“I shall not die,” it is impossible

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.9--
Los Angeles, May 26, 1972

Pradyumna: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya (etc., leads chanting of verse:)
rajya-kamo manun devannirrtim tv abhicaran
yajetkama-kamo yajet somamakamah purusam param
Translation: “One who desires domination over a kingdom or an empire should worship the Manus. One who desires victory over an enemy should worship the demons, and one who desires sense gratification should worship the moon. But one who desires nothing of material enjoyment should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Prabhupada: This is significant. Those who are Krsna conscious, they have no material desires. Finished. Brahmany upasamasrayam. Upasama, upasama means completely finished, don’t want.

They can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise, without being akama ... Akama means no material desires. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11], completely. If we have got least desire for material enjoyment, Krsna will give us chance again to accept a body which will satisfy the senses. Deha-yogena dehinam. For our sense gratification, a particular type of body is offered.

By the order of Krsna, through the agency of material nature. Just like father gives the seed, and the mother gives the body, similarly, Krsna, the supreme father, He is the giver of the seed, living entity, and according to the living entity’s desire, the material nature gives the body. Therefore material nature is mother, and Krsna is the supreme father. Tasmin garbham dadamy aham. Garbham dadamy aham: “I give the seed, garbha, pregnancy.”

So we are part and parcel of Krsna, and He... According to my desire, He puts me into circumstances, material circumstances; I get a particular type of body. This is the secret of different types of body and transmigration of the body. The foolish scientists, they do not know this science. They are trying to create living entity in the laboratories. It is impossible. Just like if a woman wants to create a child independently, it is impossible. There must be contact with a man who must give the seed, then a woman can produce a child. Similarly, these rascals who are trying to produce life by material combination, through the material agency, they are all rascals. They do not know even the ordinary law.

By combination of matter you cannot produce any living entity. That is not possible. Living entity, being part and parcel of Krsna, Krsna must give the seed. Tasmin garbham dadamy aham. The creation, the yoni... Yatha yoni, yatha bijam yatha yoni. This is natural.So to get this body means I have got material desires. This body. This is the philosophy. Anyone who has got this material body, beginning from Brahma... He is considered the first creature within this universe, most intelligent, most learned, but still, because he has got this material body, he’s not akama, without any material desires. He has got material desire. He wanted to become the supreme head of one universe.

Just like we try to become supreme head of a family, then of a society, then of a nation, of a community. Then I desire to be head, also... Go on, go on, increasing. To lord it over. So, so long there will be desire to lord it over, then we have to accept a body. It doesn’t matter what kind of body. It may be Brahma’s body, it may be cat’s body, it may be man’s body, it may be bird’s body, it may be beast’s body. That will depend on my desire. But if I have got any desire, material desire to fulfill, then I must be prepared for accept next body, another.

So if one wants to finish this business, accepting... And accepting a material body means to become subjected to the laws of material nature. You get a material body, and if you want that “I shall not die,” it is impossible. It is not good. Then you must die.

Bhutva bhutva praliyate. You get a material body and again you give it up, and again you get it. This is going on. Therefore, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jivaguru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]In this way, all the living entities, beginning from Brahma down to the microscopic germ, everyone is rotating in different species of life, in different planets, in different position. Innumerable. As the living entities are innumerable, so varieties of bodies are also innumerable. Not innumerable, they are counted, 8,400,000 species of life.

This is Vedic knowledge. Exactly giving the number. Exactly. 8,400,000. It doesn’t say 9,000,000, or 500,000. No. Exact.Jalaja nava-laksani. In the aquatics, there are 900,000 species of life. Now, if you have got your science, now go and see. This is Vedic knowledge. Perfect, without any doubt. Sthavara laksa-vimsati. And the plants and trees, they are 2,000,000 species of life. So, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite. We are transmigrating from one species of life, one species of life, another, another, another, another... They cannot explain why there are so many varieties of life.

The varieties of life is there because we have desire, kama. “I want this.” “All right, take this.” Krsna is immediately prepared. Ye yatha mam prapadyante. “If you want, you can take it.” But Krsna says, ultimately, that “You’ll never be happy in this way. Therefore you give up this business. Simply surrender unto Me.” Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. So that is called akama.

So here it is said that akamah yajet purusam param. If you want to be akama, devoid of all material desires, then surrender to Krsna.That will save you from this business of rotating from one sort of body to another sort of body. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. To come to Krsna consciousness is not very easy thing. It is by the grace of guru. Guru-krsna. And grace of Krsna. Combined together.

One who sincerely wants to stop this business of repeated birth and death... But they do not understand that this is a suffering. They say, “Ah, let it happen.” When they forget what is the suffering of birth. Birth, as I have many times explained... Nowadays, it is so much suffering that a child is born within the womb, and there is abortion, killed. “Kill him.” But they do not understand the suffering, that one chance given that it will get a body and come out and maybe able to come to Krsna consciousness, that opportunity... he’s being killed within the womb. But these rascals, they do not know what is the suffering. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi.Krsna says the sufferings of birth... They do not understand, such fools, that what is the suffering of birth. Even if you are not killed, you have to remain compact in a vat, airtight. And the worms, they are biting. So many things. Suffocated. That is one thing.

But if he can live at least for ten months, the mother does not kill, abortion, then it has got a chance to come out. Otherwise, there is no chance to come out ever. He dies within the womb, again transferred to another womb, and again it is killed. So those who are too much sinful, those who are causing these abortions, they will get this sort of life. They will never see light. One womb, killed; another womb, killed; another womb, killed; another womb, killed. This is so sinful, this abortion. And the modern civilization and the priestly order, they are passing: “If the mother selects... otherwise, there is no objection, abortion.” Such foolish world is going on. You see?

There are so many subtle laws of nature.They do not know anything. And they are claiming to be educated scientist and Vedantists philosopher. All nonsense. All nonsense. Therefore it is said, akamah purusam param. Give up your kama, lusty desires, or any material desires, and surrender to Krsna. Then that is life successful. Otherwise, bhutva bhutva praliyate. Take once birth... These are all desires. And the so big list. “If you want this, then you can worship this.”

Why it is recommended that you worship these demigods? Because if one goes for fulfilling the desire to a demigod, there is connection of Visnu. Because any yajna you perform, demigod, there must be Visnu first. The mantra says that “With the sanction of Visnu’s order, you get this facility.” So by worshiping the demigod, if he’s sensible man, one day he will come to know that “Above the demigods there is Visnu. So why I am worshiping this demigods? Why not Visnu?” Suppose if I get some facility from somebody, and if I see that this man is taking sanction from another superior man.

So my intelligence should be, “Why not go direct to the superior man? Why I am flattering this man?” That is sense. So therefore demigod worship is recommended in Vedas, that one day he may come to his intelligence that “Why demigod? Why not God, personally, directly?” Therefore, it is not that it is encouragement, it is encouragement(?). Just like, you know amongst the Hindus, the flesh-eaters, they’re recommended that “If you want to eat meat, then you sacrifice one goat before the goddess Kali.” And Goddess Kali is worshiped once in a month, on the dark moon day, at night. And there are mantras. The mantras say that... Within the ear of the animal it is said that, “You are sacrificing your life before the deity; so next life, immediately, you get a human form of life. And when you get a human form of life, you’ll have the right to kill this man also.” This is the mantra.

Now, if you are a sane man, understand that “I am killing this goat at the risk of my life in next birth.So why I am going to take such responsibility? Better stop it.” So, it is for discouraging. If I say directly, “Don’t eat meat,” he’ll protest, “Why shall I not? It is our food. I must eat.” Therefore, instead of directly prohibiting, the sastra says, “Yes, yes, you can eat. But by sacrificing it before Goddess Kali.” That means condition, restriction.Similarly, marriage. Marriage—what is the meaning of marriage? Everyone can have sex without marriage. So what it means, marriage? Marriage means restriction. That’s all. That you have sex, but a particular selected woman, man. That’s... No more. That’s all. That is marriage.

So all the Vedic rules are there... Sastra says: loke vyavayamisa-madya-seva nitya hi jantor na hi tatra codana. Why this demigod worship, marriage, these are prescribed? They are prescribed to stop it, not to encourage it. But the foolish persons, they say, “Well, it is in the sastra. Why shall I not do?” Therefore Lord Buddha, when he appeared, he wanted to stop this animal killing, but because these rascals will show the evidence that “Here is sanctioned by the Vedas to kill an animal before Goddess Kali. Why you stop?” Therefore he said, “I don’t care for your Vedas.” Because his only idea was to stop this animal killing. Ahimsa.So we should know, whenever there is sanction in the sastra for meat-eating, for sex intercourse, or for drinking, it is not for encouraging; it is for prohibiting, restricting. So the next question should (be), “Why it is restricted?” Restricted means so long you’ll be addicted to this habit, you’ll have to accept a body.

