BG 02.13 dehino 'smin yatha dehe... cited (Lec Other)

Expressions researched:
"A sober person is not bewildered by such a change" |"As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body" |"dehantara-praptih" |"dehino 'smin yatha dehe" |"dhiras tatra na muhyati" |"from boyhood to youth to old age" |"kaumaram yauvanam jara" |"tatha dehantara" |"tatha dehantara-praptir" |"the soul similarly passes into another body at death"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "2.13" or "A sober person is not bewildered by such a change" or "As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body" or "dehino 'smin yatha dehe" or "dhiras tatra na muhyati" or "from boyhood to youth to old age" or "kaumaram yauvanam jara" or "tatha dehantara-praptir" or "the soul similarly passes into another body at death"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

So the modern civilization, they do not believe in the next birth. That is the basic mistake of the present civilization, that we get information that tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dehāntaram. Just like we are transmigrating, even in this span of life, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youthhood, from youthhood to old age body. Therefore it is natural to conclude that after this old body's finished, then we get another body, transmigration of the soul. But there is no education, no enlightenment about this transmigration of the soul. But we can, if we think, ponder very deeply on this matter, how transmigration of the soul is taking place, and it is authorized, authorized statement of Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So this is the defect.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

Disappearance means disappearance from my eyes. Kṛṣṇa does not disappear. Just like formerly people used to think, after the sunset, the sun is dead. Huh? Who were the persons that used... Sometimes, you...? They thought like that: "Sun is dead now"? Some philosophers or the Christians, they used to think like that. Similarly sun... (break) ...no birth and death because you are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. But we disappear. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntaram-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). One who is sober, he knows that "This man, he's not dead." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "He's not dead. He has simply passed from this body to another body." Just like a mother, when the child from baby's body comes to a boy's body, the mother does not cry, "Oh, where is my son, that baby?" She knows that baby has come to this body. Similarly, a person who is in the knowledge of the transmigration of the soul, he knows that "My father, my brother, he's not dead. He has simply changed his body." Dhīras tatra na muhyati. One has to become dhīra, sober, to understand the things as they are. Tathā dehāntaraṁ-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make people dhīra, not adhīra. Adhīra cannot understand. But even adhīra can understand. Dhīrādhīra. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī, dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. A perfect devotee is dear, both for the dhīra and adhīra. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So for a devotee, both the dhīra and adhīra welcome. We do not say only the perfect persons should come here. No. Perfect or imperfect, come here. Take part with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Dhīrādhīra, it doesn't matter. Because one who's adhīra, by associating with the dhīras, he'll also become dhīra.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

Materially means this body. This body is matter, and I, the person who is living within the body, I am spirit. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe. Asmin dehe, dehinaḥ (BG 2.13). There is the proprietor. We have several times explained, but people do not know this. As soon as one understands that "I am not this body. I am different from this body," then his interest becomes different. Because he is under ignorance that "I am this body," therefore he's acting, working for this body. And as soon as he comes to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ, he is no more interested in bodily comforts. That is the Vedic civilization, that one is educated to become introspective. He is educated to become introspective.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

"Oh, you are proposing something which is the action of the anārya, not of the Aryans. So give up this klaibhyam, this deficiency, defect or..." What is called?

Devotee: Weakness.

Prabhupāda: "...weakness, weakness of your heart. Give it up." So then when he became His śiṣya, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7), at that time, as his śiṣya, He immediately chastised him: aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. "My dear Arjuna, you are talking just like a very learned man, but you do not know what is learning. You do not know."

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ

prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase

gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca

nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

(BG 2.11)

"This is not talk of the paṇḍita. Just learn what is paṇḍitaḥ, how..." Then, then when He began to teach him how to become paṇḍita, the first instruction was,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Asmin dehe, within this body, there is the soul. This is the beginning of spiritual understanding. How many people know? They do not know it. They think that "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am..."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa... Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is giving assurance. There are so many things that, by understanding Kṛṣṇa, simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, you, your life is successful. The life, success of life is to stop this repetition of birth and death. That we also do not know. There is repetition of birth and death. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning, asmin dehe dehi. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. Kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Those who are actually educated, sober, they can understand that, that "Here is a man who's supposed to be dead, but he's not dead. He has transferred this body. That's all." Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. As I am transferring my body from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, youthhood to old body, similarly, as I have changed so many bodies, where is the difficulty to understand that after giving up this body, I'll get another body? And Kṛṣṇa is confirming. All the Vedic literature confirming: tathā dehāntara-prāptir. Another body. But we must know what kind of body I'm going to get. That is intelligence. Body, you must have to accept. As you have changed, as you accepted so many bodies, even in this life, then you have to accept another body.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

The impersonalists, they do not know that Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body, not different. They take it for acceptance that when God, Brahman comes, He accepts a material body. That is Māyāvādī philosophy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ (BG 9.11). 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.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Pradyumna: "In this way there is a chain of sinful activities and their concomitant distresses, and the conditioned soul is suffering life after life due to these sins. He is suffering in the present life the results of sinful activities from his past life, and he is meanwhile creating further suffering for his future life. Mature sinful activities are exhibited if one is suffering from some chronic disease, if one is suffering from some legal implication, or if one is born in a low and degraded family, or if one is uneducated or very ugly."

Prabhupāda: Hmmm. So the soul is within this body, encaged. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Due to ignorance, he is committing... Say, for, in our eating process, we are eating so many things out of ignorance which we should not eat, and creating the sinful reaction. Nānā yoni bhraman kare, kadarya bhakṣaṇa kare. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says things which are not eatables, we eat, and we circumambulate various types of body.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu along with His associates, Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadādhara Prabhu and Śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, they are trying to dissipate the darkness of this false identification. Kṛṣṇa simply instructed Arjuna about his darkness of identity, and He punished him, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "You are talking very big, big words, but you are lamenting on a subject matter on which no learned person laments." Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. That means "You are fool number one." Paṇḍitāḥ. "No paṇḍita makes like that. Now try to understand what is the position."

Then He said,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

"First of all try to understand what you are." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. It is no politics. It is knowledge, pure knowledge. Bhagavad-gītā is pure knowledge. The politicians take advantage of it. The sociologists, the so-called swamis, yogis, they take advantage of it and try to prove their all nonsensical theories. But it is not at all Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā as it is is pure knowledge, beginning with the first knowledge one has to understand, that he is not this body. Because this is the basic principle all ignorance: "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this," "I am that"—this is the basic principle. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing in a different way. He says, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya, I am not a śūdra, I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not a vānaprastha, I am not a sannyāsī." These are negation. Then what is the positive? He says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the gopī-bhartuḥ, Kṛṣṇa, who maintains the gopīs."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Dallas, March 4, 1975:

Our identity is that we are eternal. It is not that because my body is annihilated, therefore I am finished. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the instruction. The living entity, the soul, is not destroyed after the body being destroyed. The body is destroyed. It is being destroyed every moment. From scientific point of view we are changing our blood corpuscle and another body like the, what is called, film. One after another picture, one after, one after, one after, and when they are displayed, it appears one. But it is not one. There are so many pictures. They put into the machine, and when they work together, it appears that the man within the picture is moving. Actually, that movement is combination of many pictures. Similarly, we are growing. We are not growing, but we are changing body.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are becoming... We are seeing that "My child is growing." It is not growing; it is changing body just like the film spool. But because it is displayed in a very scientific way, we are seeing that "My child is growing." It is not growing. The actual fact is the child is a soul, and the soul is changing every minute the body. That is real understanding. Kṛṣṇa says, authority says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prā... (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ means accepting another body.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

So our main business is how to get out of this entanglement of this temporary body. The people are not very seriously thinking, neither they have got sufficient knowledge how the temporary body is obtained, how it is changed, another temporary body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and we are changing one after another. Why this disease? "If I am, my position is, as I understand from Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20)—I am not destroyed after the destruction of this body—why I am in this position that I have to change my body?" Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is intelligence. When you come to this intelligence, then athāto brahma jijñāsā; then the inquiry about spiritual life begins. But unfortunately, we are in such a civilization that we have no time to think of this great dangerous position of changing body one after another, and we have accepted it that "There is no remedy; we have to change or die for good." These theories, this ignorance, is going on, and Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the only movement which is trying to educate man to this standard of knowledge, that he may at least think that "I am not this body, as I understand from the śāstras. I am within the body. So how I can become free of this material body?" That is our real problem. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

Suppose you are very in exalted position, you are minister or king or some..., but you'll not be allowed to stay. But these foolish persons, they do not know. They do not try to understand that "What is my next position?" Therefore they are called mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vi... Madman doing, he does not know what is the ultimate goal because they do not know that there is life after death. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). They do not know that. Therefore they are mad after this sense gratification.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

