Press Conference – June 26, 1971, Paris

710626PC-PARIS [68:43 Minutes]

The consciousness is the symptom of the living spirit soul

[translated into French throughout]

Prabhupada: The original consciousness is that I am part and parcel of Krsna. Just like at the present moment we are thinking, "I am Frenchman," "I am Englishman," "I am Indian," "I am American." Just like there are different consciousness, but the original consciousness is "I am Krsna's." So the present civilization is missing a very important point. They are accepting this body as the self, but actually this is not the fact. I am spirit soul. I am Brahman, or part and parcel of Krsna.

So this Movement is reviving the original consciousness. And by missing this consciousness-"I am the spirit soul"-I am transmigrating from one body to another. Today I am a Frenchman, but tomorrow I may be something else. There are 8,400,000 species of life. I can… After quitting this body I can be transferred to any one of the species of life. That point we are missing. So this process is to get out of the designation. Just like I am spirit soul, but due to my this body, I am thinking I am Indian. So this designation has to be changed. Then we are purified.

We are engaged in some sort of service, every one of us, but that service is now being rendered within that designation. But when we are freed from the designation, when we are purified, then our service to Krsna becomes bona fide, and that is the real standard of peace.

So this chanting process is purifying process to become freed from this designation. Just like all these boys, some of them coming from America, some of them from England, some of them from India, some of them from France or Germany, but they have forgotten that they are German or American or Indian or something else. They are always thinking, "I am Krsna's." This is freedom from designation.

So the peace formula as stated in the Bhagavad-gita, it is said that when one understands that Krsna, the Absolute Truth, Supreme Personality, is the supreme enjoyer, He is the supreme proprietor and He is the supreme friend, if we understand these three items, then there is peace immediately.

The original Sanskrit words in this connection are as follows:

This santim means peace. Actual peace can be achieved when one understands these three things only-Krsna the supreme enjoyer, Krsna the supreme proprietor and Krsna the supreme friend.

So we are teaching these three things to the world. That is our business. And the process is very simple. The process is simply chanting this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. If we continue chanting, it has got some spiritual value; then we cleanse our heart from all dirty things. Except Krsna consciousness, any other consciousness is dirty-that is material, contaminated consciousness.

So by chanting this mantra… Just like in India, still there are many snake charmers. They, by chanting mantra, they cure snake-bitten cases, although they're fatal. Of course they are now dwindling, but there are still. So if it is possible materially, then spiritually there is great possibility. And it is recommended in the sastras, and actually it has happened.

By chanting this mantra, simple mantra, without any education, without any philosophical knowledge, simply if we chant, your heart will be cleansed of all dirty things and you'll understand that you are part and parcel of Krsna, and you will understand that He is the supreme enjoyer, He is the supreme proprietor and He is the supreme friend. And as soon as you understand these three things, you are in peace.

This word man, man means mind. Man-tra-tra means deliverance. So mantra means which delivers from our mental platform. Every one of us are now hovering either on the bodily platform or on the mental platform, subtle. Mental platform is subtle, and bodily platform is gross. But beyond this mind there is intelligence, and beyond intelligence there is soul. So by this mantra we, I mean to say, cross over the mental platform, intellectual platform, and come directly to the spiritual platform. And as soon as we come to the spiritual platform and we understand our relationship with Krsna, or God, then we are in peace.

[Prabhupada explains to the translator: "Delivered from the mental platform.] I think this is the explanation. Now if there is question.

Translator: [translating questions from audience for Prabhupada] You said that there's 8,400,000 species of living entities. He would like to have an explanation of it.

Prabhupada: Yes. Jalaja nava-laksani [Padma Purana]. There are nine lakhs. Nine lakhs means..., ten millions, one lakh?

Syamasundara: Nine hundred thousand.

Prabhupada: Nine hundred… Yes. Nine hundred thousand species in the water. Aquatic animals, yes. Nine hundred thousand aquatic animals, jalaja nava-laksani. Sthavara laksa-vimsati-sthavara means the trees, plants which cannot move, they stand up; they are twenty hundred thousand. Sthavara laksa-vimsati. Krmayo rudra-sahkhyakaḥ. Krmayo means insects. They are eleven hundred thousand species.

