pleased with you and will satisfy all your desires
- My dear great and powerful Lord Siva, you were created first from the mouth of Lord Brahma in order to protect the brahmanas in pursuing education, austerities, vows and self-realization
N
- No one can understand the import of the Vedas without having undergone a strict disciplinary vow and disciplic succession. The Vedas, spiritual masters and sacrificial fire must be worshiped by the desiring candidate
- No one can understand the loving intimacy between Gadadhara Pandita and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Gadadhara Pandita gave up his vow and service to Gopinatha just as one gives up a piece of straw
- Nor by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can one satisfy the Lord. The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him. Without sincere devotional service, everything is simply a show
- Nor can he (a husband) protect their (women who worship You (Kamadeva) by strictly observing vows because they wish to acquire a husband to satisfy their senses) wealth or duration of life
- Not only was Raghunatha dasa Gosvami chanting a fixed number of rounds, but he had also taken a vow to bow down many times and offer obeisances to the Lord
O
- O friends, just think of His wives, whose hands He has accepted. How they must have undergone vows, baths, fire sacrifices and perfect worship of the Lord of the universe to constantly relish now the nectar from His lips (by kissing)
- O lotus-eyed one, great personalities like Lord Siva desire to bathe in the dust of Your lotus feet to drive away ignorance. If I do not get the mercy of Your Lordship, I shall observe vows to reduce the duration of my life
- O Maghavan (Indra), all good fortune unto you. I advise you to approach the exalted saint Dadhyanca (Dadhici). He has become very accomplished in knowledge, vows and austerities, and his body is very strong. Go ask him for his body without delay
- O magnanimous mountain, you are very grave and sober, absorbed in thoughts of doing something very great. Like us, you have vowed to keep within your heart the lotus feet of Krsna, the son of Vasudeva
- O Vidura, they reached the hermitage of the sage, who had just completed his vows of austerity on the very day foretold by the Lord
- O Vyasadeva, your vision is completely perfect. Your good fame is spotless. You are firm in vow and situated in truthfulness & thus you can think of the pastimes of the Lord in trance for the liberation of the people in general from all material bondage
- On hearing this (Arjuna took a vow to kill him), Jayadratha wanted to leave the warfield and asked permission from the Kauravas for this cowardly action. But he was not allowed to do so. On the contrary, he was obliged to fight with Arjuna
- Once, while observing a vow of silence, he was fully engaged in the worship of the Lord and absorbed in the ecstasy of love of Godhead
- One cannot achieve such (cleanse the dirt from one's heart) purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies
- One has to practice the determination: Now I have taken vow before Deity because at the time of initiation, it is promised before the Deity, before the fire, and before the spiritual master, before the Vaisnava, that 'I'll not have illicit sex
- One is supposed to be perfect when one is perfectly religious, perfect in the execution of one's vows to render devotional service, perfect in knowledge, perfect in good behavior, and so on. All the Pracetas were on the same level of perfection
- One must circumambulate the temple building at least three times. (In every temple there is an arrangement to go around the temple at least three times. Some devotees go around more than three times - ten times, fifteen times - according to their vows)
- One must therefore be educated in self-realization so that under any circumstances in life he will remain steady in his vows
- One should accept this visnu-vrata, which is a vow in devotional service, and should not deviate from its execution to engage in anything else
- One should surrender to Krsna in all respects. (35) One should observe particular vows like kartika-vrata. These are some of the sixty-four important items of devotional service
- One should take the vow to stop social intercourse completely and devote life exclusively to the service of the Lord
- One who becomes virasana takes the vow to stand all night with a sword to give protection to the cows. Because Prsadhra was engaged in this way, it is to be understood that he had no dynasty
- One who is vipra, these twelve qualification: dhrti; he is fixed up in his vows; and srutam ca, has got sufficient knowledge in the Vedas; vratani, and he has followed all kinds of vrata
- One who smears oil on his body while observing a vow in conjunction with a ritual, while bathing in the morning, while performing the sraddha ceremony, or on dvadasi day may as well pour wine over his body. Therefore, oil should be rejected