There are many multipotencies. Because the original is Absolute Truth, in one sense everyone is in the same absolute platform. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a verse, idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ: "This viśva, the whole cosmic manifestation, is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just like Kṛṣṇa manifested His universal form. So every part and parcel is Bhagavān, but still, it is different. This is the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's acintya-bhedābheda: simultaneously one and different, inconceivable. We cannot conceive at the present moment how one thing can be the same, at the same time different; therefore it is called acintya, inconceivable. But bhedābheda... Just like we are—everything—you study. It is acintya-bhedābheda, one and different. Take for example your own body and you, soul. The soul is different from the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). The dehi, the soul, is within the body. The body is not the soul. So this is different. Soul is different from the body. We have studied. But in another sense, soul is not different from the body, another sense. How? Because the body, the material body, is also coming from the same source, and the spiritual soul is coming from the same source, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

Simply by committing suicide, how you'll be happy? Because tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You'll have to accept another body. Either you commit suicide or die naturally, you have to accept. But if you accept natural death and natural body, then your karma kṣaya, you annihilate your karma, but if you commit suicide, then you become ghost. Because nature's punishment. You got a body and you neglected it, so you now you become, remain without body. That is ghost. Ghost means who does not possess this material body, but he has got the subtle body. That is ghost.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is infinite, we are infinitesimal. So when there is question of merging into the existence of the Supreme, that means we remain in the effulgence, Brahman effulgence, as the minute particle of Brahman. There is dimension. That is mentioned in the śāstras: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). One ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of hair. That minute particle, cetana. So there is... Anantāya kalpite. There are innumerable such particles. That is the formation of nirviśeṣa-brahman. That is nirākāra-brahman. Brahman, but there is no visible formation. But there, there is formation. Unless there is formation, how the material formation can take place? Just like you have got formation; therefore your shirt and coat has got a formation. You have got hands; therefore your shirt has hands, your coat has hands, according to your formation. So this material body is called vāsāṁsi, garments, or dress, shirt and coat. The mind, intelligence and ego, that is shirt, subtle body; and this gross body, kṣitir-ap-tej-marud-van (?). So there are two kinds of shirt and coat, and within that, dehino 'smin yathā dehe... (BG 2.13). The minute particle, that is called dehi, who has formed this body.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

In the Kūrma Purāṇa it is said that the Supreme Personality, the Para-brahman, has no distinction between His body and self. There is no... Absolute means there is no duality as we have got duality—"I am," the soul, and this body, they are different. Therefore śāstra says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke: (SB 10.84.13) "If anyone accepts this body as self..." This body is made of three dhātus: kapha, pitta, vāyu. I am not this. And Bhagavad-gītā also says,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ...

(BG 2.13)

So dehi. Dehi means possessor of this body, the owner of this body. So owner of this body is different from this body. But in case of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu-tattva, there is no such difference, the self and the body, no difference. That is confirmed in the Kūrma Purāṇa. Unfortunately the Māyāvādīs, they, either due to their poor fund of knowledge of the śāstras or by their whims, they say that "Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, when comes, or the Absolute Truth when He descends, He assumes, He accepts, a material body." That is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:

There are controllers, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Īśvaraḥ means controller. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His form... He has form. Bhagavān means with form. You see the form here, vigrahaḥ. Vigrahaḥ means form. But His form is different from our. He's sac-cid-ānanda. His form is eternal. Our, this form is not eternal. We have to give it up. We have to accept another form according to our karma. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). But Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to do that. He is in His original form. He has got many forms, expansions, but His original form is Kṛṣṇa with two hands and flutes.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Ask any learned scholar in these days that "What is the ultimate goal of life?" They will say, "Oh, there is no particular end (?). Let us live very happily, and after death everything is finished." I have consulted many men, big, big professors, Indian and foreign. They have no idea of the first education in the Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). There is change of body. There is already change of body. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man. Now the body is changed—I have got this wretched body, old man's body. So all these bodies... That is simple, logical. Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning—that is the first lesson of Bhagavad-gītā-that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Dehinaḥ means the proprietor of the body. But every one of us, thinking "I am this body." They have no first lesson of Bhagavad-gītā. First lesson only, ABCD, that "You are not this body." This is the first lesson.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

Now the first question was, of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that is, that should be the first question of everyone: "What I am?" Because if I do not know what I am, there is no question of my duties and my destination, everything. Everything will depend first to know what I am. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna did not know what he was; therefore Kṛṣṇa first of all taught him that "You are not this body. You are not this body." That was the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yau... (BG 2.13). "You are so much absorbed in bodily conception of life, and you are thinking that you are a learned man. That is your foolishness." In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the first instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa is there, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "You are thinking, you are talking with Me just like a very learned man. You are arguing with me. But from your behavior I can understand you are a fool number one." Because such kind of talk is never, I mean to say, placed by a learned man. So indirectly He said that "You are a fool." And "Why you are fool?" He said that "You are not this body. You are changing every moment your body. Why don't you think that you are not this body? Why you are identifying yourself as with the body?" Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā: (BG 2.13) "You are changing your body at every moment. From the mother's womb up to the death point, you are changing every body. Then why you are thinking that you are body? But you are the same. In spite of all changes, you are the same." I think, my childhood, I think that I am the same. I forget that I am so much grown-up. That is my position.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

Everyone is very much proud of his learning, scientific knowledge and so on, so on. But if you ask him, "What you are?" "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am American." This is the answer you'll get. But that is, I am not. I am not this body. This is the beginning of paṇḍita. This is the beginning. Bhagavad-gītā teaches in the beginning this primary lesson, that "You are not this body."

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So this is the problem, dehātma-buddhi, identifying oneself with this body. That is condemned in the śāstra. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ sa eva go-kharaḥ: (SB 10.84.13) "Anyone who is identifying himself with this body, he is no better than the cows and the asses, animal." This is... The whole Vedic civilization is based on this principle, that one has to learn first of all that he is not this body. Then further advancement. If one keeps himself under this misidentification that "I am this body," he remains an animal.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

The living entities, they are transmigrating in this material world, not in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world they have got their eternal form. But in the material world, because the living entities have come to enjoy the material resources, therefore, according to the desire, the living entity is getting different forms of body, 8,400,000. But he is not dying. The body is changed. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13).

Our death means to transmigrate to another body. Just like from childhood we are transmigrating to another body, boyhood; from boyhood we are transmigrating to another body, youth-hood; and from youth-hood we are transferred to another body, old body. Similarly, when this body will not be any more workable, then we shall transmigrate to another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Those who are dhīra—dhīra means sober, thoughtful—they are not bewildered. But those who are not dhīra, adhīra... There are two classes of men: dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means one who is spiritually situated. He is called dhīra or brahma-bhūtaḥ, prasannātmā (BG 18.54), dhīra. And one who is not spiritually situated, materially situated, means on the platform of bodily conception of life, then he is adhīra, he is restless, from this platform to that platform, this platform to that platform. This is going on.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

So we are not this kapha pitta vāyu. We are not this skin, bone, blood or whatever it may be. You analyze it. I am not this. But life is not there. They are claiming that life is chemical composition, but try each and every part of this body and chemical composition. First of all take this breathing. What is this breathing? Breathing is air. So air, that is also chemical composition: hydrogen, oxygen, ether. (?) So that is chemical composition, or air. So there is no question of chemical combining. Air you can sufficiently have. You are making airtight so many things. So just put some air within the body and by artificial way let it be blowing like the bellows. The bellow also breathes like that. And will life come? No. It is not possible. Similarly, take every one item, take the breathing, take the muscles, take the blood, take the urine, take the stool, take the bone, and analyze it very carefully, part to part, and combine them all together. You have got scientist: bring life. No. That is not possible. That is not possible.

So therefore it is misconception that life is chemical composition. No. Chemical composition is this body, not the soul. But they do not know; they are speculating in darkness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes to give you knowledge that "You rascal, you are thinking of this body, yourself. No, it is not that." Asmin dehe. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram... (BG 2.13). You are living within this body. Under certain conditions according to your karma, you have been allowed to live in this body, and if your karma improves, then you'll be allowed to live in a better body, in the demigod.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that let us live amongst devotees. Why we are struggling to get so many centers open? Because devotees will live there, follow the regulative principles according to the instruction of the śāstra and spiritual master, guided by, and people will get chance. As soon as one comes in this society of devotee, he'll get some opportunity. And svalpam apy asya... That is meant. Even by sentiment one comes... Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). The Nārada Muni said, "Even by sentiments, one gives up his occupational duty, so-called occupational duty, and surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, even not understanding fully..." So śāstra says, "What is the loss there?" And if one is performing one's material duties very perfectly, then what is gain there? He's simply wasting time. And a devotee, even by sentiment or whimsically comes in this center and gives some service, that is a permanent record. And these karmīs, although they are acting very sincerely, but there is no guarantee what is the next life. He may become a dog. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and tyaktvā deham... Or what is that? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). These will be dehāntara, change of this body. The body will be finished, everyone knows, but body being finished, you are not finished; nobody is finished. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110-111 -- Bombay, November 17, 1975:

Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering the patita, the fallen. Fallen means fallen in the bodily conception of life. That is patita. So patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo. Kṛṣṇa's also business is to deliver these fools and rascals in the bodily concept of life, that dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13), first pointing out that "You are not this body." Then knowledge begins.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.6 -- New York, January 8, 1967:

So knowledge means to understand... Beginning of knowledge is to understand one's constitutional position. That knowledge is imparted in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, that "You are not this body. You are spirit spark."