Then after insect life there is birds, paksinam dasa-laksanam-there are ten hundred thousand species of life, birds. Birds. Then there are beasts, thirty hundred thousands of beasts. And there are four hundred thousand species of human beings, out of which the civilized form of human being are very few.

And this civilized form of life is especially meant for self-realization. This is a chance given by the nature to understand yourself. But if we don't understand-miss this point-again we go into the cycle of different species of life.

Just we can imagine if we get next life like a tree, we have to stand up for ten thousands of years. So we should be very careful not to miss this opportunity of getting civilized form of life, and try to understand what I am. All the sastras, Vedas, they are meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs. If you don't take advantage of this great knowledge, then you are following the suicidal policy.

Yes?

Question: [translated] What do you mean by 400,000 forms of human beings?

Prabhupada: Yes, there are so many species of human beings-in the jungles, uncivilized. Gradually they come to the civilized form. Not that every human being is complete in knowledge. There are so many species of human being, they are not in knowledge; they are in the darkness.

Therefore according to Vedic civilization there are four divisions. The most intelligent class of men, they are called brahmanas; and the next intelligent class of men are called the ksatriyas; and next the vaisyas; the next, sūdras; and all others, they are canḍalas. This is according to the knowledge, advancement of spiritual knowledge, this division.

[break] But everyone can be elevated to the platform of Krsna consciousness. Nobody is barred or checked from…, for coming to the highest position. And this process, Krsna consciousness movement, is to bring everyone to the highest platform of understanding.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

Krsna says that anyone can come to Krsna consciousness and thus elevated to the highest perfection of life. So it is the duty of persons, especially that is ordered by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that Indians, they should purify first their life and then distribute this knowledge, Krsna consciousness, all over the world.

Question: [translated] What is our position in relation to…, our spiritualism, in relation to Christian monks and Christian spiritualism, and how is it generally, the relationship between them?

Prabhupada: Yes. Christian religion teaches that God consciousness. Lord Jesus Christ preached God consciousness. He represented himself as son of God. So we agree to this principle. There is no controversy. Yes. Anyone who teaches God consciousness, we agree with the principle. Muhammad also, he preached God consciousness. So we welcome. There maybe some difference of process-that does not matter-but we test a religion by the results how people are becoming God conscious, that's all.

According to Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said,

It is said that that is first-class religious principle which teaches devotion to the Supreme Lord without any motive and without being hampered by any material condition. God consciousness is not such a thing that if a man is materially poor he cannot advance. Everyone can advance. Nothing material can check God consciousness, and any religion which teaches this principle, that is first class.

Question: [translated] Do you think that the Krsna consciousness movement has anything particular to say to the society today?

Prabhupada: Yes. We are saying that-I began-that unless you come to the point of Krsna consciousness, you cannot be happy. Krsna…, when I say "Krsna" it means God, God consciousness. You may say in another name; that does not matter. When I speak of Krsna, Krsna means God, the Supreme Lord.

So unless we are conscious of the Supreme Lord… In other religions they say "God is great," but how God is great? What is the name of God, and what other things? Just like if we know somebody, we must know very particularly what is his name, where is his residence, what does he do-so many things. Simply an idea of God is great, that is good, but how great He is, that is a science. That we have to learn from Vedic literature.

[break] …malinterpretation. Then we can understand the science of God very clearly. So we are teaching our Krsna consciousness movement on the basis of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. [break]

Question: [translated] One thing we're doing... We should think of people are very confusing in the idea of reincarnation. So how can you say that human intelligence and..., a human being and human intelligence can reincarnate in a vegetable form or an animal form?

Prabhupada: Well, all these description of different types of living entities… They are living entities; they have got simply different form. Just like we are sitting, so many ladies and gentlemen, we have got different dresses, but we are all human being. Similarly, all these description of species of life, they are all spiritual sparks, but according to their karma they have got different bodies.

Some of them are trees, some of them are aquatics, some of them are human beings, some of them are greater than them, some of them lower than them. So there are innumerable, uncountable different types of living entities, and they are having their different bodies according to the mentality at the time of death.

