Category:Natural Inclination
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the term "natural inclination" to describe two opposing forces within the living entity. On one hand, the conditioned soul has a strong, instinctive drive toward material enjoyment, specifically described as sex life, intoxication, and meat-eating (pravṛtti-mārga). Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that human life is meant to restrict these lower natural inclinations rather than encourage them. On the other hand, the soul has an eternal, constitutional natural inclination to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This higher nature is currently covered by māyā but can be reawakened through the practice of devotional service. The perfection of life is achieved when the devotee's natural inclination shifts from self-interest to the spontaneous service of Kṛṣṇa, as exhibited by the gopīs and the great sages.
- The Lower Instincts: The conditioned soul is naturally inclined toward sense gratification, specifically eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. A civilized human being is expected to control these impulses.
- The Original Nature: The constitutional position of every living being is to serve the Lord. This is the true natural inclination that brings ultimate satisfaction.
- The Role of Practice: By following the rules of vaidhī-bhakti, the dormant natural inclination for loving Kṛṣṇa is gradually revived, leading to spontaneous devotion (rāgānugā-bhakti).
- Benevolence of Saints: Great souls and sages have a natural inclination to do good to others, often acting as benevolent guides to help common people control their lower nature.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Natural Inclination - The Struggle Between Impulse and Devotion.
Pages in category "Natural Inclination"
The following 48 pages are in this category, out of 48 total.
A
- A father is naturally inclined to act for the good of his son, and when the father chastises his son, that chastisement is also mixed with affection
- A living entity has got natural inclination for vyavaya, sex life; and madya sevah, intoxication; amisa sevah, and meat-eating. A natural instinct there is. But asuras, they do not try to stop it. They want to increase it. That is asura life
- Accepting either of them (Jiva Gosvami, Sridhara Swami and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti) Maharaja Pariksit was naturally inclined to Lord Krsna from his very childhood
- All the conditioned souls, they have got a natural inclination for sex life, intoxication, and eating fish
- All the sages who were assembled there also praised the decision of Maharaja Pariksit and they expressed their approval by saying, "Very good." Naturally the sages are inclined to do good to common men, for they have all the qualitative powers of the Lord
B
- By associating with devotees they naturally become inclined to render service to the Personality of Godhead, and they immediately get all facilities from the Lord to advance in Krsna consciousness
- By continuously rendering service through the process of vaidhi bhakti, one’s natural inclination is gradually awakened. That is called spontaneous attraction, or raganuga bhakti
C
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "I would like to withdraw My consciousness from You and engage it in material activities, but even though I try, I cannot do so. I am naturally inclined to You only"
- Consequently you are naturally inclined to do good to others, and but for this you have no interest, either in this life or in the next
E
- Each woman was accompanied by her husband. Thus they looked so beautiful that Sati, Daksayani, was impelled to dress similarly and go to the sacrifice with her husband (Siva). That is the natural inclination of a woman
- Every conditioned soul has natural inclination. Pravrtti. But one has to control that. That is human life. If you put yourself in the waves of natural inclination, that is not human life. You have to restrict
- Every living being is under the plan of his natural inclinations in terms of the modes of material nature
I
- If you put yourself in the waves of natural inclination, that is not human life. You have to restrict. The whole human life is meant for learning restriction. That is human life. That is perfect Vedic civilization
- In spite of New York City's so many faults, I have got a natural inclination to make my headquarters in N.Y.C.
- Indirectly, all the senses are naturally inclined to serve the Supreme Lord. That is called bhakti
- It is said by Lord Ramacandra, "I always give confidence and security to anyone who surrenders unto Me and decides definitely that He is My eternal servant, for that is My natural inclination"
P
- People in general have a natural inclination to read narrations in which ordinary jivas are glorified, but when they become attracted by the Vedic scriptures which delineate Your eternal pastimes, they actually dip into the ocean of transcendental bliss
- Prthu Maharaja was already a self-realized soul; he had a natural inclination to glorify the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Kumaras assured him that there was no chance of his falling victim to the illusory energy of God
T
- The devotees, however, are naturally inclined to become associates of the Lord and not merge in the spiritual existence, as conceived by the impersonalist
- The human beings, by long material association, life after life, have a natural inclination, by practice, to endeavor to lord it over material energy
- The ideal place to execute Krsna consciousness is Vrajabhumi, or Vrndavana, where the people are naturally inclined to love Krsna and Krsna is naturally inclined to love them
- The King was equally affectionate toward both his sons, Uttama and Dhruva, so he had a natural inclination to take Dhruva, as well as Uttama, on his lap. But because of his favoritism towards his queen Suruci, he could not welcome Dhruva Maharaja
- The natural inclination of the senses is to work for something, and the mind is the center of the senses
- The natural inclination to devotional service is also based on scriptural injunction, and one who has attachment for such devotional service is not required to give it up simply on the strength of scriptural argument
- The path of pravrtti-marga was condemned by Narada. That path is the natural inclination for all conditioned souls
- The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you (Vyasa Muni) have encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions
- The senses and the mind are naturally inclined to work, but when they are materially contaminated they work for some material benefit or for the service of the demigods, although actually they are meant to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The special inclination of the Supreme Personality of God for His pure devotee is not unnatural, nor is it partiality. For example, sometimes a father has several children, but he has special affection for one child who is very much inclined toward him
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is naturally very much affectionately inclined to His devotees. When He heard Srutadeva's prayers of pure devotion, He was very much pleased and immediately caught his hands and addressed him
- The teacher explained that he had not taught devotional service to Prahlada but that the boy was naturally inclined that way
- The word adrtah is significant because it indicates that Vidura had a natural inclination for hearing the transcendental message of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he was never fully satisfied though continuing to hear those topics
- There are five kinds of relationship. Just like "God is great." That is simply feeling the greatness of God. Then, when he feels exactly how God is great, then naturally there will be an inclination to serve God. That is called servitude
- There is an inexplicable fact about the natural inclinations of the gopis. The gopis never want to enjoy themselves with Krsna personally
- This attachment of the devotee to a particular form of the Lord is due to natural inclination. Each and every living entity is originally attached to a particular type of transcendental service because he is eternally the servitor of the Lord
- Transcendental loving service for the Supreme Lord is the natural inclination of every living being
W
- We do not understand even that there is possibility of amrtatvam. But everything is possible. Amrtatvam. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. Nobody wants to become old man, nobody wants to become diseased. This is our natural inclination
- When one becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to one's natural inclination to love Him and is fully absorbed in thoughts of the Lord, that state is called transcendental attachment
- When the same senses are engaged in the service of the Lord and there is no motive, that is called animitta and is the natural inclination of the mind
- Women are self-interested by nature, and therefore they should be protected by all means so that their natural inclination to be too self-interested will not be manifested