Ultimate Deception

Once upon a time (as in a fairy tale), most of us believed that the food we ate was basically wholesome, nutritious and free from dangerous chemicals, that advertising may have been believable, and that product labels truly described the qualities and contents of what we fed ourselves and our families. Once upon a time, most of the world believed in the integrity of our heads of state, high-ranking political officials and local leaders. Once upon a time, we thought our children were getting a solid education in the public school system. Once upon a time, many of us believed atomic energy had “peacetime uses” that were perfectly safe and completely congruous with a happy and healthy society.

Yet in recent times our illusions have been shattered. Repeated exposes of widespread consumer fraud and grand political collusion and bribery have all but destroyed our former innocence. We now know that through mass marketing and the media, a veil of fantasy and deception can be created with such unprecedented expertise that it can become impossible for us to distinguish between substance and simulation, reality and illusion.

Today many scientists are propagating the doctrine that life originates from matter. However, they cannot provide proof, either experimentally or theoretically. In fact, they hold their stance essentially on faith, in the face of all sorts of scientific objections. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that this groundless dogma has done great damage to moral and spiritual standards worldwide and has thus caused incalculable suffering.

Though beset by internal doubt and division, modern scientists have somehow managed to present a united front to the nonscientific public. Their behavior brings to mind the worst in political and corporate trickery. For instance, despite the recent outcry over their masking the difficulties of maintaining safety standards at nuclear power plants, the scientists and the government remain committed to nuclear power and even make light of the fact that there is no safe way of dealing with radioactive waste.

In popular works and in textbooks scientists present their account of the material origin of life as the only possible scientific conclusion. They claim that no other theory can be scientifically acceptable. And so everyone is taught that life gradually arose from chemicals, a “primordial soup” consisting of amino acids, proteins and other essential ingredients. Yet in their journals and private discussions, the same scientists acknowledge that their theory has grave, sometimes insuperable difficulties. For example, certain features of the DNA coding mechanism cast serious doubt upon the substance of evolutionary thought. The noted biologist W. H. Thorpe writes, “Thus we may be faced with a possibility that the origin of life, like the origin of the universe, becomes an impenetrable barrier to science and a block which resists all attempts to reduce biology to chemistry and physics.” The highly committed evolutionist Jacques Monod has pointed out these same difficulties. Theodisius Dobzhansky, another prominent advocate of evolution, can only agree: “Our scientific knowledge is, of course, quite insufficient to give anything like satisfactory accounts of these transitions [from no life to life, from no mind to mind]. Biologists as basically different in their... views as W. H. Thorpe and Jacques Monod agree that the origin of life is a difficult and thus far intractable and unsolved problem. I concur.” Dobzhansky goes on to call the origin of life “miraculous.” These admissions by Dobzhansky, Monod and Thorpe are by no means unique. Yet in popular presentations and textbooks one finds little hint of such widespread doubt.

Nobel prize-winning physicist Eugene Wigner has shown that the probability of the existence of a self-duplicating unit is zero. Since the ability to reproduce is one of the fundamental characteristics of all living organisms, Wigner concludes that our present understanding of physics and chemistry does not enable us to explain the phenomenon of life. Herbert Yockey has demonstrated by information theory that even a single informational molecule such as cytochrome c (what to speak of complex organisms) could not have arisen by chance in the estimated lifetime of the earth: “One must conclude that, contrary to the established and current wisdom, a scenario describing the genesis of life on earth by chance and natural causes which can be accepted on the basis of fact and not faith has not yet been written.”

As we can see, on the one hand many scientists have a deep personal commitment to the concept that life comes from matter. On the other hand they admit that they do not have the evidence to corroborate their conviction, and that their theory is beset with intractable problems. They are convinced that life arose from matter and is reducible to matter, yet at the same time they must confess to having scant scientific grounds for their conviction. Thus their theory is a priori: it supersedes the scientific method and science itself. Their fervent, almost messianic hope is that someday, somehow, someone may be able to validate it, and in the meantime their faith is unshakable.

Dazzling technological achievements have given modern scientists an aura of infallibility, and so when the scientists present untested or unprovable theories about life’s origin, people tend to accept with blind faith. In Passages About Earth William Irwin Thompson writes, “Just as once there was no appeal from the power of the churches without risking damnation, so now there is no appeal from the power of science without risking a charge of irrationality or insanity.” And as botanist Garrett Hardin notes, anyone who questions the status of Darwin “inevitably attracts the speculative psychiatric eye to himself.”

The dialogues in Life Comes From Life may seem revolutionary, but then were not Newton, Pasteur and Einstein scientific revolutionaries? Life Comes From Life does not simply criticize those who support the theory that matter is the origin of life. Rather, this book encourages them to rededicate themselves to a more genuine and intense quest for truth and knowledge, and to thereby redirect their valuable intelligence, resources and work toward the true benefit of the world.

[Introduction to Life Comes From Life, By His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acharya for ISKCON]
http://prabhupadabooks.com/g=156405

Spiritual Death

Prabhupada: So it may..., it can be taken figuratively, that when one forgets his position, that is a kind of death also. One forgets himself. But actually soul is eternal, and what Augustine says as spiritual death, that is his forgetfulness. Just like in unconsciousness one forgets his identity, but if he is dead then he cannot revive consciousness. Similarly, it is little difficult for the bodily concept of life persons, but there are many proofs and understanding that soul is eternal. He, of course, until he gets his freedom from this material existence, he is spiritually dead. Even though he is working in this material form, because he has forgotten his real identity, that is also a kind of death. Ya nisa sarva-bhutanam tasyam jagarti samyami. This sloka explains how one is dead and how one is alive. When one is forgetful of his spiritual consciousness, God consciousness, he is supposed to be dead, and when he, one is alive to the spiritual consciousness or God consciousness, he is alive. In this sense, it is a question of two stages, awakening stage and forgetful stage, but actually a soul is eternal. He never dies, even after the annihilation of this body.
 
Hayagriva: But the forgetful stage is never everlasting or eternal, is it?
 
Prabhupada: Yes, it is not. It can be, what is called, revived, his consciousness. That is our Krsna consciousness movement. Just like a man is sleeping, almost unconscious, but if you call him again and again, and the sound enters through the ear into the heart, he becomes awakened. Similarly, by this chanting process he revives his spiritual consciousness, then he is alive in his spiritual life.

[Srila Prabhupada, * Discussions with Hayagriva dasa, St. Augustine]

Kill An Animal Kill A Plant: Same Sin

Girl: Why is it all right to kill any plants? How are they different from animals?

Tamala Krsna: She is asking, "What is the difference between killing a plant and eating it and killing an animal and eating it?"

 
Prabhupada: The same fault. Either you kill animal or plant, the same sin is there just like if you kill an uncivilized and if you kill a big man, the punishment is the same, hanging. You cannot say that "I have killed one uncivilized man." No. That you cannot do. Similarly, you cannot kill even plant. But we have to live. Therefore we can kill plant under the order of the Supreme. Just like I have already explained. Krsna said, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. Patram means plant. So Krsna wants it. So for Krsna's sake we can do that. Just like Arjuna did. Arjuna did not like to kill his brothers, but Krsna said that "This is My desire." "All right, I shall kill." This is Krsna-bhakti. When Krsna says, we can do everything, not for our personal self. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaih. That another crude example: just like a soldier. When he is fighting by the order of the state, he is getting gold medal and killing. His business is killing. But the same man, when he comes home, if he kills one person, then he is hanged. Why? He could say that "My business is killing. I am soldier. I have killed this man." "No. This is for your account. On the battlefield you killed for the state's account; therefore you were eulogized. You were given reward." Similarly, we can kill only on the order of the Supreme. Otherwise we cannot kill even a plant. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaih. Yajna means for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, whatever you do, you are not implicated with sinful activities. And bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanat [Bg. 3.13]. And a person who is doing on his own capacity, he is simply acquiring sinful resultant action. So the conclusion is: even a plant you cannot kill, what to speak of bigger animals. If one thinks that "I am killing only plants; therefore I am very pious, vegetarian," no. There is no question of vegetarian, nonvegetarian. They are equally sinful. Only those who are taking prasadam [food offered to Krishna], they are free from sinful activities. Yajna-sistasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbisaih. All right, thank you...

[Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, Sunday Feast Lecture—Atlanta, March 2, 1975]

Guru Nanak: Authorized Teachers Encourage Chanting Gods Name

Guest (2): Srila Prabhupada, in the Sikh-dharma they say to chant the holy names of God,and so far I haven't encountered the name “Krsna” in the scriptures. Ihave encountered “Govinda,” “Mukunda,” “Rama” and…, but the main namethat is chanted is Viduh. And I was wondering if you could commenton…, on the Sikh-dharma.

Prabhupada: It is very good. It is very good. Guru Nanak, he chanted the name, holy name of Rama, the holy name of Krsna, Govinda. So if we follow Guru Nanak, we are fortunate. Anyone who presents a science of God, it doesn't matter whether he is this man or that man; he is our guru.

United Nations: We Want to Unite The Nations

Letter:

To the People of Bangkok, Thailand

Please accept my best wishes. I am sorry I am not able to come but I must remain here in Bombay for some pressing matters. So I am sending my secretary His Holiness Brahmananda Maharaja who will represent me.

The Krishna Consciousness mission is not sectarian. We want to do what the United Nations has failed to do. The human form of body is an opportunity for solving all the problems of life. Through evolution we come to the human life for solving this problem. The real problem is the repetition of birth, death, disease, and old age.

But there is another status of life where there is no birth, death, disease, and old age. The Krishna Consciousness movement is the means for promoting the human being to that status. This is a great science, and it is elaborately explained in the Bhagavad-gita.

So our mission is to give this benediction to all humanity. Let us cooperate together on this basis so that it will be a more effective United Nations, We shall be united on the basis of the prime need of human society, spiritual life.

I hope this meets you all well.

Faithfully yours,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Bombay 14 December, 1974

Travel to Other Planets; "only possible by psychological changes in the mind"

The adaptability of organisms in different varieties of planets is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā as vibhūti-bhinnam, i.e., each and every one of the innumerable planets within the universes is endowed with a particular type of atmosphere, and the living beings there are advanced in science, psychology, etc., according to the superiority or inferiority of the atmosphere. Vibhūti means "specific power," and bhinnam means "variegated." Scientists who are attempting to explore outer space in an attempt to reach other planets by mechanical means must realize that organisms adapted to the atmosphere of the earth cannot exist in the atmospheres of other planets. As such, man's attempts to reach the moon, the sun, or Mars will be completely futile because of the different atmospheres prevailing on those planets. Individually, however, one can attempt to go to any planet he desires, but this is only possible by psychological changes in the mind. Mind is the nucleus of the material body. The gradual evolutionary progress of the material body depends on psychological changes within the mind. The change of the bodily construction of a worm into that of a butterfly and, in modern medical science, the conversion of a man's body into that of a woman (or vice versa) are more or less dependent on psychological changes.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that if a man, at the time of death, concentrates his mind upon the form of the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and while so doing relinquishes his body, he at once enters the spiritual existence of the antimaterial world. This means that anyone who trains the mind to turn from matter to the spiritual form of the Godhead by performance of the prescribed rules of devotional service can easily attain the kingdom of God, in the antimaterial sky. And of this there is no doubt.
[By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, from Easy Journey to Other Planets]
[http://prabhupadabooks.com/g=156037]

A Variety of Planetary Systems

In the 'Brahma Samhita' fifth chapter there is a description of variegated planetary system even within the material world. And in the Bhagwat Geeta, such variegated planetary system in thousands and crores of material universes are considered to be the one-fourth part of the complete creative energy of Godhead. The major three-fourth part of the Lord's creative energy is manifested in the spiritual sky called by the name Paravyoma or the Vaikuntha Loka.

The explanation of the 'Brahma Samhita' is now confirmed by the material scientist as much as he (the material scientist) has admitted of the anti-material world. We have discussed about the anti-material world in the last issue of the 'Back to Godhead' (20-3-60) and in this article we shall try to give some idea of the variegated planetary system within the material universes.

There was a news from Moscow dated 21st February as follows: (Indian Express New Delhi dated 22/2/60).

"Russia's well known professor of astronomy Boris Vorontsov-Velianino said that there must be an infinite number of planets in the universe inhabited by beings endowed with reasons."

This statement of the Russian astronomer is but the latest confirmation of the statement of the 'Brahma Samhita.' In the 'Brahma Samhita' the description is summarised as follows:-

"Yasya prabha prabhavata jagadauda koti kotisu vasudadi vibhuti bhinnam tad brahma niskulama annata ashesabhutam govindam adi purusham tam aham bhajami."

According to 'Brahma Samhita' as mentioned above there is not only infinite number of planets as confirmed by the Russian astronomer but there is an infinite number of universes also. And all these infinite number of universes with their infinite number of planets within are floating on and are produced of the Brahma effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of Govinda (Lord Sri Krishna) the Primeval Lord who is worshipped by Brahma the presiding deity of the Universe where we are residing.

The Russian astronomer confirms also that all the planets, which are estimated to be not less than approximately 100,000,000 planets. And in the 'Brahma Samhita' it is said that in each and every one of the infinite number of universes, there are infinite number of variegated planets.

The astronomer's view was seconded by professor Vladimir Alpatov, a biologist. According to him, some of the above mentioned planets had reached a state of development corresponding to that of earth. The report adds also as follows:-

"It could be that life similar to that in earth flourished on such planets."

"Doctor of chemistry Nikolat Zhirov, covering the problem of atmosphere on other planets, pointed out that the organisms of a Martian, for instance, could very well adapt itself to normal existence with a low body temperature."

"He said that he felt that the gaseous composition of Martian atmosphere was quite suitable to sustain life of beings which have become adapted to it."

This adaptability of organism in different varieties of planets is described in the 'Brahma Samhita' as Vibhuti Bhinnam i.e., each and every one of the innumerable planets within a universe is endowed with a particular type of atmosphere and the living beings there are more perfectly advanced in science and psychology on account of better atmosphere of life. Vibhuti means specific power and Bhinnam means variegated. Scientists who are attempting to explore the outer space and trying to reach other planets by mechanical arrangements must know it for certain that organisms adapted to the atmosphere of the earth cannot exist in the atmospheric influence of other planets. As such the attempt to get into the orbit of the Moon, the Sun or the Mars, as they are anxious to get into these particular planets, will be completely a futile endeavour of man on account of different atmosphere prevailing in those planets which are described in the 'Brahma Samhita' as Vibhuti Bhinnam. Individually however one can attempt to go into any planet he desires but this is only possible by psychological changes in the mind of a particular person. Mind is the nucleus of the material body. The gradual evolutionary process of the material body depends more or less on the psychological changes in the mind. The change of bodily construction of worm into a butterfly and in the modern advancement of medical science to convert a man's body into a woman or vice versa all these depend more or less on the psychological change of the mind.

In the Bhagwat Geeta it is said that at the time of death if anybody concentrates his mind upon the Form of the Personality of Godhead Shri Krishna and thus doing relinquishes one's body-such person at once enters into the spiritual existence in the anti-material world. This means that anybody who practices constantly for psychological changes of the mind from matter to the Spiritual Form of Godhead by performances of prescribed rules in the devotional services can easily attain to the kingdom of God in the anti-material sky and there is no doubt about it.

And in the same way if anybody desires to enter into any other planet of the material sky, he can go there just after quitting the present body, i.e., after death, and enter into the atmosphere of the particular planet one desires to enter in. Thus if somebody wants to enter into the moon planet as they are now attempting or into the Sun planet or into the Mars, one can do so simply by performing statutory acts for that purpose. The Bhagwat Geeta confirms this statement in the following words. "The thing which a person meditates upon at the time of death, and quits his material body in that state of mind, does at once attain to that particular thing after death." Maharaj Bharat, in spite of his severe penances, thought of his stag at the time of his death and thus he became a deer after death but with clear consciousness of his past life. This is very important point. The atmosphere created at the time of death is but an after-effect of the actual deeds which one performs during his duration of life.

