Bhagavad-gītā 7.3

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]

[break] [00:42]

"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

Prabhupāda:

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]

So manuṣyā means human being. So human being is the life where one can understand what is God. It is not stated here jīvanam, the living entities. There are, we have several times explained, many types of living entities. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṅi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati [Padma Purāṅa]. The aquatics, they are also living entities. There are 900,000 forms of body within the water. They are also living entities. And... Jalajā nava-lakṣāṅi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Sthāvarāḥ means living entities who cannot move—trees, plants, herbs, grass. They cannot move. So they are two millions. So in this way you come to the human being. They are also living entities. There are 400,000 different forms. We can see here. We are human being, but we have got different forms, different color. So this is the variety of creation. So out of all these living entities, the human form of living entity is very important. So that is the life wherein we can understand what is God.

Therefore in the human society there is some process of understanding God, which is called religion. Religion means a process by which we can understand what is God, what is our relationship with Him, and what is our duty towards Him. So therefore it is said these human being, who are actually trying to fulfill the mission of human life... To fulfill the mission of human life means that we living being, spirit soul, we are now entangled within this material body. This is our problem. Really the... To understand the position of the living being is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā does not begin with some utopian ideas of humanitarian work. No. Śrī Kṛṣṅa wanted Arjuna to understand in the beginning that "First of all, you understand your constitutional position, what you are."

To know ourself, what we are, that is siddhi, not to be busy with the bodily comforts of life, which are being executed by the cats and dogs and hogs. The hog is whole time engaged how to maintain his body, how to have nice sexual intercourse, and how to eat anything he likes. You will find the hog life, practically. In our country, in India, in the villages the village hogs they are loitering whole day and night, "Where is stool? Where is stool?" So if human life is meant for that purpose, from early in the morning till one goes to sleep, simply find out "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" then where is the difference between this pig life and the human life? If human life is meant for that purpose, "Where is money? Where is money?"... Of course, for the human being the money is very sweet; similarly, to the hog the stool is very sweet. So it is the question of sweetness, not the matter. Taste. So he finds good taste in stool, and we find good taste in money.

So money also, we see, why we want money. Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṅena vā. Nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ [SB 2.1.3]. The materialistic persons are engaged whole day and night. The business is... What is their business? That at night to have very sound sleep: "Last night I had very sound sleep." That is enjoyment. If I can sleep up to ten o'clock, twelve o'clock, "Oh, I have enjoyed this." The sleeping. So at night the enjoyment is sleeping and sex, vyavāyena. Vyavāyena means sex. In this way, night we are wasting. And daytime? Divā ca artha iha... "Where is money? Where is money? Where is money?" And then as soon as we get money, then how to spend it for sense gratification, for kuṭumba-bharaṅa, for family maintenance, for purchasing, for shopping. In this way we are very busy. We do not know that there is another business beyond this. This is, especially at the present moment, this is human civilization. They are always busy in sense gratification and getting money for that purpose. That's all. So that is not siddhi. Therefore Kṛṣṅa said that mostly, 99.9%, they are busy in these things: "How to get money for sense gratification? And when we get money, then spend it for sense gratification." Divā cārthehayā. That is not siddhi. That thing is going on amongst the hogs. Hogs are also busy in that way. Then where is the difference between human life and hog life?

Therefore śāstra says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1].

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

This was the instruction given by King Ṛṣabhadeva, whose son's name was Mahārāja Bharata, under whose name this land, this planet is called Bhārata-varṣa. This planet's original name is Bhārata-varṣa. Now it has come to India, gradually cut down, cut down. So He instructed His sons, "My dear sons, don't spoil your life simply working hard for sense gratification like the hogs. Because the hog is also working day and night, but what is the aim? The aim is sense gratification. At night sleep or have sex life, and at daytime collect money and spend it for family maintenance or some sense gratification. This is not meant for human life."

Now, this morning one gentleman was asking us that we are not working. We are not working. They think... He is a lawyer. He thinks that unless one works very hard for sense gratification, he is not human being or he is not doing his duty perfectly. That is his idea. But actual life is to become perfect. From the platform of animal life come to the perfection of life. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu [Bg 7.3].

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

Everyone is thinking that "Work very hard like the hogs and dogs, and find out your means of sense enjoyment, and then enjoy it." This is called karmī life. They have no other idea. You will find everyone is working hard. From morning at six o'clock till ten o'clock at night they're working hard. What is the purpose? To get some money and utilize it for sense gratification. This is animal life; this is not human life. But they are thinking that one who does not work so hard day and night for sense gratification, he is not doing. He is escaping. This is the...

