The Sports Gamble
By His Holiness Danavir Goswami

Srila Prabhupada considered sports to be in the category of gambling and therefore against Vaisnava regulations.[i] In the letter below, Srila Prabhupada responds to an intelligent gentleman who inquired about preaching and recruiting devotees in India. Before enumerating the actual regulative principles, His Divine Grace explains that one must first become a pure devotee, then preach.

You have asked me what are the formalities that you have to observe for recruiting Krishna devotees in India, and the first principle is that you have to become a pure devotee of the Lord. Then you can attempt to convert others to become devotees.

As we often see, His Divine Grace is expert at establishing sastric principles in a universal prescription. Below he continues in trying to help the inquirer realize the importance of accepting the medicine.

The formalities are as follows: You should take a vow not to have any illicit sex life. That means sex life should be accepted only by married couples. You should not take anything beyond the group of grains, fruits, vegetables, flowers, milk and milk products, and that also only after offering to Lord Krishna. You should not accept any kind of intoxication, including drinking coffee, tea, or smoking cigarettes, chewing pan, etc. Finally, you should not take part in any gambling, including so-called sports, cinema, theater, or any such entertainment. Then you will have to be first initiated for chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra under regulative principles, avoiding 10 kinds of offenses and following the above regulative principles. (Letter to: Mr. Kair -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1969)

Meticulous to each detail, Srila Prabhupada knew he was transplanting Vaisnava tenets into Kali’s garden. There could be no ambiguity, for these tenets were to grow for another 9500 years. If Mr. Kair had responded that he was interested in becoming initiated but was unwilling to give up illicit sex, pan, tea or idle sports, his proposal would be denied. The reason is that one who takes initiation into the Brahma-Gaudiya-sampradaya declares his or her solemn intention to become a pure devotee.[ii] Pure devotees or aspiring pure devotees set their sights on going back to home, back to Godhead.

“IDLE SPORTS”

Srila Prabhupada also includes the topic of “idle sports” in the following excerpt of a letter addressed to the United States Selective Service (the capitals are his):

MY INITIATED STUDENTS ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO INDULGE in the following principles of degradation: (1) All forms of intoxication, including coffee, tea, cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, etc. (2) The eating of animal foods, such as meat, fish, and eggs. Rather, their diet consists of Prasadam, especially offered foodstuffs (vegetarian), (3) Unmarried sex indulgence, (4) Gambling, or idle sports of any sort. Their lives are dedicated to serving God, and as such, they have no time to squander on unbeneficial activities or non-Godly activities. (Letter from Srila Prabhupada dated March 20, 1969 to the United States Selective Service System)

Srila Prabhupada was not just duping the Selective Service System. He was dead serious about each and every principle he outlined, including the prohibition against sports. This was evidenced by the fact that he did not allow any such idle sports within his society up to the day he departed from this world. The Selective Service had already sent a letter to Srila Prabhupada asking him to explicitly describe the qualifications of his ministerial students[iii] and had sent one of its senior men to investigate ISKCON.

Recently one Lieutenant Colonel, Mr. Davis, from the Selective Service came to see me about our activities, and he is fairly impressed. (Letter to: Gaurasundara -- Los Angeles 26 January, 1969)

Besides securing exemption from the Army for his students, Srila Prabhupada was also interested in drawing major world religious leaders and their followers into the saìkirtana movement. Below, he uses the same words in two letters to portray the qualifications of a real disciple or lover of God.

We are creating men of character, and we are training our disciples to become lovers of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following four principles of degradation: 1) sex life outside marriage, 2) intoxication, 3) meat eating, and 4) gambling and idle sports.

(Letters to: Pope Paul VI and Archbishop of Canterbury --1968-1969)

In all the letters above, the expression “idle sports” is used. Approaching the term “idle sports” semantically, one might at first suppose that it was referring solely to sports where one was stationary, without exercising, such as checkers. Although inactivity is indeed one meaning of the word idle, there are other meanings which carry forth Srila Prabhupada’s full intent.

i-dle (ied'l)

adj.

1. of no real worth, importance, or purpose:

idle talk.

2. having no basis or reason; baseless;

groundless: idle fears.

3. frivolous; vain: idle pleasures.

4. meaningless; senseless: idle threats.

v.i.

5. to pass time doing nothing.

6. to move or loiter aimlessly.

This is the true description of idle sports. They have no real worth, they have no basis or reason, they are vain and frivolous, they are meaningless and they are senseless.

Idle sports simply do not match the activities of a Vaisnava.

A Krishna conscious person cannot bear to pass a minute of his life without being engaged in the service of the Lord. (Bhagavad-gita 6.17 Purport)

Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17 Purport)

That is advised by Rupa Gosvami. Avyartha kalatvam. Vyartha means spoiling. Avyartha means not spoiling. Avyartha kala. He should be always conscious that “I am not wasting my time.” (Morning Walk -- January 5, 1974, Los Angeles)

If someone throws a ball, a dog will chase it very enthusiastically although there is actually no meaning to his catching the ball. Similarly, humans chase balls around in sports although such business is meaningless. In the next life such foolish humans lose their more intelligent human bodies and get the bodies of dogs to chase balls more expertly.[iv]

WHY SPORTS IS GAMBLING

Why are ordinary, so-called “innocent” sports classified as part of the sinful activity of gambling?[v] Because sports is the very essence of gambling. Even the English term “gamble” comes from the word “game” which is derived from the Old English word “gamenian” and more recently (1150-1200) the Middle English term “gamenen”.

gam-ble: 1. to play at a game of chance for money or other stakes.

game:  1. an amusement or pastime:

2. a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance and played

according to a set of rules for the amusement of the players or  spectators.[vi]

When, in an attempt to make a frivolous sport or game more interesting, people also wager currency from their pocket on the outcome, the activity is commonly called gambling. So-called sports is the disease itself and when wagering is added the disease becomes accelerated.

Someone may argue that games and sports are not bad, that they are just healthy amusements and pastimes.[vii] “It’s my time, what is the harm if I use my time the way I want to?” Here’s the answer.

Canakya Panòita said, ayusah ksana eko ’pi na labhyah svarna-kotibhih...Svarna means gold coins, and koti means ten millions. So suppose today is 6th December. Now seven o’clock, morning, seven o’clock, 6th December, passed. Can you bring it again by paying one crores [ten million] of gold coins? Hm? That “Let me get back again seven o’clock, 6th December, 1975, again”? No. It is gone forever. So just see the value that you cannot get back even a moment of your life by paying millions and millions of dollars. How time is valuable, just calculate. Therefore Canakya Panòita [said], sa cet nirarthakah nitah ka no hanis tato ’dhika. If you waste your time, such valuable time, for nothing, just imagine how much loser you are. (Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.4 -- Vrndavana, December 6, 1975)

This is why sports is considered gambling. Because the participant or spectator is staking his most precious possession ¾ time ¾ on a game.

