Room Conversation
with Indian Man
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
December 22, 1976, Poona

Indian man: …self-realization. Various methods, as many people are there, so many techniques are there. Each individual has to find out his own way.

Prabhupada: Do you think that is scientific proposal?

Indian man: They say.

Prabhupada: I say they are (indistinct). Just like you go to educational institution, is there any knowledge that is to be realized according to the whims of the students?

Indian man: Not the knowledge.

Prabhupada: Then what is this? Self-realization, what it is?

Indian man: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: That is knowledge, that is knowledge. Self-realization.

Indian man: This is, one part is true knowledge.

Prabhupada: No, not, suppose self-realization, what I am, is it not?

Indian man: Yes.

Prabhupada: So what I am, then you have to study in this way, whether you are this body or you are something else. Is it not? So that is in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gita explained, dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. Find out this verse. This is self-realization. Bhagavad-gita begins with self- realization, what I am. Am I this body or I am something other than this body? That is self-realization. So that is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita.

Indian man: Yes, he has spoken on Bhagavad-gita also.

Prabhupada: No, I mean to say, this self-realization, as you said, that “There are as many ways as there are students,” that is not scientific.

Indian man: That what he says.

Prabhupada: That is wrong. Not maybe. Then let us try to understand. It is not the question of maybe. Self-realization must be. That is self-realization. Apasyatam atma-tattvam grhesu grha-medhinam. Srotavyadini rajendra nrnam santi sahasrasah [SB 2.1.2]. (aside:) You come to this side, that’s all right. Those who are not self-realized, they have got many questions and many answers. And those who are, one who is self-realized, he has only one question and one answer. One question, that what I am. There is no self- realization, one question, what I am. And now what I am, do you think there is, a student, he is inquiring, what I am, and whatever he thinks, that is his answer? If the student is ignorant… Therefore there are many students and many questions about self-realization. Do you think that there are many answers?

Indian man: Answer will be one.

Prabhupada: This is self-realization. The answer is one, that “I am not this body.” This is self-realization. You cannot say that because there are many students, so there are many answers.

Indian man: But who am I? Every individual starts quest, asking himself, “Who am I?” And everybody is thinking in his own terms that “I am something, I am somebody.” Somebody is attached to the upper garments.

Prabhupada: So long he is student, student means he does not know.

Indian man: Yes, he is ignorant.

Prabhupada: He is ignorant. So his question is what I am, but he is ignorant. He cannot give the answer. The master. The master will give one answer.

Indian man: His answer will be one, but to how the student understands, for making student understand, he will have to show in different ways. Suppose a person is coming from Himalayas to the Bombay, his path will be different. Greenery will be there, flowing rivulets will be there, mountain peaks scattered with snow will be there….

Prabhupada: That is another thing. If you have to go to the Himalaya, you must go to the path which leads to Himalaya. You cannot accept a path which leads to Delhi. There is no different answer, the answer is one. Just like Himalaya is in the northern side. The answer would be, “The Himalaya is on the northern side.” Nobody will say, “No, Himalaya may be in the eastern side or the western side or southern side.” That is not the answer.

Indian man: I was saying something different. That one person is coming from Himalaya towards Bombay. And one is coming from the desert side. No ulti…

Prabhupada: Then if he is coming from Himalayas, then why is the question about where is Himalaya? Then why will he question where is Himalaya? He is already coming from Himalaya. So there is no question where is Himalaya. For him there is no question. One who does not know where is Himalaya, the answer will be Himalaya is on the northern side. The answer is one. And if you say that there are many students, so you can answer, that “Either you go this side or this side or that side, Himalaya is there,” that is not the answer.

Indian man: East is not east, south is not south, north is not north when you go the opposite direction.

Prabhupada: What. Then what is the meaning of east, west, south? If it is not east? If east is not east, then why do you call it east?

Indian man: Because the paradox, we are having sun rises, sun sets. But why there is two things, the sun never sets. Rises, the sun never sets.

Prabhupada: No, no. Sun rises from the east.

Indian man: But the fact is sun never rises. Sun is only there.

Prabhupada: Sun never rises. Then where is the question that “Where is sun?” To your experience? If the sun rises, and if you say the sun never rises, if you know it, then what is your question?

Indian man: That is the question where realization is over.

Prabhupada: What is your realization over? You see that the sun rises from the east. So everyone knows. Then where is the question? Anyone who has realized the sun never rises, then he has no question.

Indian man: Yes. So that present question is dropped.

Prabhupada: Then there is no question at all. If one has known it, the sun is always 24 hours on the sky, it never rises, never sets, then where is the question? He knows it.