In the Sreemad Bhagwat (3.32) the process of entering into the moon planet is mentioned as follows:-

"Materialistic minded men who have no information of the Kingdom of God are almost mad after material acquisition of wealth, fame and adoration. Such men are interested in the progressive welfare work of the family unit for self-satisfaction and progressively extending the activities for social or national welfare. Such men do attain to the desired object by material activities in the prescribed mechanical or ritualistic discharge of duties and are thus inclined to satisfy the Pitris or the bygone forefathers and so also other controlling gods by performances of sacrifices as presented in the revealed scriptures. Addiction to such acts of sacrifices and ceremonial observances such men do enter into the moon planet after death. When a person is thus promoted to the atmospheric conditions of the moon he gets the necessary strength to enjoy the drinking of 'Somarasa' (a celestial beverage). The Moon planet is a place where the demigods like Chandra is the predominating deity. The atmosphere and amenities of life there are far more comfortable and advantageous than those what we have got to utilize here. And reaching there if a person does not utilize the opportunity to get promotion to other better planets, he is degraded and is made to come up again on this planet or any other similar one like the earth. And such materialistic persons, even though they attain to the topmost planetary system, do certainly get themselves annihilated at the time of periodical general disappearance of the cosmic manifestation."

So far as the planetary system in the spiritual sky is concerned there are unlimited number of Vaikunthas in the Paravyoma and the ratio is that the manifestation of the Lord's internal potency, that is the spiritual sky, is three times greater than that of the material sky made by the external energy.

Poor materialist are busy in political adjustment in a place which is most insignificant in the evaluation of God. What to speak of this planet earth the whole universe with innumerable planets up and down is compared with a grain of mustard amongst the mustards packed in a bag. Such poor materialist makes plan here to live comfortably and thus waste most valuable energy of human life in a thing which is never to be completed. Instead of wasting time in that plan making business a plain and simple life with high thinking of spiritual life would have saved the misguided human being from perpetual unrest which is a gift of matter.

Even if a materialist wants to enjoy developed material facilities, he can transfer himself to the other many many material planets where he can experience more and more advanced material pleasures. The best plan of life is to prepare oneself for going back definitely to the spiritual sky after leaving this body but yet if anyone wants to enjoy the largest amount of material facilities, one can transfer himself in the other planets, not by means of playful sputniks which are simply childish entertainments but by psychological effects and learning the art of transferring the soul by mystic powers. The yoga system is also materialistic in as much as it teaches to control the movements of air within the body. The spiritual spark, soul is floating on air within the body and breathing exhalation are the waves of that air containing the soul. Therefore yoga system is a materialistic art of controlling such air which can be placed by practice of yoga from the stomach to the navel, from the chest to collarbones, from collarbones to the eyeballs and from the eyeballs to cerebellum. And from the cerebellum the expert yogi can convey his own soul to any planet he desires. The velocity of air or light is taken into consideration by the material scientist but they have no information of the velocity of matter namely the mind and intelligence. We have some experience of the velocity of the mind because in a moment we can transfer the mind to lacs and crores of miles away. Intelligence is still fine matter. Finer than intelligence is the soul which is not matter at all but it is spirit or anti-matter and is crores and crores times finer and powerful than intelligence. We can thus make an imagination of the velocity of the soul and how quickly it can travel from one planet to another by its own strength without any help of any sort of finer material vehicle.

Animal's civilization of eating, sleeping, fearing and sense-gratifying has misled the modernised man and they have forgotten how powerful a soul he is. As we have already described that the soul is a spiritual spark which is many many times illuminating, dazzling and powerful than the sun, the moon or electricity. Human life is spoiled by not realising his real identity. And Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu along with Nityanand appeared to save the man from the type of misleading civilization.

How the yogis can travel in all the planets of the universe is also described in the "Bhagwatam" as follows:

When the vital force is thus lifted on the cerebellum there is every chance of these force being burst out from any one of the holes like eyes, noses, ears, as these are the places which are known as the seventh orbit of the vital force. The yogis therefore can block out these holes by complete suspension of passing air and carefully the yogi concentrate the vital force in the middle position or in between the eyebrows. At this position the yogi can think of in which of the planets he wants to go after leaving this body. He can decide either to go to the abode of the Krishna in the Vaikunth which are transcendental places where nobody is required to come back again in the material world or at least if he desires not to go directly to the planets of the spiritual sky but wants to have a travel over the higher planets in the universe, he is at liberty to do so in that position.

For a perfect yogi who has attained success in the system to leave this material body in perfect consciousness, the process is as easy as an ordinary man in lifetime goes from one place to another. As already discussed the material body is just a covering of the spirit soul, mind and intelligence is the under cover and gross body of earth, water, air, etc. is the overcoating of the soul. As such any advanced soul who has realised himself by the yogic process or the linking up process from matter to spirit-can leave these shirting and coatings of the soul in perfect order and as he desire. One has complete freedom by the grace of God. The Lord is kind upon us that we can live anywhere either in the spiritual sky or in the material sky and in any planet fixed up thereof. Misuse of this freedom makes him fall down in the material world and live in a conditional life full with threefold miseries. To live a miserable life in the material world is a choice of the soul as it is nicely illustrated by Milton's "Paradise Lost" poetry and not of chance and from the material world also by his own choice he can go back to home, back to Godhead.

So in that critical time of placing the vital force in between the two brows, he is to decide where he wants to go. If he is completely reluctant to keep any connection with the material world, he can do so and within less than a second he can reach the transcendental Vaikunth and appear there completely in spiritual body just suitable to him in the spiritual atmosphere. He has simply to desire to leave the material world both in finer and grosser forms and then put on the vital force on the topmost part of the skull and leave this body from the hole of this skull called Brahmrandhra. That is the highest perfection of practicing yoga system.

But as he is endowed with the freedom of will and as such if he does not wish to get himself completely freed from the material world but enjoy a life of Brahma pada or to occupy the post of Brahma and to see the place of materially perfect beings called the Siddha Loka where a living being has full capacity of controlling the gravity, space, time, overlordship, etc., then he has not got to leave the mind and intelligence (finer matter) but can simply give up the grosser matter and thus go up to the highest place of the material universe.

The sputniks or the so-called man-made planets made of mechanical arrangements will never be able to carry human being in the interplanetary outer space. Even they cannot go into the so much advertised moon. The reason is repeated again in the higher planetary system the atmosphere is different from here. Each and every planet has its particular atmosphere and if one wants to go to any particular planet anywhere within the material universe one has to get his material shirt and coats made up exactly adaptable to the climatic condition of that particular planet. It is just like this. If a person wants to go from India to Europe where the climatic condition is different from India, then one has to change his dress accordingly. Similarly complete change of dress as much as we require to change the body when we want to go up to the transcendental planets of Vaikunth.

The difference is that if we want to go to the highest material planet we need not change the finer dress of mind, intelligence and ego but we have to change the gross dress made of earth, water, fire, etc.

But when we go to a transcendental planet we require to change both the finer as well as gross bodies and we have to reach in the spiritual sky completely in spiritual forms. The change of dress will automatically take place simply by desiring it at the time of death. This desire is possible only if we practice it during the conscious state of life. Such desires when practiced in relation with material world are called fruitive actions. When such desires are conducted in relation with the Kingdom of God, it is called divine or devotional service which is discussed also in this issue.
[By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, originally published in the Back to Godhead Magazine, BTGPY21: Volume 3, Part 17, April 5, 1960]

Trying To Pluck A Flower From The Sky

...(the scientists) they are simply childish. In my childhood I used to watch the tramcars go along the rail. Once I thought, “I shall take a stick and touch it to the wire, and I shall also go along the rails.” The scientists, with all their plans, are just as childish. They spend so much time and money, but what is their purpose? Their effort is hopeless because they do not actually know the purpose of life. The scientists are spending large sums of money, and politicians are financing them, but the result is zero. They are like a doctor who doesn’t understand a particular disease, but who still says to his patient, “All right, first try this pill, and if that doesn’t work, then try this pill.” The doctor will never admit that he doesn’t know the remedy for the disease. The scientists are simply bluffing and cheating. They cannot solve the real problems of life—birth, death, old age and disease—and therefore all their programs are taking place on the utopian platform, which in Sanskrit is called ākāśa-puṣpa. Ākāśa-puṣpa means “a flower from the sky.” All their efforts to know the truth by exploring outer space are like trying to pluck a flower from the sky.
To give another example, the scientists act like foolish ducks. In India we may sometimes observe a duck following all day behind a bull. The duck is thinking that the testicles of the bull are a fish. In India this is a common sight. The bull is walking, and all day the duck is walking behind, following that big fish and thinking, “It will drop, and I will eat it.”
[His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, The Twelfth Morning Walk: May 17, 1973]

Who is giving the pushing?

