Category:A Matter Of
Theme Analysis
The teachings compiled in this category highlight the crucial distinction between superficial, formalistic approaches to religion and the practical, urgent necessity of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, spiritual practices such as accepting a guru, taking sannyāsa, or chanting the holy names must never be treated as a matter of fashion, sentiment, or mere custom, but rather as a matter of deep understanding and absolute necessity for saving the soul.
- Rejecting Superficial Formality: Many people approach spiritual masters or perform religious rituals simply as a matter of fashion or social custom. True spiritual life requires sincere discipline and practical realization, not just a change of dress or blind adherence to sentiment.
- The Practical Necessity of Devotion: Devotional service is not a sentimental emotion but a practical, scientific process. When one understands the stringent laws of karma and the miseries of material existence, taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness becomes an absolute necessity rather than an optional hobby.
- Understanding the Absolute Truth: The Supreme Lord and His transcendental energies cannot be understood through mental speculation or word jugglery. Real knowledge is a matter of hearing submissively from the bona fide paramparā and engaging in practical service, which naturally awakens one's dormant love for Godhead.
- Transcending Bodily Designations: A learned person does not lament over the temporary appearances and disappearances of the material body. By realizing the eternal nature of the soul, one performs their prescribed duties without attachment, understanding that ultimate liberation is a matter of pure devotional surrender.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Why Spiritual Life Is Not a Matter of Fashion or Sentiment.
Subcategories
This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total.
A
T
Pages in category "A Matter Of"
The following 97 pages are in this category, out of 97 total.
A
- A common man who has no interest in spiritual values has no need to approach a spiritual master just as a matter of following fashion
- A learned man never laments over a subject which appears and disappears as a matter of course. The material body, which we get from the womb of our mother, becomes transformed after some time into ashes, earth, or stool, as the case may be
- A politician was so ignorant of the codes of God that he writes: I do not believe in any such ceremonies, and to submit to them, even as a matter of form, would be hypocrisy and an attempt to delude ourselves and others... I have no religious sentiment
- A pure devotee is one whose intelligence is clear; he is truly thoughtful because he engages in the service of the Lord - not as a matter of show, but with love, with his mind, words and body
- A pure devotee of the Lord never commits any sinful acts, but because the whole world is full of the sinful atmosphere, even a pure devotee may commit a sin unconsciously, as a matter of course
- A spiritual master should not be accepted as a matter of fashion. Somebody thinks that, "Everyone gets a spiritual master, so I may also have some spiritual master." Or - I may keep some spiritual master as my pet
- A spiritual master should not be accepted as a matter of phobia. Just like you keep some pet dog or cat, similarly if you want to keep one spiritual master, there is no profit. You see?
- A true brahmana is always satisfied. Even if he has nothing to eat, he can drink a little water and be satisfied. This is only a matter of practice. Unfortunately, however, no one is educated in how to be satisfied in self-realization
- All the various actions that we perform in this world beget various specific results. When we begin to enjoy the fruits of such performances, these further actions also produce, in their turn, further specific results as a matter of course
- Although Brahma created the principles of nescience as a matter of necessity for those living entities who were destined to ignorance by the will of the Lord, he was not satisfied in performing such a thankless task
- An intelligent man will find the original cause of everything. Material combinations and permutations may be a matter of fact in worldly dealings, but actually the living force, the soul, has nothing to do with them
- Anyone, whether a grhastha or a sannyasi, can keep small Deities of God and thus worship Them by offering food prepared in ghee & then offering the sanctified prasada to the forefathers, demigods & other living entities as a matter of routine daily work
- As a matter of fact, even among the educated classes in the United States, there is no culture. There are no cultural roots
- As a matter of fact, the King (Maharaja Pariksit) was right to get angry with the rsi (Samika Rsi) when he needed a glass of water very badly
