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690208BG.LA
Revatinandana: (reading:) "When one's intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation [Bg. 5.17]."
Prabhupada: Hm.
Revatinandana: "The humble sage sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater or outcaste [Bg. 5.18]. Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman and as such, are already situated in Brahman [Bg. 5.19]. A person who neither rejoices upon receiving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, unbewildered and who knows the science of God is to be understood as already situated in transcendence [Bg. 5.20]. Purport."
Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.
Revatinandana: "Purport: The symptoms of the self-realized person are given herein. The first symptom is that he is not illusioned by the false identification of the body with his true self."
Prabhupada: Yes. So achieving something pleasant... Generally we accept a thing pleasant when it satisfies our senses. We accept it as pleasant. But actually, satisfaction of my sense is not real pleasure because my senses are at the present moment diseased. Therefore as it is stated in the Narada-pancaratra, that tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. One has to purify the senses in Krsna consciousness. The Krsna consciousness movement is not to become void of the senses. The other philosophers, they say that "You don't desire." We say that we don't desire nonsense but we desire Krsna. Desire is there, but as soon as desire is purified, then I shall desire Krsna. When one is desiring only Krsna, that is his healthy state. And if somebody is desiring something else, something other than Krsna, then he is to be understood in diseased condition.
So diseased condition means contaminated by maya. This is external. So our philosophy, Krsna consciousness movement, is not to stop desiring but purify desiring. And how you can purify it? By Krsna consciousness. If you desire... Just likeconcrete exampleif I desire a very nice apartment for my personal sense gratification, this is diseased desire. And if I desire a nice costly temple for Krsna, that is purified desire. So desire is there. You are sitting here in a very nice room, very cleansed, very good atmosphere. But this desire is purified desire. And if you require similar room for your sense gratification, that is impure desire. So desire there must be. But when it is desired for Krsna it is purified desire. And when it is desired for non-Krsna then it is impurified. So those who are desiring for Krsna, they are not behind any enjoyment. They are rather in perfect enjoyment. These Krsna conscious students, they are desiring for Krsna nice prasadam, so they are not bereft. Practically they are enjoying but it is Krsnized. Therefore their everything is becoming purified.
This is the science. How it is? Now, it is said here that "Who is self intelligent, unbewildered, and who knows the science of God." How do you know the science of God? The same example, that this finger, when it is in healthy condition it serves the whole body... When it is not in a healthy condition it cannot serve. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God or Krsna. When we are engaged in transcendental loving service of God, that is our healthy condition. That is our natural condition. That is our situation in Brahman, aham brahmasmi. This is self-realization. Just like this finger. If it thinks, "I am finger of this body. My duty is to serve this whole body," this is healthy stage. Similarly, when we are fully convinced that "I am part and parcel of God..."
There are many examples. Just like you are American citizen. If you think yourself that "I am part and parcel of the state..." Sometimes there is some advertisement that "If you spoil this thing, you must know you are spoiling your own thing because the state is yours." Similarly, if I know the science of God, if I know science of Krsna, then I am, my duty is to utilize everything for the satisfaction of Krsna, just like the same citizen who is conscious that "I am part and parcel of this state. I shall see that everything is nicely done for the interest of the state." In Communist state they are very much strict. In other state they are not so much strict but in Communist state, if you go a little against the state, you are immediately punished.
So this is real knowledge of science of God, that "I am part and parcel of God, so my duty is that everything is nicely done, everything is nicely preserved, everything is nicely utilized for the service of God." That is the knowledge of science of God. And I am personally... Of course, in your country there is no water supply hydrant on the street, but in India that is a system. On big roads there are supply, water supply hydrant, because there are many poor men who cannot provide water supply pipes in their house. They take from the street. So when I was passing... I do not know why. That is my habit. If I see that the water tap is open, I immediately close it. I do not like that the water is wasted, you see, because I think that "The government is spending so much money for supplying water, and this water is unnecessarily being lost. So why it should be?" That is also advertised in your country. When there is dropping in your bathroom the authorities request you to stop that because that drop of water costs many dollars for the management.
