So people have fallen so much. But we should not be like that. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Of course, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is never afraid of any species of life—provided there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness continuing. That's all. That is wanted. We are not afraid of becoming a dog, provided I can remember Kṛṣṇa. This is our position. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa janmāobi, icchā yadi tora. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, "I don't mind if I am born as a kita, or an insect, but kindly give me the chance that I become an insect in the house of a devotee. Then I'll get chance again. Because a devotee will eat. I'll be able to take a little grain left by the devotee. That is my satisfaction." So a Vaiṣṇava is not afraid of to becoming in the form of any species of life, provided he simply... That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prayer, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). A devotee does not aspire of being born in a very rich family or getting very nice wife and many controlling power, much controlling power. They do not want. Mama janmani... Neither a devotee wants (to) stop birth and death, because he has no desire. That is called akāmī. A devotee has no desire to fulfill. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaj says,
- bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami sakali 'aśānta'
- kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma ataeva 'śānta'
- (CC Madhya 19.149)
Niṣkāma, no desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11)—this is devotee, no desire. "As You..." As Kṛṣṇa likes. Simply how to take charge of serving the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, prīto 'pavarga-śaraṇaṁ hvayase kadā nu: "My Lord, You are apavarga-śaraṇaṁ." This is very important word, apavarga. Pavarga and apavarga. Pa means just the opposite, and pavarga, here in this material world, we are in the pavarga. Pa means pariśrama, laboring. Here you cannot get food without any labor. Just see. These laborers here, they have come. Whole day they are working. But if I say that "Why you are working so hard? Come here, live here, take little prasādam, and make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," nobody will come. Nobody will come. "No, no. I am very happy here." This is pa, pariśrama. They... Sometimes we are accused that we're escaping labor, we are parasites, we are dependent on the society. We are not dependent on the society; we are dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Kṛṣṇa is supplying us this nice building, nice food, nice opportunity. Not only one—we have got hundreds of buildings like that, without any labor. We are not working like these laborers. Just see. I went to your country with forty rupees, and now I have got forty crores of worth, property. So I did not work like them. (laughs) Yes. The people are bringing money. Kṛṣṇa is sending money, daily one to five lakhs of rupees. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why one should work? Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām, the stool-eaters, they will work hard. Human life is not meant for... Take Kṛṣṇa's shelter. Kṛṣṇa will supply everything. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy.