Srimad Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS

Bhagavad Gita:   Chapter 7 - Knowledge of the Absolute
TEXT 19
                          bahunam janmanam ante
                         jnanavan mam prapadyate
                          vasudevah sarvam iti
                         sa mahatma su-durlabhah

WORD FOR WORD
   bahunam--many; janmanam--repeated births and deaths; ante--after; jnana-van--one who is in full knowledge; mam--unto Me; prapadyate--surrenders; vasudevah--the Personality of Godhead, Krsna; sarvam--everything; iti--thus; sah--that; maha-atma--great soul; su-durlabhah--very rare to see.

TRANSLATION
After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.

PURPORT by HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad.
   The living entity, while executing devotional service or transcendental rituals after many, many births, may actually become situated in transcendental pure knowledge that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of spiritual realization. In the beginning of spiritual realization, while one is trying to give up one's attachment to materialism, there is some leaning towards impersonalism, but when one is further advanced he can understand that there are activities in the spiritual life and that these activities constitute devotional service. Realizing this, he becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrenders to Him. At such a time one can understand that Lord Sri Krsna's mercy is everything, that He is the cause of all causes and that this material manifestation is not independent from Him. He realizes the material world to be a perverted reflection of spiritual variegatedness and realizes that in everything there is a relationship with the Supreme Lord Krsna. Thus he thinks of everything in relation to Vasudeva, or Sri Krsna. Such a universal vision of Vasudeva precipitates one's full surrender to the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna as the highest goal. Such surrendered great souls are very rare.

This verse is very nicely explained in the Third Chapter (verses 14 and 15) of the Svetasvatara Upanisad:

                          sahasra-sirsa purusah
                         sahasraksah sahasra-pat
                        sa bhumim visvato vrtva-
                          tyatisthad dasangulam

                          purusa evedam sarvam
                        yad bhutam yac ca bhavyam
                            utamrtatvasyesano
                           yad annenatirohati

   In the Chandogya Upanisad (5.1.15) it is said, na vai vaco na caksumsi na srotrani na manamsity acaksate prana iti evacaksate prano hy evaitani sarvani bhavanti: =ECIn the body of a living being neither the power to speak, nor the power to see, nor the power to hear, nor the power to think is the prime factor; it is life which is the center of all activities.=EE Similarly Lord Vasudeva, or the Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, is the prime entity in everything. In this body there are powers of speaking, of seeing, of hearing, of mental activities, etc. But these are not important if not related to the Supreme Lord. And because Vasudeva is all-pervading and everything is Vasudeva, the devotee surrenders in full knowledge (cf. Bhagavad-gita 7.17 and 11.40).

- His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.

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Prabhupada Uvacha:
(here's some nectar, sometimes it comes in the form of Srutakirti prabhu's diary, other times from Govinda dasi's diary, Hari Sauri prabhu's Transcendental Diary, Bhurijan prabhu's book, or A Trancendental Adventure by Kurma prabhu ACBSP or sometimes from a letter, or other related source, but still nectar...)

A loving spiritual family

Although I was twenty-six, I looked to Prabhupada as my father and tried to please him as his son. He was old enough to have been my grandfather, and this was very favorable for my spiritual development. I had never known anyone that old or that wise in my family. Now my parents had rejected me completely, so Prabhupada was also my father. Within a few months of meeting him, I knew I had to dedicate my life to Prabhupada, my eternal guru.

During these months, one devotee said to me, "I've always been looking for the topmost thing, the topmost knowledge, so I accept the Swami. That's why I'm here. But if I later see something else as the topmost knowledge, then I'll accept that."

I thought, "What? You shouldn't say there is a possibility of something else." I was sold on Krsna consciousness and Prabhupada.

Another time I was walking with a different devotee. He said, "So this is our spiritual life, and we have a guru, and in the future, maybe we'll have another guru." Although I didn't have a complete philosophical understanding of why I should accept only one guru, I said, "How can you have another guru?" I thought the idea was obnoxious. "No," I continued, "that's wrong. Swamiji is our guru. For us there is no other guru." I quickly became loyal to Srila Prabhupada.

To some degree, the Bhagavatam will always remain theoretical to me, but my guru is not theoretical because I've seen guru -- and not just an ordinary guru; I've seen the best quality of guru. Since that's my experience with my spiritual master, I can't help passing it on to my disciples. It's in my heart. I cannot be a guru according to an institutionalized version or a group decision of what a guru should be. I cannot minimize the importance of the spiritual master in the lives of my disciples while knowing how important Prabhupada is in my life. The spiritual master and his disciples form a loving, spiritual family, just as we had with Prabhupada on 26 Second Avenue.

