Just like you have heard the name of Socrates. Soc..., a great philosopher, Greek philosopher. He believed in the immortality of soul. So he was punished in the court. Hemlock. Hemlock was offered to him, that "All right, if you believe the immortality of soul, then you drink this hemlock poison." So he drunk because he was firmly convinced that "Even if I drink this poison... My body will be destroyed, but by destruction of my body, I am not going to be destroyed." He was convinced. So he did not lament. So a paṇḍita, learned man, must know that this body and soul, the distinction, the difference between body and soul... The body is not soul, and the soul is not body, and one who knows, he is learned man. This instruction is given first. So for spiritual advancement this first knowledge, that the body and the soul is different... This body cannot be identified with the soul. You see? The soul is there, but body is not soul. Body is not soul. So every learned man knows it, and we should be...
Body and soul (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Atyāhāra, too much eating or too much, I mean to say, keeping bank balance or money, or collecting more than the necessities. Atyāhāra. Generally, too much eating is prohibited. We have to eat simply just to keep the body and soul nicely to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca. Prayāsa means taking some risky work which will require too much endeavor. We should avoid that. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ, prajalpa, nonsense talking which has no connection with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Following the rules, but actually I'm not very much careful in executing the work. So niyamāgraha. Niyamāgraha means not to accept the rules and regulation, and another meaning is simply to accept the rules and regulation without good effect.
So because we have got body and soul, two different things, we are combination, body and soul. That is already explained very nicely in so many ways. So actually sva-dharma means the occupation of the soul. Because in the material condition we do not understand what I am—whether I am this body or I am soul. Mostly people they do not know that one is soul, not this body. Body is the dress or outward covering, external covering. Subtle covering and gross covering. But so long one is in the bodily concept of life, so one has got different occupational duty according to the conception of the body. So the nature is being conducted by three modes of nature.
Just like sometimes we, we find difficulty in our, this tape recorder, and Mr. Carl or somebody comes and rectifies this. So everything requires some expert knowledge. So karma, karma means work. We have to work. Without working even our, this body and soul cannot go. It is a very misconception that for one who is a..., for spiritual realization he hasn't got to work. No, he has got to work more. Persons who are not for spiritual realization, they may be engaged in work for eight hours only, but those who are engaged for spiritual realization, oh, they are engaged twenty-four hours, twenty-four hours. That is the difference. And that difference is... You'll find that on the material platform, on the bodily conception of life, if you work for eight hours only, you'll feel fatigued.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The supply of air, light, water, and all other benedictions for maintenance of the body and soul of every living entity are entrusted to the demigods who are innumerable assistants in different parts of the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Prabhupāda: Just like my body. Different limbs are working and helping me. I want to go somewhere. The limbs, or the part which is called leg, they will carry me. Similarly, by the supreme order of Kṛṣṇa, all these demigods are acting just like my different parts of the body are acting. Yes. Go on.
Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. If you want to exist, if you want to maintain your body and soul together, then you have to take anna. Anna means foodstuff, or anna means grains, natural food. Generally, anna means foodstuff, and another technical meaning of anna—anna means grains, which is produced from the land for eating of the human being. For human being, so many things are produced from the land: the grains, the fruits, the vegetables, so many things. They are meant for human being. The grains are not meant for the tigers. The grains are meant for the human being. The fruits are meant for the dogs. The fruits are meant for the human being. The milk.
Now, for maintenance of your body you have to do something. That's all right. But you don't be attached to that work. You are simply to... Because you have got this body, you have to maintain it so that the body and soul can be maintained and you have to perform this spiritual realization just to keep the body nicely, not neglecting the body. But become detached from the bodily attachment. You just try to... Yuktāhāra. Yuktāhāra means to take food is not forbidden, but you have to take food only just to maintain your body, not for, I mean to say, taste of your palate or tongue. That should be practiced. You should live... You should eat to live. You should not live to eat. That should be your life principle.