Let’s imagine if someone went to the racetrack and bet his entire lifesaving’s of $50,000 on a horse. Everyone would think he was crazy. Because he put forward so much money and there was a good chance he would lose it. Then if he did actually gamble the money and lost...oh how he would be disheartened, how his family would feel forsaken, and how his friends would be disgusted. Such behavior is as sinful as it is foolish.

Sports is big time gambling with all the players and spectators losing their wealth. That priceless, misused, human time should have been engaged in serving Lord Krishna. At the end of their lives, such spiritual paupers and their relatives cry in frustration over the tragic loss.

FRIVOLITY

A partial list of frivolous sports[viii] is provided below.

Basketball, soccer[ix], baseball, football[x], volleyball, tennis[xi], racquetball, handball, Frisbee[xii], tetherball, pinball games, shuffleboard, horseshoes, croquet, jai alai, cricket, lacrosse, polo, water polo, skiing, water skiing[xiii], ice skating, roller skating, hockey, billiards, pool, cards[xiv], dominos, scrabble, monopoly, playing games such as dungeons and dragons (and other similar board games), Backgammon, chess, golf[xv], miniature golf, skateboarding, bowling, checkers, rugby, running races, swimming races, horse racing[xvi], dog racing, bicycle-racing, trampoline jumping, motorcycle racing, boat racing, sled racing, automobile racing, table tennis, squash, sky diving, scuba diving[xvii], kite-flying, bungee cord diving, hang glider flying, bullfighting[xviii], rodeo events, hunting[xix], track and field events, dance contests[xx], ballet, concerts, rock concerts[xxi], slot machines[xxii], roulette, lottery, gymnastic events[xxiii], fishing[xxiv], canoeing, fencing, computer games, crossword puzzle competitions, weightlifting, marbles, pitching coins, surfing[xxv], body surfing[xxvi], logrolling, birling, dice, caroms, darts, boxing, dune buggying, mountain climbing, badminton, ball dancing[xxvii], belly dancing, disco dancing[xxviii], square dancing[xxix], magic tricks, fortune-telling, I-ching[xxx], Ouija board, crystal ball reading, Tarot cards, psychic readings, bingo[xxxi], sweepstakes drawings, springboard diving[xxxii], winter Olympics events, joke-telling, fashion shows, break dancing, beauty contests, fashion shows, dog shows, roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, Ferris wheels, giant slides, water slides, bumper cars, houses of mirrors, horror houses, and other amusement park rides and attractions, pogostick jumping, jumping rope, jet skiing, snail racing, roller derby, cribbage, yoyos, jacks, spinning tops, hula hooping, butterfly catching, bird watching, sweat lodges, baton twirling, cheerleading, juggling, puzzles, playing charades, blind man’s buff, treasure hunts, building and playing with model trains, cars, and airplanes, playing with toys[xxxiii], moon expeditions[xxxiv], Mars expeditions[xxxv], space exploration[xxxvi], viewing mundane television[xxxvii], TV quiz games, watching comedians, cinema[xxxviii] and dramatic or theater performances, listening to mundane radio, playing mundane music, going to mundane concerts, reading mundane newspapers[xxxix], novels, magazines, listening to mundane music, adopting current fashions[xl]etc.

Frivolous sports are not supposed to be allowed within ISKCON, although devotional service itself may be seen as recreation. If one performs devotional service properly, there will be abundant exercise for keeping healthy. Dancing in kirtanas, cleaning, offering obeisances and a myriad of other devotional activities keep the body fit without wasting time in sports.[xli] A devotee is described as jolly (hrstah), happy (prasanna), joyful (susukham), carefree (svacchanda). But we never hear of a devotee described as frivolous. Both participants in and spectators of frivolous sports are involved in frivolous sports. Sports is not required for sustenance, it is a frivolous waste of time therefore it should be given up by persons who are serious about making spiritual advancement.

PRAJALPA

The modern world is so full of sports talk it is scarcely conceivable. There are participants speaking to other participants, spectators shouting toward participants, spectators speaking to other spectators, participants speaking to spectators, announcers announcing information to both participants and spectators, sportscasters broadcasting information to spectators and participants. Then there are writers, photographers and publishers combining together to produce books, TV shows, newspapers, radio shows, Internet departments, movies, videos, theaters, etc., describing sports for the public at large. Then there are merchants advertising their goods by referring to sports, etc. All the discussions pertaining to sports are, nevertheless, made of the same stuff as sports are and that we heard about above.[xlii] Using an analogy, if someone grinds salt, soaks salt, heats salt, cools salt, bags salt, boxes salt, sifts salt, stacks salt, spreads salt, etc. the result will be only salt. Similarly no matter how we manipulate it, sports is sports and that means nonsense.

The Gauòiya Vaisnava-sampradaya, headed by Rupa Gosvami, explains that there are six impediments in the execution of bhakti-yoga. These cause a devotee to falldown from his position in devotional service (saòbhir bhaktir vinaSyati). One of those items is called prajalpa or useless idle talk.

Another impediment is prajalpa, unnecessary talking. When we mix with a few friends, we immediately begin unnecessary talking, sounding just like croaking toads. If we must talk, we should talk about the Krishna consciousness movement. Those outside of the Krishna consciousness movement are interested in reading heaps of newspapers, magazines and novels, solving crossword puzzles and doing many other nonsensical things. In this fashion people simply waste their valuable time and energy. In the Western countries old men, retired from active life, play cards, fish, watch television and debate about useless socio-political schemes. All these and other frivolous activities are included in the prajalpa category. Intelligent persons interested in Krishna consciousness should never take part in such activities (Nectar of Instruction: 2 Purport)

Sports not only involves its followers in prajalpa but sportsters ingest another cause of spiritual disease …janasanga. Janasanga means association with non devotees and that is exactly what happens when fans emulate sports heroes.

THE SPORTS-SEX LINK

Our old enemy lust has his passionate hand in the wide world of sports. The Sanskrit term for recreation, vihara, is also often used to indicate the sporting (sexlife) between males and females.[xliii]

Demons arrange many kinds of performances to see the glaring beauty of a beautiful woman. Here it is stated that they saw the girl playing with a ball. Sometimes the demoniac arrange for so-called sports, like tennis, with the opposite sex. The purpose of such sporting is to see the bodily construction of the beautiful girl and enjoy a subtle sex mentality. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.20.35 Purport)

Sports tournaments are soft versions of medieval contests in which mounted knights fought with opponents for a prize or when Vedic ksatriyas fought for the hand of a princess. Modern competitors too, seek to win fame, wealth and/or the fancy of women (or men, as the case may be). Sports has a lot to do with sex...ask a sports hero. Not too long ago, a famous professional basketball player boasted publicly that he had indulged in sex with over 1,000 different ladies.

Unenlightened governments support sports as a means to appease their citizens. The bewildered citizens then do not object to the nefarious activities of the government.

