(kirtanaPrabhupada tells the devotees to chant one roundsomeone yells "I'm God" and yells something that sounds like "Om" over and over but sounds more like a cow mooing real slow. He yells and screams, "I'm God! I'm God!" and leaves. Devotees and Prabhupada continue japa. Prabhupada chants first prayer of Siksastaka. Then this class begins:)

Take for example that we sometimes worship our past leaders. In your country, George Washington, or in our country, Gandhi or somebody else. But this is false because you do not know where is that gentleman Washington has gone. We are simply worshiping a shadow. A photograph, a statue. But we do not know where is actually that spirit soul, his transmigration of the soul. The soul goes to another body and we foolishly worship the dead body, which is useless. This is called bhutejya. In Sanskrit language it is called bhutejya. Ghost worship. Yanti bhutani bhutejya. So this is only sentiment. But because all the name, fame, assets materially gained, it ends with that body, it remains with that body. Now you have to begin another body according to your own karma. But the spiritual effect which you acquire, that goes with you. Because you are spirit, it goes with the spirit. And the material asset left with this material...

They do not know. Foolish people, they do not know. They are after material acquisition. They do not know this will be finished just with the finishing of the body. This is called illusion. For this body which will not go with me I am working so hard, day and night. But the spirit, as I am, I do not know wherefrom I have come, where I am going. Therefore we have to follow the direction of authoritative persons, scriptures, to mold our life how to work. That is called karma-yoga. Simply working is not karma-yoga. Karma-yoga means... It is described in the Bhagavad-gita, yat karosi [Bg. 9.27]. Whatever you are doing. Yat karosi yaj juhosi. Whatever you are sacrificing. Yad asnasi, whatever you are eating. Yad dadasi, whatever you are giving in charity. Kurusva tad mad-arpanam, "give Me." "You want to give some charity, give Me," Krsna says. But people will not give Krsna. If the members of the Krsna consciousness goes to some foundation, that "We are being doing this work. Give us some money." "No. Our money is meant for hospital and educational institution." And what you are producing? "Atom bomb. Oh, that is all right." This is going on.

So we are, by material advancement, we are just advancing the cause of illusion. That is all. We do not know. What we know? Therefore a person who begins a spiritual life in Krsna consciousness, his asset will go with him. Never mind, in this body we may be little uncomfortable. A spiritually advanced man, or a person in Krsna consciousness, is never in discomfort. We have already discussed this point. Yasmin sthito gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah [Bg. 6.20-23]. When one attains perfection in Krsna consciousness, he does not want anything more. Everything is complete. And the symptom will be seen that he's not disturbed even in the severest point of miserable condition.

You'll be surprised to know that Haridasa Thakura... We always glorify him after our kirtana, "Haridasa Thakura ki jaya." This Haridasa Thakura, how he was undisturbed. There are many instances. Lord Jesus Christ, he was also undisturbed when he was being crucified. So similarly, this Haridasa Thakura, he happened to be a Muhammadan and he joined this Hare Krsna movement. So the Muhammadan magistrate called him, "Oh, you are born in such a nice family and you are chanting Hare Krsna? Hindu? You are chanting Hare Krsna, Hindu's name? Then what is your explanation?" So Haridasa Thakura was... He could understand that he is now in dangerous position. So he replied, "Sir, many Hindus also have become Muhammadan. So if some Muhammadan becomes Hindu, what is the harm?" "Oh, you are arguing?" Means he was to be punished. Give the dog a bad name and hang it.

So he was ordered that this man should be caned. And in, at that time Navadvipa had twenty-two marketplaces. So in each marketplace he should be taken and in the public he should be flogged. So that he was done. And the idea was that by flogging he would die. The magistrate's idea was like that. But fortunately Haridasa Thakura did not die, neither he cried even. He was as good as silent. So these persons who were flogging, they fell on his feet. "Sir, the idea was that you would die. But now I see that you do not die. So now our punishment is awaiting. He will think that we have not flogged you sufficiently." Then Haridasa Thakura said, "What you want?" "No, we want that you should die." Then he made himself into samadhi and the flogger took him to the magistrate, "Here is the condition." The magistrate thought, "He's now dead." So told him, "Throw him in the water. Don't put him in the graveyard. He has become Hindu." So yasmin sthito gurunapi na vicalyate [Bg. 6.20-23]. So he was so disturbed, but he was steady. So it is such a thing. He was chanting. The others were flogging him, and he was chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