Similarly, when everything we see in connectionnirbandhah krsna-sambandhein connection with Krsna, when everything we see that "This can be utilized very nicely for Krsna's service," that is Krsna consciousness. That is God consciousness, everything to see in connection with Krsna. The Gosvamis, they give us this formula. Prapancikataya buddhya hari-sambandhi-vastunah. The Mayavadi philosopher, they say that "This world is false. This world is false." Some philosophers, they are meditating to the voidness, that "These things are all nonsense. Voidness is best." This is frustration. But we know that everything belongs to Krsna and it can be used for Krsna. Why void? Why false? Reality. That is Krsna consciousness, to accept everything in reality, not false. This tape recorder machine, it is material. The Mayavada philosophers, they will say it is false. We say,"It is not false. It is temporary, but it can be used for Krsna." That is the best use of a bad bargain. Similarly, this body is not false, but it is temporary. How can I say false? If I give you a nice, I mean to say, what is called?
Visnujana: Shock.
Prabhupada: Shock, you will feel. So it is not false, but that feeling is temporary, that's all. So this body... The Bhagavata says, asann api klesada asa dehah [SB 5.5.4]. This body, although false or temporary, but when it is painful, I feel it. So how can I say it is false? So everything created or given by God we should not say it is false, but we should know that "This is God gifted, it is God's possession, so I must utilize it for God's purpose." That is Krsna consciousness. That is the knowledge of science of Krsna. Everything... Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. And
Vairagya means renunciation, and phalgu means without any value or little, very little. Why should we give up this world? But the process is that give up the idea of sense enjoyment. That is required. That is real renunciation. I shall not use it for my sense gratification. I shall utilize it for Krsna's service. That is Krsna consciousness. Go on.
Revatinandana: "He knows perfectly well that he is not this body but is the fragmental portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is therefore not joyful in achieving something, nor does he lament in losing anything which is related to this body. This steadiness of mind is called sthira-buddhi, or self-intelligence."
Revatinandana: "He is therefore never bewildered by mistaking the gross body for the soul, nor does he accept the body as permanent and disregard the existence of the soul. This knowledge elevates him to the station of knowing the complete science of the Absolute Truth, namely Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan."
Prabhupada: Yes. The complete knowledge, Absolute Truth, means to understand three features of the Absolute Truth. One feature is Brahman, impersonal. The next feature is Paramatma, localized. And the next feature is Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one understands these three features of the Absolute Truth very perfectly then he is in complete knowledge of the science of God. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that human life is meant for inquiring the Absolute Truth. And the next verse the Absolute Truth is explained. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11]. Those who are in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, they say, "Absolute Truth, that thing which is nondual. Nondual. And that Absolute Truth is known in three phases." What is that? Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. There is no difference between Brahman and Paramatma or Bhagavan, the same thing.
The same example again. Just like the sunshine, the sun disk and the sun-god within the sun disk. They are the same thing, light. But there is difference of degrees. The light and temperature which you feel in the sunshine is different from the light and temperature in the sun disk. And the light or temperature in the sun disk is different from the light and temperature of the sun-god. But they are all light. Similarly, Absolute Truth is one, light, but there are degrees. If you become attached to impersonal Brahman, you simply enjoy the eternity feature of the Absolute Truth. If you simply try to understand the Supersoul by meditation, then you realize the eternity and knowledge aspect of the Absolute Truth. But if you realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you realize eternity, knowledge, and bliss, three things. Because without being connected with Krsna or the Supreme Personality of Godhead there is no possibility of enjoying transcendental bliss. In the impersonal Brahman you can remain there eternally. In Paramatma you can have knowledge but in Bhagavan you have eternity, knowledge and transcendental bliss.
Revatinandana: "He thus knows his constitutional position perfectly well without falsely trying to become one with the Supreme in all respects. This is called Brahman realization or self-realization. Such steady consciousness is called Krsna consciousness."
Prabhupada: Yes. Go on.
Revatinandana: "Verse 21: Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness for he concentrates on the Supreme [Bg. 5.21]."
Prabhupada: There is a word, atmarama, in Sanskrit. Atmarama means one who is satisfied with his self. He is called atmarama. Because self is the basic principle of this body, the soul. So one who is satisfied with his soul, he is called atmarama, or self-realized person. One who seeks pleasure externally, he is materialist, and one who seeks pleasure internally, he is spiritualist. That is the difference. Yes.
Revatinandana: "An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them [Bg. 5.22]."