“A government may prevent defection by making life more interesting, by providing bread and circuses, and by encouraging sports, gambling, the use of alcohol and other drugs, and various kinds of sexual behavior...”[xliv]

Srila Prabhupada comments however, that a philosophy which encourages people in their bad habits will not solve social problems any more that putting more and more ghee will extinguish a fire. In other words, promoting materialistic activities, such as sports, which in turn reinforce the illusory bodily conception of life, will not lead to success.

RECREATION

The Bhagavad-gita talks of regulated recreation (yuktahara-viharasya).

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system. (Bhagavad-gita 6.17)

In essence this usage of the word recreation (viharasya) refers to sexlife. The meaning therefore is; “One should be regulated in eating, sleeping, sexlife and work.”[xlv] Regulated in the sense of restrained or temperate. But Westerners, unfamiliar with the term viharasya, think “recreation” refers to sports. Since Srila Prabhupada did not allow his students to engage in sports of any kind, the devotees were understandably confused. “Where’s the regulated sports?” they thought. They were thinking that the verse of Bhagavad-gita endorsed or recommended a yoga practitioner’s moderate indulgence in sports. Consequently, it is no surprise that a devotee asked for clarification when the topic came up in studying Bhagavad-gita.

Devotee: What is recreation for a Krishna conscious person?

Prabhupada: Recreation? Dancing. (laughter) Come on, dance with us. Is it not recreation? And when you get tired take prasada. Do you want more recreation than this? What is your answer. Is it not recreation?

Devotee: Yes. I think it is difficult for someone who comes from...

Prabhupada: Why difficult? Dancing is difficult? Chant and dance?

Devotee: It’s easier for a devotee who lives in the temple.

Prabhupada: Oh, but as you come, anyone can come. Everyone is welcome. We don’t charge anything for this dancing. You go to ball dance and so many other dances, you pay for it. But we don’t charge. We simply, our, these students simply beg something because we have to maintain. We don’t charge anything. So if you simply come and chant for recreation, it is very nice. Everything is there in Krishna consciousness. We want music, there is music. We want dancing, there is dancing. You can bring nice musical instruments, you can join. We distribute nice palatable dishes. So practically this is a system of recreation only. (laughter) Yes. If you seriously think, you’ll find, this system, there is no labor at all. Simply recreation. Su-sukham. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita in the Ninth Chapter you’ll find, su-sukham . Everything is pleasing and happy. Find out anything in our system, that this is troublesome. Tell me practically, anyone. “This point is very troublesome.” Just put your counterargument. Simply pleasing. It is simply recreation. That’s all. You just point out, “Swamiji, this point is not very recreation or not, that is unhappy position.” Nothing.

People want. That is their natural, just like these children. When they see that boys and girls are dancing, the children also dancing. Automatically. This is spontaneous, this is life. And that is our real life in the spiritual world. There is no anxiety. Simply people are dancing and chanting and eating nicely. That’s all. (Bhagavad-gita 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969)

What a surprise! What a pleasant surprise! Srila Prabhupada’s conception of recreation is Lord Caitanya’s saìkirtana movement. Kevala ananda khanda, this process is simply joyful. Every single drop of the ever-expanding, blissful, ocean of devotional service is total recreation; from rising up early in the morning, to japa, to prasadam, to cleaning, to distributing books to managing centers. Isn’t this what attracted us to become devotees? That everything in relationship to serving Krishna is transcendental and joyfully performed? Chanting, dancing and feasting¾the famous Lord Caitanya formula for happiness.

SAKAMA AND NISKAMA DEVOTEES

Gambling is allowed occasionally in Vedic culture for the ksatriyas. Ksatriyas, like demigods, have a passionate spirit of enjoying this world, controlling people and things in this world. The demigods and ksatriyas who take the license for this type of enjoyment, are, nevertheless, content to remain in the material world. Such mixed devotees are called sakama devotees or devotees who are still affected and motivated by material desires.

Another type of devotee is the pure devotee or niskama devotee. Such devotees have no material aspirations and it is expected that they will return to the abode of the Lord after completing their services in this lifetime. ISKCON is especially meant to foster niskama devotees. This is shown by that fact that the Founder-acarya of ISKCON stipulated that the initiates should not participate in sports or gambling. He wanted to generate niskama disciples.

These days there seems to be a proliferation of the sakama tendency among some of the ISKCON members even though they promised to avoid gambling and frivolous sports. When a devotee who was trained, by his or her spiritual master in the principles of niskama bhakti (pure devotional service), moves toward sakama bhakti or devotional service mixed with sense gratification it is devolution not advancement. Be that as it may, many consider this more accommodating policy to be serviceable since we are supposedly becoming more normal and less strange in the eyes of greater society. However, it should be clearly understood that what is happening is we are compromising with maya.

Pure devotees of the Lord, (both neophyte and advanced) desire to go back to the spiritual abode of the Lord and therefore they renounce activities aimed at enjoyment of the senses. We must decide which group of bhaktas we wish to belong to; sakama devotees or niskama devotees. It is apparent from the references sited in this article that devotees who are addicted to playing frivolous sports are to be grouped, at best, in the sakama devotee category. I say “at best” because whereas the demigods are permitted to enjoy some sense gratification along with their managerial duties, ISKCON devotees have not received such sanctions.[xlvi]

KIDS ARE SKAPEGOATS

A crafty way for devotees to jump back into sports is through the kids.[xlvii] The rationale that sports are permissible for children allows elders to also get back into it.[xlviii] Actually it is the elders who are addicted to sports and they help pass on the addiction to the children.[xlix] Nevertheless, elders like to say that it is the children who insist on playing games and they, as parents, are obliged to facilitate their children.[l]

It is true that generally children have the propensity for playing, but that tendency should be directed towards Krishna.[li] They can act out different pastimes of the Lord and His incarnations.[lii] Narada Muni and Dhruva Maharaja as children were so fully absorbed in devotional service, they had no interest in sports.[liii]

Generally, people think that childhood is meant for enjoying life by engaging oneself in sports and play, youth is meant for enjoying the company of young girls, and when one becomes old, at the time of death, then he may try to execute devotional service or a mystic yoga process. But this conclusion is not for devotees who are actually serious. (Srimad Bhagavatam: 4.8.32 Purport)

Although sports is not a must for children if they are very serious about spiritual life, Srila Prabhupada did tell the gurukula teachers that swimming and wrestling were Vaisnava sports.[liv] When asked about sports for children under ten, he suggested a game called kit-kit.[lv] This game employs no balls, bats, nets, goalposts, or other paraphernalia. Srila Prabhupada clearly preferred this game for little children over any other because it was based on chanting Hare Krishna. Another advantage of this game is that it is not professionalized nor very attractive to adults. There are no kit-kit heroes to emulate and praise and no kit-kit leagues. Perhaps this is precisely why it has not gained popularity among the movement’s parents. It’s just a game which can be played almost anywhere to provide exercise and chanting. If we must engage our little children in some group sport, then it should be kit-kit.