So one who cannot stop it immediately, he’s restricted. “All right, you want to do it. All right. Go to this demigod.” That is the list. If you want this, all right, go to this demigod.” Means somehow or other, this lusty person is being brought before a demigod to understand that this is not good. This is implicating. Therefore it is said akama. If you become completely free from all material desires, or if you want that position, then come to Krsna. No other demigod. If you actually want freedom from this material bondage, then Krsna...Krsna also assures, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. These are allpapa, sinful. Either you take the body of a Brahma or an ant or cat or dog. Allsinful. Only the person who has taken to Krsna consciousness seriously, he’s pious. Akama. The next verse will be akamah sarva-kamo va [Bhag. 2.3.10]. Thank you verymuch. (devotees offer obeisances.) Kirtana. (end)

This process of Krsna consciousness means nullifying the pavarga process

Sri Isopanisad Invocation Lecture
--Los Angeles, April 28, 1970

Gargamuni: It’s on page twelve, almost in the middle. The second paragraph. “The universe has its own time, fixed by the energy of the complete whole, and when that time is complete, this temporary manifestation will be annihilated by the complete arrangement of the complete.”

Prabhupada: Yes. Everything in this material world, it has got a fixed time. And within that fixed time there are six kinds of changes. First birth, then growth, then to stay, then to produce by-product, then dwindling, then vanish. This is the law of material nature. This flower takes birth, just like a bud, then grows, then stays for two, three days, then it produces a seed, by-product, then dries up gradually, then finish. (aside:) You sit down like this. So this is called sad-vikara, six kinds of changes. So you cannot stop this by your so-called material science. No. This is avidya. People are trying to save themselves, and sometimes talking foolishly that by scientific knowledge man will be immortal. You cannot stop the process of the material laws.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. The process of material nature, which is composed of three qualities—sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna... Tri-guna. Another meaning of guna is rope. Just like you have seen rope, they’re twisted in three process. First of all thin rope, then three of them, they are rolled, then again three of them rolled, then again three. It becomes very strong. So these three qualities, sattva, raja, tamo-guna, they are mixed up. Again they produce some by-product, again mixed up, again mixed up. In this way eighty-one times they’re twisted. So gunamayi maya, binding you more and more. So you cannot get out of this binding of this material world. Binding. So therefore it is called apavarga. This process of Krsna consciousness means nullifying the pavarga process.

Yesterday I was explaining what is this pavarga to Gargamuni. This pavarga means the line of the alphabet pa. You know, those who have studied this devanagari. There are devanagari alphabets, ka kha ga gha na ca cha ja jha na. In this way five set, one line. Then come the fifth set, comes pa pha va bha ma. So this pavarga means pa.

First of all pa. Pa means parava, defeat. Everyone is trying, struggling very hard to survive, but defeated. First pavarga. Pa means parava. And then pha. Pha means foaming. Just like horse, when working very hard, you’ll find some foams coming out of the mouth, we sometimes also, when we are very tired after working very hard, the tongue becomes dry and some foam comes. So everyone is working very hard for sense gratification, but defeated. The pa, pha, and va. Va means this bondage. So first pa, second pha, the bondage third, then va, bha. Bha means beating, fearfulness. And then ma. Ma means mrtyu, or death. So this Krsna conscious process is apavarga, apa. A means none. Pavarga, these are the symptoms of this material world. And when you add this word a, apavarga, that means it is nullified.So... (aside:) You can sit down. This apavarga-vartmani.

Our Krsna consciousness movement is the path of apavarga, nullifying these pavargas.satam prasangan mama virya-samvidobhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathahtaj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmanisraddha (ratir) bhaktir anukramisyatiSatam prasangan. This discussion, this is called satam prasangan, discussion. Just like there are many conferences, assembly, they have got different types of talks. Just like we were discussing last week, srotavyadini rajendra... [SB 2.1.2], apasyatam atma-tattvam grhesu grha-medhinam. Discussion. Those who are blind for self-realization, they do not take care, they have got many things to discuss. But so far Krsna conscious people are concerned, their subject matter of discussion is one: apavarga-vartmani, the path of disintegration. How it is happen? Satam prasangan.

When you form this society, Krsna conscious society, and you discuss about this apavarga from the authoritative literature, just we are doing, then it becomes relishable. You cannot discuss all these thing with a storekeeper. That will be not relishable. Satam prasangan, amongst the devotees. If you take this Isopanisad and you ask one butcher or a man like that, “Come on. We shall discuss,” he’ll throw away. The other day we were coming on this Venice Boulevard. Gargamuni gave one card to a boy. You remember? (laughs) He immediately threw away. They have no taste. So you cannot discuss all this transcendental knowledge with these demons. Satam prasangan. Therefore you have to discuss... Therefore we are opening so many centers, that people may take advantage of his society.

Because anywhere else he’ll not have the opportunity. His life is being spoiled. The modern civilization is like that. It is a killing civilization, atma-ha. Atma-hano janah. All these people are killing themselves because they do not know what is life; simply like animal or living. The animal does not know what is life, but he is under the laws of nature, evolution, going on. But when you get this human form of life, there is responsibility. You have to chalk out. Here is a chance you can become Krsna conscious and make your life solve all problems. If not, then again go to the cycle of birth and death again, 8,400,000. It will take many, many millions of years again to come back. Just like the sunshine you will see after twelve hours, twenty-four hours, morning. Everything is a process. Process. So if you lose this opportunity of elevating yourself, then again you come to the process. Nature’s law is very strong.

Daivi hy esa gunamayi [Bg. 7.14]. The sooner you surrender to Krsna, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. Such person is able to overcome this process of material nature.So here it is said the universe has its own time, fixed by the energy of the complete whole. Universe is also big gigantic body, material body. That’s all. Just like your body; everything is relative. Modern science, the law of relativity. An atom, a small particle, small ant, so it has got a relative life, you have got relative life. Similarly this gigantic body, it may be many millions of years this universe will exist, but it will not exist forever. That is a fact. Because it is very gigantic, therefore it may remain for some millions of years, but it will end. That is the law of nature. And when that time is complete, this temporary manifestation will be annihilated by the complete arrangement of the complete, the supreme complete.

When your time will be complete, no more, sir, in this body. Nobody can check. The arrangement is so strong. You cannot say, “Let me remain.” Actually it happens. When I was in India, Allahabad, one of our, an old friend, he was very rich man. So he was dying. So he was requesting the doctor, “Can you not give me at least four years to live? I have got some plan, you see. I could not finish it.” You see. Asa-pasa-satair baddhah. This is demonic. Everyone thinks that “Oh, I have to do this. I have to do this.” No. The doctors or doctors’ fathers or his father, no scientist can check. “Oh, no, sir. No four years. Not even four minutes. You have to go immediately.” This is the law. So before that moment comes, one should be very dexterous to realize Krsna conscious. Turnam yateta. Turnam means very swiftly, very quickly you should realize Krsna consciousness. Anu... Next, before the death, next death comes, you must finish your business. That is intelligence. Otherwise defeat.Thank you. (end)