- As a matter of fact, they (the enemies of the karma-yogis) are pantheist pretenders, trying to cover their extravagancy by falsely labeling it transcendental service to Godhead
- As a matter of gratitude, they (human beings) should feel obliged to the Lord for their supply of foodstuff, and they must first offer Him food in sacrifice and then partake of the remnants
- As a matter of inquisitiveness, she (Prtha) at once called for the sun-god, who desired couplement with her, but she declined. But the sun-god assured her immunity from virgin adulteration, and so she agreed to his proposal
- As a matter of philosophy and book of knowledge, it is (Bhagavad-gita) very popular all over the world
- As a matter of principle, devotees should read, speak and hear Srimad-Bhagavatam persistently, twenty-four hours daily if possible. That is the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- As a matter of principle, Lord Caitanya regularly accepted His food at the house of Tapana Misra. He never mixed with other sannyasis, nor did He accept invitations from them
- As an obedient servitor of the Lord, Brahma creates all these (five nesciences) as a matter of necessity, but he is not happy in doing so because a devotee of the Lord naturally does not like to see anyone falling down from his real position
- As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this from Haridasa Thakura, the happiness within His heart increased, but as a matter of course, He still inquired further
B
- Because the living being takes the superior position for explosion of matter or reaction of matter, therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is admitted that the matter is handled by the living being; it is inferior energy
- Because they have taken the wrong side. Because Bhismadeva, in spite of his becoming so learned, still, he has gone to the side of the Duryodhana, and simply for matter of getting some money, maintenance
- Brahma is called here (in SB 3.32.12-15) adyah sthira-caranam. He is the original, first-created living entity, and after his own birth he creates the entire cosmic manifestation. He was fully instructed in the matter of creation by the Supreme Lord
- Brahmaji was bewildered in the matter of creation, and he could not even trace out the source of his own existence. But all this knowledge was fully achieved by him through the medium of bhakti-yoga
- By hearing from a bona fide spiritual master (Sukadeva Gosvami), he (Maharaja Pariksit) was perfectly able to concentrate his chaste mind further upon Lord Krsna, as a matter of course
D
- Don't think that Krsna consciousness is a matter of sentiment. No, it is practical
- During the period of Krsna’s appearance, the killing of asuras or nonbelievers such as Kamsa & Jarasandha was done by Visnu, who was within the person of Krsna. Such apparent killing by Krsna took place as a matter of course & was an incidental activity
H
- He (Citraketu) wanted to satisfy her (Parvati) because although his verdict was natural, she was displeased with him. As a matter of course, Maharaja Citraketu begged pardon from Parvati
- He (God) does not have to come Himself to destroy demons, for He has many agents; even the external energy, maya, has sufficient strength to kill them. But when He comes to show compassion to His devotees, He kills the nondevotees as a matter of course
- He (Vyasadeva) has certainly, as a matter of course, given descriptions of the glories of the Lord (Sri Krsna) but not as many as given to religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and salvation
- How can you deny that there is no consciousness in the matter of sun rising, moon rising, seasonal changes, and so many planets floating in the air? So many wonderful things are being done in the material nature
I
- I can understand the hint which you give me about Haimabati and Hansadutta. As a matter of fact woman is like fire and the man is like the butter pot. They must keep apart for healthy atmosphere
- I think you should consult your Godbrothers in this connection. So I have no objection if you decide to marry as a matter of necessity
- If one does not completely devote his mind and body to the service of the Lord, he does not actually become a sannyasi. It is not simply a matter of changing dress
- In other words, one can utilize the senses, mind and living force for sense gratification and transmigration from one body to another or for the matter of liberation
- In this (CC Madhya 5.24) regard, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that the younger brahmana rendered service to the older one with the purpose of pleasing Krsna. It was not a matter of ordinary worldly dealings
- It is a matter of great regret that recently in my birthplace, West Bengal, there are some who are making agitations and various uncalled for remarks without knowing the real facts. All these have pained me to a great extent
- It is a matter of understanding Krishna - that is the real qualification. Whether one is grhastha or sannyasi, how well he knows Krishna