Indian man: But that present question is dropped. Otherwise, ignorance remains. One says that sun is rising, sun is setting.

Prabhupada: For him there is question, that what is the process. So therefore the question is by the ignorant, and answer is by the master. The answer is one. Because everyone is coming, student, he is ignorant. So he may question in a whimsical way, but the answer is one. Answer cannot be many.

Indian man: Suppose there is a blind person…

Prabhupada: Blind person, he should hear. He should hear.

Indian man: But a blind person wants to see. What is milk, it will be complicated if we keep on teaching him it is white or something like that. We have to give eyes. And then he can see.

Prabhupada: Therefore eyes… What do you give? What you mean by giving eyes? Knowledge.

Indian man: Knowledge.

Prabhupada: Now where you get the knowledge?

Indian man: From the learned one.

Prabhupada: Yes. So who can be learned more than Krsna?

Indian man: To be honest about this whole thing as for memory level goes, I have forgotten the Krsna or Krsna consciousness. By the virtue of coming in contact with you realized people, we can also understand. Otherwise it’s the gospel truth, written in scripture, holy men say we accept it. It’s not our experience.

Prabhupada: No, it’s not experience. Then there is no. If you do not accept one authority, then there is no answer of your question.

Indian man: We have to accept. But realization is not there, as you holy men will say.

Prabhupada: We don’t require realization. Realization will be had.

Indian man: How to realize that?

Prabhupada: No, that is the way. The master will present the answer in such a way that the student will realize. That is master.

Indian man: Then please, bestow your blessings on me, how to realize this.

Prabhupada: Yes, you can be realized. Just like Krsna, in the beginning of His teaching Bhagavad-gita, He says that… What is the verse?

Giriraja:

dehino’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]

Prabhupada: So He answers because Arjuna was disturbed on this battlefield, that “How shall I fight with my relatives. I shall kill them. It is not my duty to kill my brothers or my nephews.” He was perplexed. So the answer is given in a suitable way, that “You are thinking of killing the body of your brother. But your brother is not the body. And even if you think that your brother is being killed, so your brother, real, your brother, he will get another body.” Tatha dehantara-praptih. This is the answer. This is self-realization. That “You are very much disturbed on the bodily concepts of life, but your brother is not this body. Even if you so-called killing of your brother, he will live.” That is further explained. Next verse.

Giriraja:

matra-sparsas tu kaunteya
sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
agamapayino ’nityas
tams titiksasva bharata

Prabhupada: So one can say that “Even though it is a fact that my brother is not this body, but still, I see that I am killing the body of my brother. That is painful. How can I kill my brother? That is very painful.” So that is, answer is there, that this kind of pain will continue. This is on the body. It is not on the soul. That He’s explaining. The point is one, that “Your brother, whom you are calling brother, that you mistakenly you are taking the body of your brother as your brother.” So everything is explained. But the point is one. There cannot be many. The same point is being explained in so many varieties of ways. But the point is there.

Indian man: The point is there only explained in different way.

Prabhupada: But that is not many ways. It is a kind of explanation. This is this. If you do not understand that this, this is this. The point is one, that your brother is not your brother’s body. So there cannot be many answers. Answer is one.

Indian man: Answer is one. Ways, as you have mentioned just now. Different ways.

Prabhupada: Not different ways. Different explanation. [break] So any question, any problem, it is solved not by the whims of the student, but it is solved by the expert master by explaining it very elaborately.

Indian man: So the little knowledge I possess. In a classroom there are different types of students. One are sharp, certain are dull. Certain are absolutely dull. The degrees of understanding are different from student to student.

Prabhupada: No, no, that’s alright. That is explanation. That is not different way.

Indian man: A particular student, master has to teach him in that way.

Prabhupada: The answer is one.

Indian man: Yes, that is true.

