Category:Thoughts of People
Theme Analysis
The "thoughts of people" in the modern age are characterized by a profound ignorance of the self and the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that generally, people think advancement of civilization means improving eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. They mistake the body for the self and think that by material adjustments—like opening factories or increasing motorcars—they will find happiness. Spiritually, they are confused: some think God is dead, others think He is an ordinary human, and many think that religion is just a sentiment or a means to get bread. When they see the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they often misunderstand it as escapism, a hippie cult, or a sentimental group, not realizing it is a scientific process. Despite the obvious suffering of birth, death, old age, and disease, people stubbornly think they are making progress, like the "frog in the well" who thinks his small world is everything.
- Material Mirage: People think that happiness comes from material comfort, accumulating wealth, and scientific advancement, unaware that these simply tighten the bonds of karma.
- Misunderstanding God: The public often views Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes as immoral or thinks of the Lord as an ordinary historical figure. They mistake demigods for the Supreme or think that all gods are the same.
- Judgment of Devotees: People wrongly judge devotees as lazy escapists or sentimentalists. They value humanitarian work (hospitals, schools) over spiritual distribution, not knowing that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest welfare work.
- The "I am God" Syndrome: Influenced by bad philosophy, people artificially think, "I am independent," "I am God," or "I can vote anyone into the position of God."
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Thoughts of People - The Bewildered Civilization.
Pages in category "Thoughts of People"
The following 133 pages are in this category, out of 133 total.
A
- According to Vedic civilization, the ultimate perfection of life is to take sannyasa, but at the present moment people do not know why sannyasa is accepted. They think that one accepts sannyasa to escape social responsibilities
- Actually the original cause is Lord Visnu, but out of ignorance people think that matter is the cause of everything
- Advaita Acarya was a disciple of Madhavendra Puri, and consequently some people think that He was referring to Madhavendra Puri by using the word madhava (in CC Madhya 3.114). But actually this is not the fact
- 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
- All this eulogization about me, people, outsider, may think that "This man is being flattered and he is hearing his own eulogization." But that is not the fact. It is the test, how they are receiving the message sincerely
- Although Krsna is the purest of the pure, mundane people, thinking of Krsna's pastimes that appear immoral, themselves become polluted. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore never publicly discussed Krsna's dealings with the gopis
- Are we such fools and rascals that we are wasting time worshiping a "doll"? Sometimes people think like that. But that is not a fact
- As she died screaming, there was a tremendous vibration on the earth and in the sky, on the upper and lower planets and in all directions, and people thought that thunderbolts were falling. Thus the nightmare of the Putana witch was over
- At the present moment everyone is in a diseased condition: people are thinking they are something other than servants of Krsna. Now this movement is trying to bring everyone to the position of recognizing that they are eternal servants of Krsna
- At the present moment people are denying the existence of God, or they are thinking that God is dead. That means imperfection of knowledge
B
- Because of an atheistic mentality, some people think that the tortoise, boar and fish incarnations of the Lord are not very beautiful. They do not know that any form of the Lord is always the fully opulent Personality of Godhead
- Because there is no training of brahminical culture how to become truthful. People think that "What is wrong, I shall speak untruth?" So the value of truthfulness will decrease & the importance of religion will decrease. This is the symptoms of Kali-yuga
- Because they (the people) have no knowledge of the spirit soul - they think the body is everything - so therefore knowledge is imperfect. Body is only the covering. Real person is the spirit soul. So the modern education has no knowledge of this
C
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His mystic power in presenting Himself simultaneously in each and every sankirtana group. Most people thought that He was one, but some saw that He was many
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu has defined our original svarupa, our original identity, as that of eternal servant. People are artificially thinking, - I am independent. I am no one's servant. I have become God. I have become Bhagavan. I am this, or I am that
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu pointed out that although (according to Padma Purana) there are different scriptures for worshiping different types of demigods, such instructions only bewilder people into thinking that the demigods are supreme
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is not sentimental. People think that this is a sentimental movement. No. We have got very good background
- Can we create intelligence by mixing stool, urine, bones and blood? Nonetheless people still think - I am this body
D
- Different dharmas are created due to ignorance, which causes people to think in terms of Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, this dharma or that dharma
- Due to Kaviraja Gosvami’s mentioning the name of Santipuracarya, some people think that Kuliya is a village near Kancadapada. Due to this mistaken idea, they invented another place known as New Kuliyara Pata. Actually such a place does not exist
- 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
- During the time of Lord Caitanya, the influence of Sankaracarya in society was very strong. People thought that one could accept sannyasa only in the disciplic succession of Sankaracarya
F
- Fighting is a matter of duty. That is the ksatriya spirit. Fighting is not killing. Because people have no idea what is the soul, therefore they think that stopping war will help us in peaceful condition of the society
- Foolishly, people who are enamored of the glimmer of modern materialistic advancement are thinking that the Krsna consciousness movement is for less intelligent men
- From a distance, people mistakenly think that they are seeing Krsna dancing on the body of the Kaliya serpent
- Future means next life. Yes. Where is that civilization? Where is that education, that people are thinking for future life? Is there any educational system at the present moment?