But actually, they do not see that these devotees are engaged in working twenty-four hours, but not for sense gratification like the hogs, but for satisfaction of Kṛṣṅa. That is the difference between Kṛṣṅa consciousness man and ordinary man, karmī man. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says that all these men, they are engaged. But the śāstra says, "No, no. You live with the minimum necessities. Don't increase your necessities unnecessarily." This is Vedic civilization. And the modern civilization is even increase your necessities—a machine for shaving your cheek. You see? Another machine, another attention diversion. More machine means more diversion of attention. I have to take care, more technician, more technologies. Simply if one razor can shave, can make my cheek very clean, where is the necessity? Formerly, at least we Indian know that go to a blacksmith and he prepares a razor, very nice razor. You pay him four annas, and it will last for your life and shave your cheek very nicely, daily or occasionally. But the modern civilization means that in everything there must be machine. That is the advancement of material... But the śāstra says, "What is the use of taking so much labor?" Kaṣṭān kāmān. Kaṣṭān means with so much labor. If you create some convenience by the so-called machine use, you create so many other inconveniences. Just like we have got now motorcar. Of course, it is convenience. But there are many inconveniences. Formerly people used to find everyone within the village. Now, because we have got big, big motorcars, we have to go thirty miles to find out a doctor. So the other inconveniences are also increased. Now we have to find out petrol and flatter the Arabians, "Give me petrol." In this way... And if I stop manufacturing, then there is unemployment.

In this way we are becoming implicated. By the so-called advancement of civilization, we are becoming implicated to these material activities and we are forgetting our real business, self-realization, what I am. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The real business is to enquire about Brahman, about ātmā, Paramātmā, but we are forgetting that. We are simply busy for the temporary life, say for fifty years or hundred years, utmost. But we do not know the life is continuation. As the life is continued, we have got experience—from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, then in old body, then what is next? You ask anybody who has become old man. Ask him, "Sir, you have come to this stage. Your body is now old. You have to die. Now, from childhood you came to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, then middle age, and now you have come to... Now what is next? Do you know?" Oh, they will be silent. Nobody knows that what is my next life. A child can say, "My next life is boy. I shall become a boy." The boy can say, "Yes, I will be like very nice young man." The young man can say that "I shall become middle-aged man, father of many children." And the middle-aged man can say, "Yes, I will become old man." And ask the old man what he will become—he cannot answer. Can anyone say?

But there is next life. This body is now old enough. It will be finished, everyone knows. "As sure as death." Then after finishing the body, what will be your next body? Who will answer this? Where is the scientist? Where is the philosopher? Where is the learned man? Nobody knows. Nobody knows. Therefore he is blind. He does not know what is his future. But there is future. You cannot say no. The example is here. And besides that, Kṛṣṅa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

Kṛṣṅa, the most superior authority, He says, and it is accepted by all the ācāryas and all persons who have attained perfection. So we should learn it, that "What is my next life?" And if I prepare for the next life, that is called siddhi. That is called siddhi. If we don't prepare for the next life, if we remain just like cats and dogs... The cats and dogs, they do not know what is next life because they are animal. And if I do not know what is next life, then what is the difference between the cats and dogs? Where is the difference between? Sa eva go-kharaḥ, śāstra says. "One who does not know what is the next life, he is no better than go-kharaḥ." Go means cows, and kharaḥ means ass. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṅape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, sa eva go-kharaḥ [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.]

These men are no better than these cats and dogs and animals.

So practically you ask so many big, big men... Last time when I was here, Lord Fenner Brockway came here to see me. I asked him this question, that "What is your next life?" He is also old man, eighty-four years. He said, "Swāmījī, we shall die peacefully, that's all." Peacefully you may die, but you have to accept the next body. Whether that will be peaceful or not, that they do not know. Similarly, I spoke with Professor Kotovsky in Moscow. He also said that "Swāmījī, after finishing this body, everything is finished." This is the position of human society at the present moment, that they do not know how to make life perfect. To make life perfect means how to make my next life very perfect or happy or better life. Otherwise, if I remain in darkness—Kṛṣṅa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13]—then I shall be..., I may become any of these so many types of body. I may become a tree, I may become a dog, I may become a cat or maybe a demigod. There are so many, different. But I must be sure what kind of life I must have. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. We are not imagining. We are... Our movement, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, based on Bhagavad-gītā. So Kṛṣṅa says that... As He says there is next life, that is a fact. Now, how we can prepare for the next life, that is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā. How?

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām [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.]