Prabhupada: Yes. Material pleasure is circumstantial in contact with this body. Similarly material distress. So those who are atmarama, enjoying in the platform of soul, they are not concerned with this external pleasure and pain. Yes.
Revatinandana: "Verse 23: Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger he is a yogi and is happy in this world [Bg. 5.23]."
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the perfection of yoga practice. The yoga practice means one should be tolerant. According to yoga system there is a practice. In winter season they go deep into the water up to this. In cold winter they dip into the water up to this and meditate. And in scorching heat they, I mean to say, ignite fire all side and sit down in the midst and meditate. These are the processes. What is that? To learn toleration. Toleration.
But fortunately we haven't got to do all these things. You see? We can chant very nicely in a nice room like this with statues of Jagannatha chanting and dancing, and derive thousand times greater and beneficial result than those practices. Besides that, if you try to imitate those practices, it is not possible at all. It may be possible for one or two person, but it cannot be practiced in a mass scale. But this practice of self-realization can be practiced by anyone, even by the children. Therefore it is universal self-realization process. And in this age Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore recommends, kalaukalau means in this age of Kalinasty eva nasty eva nasty eva: there is no other process feasible, no other process. Any process of self-realization will be very, very difficult. But here is a process; even if you have nothing, you can simply... God has given you this tongue, and God has given you this ear. Simply sit down. If you cannot, I mean to say, utilize your tongue in chanting Hare Krsna, you simply sit down and let others chant and you hear. You get the benefit.
Who can give you more feasible program of self-realization than this? Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's recommendation, "There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative," is a fact. Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Cc. Adi 17.21]. Simply chant and you get the result. And those who are chanting, those who have joined this movement, those who are seriously engaged, ask them how they are advancing, how they are realizing. The method is very simple. Go on.
Revatinandana: "Verse 24: One whose happiness is within, who is active within, and who rejoices within, and is illumined within is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme and ultimately he attains the Supreme [Bg. 5.24]."
Prabhupada: Within. Within means self-satisfied. Bhakti... How this process can give you that understanding within? How? One may question that "How it is possible within?" Yes, it is possible. The example is given by Gosvamis that just like a hungry man, he wants some food, he's demanding some food, and if you give him nice food he eats, and with each morsel of food he realizes within that "I am eating. I am getting strength. I am satisfied." Is it not? Similarly, you begin this Krsna consciousness chanting. You will feel yourself, "Yes. Yes, I am doing something. Yes, I am eating something. Yes, I am getting spiritual strength." Is it not a fact? Actually, if somebody is disturbed, then it is to be understood that his disease is little more acute. Otherwise, in normal condition, if he chants and follows the regulation, then he will feel, "Yes, I am doing something. I am getting something. I am getting strength. I am getting satisfaction. I am feeing I am spiritually advancing." These things will manifest automatically simply by chanting.
Revatinandana: "Verse 25: One who is beyond duality and doubt, whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings, and who is free from all sins achieves liberation in the Supreme [Bg. 5.25]."
Prabhupada: Now, these things are very important things, "whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings." This chanting of Hare Krsna, it is welfare work for all sentient being, even the worms, the microbes, the cockroaches. So many living entities are within this room. By hearing this vibration of Hare Krsna mantra they will be getting also the result. That is described in Caitanya-caritamrta. When Lord Caitanya questioned Haridasa Thakura about the efficacy of chanting, how he described? You will find it in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. It is a fact. If you are chanting within this room and if you find nobody is coming to participate in the kirtana, don't be disappointed. There are many germs, worms, cockroaches, within this roomthey are being benefited. They are being benefited. You cannot find any place without any living entities. You just find out one hole. You will see, hundreds of ants are coming out. So living entities are in the air, in the water, in the holes, everywhere. And this vibration... Everyone, every living, entity has got his ear. So this sound is so powerful because it is spiritual that it will act even on the ants and the trees and birds and the bees, what to speak of human being. It is so nice thing. So those who are chanting... "One who is always busy working."
