Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.8 , New York , 1971-07-22

Prabhupāda:

["I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance."]

["When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?"]

["I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā."]

["O my dear Kṛṣṇa, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopīs, especially Rādhārāṇī. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."]

["I offer my respects to Rādhārāṇī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa."]

["My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service."]

Just like you go to a physician, and according to the gravity of the disease, the physician prescribes a medicine which may be very costly or may not be costly. That depends on the gravity of the disease. If the disease is very dangerous, then sometimes you have to accept some medicine which is very costly. Similarly, our contamination with sinful activities will require proportionate atonement. That is the prescription of the scripture.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "Before your death, if you accept some atonement, then next life you'll not suffer. Otherwise you'll carry with you the resultant action of your sinful activities and you'll have to suffer next life." Just like in the state laws, if you kill some man, murder, then the state law says that you shall be also hanged. "Life for life."

So this is not very new. The... In the Manu-saṁhitā... Manu-saṁhitā means Lord Manu, he's the giver of law to the mankind. From Manu, the word man has come. The exact Sanskrit word "manuṣya." Manuṣya means man. So there is some link with Manu, M-a-n-u, and "man." So this Latin word comes from the Sanskrit word manu. So Manu is supposed to be the law-giver to the humankind.

So in the Manu-saṁhitā it is stated there that when the king kills one man, or hangs one man who is a murderer, that is benefit to him. Otherwise, if he's not killed, then he will carry the reaction of his murdering action, and he'll have to suffer in so many ways. The laws of nature are very subtle. They are very diligently administered. People do not know it.

So on the whole, the Manu-saṁhitā, life for life is sanctioned. And that is practically observed all over the world. But similarly, there are other laws, that you cannot kill even an ant. Then you are responsible. You have no right to kill. And in the Bible also, we see, Lord Jesus Christ says, "Thou shall not kill."

So killing is not allowed in any religious principle. Anyone who is killing, he's not considered in the human society. You cannot kill. The... Lord Buddha's also principle is ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, no killing. Lord Jesus Christ also says, "Thou shall not kill." In our Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā [Bg. 13.8]. Ahiṁsā means not to become violent, not to kill.

So as there is state laws that you shall be killed if you kill your fellow man, similarly, in the God's law there are the same thing. Not only man; if you kill anyone, then you'll have to suffer, because everyone is God's creature. They are in different dress only. He's considered the supreme father. So father may have many children—one is not very intelligent, another is very intelligent.

And if the intelligent son says to the father that "This, my brother, is not intelligent. Let me kill him," will the father allow? Because his one son is not very intelligent, and if the intelligent son desires to kill him to avoid the burden, will the father agree to this? No. Similarly, if God is the supreme father, how He can sanction that you live and you kill animal? The animals are also His sons.

So there is no justice. In the Bhagavad-gītā, God claims,

"Arjuna, all living entities in different species of life..." There are 8,400,000 species of life. They're all sons of God. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. The Lord says, "I am the seed-giving father." Just like in ordinary birth, the father gives the seed, and the mother develops the body. Mother, by her blood, she supplies the ingredients of developing the child in the embryo. That is law's nature. Similarly, we living entities, we are part and parcel of the supreme father.

We are very minute. The dimension is also given there in the śāstras: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.9]. Keśāgra, the tip of the hair. Agra means tip; keśa means hair. Just imagine—very small point. And you have to divide it into ten thousand parts. And that one part is the dimension of the living entity, spirit soul, spark. Everything is there in the śāstra. But because we have no eyes to see...

Our material eyes cannot see what is the dimension of the soul. But the soul is there within this body. And as soon as the soul departs, or takes another body according to the work the soul is doing here, there is superior superintendence. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1].

We are working here... Just like in a office, somebody is working, and the service record is kept, "How this man is working." He does not know what is the opinion of the superior boss. But a service record is there in the office.

Young man: [yelling] Prabhupāda! Prabhupāda! Look what your Godbrothers are doing. Prabhupāda! Please help me, Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Devotees: There's a crazy boy out there. Crazy man. Crazy man...