This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

At the time of death, the subtle mentality which you develop, it is just like the air carries the flavor; similarly, that mental idea is being carried by the subtle mind, intelligence, and you are given chance of a particular body by which you can enjoy that mental position.

So unfortunately, although it is a great science, throughout the whole world there are so many universities, they are neglecting this science. That is the defect of modern civilization. The transmigration of the soul, it is a great science, but because they cannot tackle this matter, they will avoid it. That's a great risky civilization. That's all.

So the higher intelligence of human being is especially given to understand this science. But they are neglecting this science. They are busy with eating, sleeping, mating and defending, which is the business of the animals-they are also busy with eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

Question: [translated] What is the ideal of the…, ideal result of the transmigration of the spirit soul?

Prabhupada: The idea is to save yourself. Suppose I am now very happy Frenchman, but if next life I get another life, degraded life, then what is my position? Therefore one should understand; one should prepare his next body in this life. Just like a student studies very carefully to prepare his next life, similarly, this human form of life should be prepared to get next life.

Next life, permanent life, that is possible. Permanent life-if you transfer yourself in the spiritual world, you get permanent life, full of knowledge, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha: eternal life full of knowledge, full of pleasure, full of bliss. You should try for this. Human life is meant for that purpose; otherwise you are missing the chance.

Question: [translated] Should we do this with material support or without material support?

Prabhupada: No. It has nothing to do with material support. Without any material support one can execute Krsna consciousness.

Question: [translated] Therefore there exist a class of superior beings, spiritual, who are existing.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Question: [translated] He's saying maybe this is what the Christians call angels.

Prabhupada: Yes. As soon as you become God conscious, that is the position of angel. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita-the exact verse is like this:

This brahma-bhūyaya means angels. They are not in this material world; they are transcendentally situated. Brahma-bhūyaya kalpate-anyone who is engaged in Krsna consciousness, in devotional service,

He is above the three modes of material nature. Angel means those who are not affected by the modes of material nature. That is the position of angel.

The example can be given, just like in any state there are two department-civil department, criminal department. Those who are not criminals, they are not under the control of the criminal department. Similarly, those who are Krsna conscious, they are not controlled by the modes of material nature.

So those who are not criminal, they are not controlled by the criminal department. So therefore, although the material nature, the laws are very stringent, still those who are Krsna conscious, for them there is no such thing as law.

[break] ...in the Bhagavad-gita:

"Those who are surrendered to Me, they have already transcended the position of being controlled by material nature."

Question: [translated] Can you explain why this Krsna consciousness has so much success among young people [indistinct]?

Prabhupada: Not only young people. Old men are reluctant, and they are easily taken. If old men take, they will be also successful. It is not restricted to the younger generation-to everyone. But the younger generation, they are receptive; they are blank slate. The old men, they have got so many hodgepodge in their mind; therefore they cannot take easily. That is the difficulty. They have to forget all hodgepodge things, then they have to take. So the process of forgetting is there, but here they are new heart, and they see very nice thing, they accept it.

So anyone can take it, and anyone will be benefited. There is no such thing that it is meant for such-and-such class of men. No. There is no such thing.

Question: [translated] These young people... The second question was: These young people have come searching. And why are they searching? Why are these young people searching?

Prabhupada: Well, they are searching because they are frustrated by seeing their parents' life, by their guardians' life. They are frustrated. So that is a good sign. One who is frustrated, he can take to Krsna consciousness very quickly. I was just coming from Moscow. There are many young Russians, they are also very much prepared to take to this Krsna consciousness. But there is so many restriction. We cannot preach very freely; that is our position.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is now experimented that this movement can be accepted by anyone, any part of the world, and whoever takes it, he will be happy. That's all.

[aside:] That gentleman, he wants...

Question: [indistinct]

Prabhupada: His idea is to surrender unto Krsna. Punaḥ punaḥ means "again and again," and that we are preaching. And Krsna also is speaking the same thing. Krsna says, "Surrender unto Me."

And we are teaching that "You surrender to Krsna." Therefore in one sense we are representative of Krsna. Just try to understand: Krsna says, "Surrender unto Me." We also say, "Surrender unto Krsna." So there is no change of words. But anyone who changes the word, he is not representative.