Because in the family of a pure cultural family, you get the chance of regenerating your lost spiritual consciousness which was unfinished in your last life. That you get chance. And in the rich man family you get chance because you haven't got to bother yourself how to maintain your body and soul together. Rich men get the opportunity that they haven't got to think over much about the maintenance of the body and soul together. Ordinary men, they have to seek how to earn the bread. Problem of bread is there. And for a rich man there is no such problem. He can advance in culture. He has the opportunity. But unfortunately, a rich man's sons are misguided. They get some money without earning and they spend like anything for sense gratification. You see? But he should know, "Oh, I have got this opportunity by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Now let me peacefully advance myself in the science of Kṛṣṇa." This opportunity is offered by Kṛṣṇa, but we misuse.
What kind of service an employee is rendering to the establishment or to the government, that is recorded and he is recognized. So as this is the system in our ordinary life, similarly, the human society, they... whatever they may do, that is right, because everyone has yo do something, even for keeping the body and soul together. But after doing something, the activities should be tested, whether by such activities, the Supreme Lord is satisfied. Then he is free from the reaction.
I do not like to kill, but sometimes unintentionally they are killed. Therefore, according to Vedic literature, there are five kinds of yajña performed to get oneself free from this unintentional killing of animals. Now, here Kṛṣṇa says that śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam. If you make your principle of life that "I have to work simply for maintaining my body and soul together." Śārīram. Śarīram means body. Because I have to execute, I have to understand, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but without this body, how can I understand or culture Kṛṣṇa consciousness? So my body must be maintained. And if I want to maintain my body, intentionally or unintentionally, I have to commit so many sins.
Therefore, one who has dedicated his life for acting on account of Kṛṣṇa, under Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nirāśīr yata-cittātmā, he has no other hope except, save and except, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Nirāśīr yata-cittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ: "He doesn't like to make, exploit, the resources of the material nature." Whatever is obtained easily, as gift of nature, he accepts and he maintains his body and soul together for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, and he eats everything which is offered to Kṛṣṇa. Then he is freed from all kinds of sinful reactions.
Now, by the next śloka, it is more nicely explained.
So atyāhāra. Atyāhāra means to acquire more than we need. Because we have to maintain this body and soul together, then we must earn something or acquire something to keep my health and body fit. That is all right. But we should not try unnecessarily for accumulating more. Suppose if I am satisfied by some grains and vegetables and fruits and milk, if my health is properly kept, why should I eat more than that simply for satisfying the palate, my tongue? Oh, no. We should not do that. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. So atyāhāra, atyāhāra, to accept more than what we need, that is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Unless one is advanced in spiritual life, he cannot be yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. Because he has no material demands. Why he should make competition with others material by? Because he has got material body.... (sic:) Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-daḥ. Those who are yogis, they should be satisfied just to maintain the body and soul together, not for sense gratification. That is sufficient.
Suppose in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, what we are doing? We are giving Kṛṣṇa prasādam. We are distributing everyone, without any distinction. We don't make any distinction between daridra-nārāyaṇa and a rich nārāyaṇa. We give prasādam to every nārāyaṇa. Of course, we do not think that everyone is Nārāyaṇa. That is not our philosophy.
So anāsaktasya viṣayān. So far we have got this body, we have to accept not for sense gratification, but for maintenance. So anāsaktasya, without being attached, we may accept the necessities of our bodily requirements, yathārham, as far as possible, as much as I want for maintaining the body and soul together. In this way, if we live, but everything dedicated to the Supreme Lord, that is the highest standard of renounced. And another, other side he explains that, that the things... Phalgu-vairāgyaṁ kathyate. Nirbandhaḥ. The idea is... I exactly forgot the verse, but it is stated like this, that a person who is trying to renounce this world without knowing that everything can be engaged in the service of the Lord, and he's renouncing, he is..., his renunciation is not first-grade. His renunciation is not first-grade. Why?
Na ati aśnatas yogo 'sti na ca ekāntam anaśnataḥ (BG 6.16). "A person," I mean to say, "willfully trying to keep himself in starvation, he cannot perform yoga. Neither the person who eats more than he requires, he also cannot perform yoga." The eating process should be moderate, only for keeping the body and soul together. Not for enjoyment of the tongue. So that is the real yogic process, that you cannot eat very palatable things. Because as soon as palatable things comes before us, naturally if I take one, I must take two, three, four. You see? So so far yogis are concerned, they cannot take any palatable desirable things. They have to simply take only the necessities. Some of the yogis, I have seen, there was one yogi in Calcutta... Of course, in a temple, in a sanctified place. He was taking once only a little quantity of rice boiled with water, at three o'clock in the afternoon he was taking. That was his food and nothing more. Nothing more.