Following Scientific Athority

Morning Walk With Srila Prabhupada
--
December 12, 1975, Vrndavana

Prabhupada: ...sun globe. You explain to them.
Harikesa: We can see there’s life in the air, there are fishes in the water and birds in the air. And in the earth there are so many worms and crabs and things like that. We see life in these forms but why is it not true that we can see life in fire? We can’t see life in fire because we haven’t the experience. But because there’s life in...
Aksayananda: If you don’t have the experience, it doesn’t mean there’s no life.
Harikesa: Because there’s life...
Prabhupada: Hm? Hm?
Aksayananda: Because we have not experienced it doesn’t mean that there’s no life.
Prabhupada: Yes. That I have already explained. That, you’ll see in big, big factories, there is fire. Flame is coming. By seeing the flame, if you think there is no life, is that not nonsense?
Harikesa: Oh, you gave the example last night of...
Prabhupada: So many example. You go to the Tata iron factory, from distance you’ll see so many fire flames. Does it mean there is no life? That is nonsense.
Aksayananda: Another point is somebody had to light the fire.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Aksayananda: Somebody must have lit that fire. So similarly the light of the sun, who has started that light?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Aksayananda: Somebody has started that light, that fire.
Prabhupada: So in this way the nonsense scientists are going on. What do you think? Eh?
Harikesa: So this idea of friction causing electricity, so is electricity—this electrical energy—the source of fire? That’s what the scientists think sometimes too, that the lightning bolt came down and made a fire. And that was man’s first experience of fire as a caveman.
Aksayananda: So where did the lightning bolt come from?
Prabhupada: Yes. How the lightning was manufactured, rascal?
Harikesa: Well, there were some positive charges in the clouds and some negative charges in the ground.
Prabhupada: That’s alright. Who made that positive charge and negative charge?
Aksayananda: So let them manufacture lightning bolts in the Tata factory.
Prabhupada: How the electricity is produced unless there is some arrangement? Just put counter-argument and argument, try to understand. You have to preach. So your argument stopped?
Harikesa: I don’t know anything about this. (laughter)
Prabhupada: You cannot... Your malador masjid(?). Arguments are there, so whether there is life in the sun globe?
Indian man: (Hindi—discussion with Srila Prabhupada and other Indian men about sastra, scientists, agni, and the example of the iron factory)
Prabhupada: Jaya.
Devotees: Hare Krsna!
Harikesa: But the fire and the life is different in the Tata factory.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Harikesa: The fire is different from the life. The fire is produced.
Prabhupada: The fire is the same. There is fire. Fire is the same. In the life the fire is not different.
Harikesa: No, what I mean to say in the example, that the people are there and the fire is also there...
Prabhupada: Hm.
Harikesa: So, in a...
Prabhupada: Exactly the same way. In the factory there is big fire and there are workers also.
Harikesa: But the life is the workers not the fire.
Prabhupada: No. I mean to say, in the midst of fire, the living entity can live. That is my argument.
Aksayananda: But they can’t jump in the fire and live. They will die.
Prabhupada: No. That is material body. Spiritual... In the Bhagavad-gita there is, (it says that) it does not burn into fire, in the fire. Adahyah, adahyah. So living entity is never burnt. Even if he’s in the fire. So he may have a body of fire but he does not burn.
Aksayananda: But why should we accept that, because to make our factory we did not need Bhagavad-gita.
Prabhupada: Huh?
Aksayananda: To make our factory we did not need Bhagavad-gita.
Prabhupada: What is that?
Aksayananda: To make the factory... We have made such a nice factory for fire, so we did not need to consult Bhagavad-gita for that.
Prabhupada: I do not follow what he is saying.
Harikesa: He’s saying he built a factory but he didn’t use Bhagavad-gita to do it.
Prabhupada: So who says that without Bhagavad-gita you cannot ignite fire?
Aksayananda: So why should we accept that the living entity will not die.
Prabhupada: Oh, that is authority. If you do not accept, then this is the example, argument. That the factory surrounded by fire, it does not mean there is no life. From distance, you are seeing the sun from a very, very, 95 or 93 million miles away. Fiery it is undoubtedly, but it is exactly like that: that you see from a distant place, the iron factory, it is simply fiery. Your experience is from distance. You have not gone there. So the distance experience is like this, that you see there is fire, big fire, but still there are life. You have to accept this argument.
Harikesa: Actually it is perfectly reasonable.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: In the fire there’s fiery bodies.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: But then that must mean in the water there’s watery bodies.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: And earth, earthy bodies.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is God’s creation. Take, take out one fish, within five minutes, he’ll die. And you put yourself in the water, within five minutes you will die. But you are living entity, he is also living entity. His external body is different, your external body is different.
Harikesa: But my body is ninety percent water.
Prabhupada: Hm?
Harikesa: My body is ninety per cent water. The scientists say that this material body is ninety percent water.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: Human body. So I’ve got a watery body...
Prabhupada: Ninety percent water?
Harikesa: That’s what they say.
Prabhupada: They say. They are rascals. (laughter) So much bones and flesh and so many things, others. And ninety percent water.
Harikesa: Well, they take a cell and they say in the cell...
Prabhupada: "They take," they... Don’t quote them, they are all rascals. You come to your own reason. They say, then you accept them as authority. Then why don’t you accept authority of Bhagavad-gita, rascal? You are quoting some rascals and fools, and I am quoting from Bhagavad-gita. Then whose quotation is favorable? "They say." And when we say, "Krsna says," that is nothing! Just see, how foolish. "They say." These rascals, meat eaters, huh? Bachelor daddies, (laughter) they say something, that is authority. And (if) Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, (then) "Oh, that we cannot accept." Just see nonsense. That I... This argument I put forward with Professor Kotovsky that, "After all, we have to follow leader. So your leader is Lenin. And my leader is Krsna. So where is the difference between the process? You have to accept some authority. Now it is to be seen whether Lenin is perfect or Krsna is perfect. That is another thing, but you have to follow some authority. So you are stopped."
Harikesa: But in science...
Prabhupada: Again science.
Harikesa: No, as far as the process goes, they are very proud of the fact that there’s no authority.
Prabhupada: But why you are following? Why you are quoting Newton? You are quoting this scientist, that scientist, why you are quoting?
Harikesa: Well, Newton sat there, and saw the apple falling... Prabhupada: If you don’t follow authority, then why you quote so many previous scientists? What is the use of quoting if there is no authority?
Harikesa: But the trend is, because Newton speculated the law of gravity...
Prabhupada: No, no, first of all you settle up. Don’t go away from the point. (laughter) The point is that there is no need of authority. Then why you quote this scientist, that scientist? You stop this nonsense. There is no authority. Hm?
Harikesa: Yes.
Prabhupada: Hamsaduta?
Hamsaduta: Hm.
Prabhupada: If there is no authority, why do you quote so many rascals? Then come to reason, argument, that’s all. If you quote authority, I have got my authority.
Harikesa: So this fire... That makes sense.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Harikesa: This fire, it makes sense. That there’s life in fire.
Prabhupada: Yes. This is argument. When you do not accept authority, there must be reason and argument.
Harikesa: But this ether thing is very troublesome.
Prabhupada: Troublesome for you! (laughter)
Harikesa: Yes. You said sound is in the ether.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: But I couldn’t understand how air...
Prabhupada: You have to gain that intelligence.
Harikesa: Yes.
Prabhupada: Sound is the proof that there is ether. Sabda. Now, I am talking, you are hearing. How you are hearing? Ethereal transportation. Otherwise how you can hear? I am talking here, and why you are hearing? This is ethereal. The sound is being produced, somehow or other the ether is passing, just (like) tele... What is called? Radio.
Harikesa: They heard, people on the earth, talking on the moon.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: So it went through the air, it went through the space, sounds.
Prabhupada: The moon (astronaut) says that "There is no life." Then who is speaking? Nonsense. (laughter) They talk in the moon, and they hear from here, and "There is no life." And we have to take these authorities. (laughter)
Aksayananda: I remember once you said that we may not live in the water but that doesn’t mean there’s no such thing as a fish.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Aksayananda: So that is also a very good argument. I remember you gave that one.
Harikesa: So the air is coming from the ether, so...
Prabhupada: Because in the air there is sound. Therefore ether is there. It is a production of the ether.
Harikesa: So would it be beneficial to try to understand the process of production? Like the example of the earth coming from the water. Because the water evaporates, there is left over minerals and salts and all these things...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: And the fire producing the water from excess heat. Like in the summer season and then the monsoon comes. And fire from air, from the friction generating electric current. But the air from the ether needs an example.
Prabhupada: Air from the ether because when the air blows, you find the sound, sshhhh. That is ether.
Hari-sauri: Yeah, like some...
Harikesa: But the example’s got to go the other way. From the ether comes the air.
Prabhupada: That you found out, example. But this is the proof there is ether within the air. That example is given many times in Bhagavad-gita.
Passerby: Haribol!
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna!
Hamsaduta: Does it mean beyond the ether there’s no sound?
Prabhupada: Beyond the ether there is mind, there is mind.
Hamsaduta: There’s no sound?
Prabhupada: No, what is the sound of the mind? Everyone knows you have mind, I have mind, but where is the sound of the mind?
Harikesa: There’s subtle and the gross has no realm in the subtle?
Prabhupada: Yes, that is finer.
Harikesa: So is that example of the space, then the thinner air, and the air, and the water, and the earth, and in between electricity...
Prabhupada: The grosser, grosser...
Harikesa: Is that a good example?
Prabhupada: Everything is coming from the subtle form, finer. Finer than the ether is the mind, and finer than the mind is intelligence.
Harikesa: Oh, and in the Bhagavatam it also says that because the universal form desired to hear, that sound was created and then the organ for hearing. Like that.
Prabhupada: That is also created.
Harikesa: So...
Prabhupada: Just like from ether, sound is created. Sabda, sparsa. Sabda, sparsa, rupa, rasa, gandhah, these are the five parmatra (?), object of sense perception. Budh, panca parmatra, ten senses, the mind, and three modes, the material nature. This is the ingredient of the whole creation.
Harikesa: So the basic element is the soul’s...
Prabhupada: Basic element is Krsna.
Harikesa: And then the spirit soul’s desire.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Hamsaduta: And Krsna fulfills everyone’s desire.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Hamsaduta: By manipulating the energy.
Harikesa: So the most subtle form...
Prabhupada: He is also... The living entity is creating different body for different enjoyment.
Hamsaduta: The living entity?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Hamsaduta: But he can’t do it without Krsna.
Prabhupada: That is, he is subordinate.
Hamsaduta: Just like our hair grows, but we don’t know how it’s happening.
Prabhupada: It is sanctioned. Mattah sarvam pravartate. Everything from Krsna.
Harikesa: Is the most subtle form of creation the desire of the living entity to enjoy this material world?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: And then Krsna...
