Category:Misfortune
Theme Analysis
In the teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda, the concepts of fortune and misfortune are not matters of random chance or arbitrary destiny, but are strictly the results of the living entity's exercise of free will. True fortune is defined as the awakening of one's dormant consciousness of Krsna, while misfortune is identified as the forgetfulness of the Supreme Lord and the consequent entanglement in material nature. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that every individual is the architect of their own destiny; by choosing to serve the senses, one invites misery, whereas by choosing to serve the Lord, one secures eternal auspiciousness. This analysis reveals that the rejection of spiritual authority and the holy name is the primary cause of the suffering seen in modern civilization.
- The Definition of True Fortune: Fortune is not material opulence but the sincere seriousness to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Real luck is determined by one's contact with the spiritual master and the process of devotional service, specifically the chanting of the holy names.
- The Root of All Misfortune: The beginning of all misfortune is the desire to enjoy the material world independently of the Lord. When the living entity forgets their eternal servitude to the Supreme, they fall under the control of the modes of nature and suffer the reactions of karma.
- Personal Responsibility and Choice: The living entity is given the independence to choose between the darkness of maya and the light of Godhead. Misfortune is described as the stubborn refusal to accept the remedy of Krsna consciousness, even when it is offered freely.
- The Rejection of Authority: A significant aspect of misfortune is the tendency to reject the authorized scriptures like Bhagavad-gita and the guidance of a bona fide guru in favor of mental speculation or bogus leaders.
- The Specific Misfortune of Modern India: Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently laments that the people of India, who have the greatest opportunity to understand spiritual science, are neglecting their own treasure to imitate Western materialism, which is a great loss for the entire world.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Creating Our Own Fortune and Misfortune.
Subcategories
This category has the following 6 subcategories, out of 6 total.
C
D
P
T
Pages in category "Misfortune"
The following 114 pages are in this category, out of 114 total.
1
A
- All His (Advaita Prabhu's) activities are spiritual. Anyone who hears about and glorifies Him becomes glorified himself, for such activities free one from all kinds of misfortune
- All the sages began to talk amongst themselves: Since the King is dead and there is no protector in the world, misfortune may befall the people in general on account of rogues and thieves
- All the verdict of the sastra is the same. It is simply our misfortune that we do not understand the verdict of the sastra
- Although demons have created many plans for industry and hard labor so that people will work day and night like animals, this is not the purpose of civilization. Such endeavors are jagato'hitah; that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people
- Although the Gita says sri-bhagavan uvaca, indicating that Krsna spoke, they (people) cannot understand Krsna. This is due to their misfortune or incapability, which is caused by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, the modes of passion and ignorance
- As advised by the spiritual master, he (the foolish person) tries to follow the regulative principles, but due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master
- At such a time it is to be understood that the ruler, or the government, is dead. All of these misfortunes happened due to the death of King Vena. Thus the saintly persons became very anxious for the safety of the people in general
B
- Because of ignorance and misfortune, the atheists and the naradhamas, the lowest of men, do not surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Because the child (Krsna), although taken into the sky by the demon (Trnavarta), was unhurt and now free from all danger and misfortune, the gopis and cowherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, were extremely happy - SB 10.7.30
- Being overcast with misfortune, Sisupala continued to insult Krsna, and Lord Krsna patiently heard him without protest. Just as a lion does not care when a flock of jackals howl, Lord Krsna remained silent and unprovoked
- Bhagavan says in the Bhagavad-gita, catur-vidha bhajante mam: "Four classes of men who begins bhagavad bhajana," sukrtina, "those who are pious..." But the modern leaders, they say, "This bhajana nuisance." This is our misfortune
- Brahma thought to himself: Alas, it is wonderful that in spite of my being scattered all over, there is still insufficient population throughout the universe. There is no other cause for this misfortune but destiny
D
- Due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master or advanced devotees; therefore he gives up their company and again returns to the association of monkeys who are simply interested in sense gratification and women