What is the busyness of these Krsna conscious students? They are busy in chanting Hare Krsna, in distributing knowledge in Krsna consciousness. Therefore they are doing the best welfare work in the world. Other welfare work will be finished as soon as this body is finished. But these welfare activities will not be finished. If one hears one day, one minute, one second, this vibration of chanting, it will act someday. Therefore this is the best welfare activity in the human society. "And who is free from all sins achieves liberation in the Supreme." So it is said that eka krsna-name yata papa hare, papi haya tata papa karibare nare(?). The Krsna name is so powerful transcendentally, spiritually, that if you chant once, "Krsna," all your sinful activities, reaction are immediately finished. One may say that "He was not so sinful. He was little sinful; therefore it is finished." But this verse says that the vibration of Krsna, this sound, has so much potency that it can finish the reaction of all sinful activities as you cannot perform in your various lives. Even if you are very expert in committing sinful activities, still, this will finish, provided it is chanted offenselessly. It has got the power.
So if we always chant... Suppose I am now freed from all sinful reaction. I may be attacked again. That is quite possible. I may be free from the disease but I may be attacked again by this disease. That is possible. But if you always keep yourself constantly in Krsna consciousness, chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore we supply the beads and ask the student, "Chant Hare Krsna." Then sinful activities cannot touch you. These are the processes. And if you keep yourself without being touched by the sinful activities, then one who does so achieves liberation in the supreme. Then your liberation is guaranteed. Yes.
Revatinandana: "Purport: Only a person who is fully in Krsna consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities."
Prabhupada: Yes. For all living entities. You can open a hospital for the human being but where is your hospital for the tiger? Can any man open a hospital for the tigers, for the snakes? And why not? You are compassionate with living entities. Are they not living entities? This is the frailty of imperfect knowledge. They are giving protection, the state is giving protection, to the national, but the cows are not national. They should be killed. But the definition of national is that one who is born in that land is called national. The cows are not born in this land? Why for them killing, and only for the human being protection? This is imperfect, imperfect knowledge.
So whatever a man is doing, you will find some imperfectness. But this Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that it has no imperfectness. It is all-perfect. It is for all living entities, not that I shall simply give protection for my brother, my sister, or my father, but even to the lowest animal we shall give protection. This is Krsna consciousness. Therefore, "Only a person who is fully in Krsna consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities." Why discrimination? Why protect this and not that? That is imperfectness. The human society cannot give protection to all living entities, but here is a scheme which can give protection to all living entities. Yes. Go on.
Revatinandana: "When a person is actually in knowledge that Krsna is the fountainhead of everything, then to act in that spirit is to act for everyone."
Prabhupada: Yes. If we can understand... Just like if you are affectionate to your father, then you naturally become affectionate to your brother. They are preaching universal brotherhood, but "Where is the father, sir?" "Oh, Father is missing." "Then where is the question of brotherhood?" If you don't find your father, then how do you select your brother? These are the imperfectness. If you actually want to do something for your brother in universal brotherhood, first of all establish your relationship with father which you have lost. Go on.
Revatinandana: "The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Krsna as the supreme enjoyer."
Prabhupada: Yes. Because we are forgotten of Krsna or God, therefore in your country, you are throwing away so many tons of grains into the sea. Because we have no connection with Krsna. But if one thinks, "Well, these grains are supplied by Krsna, our father. Why it should be thrown into the sea? Let it be distributed to other countries where they are suffering for grains..." But because want of Krsna consciousness, they cannot think like that. Therefore this Krsna consciousness movement should be taken very seriously to solve all the questions of the world. But they want to remain in ignorance, in darkness. Let us do our duty. What can be done? Yes.
Revatinandana: "The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Krsna as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and the supreme friend."
Prabhupada: If I know Krsna as the supreme proprietor, then how can I throw so many tons of grains into the water without asking the proprietor? But I do not know. I am thinking I am proprietor. That is nescience. That is ignorance, practical. Because I know, I do not know who is the proprietor, therefore I am doing whimsically. But I will have to... Suppose if I do not know who is the proprietor of this building, if I do something harm to this building, does it mean that because I do not know who is the proprietor, I shall be free from the punishable law? No. I may think that there is no proprietor, but actually there is proprietor. I do not know. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the supreme enjoyer. I am the proprietor of all planetary system." Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam: "I am the friend of everyone. I am supplying the grains for all living entities. Why you are destroying it? You shall be punished."