Prabhupada: Supplies ingredients. Yes.
Harikesa: So that desire, that is equivalent, or is that the...
Prabhupada: A child wants to play, and the father and mother gives the toys for that play. So without getting help from the father and mother, the child cannot enjoy. Similarly, we may desire but unless Krsna helps us we cannot fulfill our desire.
Harikesa: Is desire a function of consciousness?
Prabhupada: Yes. Unless there is desire, how it is living? It is dead body. Stone, stone has no desire.
Harikesa: The spirit soul is...
Prabhupada: Therefore, spirit soul is described as superior energy. He desires and he manipulates the matter. Yayedam dharyate jagat.
Harikesa: It’s very logical, step by step by step by step. Actually when it’s seen from the point of view of the desire of the living entity, it makes perfect sense because he’s got these senses and the sound, and then in order to hear, there has to be a vehicle for the sound, and then there has to be an instrument. And then in order to touch there has to be the vehicle and the...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: So therefore, from that point of view, it’s very logical.
Prabhupada: This is the point, you have to...
Harikesa: Trying to do it the other way is impossible. From the...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: Empirical process?
Devotee: I don’t know if that’s the right word.
Harikesa: Inductive reasoning? Deductive reasoning. Impossible.
Prabhupada: Deductive reason is possible. Krsna says that na jayate na mriyate va. This is deductive: you hear from Krsna, and this is fact. And if you want to make research, how that living entity never takes birth, then it will take time and at the same it may not be perfect.
Harikesa: I finally understood why you were always talking to Svarupa Damodara about inductive and deductive reasoning.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: Because it’s just not possible to go the other way.
Prabhupada: By inductive reason you cannot reach the truth perfectly.
Harikesa: Because it’s beyond the material creation and you have to use the material senses and mind to understand. It’s not possible.
Prabhupada: Therefore, our point is deductive. What Krsna says, that is perfect.
Harikesa: So first prove the existence of God and the existence of the spirit soul...
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: ...and then, they’ll just have to explain...
Prabhupada: And then it’s creation.
Harikesa: And that it’s creation. They’ll just have to accept they have desires.
Prabhupada: Aham evasam evagre. This is the Bhagavata’s first instruction to Brahma. Aham evasam agre. Agre means in the beginning. So in the beginning Krsna was there, then creation took place. Similarly in the beginning of this body, "I am spirit soul," was there. Then the body comes out. Similarly, Krsna is there, therefore the whole cosmic manifestation has come about. Aham evasam agre. And at the end of the creation, Krsna is there. Similarly at the end of this body, I am there. Again I’ll create another body. This is going on.
Harikesa: It’s Krsna’s trick just to give us this facility.
Prabhupada: Huh?
Harikesa: This is Krsna’s trick just to give us facility.
Prabhupada: And because I wanted it. Krsna doesn’t want it. But because you are rascals we wanted it. Krsna (says,) "Alright, do it."
Harikesa: So therefore, in the beginning Krsna gives you the big post, Brahma.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: Now you’re in charge of creating a whole universe.
Prabhupada: Yes. If you want lord it over, "Alright you become Brahma." He gives so much facility.
Harikesa: And then this Brahma creates so many different desires, and then he goes through all the different bodies.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Aksayananda: Everyone becomes Brahma first?
Prabhupada: Hm? Yes. Or if you want to be a cat you can become.
Harikesa: How can they say this isn’t science? This is so incredible.
Prabhupada: Desire is there. Desire is there. Just like in your country, the nudism going on. The desire is, "Ah, I shall remain free, naked." So Krsna is giving you facility, "Alright, you stand here for thousands of years as tree, naked, nobody will criticize. You want to remain naked on the public street and you want to enjoy in that way, alright you become tree."
Harikesa: Because desire is a function of consciousness, which is a symptom of the spirit soul, it’s very powerful.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Harikesa: Because it’s spiritual actually.
Prabhupada: Therefore it is said, anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. Abhilas means desire. Anya means "except service of Krsna." That is beginning of bhakti. As soon as he desires something material for enjoyment he has to come to Me. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. The mind and the senses; with these things he is struggling for existence. Otherwise he is part and parcel of Krs..., mamaivamso jiva-bhutah jiva-loka sanatana [Bg. 15.7]. He is eternal but because he is influenced by the mind, desires, and the senses, sense enjoyment, he is struggling. This is it, a struggle. So when he is too much fatigued, Krsna comes and gives you good counsel. "You rascal give up these all desires. Surrender to Me, I give you protection." But he’ll not do that. And if he agrees then anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11], all material desires, zero. Then bhakti begins. And if you have got a little pinch of material desires, then you have to accept different types of body. It will create, naturally. Karanam guna-sango ’sya. He is desiring under the influence of particular modes of nature, and he’s getting body.
Harikesa: One has to be very careful.
Prabhupada: Yes. Otherwise even a devotee like Bharata Maharaja, he had to accept the body of a deer. A little careless. Then nature’s law will act. Hm? If you do not become cautious and if you infect the smallpox disease, you have to suffer. Therefore a civilized man takes process, caution, "Oh there is smallpox disease, I shall not go there. Or if I go there, I must take vaccine." This is human civilization, caution. And if you are animal, you do not know. So human life means not animal life. Very reasonable, very cautious, educated, cultured, that is human life. Not animal life. Drink like animal, or eat like animal, have sex life like animal. Freedom, animal has got all freedom. So that freedom is not allowed to the human beings. That is civilization. The same example. The animal has got freedom and you’ll see in Indian market, vegetable market, some cow comes and eats, takes so many vegetables and eats, but he’s not going to the court. But if you take one small piece of chili without, then you’ll go to the court. So therefore, law is meant for human beings, not for the animals. Those who want to be free, they are animals. So-called freedom means animalism. That is not humanism. Humanism means to follow the rules and regulations and the laws, and then he is human being. Because law is meant for the human being, not for the animals. And when you come out from your home, immediately the law is keep to the right. And if you violate, immediately you go to the law. But a dog, he doesn’t care. If you say, "A dog does not obey this law," that is no excuse. You are human being. If you don’t obey then you go to jail. So many animals are on the street naked, they’re having sex life, naked. You do, immediately you’ll be prosecuted. Why? Because you are a human being. You have to restrain. Even if you like. Just like the Hawaii University students, "What is the wrong to become a dog?" So if you think like that then you become a dog, nature is ready to give you a dog’s body. That is (Sanskrit). He’s thinking, "The dog’s life is very nice. This liberation of sex life on the street." "Alright, you take dog’s body." Yam yam va... Bhavam... ah, what is that?
Harikesa: Smaran bhavam.
Prabhupada: Ha. Tyajanty ante kalevaram.
Caitya-guru: Tam tam evaiti kaunteya.
Prabhupada: Ha. "So you are thinking like dog, alright you take the body of a dog." And finished. Your human life is finished. And again wait for millions of years to come to the human form of life. Nature’s law you cannot check. Daivi hi esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya. The law is there. The same example, if you contaminate some disease, the law is you must suffer from that disease. So they are thinking "free." That is their gross ignorance.
Hari-sauri: It’s very important then to accept some tapasya.
Prabhupada: Eh?
Hari-sauri: It’s very important to accept some tapasya to purify your desires.
Prabhupada: Yes. Yes, that is, that requires tapasya. Tapo divyam. Tapasya means to purify the desire. Tat paratvena nirmalam. Therefore if you simply keep your desires to the service of Krsna, you become purified.
Passerby: (singing) Govinda hari, gopala. Harer jaya jaya, prabhu dina dayala hari.
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna!
Passerby: (carries on singing on his way) Govinda jaya, gopala jaya...
Prabhupada: This declaration of freedom is animal. Animal freedom.
Passerby: Hare Krsna, Hare Rama.
Prabhupada: Hare Krsna! Thank you. They are struggling for false freedom. This is not freedom. This is becoming entangled. And when we voluntarily give up all freedom, "This is all nonsense! Krsna, I surrender unto you." Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan [Bg. 7.19], then he’s really wise. When he fully surrenders to Krsna.
Caitya-guru: Then he knows, Vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19].
Prabhupada: Yes. Otherwise how he’ll surrender. He must be convinced that Krsna is everything, so let me surrender to Krsna. Then he is wise. Otherwise he is an animal.
Harikesa: A really wise person could understand that there’s no choice but to surrender.
Prabhupada: Yes. He must. He is already under the control.
Harikesa: He’s always controlled at every moment.
Prabhupada: Yes. But he’s... He prefers to be controlled by the laws of nature instead of by Krsna. That is his misfortune. He is controlled, but he thinks, "I am free." That is ignorance. Mudha. Just like I am the state citizen. I am not free. I must work according to the state laws. But he (thinks), "I shall... I don’t care for government." That is my foolishness. You have to care. At home I can say to my wife, "I don’t care for government, I don’t care for the police." But when there is crime, when the police comes, then he says "Ohh." (pulls a sad face—laughter) He can be very much proud before his wife, "I don’t care for anything." But when the police comes, "What can I do?" (Hindi) There is an example that the, what is called, murgi? What you call? Toast? No. Host? No. What is called? Murgi, murgi? Chicken? The male, male?
Aksayananda: Rooster.
Hamsaduta: Rooster.
Prabhupada: Rooster?
Woman: Cock?
Prabhupada: Yes. So the, when in the morning, it is let loose, then he says, "I don’t care for any hahaa, cawcaw." Then in the evening, when they are pushed into the, that what is called? Nest? "Cawcawcawcaw. Whatever you like you can do, whatever you like you can do." (laughter) This is the example. You see? When he’s under the arrest, "Now sir, whatever you like, you do with me. If you like you can excuse me." (laughter) And when he’s out, "I don’t care for anyone." Murgi intelligence. Rooster intelligence. This is our proposal. "I don’t care for anyone. I am God." Murgi logic. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna mano rathenasati dhavato bahih [SB 5.18.12], if one is not a devotee, his only business is to remain on the mental platform and concoct things. And at the end he thinks that "I am God." Concoction. Therefore it is said in the sastra, harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna [SB 5.18.12]. One who is not a devotee, he has no good qualification. He is simply on the, hovering on the mental platform.
Hari-sauri: The sixteenth chapter describes it very nicely...
Prabhupada: Yes. Pravrttim ca nivrttim ca, na vidur asurah. In which way we have direct out activities, in which way we shall have to stop our activities: they do not know. Asurah jana. Because they don’t take direction from God. They make their own way of speculation. So therefore, they are animals, or demons. Because they do not take direction during life, therefore at the end Krsna comes, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. All mental speculation, creation, is taken away at death. (to passerby:) Hare Krsna! It is said, krsna nama koro vai ar sabe miche palaiba patha nai yama ache piche: take to Krsna consciousness, don’t try to escape. Because behind you there is Yamaraja! (laughs) He will finish your all concoction. Hare Krsna! (end)