If sports are to be indulged in, they should end at ten. Children ten years and older, on the contrary, should be engaged in services such as cleaning and gardening, etc.[lvi] Srila Prabhupada gave the example of child Krishna collecting dry wood for His guru.[lvii] If sports continue past this age, they will seriously hamper one’s chances to advance in spiritual life. Serve now, sport in Goloka.

SPORTY MODES

In the following excerpt from a circular letter meant for candidates interested in joining the League of Devotees (forerunner of ISKCON), Srila Prabhupada spells out clearly that sports would not be allowed. Interestingly the prohibition of sports is listed ahead of gambling. Srila Prabhupada had no desire to spend volumes of energy in organizing a worldwide Krishna conscious society for persons who were not actually serious to make spiritual advancement. Those unable to refrain from indulging in sports or games were not deemed serious students.

The inner members will not have:

1.      illegitimate connection with women.

2.      He shall not be addicted to intoxicating habit. No member shall be allowed to smoke, chewing betel, drink tea etc. inside the house.

3.      He must be satisfied with ``Prasadam'' which will be served to him & must be strictly vegetarian. No inner member shall be allowed to eat fish, meat, eggs, onions, etc.

4.      the inner member shall not indulge in unnecessary indoor or outdoor games, sporting or gambling habit. (Letter to: Brothers -- Allahabad 1 January, 1955)

Sports are conducted under the auspices of the three modes of material nature. By ignorance; A) one forgets his real nature as servant of Krishna and thinks himself the enjoyer[lviii], B) he forgets his short time remaining to become self-realized and how far he is away from the goal, C) he forgets reality and concludes life is not so important, D) he equates the nonsensical contrived value of someone kicking a ball though two posts to performing devotional service.

By passion; A) one wants to achieve success and fun, B) one wants to win fame, association with women and sometimes money.

By goodness mixed with passion and ignorance: A) one tries to gain health, relaxation, exercise, camaraderie and diversion from troubles. In short, mundane sports support the materialistic tendencies such as eating, sleeping, mating and defense but do not foster hearing and chanting about Krishna. Therefore they should be rejected.

We are so conditioned in thinking sports to be great, that it is very hard to give up the misconception. As soon as a devotee becomes a little inattentive in his practices of devotional service, maya lures him with a seemingly innocent sport opportunity. Then one’s intelligence, influenced by maya, conjures up dozens of so-called good reasons why sports are fine. A popular theory these days, perhaps contributed by the New Age movement, is that one should do what one feels like doing without feelings of repression or guilt even if it is not endorsed by Krishna conscious authorities. After indulging in frivolous sports, for example, one simply admits his weakness or insists that sports are helpful.[lix] The person’s addiction to sports persists but he may be heralded among other sports buffs as an advanced, honest devotee. On the other hand, those who avoid and decry sports are sometimes maligned as fanatics.

It appears that devotees who have once renounced sports and then returned to participating in or watching others participate in unnecessary sports are not making progress in spiritual life.

Reporter (2): Will this college be quite different from our conventional college which has a great emphasis on athletics, I mean, football teams and...

Prabhupada: Well, an education... A highly educated man does not require athletics. He requires good brain. Just like high court judge, he requires a good brain, not a big gigantic body. (Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco)

Sometimes a person addicted to sports will say, “Oh, it’s just a pastime, I’m not really attached to it.” The peculiar thing about addictions however, is that they don’t seem like real addictions until one tries to stop them.[lx]

ISKCON COMMUNITY STANDARDS

In and around ISKCON today we see the inclination toward expanding temples into villages, communities and towns for devotees to reside in. This, as it is presented, will attract a broader group of people than can be allowed in our temples. But when the question of sports arises, some community organizers say that abstinence from sports is mainly for sannyasis, who are in Srila Prabhupada’s words, "like a burnt skull", with no interest in this world. The community organizers, in some instances, feel that eliminating sports as an attraction feature of the Krishna town would be repressive and artificial. “Remember, we are not building a big aSrama, but a town,” they say.

We have the utmost respect for the dedication of such devotees striving to fulfill the desire of our spiritual master and the predecessor acaryas by developing towns and communities of devotees. Nevertheless, we must beg to differ about the inclusion of mundane sports in ISKCON’s spiritual townships. In our view, spiritual townships must be solely comprised of daivi varnaSrama principles or pure devotional service practices, lest they will not be spiritual. In order for it to be actually spiritual, then, the spiritual city should most definitely be a big aSrama where spiritual advancement is cultured. Indulgence in frivolous sports is not only unacceptable for sannyasis but is also taboo for all initiates and aspiring initiates since adhering to the four regulative principles is essential for the residents of such a spiritual town.

Certainly the desire of our Vaisnava acaryas will someday manifest in extraordinary, transcendental cities and towns. However, if we feel ourselves unable at present, to pursue such lofty goals without bringing in mundane so-called recreation, I propose we adopt a more modest, yet unadulterated plan. ISKCON would be better off exhibiting a lesser yet more serious number of residents in its facilities. Otherwise visiting devotees and the world at large will conclude that frivolous sports are acceptable within Krishna consciousness.

How do Western anarthas like basketball and cricket fit into Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s, and the acaryas’ plan for the saìkirtana movement? There are hundreds of service activities in and around our centers which will provide exercise, relaxation and camaraderie within the scope of transcendental devotion to the Lord.[lxi] If one performs devotional service properly, there will be abundant exercise for keeping healthy. Dancing in kirtanas, cleaning, offering obeisances and a myriad of other devotional activities keep the body fit without wasting time in sports.

Maintaining sports courts in ISKCON communities, in my opinion, makes us a laughing stock throughout the universe. Furthermore how will we be able to bring devotees and guests to such communities only for them to see the spots where devotees run and jump after balls like foolish animals. In conclusion, I humbly request we discard such ideas for allowing sports in ISKCON Vaisnava communities once and for all to save the integrity of our disciplic succession.[lxii] Thank you, Hare Krishna.

ENDNOTES:

[1] “The third... And no gambling or unnecessary sporting. People are wasting time. So many sportings they have invented—sporting balls, this ball, that ball. You see? Human life is very short. We do not know when we shall die. Before that, we must prepare ourself for the next life. Next life means directly going back to Krishna, highest perfection.” (Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968)

2 “Rasapara... Rasa-parayani. Rasa-parayani. Correct it. One of the gopis. Rasa-parayani dasi, “one who wants to dance with Krishna in rasa dance.” No ball dance. Finished? All right.” (Initiations -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973)

3 1. The names and locations of all seminaries of the church.

2. The names and addresses of all heads of your religious schools.

3. Copies of your offered curriculums.

A statement as to the requirements for particular diplomas certifications, or titles, indicating courses to be mastered and the time involved for each diploma, certification and title.

A statement as to the rules of conduct and personal standards required by your religion of its ministerial students.

If your church has affiliation with any other organized religious body this information should be given.

If your church or school has been recognized by any public or institutional accreditation, by whom, and where.