Prabhupāda:" Motion. So one must give the motion. Then another motion, another motion, another motion. Just like big, big, that trucks, railway, trucks. The engine pushes one truck. Have you seen shunting? The, the truck pushes. Another truck, another, kat, kat, kat, kat, kat, kat, kat, kat. Like that."
Brahmānanda: Shunting, yeah.
Prabhupāda: "So who is giving the pushing? The living entity, driver. A big truck is being pushed: kata kak kata kak kata kak kata kak, one after another. Similarly the whole creation, Kṛṣṇa is giving the pushing. Then one after another, one after another, one after another working. You see. mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg. 9.10]. That is stated in the Bha... mayādhyakṣeṇa. Kṛṣṇa gives the pushing first. Then everything comes, one after another. But His pushing capacity is so perfect that everything is coming out perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect. Just like Kṛṣṇa says: bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg7.10]. "I am the seed of everything created." Now take the seed of the banyan tree. Kṛṣṇa has created. He says, "I am the seed." Now you sow the seed. A big tree will come out. Big tree will come out. Not only big tree. Many millions of seeds will come out of it. And each seed, again big tree. So the original seed, Kṛṣṇa, pushes. Then one after another, one after another, one after another... So you are simply observing when the things are coming into existence by such pushing. But you are trying out, trying to find out who is the original pusher. That you do not know. That you do not know. Who has originally pushed this energy? That you do not know."
[Morning Walk -- December 3, 1973, Los Angeles]

Alexander The Great & The Robber

Prabhupāda: Alexander the Great, you have heard the name?

Mālatī: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He conquered all over the world almost. He went to India also. So he met one robber. So he arrested, Alexander. He was king. The robber said, "Why you have arrested me?" "Because you are robber." "Oh, you are also great robber." When Alexander was charging him that, "You have done this," oh, he charges, "You have done this. I have entered a private house; you have entered a private state. So you are a big robber." Then he released him, "Yes, what is the difference between robber and me?" And Alexander, from that day, he stopped his conquering propaganda. "Alexander and the Robber." The robber proved that "You are a big robber only. But because you are big robber, therefore you are called 'Alexander the Great.' But my business is the same as yours-encroaching upon others' property. Why do you think that I am culprit and you are innocent? You are also culprit. If I had power, I could have punished you. And you have now power, you are trying to punish me." So Alexander the Great was convinced by robber.

Devotee and the Divinity

A pure devotee is just like the Desire-Tree from whom we can have on request everything desirable. This is no myth or bluff but it is actual fact. The devotee can deliver to us the mercy of God and what is not obtainable by one who has got the mercy of God? Therefore the devotees are the most magnanimous in their charitable disposition of mind. They are also the deliverer of the fallen souls and we need to offer our obeisances unto their lotus feet so that we can invoke their blessings in our all attempts.

The highest authority for benediction is God Himself and the Devotees are His custodians. If a devotee desires to bestow upon us the mercy of God, he is quite competent to do it in all respects. Such devotees are called Mahatmas i.e. those who have surpassed all narrowness of the mind because supramentally they depend upon God & God alone they enchant(?) His glories and discuss about His wonderful acts. All these make the devotee just qualified to accept everyone's' obeisances and the devotee as respectfull as the Personality of Godhead Himself. There is no difference between them qualitatively.

I must think always myself as the most fallen soul as I am so by dint of my mundane attachment and if I surrender unto the devotee, surely he will protect me in all respects: I am a needy man, constantly suffering from the pangs of insufficiency and the devotee is as above mentioned, the desire tree from whom I can have everything that I may desire. The devotee is not a miser like the mundane people and had he not been so, I could not have satisfied all my needs from him only. The Divinity has empowered the devotees to deliver the fallen souls like me and by nature they are not only kind but also liberal and munificent. They are not poor either in knowledge or in opulence. Therefore, if we at all want to satisfy our all (?) needs, we must approach the devotee only; otherwise if we approach any other person, not only not our desires will be satisfied in full but also we shall imperceptibly accumulate a range of inauspicious things which will baffle our desire to become complete and self-sufficient.

If we have to approach therefore a devotee of the nature described above, we must have at last the preliminary knowledge for discriminating a pure devotee from the nondevotee. Let us first of all understand what are the other (?) that co-exist along with the pure devotee. The devotee is relatively known with the existence of the Divinity or the Personality of Godhead who is the Fountain head of everything that be. (?) along with the existence of a devotee and the Personality of Godhead, there is another set of living being who are detached from direct relations of Godhead and therefore known as the nondevotee. In other words men who are eternally attached to the transcendental loving service of Godhead, is called the devotees and men who are wrongly detached from the transcendental service of Godhead but have the latent potency to become so engaged (in the service) of Godhead, are called the non-devotees. In Sanskrit language the devotee is called 'Vaisnava' the divinity is called 'Visnu' and the nondevotee is called 'Avaisnava' Thus we can conclude that there are these three categories eternally co-existent in this world.

The 'Avaisnavas' or the non-devotees are those who are constantly engaged in topics and matters not concerned with the Divinity or Visnu. Such non-devotees have made up their own plan of living, dictated by the illusory energy of Godhead and they think it their duty of life to eat drink be merry and enjoy the senses. The whole plan of material civilization is based on the foundation of such non-devotional plan of sensuous activities.

Therefore if we want to be devotee or 'Vaisnava' we must make it a point of our life, that we shall not talk or hear of anything which is unconcerned with the Divinity. What we eat, what we give, what we meditate upon, and all such other things must be related with the Divinity. It is our duty to eat the remnant of food stuff first offered to the Divinity, it is our duty to talk about Him and to preach about Him. We must always allow ourselves to be under the guidance of a pure devotee and if we neglect to become so and so in relation with the Divinity, then it is sure and certain that we become identified with those who are in the categories of nondevotee.

Materially advanced people may ask what is our loss by remaining a nondevotee? What is there if somebody remains nondevotee by his natural tendency unlike One who becomes a devotee by his inclination. To answer this question it may be said that if we want to remain a nondevotee, threefold miseries inflicted bv the laws of Nature will surely disturb us. The miseries are, one related with our gross body and subtle mind, two in relation with other living being and three in relation with the troubles inflicted upon us by the controlling deities namely the sun, the moon, the planets, and others. And such troubles are generated only in our state of forgetfulness of our eternal relation with Godhead. In the Bhagwat Geeta it is said that the laws of Nature are insurmountable by the attempt of conditioned souls. Those who surrender unto the Supreme will of Godhead, can only get rid of such threefold miseries of the laws of Nature. It must be understood that the laws of Nature is so made that they make a presance(?) by force to revoke the lost relation of living being with Godhead. In extreme difficulty i.e. when a man fails to make solution of his difficult problems, he automatically and unconsciously makes a surrender unto God. It is clear therefore that the natural law is something like police action of Mother Nature to reinstate a living being unto the transcendental loving service of Godhead. It being so, if we want to get real relief from the stringent laws of Nature it is our duty to become devotee. We gain everything by becoming a devotee and we spoil everything by remaining a nondevotee. The human form of life offered by Mother nature is a chance for the living entity to revert to his original position of a devotee.

The material Nature of Godhead is called illusory (Maya) because it keeps us in darkness of ignorance when we misuse our human independence by animal proclivities. The material Nature is personified in the divinity of Godess 'Kali' whose grim feature is devastating and she dark all over the body although she appears Herself in the attractive feature of a young girl. Her thankless task is to keep the conditioned soul in the darkness of ignorance as long as misuses his human independence and keep him always aloof from the transcendental service of Godhead. In that state of ignorance, the conditioned soul, instead of rendering service unto Godhead, thinks himself wrongly as the one who may be served by Godhead. In such a state of ignorance, he thinks that the beauty of material nature is made by Godhead for his exploitation and enjoyment. In that state of ignorance he wants to lord it over the laws of nature and meets thereby devastation and nothing else. That is the picture, real picture of Godess 'Kali'. The conditioned soul wants to pacify the devastating feature of material Nature by his own manufactured plans and techniques without knowing it well, that the material Nature cannot be brought into service of the conditioned soul and that she cannot be conquered except by the method of complete surrender unto the lotus feet of the Absolute Personality of Godhead Sree Krishna.