Prabhupada: That the any person, any living entity, he is not this body. That is the answer. So then two things. Suppose you are, I am, that I am thinking of this body, and at the same time I am thinking that this finger, I say, “My finger.” Nobody says, “I finger.” “My finger.” Even a child he will say. So “My finger, my head, my legs.” So what is that “my”? That is the question. The answer is negatively that that “I” or “my” is not this body. That is different from the body. Now what is the nature of that “I”? That is explained one after another, one after another, one, one. Because he has no idea. Every one of us… I am speaking, you are speaking. Theoretically we take, accept it that I am not this body. But practically I say, “I am this body.” That is wrong. That has to be explained. And that is being explained. The question is one and the answer is one. There cannot be many questions or many answers. Answer is one. That answer is, Krsna begins, that “As the body is changing, within our experience…” dehino’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13] Very nice example. We are changing bodies. When you were born, there was no beard. Clean shaved or no hair. So that body has changed. It is not the same body. In which body you came out of the womb of your mother, that was a small body. That was a different body. This example given there. This body is changing during your experience of life. Similarly, after death the body will change, but you will continue. This is self-realization. It is not very difficult. The example is there. It doesn’t take much time. The answer is one, and it is realized, say, within some minutes. So Bhagavad-gita begins from self-realization, that “I am not this body.” That is actual position, that if I understand that I am not this body, factually, then what I am, that I am something beyond this body. That is explained in so many different ways. So the center is this, that I am not this body. The answer is one. But I cannot answer, the master will not answer according to the whims of the student. Then he is not master. Because answer is one.

Indian man: Then the question is, this is not the complete answer, that I am not the body. That is not…

Prabhupada: Hm. Self-realization that, that you are seeking what I am. Am I this body or something else? That is your inquiry. And the answer is that, “No, you are not this body.”

Indian man: But questions remain the same.

Prabhupada: No, no, not… Then it is explained, how you are not this body. In the beginning He explains, dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. Just like you see the body has changed every daily, per minute, the body is changing, imperceptively. But try to understand that you were a child, now your body has changed in a different body. But you understand, you remember, that “I was a child.” But the child body is no longer. So you remember or not remember, the body is changing. This is the answer. This is self-realization.

Indian man: I am the constant change, the process?

Prabhupada: You are not changing.

Indian man: Body is changing.

Prabhupada: Body is changing. This is to be understood.

Indian man: Then who am I? Question is still hanging.

Prabhupada: That will come next. The first question is this.

Indian man: I am not body.

Prabhupada: That’s all. That is sufficient.

Indian man: Quite satisfying, I am not body.

Prabhupada: That is self-realization.

Indian man: There is something when a person dies, something minus, this body remains useless.

Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore you are not this body.

Indian man: Yes, that means I am not the body, I am something beyond body. And what is that beyond body?

Prabhupada: That is explained in so many chapters.

Indian man: Yes.

Prabhupada: That is explained, I am… That is… Krsna says that the all these living entities… [break] …that you are the same as God. Mamaivamsa. Amsa, part and parcel of the… So

mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]

“You, you are as good as I am, or you are as good as God. But because you haven’t got, developed your mind materially, therefore you are struggling hard with your mind and senses. The answer is there. First of all you understand that you are not this body, but every one of us, we are struggling hard in this material world because I have taken this body as I am, and the mind is there. I am planning in different ways to become happy in this material…

Indian man: That is the plight of everybody.

Prabhupada: Therefore you should accept the process how to control this restless mind, making different plans, different devices to become happy. That is your position. But this is not according to the ways of the questioner. “I believe in this way.” The master will never say. How he can make his own way? He is ignorant. There cannot be, whimsically, as many students there are, as many ways are there. That is rascaldom. That is not. You have to accept the (indistinct). This is a very dangerous answer, that according to the student means, there are different ways of discerning self.

Indian man: That little knowledge I possess about Gita starts with Third Chapter. With the knowledge made there, and Krsna coming down to bhakti-yoga step by step, karma-yoga, and saying everything, “This is the supreme, this is the supreme, this is the supreme.”