Young man: Prabhupāda! Prabhupāda! Prabhupāda! Devotees. Hypocrites. They're hypocrites. Look at them. [devotees chant japa loudly]

Prabhupāda: So office record is kept there...

Young man: You're full of nescience!

[indistinct rambling continues as Prabhupāda resumes lecture]

Prabhupāda: ...and, according to the activities of that particular person, he's awarded promotion, increment of pay, or sometimes degraded and fired off. Two things are there. Similarly, for all our activities which we are doing, there are witnesses. The sun is witness, the moon is witness, the day is witness, the air is witness and, above all witnesses, God Himself as the Supersoul, He's sitting in everyone's heart. He's also witness. So we cannot hide any activity from the eyes of God.

So according to our work... Therefore in the śāstra it is said, daiva-netreṇa. Daiva means God, and netra, netreṇa means under supervision. So karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. Jantu, jantu means living entities; deha means this body; upapattaye, "for manufacturing." Now we have got this human body. Next life it may not be human body—something else, better or lower. That will be decided by the superior examination. Daiva-netreṇa.

So this is going on, but people do not know what is this science, how the spirit soul is transmigrating from one body to another—not only in one duration of life. In one duration of life there are so many changes of body. The body first manufactured within the womb of the mother is very small, just like chick pea, small. And it develops. And there are holes.

The holes develop into nine holes: two eyes, two ears, two nostril, one mouth, one genital, one rectum. In this way the body develops. And so long it requires to develop within the embryo, within the mother's womb, it remains there. And when it is sufficiently developed to grow outside, it comes out. Then it grows, the body grows. Grows means changing the body.

Growing, we..., we are imperceptibly—cannot understand—but it is actually changing the body. Just like in your childhood you had a small body. That is no longer existing. That means you have changed your body. Similarly, you'll have to change this body. When this body will not work anymore... Because it is material. Every material things deteriorate, and it becomes useless at certain length of time. Any machine, any cloth. Therefore it has been taken as dress: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya [Bg. 2.22].

So this is going on, but unfortunately modern universities, educational system, they do not know anything about this. And still, they are very much proud of advancement of education. Actually, there is no education. Without this knowledge, spiritual knowledge, this education for earning bread—eating, sleeping, mating—that can be done without education. The animals, they are not educated. They are not technologist, or they have no education in the universities, degrees; they're also eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

So if our education is meant for simply eating, sleeping, mating and defending, then what is the difference? That is not education. Real education is to understand what you are. That is real education. Ātma-jñāna. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said,

So long a man does not develop consciousness to understand his self, ātma-tattvam, the truth of the self, then whatever he's doing in ignorance, it is all defeat for his life.

This human life is meant for victorious, to become victorious over the laws of material nature. Actually we are trying for that purpose. The whole struggle is how to counteract the onslaught of material nature. The whole activities are going on. But what is the ultimate victory? The ultimate victory is how to conquer over birth, death, disease and old age. That is the outcome, victory.

But we have set aside, neglected this important point, and our education system is for how to eat, how to sleep, how to defend. What is... God is giving us to eat so many things. What your education system will improve? We are eating fruits, grains, or whatever we eat. That is given by God. Food is supplied to the animals.

The four-legged animals... Ahastāni sahastānām. Sahastānām ahastāni [SB 1.13.47]. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, everything is... The food is there. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam: "One living entity is the food for another living entity." Ahastāni sahastānām. Just like animals, they have got no hands, so they are food for the animals which has..., who has got hands. We are animals with hands, and there are animals without hands. So ahastāni sahastānām. Sahasta means hand. With-hands animals, they're eating others which has no hand.

Apadāni catuṣ-padām. "And those who have no legs, they are food for the animals four-legged." Just like grass. This is also living entity, but it has no leg to move. It has leg, but it is fixed up. It cannot move. They're condemned, that "You cannot move." A tree is standing for seven thousand years. It cannot move. So they are food for moving animals. Just like cow eats grass. The goat eats grass. So apadānam catuṣ-padām.

Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra. In this way the world is being exploited. The weaker section is being exploited by the stronger section. Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra jīvo jīvasya jīvanam [SB 1.13.47]: "One life is meant for being exploited by other life." This is nature's law. So we have no quarrel with persons who are meat-eating. But our propaganda is to make people God conscious. That's all.

So in order to become God conscious, you have to follow some rules and regulation. We do not give any credit to the vegetarians than the meat-eaters. Because one has to eat. But our proposal is, Kṛṣṇa conscious men, that we shall eat remnants of foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is our philosophy. And Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg. 9.26], that Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who offers Me a little fruit, a little water and little leaf with devotion and love, I accept it."

Kṛṣṇa is not hungry that He is begging some food from us. No. He is trying to create loving transaction: "You love Me; I love you." Kṛṣṇa is God. Kṛṣṇa, practically by His energy everything is produced. Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. So why He should beg for, from me, a little leaf and little fruit and little water? He has no business. But if we offer a little fruit and little leaf and little water with love—"Kṛṣṇa, I am so poor that I cannot secure anything. I have secured this little fruit and little flower and a leaf. Kindly accept it"—Kṛṣṇa is very glad. Yes. And if He eats, offered by you, your life is successful. You make friendship with Kṛṣṇa. That is our preaching.

So this little fruit, little flower and little water can be secured any part of the world by any man, poor or rich, and can be offered. Simply we have to try, we have to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. And love begins with this give and take. You give something to your lover; he gives you something to you. In this way love develops. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. The development takes place, loving affairs, by giving and taking.

Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva [Upadeśāmṛta 4]. When you create loving transaction with any boy or girl or any man, any friend, the give and take. So Kṛṣṇa is teaching us give and take. "You give something," Kṛṣṇa is begging. "You try to love Me. You learn how to love Me. Give Me." "Sir, I have nothing to give You." "Oh, you cannot collect a little fruit and flower and leaf and little water?" "Oh, yes. Why not? Anyone can collect."

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice. You can make direct friendship with Kṛṣṇa. You can become direct servant of Kṛṣṇa. Or, in higher stages, you can become father, mother of Kṛṣṇa. Or you can become lover of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is prepared to establish loving relationship... There is already loving relationship with us, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like father and son. Son is the part of the body of the father. Similarly, the supreme father... So as the relationship between the father and the son cannot be broken... It may be forgotten for some time, but as soon as one knows, "He's my father," and as soon as one knows, "He's my son," immediately affection develops.

So we are eternally related with Kṛṣṇa. At the present moment it is simply forgotten, suppressed. Therefore we are thinking that we have no relationship with Kṛṣṇa. But that is not the fact. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the relationship is eternal. Simply we have to revive it. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means... We are now in different consciousness. I am thinking that I am Indian.

Somebody is thinking, "I am American." Somebody is thinking, "I am this," "I am that." But actual thinking should be "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "I am Kṛṣṇa's." And in Kṛṣṇa consciousness relationship, because Kṛṣṇa is for everyone, therefore I become everyone's. Just try to understand.

In India, the system is when a girl is married to a boy, so—in your country also, everywhere, the same system—just like the nephew of the boy calls the girl "Aunt." Now, how she becomes aunt? Because, in relationship with her husband. Before the marriage she was not aunt, but as soon as he [she] is related with her husband, the husband's nephew become the nephew.

Just try to understand the example.

Similarly, if we reestablish our relationship, or our original relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is for everyone, therefore I become for everyone. That is real universal love. The artificial, so-called universal love cannot be established unless you have established your relationship with the central point. Just like you are American. Why? Because you are born in this land. So another American is a member of your family, but if you become something else, then you have no relationship with another American.