By the misuse of the infinitesemal independence given to the living being, he poses himself to be able to accept the prayers of other individual souls by becoming a false God himself and does not put himself for the prayers of Godhead. With such vain purpose, the conditioned soul is trying to become a designer of a peaceful world situation(?) Such imperfect wishful desires in the minds of the conditioned souls, make them oblige to become the leaders of other innocent men, just like a blind man desires to direct the activities of other fellow blind men. And all these misconducts become possible when we are overshadowed upon the pure knowledge of our own self. In such state of things only we think ourselves only as the supreme designer, master, enjoyer, seer and doer of everything. But when we enter into the association of devotees for guidance we can know that we are neither, the designer, nor the master, nor the enjoyer and everything is done by the will of God through His different agencies and therefore He is only the object of our adoration and worship.

It is however very difficult to rise up to such standard of pure devotional activities in this world. Most people are inclined to work under the laws of 'Karma'or to work for one's own fruitive enjoyment. No body works for any other else except for his ownself. Under the law of 'Karma' the narrow minded conditioned soul does labour for his own benefit under illusion He works for his own benefit, for his family's benefit, for his society's benefit, for communities benefit, for his country's benefit or for his party's benefit, but no body works for Gods' benefit. That is the life of a nondevotee.

Beneficient activities for ones' self-interest or for the matter of extended self-interest are done under the laws of 'Karma' and the labourer under such laws of 'Karma' are called 'Kripana' or misers distinguished from the 'Brahmanas' or the broad minded liberals. Such narrow minded leaders may be very popular by their philanthropic activities, but the devotees let us know that such leaders under the laws of 'Karma are bound up hands and legs and cannot deliver us the real thing. They can give us temporary relief and illusory happiness subject to the laws of Nature and as such beneficial activities are sure to be lost in the wilderness of eternity at the cost of immense loss of human energy. The devotees let us know that our only duty is to workout the plan of Godhead by rendering transcendental loving service for him. Such service is possible to be done by every one and all because God is for all living beings. Sectarian service for Material Nature keeps aloof the lower grade of living entities from direct service but transcendental loving service of Godhead is possible to be done by all creatures of God never mind what they are either the gods, the men the beasts, the birds, (? ) , and all other living entities. Non-devotees are inclined to think that human being is meant for enjoying life. The human life is different from the animal life by the angle of vision of the nondevotee in as much as varieties of enjoyment can be undertaken by the human being. Such non-devotees distinguish the life of human being from the life of lower animals by qualitative and quantitative distinction of the grades of sense gratification.

The conditioned soul therefore is afraid of mixing with the association of devotees thinking that by such association he may be drifted from his sensual enjoyment. In such ignorance only, the nondevotee tries to turn the table upon the devotee by emphasizing on the point that the devotees are not liberal because they do not encourage their indomitable desires for material hankerings neither do they support others wild (?) for extravagancy conditioned by the laws of Nature. To the non-devotees the cultural and progressive life of a devotee is a sort of monotory and obstruction to unrestricted flow of material enjoyment. The nondevotee will be able to make a perfection of his life when he will be able to see the Personality of Godhead besides his ownself and try to serve Him instead of falsely serving himself either in concentrated or extended mode. On that auspicious day of his life, the nondevotee will get relief from such troubling conceptions as the atomic theory of the cosmic world(? ) or the conceptions of false nationalism, philanthropic and other mundane (?) one ideologies. The nondevotee will from that date engage his ears for aural reception of the science of transcendental loving service of Godhead from those who are engaged hundred per cent in such transcendental loving service of Godhead.

But if the nondevotee without associating with the pure devotee continues his material worship he will do so at the risk spoiling his human energy by serving the material Nature atom by atom for millions and millions of different grades of life.

By the association of the devotee, the nondevotee will come to his senses that by serving the Divinity only all other objects will be served. By watering the root of a tree the leaves and branches are simultaneously watered and by supplying food in the stomach all the senses are automatically served and nourished. The secret of this science can be revealed only by the association of pure devotees.

Such pure devotee is peaceful and non-aggressive. He is never attracted by any object of material happiness. Neither in this life or in the life after, a pure devotee has any attraction for anything which can be more attractive than the transcendental beauty of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna the Personality of Godhead. As such, we must note it for certain that whenever there is any lack of such attraction for the lotus feet of Sree Krishna we are surely being counter attracted by the illusory Energy in her manifold representations.

We can acquire full knowledge of everything by knowing well the All perfect, from his devotee. One who has scanty knowledge of the Complete Whole or one who is materially poor in knowledge and opulence, how he can do good to others and if he ever does so he can disseminate his poor fund of knowledge to the still more poor audience or followers. In outstanding contrast to such poor fund of knowledge and acquisition, the devotee has in his possession 'Bhagawan' or 'Narayana' who is the fountainhead of all opulence, all power, all beauty, all fame, all knowledge and all indifference in fullness. Therefore a pure devotee is also full of all opulence, all power, all beauty, all fame, all knowledge and all indifference. 'Narayana' or 'Bhagavan' does never become poorer as somebody thinks Him wrongly or less than His original potency by such controlling of His devotee and He remains the same full in every aspect. That is the instruction we have from the 'Brihadasarayaka Upanishad' It is said there that the Absolute Truth is full in every respect and if His full strength is deducted from Him still He remains full. The subtracting process of matter make it ultimately nil. But the complete Whole Spirit by the process of eternal emanation, eternally remains the complete whole. One who has in his possession such Complete Whole i.e. one who is eternally engaged in supra mundane service of Godhead, cannot be compared with any mundane creature. That is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee.

It may be noted however that transcendental service of a pure devotee is more important than the transcendental service of Godhead. The devotee is the transcendental medium through whom it is possible to render service unto Godhead. Lord Chaitanya is the ideal devotee and those who follow His footprints are also ideal devotee. Lord Chaitanya is more kind than Sree Krishna although Lord Chaitanya is Sree Krishna Emperic speculators become unwilling to surrender unto Sree Krishna as it was demanded by Him in the Bhagwat Geeta. Ashuras like Dantabakra and Shisupal considered it that Sree Krishna is not the Absolute Truth and therefore they declined to surrender unto Him. Although Sree Krishna presented Himself as the Absolute Truth and although He manifested His all-pervading universal feature in His own transcendental Body, men who have very poor fund of knowledge considered Him as an ordinary man like them and thus made malafide interpretations of the Bhagwat Geeta. And in order to rectify this malafide representation of Bhagwat Geeta, Sree Krishna appeared Himself again in the Form of Lord Chaitanya but this time He did not declare Himself as Supreme Lord but He presented Himself as an humble devotee of the Lord. As such Lord Chaitanya is more kindly than Lord Krishna.

Lord Chaitanya made it clear that by becoming a devotee of Sree Krishna no interest of Krishna is served. Sree Krishna being full in Himself He does not need the service of any body else. But it is the interest of the devotee to serve Sree Krishna because by such service only he can himself become constitutionally perfect and happy. He also warned us for committing the mistake of thinking God as an ordinary man or an ordinary man as God. Both conceptions are dangerous in the path Divine life. No mental speculator has even been able to surpass the knowledge of Lord Chaitanya. Each every one of them were defeated by Him and therefore Lord Chaitanya is worshipped by all section of sane persons. He unfolded the real nature of the living being and every one was made perfect by His preaching by knowing himself as eternal part and parcel servitor of Sree Krishna. The teachings of Bhagwat Geeta was practically demonstrated by Lord Chaitanya, the ideal devotee.

