Category:Giving Up One's Life
Theme Analysis
Throughout his teachings, Śrīla Prabhupāda presents a profound perspective on the ultimate utility of the material body. Because the physical form is temporary and destined for destruction, clinging to it for sense gratification is a waste of human life. Instead, the highest perfection is found in the willingness to give up one's life for the absolute truth. This category explores the extreme dedication of exalted devotees who exhibit this principle through various expressions of pure love: sacrificing their lives to distribute religious principles, desiring to leave their bodies due to unbearable separation from the Lord or His pure devotees, and giving up their lives in profound intolerance of blasphemy against Vaiṣṇavas.
- Sacrifice for the Supreme Mission: Rather than wasting the temporary body, one should be fully prepared to sacrifice it for the glorious cause of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- The Agony of Separation: In the highest stages of ecstatic love, advanced devotees often feel that maintaining their lives without the direct association of the Lord is impossible.
- Defending the Honor of Vaiṣṇavas: A strict principle of devotion dictates that if one cannot logically defeat an offender who is blaspheming a pure devotee, one should immediately give up one's life.
- The Final Transition: The ultimate success of giving up one's life is to do so while completely absorbed in chanting the holy name and maintaining pure attachment to the Supreme.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Giving Up One's Life for the Mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Pages in category "Giving Up One's Life"
The following 32 pages are in this category, out of 32 total.
A
- After saying this, the Lord left to take His bath in the Ganges, and that sinful man did not give up his life but continued to suffer
- After the disappearance of Lord Caitanya and Svarupa Damodara, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami keenly felt separation from these two exalted personalities and therefore decided to give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill in Vrndavana
- At the time of death we suffer very much. Just imagine, when we give up our life, how much difficult position at that time. So we forget birth and death
I
- If he is unable to defeat the opposing party, then the next step is that he should not just stand there meekly, but should give up his life
- If someone blasphemes a Vaisnava, one should stop him with arguments and higher reason. If one is not expert enough to do this he should give up his life on the spot, and if he cannot do this, he must go away
M
- Maharaja Pariksit was full of youth and strength, and he possessed insuperable kingly opulences. Why did he want to give up everything, including his life?
- Maharaja Prataparudra continued, "If Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is determined not to see me, then I am determined to give up my life if I do not see Him"
- My dear Maitreya, to part with one's life is very difficult. Would you kindly explain to me how such a son-in-law and father-in-law could quarrel so bitterly that the great goddess Sati could give up her life?
O
- One devotee of Lord Caitanya informed Him that, "You are being criticized, Sir. We cannot tolerate it. Neither we can reply. He's a great Vedantist. So better we shall give up our life." Then the meeting was arranged between the Vedantist
- One should always be prepared to give up one's life for better causes. After all, the body will be destroyed. Therefore one should sacrifice it for the glory of distributing religious principles throughout the world
S
- Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya continued, "Or, if I give up my own life, this sinful action may be atoned. However, neither of these ideas is befitting because both bodies belong to brahmanas"
- Simply by his will, Haridasa Thakura could give up his life and go away, exactly like Bhisma, who previously died simply by his own desire, as we have heard from sastra
- Since it is recommended that vaisyas and sudras should immediately give up their bodies upon hearing blasphemy of an exalted person like Lord Siva, she decided to give up her life
- Since Lord Siva is the protector of religion, a person who vilifies him should be killed at once, and after killing such a person, one should give up one's life
- Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami intended to go to Vrndavana to see the lotus feet of Rupa and Sanatana and then give up his life by jumping from Govardhana Hill
- Srila Sridhara Svami has composed a nice verse in this regard - Let others engage in severe austerities, let others fall to the land from the tops of hills and give up their lives
- Still, isn't it the nature of an attached man to give up his life if he does not attain his desired object
T
- The brahmana replied, "I have no reason to live. I shall give up my life by entering either fire or water"
- The King (Prataparudra) would understand that the Lord (Caitanya) was showing mercy to him (if Caitanya would send a piece of His clothing to the King). The King would then not do anything drastic like giving up his life or becoming a mendicant
- The Nagapatnis said, "O Lord (Krsna), we are submitting our prayers unto You. You can appreciate that this poor serpent is going to give up his life. You know that for us women our husband is our life and everything"
- They (soldiers) know, "We are going to give up our life." And what for? "Money." They are prepared to give up life for money. Money is so sweeter than honey
- This life is not meant for wasting time like cats and dog. Because after all, we have to give up this life. But before giving up this life, we must gain something. That is described in the Upanisad. Etad viditva yah prayati sa brahmanah
- To give up one's life completely for serving the Lord is not so easy thing. And Maya, or the illusory material energy, she tries especially hard to try to get back and entrap those who have left her service to become Devotees
W
- When one has such attachment for Krsna (raga), he can give up his own life to satisfy his beloved Krsna - Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.2.87
- When Subuddhi Raya consulted some other brahmanas, they told him that he had not committed a grievous fault and that consequently he should not drink hot ghee and give up his life. As a result, Subuddhi Raya was doubtful about what to do
- While chanting the holy name of Sri Krsna Caitanya, he gave up his air of life and left his body