- From "With Srila Prabhupada 1966-69" by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

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Listen to Srila Prabhupad on-line
....a different lecture, morning walk, conversation or class daily.

"Serve God Or Serve Dog"

76/04/21 Melbourne, Bhagavad-gita 9.3

Listen to the entire lecture on-line:
http://prabhupadavani.org/M3U/Gita/m3u/GT256.m3u

Prabhupada: (leads devotees' recitation)

asraddadhanah purusa
dharmasyasya parantapa
aprapya mam nivartante
mrtyu-samsara-vartmani
 [Bg. 9.3]

So asraddadhanah, those who are faithless. So those who are faithless... Faithless means, anyone can understand, those who do not believe in the words of God. They are faithless. Just like a child. By nature, he has to believe his parents, his superiors, his teacher, but if he does not believe in the words of the superior, then where is the possibility of education? There is no possibility. This is the first qualification. If you go to a teacher to learn ABCD the teacher says, "My dear child, you begin from the left side, in this way." Then, if the student says, "Why shall I begin in this way? I shall begin this way," then he's faithless. He cannot make any progress. It is not possible. The first qualification is sraddadhanah, faithful. If you go to a teacher you must be faithful; otherwise there is no need of going to a teacher. If you cannot believe in the words of somebody whom you are going to appoint as your teacher, if you have no faith in his words, then what is the use of going to such teacher? There is no use. Don't waste your time and don't waste his time. Therefore those who are going to learn to become a disciple or teacher, he must believe in the words of teacher. Or if you are doubtful, you should not go to such teacher. This is first qualification. If you do not believe somebody, then you find out someone else upon whom you can put your faith. "Yes, here is the right man who can teach me." Otherwise there is no use of going to a teacher. This is the Vedic principle.

The Vedic principle is... People are... Everyone is in ignorance because the evolution is coming from the lower species of life, and in Western countries the Darwin's theory of evolution is very prominent, and they believe that man is coming from monkey. Of course, the Vedic sastra also says the birth of human being are from three sources: one from the cow, the other from the lion, and the other from the monkey. The "monkey" word is there. Those who are coming in the sattva-guna, modes of goodness, their last birth is as cow. And those who are coming through the rajo-guna, their last birth is lion. And those who are coming through the tamo-guna, their last birth is monkey. Then there are. We have explained many times. The lower animals, less than the human being, they're eight million forms.

jalaja nava-laksani
sthavara laksa-vimsati
krmayo rudra-sankhyakah
paksinam dasa-laksanam
trimsal-laksani pasavah
catur-laksani manusah

This is the list of evolution. Darwin has taken, but he has explained in a different way, misguiding way. But anyway, the evolution theory. It is not theory; it is fact. That is acceptable by the Vedic scholar also. It is explained in the Padma Purana, asitim caturas caiva laksams tan jiva-jatisu. This is the statement in the Padma Purana, that the asitim caturas caiva, 8,400,000. They say in the Vedic language, forty-eight hundred thousands..., eight-four hundred thousand. Anyway, the evolution is there, and in the lower species of life there are eight millions. Human forms of life, only 400,000 out of which more than 300,000 forms of life are uncivilized men. They do not know what is the aim of life.

The best form of human life, the Aryans... Aryans. Aryans means those who are advanced. So the Aryan family, the history of Aryan family... From Central Asia, Caucasian ranges, they divided, the Indo-Aryans, Indo-Europeans. This is the history of mankind. So the Europeans, they belong to the Indo-Europeans, and some of the Europeans, not the uncivilized, the civilized, they came from that side, eastern side, when there was a threatening by Parasurama to kill the ksatriyas. So most of the ksatriyas, they came to Europe, and some of them settled in the middle, the border of Europe and Asia, Turkey, Greece. There is a big history, Mahabharata. Mahabharata means the greater history of India. So on the whole, the conclusion is that the Aryans spread in Europe also, and the Americans, they also spread from Europe. So the intelligent class of human being, they belong to the Aryans, Aryan family. Just like Hitler claimed that he belonged to the Aryan family. Of course, they belonged to the Aryan families.

