Arr PAR 1973-08-09 Understand This Movement
ANNOUNCER: The following is an arrival address,
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
recorded on the 9th of August, 1973, in Paris, France.
PRABHUPĀDA: I thank you very much for your kind invitation.
Spiritual value:
You have spoken very nicely about the spiritual value of living entity.
Actually, we are all spiritual entities.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,
dehino ‘smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]
This in…
In Sanskrit it is said that within the body, there is the proprietor of the body.
They…
Proprietor of the body is there within the body,
but the body is changing from babyhood to childhood, to childhood to boyhood,
boyhood to youthhood, similarly, aged man.
The body is changing.
As we are experiencing different changes of the body, similarly,
when this body will no longer exist, either you, every one of us,
will accept another body.
I can remember; you can remember: Your childhood body; your boyhood body.
But those bodies are no longer existing, but I remember; you remember.
Similarly, when I give up this body, I accept another body:
It may not be I remembering it, but that’s a fact.
But the spirit soul, the proprietor of the body, is described:
[ajo] nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ [purāṇo] na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]
The spirit soul is eternal:
it does not annihilate after the destruction of the body.
We have got two bodies just like coat and shirt.
The coating body is made of five elements: earth, water, air, fire, sky.
And the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego.
So when the gross body is finished we remain within the subtle body:
mind, intelligence and ego.
So as the air carries the flavor, similarly,
the mind, intelligence carries the soul to another gross body.
There are 8,400,000 forms of bodies: some of them are aquatics,
some of them are trees, some of them are plants,
some of them are insects, some of them are birds,
some of them are beasts, and at last, the human body is obtained.
Therefore, human form of body is the natures best gift
to the living entity entangled in repetition of birth and death.
So in the human form of body we can understand our real constitutional position.
So, if the leaders of human society
do not give education to the human society, how the spirit soul can get out
of the clutches of birth, death, old age and disease?
You have rightly said that Indian sages and great personalities:
They specifically cultivated this knowledge
[of] how the living entity encased in this material body can be liberated.
Therefore, to give education to the human society,
how we can get out of this entanglement
of birth, death, old [age] and disease is the best welfare activity.
We can remember the history in your country: there was great Napoleon.
In other countries also, there are many big heros.
They constructed their country very nicely, but at last they had to leave the country.
So whatever we create materially with this material body in this life
along with my giving up this body, I have to give up everything.
And after this I have to accept another body;
we do not know what kind of body I’m going to accept.
But suppose I’m going to accept a lower grade of body: Less than human being.
Then what is my condition?
My love of country may give me another body in this country, or in my country,
but if I am not well situated…
Suppose if I get the body of an animal like cow, I shall be sent to the slaughterhouse.
Therefore, in the Vedic literature it is said:
parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam [SB 5.5.5]
means “a person, unless he’s interested in his spiritual identity,
whatever he’s doing he's simply being defeated.”
So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to save the human being
from repeatedly being defeated by the laws of nature.
So, I know your country has a great history behind you:
you are very cultured and enlightened people.
We admire the French people from India.
I have come to your country to spread this spiritual knowledge.
If you cooperate with us we will get great facility to preach this cult.
Do not misunderstand us that we are sect of religious people:
We are spreading this knowledge from the spiritual platform.
We accept God is the father of all living entities,
nevermind in whatever form he is staying.
We are teaching people to forget these outward dress: Bodily concept of life.
Let everyone realize that he is brahma or spiritual identity.
It is said: When one realizes his brahma identity:
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṇkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg. 18.54]
means “when one is Brahman-realized
he understands spiritual identity then he becomes immediately joyful.”
The symptom of joyfulness means “no lamentation, no hankering,
equal vision to all living entities; and then he’s elevated
to the platform of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Equality, fraternity can be realized only on the spiritual platform;
not on the material platform.
The United Nations have tried for the last 25 years to unite people.
Unfortunately the disunited flags are increasing.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement;
scientific movement.
We invite all scientists, philosophers, thinkers to understand this movement.
It is very essential at the present moment for the human society.
I invite hearing in this hall.
Some of you may come personally:
Talk with me about this important scientific movement,
and if possible, kindly cooperate with us.
I thank you very much for your giving time to hear me.
Subtitles by Pratyatoṣa Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com