If you want to go the higher planetary system, where the material happiness is thousands and thousands time more comfortable than on this planet... Just like Svarlokas, Svargaloka..., Svargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. There are many different planetary system up, and down also. So if you want to go to that, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ [Bg 14.18],

[Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.]

if you prepare yourself, contacting the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to higher planetary system. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ [Bg 9.25]: "You can go to the Pitṛlokas or you can remain within this planet, planetary system. And if you like, you can come to Me also." "As you can go to the higher planetary system or remain here..." That is all preparation. Bhūtejyā. Yānti deva..., yājinaḥ. "Similarly, if you," mad-yājinaḥ, "if you become My worshiper, then you come to Me." Kṛṣṅa said.

So what is the difference between going to the higher planetary system and what is the difference, going to back to home, back to...? Everything is explained there. If you go to the higher planetary systems, suppose to the planets of the demigod, Kṛṣṅa says, "Then you will have to again come back." Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg 8.16].

[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.]

Even if you go to the topmost planet, then from there also, after... Kṣīṅe puṅye martya-lokaṁ viśanti [Bg 9.21].

[When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.]

After your resultant action of pious activities is finished, then you have to come back again here. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg 15.6].

[That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.]

But there is another planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. If you go there, then you'll haven't to come back again in this material world, which is described by Kṛṣṅa Himself: duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. Mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ [Bg 8.15].

[After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.]

They... Not ordinary person can go to Kṛṣṅa's loka, back to home. Who can go? Mahātmānaḥ, those who are great souls. And who are great soul? They are called mahātmās. Who are mahātmās? Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ [Bg 9.13].

[O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.]

This is mahātmā. Those who are fully engaged in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, absorbed in the service of Kṛṣṅa, they are called mahātmā. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That kind of mahātmā, the so-called mahātmā having an orange dress and talking that he is God, incarnation of God, and he can give you perfection within six months, give him $35—not like that. The mahātmā means mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. They are under the spiritual energy. And if one inquires, "What is that spiritual energy?" the spiritual energy means to be engaged in devotional service. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ [Bg 9.13]. They have no other business than to work for Kṛṣṅa, serve Kṛṣṅa. They are mahātmā.

So our Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is teaching people that "You have no other business than to work for Kṛṣṅa. That's all." This is Kṛṣṅa business. This is called Kṛṣṅa consciousness business. That is called the highest perfection. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gataḥ. Siddhi. Here it is, siddhi. Manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg 7.3].

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

Siddhaye means to understand, "What is my position? Why I am working so hard day and night for simply for sense gratification, for satisfying the tongue, to fulfill the belly and satisfy the genital? This is my business. That is being done by the dogs and hog." When one comes to this sense, that "Shall I work like the cats, dogs and hogs, or I have got any other business?" that is human life. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu. All of them working like hogs and dogs. They do not know there is something other. This is the position. And the modern civilization means keep him in the darkness, that "Let him work hard like hogs and dogs, and don't give him any knowledge." Neither they know, the so-called leaders, what is the perfection. They think, "This is life: work like hog and dog, and then die like hog and dog, finish all business." This is not human life. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye [Bg 7.3]. They do not know what is perfection of life. Therefore we sometimes... We do not say. Kṛṣṅa says. And if we repeat Kṛṣṅa's words, the rascals, they become angry. Actually they are rascals. We plainly say. Because he does not know. If I ask him, "What is your next life?" he cannot answer. Then what is the difference? If I ask the dog that "What is your next life?" he cannot say. "Gow! Gow!" That's all. So if I ask any human being that "What is your next life?" "I don't bother about that thing." [laughter] The same answer, "Gow! Gow!" That's all.

So this is the position, that we do not know what is the perfection of life. Kṛṣṅa says, therefore, begins real knowledge. This chapter is "Knowledge of the Absolute." So everyone... You ask any M.A., Ph.D. that "What is your next life, sir?" "Gow! Gow!" [laughter] That's all. "Gow! Gow!" means "Why you are bothering about these things?" Now, this is the position. And we have taken very hard job to convince these people about Kṛṣṅa consciousness. They will not accept it. They will deny immediately. They will say, "Why do you bother us? You do your own business. Let us do our own business." But why we are bothering? Because we are servant of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa wants that these rascals should be informed; these rascals should be raised from this status of ignorance. So that is our mission. Therefore we are going and pleading, "Sir, I am a beggar. I have come to beg from you that you kindly purchase one book and you read it." So sometimes they are doing. After all, human being... So this is our... This is our business. We are stressing on pushing on these books because modern man, if he purchases one book, then at least he will see one line, "What these nonsense have written?" So if he reads one line, if he is intelligent man, he will understand the value. That is sure. That is sure.