The Urgent Need For Krishna Consciousness

The aim and objective of human life is self-realization and the reestablishment of our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the missing point. This Krsna consciousness movement is trying to enlighten human society in this important matter.

According to Vedic civilization, the perfection of life is to realize one's relationship with Krsna or God. In Bhagavad-gita, which is accepted by all authorities in transcendental science as the basis of all Vedic knowledge, we understand that not only human beings but all living entities are parts and parcels of God. The parts are meant for serving the whole, just as the legs, hands, fingers and ears are meant for serving the total body. We living entities, being parts and parcels of God, are duty bound to serve Him.

Actually our position is that we are always rendering service to someone, either to our family, country or society. If we have no one to serve, sometimes we keep a pet cat or dog and render service to it. All these factors prove that we are constitutionally meant to render service, yet in spite of serving to our best capacity, we are no more satisfied. Nor is the person to whom we are rendering that service satisfied. On the material platform, everyone is frustrated. The reason for this is that the service which is being rendered is not properly directed. For example, if we want to render service to a tree, we must water the root. If we pour water on the leaves, branches and twigs, there is little benefit. If the Supreme Personality of Godhead is served, all other parts and parcels will be automatically satisfied. Consequently all welfare activities as well as service to society, family and nation are realized by serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

It is the duty of every human being to understand his constitutional position with God and to act accordingly. If this is possible, then our lives become successful. Sometimes, however, we feel challenging and say, "There is no God," or "I am God," or even, "I don't care for God." But in actuality this challenging spirit will not save us. God is there, and we can see Him at every moment. If we deny seeing God in our life, then He will be present before us as cruel death If we do not choose to see Him in one feature, we will see Him in another. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root of the entire cosmic manifestation. In one sense, it is not possible for us to escape Him.

This Krsna consciousness movement is not blind religious fanaticism, nor is it a revolt by some recent upstart, but it is an authorized scientific approach to the matter of our eternal necessity in relation with the Absolute Person alityof Godhead, the Supreme Enjoyer. Krsna consciousness simply deals with our eternal relation with Him and the process of discharging our relative duties to Him. Thus, Krsna consciousness enables us to achieve the highest perfection of life attainable in the present human form of existence.

We must always remember that this particular form of human life is attained after an evolution of many millions of years in the cycle of transmigration of the spirit soul. In this particular form of life, the economic question is more easily solved than in the lower animal forms. There are swine, dogs, camels, asses and so on whose economic necessities are just as important as ours, but the economic questions of these animals and others are solved under primitive conditions, whereas the human being is given all the facilities of leading a comfortable life by the laws of nature.

Human Duty

Why is a man given a better chance to live than swine or other animals? Why is a highly posted government officer given better facilities for a comfortable life than an ordinary clerk? The answer is very simple: the important officer has to discharge duties of a more responsible nature than those of an ordinary clerk. Similarly, the human being has to discharge higher duties than the animals, who are always busy with filling their hungry stomachs. But by the laws of nature, the modern animalistic standard of civilization has only increased the problems of filling the stomach. When we approach some of these polished animals for spiritual life, they say that they only want to work for the satisfaction of their stomachs and that there is no necessity of inquiring about the Godhead. Yet despite their eagerness to work hard, there is always the question of unemployment and so many other impediments incurred by the laws of nature. Despite this, they still denounce the necessity of acknowledging the Godhead.

We're not given this human form of life just to work hard like the swine or dog, but to attain the highest perfection of life If we do not want that perfection, then we will have to work very hard, for we will be forced to by the laws of nature. In the closing days of Kali-yuga (this present age) men will have to work hard like asses for only a scrap of bread. This process has already begun, and every year the necessity for harder work for lesser wages will increase. Yet human beings are not meant to work h ard like animals, and if a man fails to discharge his duties as a human being, he is forced to transmigrate to the lower species of life by the laws of nature. Bhagavad-gita very vividly describes how a spirit soul, by the laws of nature, takes his birth and gets a suitable body and sense organs for enjoying matter in the material world.

In Bhagavad-gita it is also stated that those who attempt but do not complete the path of approaching God, in other words, those who have failed to achieve complete success in Krsna consciousness, are given the chance to appear in the families of the spiritually advanced or in financially well-to-do mercantile families. If the unsuccessful spiritual aspirants are offered such chances of noble parentage, what of those who have actually attained the required success? Therefore an attempt to go back to Godhead, even if half finished, guarantees a good birth in the next life. Both the spiritual and financially well-to-do families are beneficial for spiritual progress because in both families one can get a good chance to make further progress from the point where he stopped in his previous birth. In spiritual realization the atmosphere generated by a good family is favorable for the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Bhagavad-gita reminds such fortunate well-born persons that their good fortune is due to their past devotional activities. Unfortunately the children of these families do not consult Bhagavad-gita, being misguided by maya (illusion).

Birth in a well-to-do family solves the problem of having to find sufficient food from the beginning of life, and later a comparatively easier and more comfortable way of life can be led. Being so situated, one has a good chance to make progress in spiritual realization, but as ill luck would have it, due to the influence of the present iron age (which is full of machines and mechanical people) the sons of the wealthy are misguided for sense enjoyment, and they forget the good chance they have for spiritual enlightenment. Therefore nature, by her laws, is setting fires in these golden homes. It was the golden city of Lanka, under the regime of the demonic Ravana, that was burned to ashes. That is the law of nature.

The Bhagavad-gita is the preliminary study of the transcendental science of Krsna consciousness, and it is the duty of all responsible heads of state to chalk out their economic and other programs by referring to Bhagavad-gita. We are not meant to solve economic questions of life by balancing on a tottering platform, but we are meant to solve the ultimate problems of life which arise due to the laws of nature. Civilization is static unless there is spiritual movement. The soul moves the body, and the living body moves the world. We are concerned about the body, but we have no knowledge of the spirit that is moving that body. Without the spirit, the body is motionless or dead.

The human body is an excellent vehicle by which we can reach eternal life. It is a rare and very important boat for crossing over the ocean of nescience which is material existence. On this boat there is the service of an expert boatman, the spiritual master. By divine grace, the boat plies the water in a favorable wind. With all these auspicious factors, who would not take the opportunity to cross over the ocean of nescience? If one neglects this good chance, it should be known that he is simply committing suicide.

There is certainly a great deal of comfort in the first-class coach of a train, but if the train does not move toward its destination, what is the benefit of an air-conditioned compartment? Contemporary civilization is much too concerned with making the material body comfortable. No one has information of the real destination of life, which is to go back to Godhead. We must not remain seated in a comfortable compartment, but we should see whether or not our vehicle is moving toward its real destination. There is no ultimate benefit in making the material body comfortable at the expense of forgetting the prime necessity of life, which is to regain our lost spiritual identity. The boat of human life is constructed in such a way that it must move toward a spiritual destination. Unfortunately this body is anchored to mundane consciousness by five strong chains which are: (1) attachment to the material body due to ignorance of spiritual facts, (2) attachment to kinsmen due to bodily relations, (3) attachment to the land of birth and to material possessions such as house, furniture, estates, property, business papers, etc., (4) attachment to material science, which always remains mysterious for want of spiritual light, and (5) attachment to religious forms and holy rituals without knowing the Personality of Godhead or His devotees who make them holy. These attachments, which anchor the boat of the human body, are explained in detail in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. There they are compared to a deeply rooted banyan tree which is ever increasing its hold on the earth. It is very difficult to uproot such a strong banyan tree, but the Lord recommends the following process: "The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this tree with the weapon of detachment. So doing, one must seek that place form which, having once gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and in whom everything is abiding since time immemorial." (Bg. 15.3–4)

Theories

Neither the scientists nor speculative philosophers have yet arrived at any conclusion concerning the cosmic situation. All they have done is posit different theories about it. Some of them say that the material world is real, others say that it is a dream, and yet others say that it is ever-existing. In this way different views are held by mundane scholars, but the fact is that no mundane scientist or speculative philosopher has ever discovered the beginning of the cosmosor its limitations. No one can say when it began or how it floats in space. They theoretically propose some laws, like the law of gravitation, but actually they cannot put this law to practical use. For want of actual knowledge of the truth, everyone is anxious to promote his own theory to gain certain fame, but the actual fact is that this material world is full of miseries and that no one can overcome them simply by promoting some theories about the subject. The Personality of Godhead, who is fully cognizant of everything in His creation, informs us that it is in our best interest that we desire to get out of this miserable existence. We must detach ourselves from everything material. To make the best use of a bad bargain, our material existence must be 100% spiritualized. Iron is not fire, but it can be turned into fire by constant association with fire. Similarly, detachment from material activities can be effected by spiritual activities, not by material inertia. Material inertia is the negative side of material action, but spiritual activity is not only the negation of material action but the activation of our real life. We must be anxious to search out eternal life or spiritual existence in Brahman. The eternal kingdom of Brahman is described in Bhagavad-gita as that eternal country from which no one returns. That is the kingdom of God.