Just like in a big factory the proprietor may be out of the factory, but every worker is aware that "This factory belongs to such-and-such person." As this is possible to have always a consciousness of the proprietor of the factory by the worker, similarly, it is possible for everyone to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in every activity. That is the philosophy we are trying to preach all over the world. The Bhagavad-gītā philosophy is like that. Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). You have to... This world is so made that one has to work. Without working, nobody can even maintain his body and soul together. That you cannot avoid. But at the same time, we can remember Kṛṣṇa. That is... That depends only on practice and understanding, pure understanding.
Ātmā means the soul. You are also ātmā. I am also ātmā. Every one of us, the minute particle, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kim karma. This karma means to work. That is material. Working is required in the material world. Without working, you cannot get anything. Here you have to maintain your body and soul together. Therefore you have to work. So work can be divided in different ways, but one has to work. One may work as a brāhmaṇa, one may work as a kṣatriya, one may work as a vaiśya or a śūdra. So work is there. Without working... The just opposite, without working, without any endeavor, you can live eternally—that is Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Vaikuṇṭha means without any anxiety. Here we are full of anxieties.
Guest (3): The point is that it makes it one. It makes body and soul one if one says, "This is my body and this is my blood."
Prabhupāda: No.
Guest (3): And in this society I've heard people saying that "This is not my body," so, okay...
Prabhupāda: It requires little intelligence. Just like you are breathing. So when the breathing is stopped, you say, "The man is dead." But what is this breathing? This breathing is nothing but a little portion of air passing. So you can artificially make that arrangement, air passing, but does it mean that it will bring life? So therefore breathing is not life. Life is different from breathing.
You will always be prosperous. So why don't you take this advantage? Be situated. Oh, you are medical practitioner? That's all right. You are engineer? That's all right. You are a clerk? That's all right. You are a real estate man? That's all right. Never mind whatever doing. Everyone has to do something to keep his body and soul together. That is the law of nature. Niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. Arjuna was Kṛṣṇa's friend, but He never said that "You stop your working." Rather, He engaged him in his real work. He was a fighter. He was a soldier. He was declining to do the duty of a soldier. But Kṛṣṇa induced him, "No. You must become a soldier." So we may do whatever by God's grace or by nature's freaks we are situated. That doesn't matter. But if you take this formula, ananyāś cintayanto mām, always think of Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that you will never be unhappy. Just try. Make an experiment.
So the Lord says that yat karoṣi... And we have to work. It is not that without working, we can have our body and soul maintained. This is not possible. This material world, we have to work. Everyone is working. Yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi. And we have to eat also. That is a fact. And yaj juhoṣi. And for our salvation or advancement we do something, religious rituals or attending church and temple or mosque. Something there is in human society. And dadāsi yat, and charity. Everyone is more or less charitably disposed, and he makes some charities according to his capacity. Dadāsi yat yat tapasyasi. And everyone accepts some penance, voluntary penance in his life. Yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam.
Kṛṣṇa is also individual, but He is Supersoul, Supreme. I am also person, He is also person, but the Supreme Person. What is the difference between me and Him? I am also person, that's all right, but He is Supreme Person. That is explained in the Vedas, that eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. For providing myself, my body and soul together, I have to, work so much. But Kṛṣṇa, He is providing millions and trillions of living entities without any endeavor. He is...
In Africa, there are millions of elephants. Kṛṣṇa is supplying food, yes. There are gorillas, Kṛṣṇa is supplying food. Why you are anxious for a morsel of bread? Will not supply Kṛṣṇa? He's perfect, He can supply huge quantity of food to the elephant and a particular type of food to the gorillas. You know? We have read in a book that in Africa where the gorillas live, there are trees. The fruits of that tree, harder than the bullet, It is so hard.
In spiritual body, asnāviram, there is no vein. Therefore one who misunderstands Kṛṣṇa as having a material body, he has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍhā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). He has no veins. There is no difference between His body and His soul. We have got difference with our body and soul; therefore this existence with this material body is not śuddha, is not pure. Therefore, sattva-saṁśuddhir, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir.