So spiritual asset is like that. Of course, that is the highest perfectional stage, Haridasa Thakura or Lord Jesus Christ. And there are many instances. But that is the idea, that one who is spiritually advanced, he's not disturbed by any material miserable condition. Therefore Lord Krsna says that a person who is spiritually advanced, for him there is no misery even in this world and what to speak of the other world? Partha na eva iha. Iha means in this world. Namutra. Amutra means next life. Vinasas tasya vidyate. Na vinasa. Vinasa means annihilation. So he has no annihilation. What is annihilation? We have understood from Bhagavad-gita in the Second Chapter that soul is never annihilated. Indestructible.

Now how it is said that vinasa? Vinasa means when we are in the whirlpool of this material transmigration of soul from one body to another and we do not know where we are going. Either we are going, I am going to become an elephant or I'm going to become an ant, I do not know. After leaving this body, I'm in the wilderness of different species of life. So I forget myself. I forget myself. That is called vinasa. Vinasa means that living entity is not annihilated but he does not know where I am. Just like you are thrown to the Pacific Ocean and by the waves... Or you are thrown into the middle, you don't see any land, so you do not know... That is vinasa. That is annihilation. Although we are living there. Similarly, if we meet this... We do not know what I am going to be in my next life but my life, next life is a fact. Next life is fact. Suppose if you drive me away from this room, so I must take shelter of another room. So you do not know where I am gone. So this is called vinasa. This is called vinasa.

So one who takes to spiritual life, he has no vinasa. He has no annihilation means that his next life he's going to be again human being. He's not lost in the wilderness of other species of life. Because he has to begin again. Suppose he has finished ten percent Krsna consciousness. Now he has to begin eleven percent again. Now, in order to begin, I mean to say, eleven percent in Krsna consciousness he has to take the human body. So this means that if anyone takes to Krsna consciousness, his next life human body is guaranteed. It is guaranteed. It is very nice. Without Krsna consciousness I do not know what my next body is going to happen. But if Krsna consciousness or spiritual consciousness you are advanced, never mind whatever little percentage it is, you are sure to get the chance of another human body. Therefore it is said.

So at least to have a guarantee that our next life is going to be human life, everyone should take to Krsna consciousness. From mundane profit point of view. There is a story, Savitri-Satyavan. Savitri-Satyavan, it is not a story. It is historical fact that one gentleman, he was a king's son, prince. His name was Satyavan. But he was to die at a certain age his horoscope said. But one girl Savitri, she fell in love with that boy. Now she wanted to marry. Her father told her, "He'll die at certain age. You don't marry." But she was bent. She married. In course of time the boy died, say after four or five years, and the girl became widow. So she was so staunch lover that she won't let the dead body go away. And the Yamaraja, the, what is English I do not know, who takes away the body or the soul after death, so he came to take the soul away. So this chaste girl would not allow the husband's body to go away. Then Yamaraja told, "It is my duty that I should take. You give it up. Otherwise, you'll be also punished." So she gave and she was following Yamaraja. So Yamaraja became compassionate. So Yamaraja became compassionate, he benedicted her, "My dear girl, you go home. I give you benediction you will have a son. Don't cry for your husband." Then she was again following and when Yamaraja said, "Why you are following me?" "Now you are taking my husband. How can I have my son?" Oh, then he was in dilemma. He returned her husband. So similarly, this is a technique. If you take to Krsna consciousness, then your husband or this human form of life is guaranteed.

Naham... Partha naiveha namutra vinasas tasya vidyate na hi kalyana-krt. Kalyana-krt. A spiritual life is the most auspicious life. Kalyana. Kalyana means auspicious. So anyone who has done something auspicious, na hi kalyana-krt kascid durgatim tata gacchati. Anyone who has done something nice auspicious thing, oh it will never be vanquished. He will never be put into difficulty. It is such a nice thing.

