Bhagavad-gītā 2.18

Bhagavad-gītā 2.18

Prabhupāda: ...they are serving the whole body, similarly, Kṛṣṅa is the supreme whole and we are His parts and parcels; therefore our duty is to serve Him. This is our constitutional position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109].

[”It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṅa has three varieties of energy.]

We cannot become Kṛṣṅa. We are eternally Kṛṣṅa's servitors, part and parcel.

This is real conclusion: qualitatively one. Just like this finger, you can call it body, but it is part and parcel of the body. Similarly, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, you may call "God," but he's not the Supreme God. Supreme God is Kṛṣṅa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ [Bs 5.1].

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

So anāśinaḥ aprameyasya. Anāśinaḥ: it cannot be destroyed. Although it is very minute, aprameyasya... You cannot measure. You have no such measuring method, that you can measure the soul's breadth and..., length and breadth. In geometry, they finish it: "Point has no length and breadth." But that is not the fact. A point has also length and breadth, but we cannot measure it. Aprameya.

Similarly, there is length and breadth of the soul also. That is also mentioned in the Vedic literature.

[aside:] Go little back side.

It is said in the Purāṅas:

keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya satadhā kalpitasya ca jīvo bhāgasya vijñeyaḥ sa anantāya kalpate [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.9]

[When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul.]

The spirit soul is measured, first of all, divide the tip of your hair into one hundred parts, and then take one part again, and again divide it into one hundred parts. That portion is the measurement of the soul. Or, in other words, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair.

Now, we have no measuring instrument. Therefore, because we have no measuring instrument, although the soul is there within this body, we cannot find it out. Although the soul and the Supersoul both are situated within the heart, and the heart is the center of all vitality, energy of this body...

That is accepted. But we have no eyes to see the soul or the Supersoul because these material eyes are blunt, imperfect. You cannot see so many things. I cannot see even my eyelids, the nearest, and I cannot see which is far, far away, distant place.

So all our senses are imperfect. By imperfect senses you cannot see the spirit soul. You cannot see even the spirit soul; how you can see the Supreme Soul, God? That is not possible. You have to purify your senses. Then you can see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

[Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṅa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṅa really is.]

The present blunt senses, material senses, all are imperfect. Even we hear the Lord's name, nāmādi, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi... Just like we are chanting. One who is spiritually advanced, he's enjoying this Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa's name. But those who are blunt, they will see, they will think, "What these people are chanting?" Because he has no power to hear. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi.

But realization of Śrī Kṛṣṅa begins by hearing. That is the method. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ [SB 7.5.23].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

If you hear about Kṛṣṅa, if you chant about Kṛṣṅa, then gradually your heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅam [Cc Antya 20.12].

[Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṅa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.]

By chanting and hearing, the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed. Then you will understand what is your position in relationship with God. You'll understand what is God.

Therefore in this age especially, Kali-yuga, because people cannot perform any other austerities... They're unable. They're so dull. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10].

[O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.]

This is the position of the people of this age. Prāyeṅa alpa āyuṣaḥ. Generally, their span of life is very short. It is decreasing, day by day.

As our forefathers lived ninety years, hundred years, now we are not living up to such extent of ages. Generally, people are dying... In India, the average age is thirty-five years. In other countries, maybe little more. But gradually it is decreasing, and it will decrease to such a point that even a..., if a man lives for twenty to thirty years, then he'll be considered as grand old man. That, that day will come.

So this age... Therefore śāstra says, prāyeṅa alpa āyuṣaḥ. Generally, almost everyone is short-living. Prāyeṅa alpa āyuṣaḥ kalau asmin yuge janāḥ. Asmin yuge, kalau, they are very short-living. Then again, mandāḥ: all rascals. Mandāḥ, third class; no first-class men. Practically no brahminical qualification. All śūdra qualification.

Therefore mandāḥ. Sumanda-matayaḥ. And if one comes forward to be spiritually enlightened, he accepts something bogus, which has no meaning, without any reference to the śāstras. Therefore mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. They have got a opinion, and that is going on. You may have any opinion. That is all right. This foolishness is going on in this age. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ.

Manda-bhāgyāḥ: and most unfortunate. Everyone is practically unfortunate. Nobody has certainty what he will eat tomorrow, or in the evening. Everywhere. Don't think only it is only in India. In America. When I went there, I thought everyone is very rich. There are so many poor men. They are lying on the street. The street-lying population is everywhere, either in India or in America or in England. I have seen.

The first-class, second-class, third-class men will remain there. You may however try to make everyone first class, the division, first class, second class, third class, will go on. That is nature's arrangement. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10].