- One who takes a vow to satisfy Lord Siva or who follows such principles will certainly become an atheist and be diverted from transcendental scriptural injunctions
- Only students unable to accept such a vow in life (celibacy) were allowed to go home and marry a suitable wife. Otherwise, the student would remain a permanent brahmacari, observing complete abstinence from sex life for his whole life
- Other necessities include invoking the different names of the demigods by specific hymns and vows of recompense, in accordance with the particular scripture, for specific purposes and by specific processes
- Others, who are attached to family life and who do not strictly follow celibacy vows, must live within the three material worlds
P
- Performing religious ceremonies, following vows and practicing renunciation and sacrifice are all materialistic auspicious activities
- Please let me (Diti) know what the vow is and how I have to follow it. I promise that I shall do the needful and not break the vow
- Presently, having seen the Lord (Krsna) from a distance, they (queens) at once gave up all their engagements, including the vows of women as described above
- Priyavrata Maharaja had taken a vow of renunciation, but accepting a wife and begetting children have nothing to do with the path of renunciation; these are activities on the path of enjoyment
- Prthu welcomed the four Kumaras, saying: From the beginning of your birth you strictly observed the vows of celibacy, and although you are experienced in the path of liberation, you are keeping yourselves just like small children
R
- Ramacandra Khan said to the prostitutes, "There is a mendicant named Haridasa Thakura. All of you devise a way to deviate him from his vows of austerity"
- Renunciants and great sages who see all living beings equally, who are friendly to everyone and who flawlessly practice in the forest the vows of brahmacarya, vanaprastha and sannyasa desire to see the all-auspicious lotus feet of the SPG
- Rukmi vowed before all the princes, "I make this vow before you all, and you will see that I shall fulfill it"
S
- Sankarsana thus spoke the purport of SB to the great sage Sanat-kumara, who had already taken the vow of renunciation. Sanat-kumara also, in his turn, when inquired of by Sankhyayana Muni, explained Srimad-Bhagavatam as he had heard it from Sankarsana
- Sankhyata asankhyata. Sankhyata means with vow, numerical strength. And asankhyata means there is no limit
- Self-realized saints and sages take such risks for the spiritual enlightenment of the people in general. They do not take vows of silence meant to win cheap glory from the ignorant mass of people
- She (Kalindi) further told Arjuna, "I have vowed to remain in the water as long as I cannot find Lord Krsna"
- Similarly, tolerating separation from you, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has protected your vow with great endeavor
- Simply by desiring to go back to home, back to Godhead one is supposed to follow the vow of brahmacari. Brahmacari, to live the life of celibacy, this is called brahmacari
- Since Krsna and Narayana are both the same personality, Laksmi's association with Krsna did not break her vow of chastity. Rather, it was in great fun that the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Krsna
- Since Maghavan, the King of heaven, still aspired for a comfortable bodily situation, Lord Visnu advised him to ask Dadhyanca (Dadhici Muni) for his body, which was very strong due to his knowledge, vows and austerity
- So far as Savitri getting her 2nd initiation you have written to say that she had difficulty now to even chant a few mantras. So you must observe first whether she will be able to keep the Brahminical vows
- Some son of a ksatriya would take this vow to protect the cows from ferocious animals, even at night. What then is to be said of sending cows to slaughterhouses? This is the most sinful activity in human society
- Sometimes those who have undertaken strict vows of tapasya will ignite a ring of fire all around themselves, and in the scorching heat of the sun in the hot summer they will sit down in the midst of that fire and meditate
- Sometimes we become induced, but we should always remember that "I have taken this vow. Why shall I be induced by my friend to smoke?" That is very nice
- Sometimes, due to business, Ramacandra was absent from His capital for a full week & could not be seen by the citizens during that time. Because of his vow (fast until he saw Ramacandra), the brahmana could not take even a drop of water during that week
- Sri Narada Muni, as the spiritual master of Vyasadeva, knew very well the position of Vyasadeva, and thus he certified the qualities of Srila Vyasadeva as fixed in the Absolute Truth with great vow, etc
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura took hold of Gaudiya Vaisnavism with a vow to propagate it in its true perspective, even as it was practiced with unparalleled and unprecedented transcendentalism by Sri Rupa and Sri Sanatana Gosvamis