So without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, everyone's life is baffled; he's demon. So demons, they are trying only to adjust things materially, which is impossible. So they are busy, prabhavanti, flourishing, prabhavanti. Prabhavanti means flourishing. Ugra-karmāṇaḥ. Karma... We have to do some work. That's a fact. Kṛṣṇa says that "Without doing something, you cannot maintain your body and soul together." Karmaṇo jyāyo... What is that? No. That... Karma is better then vikarma. The... Kṛṣṇa says that "You must be engaged in some work. You cannot sit idle. That is not good." "Idle brain is a devil's workshop." Kṛṣṇa never said that "My dear Arjuna, you are My first-class devotee. Now you sit down and I'll do everything for you." No. Kṛṣṇa never said. Rather, Arjuna was not willing to fight, and Kṛṣṇa was inducing him, "You must fight. You must fight."
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Pradyumna: "The Vedas contain regulated principles of knowledge covering social, political, religious, economic, military, medicinal, chemical, physical, and metaphysical subject matter and all that may be necessary to keep the body and soul together."
Prabhupāda: Just like in the Vedas there is direction how to prepare by chemical process gold. That is also there. Gold, there is a suggestion that you mix three metals, namely nickel, copper, and mercury, you'll get gold. This direction is there. And many persons, saintly persons, yogis, they know how to prepare it, and they do it. So in that way they meet their expenditures. They prepare gold. The chemical knowledge. Go on.
As much. We must eat. We must eat to the point that we may not die of starvation, not that "There is nice food, oh, let me eat. Then I cannot digest and I go three times to the W.C." (laughter) Not like that. That anāsaktasya. One should be unattached, that "I have to eat something for maintaining the body and soul together." Not that to the excess. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. If one makes his life in that regulated way, then he is as good as a... Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ, nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. And the viṣaya enjoyment should be in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Just like we eat and others also eat, but we eat in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has eaten, and we take the prasādam. In this way we make progress in spiritual life. Go on.
Not that becoming religious I become richer, I become, I get so many material benefits. No. That is not. But you can say that "We require some money for existence." Yes, that's a fact, that's a fact.
Therefore, our principle is yāvad artham. You can earn honestly as far, as much as you require for maintaining your body and soul together. Don't earn..., don't work hard simply money, money, money, money, sweeter than honey. That is not life. That is cats and dogs life. They're simply working hard, just like ass, mūḍha. Mūḍha means ass. This mūḍha, this word is applicable to the worker, to the karmīs, because they are working very hard. But actually, what he's enjoying? When he lies down, he requires that six feet bedstead. That's all. Although he has got land, what you were saying? One person means they have owned the whole...?
That is called dharma. And we should earn so much to keep the body and soul together. That's all. "Now, if I get more money?" If you get more money, then employ it for Kṛṣṇa. If you get more money, then engage it for Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to... Therefore it is said, dharmasya, nārthasya dharmaikāntasya. Na arthasya, neither money, arthasya, dharmaikāntasya, one who is actually religious, dharma, kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. The money you get, it is not for your sense gratification. Nārthasya dharmaikāntasya. Actually, if you are dharmic, if you are religious, then suppose you have got money... You can get money because you are dharmic.
There are many places. So our endeavor, the human energy should be fully engaged in understanding Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Nothing else. Other things we should minimize. Yāvad artha-prayojanam. Just to maintain the body and soul together you should live very nicely. You should not become weak by health; otherwise, we cannot execute. But don't eat more, don't eat unnecessary things. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Atyāhāra, to eat more or to collect more than is required, that is forbidden by Rūpa Gosvāmī.
"They do not know the great potentiality of Myself." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Still, they will go on explaining Bhagavad-gītā, writing Bhāgavata, comments on. These rascals, mūḍhas, one who does not know that Kṛṣṇa has no distinction, as we have got distinction body and soul, Kṛṣṇa has no such distinction. Kṛṣṇa has no distinction between this Kṛṣṇa's form of stone and Kṛṣṇa Himself. Because the stone is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). The earth, water, air, fire, everything is Kṛṣṇa energy. That we have already explained. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. Everything Kṛṣṇa's energy. So He can appear in any form from anywhere from anything. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa.
