Category:Becoming Afraid
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda defines fear (bhaya) as one of the four primary bodily necessities, alongside eating, sleeping, and mating. In the material world, everyone is constantly "becoming afraid" because of the temporary nature of the body and the inherent envy among living entities. The analysis of these quotes reveals a spectrum of fear: from the paralyzing anxiety of the materialist facing death, to the "salutary fear" of a sinner realizing their offenses, and finally to the "transcendental fear" exhibited by Kṛṣṇa in His childhood pastimes.
- The Universal Condition: The analysis establishes that fear is intrinsic to material existence. Whether it is a nation building military strength or a neighbor envying another, the underlying emotion is fear of loss and death.
- Fear as a Catalyst: For the hunter Mṛgāri, becoming afraid of his past sinful activities was the beginning of his purification. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that when one genuinely fears the consequences of material entanglement, they naturally take shelter of the Vedic literature.
- Transcendental Fear: A fascinating aspect of the philosophy is that God, who is Fear Personified for the demons, becomes afraid of His mother's stick. This fear is not material anguish but an exchange of love (rasa) that enhances the devotee's pleasure.
- The Impersonal Trap: The quotes also highlight a psychological fear among materialists: when they hear about spiritual personality, they become afraid of retaining individual identity, preferring to merge into the void to escape the problems of personhood.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Why Everyone is Becoming Afraid in the Material World.
Pages in category "Becoming Afraid"
The following 53 pages are in this category, out of 53 total.
A
- A sane person, by attaining old age, will become fearful of death. Foolish people engage in material activities as if they will live forever and enjoy material advancement, but actually there is no material advancement
- After saying this, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu returned home. When Svarupa Damodara Gosvami and His other attendants heard about the incident, they became very much afraid
- All of a sudden He (Caitanya) took up a club, and people became greatly afraid, thinking - We do not know what kind of offense we have now committed! - But then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu adjusted His thoughts and sat down on His seat - CC Adi 17.91
- Although he was a great outlaw in the city, Satadhanva was still very much afraid of Krsna's power, and thus when Krsna arrived he became most afraid
- Although the hunter was very sinful, his heart became softened, and he became afraid of his sins by virtue of his association with a great devotee like Narada
- Arjuna, however, became very much afraid upon seeing the gigantic form of everything, distinct from the material experience
- As is the nature of this material world, the King of heaven, Indra, is very anxious if a great sage undergoes severe austerities. The whole material world is filled with such envy that everyone becomes afraid of his neighbors
- As we sometimes become very much afraid at the sound of a thunderbolt, perhaps thinking that our houses will be destroyed, the great demigods like Lord Brahma feared the thundering sound that came from the pillar in front of Hiranyakasipu
- At that time, Krsna became very much afraid of Jarati and went to His elder brother Baladeva. He said, "My dear brother, I have stolen yogurt! Just see - Jarati is coming hurriedly to catch Me!"
B
- Bhaya means "to become afraid of." That is material nature. We are always afraid of. Therefore we have military strength. Your country is very busy in that way, how to protect. Everyone should be, protection
- By electing Vena to the throne, the saintly sages certainly associated with him. Ultimately King Vena became so mischievous that the saintly sages actually became afraid of becoming contaminated by his activities
H
- Having heard that Krsna had already killed the elephant Kuvalayapida, Kamsa knew beyond doubt that Krsna was formidable. He thus became very much afraid of Him. Krsna and Balarama had long arms
- He became extremely afraid of being defeated by the demons, and in great anger at Visvarupa he cut Visvarupa's three heads from his shoulders
- He becomes afraid of death, which is like the elephant in the back of that cave, and he remains stranded, grasping at the twigs and branches of a creeper
- His playmates then threatened not to allow Him to play with them again. Krsna became afraid, and instead of going back home, He went back again to play with the boys. At that time, mother Yasoda scolded the children
I
- In old age he (the living entity) sometimes becomes afraid of imminent death, which is compared to a roaring lion. To save himself from the lion's attack, he takes shelter of some bogus svamis, yogis, incarnations, pretenders and cheaters
- In this way, through the association of the great sage Narada Muni, the hunter was a little convinced of his sinful activity. He therefore became somewhat afraid due to his offenses
- Indeed, the people became afraid just to see His teeth chatter, and they even thought that His teeth would fall out
- Its top was as strong as a thunderbolt. When they saw that unusual animal, they became afraid of it. The name of this beast was Bakasura, and he was a friend of Kamsa's
O
- One can vanquish them (evil stars, evil witches and evil spirits) simply by uttering Lord Visnu's name, for when Lord Visnu's name resounds, all of them become afraid and go away - SB 10.6.27-29
- One day the beautiful-eyed Srimati Radharani entered into the forest to collect some flowers to prepare a garland for Krsna. While collecting the flowers, She became afraid that someone might see Her, and She felt some fatigue and weakness