G
- Generally people cannot understand what is this Krsna consciousness movement. They think it is some religious sentiment, like so many other religion - it is like that. No. It is most the scientific movement
- Generally people think that one should act very piously in order to be relieved from misery, but this is not a fact
- Generally people think that religion and piety come at the end of life, and at this time one generally becomes meditative and takes to some so-called yogic process to relax in the name of meditation
- Generally, people are bewildered by the activities of scientists and technologists. Due to maya they think that there is no need of God and that they can do everything and anything
- Generally, people say, "In my opinion," thinking that "my opinion" really means something. People do not think, "I am simply a rascal." People value their opinion, thinking it something very big
I
- I shall accept the sannyasa order of life, for thus people will offer Me their obeisances, thinking of Me as a member of the renounced order
- If people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily to possess artificial amenities, they think they are being advised to return to a primitive way of life
- If the Krsna consciousness movement spreads all over the world, and if by the grace of Krsna everyone accepts it, the thinking of envious people will change. Everyone will think of the welfare of others
- In India also there are svamis who go to people's houses and preach, "If you give me one ounce of gold I can make it into one hundred ounces of gold." The people think - I have five ounces of gold. Let me give it to him, and I'll get five hundred ounces
- In the Kali-yuga people will think themselves of very beautiful feature by keeping long hairs. That is stated. This is called sastra. 5000 years ago, Bhagavata was written, & there the symptoms of Kali-yuga are mentioned, and this is one of the symptoms
- In the material way of life, people are embarrassed with the thoughts of how I shall sleep, how I shall eat, how I shall mate, and how I shall defend. That is the way of material life
- In the old age I am traveling all over the world. People think that I have taken some hardship. But for Krsna's sake, even it is hardship... Actually, there is no hardship. But even it is hardship, we should take it
- It is a fact that Krsna, His expansions and His devotees - that is, those who work for Him - are not in material nature, although people with a poor fund of knowledge think that they are
- It is a fact that Krsna, His expansions and His devotees - that is, those who work for Him - are not in material nature, although people with a poor fund of knowledge think that they are - CC Intro
- It is by ignorance that people think that by opening factories they will be happy. Why should they open factories? There is no need
- It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss. So we are taking the risk of offending people, and they will think we are fools
- It is not that cent percent men will be trained up spiritually. But even a small percentage ideal men there are in the society, at least people will think, "Oh, here is ideal." But there is no such facility
K
- Krsna consciousness movement is not one-sided. It is not that people may think that they are sentimentalist and simply chanting and dancing. No. There is volumes of philosophy of life, from all angles of vision. Dharma, artha, kama, moksa
- Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that the people who think that this humanitarian work is very valuable, that is automatically done. But at the same time we are giving something which will solve the problems of his life
- Kunti continued, "We are always in an auspicious position because of Your (Krsna's) grace. But although You have bestowed a special favor on us, people should not mistakenly think that You are partial to some and inattentive to others"
M
- Make it so that people may not think too repressive so they will not go away - impressive but not repressive, that is the system
- Modern advanced in science people, they think: "Oh, what is the use of asking bread in the church? Why not take to industry?" That is their aim. In India, especially, this is the situation
- Most people, ignorant of this fact, think that they are creating a very comfortable situation, but in actuality they end up traveling fifty miles to go to the office to earn a livelihood and fifty miles to come back
O
- O people of the world! Please try to translate the Gita's message into action and channel your thoughts toward Lord Krsna's lotus feet
- Our real interest is in the western countries. The trouble in India is we cannot preach. There are language difficulties and the people think they already know everything
P
- People are advanced in education and knowledge. They think that "If I have to ask bread from God, so why shall I go to God? Let me earn money very nicely, and I can purchase bread. Why shall I go to church"