[TWO PAGES MISSING HERE]

When the agent mind, under the influence of the external energy of Godhead, tries to cheat its master spirit soul, the living entity becomes a worker to enjoy the fruitive result. Religious ideologies that have so far been introduced in the phenomenal world have practically choked up the transcendental service of the Absolute. Such mental speculationists try to engage the devotee also for satisfying their fruitive ideologies. But the devotee keeps himself aloof from them by miles asunder. Mental speculation is based on false ego as it is said in the Bhagwat Geeta that conditioned soul thinks himself a worker bewildered by the false ego. If we are therefore influenced by mental speculative process for religious ideologies, certainly we shall remain a bewildered fruitive actor and shall never be able to become devotee.

Let us therefore be prepared to become the transcendental servitor of the devotee of the Divinity only. Let us not be misled by false status quo. We can fulfil our lifes' mission simply by serving & associating with devotee who are cent per cent engaged in the service of the Divinity.

[Devotee and the Divinity: An Essay By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, Founder Acharaya for ISKCON, written on unknown date]

Crime: Why and How to Solve It!

Devotee: Your Divine Grace, this is Royal Kennedy from NBC television.

Royal Kennedy: How do you do?

Devotee (1): She would like to ask you some questions.

Royal Kennedy: I would like to know what the occasion is. Why are you visiting Chicago?

Prabhupāda: Just now I have seen one article in the Times, four five pages article, "Crime...," and what is that?

Brahmānanda: "Why and How to Solve It."

Prabhupāda: "Why and How to Solve It."

Brahmānanda: It's the cover story of Time.

Prabhupāda: So if you are serious, you can take our method and suggestions. Then you can stop this crime.

Royal Kennedy: You have a way to stop the crime?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, I have.

Royal Kennedy: Can you explain a little bit more? How do you do it?

Prabhupāda: That we have to suggest. The social, political, educational, cultural—everything has to be changed. So if you come, we can give you in details how it can be done.

Royal Kennedy: Can you tell me how you feel about this welcome that you got?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Of course, by God's grace, wherever I go they welcome me like that.

Royal Kennedy: Are you used to anything a little bit more serene?

Prabhupāda: Serene? Of course, our whole propaganda is serene. Yes. We are distributing God consciousness. It is the most serene movement. People has to learn it very nicely.

Royal Kennedy: Thank you. [break]

Prabhupāda: ...to stop the crimes of your country. My message is to stop the crimes of your country. This is my sum and substance. We have read the article in the Times, "Crime and How to Stop It." So if you take my advice, that can be stopped. [break] (in car:) ...opportunity to propagate.

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Crimes and how to stop...

Brahmānanda: Why and how to stop it.

Prabhupāda: Why and how to. That is answered in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, actually. [break] ...condition of the world, simply full of criminals, that's all. And our is pāpī tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. This is our movement. Crimes means pāpī, sinful. And this is the only remedy for reclaiming the sinful. Simply by law if you want to suppress them, it will not be successful. Deliver them. Then you also come, I mean to say, along with them. Not that these criminals only should be delivered, and you will go on, continue with criminal activities, slaughterhouse, and killing the child in the womb. You are criminal yourself, the whole state. So reception was very nice.

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: So we are going to the temple?

Śrī Govinda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: [break] ... New York? No. [break]

Brahmānanda: The city is bigger, but I don't think there's more people.

Prabhupāda: What is this, Dallas Braniff?

Brahmānanda: There's a..., that's advertising that this Braniff Airlines flies there to Dallas every hour on the hour.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh, Dallas is nearer?

Śrī Govinda: Two hours.

Brahmānanda: Two hours.

Prabhupāda: Two hours. [break] Oh.

Brahmānanda: What was it?

Śrī Govinda: Ninety-two.

Brahmānanda: Really? [break]

Prabhupāda: ...because śāstra says, pāpī tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. Simply by this chanting, all these things can be stopped. There is no doubt about it. They are spending so much money uselessly going to the moon planet and this planet and for stopping crime. The same amount may be spent for distribution of prasāda and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa in a mass scale. Everything will be all right. Mass scale. Simply organize nice prasādam distribution and mass joining Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just see the effect.

Brahmānanda: There is proof of it just in Berkeley where we have our Ratha-yātrā. The police say that this... Or we have our parades there, and they are all peaceful, whereas other groups, they have parades, and they always...

Prabhupāda: "Window-breaking."

Brahmānanda: Yes, violent.

Prabhupāda: "Window-breaking crowd." We are not that. [break] Let them have this O'Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Brahmānanda: Yes, O'Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Suggest the establishment manager.

Śrī Govinda: That's the name of the airport,

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Brahmānanda: He said the name of the airport is...

Prabhupāda: Oh. O'Hare? (pronouncing as in Hare Kṛṣṇa)

Brahmānanda: O'Hare. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: What is this? This is airport O'Hare?

Brahmānanda: O'Hare (pronouncing as "hair").

Prabhupāda: Hare (as "hair") it is.

Brahmānanda: O'Hare.

Prabhupāda: O'Hare.

Brahmānanda: I think that is an Irish name.

Prabhupāda: Who was he?

Brahmānanda: Who was O'Hare?

Prabhupāda: We chant O Hare.

Devotee (2): The woman whose cow knocked over the fire, started the fire, Chicago fire?

Devotee (3): That's O'Leary's cow. [break]

Prabhupāda: ...crime...

Brahmānanda: "Crime, Why and How to Solve It."

Prabhupāda: So we can solve this. Why not invite them to hear us how we can solve? Arrange meetings in big, big circle. We shall give the solution. It is a good opportunity for preaching. You have got Times paper?

Brahmānanda: Yes, Time magazine, it's the cover story this month.

Śrī Govinda: Not here. In five or ten minutes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, bring. We shall take this opportunity to preach. "Crime, Why and What to Do?" We shall give all solution. We can arrange big, big meetings on this point, "Crime, Why and What to Do?" A very suitable heading it is. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā [SB 5.18.12]. Unless he'll take to God consciousness, all this rascaldom, so-called advancement of civilization, all condemned, everything. All rascals. So why we will not, will there be crime? There must be. This is the result of modern civilization, crime. You cannot check it unless you take to Kṛṣṇa cons... They are all violating the laws of nature. Nature brings you from evolutionary process to the human life, and if we misuse, then we suffer. This life is specially meant for understanding God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the only business. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā na yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Find out this verse.

Nitāi: First Canto, Second Chapter.

Prabhupāda: We have given all solution. Now our business is how to push it through these leaders who are now thinking, "Crime, Why and What to Do?" They are thinking. They must think. If they actually want welfare of the country, they must think. And here is the medicine. Yes?

Nitāi:

kāmasya nendriya-prītir
lābho jīveta yāvatā
jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā
nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ
[SB 1.2.10]

"Life's desires should never be aimed at gratifying the senses. One should desire to live only because human life enables one to inquire about the Absolute Truth. This should be the goal of all works."

Prabhupāda: Kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. Purport?

Nitāi: "The completely bewildered material civilization is wrongly directed towards the fulfillment of desires in sense gratification."

Prabhupāda: Simply wine, women and beach, and sporting and jumping like monkeys, this is the... We require little satisfaction of the bodily demands. That's all right. But not for this purpose. The bags have come?

Harikeśa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Oh, then that's all right. There is oil.

Harikeśa: Upendra's getting ready for your massage.

Prabhupāda: Read it.

Nitāi: "In such civilization, in all spheres of life, the ultimate end is sense gratification. In politics, social service, altruism, philanthropy and ultimately in religion or even in salvation, the very same tint of sense gratification is every-increasingly predominant. In the political field the leaders of men fight with one another to fulfill their personal sense gratification."

Prabhupāda: In India, these are all foreseen. I have already discussed all this. Then?

Nitāi: "The voters adore the so-called leaders only when they promise sense gratification. As soon as the voters are dissatisfied in their own sense gratification, they dethrone the leaders. The leaders almost always disappoint the voters by not satisfying their senses."

Prabhupāda: Then the protest meeting, procession. But nobody will be able to satisfy them because they do not know how to keep the mass of people satisfied. They do not know. Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvān cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. These rascals, they do not know. All set of rascals, the so-called philosophers, scientists. I have always said they are rascals. Now they are coming, "What to do?" They will face so many problems, "What to do?" This is the beginning. The whole world will be in chaos if they do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So many "What to do?" will come. Just tell them, "And here is the remedy." Now it is the time for preaching. They are thinking. They were sleeping. Now they are thinking, "What to do?" They were blindly following sense gratification. Now it has come to the stage, "What to do?" "What to do?" This is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now enquire about Brahman." This is the statement. Hm, then?