- One gopi said, "My dear friend, whose hand is this touching my body (Krsna was touching her body)? I had become very afraid after seeing the darkened forest on the bank of the Yamuna, but suddenly the touch of this hand has saved me from hysterical fits"
- Our physical necessity is that we want to eat. That is necessary to maintain this body, ahara. Nidra, rest. We must have some rest also. So ahara-nidra-bhaya. Bhaya means "to become afraid of." That is material nature
T
- The calves, seeing that the babies (Krsna and Balarama) were holding them tightly, would also become afraid. Then the ladies would come to rescue the babies and gladly laugh. This was their enjoyment
- The Earth personified continued, "He (Bhagadatta) has been very much affected by the ghastly situation created by the death of his father and has become very much confused and afraid"
- The generations of Rudra, the incarnation of anger, were so dangerous to the maintenance of universal affairs that even Brahma, the father of the living entities, became afraid of them
- The sons and grandsons generated by Rudra were unlimited in number, and when they assembled together they attempted to devour the entire universe. When Brahma, the father of the living entities, saw this, he became afraid of the situation
- The tumultuous thundering sound was proof of the Lord's presence. The demons like Hiranyakasipu could now realize the supreme ruling power of the Lord, and thus Hiranyakasipu became afraid
- Those who are grossly sinful are not at all afraid of committing sins, but here we can see that because his purification began in the association of a great devotee like Narada, the hunter became afraid of his sinful activities
V
- Vena was very severe and cruel; therefore, as soon as all the thieves and rogues in the state heard of his ascendance to the royal throne, they became very much afraid of him. Indeed, they hid themselves here and there as rats hide themselves from snakes
- Very much pleased by the sound of other people's ankle bells, They (Krsna and Balarama) used to follow them as if going to Their mothers, but when They saw that these were other people, They became afraid and returned to Their real mothers - SB 10.8.22
W
- We have to mold our life, and the Krsna consciousness movement is the best process. Therefore those who are sinful, those who are atheist, they have become little afraid of this movement
- When a female messenger from Indra named Sarama chants a particular curse, the serpentine demons of Mahatala become very afraid of Indra
- When caught by mother Yasoda, Krsna became more and more afraid and admitted to being an offender. As she looked upon Him, she saw that He was crying - SB 10.9.11
- When Krsna saw Mother Yasoda coming with a rope to bind Him, He immediately became very much afraid, thinking, "Oh, Mother is going to bind Me." He began to cry, and the tears washed the mascara from His eyes
- When Krsna suddenly disappeared from the company of the gopis, they searched for Him everywhere. After not finding Him anywhere, they became afraid and almost mad after Him
- When Mother Yasoda saw that Krsna had become too much afraid of her, she also became disturbed. She did not actually want Krsna to suffer by her punishment. That was not her purpose
- When she (mother Yasoda) saw that her son (Krsna) had become excessively afraid, she threw the stick away and desired to bind Him so that He would not commit any further naughty activities - SB 10.9.12
- When the boys saw that the calves were not nearby, they became afraid for their safety, and they immediately cried out, "Krsna!" Krsna is the killer of fear personified. Everyone is afraid of fear personified, but fear personified is afraid of Krsna
- When the defeated demons (the snakes who live in the planetary system known as Mahatala) met the female messenger Sarama, who was chanting a mantra, they became afraid, and therefore they are living in the planet called Rasatala
- When the doormen of Vaikunthaloka, who were certainly devotees of the Lord, found that they were going to be cursed by the brahmanas, they at once became very much afraid and fell down at the feet of the brahmanas in great anxiety
- When the earth saw that King Prthu was taking his bow and arrow to kill her, she became very much afraid and began to tremble. She then began to flee, exactly like a deer, which runs very swiftly when followed by a hunter
- When the palanquin carriers heard the threatening words of Maharaja Rahugana, they became very afraid of his punishment and began to speak to him as follows
- When the Vietnam is attacked, American soldiers, they began to fly, flee away, became afraid. Naturally. They were not soldiers. They have no fighting spirit. By force they have been made soldiers
- When the Yamuna was threatened like this, she became greatly afraid of the power of Balarama and immediately came in person, falling at His lotus feet and praying
- When they (materialistic men) are informed that spiritual life is also individual and personal, they become afraid of becoming persons again, and so they naturally prefer a kind of merging into the impersonal void. BG 1972 purports
- When they (thieves) came before His (lord Caitanya's) house they became afraid because everyone from the house of Jagannatha Misra and all the inhabitants of that quarter were busy searching for the child
- When Uttara was attacked by the brahmastra of Asvatthama, she became afraid of losing her child, Maharaj Pariksit, who was still within the womb. She immediately surrendered to Krsna and said
- When Yamaduta in ferocious feature came to take him (Ajamila), he became too much afraid, and because he was accustomed to his son, Narayana, so out of fear he chanted very loudly, - Narayana, please come. Who are these men?