- Due to their misfortune. they (the people in this age) forget the Vedic principles. Following non-Vedic principles in this age, they think themselves the Supreme Lord and thus spread the cult of atheism all over the world
E
- Even despite all facilities we cannot be able to accept it. That is called misfortune. Not that in the absence of money and other facilities, one becomes unfortunate, but even in the presence of all these things, one is unfortunate
- Even in the civilized society, there are persons, they are put into such a circumstances that they will never be able to understand what is God consciousness or what is Krsna consciousness. They are so misfortunate
- Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita for guidance if we accept the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita as it is. Everything is there. Peace is there, prosperity is there. So that is a fact. Unfortunately, we do not accept it. That is our misfortune
H
- He (Arjuna) wanted to point out to Krsna (by addressing Him as Madhava) that, as husband of the goddess of fortune, He should not have to induce Arjuna to take up a matter which would ultimately bring about misfortune. BG 1972 purports
- He (King Uttanapada) could understand the great fortune of his wife Suniti and the great misfortune of Queen Suruci, for these facts were certainly very open in the palace
- How many common men have written their autobiographies, and how enthusiastically we have read and accepted them. But when the Personality of Godhead Himself tells about Himself, we cannot take it as it is. This is nothing but our misfortune
I
- I (Arjuna) am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Krsna, killer of the Kesi demon
- I can also understand my misfortune. No one in this world is as fortunate as Jagadananda
- I was engaged in the service of the Lord, but due to my misfortune, I became very affectionate to a small deer, so much so that I neglected my spiritual duties. Due to my deep affection for the deer, in my next life I had to accept the body of a deer
- If I tell you to come from the darkness into the light and if you don't come, that is your misfortune. Maya is there, and God is there. If you want to remain in maya, then how can you be saved
- If one chants the holy name of Hari and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as being bitten by a serpent, being afflicted with pain and high fever, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful
- If one chants the name of Hari & then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as falling from the top of a house, slipping & suffering broken bones while traveling, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life even if he is sinful
- If the personality of Kali, irreligion, is allowed to act as a man-god or an executive head, certainly irreligious principles like greed, falsehood, robbery, incivility, treachery, misfortune, cheating, quarrel and vanity will abound
- If we accept the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita as it is. Everything is there. Peace is there, prosperity is there. So that is a fact. Unfortunately, we do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Or we misinterpret it
- If we remain in contact with that name (Krsna) we shall get all the benefits of Krsna's benedictions. But still we are not inclined to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. This is our misfortune
- If you take Bhagavad-gita as it is, you become self-realized, liberated soul. But the misfortune is that we become more than Krsna, and we want to comment Bhagavad-gita in our own way. That is our misfortune
- In the body of a deer, Bharata Maharaja began to lament: What misfortune! I have fallen from the path of the self-realized. I gave up my real sons, wife and home to advance in spiritual life, and I took shelter in a solitary holy place in the forest
- In the material world, to be dependent on the mercy of someone else is the utmost sign of misfortune, but in the case of our transcendental relation with the Lord (Krsna), it is the most fortunate case when we can live completely dependent on Him
- India now has become eager to do away with the real God and replace Him with many fake Gods. This is the greatest misfortune for India
- It is my misfortune that You have not accepted me as one of Your intimate relations. But You are the completely independent Supreme Personality of Godhead
- It is not Krsna's partiality; it is our misfortune that we do not take care of the instruction of Krsna and suffer in this material world
- It is our duty to awaken. If he does not awake, that is his misfortune, but our duty is, "Please, get up, get up, get up, get up." So do it very nicely here (in Hawaii). You have got very nice place
- It is regrettable that in India, where these literatures are available, people are not interested. They are interested in Marxist literature but not Srimad-Bhagavatam, and this is India's misfortune
- It is the greatest misfortune that in India many so-called missionary workers are spreading irreligion in the name of religion. They claim an ordinary human being to be God and recommend meat-eating for everyone, including so-called sannyasis
