So this understanding is the first understanding for spiritual life, that "I am not this body." That is the beginning of spiritual life. And when we nicely understand this fact, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ, or self-realization stage. So what is the difference between self-realized stage and doggish stage means bodily concept of life. The difference is that as soon as you become self-realized, you become jolly. This self-realization is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
This self-realization means as soon as we understand that you or I am not this body, I am spirit soul, then immediately we become jolly. And what is jolliness? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. A jolly person never lament nor desire. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has no want and he has no loss. Material life means always want and always loss. And spiritual life means no loss, no desire, no hankering. So one can distinguish his spiritual life and material life by simple formula. This simple formula: material life means always in want and always in lamentation. And spiritual life means no hankering and no lamentation. When one is fixed up in spiritual life, it is said guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). When there is very, very acute reverse condition of life, one is not disturbed. That is spiritual life. And samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, at that stage only there is possibility of so-called unity, fraternity, friendship. Your France, you have got slogan, what is that? Fraternity, friend... No eternity. Equality, fraternity, and what other thing?
Devotees: Liberty.
Prabhupāda: Yes, go on. So France is very cultured country historically, but where is fraternity? The history will read there was seven years war with England, hundred years war with England. Then Napoleon, he conquered, so all the parts, where is fraternity, eternity? Last time when I came in your country in Paris, somebody showed me one church, that from that church there was ringing of the bell, and immediately people would come and kill the Protestants or something like that. Is it not a fact?
So anyway, on the material platform, there is no possibility of equality, fraternity, or nothing. It is not possible. Unless you come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), there is no question of equality, fraternity. So in the United Nation, they are trying for that unity, united nation, but where is unity? Every year there is a new flag. There is no question of fraternity or equality. Just like in animal life, there is no question of fraternity or equality. Similarly, if we keep ourself in the bodily concept of life, that is animal life. So long we keep ourself as :I am French man," "I am German man," "I am English man," "I am Indian man," or so many there are nationalities, there cannot be any fraternity, equality. We have come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or brahma-bhūtaḥ, then there will be fraternity, equality. And factually you can see in this movement all classes of men, all nationality, all religion, all color, they are coming together and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing. This is wanted. So don't be misled by the leaders of so-called eternity and fraternity. It is not possible. That are called andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31), just like a blind man is trying to lead other blind men. So come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this fraternity and equality, also eternity.