- It is no use to approach professional spiritual masters as a matter of formality or custom. Attainment of spiritual perfection can never be possible without undergoing spiritual discipline
- It is no use to approach such professional spiritual masters as a matter of formality or custom. Attainment of spiritual perfection can never be possible without undergoing spiritual discipline
- It is not only in Christian religion; in every religion there are some prescribed method that . . . accepting as a matter of fact that every man is sinful, therefore in religious scriptures there are certain methods to purify them
- It is not simply a matter of saying "I am not this body," but of actually realizing it. This is not as simple as it may seem at first
L
- Later Hussain Khan somehow or other was appointed Nawab by the central Muslim government. As a matter of obligation, he increased the opulences of Subuddhi Raya
- Lord Jesus is a living example how one has to suffer in this material world simply for the matter of preaching the message of God. In Bhagavatam also there is another example like Lord Jesus. He is Prahlada Maharaja a boy of five years old
O
- O master of yogic power, you said that fatigue resulting from moving the body here and there is appreciated by direct perception, but actually there is no fatigue. It simply exists as a matter of formality
- One can attain Krsna consciousness or divine life at once, within a second - or one may not attain such a state of life even after millions of births. It is only a matter of understanding and accepting the fact. BG 1972 purports
- One can go to a lower planetary system, or if one desires he can remain on this planet. Finally, if one desires, he can enter the planet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is all a matter of preparation
- One may justifiably ask, "How can I serve?" It is not simply a matter of meditation, which is just an activity of the mind, but of performing practical work for Krsna. In such work, we should leave no resource unused - CC Intro
- One may then justifiably ask, "How can I serve?" Obviously this is not simply a matter of meditation, which is just an activity of the mind, but of practical work
- One should not become a pseudo spiritual master as a matter of business to meet one's family expenditures; one must be an expert spiritual master to deliver the disciple from the clutches of impending death
S
- Sacrifice undertaken in this age as a matter of show may simply be a cheating process by the clever priestly order. But such a show of sacrifices cannot be effective at any stage
- Sankaracarya, the great monist philosopher and religious reformer, said that simply for the matter of the stomach, one may not adopt the dress of a renunciant. Therefore, there is no way out - no way to avoid doing work, if only for the belly's sake
- Serving Krsna is not simply a matter of meditation, which is just an activity of the mind, but of performing practical work for Krsna
- Soon as we conquer over this sense gratification, then we have no fear, bhaya. Krodha: and there is no anger. Where anger is there, as soon as we are dissatisfied in the matter of sense gratification we become angry
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is in the renounced order of life. Consequently He does not recognize discrepancies. As a matter of fact, a sannyasi is not affected by eating food from anywhere and everywhere
- Sri-vigraha is the arca, or suitable worshipable form of the Lord, and the disciple should be engaged in worshiping the Deity regularly by srngara, by proper decoration and dressing, as also by mandira-marjana, the matter of cleansing the temple
- Srila Vyasadeva was also in the transcendental stage, but because he was in the householder's life, he did not pretend to be a liberated soul, as a matter of custom
- Such a chanter (who thinks that the holy name is imaginary) of the name of the Lord cannot achieve the desired success in the matter of chanting the holy name
- Such persons are described in the Vedic literature as suicidal, because attachment for the material body, its comforts forces the living entity to wander through the process of birth & death perpetually & suffer the material pangs as a matter of course
T
- The author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami) asserts with authority that sexual love is a matter of personal sense enjoyment
- The body may perish at any moment, but the soul is eternal. If one gives up attachment for the body and increases his attachment for the spirit soul, his life is successful. It is merely a matter of deliberation
- The business community you can impress upon them that throughout the whole world there is no institution to impart education in the matter of spiritual understanding
- The caste system is there as a matter of necessity. You cannot abolish it. But it is now existing in a deformed manner. People should be systematic and organized