- It is the misfortune of the living entity, certainly not without reason, that the influence of the material energy acts on his pure consciousness and eternal bliss
K
- Kirtanananda's refusal to accept the Parampara system and authority of the scriptures is the cause of his misfortune
- Krsna comes as a person like us, but we are such rascals that we think He is simply a man, and this is our misfortune. If we just surrender unto Krsna, we will no longer be subjected to the karma of different bodies
- Krsna never brings misfortune to anyone, to say nothing of His devotees. BG 1972 purports
M
- Many great misfortunes befell the Pandavas, but in all circumstances they simply depended on Krsna, who always saved them. Queen Kunti's response to these misfortunes is recorded in the next verse - SB 1.8.25
- Most people want material opulence, but they do not know that Krsna is the proprietor of all opulence. That is their misfortune
- Mother earth assumed the form of a cow. Very much distressed, with tears in her eyes, she appeared before Lord Brahma and told him about her misfortune - SB 10.1.18
- My dear Srimati Radharani, I (Krsna) am always subservient to the loving affairs of all of you. I am under your control only. My separation from you and residence in distant places have occurred due to My strong misfortune
O
- O great souls (Devaki and Vasudeva), your children have suffered their own misfortune. Therefore, please do not lament for them. All living entities are under the control of the Supreme, and they cannot always live together - SB 10.4.18
- O Narada, the evacuating outlet of the universal form of the Lord is the abode of the controlling deity of death, Mitra, and the evacuating hole and the rectum of the Lord is the place of envy, misfortune, death, hell, etc
P
- Parama Koruna, 1969 Jan 4 - I can simply think of my misfortune only that Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, he is punishing me in this way, that he is not allowing me to be attracted to this movement
- People do not care for impious life. That is misfortune. No knowledge. Impious or vicious activities are done out of ignorance. Just like a person commits some criminality without knowing the laws, government laws
- People mistake Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu because by misfortune they understand Krsna Caitanya as a devotee or just like so-called sadhu or yogi, like that. That is mistake. Krsna Caitanya means the original living force, Krsna
- Pure devotees ask the Lord only for the privilege of serving Him. This is our real independence. If we want anything else, it is a sign of our misfortune
S
- So it is my misfortune; if I get a cheater mother, then my whole life is spoiled
- So it is very unfortunate that Indians are trying to forget Krsna. Very unfortunate. Krpana. If you have got money, if you don't utilize is properly, that is your misfortune
- So we invite everyone, from all parts of the world, and they are coming, they are joining. So in India Krsna appeared. India has got a special advantage to understand Krsna, and the Indians neglect it. That's a great misfortune
- Sometimes they (offenders) consider such mahajanas very conservative, or they create their own mahajanas. In this way they ignore the principles of the parampara system. This is a great misfortune for everyone
- Suffering all sorts of unavoidable misfortunes, one should make progress in spiritual realization because that is the mission of human life. The spirit soul is transcendental to all material calamities; therefore, the so-called calamities are called false
T
- Thakura Vrndavana dasa has composed Sri Caitanya-mangala. Hearing this book annihilates all misfortune
- That is the misfortune. They (the Indians) have left the authority, real authority. They have accepted some foolish man as authority. And that is the misfortune. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the supreme authority
- The asuras, they are asuci, unclean. That is their misfortune, that they cannot understand what is the right way, what is the wrong way. So suci, cleanliness, is the first qualification of the daiva-prakrti or devatas
- The demon fell flat from the sky, and Krsna was playing on his chest very happily, uninjured and free from misfortune
- The disease is there, and the remedy is also there. So we offer you the remedy free of charges, and if you don't take it, then it should be understood that you are so misfortunate, unfortunate. What is the difficulty?
- The female relatives, whose eyes were flooded with tears out of anxiety for Krsna, came out of the palace. They could stop their tears only with great difficulty. They feared that tears would cause misfortune at the time of departure
- The Krsna consciousness movement is giving all facilities so that people may come here, chant, dance, live very peacefully, take krsna-prasada, and be happy, but people will not accept it. That is called misfortune
- The lady is requesting her husband "Chant, chant, chant". The husband is answering "Can't, can't, can't." So in this same way, we are requesting everyone, "Please chant, chant, chant." But they are replying, "Can't, can't, can't." This is their misfortune
- The Lord, as the Supersoul, is situated in every living being's heart. Why then do the living entities' activities result in misfortune and misery?
