Lecture (kirtana, followed by small child playing karatalas) Prabhupada: Oh, very good. (laughs) Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga bhrasta sanjayate. When Arjuna asked Krsna that “Persons who are trying to make perfection in the bhakti-yoga…” Because the maya’s influence is very strong. Anyone practicing bhakti-yoga, sometimes he may fall down. But there is assurance that even one falls down, there is no loss. That has been advised by Narada Muni, that tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann apakvo ’tha patet tato yadi [Bhag. 1.5.17]. Just like in our movement somebody joins. A few cases have happened also that joined, being nice, but all of a sudden drifted from our Society. So Narada Muni advised that even some, sometimes somebody may not continue, but falls down, there is no loss. Tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam. And those who are sticking to their work, prescribed duties, but not in Krsna consciousness, what they are gaining? Just try to understand. A person, say, out of sentiment, or some other influence, he joins this Movement, Krsna consciousness, but could not follow strictly the rules and regulation and falls down. Narada Muni says there is no loss, even though he has fallen. But another person who is sticking to their material activities, a material… A karmi’s thinking, “What these people are doing? Simply wasting time. Let us do our duty. Let us produce something”—so-called production. So Bhagavata says such persons who are very nicely done their materialistic way of life, duties, but has not taken to Krsna consciousness, what does he gain? This is the comparison. One joins this movement; due to some reason, immaturity, he falls down. For him the assurance is that he does not lose. He’s still gainer. But one who’s sticking to the material duties, but does not take to Krsna consciousness, Bhagavata says, “What does he gain?” It is very important question. The spiritualistic duties, transcendental duties, Krsna conscious duty is so nice that even if you fall down, whatever you have done, that is your guaranteed property. That is your guaranteed property. And anything, whatever you gain in this material world… Suppose you become very rich man, good factory, working. But as soon as this body’s ended, everything is ended. Lost everything. These things will not go with you. Your factory, your skyscraper building, your millions of dollars, bank balance, that you’ll have to leave behind you. You have to go with your work only, what you have done, pious or sinful activities. That will go with you. The result of pious activity and sinful activity will go with you. But in Krsna consciousness, whatever you have done, it will go with you, and to give you other chance you’ll have your birth in two nice places: sucinam srimatam gehe. Those who have fallen from this Krsna consciousness platform due to many reasons, maybe—he’s guaranteed next life a human form of life. And where? Sucinam srimatam gehe. You’ll take your birth in a nice devotee or brahmana’s house or in a rich man’s family. Not only your human form of life is guaranteed, but also in a better house, in a better family. So these children who are born in our Krsna consciousness Society, they are those children, those who could not finish Krsna consciousness last life. They have been given to take birth in the family of devotee husband and wife; therefore he’s playing karatala. Otherwise it is not possible. He had practice in his last life; therefore he’s quickly… He had got the chance. Again he’s remembering and playing. This is the fact. So we have to study from the sastric vision. Sastra-caksusat. How you’ll see? You’ll see through the authority, scriptures. So these are the statements of authoritative scriptures. Sucinam srimatam gehe. So this child is born of a devotee father and devotee mother. Now he’ll again begin from the point where he lost last life. Suppose Krsna consciousness he executed fifty percent. So he’ll begin from this life fifty-one percent. That fifty percent was in his stock. But ordinary karmis—cent percent lost. He has to begin another chapter of life according to his karma. Either he’ll become a man or dog, there is no guarantee. If he has maintained a dog mentality, then he’ll get a dog’s body. All this property he made in this life goes to hell. He becomes a dog if he has maintained a dog mentality. And if he has maintained a god’s mentality, then he becomes a god also. But that will depend on his work. But generally the karmis, they are not very good mentality. So there is risk. You do not know. Karmana daiva netrena. The judgement will be done by the superior authority, and he’ll be given a particular type of body, as he has maintained the consciousness. Therefore our business, this Krsna consciousness movement, is to train the followers to Krsna consciousness so that next life he gets Krsna consciousness atmosphere. He’s not promoted immediately, directly to the abode of Krsna. That is also possible. Mad-yajino ’pi yanti mam. “Those who are My devotees, they come to My place.” Krsna says. So if you perfect your Krsna consciousness in this life, then you’re guaranteed to be promoted to go back to home, back to Krsna. If you do not perfect, then next life is guaranteed, a very nice human body, either in a rich man’s family or in a Krsna conscious family. Just try to understand how nice this movement is. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Devotee: (indistinct) Prabhupada: Yes. Now here is a question: If one takes a birth in a rich man family, rich man’s family, how it is good? Nowadays, actually, now…, not nowadays, practically always… That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita: bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam taya apahrta-cetasam. Those who get facilities of material sense gratification, bhoga, aisvarya—means great opulence, wealthy—for them it is very difficult to come to Krsna consciousness. In other words, too much rich, richness, is a disqualification for coming to Krsna consciousness. But it is not always the same. There are many persons, if they have associated, they… Unfortunately they do not associate with spiritually advanced men. That is their defect. They think the spiritual advancement is poor man’s business: “They have no sufficient to eat; therefore they are chanting Hare Krsna. What they can do? We have got this factory. We have to go to the factory.” That is their mentality. Therefore it is not good. But if one is intelligent, if he has got good association, then he understands the verdict of Bhagavad-gita, sucinam srimatam gehe, yoga bhrasta sanjayate. If he thinks that “I have got this opportunity of opulence. I have nothing to bother about my living and eating. I am born rich man. Why I am given so much chance? Because last, my, I executed Krsna consciousness, yoga; I could not finish. Therefore Krsna has given me this chance that I’ll not have to bother about my eating, sleeping. I save my time and engage myself in Krsna consciousness.” Unfortunately, due to bad association, they think, “I have…, we have go so much money, father’s money, for nothing, without any labor. So either let me become a great sense enjoyer or a hippy.” That’s all. It is due to bad association. Therefore it is our duty to go door to door and inform them the message of Krsna, without any discrimination, so that they’ll come to Krsna consciousness. All right, give me…. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Detroit, July 17, 1971