Nitāi: "The same is applicable in all other fields; no one is serious about the problems of life. Even those who are on the path of salvation desire to become one with the Absolute Truth and desire to commit spiritual suicide for sense gratification."

Prabhupāda: That is also another sense gratification, to become one with the Supreme.

Nitāi: "But the Bhāgavatam says that one should not live for sense gratification. One should satisfy the senses only insofar as it is required for self-preservation..."

Prabhupāda: We don't say that "Stop altogether." No. We say, "No illicit sex." We don't say, "No sex." So we should indulge in sense gratification as far as it is required for the maintenance of the body, and balance time, we shall save for brahma-jijñāsā. This is civilization. Otherwise it is animal civilization. So that has come now. So the American people, the leaders, they are now thinking, "What to do?" And call big, big men, and give our program, "Here is to do. Come here to do." This is opportunity. Then?

Nitāi: "Because the body is made of senses, which also require a certain amount of satisfaction, there are regulative directions for satisfaction of such senses, but the senses are not meant for unrestricted enjoyment. For example, marriage..."

Prabhupāda: That is not enjoyment. Just like sex indulgence. If you indulge in more than necessary, then you will be impotent. Nature will stop. You know impotency? That will be there. Impotency. This homosex is also another sign of impotency. They do not feel sex impulse to woman. They feel sex impulse in man. That means he is impotent. It is impotency. So things are coming so rubbish now. This is the time for preaching our program, standard. Then?

Nitāi: "For example, marriage, or the combination of a man with a woman, is necessary for progeny, but it is not meant for sense enjoyment."

Prabhupāda: Now this progeny is bother. It is sense enjoyment, homosex. Progeny, they don't want. They're not interested. Only sense gratification. This is another sign of impotency. When after enjoying so many women, they become impotent, then they artificially create another sex impulse in homosex. This is the psychology. So people are degraded so much. Especially in the... Everywhere, not specially this or that. Everywhere. This is Kali-yuga. But thoughtful leaders, they are thinking, "What to do?" That's very good sign. And take advantage and give them program exactly to the direction of Bhagavad-gītā. Then the world will be saved. Otherwise it is doomed. It is a fact. This is the opportunity for preaching. You can take that paper and heading. There are so many headings. Each heading reply. We are the only persons who can give solution. There is no other group or any man in the world. We are only. So let them take advantage of our knowledge and apply in the society to the ben... That's all right. Now all the sannyāsīs have got the good opportunity to preach. So where is the key? Keep it. (end)
[Arrival at Chicago, July 3, 1975]

Without God-Centered Society, The Whole Thing is Dog-Centered Society

"The difference between animal and human being is that an animal has no intelligence and therefore is not expected to follow any regulative principles, but human life is a life of responsibility and the human beings are meant for satisfying the material necessities of life under regulative principles or laws. In other words, religion is laws of God.

Human life is especially meant for reviving our lost relationship with God by following the instructions of God contained in religious books like the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc. Without God-centered society, the whole thing is dog-centered society. A dog also eats, a dog also sleeps, a dog also defends and they have ample opportunity for sex-life.

So the goal of life is Krsna--to become free from the cat and dog propensities of eating, sleeping, defending and mating and achieve the spiritual platform of Eternity, Knowledge and Blissful Life in pure devotional service to the Lord--Bhakti yoga, that is religion. Simply loving Krsna. Society without religion, it is all animal society."
[A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, 6 October, 1970, Calcutta Letter to Krsna das]

India's Austerity Drive - "This is not actually tapasya"

India's Austerity Drive - "This is not actually tapasya"

Excerpt from the Srimad-Bhagavatam By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acharya for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

"In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life."[Srimad-Bagavatam 1.2.28-29]

PURPORT

That Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, is the only object of worship is confirmed in these two slokas. In the Vedic literature there is the same objective: establishing one's relationship and ultimately reviving our lost loving service unto Him. That is the sum and substance of the Vedas. In the Bhagavad-gita the same theory is confirmed by the Lord in His own words: the ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to know Him only. All the revealed scriptures are prepared by the Lord through His incarnation in the body of Srila Vyasadeva just to remind the fallen souls, conditioned by material nature, of Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. No demigod can award freedom from material bondage. That is the verdict of all the Vedic literatures. Impersonalists who have no information of the Personality of Godhead minimize the omnipotency of the Supreme Lord and put Him on equal footing with all other living beings, and for this act such impersonalists get freedom from material bondage only with great difficulty. They can surrender unto Him only after many, many births in the culture of transcendental knowledge.

One may argue that the Vedic activities are based on sacrificial ceremonies. That is true. But all such sacrifices are also meant for realizing the truth about Vasudeva. Another name of Vasudeva is Yajna (sacrifice), and in the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly stated that all sacrifices and all activities are to be conducted for the satisfaction of Yajna, or Visnu, the Personality of Godhead. This is the case also with the yoga systems.

Yoga means to get into touch with the Supreme Lord. The process, however, includes several bodily features such as asana, dhyana, pranayama and meditation, and all of them are meant for concentrating upon the localized aspect of Vasudeva represented as Paramatma. Paramatma realization is but partial realization of Vasudeva, and if one is successful in that attempt, one realizes Vasudeva in full. But by ill luck most yogis are stranded by the powers of mysticism achieved through the bodily process. Ill-fated yogis are given a chance in the next birth by being placed in the families of good learned brahmanas or in the families of rich merchants in order to execute the unfinished task of Vasudeva realization. If such fortunate brahmanas and sons of rich men properly utilize the chance, they can easily realize Vasudeva by good association with saintly persons. Unfortunately, such preferred persons are captivated again by material wealth and honor, and thus they practically forget the aim of life.

This is also so for the culture of knowledge. According to Bhagavad-gita there are eighteen items in culturing knowledge. By such culture of knowledge one becomes gradually prideless, devoid of vanity, nonviolent, forbearing, simple, devoted to the great spiritual master, and self-controlled. By culture of knowledge one becomes unattached to hearth and home and becomes conscious of the miseries due to death, birth, old age and disease. And all culture of knowledge culminates in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Therefore, Vasudeva is the ultimate aim in culturing all different branches of knowledge. Culture of knowledge leading one to the transcendental plane of meeting Vasudeva is real knowledge. physical knowledge in its various branches is condemned in the Bhagavad-gita as ajnana, or the opposite of real knowledge. The ultimate aim of physical knowledge is to satisfy the senses, which means prolongation of the term of material existence and thereby continuance of the threefold miseries. So prolonging the miserable life of material existence is nescience. But the same physical knowledge leading to the way of spiritual understanding helps one to end the miserable life of physical existence and to begin the life of spiritual existence on the plane of Vasudeva.

The same applies to all kinds of austerities. Tapasya means voluntary acceptance of bodily pains to achieve some higher end of life. Ravana and Hiranyakasipu underwent a severe type of bodily torture to achieve the end of sense gratification. Sometimes modern politicians also undergo severe types of austerities to achieve some political end. This is not actually tapasya. One should accept voluntary bodily inconvenience for the sake of knowing Vasudeva because that is the way of real austerities. Otherwise all forms of austerities are classified as modes of passion and ignorance. passion and ignorance cannot end the miseries of life. Only the mode of goodness can mitigate the threefold miseries of life. Vasudeva and Devaki, the so-called father and mother of Lord Krsna, underwent penances to get Vasudeva as their son. Lord Sri Krsna is the father of all living beings (Bg. 14.4). Therefore He is the original living being of all other living beings. He is the original eternal enjoyer amongst all other enjoyers. Therefore no one can be His begetting father, as the ignorant may think. Lord Sri Krsna agreed to become the son of Vasudeva and Devaki upon being pleased with their severe austerities. Therefore if any austerities have to be done, they must be done to achieve the end of knowledge, Vasudeva.