So there is gradual process of evolution, and the human form of life is the greatest evolution. Here is a junction. Now you can go, elevate yourself to further, higher status of living condition. That is called devata, or demigods. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. If you develop the quality of goodness, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah [Bg. 14.18]. If you do not develop further, if you remain whatever quality you have got, just now you remain within this world. And adho gacchanti tamasah. And if you do not develop goodness or remain in the same quality but you degrade yourself, then again go to the cycle of birth in the animal kingdom. This is the law of nature.

urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
adho gacchanti tamasah
 [Bg. 14.18]

Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-sthah. Jaghanya means abominable, abominable, without any distinction. "Whatever I like, I shall do." No. You cannot do that. You have got now super consciousness. You must decide whether you want to stop this evolutionary process, cycle of birth and death, and go back to home, back to Godhead, or if you want to continue again the cycle of birth and death. That is up to you to decide. This is the human form of life. Therefore how you can promote yourself to the higher status of life or how you can degrade yourself to the lower status of life, that is to be decided. In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find,

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
 yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
 [Bg. 9.25]

There are four ways suggested. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, not by force you can go to the moon planet. That is not possible. That is simply childish. You cannot go. You must have to be qualified how to go there. Just like if somebody comes to your country, Australia, he has to take the visa, permit, passport, so many things. Then you allow. So how you can be allowed to enter into the moon planet, which is the residential place of demigods? That is a very controversial point. They say that they have gone to moon planet and there is no life. This is simply nonsense. Every planet is full of living entities. But if they say they could not find any living entities, then it is to be understood they haven't gone to the moon planet. There are many other points also, we do not wish to discuss. But moon planet is the higher planetary system, sun planet is the higher planetary system, and there are many others. If you like to go there, you can go. Yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. You have to make, prepare yourself for going there. Similarly, there are Pitrlokas. You can see so many, many thousands and millions of planets. Every planet is residential quarter. Just like this planet is residential quarter, every planet is resident. Innumerable lives there are according to the position.

So here it is said that asraddadhanah purusah. Krsna is giving you a system as you can go to Him, back to home, back to Godhead. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Why one should go to God? No, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. You can go to any other planets. You can have very long duration of life. The standard of living is very, very high. Just like here in this planet sometimes we see the standard of living condition in Europe, America, is better than other places. They become very much clever, that in Europe and America, and Australia also, another addition of European... So big, big roads, big, big skyscraper house, all very comfortable. So as you see differences of standard of living here, similarly, each and every planet there is different standard of living. And it is said in the sastra that if you go to the moon planet, then you live there for ten thousands of years, ten thousand of years, and their calculation of time is also greater than ours. It is calculated that our six months is equal to their one day. That is called deva calculation. In this way you can get very long duration of life, very comforts, and nice beautiful body and residential quarters. Everything is very, very nice. Each higher planetary system is better than the other, better than the other. This way you can go to the Brahmaloka. Brahmaloka mean where the topmost planet. They have calculated, the modern astronomers and the planet-goers, that it takes about forty thousands of years to go to the topmost planet of this universe. So these things are there.

Anyway, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said that even if you go to the topmost planet, there is also birth, death, old age and disease. You cannot avoid this. So long you shall remain within this material world, you have to accept these four principles of material condition, that you'll have to die. Either you live for ten thousands of years or ten millions of years, it doesn't matter; you have to die. Even Brahma dies, who has got many millions of years. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Brahma's one day, daytime duration, which is calculated, our twelve hours. There are twelve hours, day, twelve hours, night. That is twenty-four hours. So Brahma's one daytime duration, twelve hours ours, is calculated to be forty three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand. Now calculate what is the... That is forty three hundred thousands of years.

Pusta Krsna: 4,000,300,000.

Prabhupada: Four billion, three hundred years or something like. That is our... As our twelve hours, Brahma's twelve hours is that. Then add twelve hours again, four hundred billion. That means altogether eight billions of years. That is one day, Brahma's. Then calculate one month. Then calculate one year. Such hundred years he lives. So that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh [Bg. 8.17]. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. One yuga means forty three lakhs of, hundred thousands of years. Sahasra means thousand times. That is... Everything is stated there. You can learn. You can understand. So that is called Brahmaloka. And it is also stated, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Even if you reach to the Brahmaloka... You can get long duration of life. There is no doubt. But again, punar avartinah, you have to die and you have to go to another body and another planet. But I am eternal. We are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. By destruction of this body, maybe after two hours or four minutes... There are many, many living entities, they live for some minutes, some second, some years. The human in this material world, in this planetary system, we live, say, utmost, hundred years. But in other planetary system they live for millions of years. It is a ques... This world is relative. According to your position the relative condition is there. My past and present and future is not the same past, present, future of an ant. The ant's past, future, may be three hours or four hours. Our past, present, means hundred hours, and Brahma's past, present, millions of years. Everything is relative, according to the position.