So Krsna said that these transcendentally advanced persons, they're transferred to the higher planetary system and live there for many, many years to enjoy life there. Then again they are transferred again here. This is called karma-ksetra. And one may ask question that when he's transferred again to this planet what does he become? Does he become any animal? Or man? No. He still becomes a man. And what sort of man? Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. Sucinam means very pious family, righteous family. Just like in India we have got the brahmana family, ksatriya family. High family. Very... Their mode of life is very high standard, clean and righteous, pious, so many things. So sucinam and srimatam. Sucinam, such pious family you'll find many in India. And srimatam. Srimatam means rich. So rich family we'll find in your country, America. So that person who is coming again, he is born in a rich family or in pious family. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. One who was not successful in executing the yoga perfectly, he again... That means to have one's birth in a rich family means he has no anxiety for his bread. He's happy. Now he can happily execute the yoga process. Or in a pious family automatically the yoga process of transcendental life is there. So he can begin also there. That is chance. Those who are born in such family, in righteous family or rich family, they should take instruction from Bhagavad-gita, that this is a chance given by God to execute our spiritual life, not for sense enjoyment increasing, "Because I have got so much money, oh, let me enjoy senses more, I mean to say, acutely."

So sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate [Bg. 6.41]. Athava, or alternative.

Athava yoginam eva kule bhavati dhimatam [Bg. 6.42]. He's given the chance of being born in such good family. Etaddhi durlabhataram. Now this kind of birth, in a family of devotee and yogi, is very, I mean to say, rare, and it is far better than the other two lives, to have birth in rich family or in pious family. Actually, they are acting. Just like when a boy is born of a father who is a medical man... We have seen it. So naturally he becomes a medical man. Because he sees his father and the inclination inherits. In that way, in the Indian caste system, originally it was a division. But because the son imitated the father, in this way, it has come to be a caste system by birth. So anyway, these chances are given. The purport is that we, everyone, every man should begin spiritual life.

Either any yoga system, any spiritual life is called yoga. Yoga means to link. We are part and parcel of the supreme absolute, Brahman or Bhagavan, whatever you call, Paramatma, it doesn't matter. But yoga means linking. So the linking, either you link with impersonal formless, the Supreme Brahman, that is also linking. And if you by meditation you link up with the Supersoul within yourself that is also transcendental activity. Or you directly worship as a devotee, Krsna. Anything you adopt, that is spiritual life. But to become Krsna conscious or a devotee of Krsna, that is the ultimate goal. That we have in the Bhagavad-gita:

And actually, if we are not getting some spiritual enlightenment by chanting Krsna then do you think that we are simply wasting our time? No. We're not wasting our time. We're actually getting spiritual ecstasy because there is no difference. But you take similarly, the name of water or something else, what you want, that will not be fulfilled. This is the absolute and relative conception. In the absolute stage there is no difference, name, quality, form, pastime, entourage, everything the same. If you chant Krsna's name it is as good as Krsna. If you see Krsna's form it is as good as Krsna. If you think of Krsna's activities it is as good as Krsna. This realization is spiritual realization. Therefore a first-class devotee who is advanced in Krsna consciousness, he sees everything Krsna. Nothing different from Krsna. Any other questions?

Therefore we should be very serious. Why should we wait for another birth either in very pious family or rich family or in other planet? That is also condemned in Bhagavad-gita. Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Even if you are elevated to the highest planet of this material world you'll have to come again to prepare yourself. The best thing is that we are now here in this planet and immediately take to Krsna consciousness and surrender unto Him and become perfect. Why should you wait for another birth or in another planet? Finish. Now, if you are actually serious about Krsna consciousness, then finish now. This is the opportunity. Labdhva sudurlabham idam bahu-sambhavante [SB 11.9.29]. This birth is obtained after many, many evolutionary process. Manusyam artha-dam. This human body can give you the highest perfection. So turnam yateta, be very serious and try for that perfection. Anumrtyu pated yavat, until next death comes. But we are not serious. We are not very serious. We are serious about how to make our sense gratification very nicely. That is our seriousness. Human advancement, advancement of civilization means how nicely you can gratify your senses. This is going on. Only to give all sorts of comfort to this body. But actually human civilization means that people should be very serious to have perfection of this human body, spiritual perfection. That is perfect human civilization. That is missing at the present moment. (kirtana) (end)