Prabhupada: Not supreme. He says this is of the person, different ways of thinking. But everywhere He is stressing bhakti. Just like generally people are karmi. Karmis. They are working hard. And he has made his plan. He has made his plan that, “In this way, I shall be happy.” So throughout the whole world, the beginning from animals, lower than the man, and then men, different types of men… So manah sasthanindriyani, every one of them, he is planning or he is thinking in different ways. So the animals, they cannot understand the master’s answer. But in the human being, they are according to the mind, mental concoction and planning, there are four classes of men. One class is called karmi. They are thinking that by working hard and trying to find out my own way of happiness, they will be happy. This is called karmi. Without any knowledge, they are simply working. They are actually like the animals. The animals, the dog, is jumping, a few miles he is jumping. He is thinking that “By jumping I shall be happy.” Or for the time being he may happy by jumping. And sometimes thinking otherwise. So karmis, they do not know what is the actual aim of life. Out of many millions of persons, mostly they are karmis. They do not know what is the actual aim of life. But they are devising different plans, that I shall be happy in this way.” This is called karmi. He does not take the standard way of happiness. Then the next elevated person is jnani. He thinks, ponders, that “I have worked so hard, but still I could not become happy.” The jnani. He searches out philosophically. Then next class, yogi. Yogi concentrates the mind to think over, “What is my problem? Why I am not happy? How he can become happy?” He is trying to, very soberly, to understand. Yoga means controlling the senses, and the master of the senses is the mind. So he, trying to make the mind concentrated on the fact, he is yogi. And then the next stage is… If he is yogi, then there are different types of yoga system. But when he comes to the point that “I am not master. There is one master, controller. So master, whatever master orders, I have to execute that. That is my real happiness.” Bhakta. So karmi, jnani, yogi, and bhakta. So out of these four classes of men, the three classes means karmi, jnani and yogi, they are restless. Because they actually did not find out what is the solution. One after another, there are different classes, there are classification. One is better than the other. That is another thing. But none of them… They are still misled. A karmi, he is thinking that “I am poor man. If I become rich man, I will be happy.” He is thinking in that way. Jnani is thinking that “Poor and rich doesn’t matter. I am Brahman. I am spirit soul. If I merge into the Supreme Brahman I will be happy.” Yogi is thinking that “The Absolute is present everywhere in His personal feature. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61] So if I become one with Him, I will be happy.” But still there is a demand, “If I become like this.” So so long he is not self- realized, he will try to become something and so long he’ll try to become something, then there will be restlessness. There cannot be happiness. And when he comes to the realization point that “Why I am trying to become something, I am this and this that is my position,” then he becomes happy. That is bhakti. Everyone is trying to become something. And bhakta knows “I am this.” There is no question of becoming. And this is my position. Very nice. Therefore Krsna ultimately said that “This is the most confidential knowledge, Arjuna. I am teaching you so many things. There is no need of understanding so many things. The real thing is that I am the master, you are My servant. You surrender unto Me, that’s all. Then you’ll be happy.”

Indian man: Very bold step.

Prabhupada: There is no second answer. The answer is one. “Krsna is master, I am servant.” That’s all. What is the duty? Just like here is a servant. Whatever you are ordering, he is doing.

Indian man: The same answer is given to jnani, yogi?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Indian man: They can understand the same way? They have to come up to bhakta.

Prabhupada: No, not same way. Because he is dull. Still wanting to become something. He is dull. There is no question of becoming. Just like they say aham brahmasmi. You are already Brahman. But on account of your dullness of brain, you are thinking that “I am becoming Brahman.” You are already Brahman. You are already Brahman. Because, if he is part and parcel of Krsna, Krsna is Parabrahman. So Parabrahman part and parcel must be Brahman. How it can be otherwise? It is a question of, so long one does not understand that he is Brahman, he is trying to become Brahman.

Indian man: Due to ignorance.

Prabhupada: Due to ignorance. So so long one wants to become Brahman, he is ignorant.

Indian man: Knowledge is futile? Knowledge, it becomes futile then.

Prabhupada: Yes, because trying to become. There is no question of becoming.

Indian man: To be innocent, to be ignorant is good then.

Prabhupada: No. Therefore he should go to the master. Because he is ignorant, he must go to the master. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. But if you capture one, another person as master who is like me, then you are failure. Therefore we should accept the recognized master by everyone. Just like Krsna. Krsna is accepted as the master. Beginning from all sources. Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is the original guru. So what Vyasadeva has said about Krsna. Then Vyasadeva, later on Narada Muni. And from Narada Muni, Vyasadeva. And from Vyasadeva, Sukadeva Gosvami. And Sukadeva Gosvami is describing about Krsna. Then parampara, from Sukadeva Gosvami, others, Suta Gosvami, like that. The knowledge is the same. Krsna says that “I spoke about this knowledge to the sun-god. And he explained this knowledge to Manu.” So in this way, apart from that, that I have not seen Manu I do not know. But when there is Bhagavad-gita, Krsna said to Arjuna, “That’s a fact.” So you understand from Arjuna what Arjuna said. Why should you go to somebody else? That is written record, how Arjuna understood. That is the way. Why should we go to a person who does not know? One who knows, we should go. Yes. This is a fact, that Arjuna understood it.

Indian man: How to seek a master? How to find a master?

Prabhupada: If you do not know how to seek a master, then how you can quote your so-called rascal master? If you do not know the way.

Indian man: Because there are so many fake masters.

Prabhupada: So why you should go to that fake master? If you do not know what is…

Indian man: They prophesize, they call, they invite. The ignorant people go, they don’t know what real master is. So they come…

Prabhupada: That much intelligence, we must have that intelligence, that who is master. Suppose if you want gold, if you do not know where gold can be purchased, then he is cheated.

Indian man: That is what is happening.