- The difference is a matter of formality on the strength of renunciation. The sannyasis are held in high estimation on the strength of practical renunciation
- The Lord indicated that in the Mayavadi sampradaya there are many so-called sannyasis who, even though illiterate & unintelligent, hear Vedanta-sutra from their spiritual master just as a matter of formality. Although they listen, they do not understand
- The Nagapatnis said, "In the matter of creating this cosmic manifestation, personally You (Krsna) have nothing to exert; by expanding Your different kinds of energy - namely the modes of passion, goodness & ignorance - You create, maintain & annihilate"
- The poverty-stricken condition is a kind of austerity. According to Vedic culture, therefore, the brahmanas, as a matter of routine, keep themselves in a poverty-stricken condition to save themselves from the false prestige of material opulence
- The process of approaching the Absolute Truth is one straight line, but it is a matter of progress
- The sacrificial altar, fire, and the offering ingredients, grains and clarified butter, and the person who is offering sacrifice, three, and the result and the performance. These five things are there in the matter of sacrifice
- The sane person ceases to speculate on subjects beyond the jurisdiction of his tiny brain, and as a matter of course he tries to learn to surrender unto the Supreme Lord, who alone can lead one to the platform of real knowledge
- The sastras, the scriptures, the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavata, are there, and if we make scrutinizingly study of these two books, we can understand the Krsna science very nicely, and our progress in the matter of Krsna consciousness will be definite
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the highest authority in explaining this knowledge. Still, as a matter of course, learned scholars and standard authorities always give evidence from previous authorities. BG 1972 purports
- The Vaisnava liberation is completely different from the mayavada liberation, which is simply a matter of being merged into the effulgence of the Lord
- The women will try to become independent of the protection of men, and marriage will be performed as a matter of formal agreement between man and woman. In most cases, the children will not be taken care of properly
- The work which is entrusted to you, or the work in which you are now engaged, that is not to be undone. You work as you are doing. But you engage your, the result of your work or life for the matter of sacrificing for the Supreme Lord
- There are many auspicious activities to counteract inauspicious activities. So this chanting of holy name should not be taken as that. It is just for the matter of pleasing the Absolute Personality of Godhead
- There is no question of liking or disliking the truth. It is there. If we want to be saved from repeated birth and death, we must take to the devotional service of the Lord. There can be no compromise, for this is a matter of necessity
- There is none who can excel Him (Krsna) in any matter of enjoyment, and certainly there is no one greater than Him. No one is equal to or greater than Him. It is the duty of everyone, whoever and wherever one may be, to surrender completely unto Him
- There was none so attentive as Maharaja Pariksit in the matter of hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, and there was none so qualified as Sukadeva Gosvami to recite the text of Srimad-Bhagavatam
- This (Krsna's detachment) was fully displayed when He wanted to teach by example that one should not remain attached to household life for all the days of one's life. One should naturally develop detachment as a matter of course
- This translation work is very important. It is not simply a matter of ABC's, but it requires spiritual realization to do it properly. I understand that you are a good sankirtana man and book distributer. So you all cooperate
- Those who are completely dedicated to the lotus feet of Krsna in service are actually sannyasis. As a matter of formality, the devotee accepts the sannyasa dress as previous acaryas did. He also accepts the three dandas
- Those who are materially interested are called visayis (karmis), which indicates that they are very fond of sense gratification. Such visayis sometimes approach a famous guru and ask to become a disciple just as a matter of fashion
- To a good lady like Draupadi, the matter (of Asvatthama) was considered not from the angle of sastric vision, but as a matter of custom
W
- We practice and preach svabhava dharma but not that dharma which is taken as a matter of faith. The svabhava dharma of every living creature is to become a servant
- Words, mind and ego, with their respective controlling demigods, have failed to achieve success in knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, we simply have to offer our respectful obeisances unto Him as a matter of sanity