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ANNOUNCER: The following is a
class on the Bhagavad-gītā As It
Is, 2nd chapter, text number 14,
given by His Divine Grace A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, recorded on the
14th of February 1975, in Mexico.

PRABHUPĀDA:

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ’nityās tāṁs
titikṣasva bhārata

So from last night discussion, it is
to be concluded that we are not
going to die. Kṛṣṇa said not only
He, but also Arjuna and all other
who were present in the
battlefield, they will continue to
exist. So how we shall exist? That
is also discussed, that as we are
existing now—we have accepted
a type of material body and
existing—similarly, after finishing
this body, I’ll accept another
body and exist. Now, the
question is that “In what kind of
body I shall exist after finishing
this body?” That is also
explained, that if we like, we can
exist in the higher planetary
system where the duration of life
is very, very long, the sense
enjoyment is very, very perfect,
more than this world. This we
can have. Similarly, we can exist
in lower grade of life like cats,
dogs, insects, trees, aquatics, like
that. And we can exist also in the
same way as we are existing
now. And we can exist also
exactly like God—eternal life of
bliss and knowledge.

Actually, spiritual body means
eternal life of bliss and
knowledge. This body which we
are possessing now, material
body, it is neither eternal, nor
blissful, nor full of knowledge.
Every one of us, we know that
this material body will be
finished. And it is full of
ignorance. We cannot say
anything, what is beyond this
wall. We have got senses, but
they are all limited, imperfect.
Sometimes we are very much
proud of seeing and challenge,
“Can you show me God?” but we
forget to remember that as soon
as the light is gone, the power of
my seeing is gone. Therefore the
whole body is imperfect and full
of ignorance. The spiritual body
means full of knowledge, just
opposite. So we can get that
body next life, and we have to
cultivate how to get that type of
body. We can cultivate to get the
next body in the higher planetary
system or we can cultivate the
next body like cats and dog, and
we can cultivate such body as
eternal, blissful knowledge.
Therefore the best intelligent
person will try to get next body
full of blissfulness, knowledge,
and eternity. That is explained in
the Bhagavad-gītā. Yad gatvā na
nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ
mama [Bg. 15.6]. That place,
that planet, or that sky, where
you go and you’ll never return
back to this material world… In
the material world, even if you
promote to the highest planetary
system, Brahmaloka, still, you’ll
have to come back again. And if
you try your best to go to the
spiritual world, back to home,
back to Godhead, you’ll not come
again to accept this material
body.

Then the question is that “If I am
eternal, why there are so many
miserable condition of life? And
why I am forced to die?” So this
is actually the intelligent
question, that “If I am eternal,
then why I shall remain in this
material body which is subjected
to death, birth, old age and
disease?” Therefore Kṛṣṇa
instructs that this miserable
condition of life is due to this
material body. Those who are
karmīs, means those who are
engaged in sense gratification…
They are called karmīs. The
karmīs do not care for future;
they simply want immediate
facilities of life. Just like a child
without the care of the parents,
he plays whole day and doesn’t
care for future life, do not take
any education. But in the human
form of life, if we are actually
intelligent, we shall try our best
how to get that life or body
where there is no more death,
birth, old age and disease.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement means to educate
people for that purpose. Now,
one may say that “If I simply
devote in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
then how my material necessities
will be supplied?” So the answer
is there in the Bhagavad-gītā,
that anyone who is simply
engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
for his necessities of life Kṛṣṇa
will look after. Kṛṣṇa is looking
after for everyone’s maintenance.
Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti
kāmān: “That one Supreme
Person is maintaining the
necessities of all living entities.”
So for a devotee who is trying to
go back to home, back to
Godhead, there will be no
scarcity. Be rest assured. Kṛṣṇa
says in the Bhagavad-gītā, teṣāṁ
satata-yuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ
vahāmy aham: [Bg. 10.10] “A
devotee who is engaged always
in My service, I look after, how
his necessities of life will be
fulfilled.” A practical example is
that in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement we have got one
hundred centers, and each
temple, not less than twenty-five,
up to 250 devotees live. So we
have no fixed up means of
income, and we are spending in
all the branches eighty thousand
dollars per month. But by grace
of Kṛṣṇa we have no scarcity;
everything is supplied. People are
surprised sometimes that “These
people do not work, do not take
any profession, simply chant
Hare Kṛṣṇa. How they live?” So
that is no question. If cats and
dogs can live at the mercy of
God, the devotees can live very
comfortably by the mercy of God.
There is no such question, but if
somebody thinks that “I have
taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
but I am suffering for so many
things,” for them or for all of us
the instruction is mātrā-sparśās
tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-
duḥkha-dāḥ: “These pains and
pleasure is just like winter and
summer.” In the winter the water
is painful, and in the summer the
water is pleasing. So what is the
position of the water? It is
pleasing or painful? It is neither
painful, neither pleasing, but in
certain season, by touching the
skin it appears to be painful or
pleasant. Such pains and
pleasure is explained herein:
“They are coming and going.
They are not permanent.” Āgama
apāyinaḥ anityāḥ means “They
are coming and going; therefore
they are not permanent.” Kṛṣṇa
therefore advises, tāṁs titikṣasva
bhārata: “Just tolerate.” But you
do not forget your real business,
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don’t care
for these material pains and
pleasure. Of course, we shall try
our best if there is pains and
pleasure to counteract it, but
even it is not done, don’t be
misled by these so-called pains
and pleasure.

So one of the devotional quality
is titikṣā, tolerance. That should
be learned, how to tolerate in
every condition of life. Just like
those who are actually
brāhmaṇas in India… We have
got also brāhmaṇas in the
Western countries, now created.
So because it is pinching cold,
they do not forget to take bath
early in the morning. It is simply
practice. It may be painful for
one day or two day, but if you
practice, it is no longer painful.
So one should not give up the
practice of taking bathing early in
the morning because it is severe
cold. That is not. Similarly, in the
summer season, because it is
scorching heat, one should not
decide that “We shall stop
cooking.” Because in the kitchen
it may be too hot, but for that
reason we cannot give up
cooking. Similarly, all the rules
and regulation that are there, it
may be painful, but we cannot
give it up. We have to learn how
to tolerate. Therefore Kṛṣṇa
advises, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata:
“My dear Arjuna, the good
descendant of Bharata Mahārāja,
you try to tolerate this.” Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu has
advised, therefore, just to
advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
how one should be tolerant. He
has said, tṛṇād api sunīcena:
“Just you become humbler than
the grass.” Just like one grass so
many people are trampling over.
It does not protest. Tṛṇād api
sunī…, taror api sahiṣṇunā: “And
tolerant more than the tree…”
Just like tree. Somebody is taking
his branches, somebody is
snatching its fruit, sometimes
cutting it, but still, the tree is
giving you shelter, fruit, and
leaves and fruits and flowers. So
anyone who is desiring to go
back to home, back to Godhead,
he has to learn to be tolerant and
forbearing. That is the instruction
of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api
sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena:
“For himself, one should always
think that he has no respect. He
doesn’t require to command any
respect. But all respects he offer
to others.” In this way, if we
become practiced, then we
become fit for going back to
Godhead, back to home. That will
be explained in the next verse:

yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete
puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha sama-
duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīram so
’mṛtatvāya kalpate

”If one practices like that, then
he becomes fit for going back to
home, back to Godhead.” So
practice, anything you practice…
In Bengali it is said śarīrera nama
mahāśaya ya sahabe tai sa.(?)
You practice in your body, and if
you come to the point of
tolerance, then anything you can
practice and it will be tolerable.
Just like in the morning, when we
go for morning walk, they are
practicing running. Eh? So many
people are practicing running,
but I cannot run. But… So if I
practice for some days, I can also
run.

So anything you practice, you’ll
be successful. So if by practicing
Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you can go
back to home, back to Godhead,
why should you neglect it? That
will solve your all problems. The
real problem is birth, death, old
age and disease, and if you can
solve this problem simply by
practicing some regulative
principles, why don’t you do it?
So that is our request. We are
opening hundreds of centers to
give training to the people to
practice this and go back to
home, back to Godhead. But you
cannot go back to home, back to
Godhead, so cheaply. You have
to practice certain regulative
principle; then you will be fit.
That is not very difficult, and if
you practice, that will be very
easy, and the beginning should
be chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa
mantra so that you’ll be fit for
practicing also. So therefore, take
full advantage of this movement.
Now it is one… We have got
center in your city. I request you
to take full advantage of this
Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement
and be successful in your life. But
rest assured. Do not be misled
that (sic:) after finishing this
body, every one of us will have to
accept another body. If we
neglecting the rules and
regulation, if we have to accept
the body of a dog, just imagine
how much displeasing it will be.
We have to take to this principle,
as Kṛṣṇa says, mad-yājino ’pi
yānti mām: “Anyone who is
engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
he comes to Me.” So practice this
Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back
to home, back to Godhead. Now
any question? No question?

question) He says if we practice
Kṛṣṇa consciousness and develop
a spiritual body, is there also a…
Which spirit animates the
spiritual body?

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes, we’ll get
spiritual body. Spiritual body is
already there; it is simply covered
by material body. You have to
cure this material body. Then you
get your original, spiritual body.
It is curing process. Just like one
has got fever. Fever is not
permanent—temporary. But cure
this fever; then you healthy.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating)
She’s saying that you were
saying how one can take birth as
a dog even, so she’s wondering
how long does this go on. How
many births does one take like
this?

PRABHUPĀDA: As long as you
are unable to go back to home,
back to Godhead, you have to
change this body, either dog or
this or that or this. And there are
8,400,000 forms of body. You
have to accept one of them. Now
you make your decision whether
you are ready to accept all these
different types of body or you get
original, spiritual body. In the
spiritual body there is no more
birth, death, old age and disease,
and the material body
continuously there should be
birth, death, old age and disease.
You can get that spiritual body
simply by little cultivation in this
human form of life. But if you get
next other than human form of
life, then you have to wait again
millions of years to come to this
human form of life. After all, we
are under the stringent laws of
nature. You… We are…, every
one of us, we are under the grip
of the laws of material nature. It
will go on. You cannot change it
unless you come to Kṛṣṇa
consciousness.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating) He
wants to know if our
reincarnations are progressive or
regressive.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes, it is
progressive or degressive also.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating)
Why would we take birth as an
animal?

PRABHUPĀDA: Because you act
like animal.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating) He
says that in school in the material
world, if one behaves badly, he
has to stay where he is; he
cannot progress. But he does not
go back. So why…?

PRABHUPĀDA: No, sometimes he
is given the down class.
Sometimes he is degraded: “Go
to the down class.” Yes. That is
quite natural. (laughter) Eh?
Down? So any question?

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating) He
says he doesn’t believe that one
can go back.

PRABHUPĀDA: He may not
believe in the law, but law is law.
If somebody says “I can commit
some criminal act, but I don’t
believe in the court’s judgement,”
will it be accepted? You believe
or not believe; the law will act.
Just like if you infect some
disease, infectious disease, if you
contaminate, then you must
develop that disease. That is the
law. So we are contaminating
ourself with different laws of
material nature, and according to
that law, we have to accept the
body. The material laws are not
under your control; you are
under the control of material
laws.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating) If
also on other planets one has to
continue changing bodies?

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes, the planets…
There are different planets
means different facilities of
material convenience.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating)
Who is in charge of giving us our
next body?

PRABHUPĀDA: God. Īśvaraḥ
sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna
tiṣṭhati. God, in His Supersoul
feature, He is situated in
everyone’s heart and he is seeing
all our activities, and he is
awarding the different kind of
bodies. So we have to accept
that we are fully under control. If
childishly we say that we are
independent, that is foolishness.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating) He
wants to know if the senses, the
material senses we now have,
originally belong to the soul
which has been covered by the
material body.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. Just like a
man is in a normal condition, but
if he becomes mad, the same
senses are there, but he’s in
abnormal condition. So when we
are in this material world we
using our senses in abnormal
way. So when we cure the
senses, we get into normal
condition. That is spiritual life. So
sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-
paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya
19.170] We have to give up all
these designation of life and we
have to become purified. Then
we come to our normal condition.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: (translating) He
wants to know what are the
characteristics of a person who
has realized that he is not this
body.

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes, he is
engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
He doesn’t know anything but
Kṛṣṇa. Actually spiritual
consciousness keeps the body fit.
Just like in the body the spirit
soul is there and the
consciousness is also there,
maybe polluted, but as soon as
the spirit soul gives up this body,
the body immediately begins to
decompose. So the
decomposition of the body is
checked by the spiritual
presence. So if you become
advanced in spiritual
consciousness there is no
question of suffering from bodily
disease.

