Bhagavad-gītā 2.25

Prabhupāda:

avyakto 'yam acintyo 'yam avikāryo 'yam ucyate tasmād evaṁ viditvainaṁ nānuśocitum arhasi [Bg 2.25]

[It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.]

So in so many different ways, Kṛṣṅa is convincing how the spirit soul is immortal. In different ways. Avyakto 'yam. It is not manifest to the blunt material eyes. We cannot see, because as we have explained several times, the magnitude of the soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, very small. I think smaller than the atom. That spirit soul is everywhere. Sarva-ga. Sarva-gata. Everywhere.

Aṅḍāntara-stha-paramāṅu-cayāntara-stham [Bs 5.35].

[He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I adore.]

And wherever the spirit soul is there within this material world, he has got a body and there is heart, and within that heart Kṛṣṅa is also there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

Both of them living there. Therefore, aṅor aṅīyān mahato mahīyān: Kṛṣṅa can become greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. This is God.

When Kṛṣṅa was playing as a child, He ate earth, and the playmates complained to Mother Yaśodā: "Mother, your son Kṛṣṅa is eating earth." Mother Yaśodā called for explanation: "Kṛṣṅa, why You are eating earth? I have given You sandeśa." Kṛṣṅa said, "No, mother, I have not eaten." "No, Your friends are complaining." "No, they have become My enemies this morning. We had some quarrel; therefore they have combined together to make Me chastised by you." So in this way... Then Mother Yaśodā wanted to solve this problem: "All right, show Your mouth, open Your mouth. I want to see." And when Kṛṣṅa opened the mouth, the mother saw innumerable universes are within the mouth.

This is Kṛṣṅa. Aṅor aṅīyān mahato mahīyān. Kṛṣṅa enters within the universe, but at the same time, millions of universes are within His mouth. This is the explanation of "the greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest." Of course, Mother Yaśodā, although she saw, she could not believe it because Mother Yaśodā never thought of that Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She always thought that "He is my teeny child." That's all. "I have to take care of Him." This is called paternal feelings, vātsalya-rasa.

Kṛṣṅa is served by the devotees in so many rasas, transcendental mellow, or humor. Somebody is serving as servant. Somebody is serving as friend. Somebody is serving as father and mother. Somebody is serving as conjugal lover. These are five primary mellows in which a devotee is connected with Kṛṣṅa. And there are other seven rasas also. They are not primary; secondary. Somebody is serving Kṛṣṅa as enemy. Just like the asuras, they also serve Kṛṣṅa—as enemy. Somebody is serving, giving pleasure to Kṛṣṅa, by fighting with Him.

So there are so many, twelve rasas. Akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. All the rasas that we have got experience within this world, they are coming from Kṛṣṅa. Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. The Vedānta-sūtra says, "Everything, whatever we see within our experience, we cannot experience anything if it is not in Kṛṣṅa." That is Kṛṣṅa. He was stealing, which we consider not very good business. That stealing is also in Kṛṣṅa. He's, He's famous as Mākhana-cora, the stealer of butter. So this is Kṛṣṅa.

So everything is there. Whatever our dealings in this material world we find, that is only perverted reflection of our dealing with Kṛṣṅa in the spiritual world. But those who are unaware of the spiritual world, impersonalist, they have no information that Kṛṣṅa is always busy. Jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī. He's always busy. He's person. But He is simply dear to the gopījana. Gopījana-vallabha. He wants to please the gopījanas. The gopīs, the cowherd boys and the gopīs, are constant companion of Kṛṣṅa.

So this is sanātana. Kṛṣṅa is sanātana, and His dealing with His devotees, that is also sanātana. And these are possible not here, but in the sanātana-dhāma. We cannot have sanātana dealings with Kṛṣṅa within this material world. Therefore Kṛṣṅa comes to canvass the conditioned soul that "For eternal happiness, for eternal dealings, you come to Me in My eternal place." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg 15.6].

Why not in this material world? No. The material world, the nature, is it is not permanent; it is temporary. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19]. Janmādy asya [SB 1.1.1]. Janmādi. Everything here in this material world has a date of birth, and anything which has a date of birth must be a date of death also. That is the nature of this material world. So here we can practice what is sanātana-dharma, but actually sanātana-dharma is executed in the spiritual world.