So real aim of life is to stop the cycle of birth and death. That is real aim of life. If we do not know this, then we are ignorant. We are ignorant. First of all we must know that "I am eternal." That is... In the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita it is very nicely explained that antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah: [Bg. 2.18] "My dear Arjuna, this body is destructible, but the proprietor of the body, he is eternal." That is the first instruction. I am not this body, I am the proprietor of this body. You are not this body. You are the proprietor of this body. But if we think that "I am body," then that is the same thinking as the dog is thinking. Therefore I have given in the statement that if we think this lump of matter as "myself," then we are no better than the dog. The dog is also thinking like that. That human form of life is meant for understanding that "I am not this lump of matter; I am..." Aham brahmasmi: "I am spirit soul." That is required. The whole Bhagavad-gita teaching is based on this principle, first of all to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul, Brahman." Aham brahmasmi.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

If from this material conception of life, somehow or other you come to the understanding that you are not this body, lump of matter -- you are spirit soul; you are different from this body -- that is called brahma-bhutah state. And as soon as you become on the brahma-bhutah status, then symptom will be na socati, prasannatma -- you become happy immediately. Everyone is unhappy in this material world. That's a fact. And because... Why we are unhappy? Because we have accepted, misaccepted, wrongly accepted, this body, "myself." This is the defect of modern civilization. So long you do not understand that you are not this body, you are different from this body, you are Brahman, you are part and parcel of God, then your activities become different. Because at the present moment we are acting on the bodily concept of life. "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Australian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brahmana," "I am sudra," "I am this, that" -- only this bodily concept of life. And the Krsna consciousness begins when you are free from this bodily conception of life. That is called brahma-bhutah.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

Bhakti, this activity, begins when you are brahma-bhutah. Now, what is the symptom of becoming brahma-bhutah? That is stated, prasannatma, happiness, only happiness. There is no question of distress. That is brahma-bhutah. You cannot say, "Now I have become Brahman realized, brahma-bhutah, but I am crying, crying for cigarette." No. Immediately test. So you cannot be unhappy: "I have not got this thing, that thing." Because here we are creating wants. Kanksati. This material civilization means simply creating wants, that's all, big want or small want. That is called kanksati. And another counterpart of this material life is whatever you have got, if it is lost, then you cry. One side is you are hankering after something which you do not possess, and if your possession is lost, then you cry for the loss. This is two business, kanksati, socati. But if you become brahma-bhutah, self-realized, these two things will be absent immediately. Na socati na kanksati.

 Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. Now there is racial animosity all over the world. You are American; you are Russian; you are Indian; you are Chinese; you are Pakistani. But their fighting is going on on this understanding. "We are Chinese," "We are Americans," "We are Russians..." So when you come to the platform of na socati, not identifying with this body, then samah sarvesu bhutesu -- you see everyone on the same platform. You do not see "Here is a Chinese" or "American" or "Australian." You see: "A soul is entrapped in a material body." So material body is lump of matter. We are concerned with the spirit soul. Then samah sarvesu bhutesu, panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. One who is learned pandita, he is sama-darsi. He has no more this vision that "Here is an American."

Just like in our society you will find people from all parts of the world. There are Americans and Indians and Africans, Canadians, Japanese. But we don't feel like that, "I am Japanese," "I am Indian" "I am American." We all feel servant of Krsna. This is Krsna conscious. Na socati na kanksati. This is United Nation, not that, going to the United Nation and barking like the dog, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this and that." What is the benefit? Therefore they are barking for the last twenty, thirty years. What benefit has come? You cannot make the dogs... You bring some dogs from America and from Australia and from India and put them together and ask them, "Please live very peacefully." (laughter) If you keep them as dogs they will simply bark. There will be no more peace. Just try to understand practically. You have to make them a human being. If you keep them dogs and cats, there cannot be any peace.