You work as a medical man. That you can do, because you have to do something to live, livelihood. It doesn't matter. But to become an engineer or to become a scientist or become a medical man or a lawyer, that is not my ultimate goal of life. That is needed to maintain the body and soul together, but that is not ultimate goal of life. For that purpose, you may be what you are, but you must retire.
At the present moment, people retire by force or by some way or... But they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. There are many retired men's house in your country, but they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Ultimate goal of life is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
And this is an opportunity given by nature's law. Now we get this body. Now you understand your position, what you are, to understand that you are not this body. So long in the lower grade of life you were under the impression that you are a body, the cats and dogs. They do not know that the body and soul is different. But it is the human form of life to understand that "I am not this body."
That education begins in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning: dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehī means the possessor of the deha is within the body, not the body is the person. But no education. Throughout the whole scientific world, university education, there is no concern that "I am not this body; I am soul." Such a foolish, rascal civilization is going on in the name of advancement.
Otherwise there is no meaning of absolute. When there is duality, how it can be absolute? That sense they haven't got. Still, they are passing as big scholars. Kṛṣṇa is no such thing as within and without. We living entities, ordinary living entities ... I am soul. I am within this body.
I am not this body. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Kṛṣṇa is both body and soul together. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa has no such difference as material and spiritual. For Kṛṣṇa, everything is spiritual. Because material and spiritual, they are two energies only, but they are energy of Kṛṣṇa. So for Kṛṣṇa, there is no such distinction, material or spiritual. He can convert the material into spiritual and the spiritual into material because He is the original source of these two energies. He is the original source.
Everyone, it is in our experience that a lump of matter is standing, sometimes photograph of a nice woman, or the doll of a nice woman. Everyone knows that this is false. Nobody is attracted. So therefore there, there is nothing material. Everything is spiritual. The body is also spiritual. He is and everything... There is no distinction between body and soul. Everything is one. That we cannot experience now, but we have to get information from the authorized book. Therefore they are far far better. There is no question of comparison. Pramada uttamādyubhiḥ. Pramada. Woman's name is pramada, pramada because as soon as one woman comes before a man, he becomes agitated. Therefore woman's name is pramada. Pramada. Pramada means agitates. Kāminī. Agitates. So there the pramada uttamādyubiḥ. Uttama.
What is that unreasonable? Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ (ISO 1). What is ordained to you, what is allotted to you, you eat. Just like for human being. Human being—Kṛṣṇa, or God, has given so many nice things. God has given us grains, rice, pulses, vegetables, and fruits, flowers, so many, milk. Are they not sufficient for maintaining our body and soul together? Yes, why not? Those who are vegetarians... Simply you take, for example, we, all the members in the temple. We live simply on these things, fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, that's all. So are we dying for want of food? Then why should we eat meat? What is the reason? Simply for satisfaction of the tongue? If I can live peacefully, otherwise which is allotted to me by God, why shall I give trouble to another animal for satisfaction of my tongue?
Still, some way or other... That is also tapasya. A scientist discovering something, he has to work very hard, and make experiments So many things. That is also tapasya. But not that kind of tapasya. That kind of tapasya is not required. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). You are working hard for maintaining your body and soul together. You have to work hard. But here, that hard work should be for self-realization, divine contact. That is called divyam.
Pradyumna: "Translation: Those who are interested in reviving Kṛṣṇa consciousness and increasing their love of Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to Kṛṣṇa. They are not interested in mingling with people who are busy maintaining their bodies, eating, sleeping mating and defending. They are not attached to their homes, although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives, children, friends or wealth. At the same time, they are not indifferent to the execution of their duties. Such people are interested in collecting only enough money to keep the body and soul together."
Prabhupāda:
- ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā
- janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu
- gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu
- na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke
- (SB 5.5.3)
So the recommendation is that if you want to go back home, back to Godhead, divyam, so you have to practice austerities, penance. That austerity and penance is according to the age, deśa, kāla, patra. Not that... Just like in the common law also, if a grown-up man commits some theft, he is punished more. And if a child or a boy commits theft, he is not so much punished. So there is consideration of deśa kāla patra.