So just like one is trained up to become apprentice in some business, and when he's trained up, then he's given the post, so we get this information from the gosvāmīs, sanātana-gosvāmīs, that those who are devotees, those who are perfected in the training of devotional service, they are first of all given birth in the universe where Kṛṣṅa is present.

Kṛṣṅa is always present, just like the sun is present always in the sky, but we can see the sun in some opportune moment. But sun is always there. When the sun is set, it is set in my vision, but sun is there. When it is night, I cannot see the sun, but the sun is there. Similarly, Kṛṣṅa is always there. We have to make our eyes to see Him. That's all. And that, how that eyes are made?

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṅa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [Bs 5.38]

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṅa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.]

Only the devotees who have loving affection for Kṛṣṅa, who has developed loving propensity... The loving propensity's there already. But we have transferred..., the loving propensity to Kṛṣṅa, we have transferred the loving propensity to the māyā.

So whole Kṛṣṅa consciousness process is again transferring the loving propensity from māyā to Kṛṣṅa. This is the simple method. We have got love for Kṛṣṅa, but being illusioned, being falsely positioned, we are trying to love something which is not Kṛṣṅa—māyā, Kṛṣṅa's māyā, illusion. Mama māyā. Kṛṣṅa says, "Māyā is also Mine." Just like this cloud. What is this cloud?

This is also made by the sun. Everyone, you know. The cloud means the sun evaporates water from the ocean, and it becomes cloud, and the business of the cloud is to cover our eyes to see the sun. Actually, the cloud has no existence, separate existence, and as soon as the sun is bright, the cloud disappears. This is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg 8.19]. It comes into existence and again it disappears. This is māyā. But the sky remains there; the sun remains there.

Similarly, māyā, illusion, is sometimes is generated. This is the creation of the material world, mahat-tattva-māyā. So this is not permanent. It comes and goes. Similarly, māyā is simply covering our eyes. Just the... Just like this cloud, it is not possible for the cloud to cover the sun. Sun is ninety-three millions, or at least, fourteen, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So how a cloud, spreading over, say, a few miles, ten miles, it can cover the sun? No. The cloud cannot cover the sun, but the cloud can cover my eyesight. This is the position.

Similarly, māyā cannot touch Kṛṣṅa. The Māyāvādī philosophy is that māyā also covers Kṛṣṅa. When Kṛṣṅa comes here, He comes covered by this māyā. No. This is not. Māyā cannot touch. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... When Vyāsadeva realized Kṛṣṅa, before writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam...

bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṅihite 'male apaśyat puruṣaṁ paraṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam [SB 1.7.4]

So Vyāsadeva, by his meditation, saw the Supreme Person and māyā also. Māyā is on the backside. Māyā cannot come in the front side. So Kṛṣṅa is never covered by māyā. It is our eyes which covered by māyā. So we, the fragments of Kṛṣṅa, mamaivāṁśaḥ, we are covered by māyā, not Kṛṣṅa.

The theory that Kṛṣṅa becomes covered, that is nonsense. How Kṛṣṅa can be covered? Kṛṣṅa cannot be covered. He is the controller of the māyā. And we are controlled by the māyā. That is the difference. Kṛṣṅa, māyādhīśa, and we are māyādhīna. Adhīna. We can become free. Exactly the same example that when our eyes are covered by the cloud, we cannot see the sun, although the sun is there.

So if some way or other... We have got very good experience nowadays by flying in the airship. As soon as the airship goes above the cloud, you have got immense sunlight. Immense sunlight. And practically, the jet planes, they go seven miles above the surface and there is no cloud. The cloud is down.

Similarly, you can go also above māyā. You can transcend māyā and see Kṛṣṅa always. That is possible. How? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14].

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

You simply surrender to Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa will arrange that you are no more under māyā. Simple process. You just become, as Kṛṣṅa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

This is sanātana-dharma. Because we are, after all, servant of Kṛṣṅa, but artificially we are trying to become master of this material..., of this world. We are therefore sent here. Just like those who are revolutionary, do not care for the state laws, they are sometimes killed or sometimes put into the prison house. That means those who are not voluntarily surrendering to Kṛṣṅa, they are put into the prison house. They are forced to surrender. Forced to surrender. They'll be forced.