This is really knowledge. The Krsna consciousness movement is giving such knowledge that they will never remain a dog or cat; they will become actual human being. This is Krsna consciousness. Therefore it is said, asraddadhanah purusah. Those who have not faith in this process of understanding, Krsna consciousness, asraddadhanah purusa dharmasya asya.. [Bg. 9.3].. Now, this is real dharma. Dharma means occupation, I have explained yesterday. I am servant of God, this is my real occupation, but giving up my service to God, I am giving service to maya. Therefore I am servant of my senses, my family, my society, my country, my nation, and if you haven't got to serve anybody, then I'll keep one dog. I become a servant of the dog. Somebody was just telling me that in Japan the dog passes stool, and the master collects it and put it somewhere. Yes. You see? This is going on. Your position is to become servant, but in maya, in illusion, you are thinking, "I am master." Therefore the best thing is that instead of becoming at last the servant of a dog, just immediately become servant of God. That is your success of life. And if you don't agree, then you have to serve up to the dog, up to the cat. Many Europeans, Americans, they have no children, but they keep one cat, one dog, to serve. You see? But you have to serve because you are meant for that.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy is that. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. That is our permanent situation, we are servant of God. I have explained yesterday that we are part and parcel of God. Now, as part and parcel of God, what is our duty? The example I have given. Just like the finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty? As soon as I say, "Finger, please come here," it comes. "Finger, come here. Do this, do that, pick up." This is finger's business. A finger cannot remain independent. Or if the finger cannot give the service properly, then it is diseased. Similarly, our material condition means we are in diseased condition. We are not giving service to God; we are giving service to the dog. This is our diseased condition.

So God is Himself explaining how you should live. That is Bhagavad-gita. Therefore it is said, asraddadhanah purusa dharmasyasya parantapa: [Bg. 9.3] "My dear Arjuna, if somebody has no faith in My words..." Then what will be the result? The result will be, aprapya mam: "He'll not get me." Aprapya means "not getting Myself." Then what he will get? Aprapya mam nivartante: "Again he goes back." Instead of going back to home, back to Godhead, he goes back to where? Now, mrtyu-samsara-vartmani: "Again in the cycle of birth and death." Again cycle of birth and death. Suppose in this human form of life you can make your life so perfect that immediately after death, after giving up this body, you go back to home, back to Godhead. You regain your eternal life. But if you misuse this human form of life, do not endeavor for going back to home, back to Godhead, then again go back to the cycle of birth and death. This is nature's law. You are not independent. Nature is working like that.

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

You are thinking foolishly, as a rascal that you are independent. You are not independent. You are completely under the control of material nature. Now, in this human form of life, there are two ways: you go back to home, back to Godhead, or go back to again to become a pig, hog, and tree, and plant. This is the plan of Bhagavad-gita. Thank you very much. [break]

Guest (1) (woman): Srila Prabhupada, you were saying about misusing this human form of ours. Is there any gracious defense that makes a soul non-eternal? You were mentioning about Hitler. It seems that he has committed a lot of sins. Would you say that he would still have eternal life?

Prabhupada: Hitler or anyone, if he does not take advantage of this human form of life for going back to home, back to Godhead, he'll be put into again in the cycle of birth, maybe different forms of body.

Guest (1): I have another question. You were talking about the planets, the planetary systems. The planets in our solar system, are they in the middle planetary systems or the lower planetary systems?

Prabhupada: What is the question about planetary system?

Gurukrpa: This planet, where is it situated in the planetary system.

Prabhupada: You cannot understand it? The whole planetary system is just like a big tree, and there are many fruits. So here, this planet is one of the fruits of the planetary system.

Guest (1): The planets in our solar system, I mean.

Prabhupada: Yes, astrology. Astrology. There is planetary system. It is the Vedic system. You can see at night. The whole planetary system is moving like this, bunch of tree. And in Bhagavad-gita it is said, urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham [Bg. 15.1]. This, it is just like a big tree, and the root is upwards and the branches and fruits downwards. This is the... The Pole Star is the center of this root of this planetary system. So you read our books, Fifth Canto, Srimad-Bhagavatam. You will get full description.

Guest (1): I'm sorry... You were talking about the higher planets?

Prabhupada: Yes, don't you see higher planetary system? The sun planet, the moon planet. They are not higher on your top? There are many others, many others, millions. These are prominent. According to the Vedic system, the moon planet is higher than the sun planet. So these descriptions are there in the Fifth Canto. I shall request you to read them to understand.

Guest (1): Thank you.

Guest (2) (man): Srila Prabhupada, when Krsna is perfect and complete in Himself, so why are there individual minute living entities? If Krsna is perfect, surely there would be no need for smaller living entities.

Prabhupada: What is that?

Gurukrpa: If Krsna is perfect and complete, then why does He need little entities like us?

Prabhupada: So a high court judge, why his son becomes a loafer?

Gurukrpa: If there is a high court judge and he has a son, why does the son sometimes become a loafer?

