Srila Prabhupada - Vedic Teachings

  „Now, he says, "My dear Lord, those who are asura prakṛtayaḥ . . ." Asura prakṛtayaḥ means the atheistic demons. Atheists are called demons. In the Vedic literature, those who are atheist, they are called demons, rākṣasas. Just like Rāvaṇa, he was a great scholar in Vedic philosophy. He was son of a brahmin, and he was very learned. And he materially advanced his kingdom so nice that his capital was called golden. He was so rich. Everything, he was, in every way, in education, in opulence, in power, everything was so great. Only fault was that he was atheist. Therefore he's called rākṣasa, asura. All the asuras that are mentioned in the śāstra, their only fault is that they are atheist. Otherwise, from education point of view, from opulence, they are very much advanced. So asura prakṛtayaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā also: āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ.”   (Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26) ...

  „The living entities individually are being conducted by a particular mode of nature, but at the same time there is every chance of their being influenced by the other two. Generally, all conditioned souls in the material encagement are influenced by the mode of passion because every one of them is trying to lord it over the material nature to fulfill his individual desire. But in spite of the individual mode of passion, there is always the chance of being influenced by the other modes of nature by association. If one is in good association he can develop the mode of goodness, and if in bad association he may develop the mode of darkness or ignorance. Nothing is stereotyped. One can change his habit by good or bad association, and one has to become intelligent enough to discriminate between good and bad. ” (SB 2.10.41, Purport) „ Prabhupāda : No, no, you have not so many experiences. That does not mean these things does not exist. Your experience is not all in all. Don't think ...

  "So long you live, you live very joyfully by enjoying your senses." This is atheistic principle „So those who are interested in spiritual life, they talk of self-realization. And those who are materialistic person, they also talk. They talk about this body, how to keep this body nicely. There are politics, sociology, welfare activities, so many things, all concerning to the body. So there are many talks, just like in the newspaper. In your country especially, bunch of newspaper. So many talks, advertisement, fashion, this news, that news, full up. So the materialistic person, they read the newspaper, but we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the difference. We are also reading; they are also reading. So nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Śukadeva Gosvāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, "My dear king, there are many hundreds and thousands of topics for the materialistic person." Sahasraśaḥ. Sahasraśaḥ m...