Just like if somebody says… Suppose I say, "Give me a glass of water." And if my disciple says, "Give a glass of water to Prabhupada," the order is the same. But if somebody says that this Prabhupada's words, "Give me a glass…," "me" can be changed to "milk," that is bogus. That is going on. It should be…, Krsna consciousness movement should be strictly on the principles of Krsna's desire.

That was executed by Arjuna. He changed his own principle for the satisfaction of Krsna. He did not want to fight; therefore Bhagavad-gita was explained to him, and later on, when Krsna enquired, "What you have decided?" he said, karisye vacanam tava [Bg 18.73]: "Yes, I shall now fight." This is Krsna consciousness. One has to change his concocted ideas and surrender to Krsna. That will benefit; otherwise not.

Question: [translated] Are there other names than Krsna?

Prabhupada: Yes, there are many thousands and millions of names, but "Krsna" is the chief name. [break]

Question: [translated] He'd like to know if there is actually a living representative of Krsna here. And how do you become…

Prabhupada: Yes, all of us living representative of Krsna, because we are speaking what Krsna says. Don't you understand? Krsna says, "Surrender unto Me," and we are saying, "Surrender unto Krsna." Therefore we are representative. I will give you one example. Just like a businessman sends his representative to sell some particular thing, and the canvasser says, "Please purchase this thing."

Therefore he is real representative. We don't say that "Surrender to Krsna" or "Surrender to somebody else" is the same. No. We don't say like that. And how…, why we say that, we can support. That is our position. Therefore we are representative of Krsna.

Translator: [asks Prabhupada to explain what he said]

Prabhupada: If somebody says "Why you are asking to surrender to Krsna," then that we can explain that. We have explained how to surrender to Krsna in twelve voluminous books, four hundred pages each. So if anyone wants to understand full philosophy, science, why one should surrender to Krsna, there are so many books. But if somebody is fortunate, he can accept our word and surrender to Krsna by chanting Hare Krsna. It is easy and sublime.

Question: [translated] Can you arrive at Krsna consciousness without having any love for humanity?

Prabhupada: It is the only process how to love humanity. It is the only process. When Rupa Goswami met Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he designated Him namo maha-vadanyaya [Cc Madhya 19.53]: "The greatest benefactor," krsna-prema-pradaya te, "by Your distributing Krsna consciousness." So to distribute Krsna consciousness is the greatest welfare activity in the whole human society.

Question: [translated] Do you consider celibacy as superior to being married in our spiritual order?

Prabhupada: Yes. Celibacy, that is the Vedic system. First of all students are taught not to live by theoretical-by practical. The students were living in gurukula to learn brahmacarya, celibacy, and if the master saw that he is complete in celibacy, he would not allow him to marry. But if he sees that he has got tendency to enjoy this material life, he says that "You go home and get married."

The idea was to avoid sex life. But if one cannot, then next automatically he is married. Not illicit sex life. That is most sinful life. Unrestricted sex life is visible just like the hogs, they have got unrestricted sex life; the monkeys. But that is not human life. Human life, even there is necessity of sex life, that should be regulated and restrained. That is human life.

Question: [translated] Do you think marriage is necessary?

Prabhupada: Not necessary, but one who cannot avoid sex life, for him it is necessary.

Question: [translated] He's saying that do you mean you can have children and not be married?

Prabhupada: Eh?

Question: [translated] Does that mean you can have children but not be married?

Prabhupada: [laughter] No, no, no. [laughs] No, no, no. Bachelor, that is not a wanted. Bachelor, that is not wanted. Children must be bona fide; otherwise they will be called varna-sahkaraḥ. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, when there are varna-sahkara, illegitimate children, the whole world becomes hellish.

Question: [translated] He would like to know the means that we use every day, practical means that we use to attract people to our Movement.

Prabhupada: Yes. We do our own duty, chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Those who are kindly attracted we welcome; otherwise we go on doing our duty.

Question: What is the difference between our teaching and the teachings of Maharishi?

Prabhupada: I do not know about Maharishi. We know about our own business. That's all.

That's all right. Thank you very much. [end]