So the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is completely scientific. As Kṛṣṅa said... We have given therefore... When I was registering this association in New York, some friend suggested that "Why you are giving this name 'Kṛṣṅa'? Why not put the name 'God,' 'God consciousness'?" Then "Yes, I can give the name 'God consciousness.' Then it will be confused." Because we want to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That is Kṛṣṅa's speaking. And we are trying to place this Kṛṣṅa's teachings to the world. And not only that—Bhagavān, God, means Kṛṣṅa. And if I give the name of "God" instead of "Kṛṣṅa," they will bring forth so many competition of Kṛṣṅa. That is not our purpose. "Kṛṣṅa" means God. If God has any perfect name, that is "Kṛṣṅa." Because "Kṛṣṅa" means all-attractive. God cannot be attractive for certain person. God cannot be Christian God or a Hindu God or Muslim God. God is equally attractive for Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddha. That is real God. And if Hindu has manufactured some God, Christian has manufactured some God, that may be God partially, but not the Supreme God. The Supreme God is Kṛṣṅa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [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.]

Parama means supreme. God... You are also god, I am also god, and every one of us, god. Why? God means controller. So controller, every one of us is a controller to certain extent; not the complete controller. But Kṛṣṅa means the complete controller. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [Bs 5.1]. Controller... You may be controller; I may be controller; he may be controller; but not controller like Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa can control all other controllers.

Therefore He is called supreme controller, Parameśvara, Paramātmā, Para-brahman. These words are used. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find. Arjuna says paraṁ brahma. Not Brahman. Brahman we are, every one of us. 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.]

Brahman is the small Brahman, and Para-brahman means the Supreme Brahman, or the biggest Brahman. So Kṛṣṅa is the biggest Brahman, biggest Lord, biggest controller. We may be a small Brahman, a small controller. That is the distinction. How the distinction is made? That is also stated in the Vedas:

nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]

In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata [Bg 13.3]. Everything is there. The kṣetra-jña means the possessor of this kṣetra, body, the owner or occupier. So you, me, and every one of us, we are occupying each one body. But I have no business with your body, but Kṛṣṅa has got business with your body, my body, his body, everyone's body. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. Just like a landlord. He has got many houses. The occupier is there—or apartment. He is concerned with that apartment or the house he is occupying, but the landlord has concern with so many houses. Similarly, this body, I am the occupier. God has given me this body, this machine, but proprietor is Lord, the Supreme Lord. Therefore both of us has got the concern with this body. Ātmā, Paramātmā. Soul, Supersoul.

So in this way we have to understand Kṛṣṅa. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3].

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

What is Kṛṣṅa's position, how Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Lord, how He is the supreme controller—we have to know these. Then our life is perfect. We must know our position, what is the perfection of life, what is Kṛṣṅa and what is my relationship with Kṛṣṅa. In this way, if we understand, that is our perfect life. Kṛṣṅa is describing that. Because in this chapter He says, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṅu [Bg 7.1]. Kṛṣṅa is ready to give us instruction, asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Anyone who is advanced in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, ask him any question like this. He will give full answer, without any doubt. That is the perfection of life. We must know kṛṣṅa-tattva.

The same thing I was explaining yesterday. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yei kṛṣṅa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya [Cc Madhya 8.128].

[Whether one is a brāhmaṅa, a sannyāsī or a śūdra—regardless of what he is—he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṅa.]

You try to understand Kṛṣṅa. Simply try to understand and study Kṛṣṅa. And Kṛṣṅa is giving about Himself. You haven't got to speculate just like so many theosophists and philosophers and theologists, and they are trying to speculate to understand what is God. Why you are speculating, wasting your time? Why not take full knowledge here? Everything is ready. No, that they will not take. They will speculate. So let them speculate. They will never be successful. But if you want success, you Kṛṣṅa conscious men, then you read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly and understand and try to understand Kṛṣṅa perfectly. You'll understand because Kṛṣṅa is giving His own identity, identification, what He is. Then where is the difficulty? And if you understand Kṛṣṅa, you become perfect. You become perfect, so perfect that... Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

If you understand Kṛṣṅa in truth, then immediate benefit is that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9]. You have to give up this body; it is a fact. But after giving up, this is your last material body. No more material body. Your spiritual body.

So why not try one life to get back your spiritual life, get back your spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs 5.1], and live eternal, blissful life with full knowledge and live with Kṛṣṅa and dance with Kṛṣṅa, eat with Kṛṣṅa?

[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.]