Please let us know what your requirements are for a ministerial student in your school in the two following categories: (a) full time and (b) part time.

Please state the date your ministerial school began operating, as such, the number of students presently enrolled in each of the categories specified in question 8 above, and the number of students in each particular year or level of advancement.

If your ministerial school is co-educational, we would like to know the present number of students of each sex.

Please send a roster of your school faculty and indicate the degrees and academic or religious accomplishments possessed by each instructor.

We trust you will understand the nature of this inquiry and will appreciate that such information is essential if we are to accord to your members, that have dealings with this agency, their just rights under the law.

FOR THE STATE DIRECTOR

MALCOLM F. MILLER Lt. Colonel, USAF (ret.)

Manpower Officer (Letter: Hawaii 14 March, 1969)

4 Hahsaduta: This week is the big world football matches. So everyone goes to see that. They either stay at home and watch television or they go to the fields.

Prabhupada: Because they have been taught like that. What is their fault? They do not know the importance of human life. “Eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy.” That’s all. And then become a dog. That’s all. They do not know. And they say, “Never mind I shall become a dog. After all, I will forget everything.”( Morning Walk -- June 22, 1974, Germany)

5 “So Lord Rolandcey and that, my Godbrother, is talking. So Lord Rolandcey asked him, “Well, Swamiji, can you make me a brahmana?” “Yes, why not? Yes, why not? You can become a brahmana.” “So what are the conditions?” My Godbrother said, “The preliminary four conditions.” “What are these conditions?” “Now, striya-suna-pana-dyuta yatra papaS catur-vidhah: You cannot have any illicit connection with woman, you cannot have any intoxication habit, you cannot indulge in gambling or unnecessary sporting, and you cannot live on animal food.” Lord Rolandcey replied, “It is impossible. It is impossible.” (laughs) (Bhagavad-gita 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966)

6 Random House Websters Dictionary

7 “They are suffering, but the people are coming, enjoying golf. That is suffering only. From the morning, going here, is it not suffering? (laughter) But he’s thinking, “I am enjoying.” This is maya.” (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles)

8 “So you follow those principles [avoiding the ten offenses to the holy name] as well as the four restrictive rules, namely;

No addiction to indulgence in any form of intoxication, including coffee, tea and cigarettes

No illicit sexual relationships

Must be strictly vegetarian

No gambling

And the other standard practices for initiated devotees:

Must attend evening and morning classes

Should not extensively mix with non-devotees

Should not eat food cooked by non-devotees

Should not waste time in idle talks

Should not become engaged in frivolous sports” (Letter to: Sacisuta -- Allston, Mass 30 May, 1968)

9 “Just like spiritual atmosphere, Krishna’s friends, cowherd boys, they’re playing with Krishna. That is also playing. And here in this material world the boys they also play football play. But these two plays are different. One is spiritual and another is material.” (Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976)

10 RameSvara: It was their sport to see men fight each other until one of them was killed. Their wrestling was based on fighting until someone was killed.

Gargamuni: They would take Christians and put them in the arena.

RameSvara: That was their sport, entertainment, just like wrestling in India, but in the Middle East in Roman times the wrestling was fought until somebody had to be killed. That was their entertainment. They wanted to see them die. Even today, actually, all the entertainment in America and the Western world is based on violence. They have bull fighting. They want to see the bull tortured and killed. And they have chicken fighting and they have...

Prabhupada: Dog fighting.

RameSvara: And even the most popular sport in America now is football. It is more popular than baseball, and it’s based on men jumping on each other. While one team is carrying the ball, every... A very violent sport.

Hari-Sauri: And boxing also. So many different sports.

RameSvara: They are fascinated by pain and fighting.

Prabhupada: Torture. They like to see that somebody is tortured by another. (Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhubaneswar)

11 Devotee: [break] In Dvaraka, did Krishna’s queens play tennis?

Prabhupada: What is the use of playing tennis? (Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver)

Prabhupada: (About tennis players) How people are kept into ignorance. Life is so valuable, and they are wasting time in that way. Life is valuable, how life should be utilized, what is the object of life—they do not know anything.

Svarupa Damodara: Without knowing that the soul is eternal, everybody would be acting like this.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is... Bodily concept of life means animal life. (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)

12 “There is always someone who wants to gamble at nightclubs or enjoy so-called sports. All these propensities are already within the hearts of the living entities, but some living entities stop to enjoy these abominable activities and consequently fall down to a degraded platform.” (Srimad Bhagavatam: 4.29.4 Purport)

13 YogeSvara: This is where they go water skiing.

Prabhupada: Water skiing?

YogeSvara: Yes. They stand on two pieces of wood and they hold on to a rope, and a fast boat pulls them along the water, like that.

Prabhupada: Oh. Like, what you have? Surfer? Surfer?

Karandhara: Surfing. Yeah, similar.

Prabhupada: Surfing. Surfing or suffering? (laughter) Unnecessarily, whole day and night they are... This is also another example of maya. He is actually suffering, but he’s thinking, enjoying. (Morning Walk -- June 2, 1974, Geneva)

14 “He’s peacefully drinking and playing cards with prostitute. He’s advanced. And because he’s chanting Hare Krishna, he’s creating nuisance. This is the government.” (Lecture: Bhagavad-gita 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974)

15 Bhakta-rupa: Perhaps that man thinks he has retired from working hard. But still he is performing so many activities, material activities.

Prabhupada: Hmm. What can he do? He has no other engagement. (laughter) He doesn’t know that there is another engagement, spiritual life. He doesn’t know. Ignorant. Karma-samjïa. That I was discussing, this ignorance. He thinks working is life, that’s all. Hard work.

JagadiSa: Now he’s working hard to put a ball in the hole.

Prabhupada: Yes. He knows, “This is life.” There is no other alternative. That is his ignorance. He cannot do it.” (Morning Walk -- March 4, 1975, Dallas)

16Nityananda: Before. This farm was once owned by a person who grew race horses for racing and gambling.

Prabhupada: Racing is also gambling. (Walk: August 1, 1975)

17 Indian man: I think very good sport, swimming?

Prabhupada: Why it is good?

Indian man: Isn’t it refreshing and...?

Prabhupada: The fishes are swimming always, twenty-four hours, they are

swimming. So they must be well situated than yourself because...

Indian man: They are swimming.

Prabhupada: Man cannot swim twenty-four hours, but they are swimming twenty-

four hours.

Indian man: Yes. (Morning walk, Durban, South Africa, October 9, 1975)

18 Prabhupada: “Big demonstration of cow fighting, bull fighting, and kill them. Such a Christian is trying to convert others as Christians! Just see the fun. Christ said, “Thou shall not kill,” and they are sporting with the life of bull, and they are Christian. We have to believe.

Yadubara: Isn’t that somewhat in the ksatriya spirit?

Prabhupada: Nonsense spirit. Rascal spirit.

Yadubara: But sometimes those people get killed when they’re fighting the bull.