- People are always thinking that they are secure, and this is called maya, illusion
- People are misled. They are thinking that by material comfort they will be happy. And practically we are seeing, this competition of material comfort... The capitalist and the labor class, worker class, they are fighting - strike
- People are paying money to attend some classes in gymnastic exercises and deep-breathing, and they're happy if they think they can lengthen their lifetimes by a few years or enjoy better sex life
- People are thinking that advancement of civilization means improving eating, sleeping, mating and defending, but actually these activities have nothing to do with civilization. They simply tighten our bondage to material life
- People are thinking that by adjusting the material energy they will be happy, and everyone is trying this individually, collectively or nationally. In any case, it is not possible. People will ultimately be frustrated
- People are thinking that God is dead, or that we have no obligation to God, or that there is no God. This sort of thinking will never make for happiness
- People are thinking that they can relieve suffering through abortion, by killing the child within the womb. In this way they are committing one sin after another and becoming more and more entangled
- People are thinking that they have acquired knowledge because they know how to manufacture and drive cars, but before the car was here people were still going from one place to another
- People are thinking, "I belong to this family, this nation, this community. I have this duty or that duty," and so on. People do not know that these are all false designations
- People are thinking, "I must first of all see to my own interest." That's all right, but what is that interest? That they do not know
- People are very much afraid of coming to Krsna consciousness. "Oh," they think, - my material prosperity will be finished
- People do not know that Krsna consciousness is the highest enjoyment. They think that the boys and girls who have joined this Krsna consciousness movement are foolish
- People forget all these devastations of the worlds and think themselves happy in the material progress of civilization. This is called maya, or "that which is not
- People generally think that religion should be pursued for material profit. This may be suitable for persons interested in material life, but one who is interested in spiritual life should be attached to paro dharmah
- People in general also think that this is also another type of so-called religion. So, gradually, they will take steps for banning our propaganda also, unless we present our system very scientifically based on philosophy
- People in general, especially in this age of Kali, are enamored by the external energy of Krsna, and they wrongly think that by advancement of material comforts every man will be happy. BG 1972 Preface
- People may sometimes think of You as impersonal or personal, but You (the Lord) are one
- People should not think that Brahma, Visnu, and Siva are the origin of everything. No
- People should not think that the devotees of Krsna are mere sentimentalists. On the contrary, the devotees are the greatest philosophers and the greatest scientists
- People think that if a person can make him successful in business, that person is a guru. The sastras do not confirm this either. A guru is one who knows the Vedas and the Vedic conclusion
- People think that simply by executing the occupational duties of a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra or the duty of a brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasi one becomes fearless or securely attains liberation
- People think that they have taken relief from all social work. But a Vaisnava is giving the best social service because he knows what is the cause of suffering, how people can be saved. Therefore he is suhrdah. Suhrdah means well-wisher friend
- People think that this is idol worship and imagination, but this method is prescribed in all the sastras for developing God consciousness. It is an actual science
- People think they become free and independent through such sensual activities, but factually they become more tightly bound up in chains. The greater their accumulated wealth, the greater their anxiety and depravity
- People think this mental speculation, poetry, philosophy, that is spiritual. No. So long the subject matter is material, the concoction of the mind, speculation of the mind, the so-called philosophy, is also material
- People thought, "What is the use of calling a brahmana for puja part? There is no necessity. Stop it." So naturally the brahmanas were obliged to accept to the business or occupational duties of the ksatriyas or the vaisyas or even sudras