- Srila Vyasadeva and his representatives are pure in thought due to their spiritual enlightenment, fixed in their vows due to their devotional service, and determined to deliver the fallen souls rotting in material activities
- Starvation can be mitigated by drinking water. It is sometimes found that if a person who has taken a vow to fast takes a little water at intervals, the exhaustion of fasting is at once mitigated
- Studying the whole scheme of disassociation from women, it appears that a woman is a stumbling block for self-realization, and the Lord appeared as Narayana to teach the principle of womanly disassociation with a vow in life
- Such (inconceivable) activities are not possible for ordinary men. Indeed, ordinary men cannot even take to the devotional service of the Lord, nor can ordinary women maintain such vows of chastity and follow their husbands in all respects
- Such persons are ever bereft of DS due to being too attached to sense gratification, and therefore, although they perform various kinds of sacrifices and take great vows to satisfy the demigods and forefathers, they are not interested in KC
- Svayambhuva Manu continued: O wise man, I heard that you were prepared to marry. Please accept her hand, which is being offered to you by me, since you have not taken a vow of perpetual celibacy
- Svayambhuva Manu requested Kardama Muni to accept his daughter, since Kardama had not taken the vow of naisthika-brahmacarya. He was willing to marry, and the suitable daughter of a high royal family was presented
T
- Tapasya means austerity, penance, vow. These are the teachings of all scriptures. Either you take Hindu scripture or Christian scripture or Muhammadan scripture, in every scripture human form of life is meant for training
- The brahmanas, as the intelligent class of men in society, must vow to steadily respect this regulative principle of varnasrama
- The daughter of King Vidarbha wore old garments, and she was lean and thin because of her vows of austerity. Since she did not arrange her hair, it became entangled and twisted in locks
- The demigods continue: After performing the very difficult tasks of executing Vedic ritualistic sacrifices, undergoing austerities, observing vows and giving charity, we have achieved this position as inhabitants of the heavenly planets
- The demigods prayed: O Lord, You never deviate from Your vow, which is always perfect because whatever You decide is perfectly correct and cannot be stopped by anyone - SB 10.2.26
- The demigods, being envious of the austere life of the rigid brahmacaris, would try to cause them to break their vows by dispatching soldiers of Cupid. But in the case of the Lord, it became an unsuccessful attempt
- The disciple must vow that he will no longer commit sinful activity - namely illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. He promises to execute the order of the spiritual master. Then the spiritual master takes care of him
- The first month of Hemanta is Agrahayana (October-November), and at that time all the unmarried gopis of Vrndavana began to worship goddess Durga with a vow
- The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds
- The goddess of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by her relationship with Krsna. Rather, by associating with Krsna she could enjoy the benefit of the rasa dance
- The King of Kasi had a son whose name was Sudaksina. After observing the ritualistic funeral ceremonies (of his father), he took a vow that since Krsna was the enemy of his father, he would kill Krsna and in this way liquidate his debt to his father
- The King said: "To transgress the laws of respectful behavior toward the brahmanas is certainly a great offense. On the other hand, if one does not observe the breaking of the fast within Dvadasi's time, there is a flaw in one's observance of the vow"
- The Lord demands that one surrender unto Him (BG 18.66). He further says - If one surrenders unto Me sincerely, saying, 'My Lord, from this day I am fully surrendered unto You,' I always give him protection. That is My vow - Ramayana, Yuddha-kanda 18.33
- The moon is considered one of the planets of heavenly kingdom. One can be promoted to this planet by executing different sacrifices recommended in Vedic literature, such as pious activities in worshiping the demigods and forefathers with rigidity and vows
- The PG said: My dear Dhruva, son of the King, you have executed pious vows & I also know the desire within your heart. Although your desire is very ambitious and very difficult to fulfill, I shall favor you with its fulfillment. All good fortune unto you
- The process of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra with a vow before the tulasi plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong
- The real purpose behind the vow taken during these four months (Caturmasya) is to minimize the quantity of sense gratification. This is not very difficult