"Those who are interested in reviving Kṛṣṇa consciousness and increasing their love of Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to Kṛṣṇa. They are not interested in mingling with people who are busy maintaining their bodies, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. They are not attached to their homes, although they may be householders. Nor are they attached to wives, children, friends or wealth. At the same time, they are not indifferent to the execution of their duties. Such people are interested in collecting only enough money to keep body and soul together."
Gṛhamedhi, they have no interest in the spiritual advancement of life. They think that "This is meant for the useless person who could not improve in this materialistic way of life. They have taken this dress as a token for maintaining their body and soul together. Useless person." They think like that. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Because they think, "This is our only interest," gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2).
This man and woman is educated that he or she is not this body. Therefore advancement of this education will stop him for this bodily enjoyment. Just like eating also. We are eating; we are not fasting. We are eating. But we are eating just to maintain the body and soul together, not extravagantly. Although we have very nice plates, kṛṣṇa-prasādam, but we do not make any palatable dishes for enjoyment. We make all nice things for Kṛṣṇa, and we take prasādam. Therefore the material effect of eating, it does not act upon the devotees.
This material world is karma-kṛt—you have to do something. Kṛṣṇa has explained that "Without acting, you cannot even maintain your body and soul together." Śarīra-yātrāpi te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ. If you become idle, then you cannot even maintain your body. That is the difference between civilized man and uncivilized man or developed country... (aside:) Stop that. Developed country and undeveloped country. Just like America. This land was inhabited by the Red Indians. They could not do anything, but the Europeans, when they migrated, they made it so beautiful country. So karma-kṛt, one has to work. This material world is so made. Tṛtīyā karma-saṅgā anyā śaktir īṣyate.
The body of man is not exactly body of God. There is no difference between the body and soul of God because it is spiritual. The soul is spiritual, the body is spiritual. Just like if you have got your golden body and golden soul, there is no difference between the soul and body. But in our case, we, as we are, we are spirit soul but this body is material, therefore I am different from this body. But when you are liberated, we get spiritual body, similar, at that time, as Kṛṣṇa has no difference between His body and soul, similarly, we also have no difference between body and soul. But at the present moment we have got difference with the body and soul.
There is no denial. It is not that you cannot eat or you cannot sleep or you cannot have sex life or you cannot defend yourself. Do all these things according to the rules and regulations. But don't waste your time for artificial increment of sense gratification. Don't do that. You require to eat to maintain your body and soul together. You eat. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-daḥ (?). You don't require to eat less. Suppose you can eat one pound. The Kṛṣṇa conscious prescription does not say, "You simply eat one ounce." No. You eat one pound. But don't eat more. Similarly, you have to sleep. All right, make your shelter, apartment, nicely so that you can comfortably sleep. Defense, yes, you defend your country, you defend your home nicely. Sex life, yes, you have sex life, but not in the unrestricted way. Limited with married wife or married husband and comfortably and very gentlemanly. So these are prescriptions are there.
Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). There are so many instances. Let us finish it briefly.
So śaucam, satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamaṁ damaṁ titikṣā ārjavam. Simplicity. A brāhmaṇa should be very simple, not gorgeous. He wants to live, so he wants to eat something, not for the taste of the tongue but just to keep the body and soul together. He must eat nice things. There are nice things, grains, fruits, milk. Why should he take meat? If there are, by nature's products, so many nice things, why one should kill another animal? Desire(?), of course, serves (?). Titikṣā, ārjavam, and jñānam. Not that simply become qualified, but these qualification are stepping stone to jñānam. Jñānam means knowledge. And vijñānam. Vijñānam means practical application. Just like in the science class there is theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge.
We advocate that human form of life is meant neither for religious ritualistic performances or economic development or for sense gratification or for so-called searching after liberation. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsaḥ. We have to accept economic development so far as we keep our body and soul together, fit for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not recommend that unnecessarily you should give trouble to the body. We do not recommend any man to go to the forest for spiritual realization. We simply recommend that you try to understand what is your constitutional position. If you actually think or meditate very cool-headed what is your actual position, first of all you shall realize that you are not this body. If you meditate in a solitary place... Meditation means to keep yourself alone and in a solitary place.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Just like we are spending so much money in all our centers. So Kṛṣṇa is sending us the necessary expenditure. How... Otherwise, how we are maintaining? So... But we should not be hankering after collecting more than what is necessity. That is atyāhāra. Similarly, we should not eat more than what we need for maintaining the body and soul together. Atyāhāra prayāsaḥ, prayāsaḥ. We should not endeavor for anything which requires too much anxiety. That is called prayāsaḥ. Atyāhāra prayāsaḥ. Automatically, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, whatever comes, that's all right. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpaḥ (NOI 2). Talking unnecessarily, nonsense. Just like people waste their time talking three hours on some political situation. You see. They have got enough time to discuss newspaper, but when they are invited to our class, they find no time.
He comes... Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). He comes as He is. Otherwise how He can act so wonderfully? When He was on the lap of His mother, three months old, how He could kill the gigantic demon, Pūtanā? He's not different from His body. He simply appears according to the necessity. Kṛṣṇa has no such difference, body and soul. He's full, complete, spiritual. We have got, in this conditional state, soul and body difference. Dehi and deha. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). So dehāntaraṁ prāptiḥ. Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to accept another body. So this, these things we should know. Kṛṣṇa is complete, pūrṇa-brahman. There is nothing like material and spiritual in Kṛṣṇa's body. Go on.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So they do not want more, but they want little for their maintenance of this body and soul together. It is the duty of the householder. So unless one becomes responsible householder, how he'll execute his responsibility? If he thinks, "Oh, what is the use of keeping a cow when the milk is available in the market? Oh, sex life is so cheap. Why shall I take the responsibility of marrying?" This is going on. This is going on. Just like cats and dogs. So the cats and dogs cannot understand Vedānta philosophy. First condition. It is not meant for the cats and dogs. It is meant for human beings.
These are not stories. But foolish people, they have no knowledge or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All your material necessities will be... But don't be extravagant. Take only whatever you need to maintain your body and soul together and execute this... Make this primary and other things secondary. Kṛṣṇa will supply you. But if you want to make your sense gratification, if you want to accept more than what you need, then you'll be in trouble. That is māyā. So Kṛṣṇa has provided for everyone, everything. There is no need of being anxious. But that does not mean that I shall feel, "Oh, I shall do everything and anything." No.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
This is the secret of success, that whatever you do... It doesn't matter what you are doing. You are businessman, you are a lawyer, you are engineer or... Something must be done for earning one's livelihood. That is a fact. Without karma, without working, you cannot keep your body and soul together. That's a fact. So in the human form of life the motto should be that "Whatever I do, whatever I earn, it must be given to Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi tapasyasi yat... (BG 9.27). Everyone is doing something. (aside:) It is not working?
General Lectures
And peacefully be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vṛndāvana scheme. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhidaḥ. This human form of life is not meant for increasing artificial needs. We should be satisfied just to maintain the body and soul together, and balance time we should save for enhancing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or spiritual consciousness, so that after this body we haven't got to make another material body, but we go back to home, back to Godhead. That should be the motto of human life.
If you'll say some disciple is getting fat, he'll immediately say, "Oh, he is getting fat?" Yes. Spiritual life does not mean very fat. That is an impediment. That means materially he's becoming developed. (laughter) That's a fact. So we should not eat more to get fat. You should simply eat to keep yourself (chuckling) body and soul together. Not to get fatty. No. That's not good. Of course, we are not fatty.
Just like this microphone is being used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same microphone can be used for singing a cinema song. So microphone is not bad, but as you use it for different purposes it is bad or good. Similarly, this world, or things which we accept for our maintenance of the soul, body and soul together, they are called viṣaya. Viṣaya means eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That is viṣaya. So anāsaktasya viṣayān. We should not be attached to the viṣayas. Just like eating. Everyone is eating. You are eating, I am also eating. So what is the difference between you and me? The difference is that we who are engaged in the service of the Lord, we are eating for maintaining the body just to keep ourselves fit for working for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Another person, he is also eating. He is eating to satisfy his palate or with the aim simply to make the body stout and strong.
So at the present moment, we are thinking that because we are eating on tables and chairs, we advance. That is our mistake. That is no advance. Eating... The benefit of eating, whatever you eat or the animal eats, it is the same. Eating means to maintain the body and soul together. So by advancing in the modes of eating, that does not mean advancement of civilization. Advancement in the modes of sleeping, that does not mean advancement of civilization. Similarly, advancement in the modes of sexual intercourse, it does not mean the advancement of civilization. Or advancement in defending, discovering atomic bombs for killing my enemy, that is also not advancement of civilization.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: I think it's like this, that the monad of the body desires a body like this, and the monad of the soul desires to inhabit a body like this. But they are separate entities, body and soul, and they work independently of each other.