- People want to become religious because they think... This is also fact. By becoming pious, religious, you get material happiness. That's a fact
- People who do not have scientific spiritual knowledge mistakenly think that the members of the Krsna consciousness movement are escapists trying to avoid material activities
- Publicity like this is not good for us, that people are thinking we are hippies
S
- Sankirtana means chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The Hare Krsna movement is not a new movement as people sometimes mistakenly think
- Some people become interested in Krsna because they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not krsna-bhakti, love of Krsna, but prakrta-sahajiya - materialistic lust - CC Intro
- Some people think that Radha and Krsna are so cheap that They may be seen every night, but this is not the teaching of the gosvamis who were always searching after Krsna crying - Where are You Krsna? Are You there by Govardhana Hill
- Some people think that Radha and Krsna are so cheap that They may be seen every night, but this is not the teaching of the gosvamis who were always searching after Krsna crying - Where are You? Where are You Radharani? Where are You Krsna
- Some people thus become interested in Krsna because they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not Krsna-bhakti, love of Krsna, but prakrta-sahajiya - materialistic lust
- Sometimes people boast, "We have gone from the hut to the skyscraper." They think this is progress. But in the Vedic system of civilization, one thinks about how much he is advanced in self-realization
- Sometimes people criticize these American and European devotees, that they think that "They are American devotee; we are Hindu devotee. There is difference." This is not bhakti-marga. This is upadhi. Why you should think yourself as Hindu?
- Sometimes people misunderstand, thinking that sages who try for self-realization are lazy
- Sometimes people think that the cause of an earthen pot is the earth. We see on a potter's wheel a sufficient amount of earth to produce many pots, and although unintelligent men will say that the earth on the wheel is the cause of the pot
- Spiritually uncultured people think the dog race is life. But actual life is spiritual progress. Therefore the SB (1.5.18) says, tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido
- Sri Krsna is saying that there is no authority greater than Him, and this appears to be very dogmatic. If I say, "There is no one greater than me," people would think, - Oh, Swamiji is very proud
- Such people (who worship themselves as one with the Supreme Lord) think themselves to be the Supreme Lord, and in this mentality they worship themselves. BG 1972 purports
- Sukadeva Gosvami knew that Maharaja Pariksit asked the question not for his own understanding but as a warning to the future innocent people who might think others to be equal to Krsna
- Suppose in the old age I am traveling all over the world. People think that I have taken some hardship. But for Krsna's sake, even it is hardship . . . Actually, there is no hardship
T
- The demon (Hiranyaksa) employed many conjuring tricks against the Personality of Godhead (Varahadeva), who is the Lord of yogamaya. At the sight of this the people were filled with alarm and thought that the dissolution of the universe was near
- The difficulty is that people are not educated to understand this simple philosophy. They think that advancement of civilization means increasing sense gratification
- The entire world is bewildered because people are thinking, "This is my land," "America is mine," "India is mine." Not knowing the real value of life, people think that the material body and the land where it is produced are all in all
- The European and American youths in the KC movement have been accustomed to many bad habits since birth, but now they have given these up. Many people think that it is impossible to live without illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling
- The foolishness of gross materialism is that people think of making a permanent settlement in this world, although it is a settled fact that one has to give up everything here that has been created by valuable human energy
- The knowledge is received, not manufactured. Some people think, "Why should I listen to Him? I can think for myself. I can manufacture something new." This is not the Vedic process of descending knowledge
- The Mayavadis call themselves Vedantists but do not at all understand the purport of Vedanta philosophy. Not being properly educated, people in general think that Vedanta means the Sankarite interpretation
- The purpose of the Krsna consciousness movement is to spread this understanding. People who do not have scientific spiritual knowledge mistakenly think that the members of the Krsna consciousness movement are escapists trying to avoid material activities