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So you are spark, spiritual spark. You are simply changing dress. That is your conditioned stage.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

Amrtatva means immortality. So the modern civilization, they have no idea, either the great philosopher, great politician or great scientist, that it is possible to attain the stage of immortality. Amṛtatva. We are all amṛta. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na jāyate na mrīyate vā kadācin. We living entities, we never die, never take birth. Nityaḥ śāśvato yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Every one of us, we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvato; Purāṇa, the oldest. And after annihilation of this body, we do not die. Na hanyate. The body is finished, but I have to accept another body. Tathā dehāntara prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13).

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

Actual knowledge you get from the authority, Kṛṣṇa. He says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Just like the soul is passing through different stages. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Deha, deha means this body. Asmin dehe, in this body, there is dehi. Dehi means who is the owner of this body. That is soul. That is passing through childhood, boyhood, babyhood, youthhood, old age. Everyone, you can perceive that you were a child, you were a baby, you were a boy. Now you are young man or old man. So you are there. So as you are passing through different types of bodies, similarly, when you give up this body you accept another body. What is the difficulty? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). There is no question of becoming astonished, how transmigration of the self, soul, takes place.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So actually we are in a very precarious condition, the modern civilization, I mean to say, manipulated by the Western people. It is a soul-killing civilization, this civilization. By nature the chance is given after many, many evolutionary process. Jalajā nava lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣā viṁśati. The evolutionary theory is there in the Padma Purāṇa. It is not Darwin's theory. Darwin stolen it from Padma Purāṇa, and he presented in a distorted way of his own imagination. Otherwise the Darwin's theory is not the original. The theory... It is not theory-fact. Jīva-jātiṣu. It is wandering within the cycle of jīva-jāti, different species of life. Tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is Vedic knowledge, this evolutionary process. It is not Darwin's theory.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So these people they have made the United Nation, unnecessarily fighting like dogs. So this will not solve the problems. The problem will be solved if they pass a resolution that the whole world, not only this world... Kṛṣṇa says, sarvaloka maheśvaram. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, so why not accept? Actually He is the proprietor. Who has created this planet? We have created or father created? No. Kṛṣṇa has created, but we are claiming, "This portion is American, this portion is Indian, this portion is Pakistani." Unnecessary. What is the value of this claim? We may claim it for fifty or sixty or a hundred years, and after that, one kick: "Get out." Where is your claim? But they do not understand this philosophy. They are fighting. That's all, that "This is mine. This is my land. This is my land." They do not know. Kṛṣṇa said tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). "You are American today. So tomorrow, even within America if you become an American cow or American animal, nobody will care for you. Nobody will care for your politics." But this art they do not know. This science they do not know. They are under illusion.

Lord Nityananda Prabhu's Avirbhava Appearance Day Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

Today is Nityānanda Prabhu's āvirbhāva appearance day. Let us at least remember today nitāi-pada-kamala. That is wanted. Nitāi caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka nitya. The reality is nitāi-caraṇa, and anyone who is servant of Nitāi... So nitāiyer caraṇa satya, tāhāra sevaka nitya. One who has become the dog of Nityānanda Prabhu, he gets his eternal life. We are eternal, but under misconception of material identification, we are under the subjugation of māyā. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Tathā dehāntara... (BG 2.13) It is very botheration, but they do not know. I am going from one body to another transmigration. And that is not guaranteed, what kind of body. They have no science, no knowledge about understanding tathā dehāntara, the very first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. They are so rascals, and they are proud of their education, their universities. This is going on.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 21, 1976:

In the Bhagavad-gītā the first instruction given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna is this, that we are not this body. Because Arjuna was speaking from the bodily platform, so Kṛṣṇa chastised him that aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned man, but you are lamenting on the subject matter on which no learned man laments." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvam.

So such kind of welfare activity concerning the body, like hospital and so many other things, they are good undoubtedly, but the ultimate goal is to see the interest of the soul. That is ultimate goal. That is the whole Vedic instruction. And Kṛṣṇa begins from this point. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13).

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Srila Prabhupada Welcomed by Governor at Hotel De Ville -- Geneva, May 30, 1974:

So Arjuna was trying to avoid the fighting because the other side, there were relatives, brothers. At that time he was lamenting his bodily relationship: "The other side is my brother, my grandfather, my nephews, my son-in-laws." So that was the platform of speaking Bhagavad-gītā. So first of all, Kṛṣṇa explained that "We are not this body." The first instruction was given,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

The first instruction of spiritual life is to understand that "I am not this body." The example is given, very simple thing, that I am present, although I remember that I had a small body lying down on the lap of my mother. I remember, when I was six months old, I was lying down on the lap of my elder sister, and she was knitting. I still remember that. So everyone, we remember that we had a small body, and then another small body, then another small body. Those bodies are gone. I have got a different body now, but I remember that I had all these body. Therefore the conclusion should be for the sober man that "Although we have changed so many bodies, I, the person, the soul, am existing." Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Similarly, when I shall give up this body, I shall accept another body. This is the beginning of understanding, that "I am not this body. I am living in this body just like I am not this coat, but I am living within the coat."

Arrival Lecture -- Mayapur, September 27, 1974:

People, unfortunately, they have no sense what is spiritual life. The modern civilization, they do not know that we have to change this body, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), just like animals, cats and dogs, they do not know that they have to change the body or they are not the body, they are beyond, something. This is the modern civilization. They try to make the best use of a bad bargain in this way, that "We have got this body. Let us enjoy senses to the utmost." But that is not the fact. Sense enjoyment means infection of the material modes of nature. That is sense enjoyment. Just like we infect some disease, and that disease will come out some day, will be manifested.

Arrival Lecture -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

So we say that be practical. Artificial equality will not endure. We are equal, undoubtedly, because we are all spirit souls. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prā... (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, within this body, there is the spirit soul. That we have to understand first of all. And then, if we cultivate on that platform of spirit soul, then we shall feel equal and there will be no disturbance. Everyone will be peaceful. That is wanted. We are stressing that point, that artificially, if you say that "We are all equal," it will not act. But spiritually, when you understand equality, that will continue, and that will bring peace and happiness all over the human society.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to understand this fact first of all, that body is superficial. Just like you are dressed with your shirt and coat. The shirt and coat is not important, but the person who is putting on the shirt and coat, he is important. Unfortunately, modern education is giving stress on the outward, external body or to the dress and not to... They do not understand who is the person who is dressed or who has got this body. This is the first lesson of spiritual understanding. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, this is the first instruction:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

The whole world is under the bodily concept of life, even big, big nations. Just like your prime minister has gone to the United Nations. There are many big, big men in the United Nations. They will speak, and they are speaking for the last thirty years. The United Nations is formed, but they could not find any solution of the problems of life because the basic principle they are losing; they do not know. Every one of them is thinking on the bodily platform: "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am German," and "I am Englishman," like that. Therefore there is no solution because the basic principle is wrong. Unless we understand what is the wrong on the active principle of the body, the problems cannot be solved, just like if you cannot diagnose the disease, simply by symptomatic treatment you cannot make the man healthy. That is not possible.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

Indian man: When the body dies, the body is finished, but what about the soul? The soul, about the soul?

Prabhupāda: Soul enters another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That is the misunderstanding of the modern civilization. They do not know that soul is eternal, it is changing body, different bodies, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. According to his desire, he is entering another body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22).

Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

So if we understand this fact... It is not "I believe," "I think," "Perhaps." No "perhaps," no "thinking," no "believing." It is a fact that I am not this body. Everyone can understand. A man has died, his sons family members crying, "Oh, my father has gone, my father has gone!" Where has your father gone? Here is your father lying down. Why you are crying your father has gone? "No, my father is gone." So that means he never saw his father. He saw the coat-pant of the father, and now it is not moving. The coat-pant is there, but still he says, "My father is gone." This is our misunderstanding. Your father is not this body. The spirit soul which moved the father so long, and you accepted the coat-pant or the body as father, that is your misunderstanding. Father is not this coat-pant or the body. Father is within.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

This is the first education of Bhagavad-gītā, that within this body the living entity is there. The living entity is there, but the body is changing. The child is becoming boy, the boy is becoming young man, the young man is becoming middle-aged man, middle-aged man becoming old man. The body is changing. We know, every one of us. But I am the same spirit soul. This misunderstanding, that I am not this body, still, I am identifying with this body, this is our ignorance. And so long this ignorance will continue, we shall remain like cats and dogs, There cannot be any peace. It is not possible. When we come to the real understanding that we are spirit soul and part and parcel of God, then we become actually learned.

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Indian lady: Mahārāja, don't you think it's high time that our Indian philosophy or Indian religion, some classes should be started in schools like they used to have? Missionaries used to have scripture classes in school. There should be in all the schools, I mean, classes on our own religion instead of learning somebody else's.

Prabhupāda: It is not only... When we say that dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā... (BG 2.13). So as this boy, he was a child, now he has become a boy, then after few years he'll become a young man. And then he'll become middle-aged man, then he'll become old man. So this is not our religion, your religion. This is fact. Scientific. When Bhagavad-gītā says dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, that is not meant for the so-called Hindus. It is meant for the Muslims, meant for the Christians, everyone. It is science. Religion is a kind of faith. That they describe. But religion is also not a blind faith. Religion means the order of God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Prabhupāda: When a child becomes a boy, there is no question of secularism. It is science. It is fact. Can you by secularism stop a child growing to become a boy? When I was explaining in South Africa these things, one Arya-samaji friend, he criticized me that "Why you are bringing Hindu ideas?" So I said, "Is it Hindu ideas? A child grows to become a boy. It is Hindu idea? Why you are so fool you're calling Hindu idea?" A child grows to become a boy. This is science.

Indian man: The law of nature.

Indian man: Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptir (BG 2.13). Naturally...

Prabhupāda: Because it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, they take it Hindu idea. This is nonsense.

Indian man (1): Our approach is so wrong that people take it as...

Prabhupāda: Immediately we can pass in a sectarian.

Indian lady: That is why it is necessary to have this as a part of social studies like you have other subjects in schools. If it is not given any more...

Prabhupāda: But then, as soon as you say "Bhagavad-gītā," immediately, "Hindu."

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, February 4, 1977:

So the living entities, they are called taṭasthā-śakta. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). God has many potencies. They have been divided into three primarily: external, internal, and marginal; bahiraṅgā-śakti, antaraṅga-śakti, and taṭasthā-śakti. So we jīvas, living entities, we are also another energy of Kṛṣṇa, in between the material and spiritual. So if we like we can remain in the spiritual world; if we like, we can remain in the material world. If we remain in the material world, then, temporary, we enjoy happiness or distress. There is no happiness. Sometimes we take distress as happiness. Actually there is no happiness, because however happy you may be, you have to change this body. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). So this happiness... Suppose this life I am a king. Maybe for few years, but I have to change this body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). So there is no happiness. Suppose you arrange very nicely to live here very happily in this world, but you'll not be allowed to live. You'll not be allowed. Duḥkhalayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

So this human life should be utilized for understanding the Vedic knowledge, divya-jñāna; then he'll be purified, tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). My existential identity will be purified. At the present moment it is not purified. Because it is not purified, therefore we are repeatedly dying. But there is no knowledge how to stop death. They think death is natural. It is not natural. It is unnatural. They do not know it. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll get the information, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin: "The soul is never born, never dies." Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. "I see he's died, he is dead." No, he's not dying, his body is being annihi...Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). By seeing the body is destroyed don't think he's destroyed. He'll get another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). So this is our position. We have accepted one body, and we live in that body for some days, and then again we give up this body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir. So this is disease. So in order to get out of this disease there is necessity of tapasya, how to stop this disease.

Initiation Lecture -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

Prabhupāda: So your spiritual name, Kṛṣṇa-kiśora dāsa. What are the rules and regulations? (Hindi) He does not understand English? Hindi?

Devotee (3): No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex life, no gambling.

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Harikeśa: Sudhīra dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Sudhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). You are sudhīra.

Cornerstone Ceremonies

Foundation Stone Ceremony Speech -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced this movement. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). That is the first installment. Actually, if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the first installment is that we cleanse our heart. It is simply misunderstanding. Kṛṣṇa also wanted to start this movement. When He instructed Arjuna, the first word He spoke,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanam jara

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So in this age practically there is nil who is a dhīra. Everyone is adhīra. But the saṅkīrtana movement is so nice, as it is spoken by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya on behalf of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. This movement is so nice that it will be pleasing to the dhīras and the adhīras.

General Lectures

Lecture -- San Francisco, April 2, 1968:

According to Vedic literature there are 8,400,000's of different kinds of bodies. So He gave very nice example. If we study this example with little intelligence, we can understand this doctrine of transmigration of the soul very quickly.

Lord Kṛṣṇa said,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

This is Sanskrit language. I'll explain it in English. He said that within this body there is soul, and the body is changing every moment, but the soul is there. He is giving example, just as a soul comes from the womb of his mother with a small body, and that small body changes—it becomes the body of a boy, it becomes the body of a youth, then it becomes the body of an old man, then it vanquishes... That we have to admit. We may say that the body is growing, but actually, the fact is, body is changing. It is medically admitted that we are changing our body every second. We are changing our blood corpuscles, and therefore a change of the body is taking place, and that is being manifested in a different shape only. Actually, we are changing every moment our body. So the ultimate change, when this body cannot be worked any more, just like a dress, when it is torn, when it is too old, you have to change it.

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

So Bhagavad-gītā gives you clue. It is not very difficult to understand this science. The Bhagavad-gītā gives you the information of the spirit soul very simply. The Bhagavad-gītā says,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Just like within this body, when you were a child you were within this body—not exactly this body, but another body, which was so small. Now where is that body? That body is gone. You have got another body. So Bhagavad-gītā says, as we are changing body moment to moment, dehino 'smin yathā dehe... (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ means the soul, the spirit soul, who is embodied within this body, as he is changing body from moment to moment. This is a fact, a medical fact, that you are changing body every moment. Similarly, the last change is called death. But we have to take..., we have to accept another body. But we do not know what sort of body we are going to accept. That technology is wanting in the modern civilization.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

Is spirit soul so cheap thing that it is a bag of skin and bone and some stools and urine, combination? That is nonsense. So hardly you'll find any sane man or any learned man in this world. You see? So first teaching is that "You are not this body." That is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa's teaching.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

"My dear Arjuna, you are posing yourself as very learned man, but a learned man is not disturbed by this change of body." Just He says very nice example. Just like a child. A child is growing. Growing means he is changing body. A child is born so small; a few years, he becomes big. Now where is that small body? That body is gone. You tell whatever you think, but that body is gone—another body. Then the same child becomes youth, young man. That body is gone. The same man becomes old man. That, that youthful body is gone. So every second the body is gone, but the soul is there.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

So do you mean to say scientific advancement of education is simply for this purpose—how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate, and how to defend? No. That is not human civilization. These are bodily needs undoubtedly, but we are not body. That we do not know. We are spirit soul. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely in a very common sense words:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Just like within this body there is soul, and it is changing bodies, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youthhood, from youthhood to old age. And then again, when the body is useless, no more, cannot be maintained, then we will give up this body and accept another body just like we change our dress." That is going on. So I am eternal. Although I am old man, I can understand what I was in my childhood, in my boyhood, youthhood. So body has changed, but I am existing. This is very simple thing. Everyone can understand. Therefore I, as spirit soul, I am not body. Body is changing; I am different from body.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

Try to understand. You were a child when you were born out of the womb of your mother, or in the womb of the mother your body was so small. Just like a pea it has developed, and when it's fully developed you come out. You have come out, you are developing. Developing means changing. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

As you are changing your body even in this present life, you remember that you were a child, you were a boy... I remember I was a child... I was a baby. I still remember in my babyhood I was lying down on my elder sister's lap. She was knitting. I can still remember. So, we can remember our childhood, our boyhood, our youth, but I am the same, the body is changing. It is a fact. Similarly, when these bodies ultimately lapse or change, I am accepting another body. That is a fact. This is called transmigration of the soul. As we are changing our dress, similarly we are changing our body. And there are 8,400,000 of different kinds of bodies.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

So this transmigration of the soul is very simple subject. Any sensible man can understand. And in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the very beginning of the instruction, Kṛṣṇa says,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Dhīra, those who are sober, intelligent, they are not bewildered when a living entity changes his body. So change of body is going on in every moment, in every second, imperceptibly. Medical science also accepts that in every second we are changing our blood corpuscles. That is a fact. We are changing body every moment. And the final change is called death. But actually, there is no death. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So there is no difficulty to understand this philosophy that "I am changing bodies every moment. But I am the same, eternal. Similarly, after changing this body, I shall have another body." That is very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

"As the living spark, the soul, is changing from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youthhood, from youthhood to old age..." This is a fact. Everyone knows. Similarly, to change to another body is a fact. And dhīras tatra na muhyati: "Any intelligent man is not surprised." He doesn't say that there is no life after death. There is. Now that life after death may be in one of the so many, 8,400,000's of bodies. There is no guarantee what kind of a body you are going to get. In our last meeting we explained that from Bhagavad-gītā, that yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6).

Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970:

But what is that thing imperishable? That imperishable is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, yena sarvam idaṁ tatam: "That thing is imperishable which is spread all over your body." That is very easy to understand. What is that? If you pinch your body, any part of your body, you feel pain. That means your consciousness. Your consciousness is imperishable. The body is changing. When you took your birth from the mother's womb you were a small child. But perhaps you may remember your childhood activities. The consciousness is the same, but the body has changed. The body has changed. If you have got sharp memory you can remember so many things of your past life, and that means the consciousness is the same but body is changing. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Asmin dehe, in this body, there is one thing which is the proprietor of the body. And that proprietor of the body, due to the presence of the proprietor of the body, the body is changing from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youthhood, from youthhood to old age. And when it is too old, when it is not useful any more, you have to change another body, that is called death. So dhīras tatra na muhyati. One who is intelligent, one who is in the knowledge, he is not bewildered. He sees that every second, every moment, the body is changing, and the last phase of change is called death.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

So the sanātana-dhāma... Vṛndāvana is also part of the sanātana-dhāma. The living entity is sanātana, eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). He do not die after destruction of this body. This is the preliminary instruction to understand Vedic knowledge, or spiritual knowledge. If you do not understand the plain fact that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I live within this body..." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he's called kṣetrajña.

Lecture at Krsna Niketan -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

A flower is fructified. Can you explain how it is fructified? It is taking place. The foolish persons, they say "Automatically." No. The machine is so expert that it is taking... The machine is working. The nature is working, but we are not so expert to understand. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. We are thinking it is taking automatically. No. It is not. It is taking very perfectly, and we are so ignorant that we cannot understand. We should always know our position, how much we are ignorant. I am claiming I am the... "It is my body." How your nails are growing, can you explain? Why there is no sensation in the nail? So many things you are unaware, even of your body. So how you can be aware that how your body is changing? You have to learn, therefore, from authorities, "It is being done." Just like Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāra... (BG 2.13). That is the process of knowledge. You have to know from the authorities how things are there. The person who is actually enacting, you have to know from Him. Otherwise, there is no possibility of knowledge.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

I have given you some introduction to the Bhagavad-gītā, that this Bhagavad-gītā contains subject matter relating to God, to the living entity—īśvara, jīva—and prakṛti, and the time factor, and karma. Now, in the beginning, the six chapters in the Bhagavad-gītā are simply devoted to understand what is the constitutional position of the jīva. The living entities are eternal. That is stated in the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ... (BG 2.13). (break)... dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura (BG 16.6). Asmin loke, in this world, there are two kinds of living entities, not only in human society but also in animal society, in trees, in plants, in... There are 8,400,000 species of life—aquatic, plants, trees, reptiles, insects, birds, beasts, then human beings, civilized human beings, noncivilized human beings.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

So the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage is described that when one realizes his own self, that is called mukti, liberation. As soon as one understands that "I am not this body. I am something different from this body..." That anyone can understand very easily. That's not a very big job. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Just like in your childhood you were in a body which was called baby or child. Now I am old man. I can remember in my childhood I was so small, but that body is gone. Now I have got a different body. But I am there. This is the understanding. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

The man's knowledge should be developed to find out this technology, what is the difference between a living man and a dead man, a living body and dead body. That is spiritual knowledge. That is... That was taught by Kṛṣṇa in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna was talking as a friend, replying Him as a friend. Of course, he was... Whatever he was talking, that was right, but that was right to a certain point. Beyond that point, there are other subject matter of knowledge, which is called adhokṣaja, where our direct perception of material knowledge fails to approach. Just like we cannot see. There are so many microscopes, powerful microscopes. Then find out within this body where is the soul. No, there is no microscope. But soul is there. Soul is there. Bhagavad-gītā informs,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Asmin dehe, in this body, there is a proprietor of this body. Just like I am proprietor of my body, you are proprietor of your body. I say, "My hand." I don't say, "I hand." It is my hand. So I am different from this hand. Just like say, "It is my book," so book is different from me. "It is my table." Similarly, "my hand," "my eyes," "my leg," "my this," "my that." But where I am? Search out. That is meditation. "Where I am? What I am?"

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

There are so many microscopes, powerful microscopes. Then find out within this body where is the soul. No, there is no microscope. But soul is there. Soul is there. Bhagavad-gītā informs,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Asmin dehe, in this body, there is a proprietor of this body. Just like I am proprietor of my body, you are proprietor of your body. I say, "My hand." I don't say, "I hand." It is my hand. So I am different from this hand. Just like say, "It is my book," so book is different from me. "It is my table." Similarly, "my hand," "my eyes," "my leg," "my this," "my that." But where I am? Search out. That is meditation. "Where I am? What I am?"

Lecture Excerpt -- London, August 13, 1971:

The so-called scientists, they say, "We are trying." You can try on, but it is beyond your experience, beyond your knowledge. Your senses are all imperfect. You can... You cannot understand soul by experimental knowledge. You have to hear from the authority. Just like Kṛṣṇa says,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

This is the process. But you can think over. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehe means "Within this body, there is the proprietor of the body." That is soul. Now, by experimenting, by taking in somebody's body, just like in medical science they dissect the body, you cannot find out. It is so small. Therefore you are saying, "There is no soul." But there is soul. From your experimental knowledge, you cannot understand where is that soul, but there is soul. When the soul is out, the body is dead, useless.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

So we do not know, we are not certain that what kind of body I am going to get next, but we will have one body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). As I am getting one type of body from another type... In my this life, I was a child, I was a baby, I was a boy, I was a young man, now I am old man. As I am changing my body differently—I was a small child, I can remember personally. When I was about 6 months old, I was lying down on the lap of my eldest sister. She was at that time married, and she was knitting. I remember. I was seeing how she was knitting. I can remember. But where is that body? Then another body, another body, another body. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Similarly, when I give up this body, then I must accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. But that I do not know. That will be considered by higher authorities, daiva-netreṇa, exactly as I told you that the service record is checked by higher authorities and he is promoted.

Lecture -- Delhi, December 13, 1971:

So, here in this life also we see according to the change of the body, the duty is changed. The activities are changing. So, this body is changing, that's a fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Just like in this life we are changing different types of bodies, similarly dehāntara-prāptiḥ, another body. These rascals, they do not understand the simple reasoning. Simple logic they cannot understand, still they argue, "What is the proof there is transmigration of the soul?" Here is the proof. That this child, Sarasvatī, when she is a grown-up lady she'll not act like that. But everyone will accept her, Sarasvatī, the same character (?). Her father, mother, relatives, everything is there, Sarasvatī has got another body. So what is the difficulty to understand this logic? That the soul is immortal and the body is changing. What is the difficulty? Just try to understand, you have to preach immortality of the soul, transmigration of the soul. What is the difficulty? Simple logic. What is the difficulty? Can anyone say? No difficulty? Will you be able to convince others?