So people do not see the effect of these abominable activities because they do not know Krsna. But they will have to suffer the consequence. Time will come when there will be devastation, just like there was First War, Second War in Europe, and there was mass devastation. So, these are the reaction because we do not know Krsna. Therefore this movement is very important movement, every gentleman, every serious man to take to it. Yes. Go on.
Revatinandana: "Therefore to act to revive this consciousness..."
Prabhupada: Yes. It is simply want of consciousness. Just like a boy is not educated. He is given education just to give a consciousness, "This is this. This is this." That's all. So therefore the whole movement should be to change the consciousness. That is Krsna consciousness. Yes.
Revatinandana: "Therefore to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work."
Prabhupada: Yes.
Revatinandana: One cannot be engaged in the first-class welfare work without being liberated in the Supreme. A Krsna conscious person has no doubt about the supremacy of Krsna. He has no doubt because he is completely free from all sins. This is the state of divine love. A person engaged only in administering to the physical welfare of human society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external body and the mind of the living entity is not satisfactory. The real cause of his difficulties...
Prabhupada: Just like in New York I have seen there is mental hospital, big mental hospital. What is that?
Devotee: Bellevue.
Prabhupada: Bellevue. Simply building is increasing. Every year the building is increasing. What is that? The number of lunatic persons are increasing. You see? But they are under welfare activities. But do not see that "How much welfare I am doing? Why the patients are increasing?" You see? "Oh, we have increased the hospital." That means you increase the disease. They are very much proud of having a big hospital. (laughter) Just see the ignorance. They are not sorry that "Why so much big hospital? Why so much big prisonhouse?" The number of prisoners are increased. So rascals are, they are engaged in welfare activities. Just see. And they are in charge of welfare activities. I do not wish to criticize but there are so many things, simply rascaldomwithout Krsna consciousness. Simply rascaldom. Yes. Go on.
Revatinandana: "The real cause of his difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord."
Prabhupada: Yes, just change the consciousness and everything will be clear. Just change the consciousness. Real treatment is to get him Krsna conscious. That is real treatment. Yes.
Revatinandana: "When a man is fully conscious of his relationship with Krsna, he is actually a liberated soul, although he may be in the material tabernacle."
Prabhupada: That's all right. So please try to push on this movement as far as possible. That is our duty. (devotees pay obeisances)
Devotee (1): Virabhadra has a question.
Virabhadra: You said that, um...You said that there are many living entities in the temple and that they can hear. You said that they can hear. But...
Virabhadra: But a snake, he doesn't have ears. The snake doesn't have ears.
Prabhupada: Who says?
Virabhadra: A snake.
Prabhupada: No, they have got very nice ear. Yes. You do not know. (laughter) The snake, there is a statement...The snake, they can hear very nicely. The snakes are charmed by nice musical sound. Yes. The snake charmer in India, they sing very nicely, flute, and the snake comes and... (laughter) Like this. Immediately. I have seen. And when he comes, then they have got methods to capture the snake. And besides that, there is another example, of foolish man. The foolish men are compared like the frogs. The general example is that somebody is chanting or singing something. The example is that by such singing they are losing their duration of life. As the frog sings... Have you heard any sound of the frog? "Ka-ka-ka, ka-ka-ka." You have heard? (laughter) Have you heard? Yes? So what is the result of that sound? In rainy season the frogs they sing very nicely. So they like rainy season. "Ka-ka-ka, ka-ka-ka, ka-ka-ka," like that. The result is the snake can understand, "Here is a frog." He stealthily comes and immediately finishes "ka-ka-ka." (laughter) Similarly, anything, vibration, except this chanting Hare Krsna or Krsna consciousness, they are like "ka-ka-ka." And the result is that one day Yamaraja, the superintendent of death comes and captures. "All right. Come on. That's all. Finished. Finish your 'ka-ka-ka.' " He might have been very great lecturer, politician, but when death comes your ka-ka-ka finished. Immediately "ka-ka-ka" finished. You have seen. Your President, Mr. Kennedy, was going to lecture, or he finished some lecture, is going to another place and the "ka-ka-ka" finished immediately.