Prabhupada: Yes. So why should you be cheated? At least you go to a shop where gold is purchased and sold. Why should you go to a pan wala. If you have no such knowledge then you will get. You must know at least that gold has to be purchased from a merchant who is dealing in gold. If you do not know that, then you will be cheated.

Indian man: That becomes a problem, that people say that they are selling gold, but when you go to them, they are not selling gold.

Prabhupada: No, no, that is not problem. Problem is you do not know.

Indian man: Yes, that is accepted. Disciple doesn’t know.

Prabhupada: At least, you do not know where gold is purchased and sold. But others know. Otherwise, how they are transacting business, lakhs and crores in gold. He knows. (Hindi) There are many other persons who are dealing in gold. Therefore it is advised… The first is that I want to purchase gold. Sraddha, this is called sraddha. Adau sraddha. Then sadhu-sanga. If you have to deal, you have to associate with persons. (aside:) I do not know exactly. For the present, we can go there. If I require, we can get up. (pause) At least, if you read Bhagavad-gita to understand, and one is anxious to understand the need of spiritual life all over the world, So one should read Bhagavad-gita as it is. Why he should interpret foolishly, spoiling the whole thing?

Indian man: Still, if (indistinct) of Tilak and…

Prabhupada: Why, why should you read Tilak and Tilak and Tilak? Straight.

Indian man: I don’t know Sanskrit.

Prabhupada: Then one who knows Sanskrit. You do not know.

Indian man: (indistinct) …somewhere in Chapter Five that if you do bad deeds (indistinct)

Prabhupada: But you do not know what is bad deeds is your disobedience to Krsna is the most dangerous path.

Indian man: He interpreted more what sort of deeds you cannot go back to the…

Prabhupada: That is nonsense. That means he does not know what is good or bad. He does not know. Therefore he cannot become master. He cannot become master. The Bhagavad-gita is there and he is refuting Bhagavad-gita. He is not master.

Indian man: So he took the wrong interpretation of others, Krsna has never said like this.

Prabhupada: Krsna says that dharmaviruddhah kamo ’smi. Find out this verse.

Indian man: When the disciple is ready, the master comes. When the disciple is ready the master appears, comes, comes. It is not that the disciple has to search for the master. The master is also to search after the disciples.

Prabhupada: Well, it is just like there is a school. The school is also advertising that you come here, you will get education. And one who is in need of education, he is also trying to come to school. So the school must be bona fide and the student must be bona fide. Then things will come at. If the school is bogus, then what the student will learn? They will not learn.

Giriraja: Dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo ’smi bharatarsabha.

Prabhupada: Ah, that’s it. What does that mean?

Giriraja: “I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles.”

Prabhupada: There is good sex life and bad sex life. One who does not know what is good sex life, what is bad sex life, he’s a rascal. Here you have to indulge in sex life which is not against the religious principles. But you must know what is religious and what is irreligious. If you do not know, you are rascal. There are two kinds of sex life. Otherwise, why Krsna says, “Sex life which is not against the religious principles, that I am.” So God is good. So sex life which is not against the religious principles, that is good sex life. Otherwise, it is bad.

Indian man: Where Krsna comments…

Prabhupada: First of all let us understand this, that Krsna says “Sex life which is not against the religious principles, that is I am.” The sex life which is against the religious principles, that is bad.

Indian man: Can you explain to me what is good sex life and bad sex life.

Prabhupada: Good sex life, when sex life is accepted for begetting good children. Just like in another place it is said pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat. One should not become a father, one should not become mother, unless he or she can save his child from death. This is religious sex life. Suppose you are married. There is sex life. And both you and your wife decide that “Unless I am expert to save my child from death, we shall not have sex life.” This is good sex life.

Indian man: It is negation of sex.

Prabhupada: Yes. Otherwise sex life is there in the cats and dogs. If you are going to be a dog? You must act as a human being. This is to act as human being, that “I shall not become a father, my dear wife, you should not become a mother, if both of us are not expert how to save the death of our child.” This is good sex life. If you are not expert to execute this scientific method, that is bad sex life. It is the dog’s sex life.

Indian man: Has anybody practiced this type of sex?

Prabhupada: Yes, there are so many. That is the Vedic civilization.

Indian man: They have shielded a child from death.

Prabhupada: Yes, many, many.

Indian man: An example.

Prabhupada: An example, that first of all you know how you can save the death.

Indian man: I do not know.

Prabhupada: Ah, if you do not know that problem. (Prabhupada is laughing)

Indian man: That is the biggest problem. (laughing)

Prabhupada: That is.