The beginning of our present material life cannot be traced, nor is it necessary for us to know how we became conditioned in material existence. We have to be satisfied with the understanding that somehow or other this material life has been going on since time immemorial and now our duty is to surrender unto the Supreme Lord, who is the original cause of all causes. The preliminary qualification for going back to Godhead is given in Bhagavad-gita: "One who is free from illusion, false prestige and false association, who understands the eternal, who is done with material lust and is free from the duality of happiness and distress, and who knows how to surrender unto the Supreme Person, attains that eternal kingdom." (Bg. 15.5)

One who is convinced of his spiritual identity and is freed from the material conception of existence, who is free from illusion and is transcendental to the modes of material nature, who constantly engages in understanding spiritual knowledge and who has completely severed himself from sense enjoyment, can go back to Godhead. Such a person is called amudha, as distinguished from mudha or the foolish and ignorant, for he is freed from the duality of happiness and distress.

And what is the nature of the kingdom of God? It is described in the Bhagavad-gita as follows: "That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, or by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to ths material world." (Bg. 15.6)

Although every place in the creation is within the kingdom of God because the Lord is the supreme proprietor of all planets, there is still the Lord's personal abode which is completely different from the universe in which we are now living. And this abode is called paramam, or the supreme abode. Even on this earth there are countries where the standard of living is high and countries where the standard of living is low. Besides this earth, there are innumerable other planets distributed all over the universe, and some are considered superior places and some are considered to be inferior places. In any case all planets within the jurisdiction of the external energy, material nature, require the rays of a sun or the light of fire for their existence because the material universe is a region of darkness. Beyond this region, however, is a spiritual realm which is described as functioning under the superior nature of God. That realm is described in the Upanisads thus: "There is no need of sun, moon, or stars, nor is that abode illumined by electricity or any form of fire. All these material universes are illumined by a reflection of that spiritual light, and because that superior nature is always self-luminous we can therefore experience a glow of light even in the densest darkness of night." In the Hari-vamsa the spiritual nature is explained as follows: "The glaring effulgence of the impersonal Brahman illuminates all existences, both material and spiritual. But, O Bharata, you must understand that this Brahman illumination is the effulgence of My body." In the Brahma-samhita this conclusion is also confirmed. We should not think that we can attain that abode by any material means such as space ships, but we should know for certain that one who can attain that spiritual abode of Krsna can enjoy eternal spiritual bliss without interruption. As fallible living entities, we have two phases of existence. One is called material existence, which is full of the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease, and the other is called spiritual existence, in which there is an incessant spiritual life of eternity, bliss and knowledge. In material existence we are ruled by the material conception of the body and the mind, but in spiritual existence we can always relish the happy transcendental contact of the Personality of Godhead. In spiritual existenoe, the Lord is never lost to us.

Conclusion

This Krsna consciousness movement is trying to bring that spiritual existence to humanity at large. In our present material consciousness, we are attached to the sensual material conception of life, but this conception can be removed at once by devotional service to Krsna or Krsna consciousness. If we adopt the principles of devotional service, we can become transcendental to the material conceptions of life and be liberated from the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, even in the midst of various material engagements. Everyone who is engaged in material affairs can derive the highest benefit from these pages of Back to Godhead and the other literatures of this Krsna consciousness movement. These literatures help all people sever the roots of the indefatigable banyan tree of material existence. These literatures are authorized to train us to renounce everything related to the material conception of life and to relish spiritual nectar in every object. This stage is obtainable only by devotional service and nothing else. By rendering such service, one can at once get liberation (mukti) even during this present life. Most spiritual endeavors are tinged with the colors of materialism, but pure devotional service is transcendental to all material pollution. Those who desire to go back to Godhead need only adopt the principles of this Krsna consciousness movement and simply aim their consciousness at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

[From Back to Godhead No. 47]

Sakti & Saktimat

In the higher conception of life, just it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that everything is visualized as Brahman. Brahman means spiritual. So in the higher conception of life, one who has attained in the higher stage of spiritual realization, for him, there is nothing material. There is nothing material. The distinction of matter and spirit is this. Now, from the Bhagavad-gita we understand that two energies are working. One energy is called inferior energy, and the other energy is called superior energy. Now, take for example the inferior energy. The energy emanating from the source, is there any possibility of dividing the energy and the energetic? No. That is not possible just like you cannot divide heat from the fire or the illumination from this light. This is not possible.

If there is no illumination, then the light has no meaning. If there is no heat, then fire has no meaning. Similarly, if the energy is separated from the energetic, the energetic has no meaning.
So Krsna says that there are two kinds of nature: superior nature, or higher nature, and inferior nature. Now, even the inferior nature... We take it for granted that there is something like inferior nature. Of course, this material energy, the material nature, is called inferior nature—inferior in the sense that matter has got no incentive. Without touch of spirit, matter cannot work. Therefore it is understood that it is inferior. But in the higher sense it is not inferior. How it is not inferior? Because it is emanation from the Supreme and you cannot separate this energy from the Supreme, and there is no difference between the Supreme and His energy.

Sakti-saktimator abheda. This is the Vedic injunction. Sakti, sakti means energy, and saktimat, saktimat means the person who has got the energy. So abheda, they are nondifferential. You cannot differentiate between the energy and the energetic. Just like electric powerhouse. The energy is electricity. Now, from the electricity energy we are working so many things. So far our household affairs are concerned, by the same electric energy we are getting heat and we are getting also cold. In the refrigerator we see everything is cold. In the heater we find everything is hot, warm. But the same energy is working. So one who knows that this is the electrical energy that is working in a different way, for him, there is no superior or inferior. That is called jnana. If we are on the platform of knowledge, then there is no distinction between matter and spirit.

And that knowledge we have to acquire. How we have to acquire? We must know it definitely that everything that is manifested... In the Visnu-Purana there is a nice verse which describes this energy and the energetic very nicely:

eka-desa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat

Akhilam jagat. Whatever we are seeing in this, in our presence, whatever we are seeing, they are nothing but different energies of the Supreme Lord.

And how they are acting? Just like the electric powerhouse is situated far away from your residential apartment, but from there the energy is being distributed and you are finding heat, cold, and so many things, electrically, you are working, so although the Supreme Lord is far, far away... Of course, He is not far, far away, but in our conception, in the material conception, because we cannot see... We are on a different planet. So by His energy He is not far away. Just like the sunlight, the sunshine, in the morning you find the sunshine is within your room, the sun is just within your room. It is actually. But still, the sun is 93,000,000 miles away from you. Similarly, in all circumstances we must understand that Krsna is, although far away from us, still, He is with us, within us. This is called knowledge. This is called knowledge.

And He says also in the Bhagavad-gita that sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I am situated in everyone’s heart." So just think how much nearest He is if He is sitting on my heart, and He is actually there, which is called Paramatma, or the Supersoul. So sarvasya, sarvasya means everyone’s, not only in human body, but in animal body, in the atoms also. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. Paramanu means atom. He is situated. So practically, He is not far away. He is the nearest friend. He also claims in the Bhagavad-gita, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam: "I am the friend of everyone." So this knowledge, we have to acquire, that "We have got the greatest powerful friend in Krsna, and He is with me." This is knowledge.

[Morning Walk, 11-14-1975]

CHANTING, It enters through the ear and goes to the heart

Guest (1): When you chant, do you have to think what you’re saying? How can you do other things?

Prabhupada: Other things?

Guest (1): Well, many things require your concentration.

Prabhupada: Well, let us first of all chant the holy name. Then we shall think of concentration.

Guest (1): You see, two, two things... You can’t...

Prabhupada: No. Concentrate, concentration automatically. If I chant Hare Krsna and I hear, that is concentration. That is concentration. Immediately.

Guest (1): But you can’t read or talk to someone.

Prabhupada: There is no question of reading. We are simply asking to chant. Reading will come later on. Just like a small child, he’s taught... In our educational system they chant... What is that? That...? (Hindi) Pahara pahara.(?)

Indian man: Pahara. Alphabet. A.I.E.

Prabhupada: They chant. By chanting, by hearing they learn. “A,B,C,” like that. “2 plus 2 equal to 4.” We did it in our childhood. One boy will chant like that. “2 plus 2 equal to 4.” And we shall repeat. “2 plus 2 equal to 4.” So repeating three times, I understand 2 plus 2 equal to 4.

Guest (1): Do you find that the chant goes on in your heart?

Prabhupada: Huh?

Revatinandana: Do you find that the chant goes on in your heart?

Prabhupada: Why not? Why not?

Guest (1): It goes deeper and deeper?

Prabhupada: Yes. Everything we hear, it goes to the heart. If I call you by name, it does not go to my heart? “You rascal. You stupid.” You hear. Does it not go to my heart? Why I become angry unless it goes to my heart. If “rascal,” “stupid,” and all these bad names go to my heart, why God’s name will not go to my heart? If by calling you by ill names you become angry, that means it goes to your heart. Why not good name? It goes. It enters through the ear and goes to the heart.

