Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

If you look at Vaisnavas leaving body, by their own will, by fasting to death, or entering Ganga.... it could be viewed as suicide. In the west you are never free to leave body, they will prolong it as much as possible, putting you on tubes and all that, and then you can die. But it seems that great personalities didnt complicate much - when body was getting sick, theyd just fast till death. Or see Pandavas, they were quite healthy, but they walked till they left the body. Or Sati burnt her body by mystic power.

Somebody has any thoughts on how to separate suicide on one side, and willingly giving up body on the other side?

Can suicide be recognized as act of weakness, or something? While willful leaving body by starving or similar is out of strength? Any ideas how to view this?

Out of three brothers Santosa (Rupa), Amara (Sanatana) and Sri-vallabha (Anupama), Anupama actually committed suicide in Varanasi and Sanatana was considering, saved directly by Mahaprabhu.

vrndavanat punah praptam
sri-gaurah sri-sanatanam
deha-patad avan snehat
suddham cakre pariksaya

When Sanatana Gosvami returned from Vrndavana, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu affectionately saved him from his determination to commit suicide. Then, after testing him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu purified his body. CC.3.4.1

"One day Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Sanatana Gosvami, "Your decision to commit suicide is the result of the mode of ignorance. One cannot get love of God simply by committing suicide. You have already dedicated your life and body to My service; therefore your body does not belong to you, nor do you have any right to commit suicide. I have to execute many devotional services through your body. I want you to preach the cult of devotional service and go to Vrndavana to excavate the lost holy places." CC Antya 4

Raghunatha dasa Goswami also contemplated it:

vrndavane dui bhaira carana dekhiya
govardhane tyajiba deha bhrgupata kariya

"After the passing away of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Svarupa Damodara, Raghunatha dasa, unable to bear the pain of separation from these objects of his complete devotion, traveled to Vrndavana, intending to commit suicide by jumping from Govardhana Hill. In Vrndavana, however, he encountered Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami, two of the most confidential disciples of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They convinced him to give up his planned suicide and impelled him to reveal to them the spiritually inspiring events of Lord Caitanyas later life." CC Adi Intro

Jumping from the top of Govardhana Hill is a system of suicide especially performed by saintly persons.CC Adi 10.94

Srinivasa Acarya also contemplated it:

When Srinivas Acharya was informed Srinivasa about the disappearances of Prabhu Nityananda and Advaita. Again, Srinivasa fell unconscious in despair. When he came back to consciousness he immediately decided to commit suicide and began building a fire to throw himself into. However, Nityananda and Advaita Prabhu suddenly appeared before Srinivasa. They quickly pacified him and ordered him to go to Vrndavana.

Narrotama dasa Thakura also recorded to have contemplated it:

"The sudden disappearance of the old brahmana bewildered Narottama. "What is this," he thought, "one moment he was here and then he vanished like a bolt from the blue." Narottama became extremely restless and thought, "If I cannot see him anymore, I shall commit suicide by entering into fire." Saying this Narottama began to lament pitifully. Nityananda, Haladhara who is an ocean of mercy, again appeared before Narottama in the guise of the old brahmana. This time, the brahmana suddenly turned into Balarama, carrying his club and plow, wearing a topknot on his head and dressed in beautiful garments. Then suddenly Balarama turned into Nityananda. Smilingly he said to Narottama, "You are my favorite, I have no intention to deceive you. Very soon all your desires will be fulfilled. But dont disclose to anyone that you have seen Me here." Saying this He disappeared. Narottama stood transfixed like a statue, unable to move or speak. He stayed that day at Ekacakra and the following morning, while glorifying Nityananda Prabhu, King of Ekacakra, the son of Rohini and the life of the most fallen souls, Narottama began his journey. Crossing over the Padmavati river he headed towards Kheturi. Listen attentively as I, Narahari, narrated this Narottama Vilasa."

pasane kutibo matha anale pasibo
I will smash my head against the rock and enter into the fire

also Karuna na haile kandiya kandiya prana na rakhiba ara...

