Prabhupada:
...avidya-karma-samjnanya
trtiya saktir isyate
This is a verse from Visnu Purana. It is stated there that visnu-saktih para, "The energy of the Supreme Lord is spiritual." Energy and the energetic, they are nondifferent. Just like the sunshine is the energy of the sun globe, but the quality of sunshine and the sun globe is the same. It is not different. The sunshine is bright, illuminating, hot. Similarly, we can understand the sun globe, the temperature may be very high, but the quality is the same. So visnu-saktih para prokta [Cc. Madhya 6.154]. God has got one energy. That energy is spiritual energy. And ksetrajnakhya tatha para: and the same energy is manifested in another form, which is called ksetrajna, or marginal energy, or the energy in which we living creatures are acting. Ksetrajnakhya tatha para. And avidya-karma-samjna, and trtiya saktir isyate. And besides these energies, there is another energy, which is avidya, ignorance. Karma-samjna: and it is based on fruitive activities. Anya means besides these two energies, spiritual energy and the marginal energy, living entities, there is another energy, which is called avidya. Avidya means ignorance. And karma-samjna: and in that energy, one has to enjoy his, the fruit of his own labor. This is the material world. This material world is also energy of Krsna, or God, but here ignorance prevails. Ignorance is prominent. Avidya, ignorance. Therefore one has to work. Practically one hasn't got to work, but because he is, one is in avidya, ignorance, therefore he has to work. Avidya-karma-samjnanya trtiya saktir isyate.
So actually, there is one energy, spiritual energy. Krsna, or God, is the whole spirit, and the energies emanating from Him, that is also spiritual. Saktih saktimator abhinnah. In the Vedic language we understand that the saktiman, or the energetic, Krsna, and the energy, they are nondifferent. So this material energy is also nondifferent from Krsna. In other words of Vedic language it is said, sarvam khalv idam brahma: "Everything is Brahman." In the Bhagavad-gita also, Lord Krsna says that maya tatam idam sarvam. Sarvam means all; idam, this manifestation, this cosmic manifestation, whatever you are experiencing... Krsna says that "I am expanded as this cosmic manifestation." Maya tatam idam sarvam avyakta-murtina. This impersonal feature, avyakta, mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah: [Bg. 9.4] "Everything is resting on Me, or everything is expansion of Myself." Naham tesu avasthitah: "But I am not there." This philosophy, acintya-bhedabheda, simultaneously one and different, is our philosophy, inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although it is in the Vedanta-sutras. So everything is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme Lord. But there are two classes of philosophers. One class says that God and the living entities are different, and there is another philosopher, monist philosopher. They say God and the living entities are one. So this acintya-bhedabheda philosophy adjusts that "God and the living creatures, they are simultaneously one and different." They are one in quality, just like the energy and the energetic, the sun globe and the sunshine. In quality, in sunshine there is heat, there is illumination, light. In the sun globe also, there is heat, there is illumination. But the degrees are quite different. You can bear the heat and illumination of the sunshine, but you cannot go to the sun globe or you can bear the heat and temperature there. The scientist says that so many millions miles away, if somebody goes or some planet goes near the sun globe, it will immediately burn into ashes. Similarly, God and ourself, Krsna and living entities, they are qualitatively one, but quantitatively, we are very minute. Anu. We are smaller than the atom. Nowadays there is atomic theory. We can see the atoms within the holes of the windows when there is focus of sunlight. That is called prasarenu. Prasarenu means six atoms combined together, then it is visible. Otherwise, atom is also not visible with our naked eyes. There is atomic theory, paramanuvada, in Vedic literature also. And Bhagavata says that the scientists may be one day able to count how many atoms are there within this universe. This is not possible, of course, but it is theoretically. The Vedic, er, Srimad-Bhagavata says that "It may be possible one day by scientific research, one can count how many atoms are there within this cosmic manifestation. Still, it is not possible to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead by our ordinary sense perception." Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Krsna, or God, is not perceivable by your material senses. It is not possible. Atah, therefore, sri-krsna-namadi. Atah sri-krsna-namadi. Namadi. Namadi means "beginning from His name." Because we try to understand Krsna beginning by chanting His holy name, Hare Krsna. Then, after chanting Hare Krsna, when our heart is purified, then we can understand His form, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1].