Guest (1): I’m doing that, saying sometimes a little prayer...

Prabhupada: So if you repeatedly chant, it will remain. It will always remain in your heart.

Guest (1): Always going on.

Prabhupada: Yes. There is no chance of escape. Chant constantly, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. It remains in the heart. Not only my heart. Others’ heart, they also joke, “Hare Krsna!” If it can remain in others’ heart, why not my heart? Those who are joking me, imitating me. We... Last time, when I was going in Africa, I stopped for few minutes in Athens. Some of the younger residents chant, “Hare Krsna!” You see? As soon as they saw us, they began to chant Hare Krsna. They could understand, “These are Hare Krsna people.” Yes. So by their dress, by their tilaka, they oblige others to chant Hare Krsna, either for imitating or for joking. So they gain. But if Hare Krsna chanting has got any effect, even by joking like that, he’ll get gain. If it is actually spiritual, by simply joking he will get gain.

Revatinandana: In Manchester across the street from the temple there’s a big park. Sometimes I would go over there to walk and chant rounds, and there’s many little children in the park. They’d follow me, “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna!” All day. Hundred times.

Prabhupada: Everywhere. Everywhere. In Bombay, everywhere we go, “Hare Krsna.” In Montreal. They joke, they’ll clap, but they’ll chant. And that is wanted. I want to see that everyone is chanting. And if chanting has effect, then either he’s chanting jokingly or seriously it will have the effect. Fire, if you touch either jokingly or seriously or cautiously, it will act. So our request is that you also preach this cult. Let us cooperate. The whole world is suffering for want of God consciousness. So it is the duty of all religious sects to teach this simple art of chanting Hare Krsna or any other name which you have got. That’s all.

Revatinandana: They have got this prayer, “Lord Jesus have mercy on me, a miserable sinner.” And she was showing me they have a, almost like japa beads. Show him.

Guest (1): You see, here.

Revatinandana: They’re almost like japa mala.

Guest (1): We do it in some, together, in the orthodox church. And we take turns doing two hundred.

Prabhupada: That’s nice.

Guest (1): And... These are for counting.

Prabhupada: That is nice. We also do the same thing. We chant Hare Krsna.

Guest (1): “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us.”

Prabhupada: Oh, what is the wording?

Guest (1): “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us.”

Prabhupada: “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God...”

Revatinandana: “Have mercy on us.”

Guest (1): It’s a little prayer.

Prabhupada: That’s nice.

Guest (1): And they also pray to the mother of God.

Prabhupada: Sinful? “We are sinful?” You say, “sinful” something? “Forgive some sins” or something like?

Hamsaduta: “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us.” That is the prayer.

Guest (1): And you say it in your own language.

Prabhupada: That’s all right. “Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, have mercy on us.” That’s
nice. Very good.

Guest (1): (indistinct)

Prabhupada: That is nice. Now, the, by praying, it is expected that one should have mercy of
God. So what is the test that he has got the mercy of God?

Guest (1): The mercy of God is the love of God, isn’t it?

Prabhupada: That’s it. Mercy of... So... That is the test, that he has learned how to love God. Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Madhya 19.53]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is also worshiped, that “You can give love of God.” Krsna prema-pradaya te. Namo maha-vadanyaya. “You are the most munificent of all incarnations because You are distributing love of God.” Krsna-prema-pradaya te [Madhya 19.53]. Krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne. “You are Krsna in the form of devotee of Krsna. So I offer my respects.” This is Rupa Gosvami’s prayer.

Guest (1): Do you find that you chant, it clarifies you?

Prabhupada: Yes, certainly. God and God’s name, and God or God’s son, they are nondifferent. So either I be in touch with God’s son or God’s name, I am in touch with God. But they are nondifferent.

Guest (1): What happens to your mind? What do you do with your mind when you chant?

Prabhupada: Whatever it may be in my mind, it doesn’t matter. My mind may be different.

Guest (1): Where does it have to be? It has to be fixed?

Revatinandana: What will the mind be doing?

Hamsaduta: While chanting.

Revatinandana: What should the mind be doing?

Prabhupada: My mind should be absorbed in God consciousness. That is, that is the effect. He can think of God only, nothing else. That is the effect.

Guest (1): It’s very difficult to think of God.

Prabhupada: No. It is not difficult. It is difficult for the sinners. Those who are not sinners, it is not difficult. Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is said:

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvanda-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah

One can chant the holy name of the Lord if one is free from all sinful activities. A person who is engaged in sinful activities, he cannot concentrate. Therefore we ask our students, first discipline is that he must not have illicit sex life, he must not eat meat, he must not take any kind of intoxication, he must not indulge in gambling. Because these are sinful activities. So if one is engaged in these sinful activities, he cannot concentrate. It is impossible. One who is sinner, he cannot concentrate his mind on God. So voluntarily we should give up these sinful activities. Then it will be possible.

Who Is Crazy?

Now spiritualism, spiritualism means that we should identify ourself as God’s party. That’s all. That is spiritualism. They ask so many things, that, why the materialists are called crazy by the spiritualists? Oh, that is also partyism.

These materialists also call, say to the spiritualists, they are crazy. Just like we are, we have formed some Society of Krsna Consciousness, and, and those who do not like it, they say we are crazy fellows. We are assembly of crazy fellows. And, similarly, we call others who do not associate with us, they are crazy fellows. So there is, we have written pamphlet, booklet, “Who is Crazy?”. Now how to decide? You are thinking the Swamiji and the party, they are crazy. And we are thinking those who are materially engaged, they’re crazy. Now how to decide it? Can you suggest any way how to decide it, how, who is crazy?

Who will decide it? Everyone, two parties, when there is something disagreement, the two parties will say that, “You are in wrong,” the other party will say, “You are...” Now who will decide it? That who is wrong? Can you suggest any one of you who’ll decide? The world is going on in partyism and each opposite party is thinking that the other party is crazy. Now who will decide who is actually crazy? The actual... Then you have come to the point of reason, who is crazy?

Now just see. Take any common man. Not yourself, not myself. Any common man. If you ask him that, “What you are?”, he’ll say... His conception is that I am this body. Everyone will say. He’ll give you some description that, “I am Christian.” “I am Hindu.” “I am Mr. Such and Such.” “I am Mrs. Such and Such.” Everything, whatever he or she will say, that is all due to this body. All due to this body. Everyone. When you say, “You are American,” that means this is the body. Because by accident, by something, by some reason, you were born in this land of America. That is also another artificial name.

The land is neither America nor India. The land is land. But we give some designation, “This is America.” We make some boundary. This is United States of America. This is Canada. This is Europe, and this is Asia. This is India. So this is our name, but actually was there any history that the land is American, or the land...?

Say, four hundred years before, or five hundred years before, was this land was known as America? You have named it, America. Say, some thousands of years before was this, this, the continent which is known as, I mean, Europe, can you trace out history, that it was known as Europe? They are all designations.

Just like we can say from historical point of view of Vedic literature, this whole world was known as Ilavrta-varsa. Ilavrta-varsa. And, later on, since the reign of one great king, emperor, his name was Bharata. He changed the name into his own name, Bharata-varsa. So this whole planet was now Bharata-varsa. Then, as the days go on, the some part of this world was, I mean to say, separated from the original Bharata-varsa, and it was called Europe or some other place. Just like you have got practical experience even in this age, that India, say about twenty years before, the area of India was including Burma, Ceylon and the modern Pakistan and everything. Now it is separated. Now they are calling this is Pakistan. Somebody’s calling there is Ceylon. So this process is going on. Actually the land is neither Bharata-varsa, nor Asia, nor America, nor India, but we give this name. With the change of time, with the change of influence, they are all designations.

Fifty years before when some of you, of course, not all of you are fifty years old. Say, forty years before, or thirty-five years before, when you were, or twenty-five years before, when you were not born, can you say what was your designation? Were you American or Indian or Chinese or Russian, can you say? Say, after getting out of this body, do you think that you’ll continue as American or Indian or Chinese or Russian? Suppose you are now in America, in the land of America. So next life you may be in China. Who can say? Because we are changing our bodies, you cannot say that we are not changing our bodies. Can you say that you are not changing your body?

Yes, we are changing. When I was born, from the mother’s womb, my body was so little. Now how I have changed my...? Where is that body? Where is that body when I was a child? Where is that body when I was a boy? Where is that body when I was a young man? I have got my photograph, my studentship. Oh, Swamiji, you were like this? Where is that body? Where it has gone? So we are changing, but I am the same man. I am thinking, “Oh, in my childhood, I was doing like this. Oh, in my youthhood, I was thinking like this. In my boyhood, I did so many things.” Now where those days gone? If my body, everything has gone away? It is simply remembrance.

But still we are sticking to this body, and, when I ask you or when you ask me, “What you are?”, I say something in relationship with this body. Are you not crazy? Can you tell, any of you, that you are not crazy? If you, I mean to say, so far your identification, if you identify with something which you are not, then are you not crazy? Are you not crazy? So everyone who identifies with this body, he’s a crazy man. He’s a crazy man. It is a challenge to the world. Anyone who claims God’s property, God’s land, God’s earth, as own property, he’s a crazy man.

