8,400,000 species
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Imported quote 15265 "There are 900,000 species living in the water. There are also 2,000,000 nonmoving living entities (sthavara) such as trees and plants. There are also 1,100,000 species of insects and reptiles, and there are 1,000,000 species of birds. As far as quadrupeds are concerned there are 3,000,000 varieties, and there are 400,000 human species." Some of these species may exist on one planet and not on another, but in any case within all the planets of the universe-and even in the sun-there are living entities. This is the verdict of Vedic literatures. As Bhagavad-gita (2.20) confirms:
(More...) Imported quote 17013 There is a Spiritual Sky. There is another nature that is beyond manifestation and non-manifestation. But how will you know that there is a sky where the planets and inhabitants are eternal? All this knowledge is there, but how will you make experiments? It is not possible. Therefore you have to take the assistance of the Vedas. This is called Vedic knowledge. In our Krsna Consciousness Movement, we are accepting knowledge from the highest authority, Krsna. Krsna is accepted as the highest authority by all classes of men. I am speaking first of the two classes of transcendentalists. One class of transcendentalist is called impersonalist, Maya-vadi. They are generally known as Vedantists, led by Sahkaracarya. And there is another class of transcendentalist, called Vaisnavas, like Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami. Both the Sahkara-sampradaya and the Vaisnava-sampradaya have accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sahkaracarya is supposed to be an impersonalist who preached impersonalism, impersonal Brahman, but it is a fact that he is a covered personalist. In his commentary on the Bhagavad-gita he wrote: "Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond this cosmic manifestation." And then again he confirms, "That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, is Krsna. He has come as the Son of Devaki and Vasudeva." He has particularly mentioned the names of His father and mother. So Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all transcendentalists. There is no doubt about it. Our source of knowledge in Krsna Consciousness is directly from Krsna, Bhagavad-gita. We have published Bhagavad Gita As It Is, because we accept Krsna as He is speaking without any interpretation. That is Vedic knowledge. Since the Vedic knowledge is pure, we accept it. Whatever Krsna says, we accept. This is Krsna Consciousness. That saves much time. If you accept the right authority or the source of knowledge, then you save much time. For example, there are two systems of knowledge in the material world, inductive and deductive. From deductive, you accept that man is mortal. Your father says man is mortal, your sister says man is mortal, everyone says man is mortal-but you do not experiment. You accept it as fact that man is mortal. If you want to research to find out whether man is mortal, you have to study each and every man, and you may come to think that there may be some man who is not dying, but you have not seen him yet. So in this way your researching will never be finished. This process is called in Sanskrit, aroha, the ascending process. If you want to attain knowledge by any personal endeavor, by exercising your imperfect senses, you will never come to the right conclusions. That is not possible.
(More...) We have discussed that this body is the field of activity. We are acting according to the body. I am the same person, but when I had my boyhood body or childhood body, I was acting differently. This child, they are acting now some way, but when they will get another body, they will act in a different way. Similarly, not only this human form of body, but there are 8,400,000 different types of bodies. We have explained several times, jalaja nava-laksani [Padma Purana]: "In the water there are 900,000 different forms of body." How many do we know? We do not know all the details. We know there are different types of fishes, and say 100,000 we have seen or experimented, the zoologist. But from the Vedic literature we understand that there are 900,000 forms of body within the water.
(More...) So this is called Vedic knowledge. Perfect information is given there. Doesn't say 901 or 950. Exactly, 900,000. Jalaja nava-laksani. Then next, sthavara laksa-vimsati. Then, after aquatic, when the water dries, the vegetation comes out, and that vegetation grow gradually into plants, trees, herbs and so many, big, big trees. Here we have got big, big trees. So from aquatic life they have come to this vegetable life. And one tree standing for thousands of years. They cannot move an inch. This is also life. There is life. The trees, these banyan trees, they are making their arrangement how to stand fixed-up very strong. Nobody can move. The same struggle for existence is going on. As we are struggling to make our position secure, similarly, the trees are also making their position secure. The cats and dogs, they are also making attempt to make their position secure. This is called struggle for existence. So from this tree, just try to remember that there are 900,000 species of aquatics.
(More...) Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. Why we find so many varieties of life? How it has come into being? It is... Everything will be explained by Krsna. He says, tat samasena me srnu: "From Me you hear." Everyone is inquisitive, "Why there are varieties of life?" I do not know what the modern scientist says, but they do not understand that there is soul in these different types of body. That we have already discussed, that idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate. Every different particular living entity... Not particular. We are all living entities, part and parcel of God, but we have entered into different types of bodies according to our desire. That's it. According to... We have got desires, different types of desires. The 8,400,000 bodies means at least we have got 8,400,000 different types of desires. That we have to learn from authorities like Krsna. Therefore He says, tat samasena me srnu: "You try to understand." You cannot speculate. Is there any psychologist who can say that how many different types of thinking, feeling, willings are there? No, they cannot say. But we must know from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that these 8,400,000 species or forms of life are there because there are 8,400,000 different types of desires, exactly 8,400,000. This is called Vedic knowledge. Exactly what is the fact, that is stated there.
(More...) Imported quote 17359 There are 8,400,000 forms of life. Out of that, the human forms in different status, 400,000. And eight millions, they are lower animals-birds, beast, aquatics, insects, serpents, so many. They're eight millions. The number of... You can see the number of human being. The other being... Just like even a small ant. From your room thousands of small ants will come out. But in that room, as human being, you cannot live more than two, three. That is the nature's way. You'll find so many sparrows, so many other birds, beast, even elephants. So they are getting their food, they are getting their sleeping accommodation, they have facility for sex life and they know how to defend. So human life is also meant for like that, simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending?
(More...) Imported quote 18129 There are two things: conditioned life and liberated life. Eight million, four hundred thousand forms of life there are. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati [Padma Purana]. Nine lakhs forms of life in the water. [child talking] Jalaja nava-laksani. [aside:] The child may be... Sthavara laksa-vimsati. The trees and plants, they are two million. Sthavara laksa-vimsati, krmayo rudra-sahkhyakaḥ. And the germs and insects, reptiles, they are eleven hundred thousand, eleven lakhs. Paksinam dasa-laksanam. Then birds, they are ten lakhs of forms. Then beasts, animals, so they are three millions forms. And then human being, they are 400,000. Very small quantity. Of all the living entities, the human forms, they are very small number, 400,000. Asitim caturas caiva. Asitim means eighty, and catura means four. So 8,400,000 species of forms.
(More...) Imported quote 22772 Prabhupada: Because we have heard from authority. As you are asking assurance from me, so I give it the knowledge from where I have heard. You want to hear from me; I have heard from authority. That's all. Where is the difficulty? Why you are asking me? You want to hear from me. So I have also heard from authority. This is the statement. You take it.
(More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?qg=2390
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