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

We cannot surpass the vigilance of material nature by committing or by executing sinful life. That is not possible. Therefore in our movement we ask everybody, especially our serious students, to refrain from four kinds of sinful activities: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. These are the pillars of sinful life. If you think that you are enjoying life by indulging in these four kinds of sense gratification, that means you are implicating yourself. The chance of human body which you have got now to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you misuse it and indulge in sinful life, then next life is waiting as cats and dogs. That is nature's law. But if we forget the nature's law, if you simply become puffed-up by false education, that is another thing. You can do that. But real fact is this: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

You have to change this dress. You have to change this body. And next body is depending on your activities. If you act sinfully, then you have to take the body, by force of nature, as cats and dogs. That is certain. Don't risk your life. Take the opportunity of human life and be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972:

So the soul is eternal and the body is changing. That is explained in this Bhagavad-gītā. Most of you are well known to this book, Bhagavad-gītā. It is widely read book all over the world. So the first instruction given in the Bhagavad-gītā is this:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

These two lines of Bhagavad-gītā, that how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another, if we simply study these two lines, then our life becomes different. But nobody cares to understand that the soul is eternal. It is changing, transmigrating from one type of body to another body.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

There are so many babies here. I was also a baby. My body, I had a body like a baby on the lap of my mother. I can remember that. Then I became a child, then I became a boy, then I became a young man, now I am old man. Now, the bodies, different bodies, I possessed. I remember. But those bodies are no more existing. Where is my childhood body? Where is my boyhood body? Where is my youthhood body? They're all gone. So although the bodies are gone, I remember that I had a body of a child, I had a body of a boy, I had a body of young man. Therefore I am eternal, my bodies are not eternal. Therefore the conclusion should be: when I change this body, then I'll exist. That is... Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra... (BG 2.13). Everything is there, either you study yourself or take the lesson from the Vedic version.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

The Vedic version is that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Just like the... I am changing, you are changing, everyone is changing. Every second, every moment, we are changing bodies. So similarly, changing of this body, accepting another body. After leaving this body, I'll accept another body. That body is not in my hands. What kind of body I am going to accept next, that depends on my work here, in this body. I am preparing my next body in this life. Just like a child is being, a boy is being educated to prepare his next life. If he is nicely educated, his next life is very bright. If he's not nicely educated, that will be very dark. Similarly, this chance, this human form of body, is a junction. From animal forms of life, by gradual process of evolution, I have come to this human form of life. Now I have to make out next what life. You can promote yourself to the higher planetary systems. You can promote yourself to the spiritual world. You can get your eternal life. That is called arthadam. That achievement you can do in this human form of life. So anyone who is attempting to get eternal, blissful life of knowledge, he is intelligent man.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

Actually, I am not this body. Everyone can understand. Just like a dead man. Suppose some of your relatives has died. You are crying, "Oh, my friend has gone. My friend has gone." Your friend is lying there. Why you say that "My friend has gone"? What is the answer? If I say... The dead body, you are crying, "Oh, my relative has gone. My father is gone." I say, "Where he has gone? He is there. Why you are crying?" Then what will be your answer?

Indian guest: No, I mean that that is the ultimate scheme for...

Prabhupāda: But that you understand, that that... What is that? What is that? You have never seen your father or friend. You have seen this body. Now you are crying, "Now he has gone." Where he has gone? You have seen the body all along. That is lying here. Why you say he has gone? What is your answer? This is ignorance. All along I am seeing the false thing: "He is my father; I am the body." But he's not my father. Actually, when father, my, goes away from this body, I cry, "Oh, my father has gone." Where he has gone? His, the body is there. This is ignorance. It is not scientific. Because I'm thinking, "I am this body," this is not scientific. This is ignorance. So in this way you have to study. But the answer is there in the Vedic literature: tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). "My father has accepted another body." This is scientific. Dhīra, one who is sober, he is not lamenting.

Lecture -- Laguna Beach, September 30, 1972:

They are thinking that "By bodily comfort, by sense gratification, we shall be happy." But that is not possible. We do not know. Actually we have no knowledge. Dehāntaraṁ-prāptiḥ.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

You, me—every one of us—is encaged within this body. I am spirit soul; you are spirit soul. That is the Vedic injunction. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman." That means spirit. Not Para-brahman. Don't mistake. Para-brahman is God. We are Brahman, part and parcel of God, fragments, but not the Supreme. Supreme is different.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Everyone is trying to live. Nobody wants to die. Nobody wants to take birth. He's afraid of dying and again entering into the womb of mother. But less intelligent class of men, because they cannot make any solution, they make a wash-off: "Oh, there is no life after death." No. That's not fact. That's not fact. There is life.

In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Tathā dehāntaraṁ-prāptir. Just like we have got different types of body in this life. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man, I..., I was a something else. Now I have got this old body. So as I am existing after changing so many different phases of body, therefore the conclusion should be that after annihilation of this body, I shall exist, and, which is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

Advancement of civilization means how much you have advanced to know the soul and the ultimate goal of the soul, how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

The... We living entities... We are all souls, living entities; similarly, God is also a living entity. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's the supreme living entity.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

So the sanātana-dharma means that to find out the eternal engagement of the living entity. At the present moment, the living entity is changing the position. As we change our position even during this life—sometimes I am working in this office, sometimes working in that office, sometimes in this way, sometimes that way—similarly, we are changing eternally. We are creating our desires within the mind, thinking, feeling and willing, and according to the thinking, feeling and willing, we are getting a certain type of body, one after another. This is the process. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir (BG 2.13). Just like in this span of life, I was a child. Everyone was. Everyone remembers. Then I became a boy. I was playing. I can remember what I was doing in my childhood, boyhood. Then I became a young man. That also I remember. But those things have passed as dream. Now I am a different condition of life as old man. But I, the spirit soul, I remember that I was a child, I was a baby, I was a boy, I was a young man. Now I am old man. So the conclusion should be that although I have changed my bodies, I remember all these things. So the body and the remembering capacity, mean the subtle body, thinking, feeling and willing... That is called subtle body. We are now encaged in two types of body. Just like you are encaged with shirt and coat, similarly, I or you, living entity, is encaged in two types of body. The subtle body is mind, intelligence and ego, and the gross body is made of five elements: fire, earth, water, air, fire, and ether. These are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

Indian man (2): Is there any subject matter to contact ātmā, or self, what we call?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ātmā is there.

Indian man (2): Any matter of contacting him?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore your material method is imperfect to detect where is the soul. The soul is there, and the dimension is also there: one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair. So you have no eyes to see. But soul is there; that is evident. But as soon as the soul is gone, this body—is beautiful body—is a dead lump of matter only. That distinction is there. Therefore we have to hear from the authority what is that soul. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is describing... First of all, He said that there is soul within this body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehaṁ dehī, deha. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam... (BG 2.13). Because the soul is there, therefore we are changing different types of body. Just like because you are living, therefore there is coat and shirt. But if you are not living, what is the use of this coat and shirt? There is no question of coat and shirt. Similarly, because the soul is there, therefore the body has developed, according to the desire of the soul. But it is very, very minute. With our, these blunt eyes and blunt senses, we cannot capture.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

So the sanātana-dhāma. Vṛndāvana is also part of the sanātana-dhāma. The living entity is sanātana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We do not die after destruction of this body. This is the preliminary instruction to understand Vedic knowledge, or spiritual knowledge. If you do not understand the plain fact that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I live within this body..." Dehino' smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ. Dehina means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhiyate (BG 13.2). This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he is called kṣetra-jña. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they have come to this understanding of kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Ksetre-jña means I, you. I know about my body, about the interest of my body. If somebody wants to kill me, I take protection because it is my body, kṣetra.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

Unfortunately at the present moment, people do not know that there is soul and the soul transmigrates from one body to another. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Big, big professors... I've talked with big, big scientists, professors, but they do not know that there is life after death. They do not know. But according to our Vedic information, we know. And we can ex..., experience in this present life. It is very common thing. Just like a baby has got a body of a boy. The boy has got a body again of a youth, young man. The young man has got a body again of a old man. So similarly, old man, after annihilation of this body, he'll get another body. It is very, quite natural, logical. And we change our body. Although this gross body's destroyed, we change our body by the subtle body.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

Eating is meant for maintaining your body. That is done by the animals also. These things are not cultural advancement. Real cultural advancement is to know that "I am not this body." "I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the difference.

So this education is in India. This Bhagavad-gītā. The beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

This is Eastern gift. So I have gone to the Western countries to give this Eastern gift. And it is being accepted by your children. All these American, European boys, they're accepting it. Not only hundreds, but thousands. People say that "Swamijī, you are doing wonderful." I say I am not doing wonderful. I do not know any magic. I have no mystic power. But I am presenting actually the Eastern culture to the West. That's all.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

But why the nations are not united? It is is, it is simply a show only. Because lack of knowledge. It is due to lack of knowledge. What is that lack of knowledge? Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Everyone is thinking: "I am this body." They have gone to unite together. But their basic principle of knowledge is the same, that "I am this body." American, he's thinking: "I am this body. American." Russian, he's thinking: "I am this body, Russian." And they are fighting. Why the fighting? Due to this body. But if we understand this very simple thing, that I am not this body, everything is united. So the lack of knowledge is there. How we'll be united, culturally or this way? It is not possible. The first lack of knowledge must be eradicated, that why you, why we are missing the point? This is the point.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Asmin dehe, in this body, there is the proprietor of the body. That is soul. Asmin dehe, on this body, there is the proprietor of the body. this proprietor of the body constantly changing different types of bodies.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

So this is Brahman realization, that "I have no death. I have no birth." This is Brahman realization. The birth and death is concerned with this body, and I am not this body.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ jauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

(BG 2.13)

Just like I, living entity, I am all existing in this body. I'm changing bodies so many times. I was a baby; I changed that body. I became a boy or a child. Then I became a boy; I changed my body. Then I became a young man; I changed my body. Then I became an old man; I changed my body. All those bodies, different types of body—babyhood, childhood, boyhood, youthhood—they are now gone, and now I'm existing in this old body. So it will also go. But that does not mean that I'll be finished. No. I'll accept another body. As I am changing different types of bodies, I am existing. Similarly, when I shall change this body, I shall exist in another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dhīra means those who are sober. He's not bewildered.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life, passing through 8,400,000, about 8,300,000 species of life. Then we come to this form of life, civilized human being. So this should not be misused in the business of cats and dogs. This should be used for better purposes. This better purpose is to understand oneself, what he is actually, whether he is this body, whether he is this mind, or whether he's different from body and mind, a spiritual spark. That is real knowledge.