Indian man: The body comes, then the soul. But that part is, I don’t…

Prabhupada: First of all, you have understood that unless you are capable of training your child not to die, you should not become a father. First of all, you have to accept this principle. Then how to save the child from death, that is next question. Let us go step by step. Your question was what is the good sex life, the answer is given here.

Indian man: Answer is very complicated.

Prabhupada: Not complicated. The answer is… But how to become expert to save the child from death, that is another science that you should know. If you want to stop your self… [break] …no need of a child to whom you have to give your care to make him, to raise him in such a way, if there is no such need, then there is no need of sex life. If you enjoy sex life for sense enjoyment, that is atrocity. That is atrocity. That is Vedic civilization. Because before sex life we have got samskaras, garbhadhana-samskara. The purpose is there, that “I shall train my child how to stop death. And the child must be so good that he will take my instruction.” And therefore garbhadhana-samskara. So without garbhadhana-samskara, one who enjoys sex life, he is the most sinful. Not that “Whenever and wherever I like and with whomever I like I shall have sex life.” It is all sinful activity. Therefore Krsna says dharma aviruddhah kamo ’smi. Sex life which is not against religious principles, that I am. So if we try to understand this one verse, we become self-realized. Similarly, each verse of Bhagavad-gita is like that.

Indian man: Such a supreme knowledge is there from our superior authorities. This knowledge is, we are not even able to follow.

Prabhupada: Yes. That’s a fact. Therefore people are coming out like cats and dogs. But here is Bhagavad-gita. If you are guided by Bhagavad-gita, then it is all right. But this question, next question you’ll say that “How I can save?” That is answered in Bhagavad-gita. How you can save? Now you say. You tell me what is that verse. How you can save your child from death?

Indian man: By realizing, by giving an education.

Prabhupada: No, you try to quote the verse, what is the way.

Indian man: (laughing) I am a small fly before yourself. You are the ocean. I am a drop.

Prabhupada: No. You are not fly, you are experienced. Therefore I am trying to explain. Find out this verse. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Punar janma naiti. That is continuation of life. Tyaktva, everyone has to give up this body. And one who gives up this body but does not accept another material body, he has no more birth and death. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9] You have to find out this. Read it.

Giriraja:

janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not upon leaving this body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

Prabhupada: Very simple thing, that you are part and parcel of God. God is eternal. So if you understand God, then you become eternal. Just like your father is very rich man, but you have left your father. You are loitering in the street. But as soon as you understand your father, “Oh, I am the son of such and such person. He is so rich! Oh, I haven’t got any necessity.” Then you become rich. Go back home, back to Godhead. Mam eti. “He comes to Me.” Someone is there. You must know your father, and you must go back to father. Then there is no question of suffering. Very simple thing. Now what is the purport?

Giriraja: Purport. “The Lord’s descent from His transcendental abode is already explained in the 6th verse. One who can understand the truth of the appearance of the Personality of Godhead is already liberated from material bondage.”

Prabhupada: Yes. He is already liberated. When one understands Krsna properly. Then.

Giriraja: “And therefore he returns to the kingdom of God immediately after quitting this present material body.”

Prabhupada: That return to God is eternal. Suppose I am your guest here, so you may provide me for some days, but I cannot expect that you can provide me for all the days. That is my mistake. But if you go to your father’s house, there is no question of. He takes. That is the required. Go to your father. Mam eti. Therefore this is the way of eternity, that you understand who is your father and you go back to Him. Then his life is successful. And who is the father?

Indian man: (laughing) Not the body.

Prabhupada: (laughing) Not body. It is in the Bhagavad-gita. Find out this verse. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayah, tasam mahad yonir brahma aham bija-pradah pita. He is the father.

Giriraja:

sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.”

Prabhupada: This is all very easy to understand. Mother means from whom the child is coming, is it not? That is mother. Everyone knows. So you see this whole world, wherefrom everything is coming, you see, practically, gross knowledge. I see a plant is coming from the earth. A tree is coming from the earth. And according to evolutionary theory… Not theory, fact. The dehantara-praptih. When his plant life is finished, he takes another body, insect life. So the mother is the earth. That’s a fact. I am eating the things which are… Jivo jivasya jivanam. I am a life. I am taking either grain or I am taking flesh, the material is supplied from the earth. The animal also, he is also eating the grass. That is coming from the earth. The earth is the mother. That is a fact. Now we should be intelligent, that simply mother cannot beget a child. There must be father. So who is that father? The answer is here. Aham bija-pradah pita. So where is the ignorance?

Indian man: This is Brahman.

Prabhupada: And again. Krsna says aham, why do you interpret in different way.

Indian man: Now this indication is…

Prabhupada: That means you make purposefully complicated. The father is saying, “I am father.” Then why you are bringing this meaning, aham means…

Indian man: No, it’s that “aham” is indicated to Who? The physical posture of Krsna which we know or the…?

Prabhupada: Why do we say like that? Why? (shouting) Why you are bringing physical concept He is a person, He is saying. Why do you say physical, material, and this and that way. He is father.

Indian man: Because He is saying, we should accept it?

Prabhupada: Yes, you accept. Accept, Krsna is in your front. And why should physical, metaphysical and chemical? Krsna is a person. A person says…

Indian man: Earth is mother…

Prabhupada: Yes. And He says that “Earth is mother, I am the father.” You have to understand it. That yes, earth is mother, because everything is coming from earth. But who has given the seed in the mother? That Krsna says, “I am giving.” Sa asrjata sa iksata. This is Vedic version. And He says personally.

Indian man: As you say earth, mind accepts immediately. But…

Prabhupada: But if your mind cannot accept, your mind cannot accept, that does not mean the things will change. You should know that you are a fool. You do not know.

Indian man: I accept.

Prabhupada: Yes, then as Krsna says you accept it. How the father has given seed to this earth? That is not your business. You try to understand…

Indian man: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Because you are trying to understand in your own way.

Indian man: Trying to understand in my own way?

Prabhupada: Yes. Just like you beget a child, you give seed. The seed of the child in the womb of your wife in a method, you know that. Therefore you are thinking, “How it is possible?” You do not know that God is almighty. He can beget children in His own way, but you are thinking in your own way, that “I give birth to a child in this way. How is that He is seed-giving father and earth is producing?” Because you are thinking in your own way.

Indian man: I have to think in my own way.

Prabhupada: Yes, but that is not God. God is almighty.

Indian man: And now you are explaining that.

Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore you have to go to the right master.

Indian man: They say in their own way. How you search out the right master.

Prabhupada: Yes. So I am speaking on the basis of the Bhagavad-gita. I am not manufacturing.

Indian man: True.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is master. Master means he will not manufacture. Lawyer means who will speak in the court with reference to the lawbook. Not that “My Lordship I have manufactured this way. You accept it.” “Get out. Get out, rascal. You are not a lawyer.” So this is going on. The rascals are going to be lawyer, without understanding.

Indian man: No sir, the way you explain mother earth, similarly father’s explain to me.

Prabhupada: Father He says. Because you have no advanced knowledge, how you can understand? The father says, “I am father.”

Indian man: So beautiful you explain mother. Similarly just let me understand father also.

Prabhupada: No, no, beautifully, yes, everything is beautiful. We first know that without father, mother, there cannot be birth. So everything, whatever you, sarva-bhutani, sarva-bhutani, whatever is coming out, they are coming out as child of the earth. And you do not know who is the father. The father says aham bija-pradah pita. You understand the father. How you do not understand? The father says, “I am the father.” You are searching after the father, and father says, and mother certifies, “Yes, He is your father.” You don’t require any other knowledge.

Indian man: This is fact. I am not understanding.

Prabhupada: It is a simple truth (indistinct). The father says, I am the father. Therefore what can be done? He says, the father says that “I am the father.” Mother certifies, “Yes, he is your father.” Still if you do not understand, what can be done?

Indian man: You indicated very beautifully mother. I accept that.

Prabhupada: Yes, this is also beautifully indicated. The father says personally, but you are so dull-headed you cannot understand.

Indian man: You say Lord Krsna, but I must know what Krsna is.

Prabhupada: Then it is very difficult to make you understand. Everyone knows what is Krsna?

Indian man: I don’t know.

Prabhupada: Then you should learn it, what is Krsna. Therefore it is said, anyone who knows Krsna, he is liberated. Because you do not know, you are not liberated. Otherwise, as soon as you understand Krsna you become liberated.

Indian man: It is plain fact. I don’t know.

Prabhupada: Yes. So try to understand Krsna from the right source. Otherwise, you will remain a rascal. That’s all. That is your first business, to understand Krsna. And Krsna is explained in so many sastras. If I am so rascal that still I cannot understand, that is my misfortune.

Indian man: Simply misfortune.

Prabhupada: If I want to come to point of misfortune, that is my disease. Otherwise, we can understand little, Krsna is explaining. Therefore Krsna says,

janma karma ca me divyam evam yo janati tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti… [Bg. 4.9]

Simply to understand Krsna is liberation. And that is also explained. What is that tattva? How one can understand tattvatah, that is explained by Krsna. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55] That tattva is bhakti, not karma, jnana, yoga. Everything is there. And still if we want to be misled that is our misfortune.