So we should be ready always that this "ka-ka-ka," this material vibration, this lecturing, this planning, at any moment can be finished. Chant Hare Krsna. If you are finished, then you go to Vaikuntha immediately. Don't be practicing "ka-ka-ka." Chant Hare Krsna. Even if we are finished... We can be finished. Now modern life is that we are traveling in airplane. It can be crashed at any moment. But those who are "ka-ka-kas," they'll be finished. And they are chanting; they will go to Vaikuntha. Finishing will be there. It is not that because we are Krsna conscious we will not be finished. The example is that you'll be captured by the mouth of a cat but when the cat captures with its mouth its kitties, they feel very good pleasure. And when he captures a rat, oh, it finished. Similarly, everyone will be captured by the laws of nature, but a devotee will be carried with great care to Vaikuntha and others will be thrown again into this material existence. But people will say, "Oh, your devotee is also dying and the nondevotee is dying," just like the foolish man. The cat is capturing in the mouth both the kitty and the rat. They are not same thing. Apparently it seems that the same thing but it is not the same thing.
Krsna says, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya: [Bg. 4.9] "Just after finishing this body he does not come again to this material world. He goes directly to Me." So there must be death either of the devotee or of the nondevotee. But those who are devotees, constantly in Krsna consciousness, they will be carried to Vaikuntha and others will come back to accept any form of body. Therefore the method should be that we should... sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6]. Twenty-four hours, we shall remain in Krsna consciousness. Even death takes place, you are not loser. That's all. You are gainer here; you are gainer there, after death. Sadhu maro va jivo va. Those who are sadhu, devotees, they either live or dietheir benefit is there. When they live, they chant, dance, and eat Krsna prasada, enjoy, and when they die, they go to Krsna. That's all. Where is the loss? There is no loss. So keep yourself sadhu. Sadhu. Sadhu means saintly.
And who is a saintly? That is also described in Bhagavad-gita. Api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. A person who is constantly in Krsna consciousness, he is sadhu. He is saintly person. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Even if you see sometimes that he is doing something which is not very good, but still, because he has kept himself tight in Krsna consciousness, he is sadhu, he is saintly person. These things are...You will find in the Bhagavad-gita.
So try to keep yourself always in Krsna consciousness. Then you are safe in any circumstance. So we should mold our life in such a way that we cannot go out of the orbit of Krsna consciousness, always thinking of Krsna, that's all. Either you become a carpenter of the temple or a gardener of the temple, or a cooker of the temple, or a typewriter of the temple, or a tape recorder of the templeanything, because it is in Krsna consciousness, therefore you are safe because you are thinking of Krsna. That is required, sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6], always thinking of Krsna, any way, this way or that way. That is meditation; that is trance; that is everything. Yes.
Madhudvisa: Prabhupada, when the living entity, when the jiva leaves the body at death, is there any interim period before it takes up another body or does it happen immediately?
Prabhupada: Immediately. This body, just like it is bursting. The bursting and the real soul particle comes out. Now he is placed according to his karma, or work. That is under this superior management. That is not in your hands. So if you are not Krsna conscious, then you are under the control of this nature. So nature will put you into the semina of a particular father. That means the body which you actually deserve by your activities, so which you are..., that body will be given to you. And if you have desired always Krsna, you will have a body where you can enjoy Krsna, your spiritual body.
So therefore it is upon me, what we want. So we have to simply pray to Krsna, as Lord Caitanya has taught us, ayi nanda-tanuja patitam kinkaram mam visame bhavambudhau: "This material atmosphere is a big ocean of nescience. Some how or other I am put into this, fallen. Please pick me up. Please pick me up and make the one dust of Your lotus feet." That should be the only prayer, "Please pick me up." Then He will pick up. And tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Immediately after leaving your body, you will go to Krsna. Yes.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: No.
Devotee (2): No. Would it have the same meaning?
Prabhupada: Not same effect. If you chant om, then you go to impersonal Brahman. But if you chant Krsna, then you reach Krsna, person. Just now I explained Bhagavan..., Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. If you chant om, then you reach Brahman or Paramatma. But if you chant Krsna, then you reach Krsna, Bhagavan.
Devotee (3): If somebody asks us on the street when we're preaching, how do we know that the scripture is authoritative, how do we answer?
Prabhupada: I do not follow what do you say.
Devotee (3): If on the street when we're preaching, somebody says, "How do you know the scripture is authoritative? How do you know that Krsna..." (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/bg/5/17-25/los_angeles/february/08/1969 Previous: Bhagavad-gita 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966 Next: Bhagavad-gita 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966
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