- The sage Kardama accepted silence as a vow in order to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and take shelter of Him exclusively
- The senses are impossible to control unless purified and engaged in the service of the Lord. Thus even though a saintly person vows to control his senses, the senses are still sometimes perturbed by sense objects
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of those who observe vows and austerities, and it is He who bestows benedictions upon them. He is worshipable for the devotee throughout the devotee's life, for He never breaks His promises
- The tridandi-sannyasi of the Vaisnava school accepts three rods, representing the vow to engage in the service of the Lord with body, mind and speech, whereas the ekadandi-sannyasi takes the vow to become one with the Supreme
- The vibration of Krsna's flute is very aggressive, and it breaks the vows of all chaste women. Indeed, its vibration takes them forcibly from the laps of their husbands
- The word 'muni' refers to one who is thoughtful, one who is grave or silent, an ascetic, one who keeps great vows, one in the renounced order and a saint. These are the different meanings of the word 'muni'
- The word asuci-vratah, unclean vow, is very significant in this connection. Such demoniac people are only attracted by wine, women, gambling and meat eating; those are their asuci, unclean habits. BG 1972 purports
- There (in Chapters Twelve to Fifteen of Adhyatma-ramayana) it is stated that during Lord Ramacandra’s time there was a brahmana who took a vow to fast until he saw Lord Ramacandra
- There are many devotees who vow never to leave Vrndavana and Mathura. This is undoubtedly a good vow, but if one leaves Vrndavana, Mathura or Navadvipa-dhama for the service of the Lord, he is not disconnected from the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- There are others who, enlightened by sacrificing their material possessions in severe austerities, take strict vows and practice the yoga of eightfold mysticism, and others study the Vedas for the advancement of transcendental knowledge. BG 4.28 - 1972
- There are ten prescribed methods on the path to liberation - to remain silent, not to speak to anyone, to observe vows, to amass all kinds of Vedic knowledge, to undergo austerities, to study the Vedas and other Vedic literatures
- There are two kinds of brahmacaris. One may return home, marry and become a householder, whereas the other, known as brhad-vrata, takes a vow to remain a brahmacari perpetually
- Thereafter, Diti said to Indra: My dear son, I adhered to this difficult vow just to get a son to kill you twelve Adityas
- These brahmanas take to education, austerity and vows only for the purpose of maintaining the body. They shall be devoid of discrimination between what to eat and what not to eat
- These girls (the damsels of Vraja), as well as the queens (of Dvaraka), underwent severe penances by taking vows, bathing and offering sacrifices in the fire, as prescribed in the scriptures
- These methods (mauna (silence), vrata (vows)) are not so powerful. If one takes to devotional service, all of them are very easily performed
- These people engage in austerity, sacrifice, Vedic study, regulative vows, and charity. Destroy all the people thus engaged
- These processes (candrayana and caturmasya) entail severe vows for conducting life under certain rigid rules. BG 1972 purports
- They (Brahma, Siva, Narada & many other demigods) began to pray for the SPG in select prayers which are very pleasing to the devotees and which award fulfillment of devotional desires. The first words they spoke acclaimed that the Lord is true to His vow
- They (women who worship You (Kamadeva) by strictly observing vows because they wish to acquire a husband to satisfy their senses) do not know that such a husband cannot actually give protection to them or their children
- This is another side of a woman's psychology, "Please let me know what the vow is and how I have to follow it. I promise that I shall do the needful and not break the vow"
- This is the process (of devotional service) descending from time immemorial. Learning from the life of Ajamila, we should vow with determination to do what is necessary to follow this path
- This vow of rejecting anything which is not offered to Krsna is actually renunciation. And by such renunciation one is able to satisfy the demands of the senses
- This word vrata (vow) is sometimes understood to refer to the sannyasa-vrata
- Those who are vasudeva-parayana, who have fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Lord Vasudeva, Krsna, automatically achieve the results of mauna (silence), vrata (vows) and other such methods simply by discharging devotional service
- Those who vow to worship Lord Siva are so foolish that they imitate him by keeping long hair on their heads. When initiated into worship of Lord Siva, they prefer to live on wine, flesh and other such things