So Kṛṣṇa is delivering this knowledge in the Bhagavad-gītā, and Arjuna is receiving. The beginning of His instruction was that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Kṛṣṇa first began this lesson: "My dear Arjuna, you are not this body. Why you are lamenting about this body? You are not this body. Neither your so-called relatives, they are this body. They are different." Asmin dehe. In this body there is the proprietor of the body, the dehī. Just like you are the coat and shirt, you are the proprietor of the coat and shirt. Similarly, this body is also covering. The subtle body and the gross body—coat and shirt. But we are different from this coat and shirt. That is the beginning of the instruction.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

Living entity is eternal; he does not die, he does not take birth. Na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit. Eternal. Then why he dies? That death is of this material body, not of the eternal soul. So although we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvataḥ, still we have to accept different types of body. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Dehino'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). So this transmigration of the soul from one body to another is not very good business. Who wants to die? Nobody wants to die. But he has to die. He must die. There is no question of he likes or not likes.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

We do not know that this human form of life we have got by the evolutionary process, going through so many lives. Just like in our present life we can understand that I have come to this body, old body, through child's body, boy's body, youth's body, in this way. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not manufactured.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāra yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

You have to accept this, dehāntara-prāpti, from one body to another. Where is my childhood body? That is gone. Where is my boyhood body? That is gone. Where is my youthhood body? That is gone. Not only for me, for everyone. There is past, present and future. Similarly, when this body will be gone, I will get another body. Where is the difficulty to understand? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dhīra. Because we are not sober... There are two classes of men: dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means sober, thinking, thoughtful, and adhīra means restless. So with restless brain, it is difficult, but if you have got sober brain, then there is no difficulty to understand that "I am eternal. I was in the child's body, I was in the baby's body, I was in the boy's body, I was in a young man's body. Now I have got a different body. I am living asmin dehe." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). It is very easy to understand, but Kṛṣṇa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati: "Those who are sober, they can understand."

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

...and produce your own food. If you work only three months, you get the whole year's provision. Whole year's provision. The balance time, you save. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. And be spiritually advanced. Be human being. Otherwise, it is risky. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). After all, we have to change this body; however big plan we may make, we have to give up this plan, and we have to change this body. But there is no guarantee what kind of body we are going to get. Suppose I, this time, this life, I am very busy for constructing a big skyscraper building, and next time, next life, if I get the body of a cat or dog, so I'll have to live in that house because I have got attraction as a cat and dog, and who will care for me? So these are the facts. Because nobody can change the nature's law. Nature's law is exactly like infectious disease. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22).

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

At the time of death, as the mind is absorbed, I mean to say, full of thoughts, according to that full of thoughts, we are given another gross body. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that anta-kale, yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). Bhāvam, the attitude, the modes of the mind at the time of death, will carry me to the next gross body. Therefore it is necessary to prepare ourself what kind of body we are going to get after death. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "After death, the soul," tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), "gets another body." Now, we can see in our experience, there are so many different types of bodies. There are 900,000 species of bodies in the water. There are two million different types of bodies in the vegetables kingdom, means the trees and plants. There are eleven hundred thousand species of life in the insect kingdom. There are one million types of bodies in the bird kingdom. And there are three million types of bodies in the beast life. And there are 400,000 species of body in the human society. Out of them, the civilized man is considered to be perfectly in bodily situation.

Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:

So at the present moment we are on the dress consciousness: "I am German dress," "I am Englishman dress," "I am Indian dress," "I am male dress," "I am female dress." So this is called conditioned life. So in this conditioned life we are accepting one type of body and we are dying. Dying means giving up and being transmigrated, transferred to another body by the laws of material nature. It is not under my control. You cannot say that "After giving up this German body, I shall accept again another German body." That is not in your hands, sir. It is under the laws of nature. You cannot propose. You cannot force material nature. After this body, I can get any other body. That is stated here: tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Another form of a body. That form of body may be any one of the 8,400,000 forms of body. Therefore, if we are actually intelligent, we should try for being awakened or placed in our original body, the spiritual body. That will stop this constant change of body.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

So we have to transfer ourself to the spiritual energy, because we are spirit. Just like you take the fish on the land. Because land is not the place for the fish, however you try to make him comfortable, he will never be comfortable. You throw him in the water—he is comfortable. Similarly, we are spirit. We are now encaged within this material body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). So our business should be how to get out of this material energy and put ourself under the spiritual energy. Then our life will be fully satisfied. So in this human life, this is a prerogative, how to get out of this material energy and put again into the spiritual energy. So this process is described: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).

La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:

This Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the perfect person. We receive knowledge from the perfect person. When we receive knowledge from imperfect person, the knowledge is not complete. At the present age, mostly the scientists, they cannot give us perfect knowledge, because there are so many "if's." They say, "It may be," "Perhaps," like that. But this is not perfect knowledge. The perfect knowledge means there is no "if," there is no "perhaps," there is no doubt. So we are receiving knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the supreme perfect being. He says that dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe. Asmin means this, this body. You have got your body; I have got my body. So within this body, there is the proprietor of the body. Asmin dehe. Dehinaḥ asmin. Dehe means the proprietor of the body. I do not see you; I see your body, you see my body. But within the body the proprietor is lying, or he is situated. That we do not see. But we can understand. Suppose my beloved father is dead or somebody is dead. I cry, "My father is gone." So where is your father gone? He is lying there, unconscious. He may come to consciousness. But we say, "No, he is gone." Dead means gone. So factually I never saw my father who has gone. I saw the body of my father, and that is lying on the bed. Why I am crying, "My father is gone"? Therefore this is called ignorance. We do not see the real father within the body, or we do not see the real son within the body. We see the outward dress only. This is ignorance.

La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:

So we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on the platform of the spirit soul, which we do not see with these material eyes. This is great ignorance. After death we cry that "My father is gone," "My son is gone." But where he has gone? He is lying on the bed. Now, even still, we do not come to the understanding what is the difference between the living body and the dead body. There are so many theories, but as I have already told you that we receive knowledge from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. He says that within this body the owner of the body is there, and on account of the owner of the body presence, the body is changing. The owner of the body is sometimes in the childhood body; the owner of the body sometimes in a different boyhood body; the owner of the body is sometimes in the youthhood body. Similarly, as he is changing different types of body during this duration of life, similarly, after this annihilation of this body, when it is old... Just like old garment or old coat, old shirt cannot be used—it is thrown away; another new shirt, new coat is taken—similarly, this body, being annihilated, the soul accepts another body. This is a real knowledge. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā very broadly.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

So long the soul is there, the dull material body is moving. And as soon as the soul is gone, you will cry, "My father has gone away." Why your father gone? It is lying there. Why do you say, "My father has gone away"? This is ignorance. We do not know what is soul. We see the body. So long I have seen the body of my father. Now the soul has gone. I am crying, "My father has gone away." But did you see your father? "Yes, that body." The body is there. Why you are crying? So it is very common sense affair to understand where there is soul. A big stone, a big mountain, it cannot move although it is so big. And a small ant is moving. Why? There is soul. So how can you say the animals have no soul? This is ignorance. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). The soul being within the body means it is changing the body from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, like that. And if the child is born dead—no more change of body. That is the proof that there is soul.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is enjoying. Kṛṣṇa is enjoying in the company of Rādhārāṇī. This is blissfulness. And although we have got our wife, there are so many difficulties to maintain. That's it. He has got His body, but His body is different from our this body. Although apparently He has got two hands, two legs, but they are unlimitedly potential, full of bliss. That's a... God can expand. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "The Lord is situated in everyone's heart." But we cannot do that. I cannot even know what you are feeling, pains and pleasure. But God He can know. Otherwise why we offer prayer to God? He knows. In this way you have to study what is God. Although apparently He has got two hands, two legs, but that hands and legs are not like ours. We have got our hands and legs. That is within this body. Just like your coat has got hand, but that hand is not real hand—the real hand is within the coat—similarly, we have got also hands and legs, but that is within this material body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yau... (BG 2.13). Within this body. We should not be concerned with your coat and shirt. We should be concerned with you. Similarly, we are now materially dressed. We should not be concerned with the dress. We should be concerned what is there within the dress. That is knowledge.