GIRL DEVOTEE: (translates
Spanish) [break] …along with the
spirit soul can be realized?

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes, by your
present position. You can simply
take the information that the
dimension of the spirit soul is one
ten-thousandth part of the tip of
your hair. Very small particle,
that is spirit soul. The dimension
is given. You have got your hair.
You can just imagine only; you
cannot measure. And you divide
the top of your hair into ten
thousand parts, and that one
part is the measurement of the
spirit soul. That small particle is
so powerful. Just imagine what is
spiritual power. It is less than the
atom. Therefore it is described in
the Vedic lit…, aṇor aṇīyān
mahato mahīyān: “The spirit is
greater than the greatest, and
the smaller than the smallest.”

DEVOTEE: (SPANISH)

GIRL DEVOTEE: (translating from
Spanish) He wants to know
exactly what is the form of the
body. If spirit soul is nonmaterial,
what is the form?

PRABHUPĀDA: There is form.
Just like this body is compared
with the dress. Now, just like in
your present material form you
have got hand; therefore your
coat has got hand. If you have
got… You have got leg; therefore
your pant has got leg. Therefore
it is to be assumed that the spirit
soul has got form, and it has
developed into hands, legs,
heads, everything. It is not
formless; it has got form. But
with our material eyes at the
present, gross eyes, we cannot
find it; therefore we say it has no
form.

DEVOTEE: (SPANISH)

GIRL DEVOTEE: Is Jesus in the
paramparā?

PRABHUPĀDA: Yes. He says,
“There is God. I am son of God.”
That is paramparā. Unfortunately
nobody cares to follow Jesus
Christ. That I must say. Jesus
Christ says, “Thou shall not kill,”
and Christians are very expert to
kill. (laughter) They take pride in
bullfighting. This is the position.
So it is very difficult to find out a
real Christian.  

GIRL DEVOTEE: (translating) At
the present, I can’t live in the
temple, can’t live in the āśrama,
but I can still see the devotees.
What else can I do?

PRABHUPĀDA: You follow the
temple procedure. You can
remain anywhere. It doesn’t
matter. So when one takes to
bhakti means he understands the
inferior quality of karma. So you
take the superior quality activities
and you forget inferior quality.
Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. This is
the Vedic version. When one
finds out superior engagement,
he gives up inferior engagement.

DEVOTEE OR GUEST: (SPANISH)

HṚDAYĀNANDA: He asked about
heart transplants, when they
change the heart from one body
to another body. He’s asking
about that.

PRABHUPĀDA: HEART
CHANGING?

HANUMĀN: No. Now they’re
doing this heart transplantation.
They’re taking the heart of one
person…

PRABHUPĀDA: The soul changes
from this heart to that heart.
That’s all. Just like you are
running your car. It stops. Then
you change, this car to that car.
That’s all. (laughter) This is it. It
is very common thing.

HṚDAYĀNANDA: If there’s
another way to go to God. If
there is another way.

PRABHUPĀDA: No. (laughter)
Because it is stated in Bhagavad-
gītā,

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān
yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ tato māṁ
tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-
anantaram [Bg. 18.55]

Nobody is allowed to enter
kingdom of God without
becoming bhakta. There is no
difficulty of becoming bhakta
because the…, to become bhakta
means four principles. One thing
is to always think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-
manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. That
is bhakta. Simply by thinking of
Kṛṣṇa… That is Hare Kṛṣṇa. When
you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you think
of Kṛṣṇa. You become bhakta
immediately. Then after
becoming man-manā bhava,
mad-yājī: “You worship Me,”
māṁ namaskuru, “and offer
obeisances.” It is very simple
thing. If you think of Kṛṣṇa and if
you offer little obeisances and if
you worship Him, these three
things will make you bhakta and
you go back to home, back to
Godhead. We are teaching this
thing: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, offer
obeisances unto Deity and
worship, finish. So why they
should go to the jñāna path? It
requires so much knowledge and
so much grammatical, so much
nose pressing, so many things.
You avoid all these things. Simply
do these three things and you
become bhakta. Why don’t you
take the easiest process and go
back to home, back to Godhead?