Vasistha Muni has also tried to "commit suicide on account of Visvamitras torture, but all his attempts were unsuccessful. He jumped from a hill, but the stones on which he fell became a stack of cotton, and thus he was saved. He jumped into the ocean, but the waves washed him ashore. He jumped into the river, but the river also washed him ashore. Thus all his suicide attempts were unsuccessful." SB 1.9.6-7 Purp

Having failed to protect the brahmanas son, Arjuna was also intent on committing suicide by entering the sacred fire....

visadi khana haridasa atma-ghata kaila
sei pape jani `brahma-raksasa haila

"Haridasa must have committed suicide by drinking poison, and because of this sinful act, he has now become a brahmana ghost.

akara na dekhi, matra suni tara gana
svarupa kahena,-"ei mithya anumana

"We cannot see his material form," they said, "but still we hear his sweet singing. Therefore he must have become a ghost."
Svarupa Damodara, however, protested, "This is a false guess.

ajanma krsna-kirtana, prabhura sevana
prabhu-krpa-patra, ara ksetrera marana

"Junior Haridasa chanted the Hare Krsna mantra throughout his entire life and served the Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Moreover, he is dear to the Lord and has died in a holy place.

durgati na haya tara, sad-gati se haya
prabhu-bhangi ei, pache janiba niscaya"

"Haridasa cannot have been degraded; he must have attained liberation. This is a pastime of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhus. You will all understand it later." CC 3.2.159

Other reasons NOT to commit suicide:

"Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya considered that if Amogha were killed, the killer would suffer sinful reactions for killing the body of a brahmana. For the same reason, it would have been undesirable for the Bhattacarya to commit suicide because he also was a brahmana." CC Madhya 15. 264

Hm. I guess no thanks for this one...

Hare Krishna,

Sorry but I have not been on the computer much the past couple of days. My connection keeps going on and off.

I very much appreciate the responses and find the quotes to be very helpful in my understanding.

There is story about disciple to prabhupada doing suicide, because he was sannyasi, he saw his wife in yatra, and he asked sp what should a person do if it happens. Sp said he should commit suicide, the devotef took it that he should and he went down that road. He was nice devotee, i know poeple here know his name.

There is actually no confirmation that he (Visnujana) has ever committed suicide, some devotees saw him on a train a day after his disappearance. He did not leave a note or anything suggesting he was doing it. He did not say he was doing it, and yes if you are a devotee you may consider it as an option, in a deep hopelessness, but this body is not yours to give away anyway so dont do it.

SB.3.30.5

naraka-stho pi deham vai
na pumams tyaktum icchati
narakyam nirvrtau satyam
deva-maya-vimohitah

The conditioned living entity is satisfied in his own particular species of life; while deluded by the covering influence of the illusory energy, he feels little inclined to cast off his body, even when in hell, for he takes delight in hellish enjoyment.

Prabhupada: Suicide is killing the body. Suicide means that you were given some body to suffer or enjoy for a certain time according to your last fruitive activities. Now, if you commit suicide, that is just like a prisoner is condemned to live in the prisonhouse for six months, but some way or other, if he gets out of the prison, when he is again caught, then he is punished to remain there for one year more. Suicide is like that. You are having a particular type of body that is given to you for enjoyment or suffering according to your last work. If you finish it untimely, then you have to accept such body again, and the duration will be extended.

Lecture at International Student Society
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Boston, May 3, 1969

Yes this is a question about Visnujan Swami,

He actually asked Srila Prabhupada what a Sanyasi should do if he felt he was going to fall from his devotional position.

Srila Prabhupada replied that one should commit suicide by jumping into the convergance of the three rivers (Ganga, Yamuna and the Sarasvati)

A few days later Visnujan Swami was never seen again, a few devotees went to the convergance of the three rivers (apparently where some brahmins when paid a small fee will perform a ceremony and take you out on a boat, tie a weight to your body and throw you overboard...well thats was back in the seventies.) the people there confirmed that a Western Sanyasi had come there, had the ceremony performed and was thrown into the convergance.

