Cannot Check Kṛṣṇa Consciousness by Material Circumstances
Material life is full of forces that human beings cannot check: death, disease, old age, destiny, social unrest, and the reactions to sinful activity. In these teachings, Śrīla Prabhupāda shows that no material arrangement can fully stop the laws of nature or the ruling of the Supreme Lord. Yet spiritual life has another quality altogether. Devotional service, love of God, surrender, and preaching are apratihata, uncheckable, when they are sincerely connected with Kṛṣṇa.
Devotional Service Cannot Be Checked
The nature of real devotional service is that it does not depend on favorable material conditions. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that bhakti must be without ulterior motive and without obstruction. If devotional service stops because of sickness, inconvenience, or external difficulty, it has not yet reached the standard of pure bhakti. When the soul genuinely wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, material tribulations cannot block that service.
- Ahaituki, apratihata. Devotional service must be without ulterior motives; then material conditions cannot check it.
- Bhakti, or devotional service is not such a thing which can be checked. "Sir, I was feeling very sick, therefore I could not chant." No, that is not bhakti. We are subjected to all these tribulations utterly.
- Devotional service to the Lord is uncheckable in all circumstances.
- Generally we go to temple or perform religion with a motive, some material purpose. But bhakti should be without any motive, ahaituki, no cause. Apratihata, and it cannot be checked.
Material Destiny and Nature Cannot Be Checked
Human beings often try to stop the results of material nature through politics, money, planning, or social reform, but the deeper laws remain beyond their control. Death comes, youth passes, opulence disappears, and reactions to sinful life arrive despite human resistance. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses these examples to show that the living being must acknowledge superior authority. The wise response is not to waste human energy fighting destiny, but to use that energy for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- Here is child. You cannot check to become young man. That is not in your power. She must become or he must become.
- I can also pass away at any moment. That is nature's law. Nobody can check it. So that is not very astonishing, but my appeal to you on this auspicious day of the departure of my Guru Maharaja, that at least to some extent you have understood the essence.
- Ordinarily destiny cannot be checked. Therefore instead of wasting your time for change your economic condition or material destiny, you employ this energy for Krsna consciousness. That cannot be checked.
- The so-called philosophers, they simply concoct ideas, "I believe. I believe." Whatever you believe, that is your business, but the ruling of the Supreme Lord must go on. You cannot check it. You cannot avoid it.
Kṛṣṇa Consciousness and Preaching Go Forward
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement cannot be stopped by demoniac opposition, inconvenience, or institutional obstacles when devotees remain sincere. Śrīla Prabhupāda compares attempts to stop it with Kaṁsa's attempt to kill Kṛṣṇa, which could never succeed. Preaching can be performed through one's life, money, intelligence, and words, so it remains possible in many circumstances. If devotees dedicate life and soul to Kṛṣṇa, the movement advances without material limitation.
- As Krsna could not be killed by Kamsa, this (Krsna consciousness) movement cannot be checked by men of Kamsa's class.
- If the devotees continue to spread this movement, dedicating life and soul to the lotus feet of Krsna, no one will be able to check it. The movement will go forward without limits. Chant Hare Krsna.
- Preaching cannot be checked by anything - if you want to preach. In any circumstances you can preach. Preaching can be executed by four things: by your life, by your money, by your intelligence, and by your words.
- The cult of Krsna consciousness, based on the nine principles of devotional service will never be stopped. It will go on without distinction of caste, creed, color or country. No one can check it.
Love and Surrender Are Always Open
No external condition can prevent the soul from turning toward Kṛṣṇa. If one sincerely wants to love God, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or chant His holy name, the opportunity is available in any position. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that eagerness is the essential point: “Kṛṣṇa, I want You.” This makes spiritual life radically hopeful, because material circumstances may limit the body but cannot prevent the soul's desire for the Lord.
- If you want to become devotee of God, Krsna, no material things can check.
- If you want to love God, there is nothing throughout the whole world which can check you. Simply you have to develop your eagerness: "Krsna, I want You." That's all. Then there is no question of checking.
- If you want to surrender to Krsna, there is no checking, there is no hindrance. You can do it in any position. You can do it.
- If you are determined that "I shall always chant Hare Krsna mantra," nobody can check. But we do not feel so much attached to the chanting. Therefore it is checked.
Material Plans Cannot Cure Sinful Reactions
The world tries to manage suffering through laws, relief efforts, police, and social schemes, but these cannot remove the reactions of sinful life. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, and similar disturbances cannot be checked by government plans. The disease is deeper than the symptom, and the cure must address the consciousness behind sinful action. Brahminical culture and Kṛṣṇa consciousness provide that medicine by reforming the mind and character.
- Because people are without Krsna consciousness, they have become thieves, and consequently they are being punished by the laws of material nature. No one can check this, not even by introducing so many relief funds.
- Man cannot check all these evils simply by statutory acts and police vigilance, but he can cure the disease of the mind by the proper medicine, namely advocating the principles of brahminical culture.
- The fire can be extinguished only by the mercy of the Lord, who sends clouds to pour water on the forest. Similarly, undesirable happenings in life cannot be checked by any number of plans.
- The government cannot check the resultant actions of sinful life, namely war, pestilence, famine, earthquakes and similar other disturbances.
Conclusion
Material nature, destiny, death, and the reactions to sinful activity cannot be stopped by ordinary human plans. But devotional service, sincere preaching, love of God, and surrender to Kṛṣṇa also cannot be checked by material circumstances. Therefore the intelligent person stops wasting energy on what cannot be controlled and invests life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the spiritual path that remains open in every condition.
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 Cannot Check. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.