- The mountains, although being struck by torrents of rain during the rainy season, are not shaken, just as those whose hearts are dedicated to the transcendental Personality of Godhead are never disturbed, even when harassed by great misfortune
- The mudhas, or rascals, take Krsna to be an ordinary man or a slightly more powerful man; out of their great misfortune, they cannot accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The next question put forward by Vidura to Maitreya is, "Why are the living entities subjected to so many miseries and misfortunes in spite of the Lord's presence in their hearts as the Supersoul
- The opportunity is offered. If you don't take, that is your misfortune. We are offering, "Every one of you can become safe, safely protected by the father, Krsna"
- The sparks can everlastingly remain within the original fire as its parts and parcels, but the moment the sparks become separated from the original fire, their misfortunes and miseries begin
- The standard instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gita. They do not care to know it. They want to know about the greatness of Bala Yogi, Sai Baba, this baba, that baba. That is their misfortune. They give up the real instruction, Bhagavad-gita
- The word unmada is explained in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu as extreme joy, misfortune and bewilderment in the heart due to separation
- They (ladies) thought, at the same time, that tears at that moment might be a cause of misfortune for Krsna; therefore they wanted to check them
- This is our canvassing, Hare Krsna maha-mantra. If you don't agree, that is your business. That is your misfortune
- This lack of knowledge (knowing that Krsna is the Supersoul but not the Original Personality of Godhead) was not due to their (the Yadavas) insufficient erudition; it was due to their misfortune
- This Maya will attack the body always, because the body itself is the source of all troubles. We try to make a solution of our misfortunes, but at the same time we want to keep this body
- This sort of fight was very common, especially during marriage ceremonies, when everyone was in a challenging spirit. In that challenging spirit, a fight was sure to occur, and in such fights there was commonly killing and misfortune
- Those who are deluded by duality and nescience think that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is created by material energies. This is their misfortune
- Those who are deluded by duality and nescience think that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is created by material energies. This is their misfortune. BG 1972 purports
- To our misfortune, we try to identify with this ocean and stop its tossing. We must not try to stop the tossing. It is not possible. In any case, the tossing will go on, for that is the law of nature
- To understand Krsna is not so easy job. But Krsna personally comes and teaches about Himself, and still if we do not take, that is our misfortune
U
- Uddhava lamented his own fortune also because although he knew Krsna to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he could not properly use the opportunity to render devotional service to the Lord. He regretted everyone's misfortune, including his own
- Unfortunately you have got fertile brain. You manufacture things. And that is your misfortune. It is better to remain a fool before the acarya. Then he'll make progress
- Unfortunately, we are simply trying to learn technology, and that is our misfortune. Real education means solving all life's problems
W
- We are going to learn technology. That is our misfortune. Technology is silpa-karma. Just like an artistic man - that is not real education. Real education is how to solve the problem of life, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam
- We are requesting everyone: "Please chant, chant, chant." And they are replying: "Can't, can't, can't." This is their misfortune
- We are so unfortunate, although Krsna comes Himself to show Himself, show His activities, His power, His opulence, His beauty, His message, still, we miss Krsna. This is our misfortune
- We have got this human form of body, it is your duty to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. But if your guardians, if your parents, if your government does not teach you, then it is our misfortune
- We have to understand that this body is false; therefore the bodily enjoyment is also false. That they cannot understand. This is their misfortune
- We request that "You take Krsna. You will be benefited." And actually it is being done. We don't present a false person. We present the real person, Krsna. Now, if you are misfortunate, you cannot take, that is your business. That is your business
- What misfortune! I have fallen from the path of the self-realized
- When intelligence is used for developing Krsna consciousness, that is fortune. So we can set up our own fortune or misfortune. The fortune means that we must be serious after hearing about Krsna
- When the material world is created for such misguided living entities, they create their own karma, fruitive activities, and take advantage of the time element, and thereby they create their own fortune or misfortune
- When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Krsna, that is the beginning of our misfortune
- Where your senses cannot approach, you have to hear from authority. That is the process. But if you don't approach authority, if you approach a cheater, that is your misfortune
- Why then should the living entity be subjected to so many sufferings and misfortunes? It should not be so, but actually we see that it happens everywhere. This question is therefore put forward by Vidura for solution
- Why you are so much determined not to do anything to go back to home, back to Godhead? That is your misfortune. If it is so easy, and it is the means of solving all the problems, why not try it?
Y
- Yet why should I be angry with Krsna? It is the fault of My own misfortune. The fruit of My sinful activities has ripened, and therefore Krsna, who has always been dependent on My love, is now indifferent. This means that My misfortune is very strong
- You are elderly man, educated man, you prefer to take guidance from the Americans, not from Krsna. So what can be done? That is Krsna's ill luck and your misfortune. What can be done?
- You write to say that these days the educated class of people have rejected devotional service - and it is their misfortune. This means they are not being educated; rather they are being degraded