Prabhupāda Explains How to Remain Peaceful Amidst Disturbances
The material world is designed to continuously agitate the conditioned soul, making peacefulness a symptom of true spiritual advancement. To protect his followers from being overwhelmed by these inevitable disruptions, teaching them how to anchor their minds in transcendence is the vital instruction Śrīla Prabhupāda provides. He explains that whether one faces the internal agitations of past conditioning and the sex urge, or external difficulties like management disputes and societal opposition, a sincere devotee must simply tolerate the friction, strictly follow the regulative principles, and focus entirely on pleasing Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master.
The Inevitability of Material Disturbances
Assuming that surrendering to Kṛṣṇa magically removes all physical danger or hardship is a dangerous misconception. To equip his disciples with realistic expectations, pointing out that even the greatest historical devotees faced immense suffering is the sobering reality Śrīla Prabhupāda shares. He trains his followers to stop blaming external circumstances for their difficulties, and instead recognize that as long as they possess a material body, temporary miseries must be peacefully tolerated.
- Everything will be all right, by Krishna's Grace; we are Krishna's property, but now we are seated in these bodies of maya, so it is sure that from time to time there will be disturbances - just like I am experiencing now.
- Don't think that: "Because I have become a devotee, there will be no danger, no suffering." Prahlada Maharaja suffered so much. The Pandavas suffered so much. Haridasa Thakura suffered so much. But we should not be disturbed by those sufferings.
- In every kind of miseries we have to depend on Krishna and we should not be too much disturbed when such miseries come upon us.
- One mistake of judgment often made by the neophyte devotees is that any time there is some disturbance or difficulty they are considering that the conditions or the external circumstances under which the difficulty took place are the cause.
- The instruction we may derive from this (SB 10.11.27) is that we should not be disturbed by so-called disturbances. There have been so many disturbances to our Krsna consciousness movement, but we cannot give up our forward march.
Fixing the Mind on Kṛṣṇa
Due to countless lifetimes of material conditioning, the mind is habitually restless and incapable of concentrating on the absolute truth. To cure this chronic instability, prescribing the forceful medicine of the holy names is the practical remedy Śrīla Prabhupāda offers. He guarantees that by consistently chanting and focusing on the lotus feet of the Lord, the rascal mind is forcibly engaged, and all internal disturbances are ultimately vanquished.
- If you simply fix up your mind on the Lotus Feet of Krishna, the rascal mind cannot disturb you anymore.
- Yes, the mind is subject to so many impressions from past activities as well as so many past lifetimes, so when disturbing thoughts enter your mind you should simply ignore them. Actually the process is to always remember the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
- Our mind is so disturbed that concentration of meditation is not possible. But this chanting, as soon as we chant, by force our mind is engaged in chanting and hearing, by force: "Hare Krsna." So even my mind is disturbed, by the vibration I am attracted.
- The difficulty is that we cannot come to the pure stage of chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Due to our past habits our mind is disturbed. We cannot concentrate. Therefore we have fixed up the minimum.
- This temple means to practice how to think of Krsna's lotus feet, Balarama's lotus feet, always. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Immediately you become bhakta. And as soon as you become a bhakta all kinds of disturbances will be subsided.
Tolerating Internal Urges and External Testing
The material energy vigorously tests anyone who attempts to escape its jurisdiction. Assuring his followers that these intense trials are natural, teaching them how to weather the storm of sensory demands is the compassionate guidance Śrīla Prabhupāda provides. He advises that when overwhelming physical urges or psychological tests from māyā arise, a devotee must remain completely motionless in their determination, allowing the urges to simply come and go without breaking their spiritual vows.
- She tests very rigidly whether you have taken Krsna consciousness to disturb Krsna, or you are actually serious. That is maya' s business. So there will be, in the beginning, test by maya, and you will feel so much disturbances in making progress in Krsna consiousness.
- Another secret of success is that when one is very much sexually disturbed he should think of Lord Krishna's pastimes with the Gopis, and he will forget his sex urge. To think of Krishna's pastimes with Gopis, but not to try to imitate.
- If they are strong enough in Krishna Consciousness any amount of sex urge will not disturb them. Even it disturbs, it will come and go.