- To live in this way (never hoarding money for a luxurious life) is the vow of a qualified brahmana, and all of these brahmanas were well situated in that exalted vow. They were well learned in Vedic knowledge
- To render service to the husband, to be always favorably disposed toward the husband, to be equally well disposed toward the husband's relatives & friends, & to follow the vows of the husband - these are the four principles to be followed by chaste women
- To worship Lord Krsna, Maharaja Ambarisa, along with his queen, who was equally qualified, observed the vow of Ekadasi and Dvadasi for one year
- Tomorrow I will surely finish, and my vow will be fulfilled. Then it will be possible for me to enjoy with you in full freedom
U
- Under the caturmasya vow the candidate does not shave for four months during the year, he does not eat certain foods, does not eat twice in a day and does not leave home. Such sacrifice of the comforts of life is called tapomaya-yajna. BG 1972 purports
- Under your regulative principles, the institution of the four varnas and asramas is respected. The brahmanas therefore vow to follow this system strictly
W
- We can further understand from this vow (to stand all night with a sword to give protection to the cows) accepted by Prsadhra how essential it is to protect the cows
- Westerners or anyone else can 2) vow to accept krsna-prasada and nothing else, follow the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds daily of the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way, one's spiritual life will never be disturbed
- What is to be said of a devotee who worships mother Ganges faithfully with a determined vow? One can only imagine the benefit that accrues to such a devotee
- When Caitanya Mahaprabhu took sannyasa, His wife, Visnupriyadevi, although only sixteen years old, also took the vow of austerity due to her husband's leaving home
- When Gadadhara Pandita started to go with the Lord, he was forbidden to come and was asked not to give up the vow of ksetra-sannyasa
- When I understood that you were observing a great vow in spiritual life, I wanted to find some fault in you. When I found such a fault, I entered your womb and cut the embryo to pieces
- When one takes a vow to remain a complete celibate, his mind may still be agitated by sexual desire; therefore in India those practicing the traditional yoga under strict vows of celibacy are not allowed to sit alone even with a mother, sister or daughter
- When Sudaksina was encouraged by Lord Siva in that way, he was sure that he would be able to kill Krsna. With a determined vow of austerity, he began to execute the black art of chanting mantras, assisted by the priests
- When the hero Prsadhra was thus cursed by his spiritual master, he accepted the curse with folded hands. Then, having controlled his senses, he took the vow of brahmacarya, which is approved by all great sages
- While Abhimanyu was being killed, mercilessly surrounded by seven great generals, the Pandavas came to his help, but Jayadratha, by the mercy of Lord Siva, repulsed them with great ability. At this, Arjuna took a vow to kill him
- With a strong vow one should chant the holy name of the Lord - Hare Krsna - for thus one will certainly be delivered from the clutches of maya by the grace of Krsna
- With determination, one should vow to follow these four regulative principles and thus be saved from the miserable condition of material existence. The first necessity is to become freed from the bodily concept of life
- With flower garlands, sandalwood pulp, ornaments and other paraphernalia, a woman following this vow should worship women who have sons and whose husbands are living
- With great jubilation she became pregnant, having taken semen from Kasyapa, and faithfully began discharging the vow
- Worshiping Lord Visnu with great faith and devotion and living only by drinking milk, one should follow this vow. One should also offer oblations to the fire and feed the brahmanas as mentioned before
Y
- Yet because I have been satisfied by the activities of your vow, O goddess Aditi, I must find some means to favor you, for worship of Me never goes in vain but certainly gives the desired result according to what one deserves
- You (Devahuti) have undertaken sacred vows. God will bless you. Hence you should worship the Lord with great faith, through sensory control, religious observances, austerities and gifts of your money in charity
- You (Narada Muni) are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul. Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me (Vyasadeva), despite my being absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows
- You have abandoned Gopinatha's service and broken your vow to live in Puri. All that is now complete because you have come so far
- Yudhisthira, who was born without any enemy, was unfairly defeated in gambling. But because he had taken the vow of truthfulness, he went off to the forest