Prabhupada: But your arrangement is to kill the bull. By chance or by God’s desire you become killed.

Brahmananda: It’s a very popular sport.

Prabhupada: Yes. And they are Christians.

Jayatirtha: I think before the bullfighter goes to the ring, he first goes to the church and prays for blessings that he will be able to do very nicely.

Prabhupada: Accha?

Brahmananda: And everyone gets drunk.

Prabhupada: Very good preaching. (Morning Walk -- July 28, 1975, San Diego)

“Jesus Christ says, “Thou shall not kill,” and Christians are very expert to kill. (laughter) They take pride in bullfighting. This is the position. So it is very difficult to find out a real Christian.” (Lecture: Bhagavad-gita 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975)

19 “He must kill one tiger, one lion, one jungle boar. Ferocious, very ferocious animals, That was the ksatriya’s business. Not that a rabbit (laughter) or an innocent bird, sports. This kind of sporting was not allowed.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973)

20 “As Krishna dances with the gopis, we also try to dance in the ball dance, the same imitation. But the ball dance does not endure. We become frustrated, because it is only shadow. The reality is there. A shadow... Suppose you love a boy or girl. But if it is a shadow, it does not give you actual pleasure.” (Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975)

21 “That is not meant for human being, unnecessarily jumping and dancing. You must dance for satisfaction of Krishna. Then your life is... There is tendency for dancing, for chanting, for singing. They are holding ball dances, and musical instruments. The same thing we are propagating—chant and dance Hare Krishna mantra. This is satisfaction.” (Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974)

22 “In this age, men are victims not only of different political creeds and parties, but also of many different types of sense-gratificatory diversions, such as cinemas, sports, gambling, clubs, mundane libraries, bad association, smoking, drinking, cheating, pilfering, bickerings, and so on. Their minds are always disturbed and full of anxieties due to so many different engagements.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.10 Purport)

23 “One should be very practical in every field of activities and should not waste his valuable time in practicing useless gymnastic feats in the name of yoga.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.45 Purport)

24 Amogha: They think catching fish is great sport, great fun.

Prabhupada: They haven’t got any business. They must do all of these sinful activities. That is the defect of the modern civilization—keeping all men in darkness.

Jayadharma: Does that mean that the people that catch the fish have to also become fish?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. And who will become fish? That they do not know, how the transmigration of the soul is going on. They cannot explain wherefrom the fish are coming, wherefrom the trees are coming. Everything in darkness. And this civilization, this dark civilization, is going on, in the name of civilization. They cannot explain what is death, what is next life. Sometimes they say, “It is nature,” but how nature is working they do not know. All darkness, muòha na abhijanati, mam ebhyah parama. The birds and beasts are also catching fish, and they are also catching. What is the difference? What is the difference? They have got this nice human body, and they are acting like birds and beasts. And they are kept in darkness. There is no enlightenment. This is the modern civilization. (pause) The smell. What is the smell?

Amogha: If we go up there, I don’t think it will be there.

Prabhupada: Some decomposed things? And this is not good for you. (pause) They fish this side?

Amogha: The birds? Seagulls.

Prabhupada: He has got the human body. He also... These birds are catching fish. He does not know that he has got other business. ( Morning Walk -- May 9, 1975, Perth)

“...sinful activities, fishing. Just see. Killing another animal. Beginning of life, of the day. Such a nice civilization they have created: waste of time and sinful activities.” (Morning Walk -- January 21, 1974, Hawaii)

“Fishing. Yes, all old men, they are sitting hours and hours for capturing one fish. (laughter) Just see their civilization.” (Morning Walk -- November 11, 1975, Bombay)

25 Prabhupada: The direction is there, that this living entity wanted a body to swim in the sea very jubilantly, so now he has got the body of a fish. So let him live very peacefully. That is God’s mercy. You take very much pleasure with that surf... What is called, in the sea?

Devotee: Surfboard.

Prabhupada: Surfboard? Yes. (laughter) So if you increase your engage..., “How I shall be swimming and enjoy this sport all day and night?” then Krishna will give you the body of a fish. (laughter) Yes. He is very kind. And you will very nicely live in the sea, always swimming without any difficulty. Every life. As you increase your propensity for a certain type of activities, nature is ready immediately: “Take this body. Why you are anxious? Take this body.” (Srimad Bhagavatam lecture September 20, 1972, Los Angeles)

Dr. Wolfe: Swimming, walking, is still important I think.

Prabhupada: No, we do not say. Neither.

Dr. Wolfe: I miss it in the Movement. I think it should not be made a sport, but it should be made, perhaps, a physical must under control.

Prabhupada: No, if you eat more, then you require more exercise to digest unnecessary loading, but if you eat simply, just to keep our body and soul together, you don’t require exercise.

Dr. Wolfe: Well...

Prabhupada: Little movement is going on, we are walking. But not this severe type of exercise as surfers and fighting with the sea waves for four hours, five hours, ten hours. (devotees laugh)

Dr. Wolfe: But Srila Prabhupada, a ksatriya has to be strong.

Prabhupada: That is a.... Ksatriya is.... Generally...

Dr. Wolfe: And ksatriyas have to be there.

Prabhupada: This is especially meant for the brahmanas, intelligent. (Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles)

26 “Everything is calculated at the time of death. That is nature’s process. That I was talking in the morning, that these boys, they are too much addicted to these water sports. Twenty-four hours they are indulging in this water sport. They are creating a mentality to become aquatic animal. So naturally, at the time of death, he will think of all these things and nature will give him a body. Yes. That you cannot check. After death you are completely under nature’s control. You cannot dictate. That these rascal do not understand.” (Discussion of Henri Bergson)

27 “Now culture means some dancing. Now it has become a culture. And what is that dancing? Sense gratification. Boys and girls, dancing ball dance, sense gratification. That is vikarma. But here, the same dancing before the Deity is bhakti. The same dancing. You dance in a theatrical performance, in a platform. That is also dancing. And here, in this stage, before the Deity, if you are dancing with Hare Krishna maha-mantra, then you are making bhakti, progress. And that dancing means you are becoming entangled in your karma. Because that dancing is sense gratification, vikarmanah. Nunah pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti.” (Lecture: Bhagavad-gita 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974)

“Krishna had rasa dance; then we can have also rasa...” But they do not understand that Krishna’s rasa dance is not ordinary ball dance like that. No. It is an imitation, perverted imitation. Because the tendency’s there in Krishna, therefore we have also got the tendency. But we do not know how to enjoy that dancing spirit. That is our illusion. We think this ordinary dance and Krishna’s dance is the same thing. No. That dancing, to take part in that dancing, it requires many, many millions of years tapasya.” ( Lecture: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974)

“The rascals, they want to enjoy life without Krishna. The gopis are dancing with Krishna; the dancing is here also, ball dance. Why they do not get any pleasure? Without Krishna. You dance with Krishna, you get real pleasure.” (Morning Walk -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne)