- So long you are perturbed by material disturbances, you should know that your spiritual life has not begun. This is confirmed in everywhere.
- Motionless means, when you are fixed up in Krsna, there is no more material motion. That is motionless. This material propensities will not anymore disturb you.
Avoiding Disturbance Through Regulated Household Life
Artificial renunciation creates far more agitation than it cures. Recognizing the genuine social and physical needs of his disciples, encouraging them to embrace a peaceful married life is the balanced approach Śrīla Prabhupāda advocates. He strictly advises against maintaining an artificial disturbance of the mind, instructing that entering the gṛhastha-āśrama and living harmoniously with a spouse is a completely authorized program for advancing in pure devotion.
- I can understand the disturbance of your mind, but why you keep yourself in such artificial disturbance? You can become a householder. That is not prohibited.
- There is no harm in accepting a wife and living without any disturbance of the mind and thus sincerely advancing in Krishna Consciousness.
- It is better if the grhasthas have a separate asrama, just like in Los Angeles the married disciples rent rooms together in one apartment house near the temple and live there separately, and in this way no one is disturbed.
- Wife's duty is not to disturb the husband. That is Vedic principle.
- Everything can be used properly for peaceful condition, and when you become peaceful, no disturbance, then you can very happily chant Hare Krsna and your life becomes successful. This is our program. We don't want to stop anything.
Maintaining Unity and Not Disturbing the Spiritual Master
The global expansion of the movement relies entirely on the cooperative spirit of its leaders. Pleading with his senior managers to resolve their differences, revealing the deep personal toll their infighting takes on him is the emotional mandate Śrīla Prabhupāda issues. He stresses that petty administrative disturbances and complaints violently disrupt his peaceful mindset, directly preventing him from fulfilling his monumental task of translating the Vedic literature.
- Whenever I hear complaints or disturbances in our centers my mind becomes too much disturbed and I cannot properly translate my books.
- I am trying to retire from the administrative affairs, but if the presidents and GBC men make such disturbances then how I can be peaceful?
- Why Bhagavan should interfere with Stockholm. I appoint GBC for peaceful management of affairs and now you are creating disturbances amongst yourselves. So how can be peaceful to translate my work.
- Maybe there is a little fighting amongst yourselves, that is natural, but you are advanced disciple, don't be disturbed by these things.
- We are pushing our movement on the background of a peaceful atmosphere in the world, and if we show a little disturbance in our own camp that will not be a very good example.
Depending on Kṛṣṇa and Avoiding Artificial Disturbances
Ignorance and mental speculation are the root causes of all unnecessary anxiety. To protect his society from these pitfalls, demanding strict adherence to the authorized process is the absolute standard Śrīla Prabhupāda enforces. He clarifies that deviations from the regulative principles simply create chaos, whereas faithfully executing one's prescribed duties and ignoring the criticisms of envious outsiders keeps a devotee perfectly safe and unbothered.
- Now you GBC consult them and get clear and strong idea, then there will be no disturbance. Disturbance is caused by ignorance; where there is no ignorance, there is no disturbance.
- Without following the regulative principles, so-called devotional service is simply a disturbance.
- Simply criticizing and no work, that is the business of inferior men. So do not be disturbed by them, go on with your work, increasing more and more. Never mind the jackals howl.
- About the "guru" living next door, as well as other so-called sadhus in Fiji, why be disturbed by them? Simply go on with your preaching work with determination. Sincere people will be attracted by the purity of your message.
- You should always remember that you are helping me. Without your help I cannot do anything, so you do not be disturbed. Try to help me. That is my request.
Conclusion
Material life is synonymous with agitation, but the shelter of the Supreme Lord is eternally serene. By continuously assuring his followers that remaining peaceful is entirely possible amidst chaos, providing the exact tools for mental and spiritual stability is the incredible gift Śrīla Prabhupāda delivers. He proves that when a devotee stops trying to artificially control the material energy and instead surrenders to chanting, cooperation, and the regulative principles, all disturbances permanently vanish in the light of pure devotion.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Our Disturbances (Disciples of SP). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.