- The word tirascam refers to degraded life. Human life, of course, provides an opportunity for the best living conditions. As Western people think, from the monkeys come the human beings, who are more comfortably situated
- There are fights between nations, societies, communities and families. People are thinking, "Why are you interfering with my business?" Then there is a fight. Because of illusion, we do not consider these situations temporary
- There are innumerable hellish engagements in the modern so-called civilization, and by the grace of the Lord's illusory energy people think these hellish engagements are a great fortune
- There may be fireworks going on, and this may be happiness for someone but distress for us. Some people are thinking that these fireworks are very enjoyable, and we are thinking that they are very inconvenient. That is the material world
- They (in America) take it (marriage) purely for prostitution, that's all. So therefore people are thinking, - What is the use of keeping a regular prostitute at such heavy expenditure? Better not to have this
- They (Mayavadis) further say that God is imaginary, that people think of God only because of ignorance, and that when the Supreme Absolute Truth is befooled by the external energy, maya, He becomes a jiva, or living entity
- They (people) think that the perfection of life is in eating a great supply of food, or in sleeping twenty hours, or in having a new mate every night or every day. People are interested in these things, but not in the perfection of life
- They (people) think, "By increasing motorcars, we shall be happy." This is called maya. That will not help. This motorcar civilization will be finished within another hundred years
- Thinking in these bodily terms, people consider their wives and children to be theirs and the land of their birth to be worshipable. Thinking thus, people are willing to fight and die for their country
- This is material nature. There are many events in nature that cause fear. There are great cyclones and tornadoes. There is excessive heat and excessive rain. There is flood and famine and war. Yet people are thinking of being happy on this planet
- This Krsna consciousness movement was first attempted in India, but the people of India, being absorbed in political thoughts, did not take to it. They were entranced by the political leaders. We preferred, therefore, to come to the West
U
- Under illusion people think that material opulence will save them, but although there has been much advancement in material science, the problems of human society - birth, death, old age and disease - are still unsolved
- Unfortunately, instead of doing so, people are absorbed in thoughts of society, friendship, love and relatives. This Krsna consciousness movement, however, is educating people throughout the world and informing them how to conquer death
- Unfortunately, people are so dull in this age that they have no idea how birth and death can be stopped. They think that birth and death cannot be stopped; even famous scientists admit this
- Unfortunately, people are thinking of different interests, and blind leaders are misleading them
- Unintelligent people think that the Supreme Lord accepts a body composed of the material energy
W
- We are not dull matter. We have got our flexible hands and legs to work. People think that "These Krsna conscious men, Hare Krsna people, they are escaping." What is that, escaping? We are not escaping. We are practically taking the real activities
- We can offer history of the world, of the universe, from millions and millions of years ago. But these people with petty knowledge for three thousand years or four thousand years, they are thinking they have advanced
- We have to all cooperate amongst ourselves, otherwise what will people think if we ourselves fight with one another? A devotee is always ideal in behavior
- We want to cheat God and surpass Him, but this is not possible. People think themselves very advanced in knowledge, but actually, due to their pride, their knowledge is taken away by maya
- Whatever Krsna likes, He'll do. You cannot oblige Him, that "You have to do it." No. That is karma-mimamsa, that "If good work gives good result, so why should we care for Krsna? We shall do the good work." Ordinary people, they think like that
- When a devotee is fit to receive worldly reputation, he is envied by many people. This is quite natural. When a person, out of humility, does not desire fame, people generally think him quite humble and consequently give him all kinds of fame
- When Krsna came on this earth He had many girlfriends and over 16,000 wives, and some people think that He was very sensual. But this was not the fact
- When Satrajit wore this jewel in a locket around his neck, he appeared exactly like an imitation sun-god. Putting on this jewel, he entered the city of Dvaraka, and people thought that the sun-god had come into the city to see Krsna