[O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.]

And disturbed. Just like today's strike, unnecessarily. Disturbance. So many disturbance everywhere, all over the world, because the population has degraded. Degraded. They must be like that. This is the way.

Therefore, anyone is interested for spiritual advancement, he should take to this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, which is principally chanting.

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

In this age, you cannot practice yoga, mystic yoga practice, meditation; it is not possible. It is very difficult. You cannot arrange for big, big sacrifices. That is also not possible. Therefore three times it is said: nāsty eva nāsty... You cannot take to the yogic principle; you cannot take to the ritualistic ceremonies; you cannot take to the temple worship also. It is very difficult.

Kalau na...

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṅuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt [SB 12.3.52]

[Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṅu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra.]

This is the injunction of the śāstra, that in the Satya-yuga, when people were said to live for one hundred thousands of years, at that time yogic principle, meditation, was possible. And in the Tretā-yuga, the performance of big, big sacrifices was possible, because things were available, there were yājñika-brāhmaṅas. In this age, practically there is no yājñika-brāhmaṅa who can perform yajña. No competent brāhmaṅa. Therefore performance of sacrifices is not possible.

The only performance of sacrifice is this, as we are performing—Hare Kṛṣṅa festival. That is stated: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana. In this age, Kali-yuga, no other sacrifices are..., is possible. Only sacrifice... This is sacrifice, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana, just like we are doing, in a small scale. But it can be done in larger scale. But people are not interested. People are not interested. They have lost all brain.

Su-medhasaḥ, and alpa-medhasaḥ. These two words, two words are used in the śāstras. Alpa-medhasaḥ. Medhā means brain substance. So those who are alpa-medhasaḥ, they, means less brain substance. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām [Bg 7.23].

[Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.]

Alpa-medhasaḥ, less intelligent, less brain substance, they worship different demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ [Bg 7.20].

The anya-devatās are there, but who are attracted to worship other demigods? Those who are lusty. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ. These are the statements in the Bhagavad-gītā, you know. Those who are lusty, and, being lusty, they have lost their senses. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he says, hṛta-jñānāḥ naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ. No intelligence. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante 'nya-devatāḥ [Bg 7.20]. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām.

So in this age, this is simply waste of time. If you actually interested in spiritual advancement of life, if you divert your attention in so-called worship of this demigod, that demigod, this demigod, then you'll simply waste your time. There will be no advancement. And even you become perfect in worshiping the demigods, then what will be your profit? The profit will be yānti deva-vratā devān [Bg 9.25]:

[Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.]

you can go to the planets where the demigods live.

But the planets and this material world, everything will be annihilated. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām [Bg 7.23]. Suppose you are promoted to the Brahmaloka. That is also antavat. It will be finished, because by the end of Brahmā's duration of life, everything within this universe will be finished. Therefore antavat. That is not permanent. But if you manage to go back to home, back to Godhead, then yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg 15.6]. Then that is perfect life.

So anyone who is not interested in perfect life, they'll be allured by this so-called demigod worship. Antavat tu phalam. But those who are intelligent... These are the activities of the alpa-medhasaḥ. But one who is su-medhasaḥ, su-medhaḥ, one who has got good brain substance, for him, in this age it is recommended, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ.

kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣākṛṣṅaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ [SB 11.5.32]

[In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṅa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṅa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.]

Kṛṣṅa-varṅam. Kṛṣṅa Himself. Kṛṣṅa, or kṛṣṅaṁ varṅayati. The one, the incarnation of God, who will chant always "Kṛṣṅa," that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached this Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. Therefore kṛṣṅaṁ varṅayati, iti kṛṣṅa-varṅam. Kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṅam. Tviṣā, by complexion, He's akṛṣṅa, "not kṛṣṅa," "not black." Kṛṣṅa appeared blackish. Not blackish as we imagine. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. Kṛṣṅa, although He's blackish, He is attractive more than millions of Cupids. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.30].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids.]

So anyway, Kṛṣṅa appears in four colors—red, black, yellow and white—in different ages. So in this age, Kali-yuga, Kṛṣṅa appears as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yellow color. Kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṅam. Akṛṣṅa may be red. Akṛṣṅa may be white. But this akṛṣṅa means pīta, yellow. Because other akṛṣṅa, red and white, was in the Satya-yuga and Tretā-yuga. Therefore here akṛṣṅa means the yellow.

Kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣākṛṣṅaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam [SB 11.5.32]: He's always surrounded by His intimate devotees. He's surrounded by many devotees. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, wherever He was going, thousands and thousands of people were following His saṅkīrtana, but especially He, He was always surrounded by five special devotees:

śrī-kṛṣṅa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

He's Himself, Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya; His expansion, Nityānanda; His incarnation, Śrī Advaita Prabhu; His internal energy, Gadādhara; and His external, marginal energy, Advaita Prabhu, er, Śrīvāsa.

But He has got another energy, which is called external energy. External energy cannot come in front of God, Kṛṣṅa. This is māyā. Just like darkness cannot come in front of the sun.

kṛṣṅa—sūrya-sama, māyā andhakāra yāhāṅ kṛṣṅa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra [Cc Madhya 22.31]

[Kṛṣṅa is compared to sunshine, and māyā is compared to darkness. Wherever there is sunshine, there cannot be darkness. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, the darkness of illusion (the influence of the external energy) will immediately vanish.]

This material world is dark. It is called tamaḥ. Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya. The Vedic instruction is, "Don't remain in this material world. Come to the spiritual world." Spiritual world. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṅḍa-koṭi-kotiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam, tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtam [Bs 5.40].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upaniṣads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth.]

So come to the Brahman platform, brahma-jyoti. Don't remain within this darkness.

So therefore in this age,

kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣākṛṣṅaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ [SB 11.5.32]

[In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṅa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṅa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.]

This is intelligence, to chant saṅkīrtana. Bahubhir militvā kīrtayati: assemble in big assembly, just like we are trying to introduce. It is very easy. Chant, thousands and thousands of people. Never mind what he is. It doesn't matter whether he's learned or fool, rich or poor, or black or white, or brāhmaṅa or śūdra. No consideration. Come together. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Your brain will be cleansed. It is so easy. It is so nice and so perfect.

According to the instruction of the Vedas: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam [Cc Ādi 17.21].

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

Repeatedly, in every Vedic literature. And practically, Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced practically. And He asked every Indian to go outside India and preach this cult, Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra. But we are not doing that. We are going outside our country to beg only, not to give. And here is a prime gift. You can give all over the world. Your country will be glorified. They're anxious for this.

Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prediction: "As many towns and villages are there on the surface of the globe, everywhere this Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, or Lord Caitanya's name, will be celebrated." [CB Antya-khaṅḍa 4.126]

[In every town and village of the world, the chanting of My name will be heard.]

That is being done. There is immense field for introducing this Hare Kṛṣṅa cult all over the world. That is practical.

Unfortunately, although Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted the matter to every Indian... Not that [only] to the Bengalis, because He appeared in Bengal. He never said for the Bengalis. He said, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra [Cc Ādi 9.41].

[One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.]

"On this holy land of Bhārata-varṣa, anyone who has taken his birth as a human being, he should make his life perfect." Janma sārthaka kari'.

You cannot preach without making your life first of all perfect. If I remain imperfect, I cannot preach. One must be perfect. That is not very difficult. We have got direction of great sages and saintly persons and God, Kṛṣṅa, Himself. So to make our life perfect is not at all difficult. We are simply neglecting. That is our misfortune. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ [SB 1.1.10].

[O learned one, in this iron Age of Kali men almost always have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.]

Because we are manda, manda-mataḥ, we are accept some bogus logic, bogus "ism," and wasting our time. We should take from the śāstra the real path. Then we shall become intelligent. Su-medhasaḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ [SB 11.5.32].

[In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṅa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṅa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.]

The short-cut method. Intelligent class of men will take this saṅkīrtana movement for his spiritual elevation of life. It is a fact. It is scientific. It is authorized.

So don't neglect. Take this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa heart and soul, and anywhere... Niyamitaḥ smaraṅe na kālaḥ. There is no rules and regulation, that "You have to chant at this time or that time, in this position or that position." No. Because it is especially meant for these fallen conditioned soul, there is no hard-and-fast rule.

Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṅe na kālaḥ [Śikṣāṣṭaka 2]. The name, the holy name of Kṛṣṅa, is as powerful as Kṛṣṅa. There is no difference with Kṛṣṅa and His name. Kṛṣṅa is Absolute. Therefore there is no distinction between Kṛṣṅa's name, Kṛṣṅa's form, Kṛṣṅa's quality, Kṛṣṅa's entourage, Kṛṣṅa's pastime, from Kṛṣṅa. Everything is Kṛṣṅa.

If you hear about Kṛṣṅa, then you should know that you are touching Kṛṣṅa by aural reception. If you see Kṛṣṅa the Deity, that means you are seeing personally Kṛṣṅa. Because Kṛṣṅa is absolute. He can accept your service, any way, because He is everything. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam [Īśo mantra 1].

[Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.]

His energy. Parasya brahmaṅaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. Everything's Kṛṣṅa's energy. So if we are in touch with Kṛṣṅa's energy, with a little knowledge, we are directly in touch with Kṛṣṅa. This is the process.

And as you become constantly in touch with Kṛṣṅa, that is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Then you become purified. Purified. Just like if you put one iron rod in the fire, it becomes warm, warmer, warmer, and at last it becomes red hot. When it is red hot, it is fire. It is no more iron rod. Similarly, if you keep always in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, you become Kṛṣṅized. This is the process. Then everything becomes purified; then your spiritual life is manifested. Then your life is successful.

So the first beginning is, here, as it is said by Kṛṣṅa, antavanta ime dehāḥ: don't be attached with this body. The body is material, but even this body is material, it can be spiritualized by the same process, by Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Spiritualized means when this body will forget the materialistic activities. This body, you can utilize for sense gratification. Just generally people are doing—eating, sleeping, mating and drinking and so on. So you can utilize this body. That is material. But if you engage this body for the service of the Lord, it becomes spiritualized.

As I have already explained, the iron rod, constantly in touch with fire, it becomes, at end, it becomes red hot. That is fire. At that time, it acts like fire. You touch that red-hot iron rod anywhere, it will burn. Similarly, this body can be spiritualized, although it is material body. How? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234].

[No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṅa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.]

māṁ ca vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26]

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

Brahman. Brahmā-bhūyāya kalpate. It at once becomes Brahman. Brahmā-bhūyāya kalpate. How? Avyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate.

Therefore this process, arcana. Everyone is engaged only in Kṛṣṅa's service. They are, from the beginning of the day, four o'clock, they are rise from the bed; they offer maṅgala-ārātrika. You are seeing practically. We are demonstrating the Kṛṣṅa con..., how one can become Kṛṣṅa conscious perfectly. Therefore we have brought this Deity. Anyone can do it at home. Where is the difficulty? If these Europeans and Americans, they can do, our Indians, which is our heritage, we are born in this land of Bhārata-varṣa, we cannot do it? But we are neglecting. We are so fallen. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ [SB 1.1.10]. We have become so unfortunate that we cannot take to this process.

So whatever we have done, done, that's all right. But now this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is there. Everyone should take it very seriously and make his life perfect.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [break]

Acyutānanda: [reading questions:] "...Kṛṣṅa, they accept that Kṛṣṅa is in every living entity, and therefore they say that by serving humanity and your fellow man, that that is serving Kṛṣṅa. Is that correct?"

Prabhupāda: If you remain in a room, to serve the room, does it mean that serving you? You are within a room. Simply cleansing the room, does it mean serving you? The present moment, what they are doing? Just like my Guru Mahārāja used to say that a man has fallen on the water, and one brave man came. He said that "I shall save this man."

"And he also jumped in the water and brought his coat and shirt, and he said, "Now the man is saved." Is it saving the man? So similarly, the service of humanity means they are serving the body. Where is the soul? They do not know how to serve. Just like washing the cage, and the bird within the cage, it is starving [imitates bird]: "kanh-kanh-kanh."

So they do not know what is service. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṅape tri-dhātuke [SB 10.84.13].

[One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.]

They are thinking this body. That is, that is... We are explaining this morning: antavanta ime dehāḥ. This body is perishable. It is material. What is the use of serving it? However you serve it, it will destroy. Try to save the soul who is put into this body and embarrassed.

That is real service. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. We are trying to save the soul. The body, however you try to save it, it will, antavanta ime dehāḥ, it will end—today or tomorrow or after some years. You cannot save it. Save the soul. Nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṅaḥ. The śarīriṅaḥ, the soul, which is within the body, that is nitya, eternal.

Now, although it is nitya, it is fallen in certain condition of this material body, that it appears to be dying. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam [Bg 13.9].

[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]

He's under the tribulation of birth, death, old age and disease on account of this material body. Therefore, if you actually want to give service to the humanity, then give service to the soul.

And if you give service to the soul, automatically the body is also served. But if you stress on the body, without... Therefore, despite all arrangements for humanitarian work, the human society becoming worser and worser. Why? That is not service. They do not know how to serve. Illusion.

Real service is this: Kṛṣṅa consciousness, to arouse the Kṛṣṅa con..., dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness in every human being. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti. To make him aroused in relationship with Kṛṣṅa, that is real service. So what is going on in the name of service, that is not service. That is simply washing the coat and shirt. That's all. [break]

Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]