This is a challenge. Let anyone establish that this is his property, this is his body. You are simply, by nature, you are, by the fix of nature, you are put into some place. You are put under some body. You are put under some consciousness, and you are dictated by the laws of nature. And you are mad after that. So everyone,

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]

Prakrteh kriyamanani. Everyone is being pulled by the ear, just like a teacher takes to pull the ear of a student, and does like this...

Similarly, we, everyone of us under the complete clutches of the material nature, and we are being put, sometimes this body, sometimes that body. Now, fortunately, you have got human form of body.

Oh, but, don’t you see there are so many bodies? So many bodies. There are eight million, four hundred thousands of bodies, and, by the laws of nature, by the tricks of nature, you can be put into any kind of body according to your work. So you are completely under the grip of nature.

This time, fortunately or unfortunately, I have got this human form of life, but next time I may get the body of a dog or the body of a god. That will depend on my work. But the laws of nature is working. The laws of nature, or the material nature, is forcing me that you accept it. You cannot say that, after my death, let me have my birth in America. Oh, how can you say? You are not authority. You are not authority. So this is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]

Everything is being conducted by the supreme laws of nature, but the foolish man thinks that I am something. I am independent. This is foolishness. Ahankara-vimudhatma. Ahankara, this false egoism—ahankara means false egoism. What is that false egoism? That I am not this body, and I think I am this body. This is called false egoism. Therefore Sankaracarya, I mean to say, he preached his mission that you are not this body. You are spirit soul. Aham brahmasmi. Aham brahmasmi. Now, still, when we try to realize ourself, self-realization, there also foolishness, or the dictation of the maya, or illusory energy, continues.

What is that? Somebody’s trying to realize his self. I am not this body. He understands that I am not this body. I am spirit soul. Then? If you are spirit soul, then what is your position? Oh, void. Impersonal. Spirit soul, that means voidness? Oh, there is nothing after finishing this body? This voidness? There are philosophers who preach voidness. After this, finishing this body, there is nothing. And other philosophers, impersonalists, they say that, as soon as this body is finished, my personal identity is finished. Do you think like that? Is it possible? So long I am in this body, this body is not actual I am.

It is just like a vehicle. Just like you are sitting in a car. The car is moving according to your desire. Not that the car is moving independently. So when you are in the car, so you are moving the car according to your desire, right or left, or this road or that road. Suppose, if you are out of the car, do you think that your personality is gone? Is it any reason? So this body is just like a car.

It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarudhani mayaya [Bg. 18.61]. Maya has placed you in this car because you wanted this sort of car. Just like you have got in your practical experience. Somebody has got better car, somebody has got, I mean to say, inferior car. Somebody has got truck. But they’re moving. Similarly, these different bodies, they are like cars, and they are moving. Now suppose you are out of the car, either from the truck or from the Rolls Royce car or Chevrolet car or Ford car, do you think that your personality is finished?

Because you are out of the car? Then how can you say that when you are out of this body, your personality is finished? What is your reason?

So this is another craziness. Just see how craziness follows. Void. Why void? I am so much intelligent. I am doing... I am planning so many. Because my body is finished, therefore everything becomes void? This void philosophy was contradicted by the (indistinct). There is no void. There is spirit.

Now, if that spirit, when one comes to that spiritual self-realization, out of this body, then, if he’s still further advanced in spiritual knowledge, then he’ll seek what is my spiritual duty? What is my spiritual work? That is sanity. What is my spiritual work. Sanity, that is sanity. I cannot be void. I cannot lose my individuality and personality. That is nonsense. How can I? So long I am sitting in this body...

Or take this same crude example. So long I am sitting on the car, I am displaying so much individuality, and so much discrimination. As soon as there is red signal, I stop my car. There is blue signal, green signal, I start my car. I’m using my consciousness. I’m working. And, simply by getting down from the car, I lose everything. I become void? What is this nonsense? No.

[Excerpt from a Lecture on Bhagavad-gita As It Is 9.34, 12-26-1966]

Creating Life In The Future

Karandhara: They say they will create life in the future.

Srila Prabhupada: What future? When this crucial point is raised, they reply, “We shall do it in the future.” Why in the future? That is nonsense. “Trust no future, however pleasant.” If they are so advanced, they must demonstrate now how life can be created from chemicals. Otherwise what is the meaning of their advancement? They are talking nonsense.

Karandhara: They say that they are right on the verge of creating life.

Srila Prabhupada: That’s only a different way of saying the same thing: “In the future.” The scientists must admit that they still do not know the origin of life. Their claim that they will soon prove a chemical origin of life is something like paying someone with a postdated check. Suppose I give you a postdated check for ten thousand dollars but I actually have no money. What is the value of that check?

Scientists are claiming that their science is wonderful, but when a practical example is wanted, they say they will provide it in the future. Suppose I say that I possess millions of dollars, and when you ask me for some money I say, “Yes, I will now give you a big postdated check. Is that all right?” If you are intelligent, you will reply, “At present give me at least five dollars in cash so I can see something tangible.” Similarly, the scientists cannot produce even a single blade of grass in their laboratories, yet they are claiming that life is produced from chemicals. What is this nonsense? Is no one questioning this?

Karandhara: They say that life is produced by chemical laws.

Srila Prabhupada: As soon as there is a law, we must take into consideration that someone made the law. Despite all their so-called advancement, the scientists in their laboratories cannot produce even a blade of grass. What kind of scientists are they?
Dr. Singh. They say that in the ultimate analysis, everything came from matter. Living matter came from nonliving matter.

Srila Prabhupada: Then where is this living matter coming from now? Do the scientists say that life came from matter in the past but does not at the present? Where is the ant coming from now—from the dirt?

The Missing Link

Dr. Singh: In fact, there are several theories explaining how life originated from matter, how living matter came from the nonliving.

Srila Prabhupada: [casting Dr. Singh in the role of a materialistic scientist]. All right, scientist, why is life not coming from matter now? You rascal. Why isn’t life coming from matter now? Actually such scientists are rascals. They childishly say that life came from matter, although they are not at all able to prove it. Our Krsna consciousness movement should expose all these rascals. They are only bluffing. Why don’t they create life immediately? In the past, they say, life arose from matter; and they say that this will happen again in the future. They even say that they will create life from matter. What kind of theory is this? They have already commented that life began from matter. This refers to the past—“began.” Then why do they now speak of the future? Is it not contradictory? They are expecting the past to occur in the future. This is childish nonsense.

Karandhara: They say that life arose from matter in the past and that they will create life this way in the future.

Srila Prabhupada: What is this nonsense? If they cannot prove that life arises from matter in the present, how do they know life arose this way in the past?

Dr. Singh: They are assuming...

Srila Prabhupada: Everyone can assume, but this is not science. Everyone can assume something. You can assume something, I can assume something. But there must be proof. We can prove that life arises from life. For example, a father begets a child. The father is living, and the child is living. But where is their proof that a father can be a dead stone? Where is their proof? We can easily prove that life begins from life. And the original life is Krsna. That also can be proven. But what evidence exists that a child is born of stone? They cannot actually prove that life comes from matter. They are leaving that aside for the future. [Laughter.]

Karandhara: The scientists say that they can now formulate acids, amino acids, that are almost like one-celled living organisms. They say that because these acids so closely resemble living beings, there must be just one missing link needed before they can create life.

Srila Prabhupada: Nonsense! Missing link. I’ll challenge them to their face! [Laughter.] They are missing this challenge. The missing link is this challenge to their face.

[from Life Comes From Life]

The Progress of the Asses

Srila Prabhupada: Everyone is suffering here in the material world, and scientific improvement means that the scientists are creating a situation of further suffering. That’s all.

They are not making improvements. Bhaktivinoda Thakura[6] confirms this by saying, moha janamiya, anitya samsare, jivake karaye gadha: “By so-called scientific improvements, the scientist has become an ass.” Moreover, he is becoming a better and better ass, and nothing more. Suppose that by working very hard like an ass, a person builds a skyscraper. He may engage in a lifelong labor for this, but ultimately he must die. He cannot stay; he will be kicked out of his skyscraper, because material life is impermanent.

Scientists are constantly doing research, and if you ask them what they are doing, they say, “Oh, it is for the next generation, for the future.” But I say, “What about you? What about your skyscraper? If in your next life you are going to be a tree, what will you do with your next generation then?” But he is an ass. He does not know that he is going to stand before his skyscraper for ten thousand years. And what about the next generation? If there is no petrol, what will the next generation do? And how will the next generation help him if he is going to be a cat, a dog or a tree?

The scientists—and everyone else—should endeavor to achieve freedom from the repetition of birth and death. But instead, everyone is becoming more and more entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Bhave ’smin klisyamananam avidya-kama-karmabhih. This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.8.35). Here in one line the whole material existence is explained. This is literature.

This one line is worth thousands of years of research work. It explains how the living entity is taking birth in this world, where he comes from, where he is going, what his activities should be, and many other essential things. The words bhave ’smin klisyamananam refer to the struggle for existence. Why does this struggle exist? Because of avidya, ignorance. And what is the nature of that ignorance? Kama-karmabhih, being forced to work simply for the senses, or in other words, entanglement in material sense gratification.

Student: So, is it true that modern scientific research increases the demands of the body because the scientist is ultimately working to gratify his senses?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

[from Life Comes From Life]