06--Conversation following Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.18, 1975

Prabhupada: …appearance and disappearance, there is nothing to be lamented. He has served Krsna. He will get, even though he might not have fulfilled the whole course of Krsna consciousness. According to Bhagavad-gita, he will get another birth, either in very rich family or in a Vaisnava family.

And if, just at the time of accident, if he has chanted Hare Krsna, then he has gone to Vaikuntha. Then he has gone to Vaikuntha. So this boy was very nice, chanting Hare Krsna. So there is nothing to be lamenting. According to our Vaisnava smrti [code of Vaisnava injunction], we hold festival, offer Krsna nice foodstuff and distribute to the devotees, in memory of the deceased. So there is… Even an ordinary man, Krsna says:

Ordinary men, there is nothing to be lamented. He has changed body is just like dress. But a devotee, his case is different. If he has finished his Krsna consciousness, or at the time of being unconscious, in coma, he remembered Krsna, then he has gone to Krsna.

He goes to, goes back home, back to Godhead. But if he has not finished, or he could not remember, then there is chance that he will not get a body, ordinary body, cat's and dog's. No. He will get very nice body so that he will be able to enjoy like one enjoys in the heavenly planets. These are the statement of Bhagavad-gita.

So there is nothing to be lamented, because after all, even if he has not gone to Vaikuntha or Krsna, a very nice human body is guaranteed. To take birth in rich man's family means generally they have got spiritual… Just like in Calcutta that Mullik's family, they have got their Deity. So in India still there are big, rich men. They are not going to spoil their money still by going to a nightclub. No. Just like the Birlas, they have got…, they utilize their money nicely. There is Birlas, there is big, big Dalmias, and so many. Those who are under Vedic culture, they have Deity worship-Laksmi-Narayana, Radha-Krsna. So if one gets chance to take birth in such family, automatically he becomes devotee. Just like our children, automatically they become devotee. Or this is srimatam, rich. This is second class. The first-class birth is to have a devotee brahmana father, mother. That is first class, because immediately, directly, he gets education about Krsna consciousness.

So there is no loss; everything is gain. Ordinary men's taking birth and dying, that is loss; no gain. But a devotee's passing away-it is no loss; it is gain. He will get chance-means this life, where he ended, again next life he will begin from that point. Suppose in this life he has finished fifty percent business of Krsna consciousness, next life he will begin from fifty-one percent. Not that this fifty percent lost. No. That is eternal asset. It is not lost. So for a devotee passing away, there is no question of loss. There is no question of loss.

So Krsna will take care. We shall pray to Krsna for his again reviving his Krsna consciousness or go back to Him, if that is possible. Mostly, those who are actually, sada tad-bhava-bhavitaḥ [Bg 8.6], always thinking of Krsna, they immediately go after death. Immediately.

But if there was some other things still…

[break] …in Krsna consciousness from the point he has ended in this life. Antavanta ime deha [Bg 2.18]: this body has to be ended. Sometimes it is said, muni-putra muni-putra ma jiva ma jiva. Muni-putra, saintly person's disciple or son, he is being blessed that "You don't live; you die." Why? "Your position is now there. As soon as you die you go there, back to home, back to Godhead. Ma jiva. You haven't got to take so much trouble." Muni-putra muni-putra ma jiva. Raja-putra raja-putra ciram jiva ciram jiva. Raja-putra is king, son of a king. He is being blessed, that "You live forever, because your life is so abominable, as soon as you die you will go to hell. Better live here as far as possible." [laughter] Muni-putra, he is working very hard. So why should he work so hard? Better die and go back to home, back to Godhead.

A sadhu, jivo va maro va: "Saintly person, either you live or die," because while he is living, devotee, he is serving Krsna, and after giving up this body he will be engaged in that service again. So his position is the same, either live or die. And the hunter…, what is called? What is the Sanskrit name? What is Sanskrit name of hunter? I forget.

Pradyumna: Vyadha.

Prabhupada: Vyadha, yes. Vyadha jivo va maro va, no, ma jiva, ma mara.

A vyadha is that "You don't die, you don't live, because both ways you are in trouble. You are living your abominable occupation, hunting, killing, killing, killing, butcher-very horrible life-and as soon as you die, you go to hell." Here it is horrible; there also horrible. So dilemma: ma jiva, ma mara. So therefore "You don't die; don't live." This is a very nice…. So muni-putra, muni-putra, those who are engaged in Krsna consciousness, they are blessed with some time, that "You die, so that you haven't got to work so hard." You go back to home and enjoy life there. That's all. [end]