Chances are this was Visnujan Swami but no one will ever know for sure.

What does one take from this? Well I for one would never recomend suicide...I would recommend social suicide..give up the material world and use your body in the service of Sri Gauranga Maha Prabhu in what ever capacity you can. After all if you think by killing your body while concious of Krishna will give you entrance into the supreme abode that I find hard to believe (its too easy we would all be doing it), but it may guarantee you a birth that is more favourable to continue on where you left off. (Maybe or maybe not) better to know your current position and take the advise of Guaranga Mahaprabhu and do service.

But lets face it suicide is a one way street! and after all it has very negative social ramifications for both your natural family and also your devotional family, and its a higher service to remain here in the material world and help with the spreading of Krishna Conciousness in any small way you can.

Lastly I must say suicide is a huge self indulgence! Stop self indulging and surrender then it wont matter what body you are in..you will only think of serving the supreme excellent lordships Radha and Krishna.

When I was in college I went through a difficult emotional period that made me consider suicide. Since I was committed to ahimsa as part of my yoga practice, the only option I could think of was to stop my breathing through pranayama. Although I tried, I found that my willpower was not nearly strong enough to overcome the urge to protect the body. As it turned out, the effort was very helpful for my yoga practice, and after a while the difficult period passed. I would recommend this method to anyone considering suicide.

Personally, I have never considered suicide even in the worse of times. However, I known 4 people who did commit suicide and one other who is dagerously close on numerous occasions. It is difficult to really know what to say because it seems they are often so zeroed in on offing themselves that is is almost like they do not hear you. I try to just be kind and let them know that I will be there to listen to them and give a shoulder to cry on if needed.

Hope

Krishna says in the BG, that the mind is very hard to conrol. But still,theres a way.

The mind has a tendency to be controlled by a higher authority. You can be either
practising KC and trying to perfect your existence, or be controlled by maya devi(ILLUSION).

The latter is very dangerous.

Illicit sex,drugs,karmi food,gambling,hi fi lifestyle....tends to degrade the mind more and more. It culminates
to the point of SUICIDAL MIND.

Excess release of semen can also lead one to this horrible stage. Since semen is so vital.
(MODERN DOCTORS HAVE LITTLE/NO IDEA OF THIS)

Meat eating means we are dumping dead bodies inside(our body becomes a grave yard). Wherever theres
dead body, theres demons and demoniac thoughts
(MODERN PSYCHIATRISTS HAVE NO IDEA OF THIS)

Intoxication makes us lose our intelligence and degrades us to mode of ignorance
(DOCTORS SAY YOU CAN DRINK TO A CERTAIN LIMIT )

Gambling makes us enjoy this material life more and more...etc
(POKER MACHINES,CASINOS ARE THE NORM OF MODERN HUMAN SOCIETY)

If one follows the 4 regulativie principles(PERFECT VEDIC LIFESTYLE) and also take shelter of
LORD NITYANANDA AND GAURANGA., by chanting the MAHA MANTRA, then surely Krishna
who is residing in our heart as the supersoul, gives us the intelligence to control our minds.

JAY TULASI MAHARANI .

Concerning vishnujana swami ,my guru tamala krishna personally told us that his divine grace srila Prabhupada was very pleased when the passing of vishnujana swami was brought to his attention.Such personal sencerity at his own failure,combined with following the proper etiquette for rectification, his grace found very satisfying .....Thus he received the blessing of his eternal spiritual master......In the old days in sydney i witnessed a wonderful elderly mataji,who dived under the Rathyartra Cart wheels and died instantly......so everything should be an attempt to please your spiritual authority.WONDERFUL SASTRIC STORIES CCD....PRABHU or MATAJI