So either His name or His form or His quality or His paraphernalia or His activities -- none of these can be understood by your material senses. It is not possible. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Indriyaih, the senses. Then how it is understood? Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. When we take to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, then the Lord reveals Himself. We cannot understand. He reveals Himself. Therefore sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Jihva means tongue. The first business of is to engage the tongue in the service of the Lord. How you can engage the tongue in the service of the Lord? By chanting and glorifying His name, fame, quality, form, paraphernalia, pastimes. This is the business of the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. When the tongue is engaged, gradually all other senses are also engaged in the service of the Lord. The tongue is the most important sense within our body; therefore for controlling our senses it is recommended that one should control first of all the tongue. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings in his song: ta'ra madhye jihva ati lobhamaya sudurmati. Our present conditional state is like this. Sarira avidya-jal, we are packed up in the network of this material body. It is just like a fish is caught within a net. Similarly, we are caught up by this network of this material body. Not only this body -- we are changing this net in various phases of life. There are 8,400,000's of holes of this network. This is a network of ignorance, avidya-jal. Avidya means ignorance. Sarira avidya-jal jadendriya tahe kal. And this network, my imprisonment within this network of ignorance, is being continued on account of these dangerous senses. Sense enjoyment. So out of these dangerous senses, Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, the tongue is the most dangerous. Tongue is the most dangerous. The tongue... If we cannot control the tongue, then the tongue will oblige me to take different types of body, one after another. If I am very much fond of satisfying my tongue by flesh and blood, then nature, material nature, will give me facility to taste flesh and blood fresh and give me a body of the tiger. If I do not discriminate of eating, then material nature will give me a body just like a hog, when we have to accept as our food stool.
So we are so-called materially suffering and enjoying according to this body. Therefore this body, this human form of body, is a great opportunity, because God realization begins by engaging the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Brs. 1.2.234]. By engaging the tongue in the loving service of the Lord, one can make advance in Krsna consciousness, ultimate realization of God, the tongue. So this tongue in the human body can be engaged. In other body, in the cat's body, dog's body, tiger's body... Tiger may be a very powerful animal. No animal is powerful or better than human beings. That is accepted. So this human form of life is a great boon to the living entity who is traveling through the cycle of birth and death, perpetually changing different sorts of body. Here is the opportunity, human form of body. We can utilize the tongue properly and get out of these clutches. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. So seva, seva means service; jihva adau, beginning from the tongue. So if we can keep our tongue engaged, always chanting Hare Krsna mantra... Because "Krsna," this sound, is not different from Krsna. Krsna is absolute. Nothing is different from Him. Krsna and Krsna's name is not different. In the material sense, everything is different. I myself is different from this body. I am not this body. But Krsna is not like that. Krsna and Krsna's body is the same. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah [Bg. 9.11]. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, "Rascals and fools, they deride at Me because I appear as a human being. They are thinking just like I am ordinary human being." Param bhavam ajananto. "These rascals do not know what is My influence and what I am." Param bhavam. "What is My nature they do not know. Without knowing Me, they consider, 'Krsna is an ordinary human being.' " Avajananti mudha. This very particular word has been used, mudha. Mudha means rascals. So in spite of this warning, there are so many rascals passing as big scholars. They say like this. When there is order of Krsna that "You surrender unto Me," the rascals comment, "It is not to Krsna but the unborn spirit which is within Krsna." He does not know that Krsna is not different from His body, Krsna is not different from His name, Krsna is not different from His fame. Anything pertaining to Krsna is Krsna. They are monists, they are philosophizing that oneness, but as soon as they come to Krsna, immediately they divide: "Krsna is different from His body," or "Krsna's body is different from Krsna."
So atah sri-krsna-namadi. So Krsna's name and Krsna is not different. Therefore, as soon as my tongue touches the holy name of Krsna, that means immediately it associates with Krsna. So if you constantly keep yourself associated with Krsna by chanting this mantra, Hare Krsna, then just imagine how you are being easily purified simply by this process, chanting, jihvadau, engaging the tongue in chanting. And your tongue wants very palatable dishes to taste. So Krsna is very kind. He has given you hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes, remnants of foodstuff eaten by Him. You eat. In this way, if you simply make it a determination that "I shall not allow my tongue to taste anything which is not offered to Krsna, and I shall engage my tongue always chanting Hare Krsna," then all perfection is within your hold. All perfection. Two simple things: Don't eat anything which is not offered to Krsna. That's all. Our Krsna prasadam are so variegated, nice varieties... The variety is the mother of enjoyment. How much enjoyment you want with your tongue? You can have simply by eating Krsna prasadam. And the more your tongue is purified, the more you relish the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra. Relish. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. It is stated by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that it increases the ocean of bliss, transcendental bliss. Ocean does not increase. We have no experience within this material world. If ocean would have increased, then all the lands would have been swallowed up many long, long years ago. Ocean does not increase. But this ocean, transcendental bliss, is increasing. Some of you must have experienced, those who are actually relishing. The authorities like Rupa Gosvami, he says that "What I shall chant with one tongue? If I would have millions of tongues, then I could chant a little more. And what I shall hear with two ears?" So he's expecting, he's aspiring to have millions of ears and trillions of tongues to relish this chanting Hare Krsna. So that is another stage, of course, when this chanting will be so melodious that we shall try to have more ears and more tongues to utilize it. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. By our present senses, we cannot understand what is Krsna, or what is God, what is His name, what is His form, what is His quality. Therefore immediately, if we try to understand Krsna by His picture, "Oh, Krsna is embracing Radharani or the gopis," we shall mistake. Because unless our senses are purified, we shall accept Krsna and Radharani as ordinary young boy or girl and their dealings. But actually it is not. It is pure. Caitanya-caritamrta kar has distinguished that the loving affairs of the gopis with Krsna and the ordinary, these lustful dealings of human beings, there is a gulf of difference. He compares that the gopis' love with Krsna is gold, and our so-called love here is iron. As there is difference between gold and iron, similarly there is difference between the loving affairs of gopis with Krsna and these mundane, so-called lusty affairs between men and women or boys and girls. It is never equal. Therefore, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved... [Brs. 1.2.234]. These present senses, these impure senses, contaminated senses, cannot understand Krsna; therefore we should follow this principle: sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. First of all, engage chanting Hare Krsna. There is Radha and Krsna. Hara is Radha, and Krsna, there is. But don't try to understand by the present senses, but simply chant their holy name, Hare Krsna. Then ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. When your, the dust on the mirror of your heart will be cleansed, and it will cleanse by simply chanting, ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam, and there will be no more any material condition...
That is the next stage. If you chant Hare Krsna mantra without any offense, then immediately the stage will be that you are freed from all material anxieties. That is the test. How I am advancing in chanting will be tested how far you are free from material anxieties. That's all. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Then real life begins. So long you are perturbed by material disturbances, you should know that your spiritual life has not begun. This is confirmed in everywhere. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. Prasannatma. Bhagavad-gita says, "When one is Brahman realized..." Brahman realized means one who understands that "I am not this body. I am pure spirit soul, eternal servitor of Krsna." Simply understanding that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul," is not enough. That is not sufficient knowledge. Of course, that is good. That is just on the marginal step between matter and spirit. But you have to transcend completely this material existence and come to the platform of spiritual understanding. So for that purpose you have to go further after Brahman realization. Brahman, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. If you are actually Brahman realized, the symptom will be that you are always joyful, no anxiety. Anxiety, why...? Everything is very nicely discussed in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad. When you forget Krsna, or God, and if we think there is something else than Krsna, then we are afraid. And those who are convinced and realized souls that there is nothing but Krsna, where is the cause of fearfulness? Therefore those who are pure devotees, they are not disturbed even in most distressed condition of life. What they think? They think, tat te 'nukampa...: "My Lord, it is Your great mercy that You have put me into this distressed condition." Tat te 'nukampam su-samiksamanah [SB 10.14.8]. So in the distressed condition, the devotees take it an opportunity that "I have got a very nice opportunity to remember God constantly. Krsna, You are so kind that You have given me this distressed condition."
So this Krsna consciousness is very nice. If we try to make progress on this line, we'll feel even... Yasmin sthite gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate [Bg. 6.20-23]. Bhagavad-gita says if one is situated in Krsna consciousness, even in the terrible situation, fearful situation, he is not afraid. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. You see? Prahlada Maharaja, a five-years-old boy, his father tortured him like anything. But he was not afraid. He was not afraid. This is the Krsna consciousness state. The boy is not afraid. Even in such tortured condition, when his father challenged him, "Prahlada, with whose strength you are so powerful that you do not care for me?" he immediately answered, "My dear father, by whose power you are talking like that?" So Krsna consciousness is so nice that even one is put into the terrible condition of distress, he is not perturbed. Narayana-parah sarve... There are many verses like that. We can quote hundreds. Narayana-parah sarve na kutascana bibhyati [SB 6.17.28]. If one becomes Krsna conscious, he is not afraid, any condition of life. Na kutascana bibhyati. Svargapavarga-narakesv api. If he is put into the hell or in heaven or in the spiritual world or any world, he is happy. Tulyartha-darsinah. He thinks everything is all the same. "Either you put me in the hell or heaven or this or that, (it) is all the same." Because he is always with Krsna, chanting Hare Krsna. Krsna is always with him. So where is the cause of being afraid that "This place is not good; this place is very good"? No. Wherever Krsna is there is very good. That's all.
So we have to practice and train the tongue very nicely. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234]. And the more our tongue is engaged in the loving service of Krsna... It is very nice service. You simply chant and eat Krsna prasadam. Is it very difficult service? Everyone will accept, "Oh, yes." But unfortunately, everyone does not accept. (laughter) (chuckles) You see. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, etadrs i tava krpa bhagavan mamapi: "My dear Lord, You are so kind that You have approached Me in..., by transcendental sound. Or You are always with Me." You can be. If I take, then Krsna is always with me. If I reject, then... That is the ignora... "Krsna is everywhere" means as soon as we accept, Krsna is immediately with us. And as soon as we reject, oh, He is far, far away. So Krsna can be with us very easily simply by this chanting or engaging the tongue in His service. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended this process, or He inaugurated this process in this age. Although it is not new system, but He especially introduced because His incarnation is to reclaim the fallen souls of this age. So He... [break] ...before advent of Krsna he's simply planning, "As soon as Krsna will take birth, I will kill him." This is the plan of the demons, to kill God. Atheism. "God is dead." That is also killing, one sort of killing. "There is no God. I am God." These are all different processes of trying to kill. But God is never killed. [break] Rather, they are killed. That is the whole history everywhere.
Guest: I don't follow. Is it...? Whose choice is it to be a demon? Is it the living entity's choice, complete choice, to be demonic, against God, or is it a part of Krsna's energy to put demons, or to have created him that way?
Prabhupada: No...
Guest: Is it completely each individual's choice to be demonic, or...?
Prabhupada: Yes. Demon means when he is forgotten, when has lost his sense, that is demon. When has lost his sense, that is demon. Demon means mayayapahrta-jnanah [Bg. 7.15]. Maya, by the influence of maya, the true aspect of knowledge is taken away. Anyone who is trying to establish it that "There is no God," he is demon. That's all. There are so many philosophers, so many atheists, so many scientists. Their only business is to deny God. They are demons. Yes.
Guest: Then is there individual complete choice?
Prabhupada: That is ignorance. Yes. Apahrta-jnanah means just like a madman. For the time being, his natural knowledge is taken away. Crazy. What do we mean by crazy? For the time being, his knowledge is taken away. Similarly, when a living entity is in that position, as somebody has taken away his knowledge, that is demonic condition. But he can be reestablished again in knowledge. Just like a crazy man is sent, mental disorder, to hospital for treatment; again he comes as a sane man. Similarly, the demons are just like crazy men. Even they are treated with Krsna consciousness, they can be reverted to their own position. So this is temporary. This demoniac nature is temporary due to the contact with maya. Therefore the whole business is how to get out of the clutches of maya. Then there is no more demonic nature. It is artificial. [break] ...superficial. It comes and goes. As it comes artificially, so it can go also. And the driving method is this Krsna consciousness.
Guest: So maya is temporary, and the only thing that is eternal is Krsna and the spiritual energies.
Prabhupada: Yes. Spiritual energy. That is eternal. That is eternal. So we are... Due to our ignorance, we have been very much serious with the temporary situation of maya and we have forgotten the eternal position. This is our present conditional life. Now this Krsna consciousness movement means His treatment to reclaim the living entity from the clutches of maya. Then he is situated in his natural position. [break]
...contaminated, impure. Impure condition. Apavitra. And pavitra means pure condition. Apavitrah pavitro va. One may be in impure condition and one may be in pure condition. Sarvavastham, in all conditions. Avastha means all conditions. Gato 'pi va, situated, in any condition situated; yah, anybody; smaret, remembers; pundarikaksam. Pundarikaksam means "the Lord whose eyes are like the lotus petal." Lotus eyes. Pundarikaksam. Sa, that person becomes; sa bahyabhyantaram. Bahya means externally and abhyantara means internally. Bahyabhyantaram sucih. Sucih means purified. Another suci means brahmana. A brahmana is called suci. A brahmana means a purified person. Not that by birth one becomes pure. No. The purificatory process. There are purificatory processes. Just like in infectious condition, those who are vaccinated, given injection, he is supposed to be purified. He cannot be attacked or infected by the disease. Similarly, in spiritual life also one has to remain purified. The whole process, this Krsna consciousness movement, is to purify the people in general from the contaminated condition of material existence. Purifying. It is purifying process. A living entity by nature is pure because he is part and parcel of the Supreme Pure, God. But due to his impure condition, he has forgotten his eternal relationship with God. So this initiation means that one is being accepted as student by the spiritual master to promote him gradually to the purified state, where he can realize himself and God. This is the whole process. In contaminated state we cannot approach. I have given this example many times. Just like if you want to enter into certain place, then you must be adjusted with the conditions. Just like people are going to the moon planet. There it is supposed to be it is very cold. So people go with a certain type of dress by adjusting. Similarly, if you want to enter into the spiritual kingdom, the abode, the planet where Krsna lives, so you must be purified. Adjust yourself. Not only to the spiritual kingdom of Krsna -- any planet you want to enter, you must adjust yourself in that way. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutejya yanti bhutani
mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam
[Bg. 9.25]
If you adjust yourself, then you can go to the higher planetary system. Deva-vrata devan. Devan means the planetary system or the different planets where demigods are living. Just like this moon planet. This moon planet is also another planet of the demigod Candra. I do not know the modern expedition of going to the moon planet, how far it will be successful. I think it cannot be successful. According to Vedic literature, it cannot be successful because people cannot adjust to enter that planet. One has to adjust, make the bodily condition in that way so that one can live there. In this planet also, there are different climates. In India the climate is different, and your Western country, the climate is different. So when one comes to the Western country, he also adjusts with different coats and shirts. In India we can remain naked body practically throughout the whole year, but you cannot live here. So there is adjustment. So this adjustment, the Bhagavad-gita says, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg. 9.25]. "Those who have adjusted themselves to come to Me, he can come." There is no obstruction. So this initiation process, this Krsna consciousness, means to adjust your condition so that after leaving this body, you can enter into the planet where Krsna lives. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: [Bg. 15.6] "That supreme abode, where entering, one does not come back again to this material world, that is My supreme abode." There is...
na yatra bhasayate suryo
na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
[Bg. 15.6]
These kind are explained. In that spiritual kingdom there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine, there is no need of electricity. And one who goes there, he does not come back. He lives there eternally, blissful life of knowledge.