Vasudeva is the original Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krsna. As explained before, the original Personality of Godhead expands Himself by innumerable forms. Such expansion of forms is made possible by His various energies. His energies are also multifarious, and His internal energies are superior and external energies inferior in quality. They are explained in the Bhagavad-gita (7.4-6) as the para and the apara prakrtis. So His expansions of various forms which take place via the internal energies are superior forms, whereas the expansions which take place via the external energies are inferior forms. The living entities are also His expansions. The living entities who are expanded by His internal potency are eternally liberated persons, whereas those who are expanded in terms of the material energies are eternally conditioned souls. Therefore, all culture of knowledge, austerities, sacrifice and activities should be aimed at changing the quality of the influence that is acting upon us. For the present, we are all being controlled by the external energy of the Lord, and just to change the quality of the influence, we must endeavor to cultivate spiritual energy.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that those who are mahatmas, or those whose minds have been so broadened as to be engaged in the service of Lord Krsna, are under the influence of the internal potency, and the effect is that such broadminded living beings are constantly engaged in the service of the Lord without deviation. That should be the aim of life. And that is the verdict of all the Vedic literatures. No one should bother himself with fruitive activities or dry speculation about transcendental knowledge. Everyone should at once engage himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Nor should one worship different demigods who work as different hands of the Lord for creation, maintenance or destruction of the material world.

There are innumerable powerful demigods who look over the external management of the material world. They are all different assisting hands of Lord Vasudeva. Even Lord Siva and Lord Brahma are included in the list of demigods, but Lord Visnu, or Vasudeva, is always transcendentally situated. Even though He accepts the quality of goodness of the material world, He is still transcendental to all the material modes. The following example will clear that matter more explicitly. In the prison house there are the prisoners and the managers of the prison house. Both the managers and the prisoners are bound by the laws of the king. But even though the king sometimes comes in the prison, he is not bound by the laws of the prison house. The king is therefore always transcendental to the laws of the prison house, as the Lord is always transcendental to the laws of the material world.
[Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.28-29 : PURPORT By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, Founder Acharya for ISKCON]

This Service Is Unimpaired, Unchecked By Any Material Condition

This life of spiritual execution cannot be hampered by any material condition. From Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. That is the highest type of religious performances by which one can achieve the perfection of loving God.

Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Bhakti means to offer transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord. Bhakti. Bhaj-dhatu sevaya(?). Bhaj. Bhaj-dhatu, it is a verb, bhaj. Bhaj means to render service just like servant renders service to the master, friend renders service to the friend, wife renders service to the husband, husband renders service to the wife.

This service-rendering process is going on everywhere. Nobody is absolute that he does not render service to anyone. That is not possible. I have repeatedly explained that if somebody has no master to serve, he voluntarily accepts a cat or dog as his master to serve. The nice name is pet dog, but it is serving. The mother serves the child. So one who has no child, he takes the cat as her child and serves.

So the service mood is going on everywhere. But the highest perfection of service is when we learn to serve the Supreme Absolute Lord. That is called bhakti. And that bhakti execution of service to the Lord is ahaituki. Just like we have got some little examples. This mother is serving the child not with any expectation. She loves to serve the child. She wants to see the child is in comfort, the child does not feel any discomfiture. That is her pleasure.

There is no reason why she is loving. That is natural. Similarly, when we invoke our natural love for God, that is the highest perfection of religious principle. Ahaituky apratihata. Apratihata means it cannot be checked by any material condition. Just like we want to chant Hare Krsna; this is service. This is the beginning of service, chanting the glories of the Lord, or praying the Lord, "Hare, O the energy of the Lord, Krsna, O Lord, please engage me in Your service." This is the prayer. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, repeatedly, "Please engage me. Please engage me." But God can give you many things. Whatever you want, He is giving. Ye yatha mam prapadyante [Bg. 4.11]. He can give you even salvation, but very rarely He gives you the chance of serving Him.

So service is not an ordinary thing. So this is, this service is unimpaired, unchecked by any material condition. So Sukadeva Gosvami, he gives us some definition how you can be completely independent to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now our problem is eating-sleeping. Eating-sleeping. After sleeping, there is mating or fearing. These are the problems of bodily demands. So Sukadeva Gosvami recommends for a serious devotee, he says, cirani kim pathi na santi. Cirani means worn-out, rejected garments.

In your country it is very usual to find in the dustbin so many things are thrown away. So sometimes nice dress is also thrown away. So Sukadeva Gosvami says that if you have problem of dressing yourself, just pick up some old garments from the street. Cirani kim pathi na santi. "All right. I get my garment. What about my food?" He said, cirani kim pathi na santi disanti bhiksam naivanghripah para-bhrtah. Anghripah means the living entity who eats by its leg. Just like we eat by our hand. Do you know what is that living entity who eats by the leg? Can you... Huh? No. Trees. Yes. Yes. The trees, they eat from the root. That is their eating process. You pour water on the root of the tree, and that water the whole tree sucks. That is their eating. Therefore they are called anghripah. They drink their food, eatables, by the leg. So their qualification is para-bhrtah. Para-bhrtah means trees are meant for sustaining others. Trees. Just like a nice mango tree, it produces nice fruit, but it does not eat. It is for you. Para-bhrtah, maintains others. The tree gives shelter, the tree gives fruits. You cut trees for your purpose; it does not protest. Therefore the tree's life is dedicated for the service of others.

So Sukadeva Gosvami says "Whether such nice living entity who has dedicated his life for others does not give you fruits?" So why you are thinking of your food problem? The food is there in the tree and the garment is on the street. Then where is my home, apartment? Sukadeva Gosvami says, ruddha guhah kim, "Whether the caves of the mountain are closed?" They are open for you. The caves of the mountain are open for you, the trees are there to supply you food, and people throw away old garments, that is your dress. And water? Water supply? Sukadeva Gosvami says, "Whether the rivers are dried up?" There is water. In this way he gives a very nice list so that you can become very independent. There is no problem for your bodily demands. But one has to practice. Formerly the saints, mendicants, sages, they used to practice like that, that not dependent on any condition. And so far God, God is within you. So you haven't got to go anywhere to search out God. God is with you, and you can be independent in this way.

So there is no problem for executing devotional service to the Lord. And that is the highest perfection of all religious principles. But we have to practice. And that is not possible in this age. This age is called Kali. It is very difficult age. People are not very much interested to the most important problem of life. They are alpayusa. Prayenalpayusah sabhya kalav asmin yuge janah. People are short-living and manda. Manda means very slow for ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to search out or is to reestablish your lost relationship with God. That is the mission of human life. Otherwise what is the difference between animal life and human life? The animal life, they are also busy for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So if we human beings, we are also similarly busy, then what is the difference? So this sort of civilization, simply making nice arrangement for eating and sleeping and mating and defending, that is not practically human civilization. The human civilization is meant for searching out God. Na te viduh. They do not know, unfortunately. They have forgotten. But by good association, they can remember. Therefore this meeting of Krsna Consciousness Society's meeting is just to give people chance to associate with the Society and invoke their lost relationship with God. That is the missionary activities of this Society.

So that is the highest gift to the human society. There are so many welfare activities in the human society. People open hospitals, schools, colleges, charitable institution. They are nice. But the best contribution to the human society is to revive his lost relationship with God. Just like a rich man's son. Someway or other he has left his father's home and he's loitering here and there. Somebody finds him: "Oh, you are Mr. such and such. You are the son of such and such gentleman. He's very rich man. Why you are suffering? Come, come with me. I shall take to your father." So this is one kind of welfare activity. And another welfare activity, the same person who is loitering in the street, somebody says, "Oh, you are hungry. All right, come on. I shall give you some bread." That is also welfare activity, but this welfare activity, to get the lost son to his father, rich father, not ordinary father, that is the best service. Similarly, all living entities... As Krsna claims in the Bhagavad-gita... Krsna claims,

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
murtayah sambhavanti yah
tasam brahma mahad yonir
aham bija-pradah pita
[Bg. 14.4]

In many places in the Bhagavad-gita Krsna claims all living entities as His sons, parts and parcels. Just like your children, they are part and parcel of your body. They are not different from you. The same blood is running in his body. Similarly, our constitutional position is that the same blood of God is running in our body. We are not different in that way from God.

[Excerpt from a lecture on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2.5—Los Angeles, December 2, 1968]