Prabhupāda: These varieties . . . according to the Western Darwin's theory, they do not give any nice description of the varieties. But the varieties of living entities are there before creation. They become manifest in next creation. Just like in this creation one is dying as demigod, I mean to say, at the last dissolution, and one is dying as dog or one is dying as a fish. So when the next creation will come out, they also will come out in that way, again as fish, because his activities in the form of fish was not completed. So one has to complete the term of one particular type of body. That is the law of nature. So they remain in dormant stage in the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu at the time of dissolution. Prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām (BG 9.7), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Prakṛtiṁ yānti māmi . . . then, at the time of creation, they come out again in the same body as it was in the last creation. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Of course, the evolution takes place, but at the time of creation the particular type of body which I inherited in my last birth or millennium I get again, and again begin evolution. This is the process, going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). The dissolution takes place.
So varieties are already there, not that in this creation it begins. Otherwise, how Brahmā is created first? Brahmā is the most intelligent creature, so intelligent that he is given the power of creating this universe. So not that in the beginning there was no intelligence. The first-class intelligence is there in the beginning of the creation. (aside) Read.
Nitāi: "It is described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa that the living entities belong to spiritual nature."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā (CC Madhya 6.154). In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said that viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā. Parā means spiritual. Kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā. And kṣetrajña means the living entity. That is also parā, spiritual. Avidyā-karma-saṁjña anya tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. Avidyā-karma-saṁjña anya: "Another śakti is there, means this material energy. It is full of avidyā." Avidyā-karma-saṁjña. And here karma is very prominent. Everyone is trying work, trying to work very hard to get some profit out of it just to become happy. So in the modern civilization especially, they are being trained up to work very hard and . . . to get strength, eat meat, and to digest meat, drink wine, and then become infuriated and work very hard. This is the modern type of civilization. But Vedic civilization is different. Vedic civilization is not meant for working so hard. The human being should be very peaceful and sober and intelligent, and cultivate spiritual knowledge, become brāhmaṇa, brahminical culture. Satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamo damas titikṣā (BG 18.42). This is Vedic culture.
So Vedic culture, or the representative of Vedic culture, Mahārāja . . . King Ṛṣabhadeva, He advised His sons, "My dear sons, this human life, human form of life, is not meant for working hard like the animal. This is not." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Kaṣṭān kāmān. Kāmān means we require some necessities of life, but civilization should not be made in such a way that one has to live at the cost of sacrificing everything. This is not human civilization. Kaṣṭān kāmān. Everyone wants something. That is required. So long the body is there, we must have to eat, we must have to sleep, we require sense gratification and protection, or security. This is required. But the Vedic civilization was very simplified. Simplified. A class of ideal men, the brāhmaṇa—they are ideal—they are simply assimilating the Vedic knowledge and guiding others—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—how to live peacefully. The kṣatriya, they are meant for giving protection to the people, security. And the vaiśya is meant for producing food. And śūdra, because they cannot do anything independently, they must serve these three masters: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. So this is very scientific.
So if there is no ideal class of men, who will guide? If everyone is engaged as śūdra to work hard for technology, then who will give the guidance? A brainless society.
- mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ
- puruṣasyāśramaiḥ saha
- catvāro jajñire varṇā
- viprādayaḥ guṇair pṛthak
- (SB 11.5.2)
This is the division. The brāhmaṇa is to be considered the mouth of the virāḍ-rūpa, Bhagavān, the universal form of the Lord; kṣatriya, the bāhu, the arms; and vaiśya, the belly; and śūdra, the leg. So they are meant for cooperation, not that simply falsely becoming proud that, "I am brāhmaṇa. You are śūdra." No. The brāhmaṇa is equally important than the śūdra, though both of them are required. But comparatively, because brāhmaṇa is considered to be the brain, he's very important. So the brain must be there. Otherwise, simply possessing hands and legs, what is the meaning if there is no brain?
So at the present moment there is practically no brain, simply hands and legs and belly. Not even hands; simply belly and legs. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. Rajas, rajas means belly, filling up. And tamas, ignorance, ordered. The leg is ordered, "Go there"; it goes. They cannot do anything independently. So rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, at the present moment the rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ is very prominent. But therefore society is imperfect. There must be a section of people sattva-guṇa, and . . . sattva-guṇa especially, to guide. Otherwise they will be simply engaged rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ means kāma and lobha, lusty desires and greediness. That's all.