Why you are missing this opportunity? This is our solicitation to everyone.

dante nidhāya tṛṅakaṁ padayor nipatya kṛtvā ca kāku-śatam etad ahaṁ bravīmi he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrād caitanya-candra-caraṅe kurutānurāgam [Caitanya-candrāmṛta]

[Taking a straw between my teeth and falling at your feet a hundred times, I humbly submit, "O great personality, please give up all mundane knowledge that you have learned and just submit yourself at the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu."]

This is our preaching process, that "Flattering you hundred times, falling down on your feet, I am speaking one thing. Please hear." "What is that?" "Whatever nonsense you have learned, forget." This is our only solicitation, that "You have learned all nonsense. Please forget. Try to hear Caitanya Mahāprabhu and be perfect."

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Any question?

[break] So what you will learn about that, by studying the human species? You study Kṛṣṅa. This is sufficient. There are 400,000 species of life. What you will benefit by studying? The botanist, the geologist, the biologist, they are doing that. Let them do that. You have to do..., how to understand Kṛṣṅa. But you can simply know that there are so many different species. That much, that is sufficient. What is the use of? Now, suppose I am using this microphone. What is the use of studying how it is manufactured? Why...? "That's all right. It is already manufactured. Let me use it." That's all. Why should I waste my time, "How it is manufactured?" I am not going to be manufacturer of microphone. I am going to become servant of Kṛṣṅa, that's all.

Devotee: Does the word nirvāṅa mean Kṛṣṅa?

Prabhupāda: Nirvāṅa means, as I told you, you forget all nonsense, what you have learned. That is nirvāṅa. Because you have learned so many nonsense things, if you finish, that "We don't want this," that "Whatever is done is done. Now let me try to understand Kṛṣṅa," that is nirvāṅa. Nirvāṅa means finished. Nirvāṅa means finished. Do you understand? Finish this all nonsense, material business. Now begin spiritual life. That is nirvāṅa.

Brahmānanda: You say that Kṛṣṅa consciousness solves the problem of death. Does it mean that we won't die?

Prabhupāda: Yes. As soon... That is said. Die means this is the last time. Because you have got this body, you will die. But after this death, no more death.

Brahmānanda: So we will die, but it will be the last death.

Prabhupāda: That is not die. We never die, but we change the body. But the change of body, we take as death. Otherwise there is no death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. There is no death, no birth of the soul. But just like the dress, the coat, may be old and you throw away, that means you are not annihilated. Your coat is annihilated, shirt is... Similarly, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg 2.20]. After being destruction of this body, you are not destroyed. You live, but in the material existence you accept another material body. That means you continue the process of birth and death. But if you understand Kṛṣṅa, if you become fit to enter into the society of Kṛṣṅa, then you get only that spiritual body, no more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg 4.9],

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

"He comes to Me." That is your eternal life.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṅa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the Seventh Chapter Kṛṣṅa explains that He is the taste of water, and in different chapters that He's the source of light in all luminous objects. So when we think like this, how should we think of Kṛṣṅa? In His personal form?

Prabhupāda: That is already stated. There is no difficulty. Why do you ask this question? He says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg 7.8],

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

that "I am the taste of the water." So where is the difficulty? You take the taste of the water. There is taste, and Kṛṣṅa says, "I am that taste." So you understand that, that "This taste is Kṛṣṅa." Where is the difficulty? You do not know what is Kṛṣṅa, but Kṛṣṅa says, "I am this taste." Why don't you accept it? Then you know Kṛṣṅa. According to your position, you understand Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa says, "I am this." So take it, that taste of water. As soon as you drink water, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṅa." So you will... Smaraṅam. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅam [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.]

Then you will at least memorize Kṛṣṅa. That will enlighten your spiritual life. Because you will say... You take... Just like I am taking water several times, and if each time I remember, "Here is the taste, Kṛṣṅa," then Hare Kṛṣṅa. Chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa, whatever you will be going.

Kṛṣṅaveśa: Does Kṛṣṅa speak the Bhagavad-gītā in the hellish planets?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṅa: [explaining] Does Kṛṣṅa speak the Bhagavad-gītā in the hellish planets?

Prabhupāda: Hellish planet?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṅa: That's what she asked.

Prabhupāda: It is hellish planet. [laughter] You are not thinking it is hellish? This is hellish planet. What do you mean by hellish planet? Especially this London, [laughter] always dark and moist, and what do you want more, hellish? [laughter] You have to close your door. You cannot go out. Then? Then go to the mine and subway. That is hellish.

That's all right. Thank you.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [kīrtana] [break] [end]