Prabhupada: Hm?

Guest (2): I do not know.

Prabhupada: Is it guaranteed that because one is son of high court judge, he'll also become a high court judge? There is no such guarantee. Everyone is individual. We are sons of God, that's all right, but we have got little independence. If we misuse our independence, then we become lower. Krsna is perfect, there is no doubt, but we are part and parcel of. Just like another example. There is a fire and there are sparks of fire. The sparks are very little, small fire particle. Sometimes they fall down from the fire and becomes extinguished. The fiery quality is lost. Similarly, we are all parts and parcels of God, but when, by misusing our intelligence, our independence, we come here in this material world to enjoy, our godly qualities becomes lost. Again if you revive, then you go back to home, back to Godhead.

The Krsna consciousness movement is to help people how to revive his God consciousness. Again goes back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. It is clearly said. If simply one tries to understand what is Krsna, or God, and if he actually understands, then after giving up this body he is no more going to accept any material body. He goes back to home, back to Godhead. Why don't you try for that? Try to understand Krsna. Krsna is explaining himself. You take this Bhagavad-gita as it is and read it regularly. You will understand Krsna. Life is successful. You have asked one question. Any more? What is your question?

Guest (1): What is the purpose of so many nationalities on this earth?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Gurukrpa: What is the purpose of so many nationalities?

Prabhupada: If I say... I have already said, doggish mentality, that's all. You remain dog, go on barking. That's all. What is this national? "I am American. My first interest...," "I am Australian." "I am Indian." "I am Pakistani." They are barking in the United Nation, that's all. This is the benefit. Bark and bark and die like dog, that's all. Better chant Hare Krsna. All right, chant Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976

In my books I have tried to explain clearly this simultaneously one and different philosophy acinta beda beda tattva propounded by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But sometimes it happens that this philosophy is given a self-interested interpretation. As soon as personal motivation comes in it is not possible for one to understand our Krishna Consciousness philosophy."

Letter to Isana and Vibhavati 1970

1. We are put to test and trial in this world. Only those who attend the kirtana of the devotees can succeed.

2. Every place on earth where discourses on Supreme Lord are held is a place of pilgrimage.

3. Possession of objects not related to Krsna is our main malady.

4. Let me not desire anything but the highest good for my worst enemies.

5. As dalliance in bodily luxury increases, so wanes the spirit of service of the Lord.

6. Those favoured by God find their paths set by thorns.

7. There is no peace or happiness in our worldly life. Circumstances create turmoil and annoyance.

8. Chant the mahamantra loudly and with attachment. This will drive away inertia, worldly evils and pests.

9. Be indifferent to mundane gossips, stick firmly to your cherished goals, then no lack or impediments of the world will ever stand in your way.

10. Pay due respects to the extroverts of the world, but do not be appreciative of their manners and conduct. They are to be shaken off from your mind.

11. A devotee feels the presence of God everywhere, but one averse to the Lord denies His existence anywhere.

12. You cannot appreciate transcendental matters with worldly reasoning. It is sheer nonsense to decry them with the measuring stick of your intellect.

13. To recite the name ofSri Krsna is bhakti.

14. Life is for the glorification of topics about Hari. If that is stopped, then what need is there to carry on life?

15. Physical illness with Hari-bhajana is preferred to physical fitness without Hari-bhajana.

16. Our span of life on earth is short. Our life will be crowned with success if the body wears out with constant discourses on Hari.

17. We are here on earth not to work as artisans for making big buildings with wood and stone but to work only as messengers for the teachings of Sri Caitanya Deva.

18. A sycophant is neither a guru or a preacher.

19. To transform the adverse desires of the Jivas is the supreme duty of the most merciful. To rescue one person from the stronghold of Mahamaya is an act of superb benevolence, far superior to opening innumerable hospitals.

20. Unless we are devoted to God, secularism will not leave us.

21. Look within. Amend yourself, rather than pry into the frailties of others.

22. In this world of Maya, averse to the Lord, full of trials and tribulations, only patience, humility and respect for others are our friends for Hari-bhajana.

23. The Lord, Gaurasundara, puts His devotees in various difficulties and associations to test their patience and strength of mind. Success depends on their good fortune.

24. When faults in others misguide and delude you - have patience, introspect, and find faults in yourself. Know that others cannot harm you unless you harm yourself.

25. I wish that every selfless, tender-hearted person of Gaudiya Math will be prepared to shed two hundred gallons of blood for the nourishment of the spiritual corpus of every individual of this world.