So we have to reestablish our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Then the question of universal brotherhood, justice, peace, prosperity will come. Otherwise, there is no possibility. Central point missing. How there can be justice and peace? It is not possible.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā the peace formula is given. The peace formula is that one should understand that Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer. Just like in this temple, our central point is Kṛṣṇa. If we are cooking, it is for Kṛṣṇa, not that we are cooking for our purpose. Ultimately, although we shall eat the prasādam, but when we cook, we don't think that we are cooking for ourself.

We are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. When you go outside to collect some fund, it is not that the persons who are in the kīrtana party, they have got any personal interest. No. They are collecting, or they are distributing the literature, for Kṛṣṇa's sake, for making people Kṛṣṇa conscious. And whatever collection is there, that is being spent for Kṛṣṇa.

So in this way, when we are practiced to this system of life—everything for Kṛṣṇa—that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The same thing, what we are doing, we have to do. Simply we have to change the consciousness, that "I am doing for Kṛṣṇa, not for my personal." In this way, if we develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we come to our original consciousness. Then we become happy.

Unless we come to the original consciousness, then we are crazy in different degrees. Everyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is to be supposed crazy, because he is talking on a platform which is temporary, transient. It will be finished. But we, as living entity, we are eternal. So temporary business is not our business. Our business should be eternal, because we are eternal. And that eternal business is how to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body, but this finger's eternal business is how to serve this body. That's all. Here it has no other business. And that is the healthy state of the finger. If it cannot serve the whole body, that is diseased condition. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is eternal; we are eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13]. These are the Vedic instruction.

The supreme eternal is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and we are also eternal. We are not supreme; we are subordinate. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He is the supreme living entity, and we are subordinate living entities. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That one living entity, one eternal, He's supplying all the necessities of life to the plural number eternals. Eko bahūnām, unlimited number of living entities. You cannot count. Bahūnām. This is our relationship.

So, as part and parcel, we have to serve Kṛṣṇa, and we are subordinate. He is supplying our necessities. He is the supreme father. This life is normal life and liberated life. Any other life beyond this conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is sinful life.

So in this subject matter, topics between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, there is... Parīkṣit Mahārāja is anxious to know how these conditioned souls who are rotting in the hellish condition of life, they can be delivered. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is first of all prescribing that they have to make atonement. Just like I gave you the example: If one man has committed criminal activities, he has to atone for the sinful activity. He must be arrested. He must be put into the jail and given some trouble for a certain period of time. And then he may be given freedom.

So this atonement is there, by nature's law. You cannot avoid it. If you think that "God cannot see. I am doing this nonsense without His vision," that is wrong. Anything we do, that is recorded, just like the service record. And the judgment... Just like in other literature, there is the day of judgment. That's fact. We have to accept the judgment of the superior superintendent of all our activities.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that the volume of atonement should be according to the gravity of the offense. Just like when a man is diseased, he goes to a physician. He prescribes different type of medicine to the different type of patient according to the gravity of the disease. But there are many rascals, they say that any medicine we take, that's all right. No.

That's not all right. You have to take the medicine through the physician, not independently. In your country there is law that you cannot purchase from the drug shop any medicine without being prescribed by the medical man. Is it not? So the prescription should be taken from the experienced physician to cure the disease.

So in this age, Kali-yuga... It is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and misunderstanding. This is the age. For nothing there is misunderstanding and quarrel and fight and war. For nothing. So in this age the medicine for delivering the conditioned soul from miserable, materialistic way of life is prescribed in the śāstras. What is that?

Harer nāma, simply chanting of the holy name of Hari, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam [Cc. Ādi 17.21]: "In this age, simply this harer nāma," kevalam, only. There is no other alternative. Therefore in the next line it is stressed, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: "There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative."

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on authority. We are prescribing the right medicine, and it is becoming very effective also. That is the proof. If you say that "How I can understand that this medicine is very effective?" Yes, it is effective.

By chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, any part of the world, although they do not know the meaning, they chant and they join, and they become rectified, and they become bright-faced. That is the verdict. So therefore we appeal to everyone, irrespective of any caste-creed consideration, please come, join this movement and be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [end]