28 “The dancing and tennis playing of girls in the material world are perverted reflections of the original pastimes of the original Personality of Godhead, Krishna, and His wives.” (Krishna Book 90: Summary Description of Lord Krishna's Pastimes)

29 “Bhagavaty tan manye adhitam, this is the best thing. The Mayavadi, they do not know this. They simply stop dancing. They do not know that this ball dancing may lead one to hell, but the chanting Hare Krishna mantra is not like that. They do not know it. They simply take the negative side: stop dancing. We say "No. No stop it. We shall dance for Krishna, we shall eat for Krishna, we shall print books for Krishna, not newspaper. We shall secure money for printing for Krishna." The same thing, the same printing, same working, same dancing, same eating, but for Krishna. This is Krishna consciousness. Simply you have to change the, what is called, interest. Everyone is acting for self interest, but bhakti-marga, devotional service of Krishna's interest, that is real interest.” (Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974)

30 “Regarding the persons who have been ``throwing the I-Ching,'' this cannot go on in our temples of Krishna Consciousness. This is to be considered as gambling, and it must be strictly prohibited. So if these boys will come to Los Angeles to follow the discipline as it is practiced here, that will be the best thing. Otherwise, they may not cause this disturbance in our temples. So both of these boys, whoever they are, should come immediately to Los Angeles to be trained up nicely in Krishna Consciousness. Unless one agrees to follow all of our principles, he may not be allowed to live at the temple. This must be our policy.” (Letter to: Upendra -- Los Angeles 16 August, 1969)

31 “So this is maya. And our declaration of war with maya—no intoxication, no meat-eating, no bingo—(laughter) these are our declaration of war. So we have to fight in that way because nobody can understand Krishna without being free from all sinful activities. These are sinful activities. Therefore it is acarya’s business to stop these nonsense activities.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975)

32 “Just like nowadays people are very fond of diving within the water and swim. This has become a fashion. So next life they are going to become fish. Yes.” (Lecture: Bhagavad-gita 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976)

33 “Just like the father gives a toy, the child wants a motorcar. “All right, take a toy motorcar.” He wants a engine, he wants to become a railway man. Now these kinds of toys were(?) there. Similarly Krishna is supplying these toy bodies, yantra…” (Bhagavad-gita 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973)

34 “Men with developed consciousness, therefore, do not waste time making excursions, real or imaginary, to the moon. Such intelligent persons do not endeavor to achieve temporary sense enjoyment.” (Light of the Bhagavat: 48)

35 “Therefore he’s seeking pleasure. That is the real aim. Therefore he’s going into the water. He has no business to go to the water, but because he is seeking pleasure—“Let me see if there is some pleasure. Experiment.” That’s all. But he does not get... Just like they are going to the moon planet, moon planet: “Let us see.” Because there is no ananda, he is seeking another type of ananda. And now they have failed. Now they’re going to Venus or what? Mars. This is going on. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. He’s not seeking after where is eternal happiness.” (Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico)

36 “Just like little children, they play with little toys. Similarly, you can play with little toys and advertise yourself great scientist. That’s all. But you are nothing.” (Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972)

37 Guest: Your Grace, do you keep in touch with the world through television or newspapers or the media?

Prabhupada: Yes, many newspaper, many television men, they come. But we speak our philosophy plainly.

Guest: Do you watch TV yourself?

Prabhupada: No, we have no business. We don’t wish to waste our time. (Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne)

38 “We are simply setting example that how we can execute our daily affairs in connection with Krishna. That is our propaganda. So every grhastha, every house, where is the difficulty? Everyone can install the Deity. All the family members can gather together, chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and read Sastras, as we are doing in this temple. But the present tendency is that we have..., they have got sufficient time to smoke, they have got sufficient time for playing cards, they have sufficient time for drinking, going to the cinema, going to the sports.” (The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973)

39 Guest: Do you read newspapers?

Prabhupada: No. What is newspaper? “This man is killed. This man has stolen. This politician has captured the government.” So why shall I waste time?

Guest: How do you become informed as to certain events? Is that...

Prabhupada: We have got enough books to read, these books. If you read our books, in your whole lifetime you cannot finish it. And that is required to understand Krishna. That is success of life. So why should.... Of course, we are in touch in the newspaper, but as much as it is required. (Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne)

“Materialistic people are attached to ordinary newspapers on account of their lack of spiritual consciousness.” (Mukunda Mala Stotra: 5 Purport)

40 “What is the use of changing one’s dress, sometimes wearing long hair and a long beard and sometimes dressing otherwise? This is not good. One should not waste his time in such frivolous activities”. (Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.5.14 Purport)

41 “The village organization is that the local people produce their necessities like grain, vegetables, milk, and cloth; and for recreation they have the chanting of Hare Krishna. They should live there comfortably and have spiritual recreation.” (Letter to: Mahamsa: -- Detroit 3 August, 1975

42 “He [the animal-like man] goes from one pleasure to another. From the cinema to the restaurant to sports.” (Janmastami Lord Sri Krishna’s Appearance Day Lecture -- Montreal, August 16, 1968)

43 “Just like we try to imitate Krishna. Big, big rich men, they go to the ball dance. Especially in your country, at night, big, big businessmen, politicians, they go to the night club for dancing.” (Lecture: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974)

44 (Discussions on American psychologist/philosopher B. F. Skinner)

45 “As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, yuktahara-viharasya. When one engages in devotional service in Krishna consciousness, he still has to eat, sleep, defend and mate because these are necessities of the body. But he performs such activities in a regulated way. He has to eat Krishna-prasada. He has to sleep according to regulated principles. The principle is to reduce the duration of sleep and to reduce eating, taking only what is needed to keep the body fit. In short, the goal is spiritual advancement, not sense gratification. Similarly, sex life must be reduced. Sex life is meant only for begetting Krishna conscious children. Otherwise, there is no necessity for sex life. Nothing is prohibited, but everything is made yukta, regulated, with the higher purpose always in mind. By following all these rules and regulations of living, one becomes purified, and all misconceptions due to ignorance become nil. It is specifically mentioned here that the causes of material entanglement are completely vanquished.” (Srimad Bhagavatam: 3.33.26 Purport).

46 “The sakama devotees are self-interested because they do not think of others, and therefore they are not able to satisfy the Lord perfectly, whereas the pure devotees take the missionary responsibility of turning nondevotees into devotees, and they are therefore able to satisfy the Lord more than the demigods.” (Srimad Bhagavatam: 3.9.12 Purport)

47 “The average person is illusioned in childhood, playing frivolous games. Up to twenty years, easily, you can go on like that...Therefore, from the beginning to twenty years of age, everything is spoiled;...This is the analysis of life by Prahlada Maharaja. We are spoiling our life instead of using it to advance in Krishna consciousness.” (Transcendental Teachings of Prahlada Maharaja: Part 2: “We Are Spoiling Our Lives”)

48 “The Syamasundara’s daughter, Sarasvati, she is wonderful girl. She is a child, but she never goes outside the spiritual consciousness. She makes her arati. There are many boys. There is one boy, “D.D.D.,” I call him. He is always engaged in making arati, in worshipping Jagannatha. His father sent him some toys. He did not take it. So I asked him, “Why you are not taking the toys?” And he said, “It is maya.” (laughs) So you can train your children from the very beginning and make his life... That is the duty of father and mother.” (Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972)

49 “At our New Vrindaban, DvarakadhiSa, he was given by his father toys. I was present. And he did not touch the toys. He said, “It is maya.” (laughter.) Yes. “It is maya.” So everything should be taught from childhood. That is Prahlada Maharaja’s instruction. Kaumara acaret prajïo dharman bhagavatan iha. So in the, from the very beginning there is no teaching, there is no God consciousness; then what will be the result?” (Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972)

50 “This is how we train our children in Krishna Consciousness, just be keeping them always attending our regular program and associating with Krishna devotees, teaching them in spiritual realization by giving them the idea that sacrifice and tapasya for achieving the highest goal of life is a very nice way of life. Not that we shall give them many games for playing, these so-called scientific methods of learning are artificial, unnecessary, and on the whole I do not have much trust in this Montessori system or any other such system of teaching. Your idea for having altars to train the children in deity worship is very nice.” (Letter to: Satyabhama -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972)

51 “Give them nice food, let them play. Some can be cowherd boys, some can be cows, like that. Play and take food and be Krishna Conscious. As soon as they begin playing they will be inspired, only one has to direct how to play, that's all.” (Letter to: Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972)

52 “The children should always be instructed by taking advantage of their playful mood and teaching them to play Krishna games like become cowherd boys, cows, peacocks, demons and in this way if they always think of Krishna by playing just like they are actually present in association with Krishna then they will become Krishna Conscious very quickly.” ( Letter to: StokaKrishna -- Los Angeles 13 June, 1972

53 “As far as I was concerned, I was self-controlled and had no attachment for sports, even though I was a boy.” (Srimad Bhagavatam: 1.5.24 Narada Muni speaking)

“In childhood Dhruva Maharaja rejected all kinds of toys and playthings, left the protection of his mother and seriously took shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.12.52)

54 “Srila Prabhupada told us that swimming an wrestling are Vaisnava sports. They are well liked by the children and good exercise as well.” (Srila Prabhupada on Gurukula; p. 89: BBT 1984)

55 Srila Prabhupada: Avoid toys as much as possible; you can allow the ball, football (soccer)...We used to play, in our childhood, as game called kit-kit. Eleven boys this side, eleven boys that side, and there is demarcation line. This is my party; that is your party. Across the demarcation line, one boy goes toward the other party, and he chants Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. In this way, he tries to touch the other party. If he can touch someone [and get back across the line], then the boy who is touched is dead; but if all the boys together capture the boy who has gone to touch and not allow him to cross the demarcation line, then he is dead. In this way, without any toys, they can chant Hare Krishna and engage in play. Do you understand? Here is the demarcation line [he draws a line in the air]. I start from here [one side] and go within the midst [of the other side]. They [the opposing players] are trying to catch him and stop him from chanting Hare Krishna, and he is chanting Hare Krishna ]and touch one of them. If after touching someone he comes out [of enemy territory], then the boy that he touched is dead. Then, the other party will have a chance to come to this side. When all eleven [of one party] are dead, then the other party wins. Introduce it. Good exercise and chanting, no toys.

Rupa-vilasa: Should they always be supervised when they play?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, you can stand and watch to make sure they don’t quarrel of fight, that is all . Let them play freely.

Rupa-vilasa: How much time?...

Srila Prabhupada: One hour, or two hours at most...in a day; that is sufficient. That [kit-kit] is goo exercise, because they struggle. The opposite party wants to catch him, and he wants to avoid being caught, touch [one of them], and then come out. Good struggle...

Dvarakanatha: For indoor play, are blocks acceptable...when it rains? They sometimes build temples.

Srila Prabhupada: That is all right. Or, as Krishna used to do with His friends in the forest, [they can] imitate the animals, like the frog. Some exercise is required for development....

Sasti: The children sometimes have a tendency for fighting.

Srila Prabhupada: Fighting?...They may not injure, that’s all....That is children’s business. Fighting is a childhood propensity. They will fight and immediately they will make friends; it is not serious, but don’t let them injure one another, or increase the fight. (Conversation with teachers in Dallas, March 4, 1975; Srila Prabhupada on Gurukula; Pp. 87-88: BBT 1984)

56 “The older children [ten years of age and beyond] should be given more difficult tasks, such as cleaning the park, gardening, or some work....Not like the young children.” (From Satvarupa dasa Goswami’s notes on Srila Prabhupada’s visit to Dallas, May, 1973; Srila Prabhupada on Gurukula; p. 87: BBT 1984)

“Regarding the older boys, [ten years of age and beyond] they can do gardening engagement and other brahmacari engagements, study and manual work. And, as soon as they can read Sanskrit and English, they should read our books, such as Bhagavad-gita As It Is. By cleansing the temple and growing flowers their attention in this way be always in Krishna consciousness. That will save them from the clutches of maya.” (Letter to: Dayananda: -- Bombay 16 October, 1973)

“Our grandmother used to engage us for watering work, these pots. And that water was brought from down, two, three stories down, and we used to bring and put. That is good exercise and sport also, competition between children. (break) ... karma jyayo hy akarmanah. Everyone should be engaged. That is supervision.” ( Morning walk, Mayapura, March 12, 1976)

57 Prabhupada: These things are wasted. It can be utilized. The children, they’ll gladly collect it. It will be like their sports. All the children will come and collect. Just see. Their energy is utilized, the nature’s gift is utilized, and there is no expenditure.

Pusta Krishna: Such a nice arrangment.

Prabhupada: Yes. Why they should charge for education? They’ll not cut the tree. The dry branches or dead tree, they’ll take the wood for utilization. (Morning Walk -- October 21, 1975, Johannesburg)

58 “So we fall down when we deny to accept Krishna as the supreme or we try to imitate Krishna, “Why Krishna shall be enjoyer? We shall also enjoy. Why Krishna shall have rasa dance? We shall also [have] rasa dance. Why Krishna will marry sixteen thousand wives? We shall at least sixteen wives.” When this competition spirit comes, then we fall down. Fall down means Krishna gives the chance. “All right, you also go. You also dance in the hotel, ball dance, and he complicated[?].” Because he does not know what is rasa dance, he imitates ball dance. So everything, what is going on in this material world, it is imitation of Krishna’s activities.” (Lecture: Bhagavad-gita 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974)

59 Recently a devotee wrote in one of the Society’s magazines: “I still feel myself attracted to such completely non-spiritual things as sport, especially cricket. One can employ some attractions in Lord Krishna’s service, but so far I haven’t figured out how to play cricket for Krishna. Yet because sport is still an attractionn fro me, it helps me remember that I’m still a novice devotee