Prabhupāda: It is not exactly the way it is. It says in the Vedic śāstras that the soul is the master of the body. Therefore how can you say that the body is working independently? This body, I am now liking to place my hand here, so I am desiring and the hand is there, not that all of a sudden my hand, by not desiring, it is coming...
Prabhupāda: That potentiality, actuality, it is material relativity. In the spiritual world there is same—potentiality, reality—they're one. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, the rascal scholars, they think that Kṛṣṇa's body and Kṛṣṇa's soul is different, as it is, what is called, expressed by Dr. Radhakrishnan. But that is not the fact. There is no such difference. Kṛṣṇa also says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā (BG 9.11). Because He comes in a human form, rascals think of Him as ordinary human being. But He is not that. He is absolute. He has nothing to do with the body and soul as we have got. He is body and soul together-potentiality and the actuality. Similarly, anyone who gets a spiritual body, he also gets the same position. There will be no difference between actuality and potentiality.
Hayagrīva: No, he doesn't. Now here's, here's the point. Augustine believed that God elected some men to everlasting happiness and others to everlasting suffering. With the fall of Adam, or the first man, man was subjected to death. For Augustine, however, death is of two types: physical death—the soul leaves the body—and soul death—the death experienced by the soul when God abandons it. The damned face not only physical death but spiritual, soul death as well.
Prabhupāda: So it may..., it can be taken figuratively, that when one forgets his position, that is a kind of death also. One forgets himself. But actually soul is eternal, and what Augustine says as spiritual death, that is his forgetfulness. Just like in unconsciousness one forgets his identity, but if he is dead then he cannot revive consciousness.
Hayagrīva: I think the problem with all of these is that they cannot conceive of spiritual form. When they speak of form they are thinking that there must necessarily be matter involved. Aquinas believed that the Augustinian and Platonic doctrines of the complete independence of the soul from matter or the material body denied man's substantial unity. That is, man is body and soul. He is a particular type of soul in a particular type of body.
Prabhupāda: It..., it is the same argument, that when you are dressed it appears that you are not different from the dress. The coat is moving, the pants is moving, but actually it is completely different from the person who is putting on the coat and shirt.
Hayagrīva: He believed that as long as man is composed of body and soul, he will be under the mode of passion, and as long as the soul is confined to the body, the living entity will necessarily be attached to the physical world.
Prabhupāda: Yes. We call it māyā. So that can... The body and soul in the material world is there, and therefore the aim of life is how to separate this soul from material body and remain in his original, spiritual form. That is the whole ideal objective for human life, because as long as he remains attached to the body, and... But he has to change the body. That is our practical experience also. We are changing always the body, one after another, and if we give up our attachment for this body, then we are liberated.
Hayagrīva: He says, "God is both body and soul..."
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hayagrīva: "...and His soul is His Deity. Since God's body is the whole of space/time, God, in respect of His body, is all-inclusive, and all finites are included in Him, and in their continuous connection as pieces of space/time, and linked by spacial-temporal continuity they are fragments of God's body, though their individuality is not lost in it."
Prabhupāda: This is right. This is right. This experience he has got very good work.
Purports to Songs
Of course, so long we have got this body we have to accept so many things, material. But not in the spirit of enjoyment, but to keep up the body and soul together. So...
And he says further: rūpa-raguṇatha-pade haibe ākuti. When I shall be very much eager to study the books left by the Six Gosvāmīs. Ākuti means eagerness. One because Rūpa Gosvāmī is the father of this devotional service. He has written that book, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. In that book there is nice direction. Of course, in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and other books we have given the summary of those direction in our book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya. So one has to learn the conjugal loving affairs of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa through the teachings of these Six Gosvāmīs. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura giving us the direction that you do not try to understand the conjugal love of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa by your own endeavor. You should try to understand by the direction of the Gosvāmīs.
| Page Title: | Body and soul (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 02 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=60, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 60 |