Guest (1) (girl): Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you please explain why Kṛṣṇa consciousness hadn't come to the West until now, why it hasn't come earlier?
Prabhupāda: Because you were not born. After your birth we have come here to take you back to home, back to Godhead. Now you take the opportunity; come with us. We were waiting for your birth.
Gurukṛpā: Questions?
Guest (2) (man): How can one strengthen the spiritual will to act plain and live the spiritual life?
Prabhupāda: Spiritual life we are leading here. You can see. We are worshiping the Deity. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. We haven't got to go to the factory early in the morning. This is spiritual life. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, eat sumptuously Kṛṣṇa prasādam, and worship the Deity, that is spiritual life.
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, can one be in spiritual life if they're not worshiping the Deity?
Prabhupāda: Spiritual life means service to Kṛṣṇa. So if you don't serve Kṛṣṇa, where is spiritual life? That is the difference between material life and spiritual life. In the material life you serve but you don't serve Kṛṣṇa. Or you serve Kṛṣṇa indirectly under pressure. But actually when you serve Kṛṣṇa then you are situated in spiritual life.
- māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
- bhakti-yogena sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
So spiritual life means to serve Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise material life. Everyone is serving. That is material. Nobody can say that "I am not serving." Everyone is serving. That I have repeatedly said. If he has nothing to serve, then he keeps a dog and serves him. So service is my business. If I don't serve Kṛṣṇa, that is material life. And when we serve Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual life.
Guest (3) (young man): I'm asking this question. I'm concerned about the perverted caste system in India, right? I'm asking this question on a brāhmaṇa, the varṇāśrama-dharma system. If one of your brāhmaṇa initiated disciples falls from this platform, leaves the temple and commits offenses, then returns, demanding respect, should he be allowed to keep the sacred thread or should he be engaged in menial service, which never fails to cultivate humility?
Prabhupāda: Well, that is to be judged by the spiritual master. You cannot judge.
Guest (3): Well, I'm asking this because...
Prabhupāda: You cannot judge who is following, who is not following. That is not your jurisdiction. Therefore he has accepted a spiritual master, his jurisdiction. He'll do whatever necessary.
Guest (3): Has there been a case...
Prabhupāda: So that case you cannot judge. The case has to be judged by the spiritual master.
Guest (3): Could you give me an example of a case that has been...
Prabhupāda: Just like if somebody has done something wrong he is taken to the court and the judge gives his decision, whether he is criminal or not. The man who has arrested him, he cannot give the decision. It has to be tried by the higher authority. Then the judgment will be. Anything more?
Guest (1): Do they have Deity worship in any of the other planets in the material universe?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Gurukṛpā: Is there Deity worship on other planets?
Prabhupāda: Yes, every planet. (end)