Indian man: I am a seeker; I want to know.

Prabhupada: Therefore I am taking this trouble. Otherwise, I have no business.

Indian man: I want to know Krsna.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is wanted. If you want to know, then there is way. And as soon as you understand Krsna, you are liberated.

Indian man: This is the first step to know Krsna.

Prabhupada: Yes. And that Krsna is explaining. Where is the difficulty? Krsna is explaining Himself. There is no difficulty to understand Krsna. Suppose you have no knowledge about me, what is Swamiji. You may speculate, “Swamiji may be such and such, such and such.” But if I explain myself, that “I am like this,” then where is the difficulty? You haven’t got to speculate. Because I am explaining. So you take that. You understand Krsna. Why speculation?

Indian man: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Yes, there is no need of speculation. Krsna is explaining Himself. You take the advantage of Krsna’s explanation. You understand Krsna. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. I am explaining my position. You have to understand as I am explaining. You cannot explain me. That is not possible. There are so many secrets, I do not dis…, if I do not disclose, how you can explain it?

Indian man: Very simple, the way you related mother’s. My mind could immediately accept it. But at the point of father’s it stopped.

Prabhupada: Because you are thinking to become father in a particular way. You do not accept…

Indian man: Mother also in particular way…

Prabhupada: That means you are thinking in your own particular way. But Krsna is not subjected to your thinking. You have to give up this bad habit first of all, that Krsna will be subordinate to your thinking. That is not God.

Indian man: How to give up this bad habit?

Prabhupada: That means you have to become a bhakta. So long… You are thinking as jnani. Therefore… Jnani cannot understand Krsna. Only the bhakta can understand.

Indian man: Because he thinks in other ways.

Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore he cannot understand. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, janati tattvam. One who is fully surrendered… Not fully, even little surrendered, he can understand. (bell rings) Otherwise, ciram vicinvan. He can speculate for long, long years, for long long years. Still he cannot. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, janati tattvam. He can understand. Na ca anya eko ’pi ciram vicinvan. Others, even one of them, simply by speculating they cannot understand.

Indian man: To find sraddha, or faith to surrender. To surrender, one must have something to surrender to. What is that?

Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore Krsna is explaining about Himself. So many pages. At last He says, “Surrender to Me.” He is not asking him to surrender all of a sudden. He is explaining all the ways. “You think over,” He has explained. Then He says “The most confidential knowledge, Arjuna I am giving to you, because you are my very dear friend, that you simply surrender. That’s all.”

Indian man: Simply surrender.

Prabhupada: That’s all. Find out this verse. Sarva-guhyatamam. l8th chapter, 63 verse or 62nd verse.

Giriraja:

sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah srnu me paramam vacah isto ’si me drdham iti tato vaksyami te hitam

Prabhupada: “Because you are My dear friend, I want for your good. So I am now disclosing the most confidential knowledge.” What is that verse?

Giriraja:

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo’si me [Bg. 18.65]

Prabhupada: “You simply take this process. Think of Me always.” And the next, He says sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66] No. There are other processes? Give away, kick away. Take this. Mam ekam saranam vraja. This is meanings of the… But because one cannot understand, therefore He has explained karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga, this yoga. And He has explained also the meaning

yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah [Bg. 6.47]

“He is first class yogi who has taken to Me only, thinking of Me.” Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana. “Always within the heart, who is thinking of Me, first-class yogi.” One who does not understand Krsna, he may be a yogi, a third-class, fourth-class yogi. Not a first-class. (Hindi conversation) [break]

Prabhupada: …to make dal puri, dal badi. Do they make? Inside it is dal. [break]

Life Member: When I come here for one day, I wish to stay here for three days, five days, seven days, I mean, always extend it for awhile. It is never on the set day. Whenever I come for a day, I stay two days. If I come for three days I stay about five days. [break]

Prabhupada: Dal can be replaced with boiled potato.

Life Member: Boiled potatoes, yes, they are made. That is puri or parata? Parata is better. Alu parata.

Gopala Krsna: Make Punjabi parata.

Life Member: You will like that.

Prabhupada: All right. And another thing, and sabji, dry potato with hing. What vegetables other? There is cauliflower. There is no eggplant? Beguna? I require little.

Hari-sauri: What about patolas?

Prabhupada: Patola is nice.

Indian man: We should make something of eggplant.

Prabhupada: Eggplant vegetable, yes. Fried. (end)