Arrival Address – August 8, 1973, Paris

Understand This Movement

[Poor Recording]

[translated simultaneously into French by devotee]

Prabhupada: So it is said,

The verse says that if a person, or if a community, or if a nation has no sense of devotional service, such person, such community or nation, they are like decoration of the dead body. Sometimes a dead body is decorated. So that decoration may be pleasing for the relatives of the dead body; otherwise, decorating a dead body is not very much pleasing to others. So the idea is that we have this body-simply decorating the body or taking care of the body is not the perfection of life.

The body means the senses, and above the senses there is the mind, and above the mind there is intelligence, and above the intelligence there is the soul. Actually, on the foundation of the soul, the intelligence, the mind and the senses are acting. When the soul is gone out of this body, there is no more use of intelligence, mind or senses. When it goes out of this body, he transmigrates finally, and according to that body, he uses a different type of intelligence, mind and sense gratification. Just like a dog, it has got a body. But we say "dog's mentality" because according to the body, his mind is also different, his intelligence also different. So the soul is pure, part and parcel of God, but on account of the soul's being covered by material body, mind, intelligence, it is different at the present moment.

So in the human form of body there is the opportunity to understand all these activity or philosophy of life. So in this human form of life, if we do not cultivate Krsna consciousness, then we are missing the opportunity. So it is the duty of the mahajanas, or the leaders, to give opportunity to the human being for developing Krsna consciousness. So our Krsna consciousness movement is the greatest benedictory movement for the human society. Unfortunately, we are living in a time where the people of demonic mentality are in greater number. So this demoniac mentality is always there. Just like Prahlada Maharaja was executing Krsna consciousness. His father was a demon, so the father put the son into so many difficulties of life.

So Krsna consciousness movement...

[break] ...become Krsna conscious there will be some difficulties. So just like we are chanting within this room-somebody called foolish. So these kind of difficulties we have to meet. Krsna consciousness means preparing for going back to home, back to Godhead. We are rotting within this material world from time immemorial... [break] ...or in a previous creation, we similarly... [break] ...since the creation of this cosmic manifestation we are rotting. So by the mercy of Krsna and spiritual master, guru-krsna, we have got this seed of Krsna consciousness. So that is a great fortune. We have to cultivate Krsna consciousness despite all kinds of hindrances, because it is a function which is final solution of all problems of life.

The problems of life are four: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg 13.9], means birth, death, old age and disease. But these demonic people, they think that birth, death, old age and disease, they are [indistinct], they are [indistinct] things. Because we learn from Bhagavad-gita that the living entity, na jayate mriyate va kadacin [Bg 2.20]. The living entity never takes birth or never dies. Nityaḥsasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg 2.20]. The living entity at annihilation of this body…, the living entity does not annihilate. So-called scientists, so-called theologist, so-called engineer, they can make very big, big [indistinct]. I see in your city it is very nice.

[break] ...for these problems. Therefore, they are called mūḍhas, rascals. Mūḍhaḥ duskrtino. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

The miscreants always engaged in sinful activities, just like illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, gambling. They are called duskrtinaḥ, means sinners, always engaged in sinful activities. So my request to you, I thank you very much that with all inconveniences-I don't think there is any inconvenience-but even though there are many inconveniences, don't give up this practice or cultivation of Krsna consciousness. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised,

We have to tolerate. Just like in the airport, for a little simple reason we are detained for about fifty minutes. Immediately the police is there. Somebody will complain; somebody will do something else. But these things are expected, because the demoniac people will always try to tease devotees. So this is going on. During the long, long ago, millions of years, Prahlada Maharaja was tortured by his father. Two thousand years ago, even Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. He was killed. [break] Haridasa Thakura, he was also tortured. He was caned in seven marketplace. The only fault of this torturing…, for this torturing procedure is that they were Krsna conscious. That's all. That is their only fault. [break] ... rest assure as Prahlada Maharaja said by Nrsimhadeva. So Krsna in His Nrsimhadeva avatara: tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-srhgam [Gita Govinda, Sri Dasavatara Stotra 4]. We should take shelter of Krsna. He will give us all protection, rest assured. Do not give up this Krsna consciousness movement. That is my request.

So I thank you very much for inviting me in your temple, and I am very much pleased there are so many young boys and girls, they are chanting Hare Krsna. That is a new thing in the history, in a city like Paris, younger generation will chant Hare Krsna mantra. We are making history. That's a fact. So do it sincerely. In all circumstances, trials, do not give up.

Thank you very much. [end]