Just like you cannot become... You are not free, either outside the prison house or inside the prison house. But when you think that you have become free... Vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ, falsely thinking that "I have now become liberated." Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ [SB 10.2.32].

[[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.]

But the intelligence is not very clear.

This is last snare of māyā. When one thinks that "I am God. I have become God," that is the last snare of māyā. That is also māyā. How you can become God? What capacity you have got? God has created so many things. What you have created? God has shown so many things. What you have done? But still, falsely they are thinking, "I am God."

This is māyā, last snare of māyā. Because the real disease, as we have already explained, is to lord it over the material nature. Everyone is trying: "I am the lord of all I survey. I want to become lord of this universe." "I want to become minister," "I want to become president," "I want to become business magnitude." And everything fails. Then he wants to become God. That is also māyā. That is not possible.

So this is going on. So real our relationship with God, Kṛṣṅa, is to serve Him. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109].

anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṅa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṅa veda purāṅa kailā [Cc Madhya 20.117]

[Forgetting Kṛṣṅa, the living entity has been attracted by the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy [māyā] gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence.]

We have forgotten real position, sanātana-dharma. We have forgotten. Sanātana-dharma means a living entity is meant for serving the whole. Living entity's a part, part of the whole. So the living entity's business is to serve the whole. Just like this finger. This finger is the part of my body. Its business is to carry out my order, to serve the whole. I want the finger to come here. Immediately... Similarly, our business is to serve Kṛṣṅa, but when we want to become lord, independent of Kṛṣṅa, that is called māyā.

kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare [Prema-vivarta]

[When an individual soul forgets his eternal relationship with God and tries to lord it over the material nature or resources, that condition, that forgetful condition, is called māyā, or illusion.]

This is a statement in the Prema-vivarta. As soon as we desire to imitate Kṛṣṅa, that is māyā. Māyā is nothing. We create that situation of māyā. What is that? "I want to become Kṛṣṅa. I want to become God. I want to become the Lord." This is māyā. This is not possible.

So Kṛṣṅa is sanātana. We are also sanātana. But when we forget to serve Kṛṣṅa, that is our asanātana. And when we are engaged again in the service of Kṛṣṅa, that is sanātana-dharma. So sanātana-dharma means eternally serving Kṛṣṅa. Another example, dharma... What is dharma? Dhṛ-dhātu. Characteristic.

You cannot change it. You cannot change it. Just like sugar. Sugar characteristic means sweetness. And chili characteristic means pungent. So everything has got characteristic. Everything. That is called dharma. If sugar has become pungent and chili has become sweet... You purchase chili. If it is not very pungent, you throw it... "Oh, it is not good," because the dharma of the chili is lacking there. Similarly, if you take sugar and if you find it salty, then you... "Oh, what is this?"

So everything has got some characteristic. So we are living entities. We have got our characteristics. That is sanātana. I am sanātana, eternal, and my characteristic is to serve God. If I don't serve God, then the characteristic will remain there. Then I'll have to serve māyā, in the illusion that I have become master.

Actually, he's serving, but... Just like one man has got motorcar. So motorcar, to maintain a motorcar, to purchase a motorcar, it requires lots of money. So get that money, he has to work very hard. And when he gets that money, he purchases a car, and then he has to maintain it by oiling, by supplying so many things. But he's thinking that "Now I have got a motorcar. Very nice." What is that? You are serving your motorcar. That's all.

So this is the position. One is actually serving, not master. But he's thinking that he's master. This is māyā. So when we give up this false prestigious position that "I am master," then you are liberated. Hitvā anyathā rūpam. Mukti, the definition of mukti is hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṅa avasthitiḥ [SB 2.10.6]. Anyathā rūpam.

[The merging of the living entity, along with his conditional living tendency, with the mystic lying down of the Mahā-Viṣṅu is called the winding up of the cosmic manifestation. Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies.]

Now we are struggling hard within this material world, under the influence of māyā, changing different types of body. Sometimes I am going to the heavenly planets. Sometimes I am going to the hellish planets. Sometimes I am rich man. Sometimes I am poor man. Sometimes brāhmaṅa, sometimes śūdra. Sometimes tiger, sometimes tree. In this way, sarva-gata. Everywhere within this universe, the living entities are struggling for existence.

Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṅi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta [Bg 15.7]. Kṛṣṅa says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel, but foolishly, by..., carried by the mental concoction, prakṛti-sthāni, within this material world, karṣati, struggling to become master." This is the disease. Prakṛti-sthāni karṣati.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi sarvaśaḥ ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg 3.27]

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

These rascals, they are pulled by the ear by prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni. "You do this"—I have to do this. One who has associated with the tamo-guṅa of prakṛti, prakṛti has given a body just like hog, and the prakṛti is obliging, "You come here. Eat the stool," and he's eating, "Oh, so nice." This is māyā.

Stool is very nice thing? But prakṛti has given this hog a certain type of body and he is relishing: "Oh, stool is so nice." This is going on. Similarly, human form of body also. They're eating so many nonsense things in the restaurant, in the hotel, and they're relishing: "Oh, it is so nice." This is māyā. This is going on.

So our business is to serve, but because we have taken this attitude, that "I don't like to serve Kṛṣṅa" or "I am Kṛṣṅa," then we are under the clutches of māyā. Immediately. And under the illusion of māyā... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi... [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Because we are associating with the different modes of material nature, therefore we have to take birth, sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu.

One is becoming hog, one is becoming dog, one is becoming human being, one is becoming demigod, one is becoming tree, one is becoming plant. So many, 8,400,000 of species and form of life. Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya [Bg 14.4].

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

Kṛṣṅa says, "All these forms, whatever they may be, I am the bīja-pradaḥ pitā. I am the father." So if Kṛṣṅa is the original father of every living entity, how one has become brāhmaṅa, one has become śūdra, one has become tree, one has become tiger, one has become hog, one has become Indra, one has become Brahmā? How is that?

Now, kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu [Bg 13.22].

[The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.]

So we are getting our birth in different types of body. The reason is I am associating with different types of the modes of nature. My mind is carrying me. It is not death. It is foolish to say that "This man is now dead. Everything is finished." That is rascaldom. Not finished. It is going on. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg 2.20].

[For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.]

The foolish rascals, they say, "Now this man is dead, finished." Big, big professor, they are saying, "Swāmījī, after death everything is finished." And he's professor. Just see.

Rascal fools, they are becoming leaders, professors, politicians. How the people will be happy? They are put into the ignorance of life. Always put. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31].

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

They have been enamored by the external feature of Kṛṣṅa's energy. This is also Kṛṣṅa's energies, this material world. But we are attracted by this material energy. We should be attracted by the spiritual energy. That is perfection of life.

Both energies are Kṛṣṅa's. Apara, para. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. So we are now attracted by the apara energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ [Bg 7.4],

[Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.]

these material elements. We want. Because we are attracted by the material energy, therefore, when we construct a very nice stone house, oh, we think, "Now, yes, my life is successful. I have got a very nice house, made of stone." Are you stone? No. Still, my attraction is for the stone. Therefore Kṛṣṅa gives me facility: "All right, you take the stone and try to... But you'll never be happy. Happy you'll be when you surrender to Me."

Just like a child is given by the father all facilities to play, but at the same time, the father says, "My dear child, don't play like this. It is not good." But because the child persists, father sometimes says, "All right, you play like that. Similarly, Kṛṣṅa does not want that we should come in this material world and be attracted by the earth, water, air, fire, and become great scientist and make combination of these five elements. Tejo-vāri-mṛd vinimaya.

What is this world? This world is a mixture of fire, earth, water, air. That's all. What is this? Tejo-vāri-mṛd vinimayaḥ tri-sargo 'mṛṣā. It is a false thing. Actually it is a combination of these five elements. And we are accepting... This body's also like that. Body's also combination of five elements. And we are attracted to this. "Oh, I have got so, such a, such a nice, beautiful body, strong body, American body," "Indian body," "brāhmaṅa body," "this body," "that body." All māyā. You'll never be happy by this bodily concept of life. Because you are...

Therefore Kṛṣṅa indirectly saying that: acchedyo 'yam adāhyo 'yam. The body is burned into ashes. Then how we are body? The body, when the man is dead, the body is put into the fire. So it is dāhya, it becomes burned. Then how we are body? One man is claiming, "Oh, I am born brāhmaṅa. I have got this body from my birth." So that's all right. Then when your son will burn this body, then he'll be liable to brahma-hatya-pāpa.

So this is going on, bodily concept... 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.]