So the initiation process means to give the conditioned soul a chance. This chance can be available in this human form of life. The cats and dogs, they cannot take chance of entering into the spiritual kingdom, or they cannot... It is not possible they can take initiation for purifying the body. So everybody, every human being, should take advantage of this form of life, human form of life, and cultivate this Krsna consciousness. And it is very simple and easy also. For this age, Lord..., by the grace of Lord Caitanya, we have got very easy method: simply chanting Hare Krsna. This mantra also which we uttered just now, it is said, yah smaret pundarikaksam: "Anyone who remembers pundarikaksam, Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately he becomes purified." Suci. Suci. Suci means purified. Sri visnu sri visnu sri visnu. Three times. So the Krsna and Visnu is the same thing. Krsna is the original person of all visnu-tattva. So anyone who is keeping himself always in touch with the vibration of Krsna consciousness -- Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare -- that is the only, I mean to say, guaranteed platform where you can keep yourself purified without any material contamination. And in this purified state, if we can leave this body ultimately, then there is no doubt we enter into the supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gita, and you read carefully. This initiation does not mean... Of course, this chanting will save you, only chanting. But if you read some literatures also, and the philosophy also, then it will be more and more convincing that you are making progress. And in the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita you will find that this is the process by which you can understand practically whether you are making actually progress in spiritual life. Pratyaksam avagamam dharmyam. This bhakti-yoga system is so nice that one can directly understand how he is making progress, and very quickly. That's a fact. All of our students who have taken to this process, within very short time, they are realizing that actually they are making some progress. Therefore they are sticking to the principles and going on.
So my request to you all who are going to be initiated, that you keep always yourself in contact with this chanting and that will make you, I mean to say, able to be always purified, suci. Material contamination cannot... And you avoid these four principles: illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication of all descriptions. Intoxication does not mean simply liquor. Intoxication means even tea-drinking. Tea is also intoxication, in slight degree. Tea, coffee, cigarettes -- everything should be avoided. In India they chew pan. So these things are to be give up, intoxication group, and meat-eating group. Then you make very quickly progress, and by the grace of Krsna, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. After leaving this body, one hasn't got to take another material body and suffer. So long we have got this material body, we have to suffer the material pangs. There cannot be any adjustment. So if anyone is serious for ending all troubles... Everyone wants to live peacefully and happily. That is natural, because spirit soul is anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12), by nature joyful. He wants to keep himself joyful, but he does not know how eternal joyful life can be attained. That is spiritual life. You cannot become joyful by material adjustment. No. You may be joyful for the time being by drinking or by intoxication, but how long? So long the intoxication influence is there, you may feel something. That is artificially. But that is not actually the state of joyfulness. Real state of joyfulness is to be situated in spiritual life, and when you (are) actually in the spiritual kingdom, then you become sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], eternal life, joyful life, blissful life, with full knowledge.
So on behalf of Krsna, we are trying to distribute this knowledge at least in this part of the world. Now, those who are fortunate, they will take it and be benefited. Our business is to distribute. Now it is up to you. Every individual soul is independent. He may accept or may not accept. That depends on him. But if he accepts, it is good for him. Otherwise, he may make his choice. Krsna never..., God never interferes with your independence. No. He will never do that. Then what is the meaning of living being? Dull matter, it has no independence. Even it is a big mountain or big thing, it has no independence. It will stand still. But a small ant, even a microbe, it has got independence because it is living creature. So God has made you or given you little independence. That independence does not mean that you shall misuse it. You shall use it properly. And what is that proper use? To be engaged in His loving service. Just like you citizens of this German state, what you are meant for? You are meant for rendering service to the state. Similarly, the whole... This is a small state. America is a small... Or this planet is a small state. But there is a huge state which is called the cosmic manifestation. That state belongs to Krsna, or God. So naturally, you have to render service to the supreme state, supreme will. Then it is all right. Your independence is there. So long you are rendering service to the state properly, your independence as citizen is there. But as soon as you rebel against the state, your independence is gone. Similarly, our, this conditional life is due to our rebellious condition towards God. As soon as we agree surrender and be one with Him by transcendental loving service, the whole thing becomes adjusted. So Krsna consciousness movement means to teach people and to give them practical suggestion and help to... (end)
© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
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