This body, made of three, I mean to say, biles, mucus and air... So the, a bag of bones and flesh and blood, if one is thinking that "I am this, I am this body," then he is go-khara, cow or ass. So anyone who is on the bodily concept of life, he is a animal, go-khara. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. So how you can receive knowledge from a person who is animal? You cannot get any knowledge from the cows or the asses. So anyone who is under the bodily concept of life, he's no better than animal.

So actually, if we say frankly, everyone is in the bodily concept of life. Therefore the modern civilization is animal civilization. It is not human civilization. Human civilization will begin when one will understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the beginning of human civilization. And so long one is under the bodily concept of life, it is the civilization of cats and dogs. That's all.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [break]

Indian man: [Hindi] [break]

Prabhupāda: Then gradually we can understand. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanam [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.]

If you associate with devotees, hear them, then gradually everything will be cleared, and you'll understand your position. Then you understand: "Oh, I am not this body. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi." That is the beginning of knowledge. Otherwise, so long you are under the bodily concept of life, you are in the animal platform. That is the difference. [break]

But bhakti's such a nice thing that kṛṣṅākarṣiṅī. Bhakti attract Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa attracts everything, but bhakti attracts Kṛṣṅa. Therefore we have to adopt the bhakti means. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. [Hindi]

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram [Bg 18.55]

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

If you want to know Kṛṣṅa in truth, then you have to take this devotional line. Then gradually Kṛṣṅa will be attracted by your devotion, and then you will know Kṛṣṅa and you'll be allowed to enter into Kṛṣṅa's place. Otherwise, sarva-gataḥ, sthāṅur acalo 'yam. Although we are eternal, we have to wander within so many forms of life within this brahmāṅḍa and waste our time. That's all.

Indian man: [Hindi] [break]

Prabhupāda: Yes. [Hindi] Tilaka mantra hai, bhagavān kahe, Vāmanadeva, Keśava, Govinda. So a devotee is protected from all sides by Kṛṣṅa. So you remain safe. Kṛṣṅa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

So bhakta hai [Hindi]. So you are protected. That's it.

Indian man: Yes, but even we put that tilaka on Lord also.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Indian man: The same is there, of Lord, on the face of Lord, on...

Prabhupāda: It is a temple of the Lord. Viṣṅu-mandira. You cannot put Kṛṣṅa or Viṣṅu just like statues. We have got a fashion now, imitated from the Western, we make the statue of a big man the place of passing stool by the crows. We do not make like that. We give temple. When we worship somebody, we give him temple. Not for passing stool by the crows.

Indian man: May I ask that why Brahman temples are not existing, and is there any Sanskrit reason or is...?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Indian man: Brahman temple is not existing. [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: Brahman is impersonal. Brahman is everywhere. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma [Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1].

[Everything, both matter and spirit, is non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the Supreme Brahman.]

Then Paramātmā. Then Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the last word of Absolute Truth. So Brahman is impersonal, just like the sky is impersonal. [break]

Indian man (2): Mahārāja, it is indicated in Rāmāyaṅa that God is coming to this world as kali-avatāra. It is correct? What is the indication of His coming?

Prabhupāda: His indication He's coming is that people are becoming degraded, forgetting God. That is their degradation. So at the end of this Kali-yuga they will be so much degraded that it will be impossible for them to understand God.

At the present moment, although it is Kali-yuga, there are some persons who are trying to understand God. At least, there is attempt. But, at the end of Kali-yuga, say, about 400,000's of years, then people... Because they're becoming animal, more and more. The more we become animal, we cannot understand God.

So our modern civilization is to make the people animal. That is advancement of civilization. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṅām [Hitopadeśa 25].

[Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life, humans are on the level of animals.]

The modern civilization is how we can eat very nicely, how we can sleep nicely, how we can have sexual intercourse nicely, how we can defend nicely. Only these four principles are being taught. They have no idea what is soul, what is God, what is the relationship with the soul. So this is, this type of civilization is increasing.

So just imagine how much it will be increased after four hundred thousands of years. The Kali-yuga has begun only five thousand years. Within this five thousand years, we have so much degraded, illusioned by the māyā as advancement of civilization.

This is māyā. So the more days go, we shall be more illusioned. So there will be no capacity to understand about God. At that time, God will come to destroy all this population by cutting their throat. That is kalki-avatāra. [end]