Lecture on Manipur Dancing -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

Our material existence is due to our lusty desires in the heart. That is hṛd-rogam. That is our heart disease. And we are suffering in this material world for this heart disease life after life. People have lost their intelligence that they cannot understand that there is life after death. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). They have become so fools and rascals that they do not understand this simple truth as it is said in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. We are seeking after this pleasure of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs or with the cowherds boys. Kṛṣṇa has got many associates, and the topmost associates are the gopīs. So we are seeking after that happiness, but we are being misled by the lusty desires. So I am very glad to see the dance, Manipuri dance, but it should be properly utilized. It should not be utilized as lusty dance. It is ānanda-cinmaya, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), His expansion.

Lecture on Manipur Dancing -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

The process is to follow or to chant about Kṛṣṇa's activities. Follow means in the paramparā system to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Do not understand or misunderstand Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being like one of us. No. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Kṛṣṇa comes to attract you, that "You are seeking after happiness. Here is the happiness. Come to Me. Dance with Me." But we are misled. There is life like this, that you can dance with Kṛṣṇa, you can play with Kṛṣṇa, you can enjoy with Kṛṣṇa. So that requires training. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). These things are there. If you become trained up, then exactly after giving up this life, you can go to dance with Kṛṣṇa. That is possible. It is not a myth, mythology, as rascals think. No. You can have this life, dance with Kṛṣṇa, play with Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have to become trained up.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says that we don't take this body as yourself. Asmin dehe. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam... (BG 2.13). This transformation of the body, that is natural. But within the body, the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa is there. That you have to understand, that is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. We have to understand what is there within the body. That is the beginning of spiritual education. Unfortunately, the whole world is going on under the impression that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am European..." That is condemned in the śāstra.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Bhakti means when we, you use your senses, hrsikena... Hrsikena means "by the senses"; hṛṣīkeśam, "the master of the senses." Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate: "This is called bhakti." At the present moment, under the condition of material nature, we are using our senses for our sense gratification. That is called conditional stage. And we are becoming subjected to so many changes of circumstances in different bodies. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are creating a different situation by utilizing senses for our personal sense gratification, and we have become bound up, bound by the laws of nature. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yajñārthe karma anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Karma-bandhana. Yajña. Yajña means Viṣṇu, yajña-puruṣa. If you work for Kṛṣṇa, then you are doing right; otherwise you have become implicated. Yajñarthe karma anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). This is the teaching of Bhagavad-gītā.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

We have come from the spiritual world in this material world. We have forgotten our father. So we have to revive this relationship with our father, or God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is the main business of human life. In other species of life lower than the human being it is not possible to revive our old relationship with God. But in this life... Therefore this is the greatest opportunity. After all, we are under the grip of material nature's law. That is explained in there. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). According to our desire, we are creating a different type of body, and after death, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Just like the child is become a boy, the boy is becoming young man, the young man is becoming middle-aged man, and the middle-aged man is becoming old man. So what is next after the old body? The next is tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: you have to accept another body. This is called chain or cycle of birth and death, or transmigration of the soul. This is going on. So if you want to... But nobody wants to die. Nobody wants to change this body. But this is a problem. One should know it. That is the first instruction given by Kṛṣṇa... (break) ...Arjuna, that we are changing. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. So this is the opportunity, human life.

Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:

So we living entities, we are here in this material world. We are loitering in different bodies. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Now I am Indian or American. I am very great leader, Indian leader or American. Next moment I may become a dog or cat. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ is absolute. There is no question of... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). As we are working, creating a mentality—just like if I am infecting some disease, then I have to suffer from that disease—so similarly, this material world is consisting of three modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, and mixed. So we are infecting according to our activities. The first-class position is to become a qualified brāhmaṇa. Śamo damo satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣa ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So that is the best quality. And next the kṣatriya quality, next the vaiśya quality... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). So according to the infection of different qualities, we are preparing the next body, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). This is karma. You work as a brāhmaṇa, you work as a kṣatriya, svakarma, according to your capacity, quality. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā, guṇa. These guṇa... As we are associating with the qualities and acting, then we are creating a body next life. So next life, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ... (BG 2.13). As we pass from one form of body even in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, youth-hood to old age... Kṛṣṇa begins His instruction with this point, that we must know what we are. We are not this body. If we remain in the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

This body is already dead. It is matter, dead matter. But you should try to understand the living spirit within this body. The next verse He said that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

This is knowledge, beginning of knowledge. Try to understand about the soul, the part of Para-brahman, the spark of Para-brahman, the spirit soul. That is within this body. So "You are lamenting on this body, but you have no information of the active principle within the body." So nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ: "So this is not the statement of a paṇḍita." In other way He... He is friend. Or as śiṣya..., that "This kind of things never happens in the case of a paṇḍita." That means, "My dear friend, you are apaṇḍita. You are not paṇḍita." One who does not know about the spirit soul, he is not a paṇḍita. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. This transmigration of the soul... Just like you condole d one Rotarian who has died. But Kṛṣṇa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati. "Yes, he's not dead. He has transmigrated to another body. He's not dead." That is the... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

So people do not understand that there is life after death. But Bhagavān says, "Yes, there is life after death." Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So dehāntara-prāpti, two kinds of dehāntara-prāpti, either towards the hell or towards heaven, towards liberation and towards bondage. So liberation means mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). We want liberation. Then mahat-sevā, we have to take shelter of mahātmā. And if you want to go to the darkest region of material existence, then yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam, sense enjoyment... Yoṣit means woman. So the last resort of sense enjoyment is sex life. So if we indulge in sex life, then yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Not only directly we indulge in sex life, but even indirectly we associate with persons who are only interested in sex life... The whole world is interested in sex life. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat. This material world is existing on this mithunī-bhāva. So tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Therefore you'll find in the Vedic way of life, sex indulgence is restricted. If we indulge in sex life than it is absolutely required, then we are gliding towards hellish condition of life. And if we follow the path of mahātmās, mahat-sevā, that is dvāram āhur vimukteḥ. We are making progress towards liberation.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 19, 1977:

So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, giving the first instruction to Arjuna, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptir (BG 2.13). The Brahman, the spirit soul, the part and parcel of Para-brahman, is dehi. Asmin dehe. In this body he is the proprietor of the body. Dehi and deha. Deha means this body, and dehi means the proprietor of the body. So that dehi, or the proprietor of the body, is Brahman. Brahma-jijñāsā. If we are inquisitive to know about Brahman, first of all we must know that I or you, any spirit soul, is Brahman, and he's within this body. We are not the... Other words, we are not this body; we are within this body.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:

So if we simply accept eternity like the Māyāvādīs, then what about the other two items? Or if we simply live in knowledge... Suppose theoretically I know so many things to prepare-rasagullā, sandeśa, halavā, kachorī—but if I do not practically taste what is halavā, what is kachorī, then what is the use of simply having knowledge? So the Māyāvādī philosophy like that, jñāna, simply knowledge. That knowledge is there in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning, the first lesson: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam (BG 2.13). "Within the body there is the soul. That soul is eternal." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na jāyate na mriya... This is the first lesson, that "I am Brahman. I am spirit soul. I am eternal. I do not die even after the annihilation..." This is the first lesson. It doesn't require much time, that we have to devote our whole life to understand that "I am Brahman." It can be understood even by a child. It is not very difficult. But how to engage myself as Brahman, that requires education.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: What does he mean by survive? What is the meaning of his dictionary, "survive"? Nobody survives.

Hayagrīva: Well, by that he means that the strong pass on their hereditary characteristics to their offspring, and that the race..., no individual survives, but that the race improves. But isn't this contradicted by the Vedas? In the present Kali... For instance, Arjuna's physical powers, prowess, was much greater, and that was, what, five thousand years ago. So isn't, instead of improving, instead of the race improving in strength and other qualities, isn't it actually...

Prabhupāda: They are degrading.

Hayagrīva: ...degenerating. What is the cause of man's physical, mental and spiritual deterioration in the succeeding yugas?

Prabhupāda: That is education. Every individual person, he is a soul, and he has got a particular type of body. Especially in the human body he requires education. What is this animal and what is higher than human race, these are Vedic description. So there are 8,400,000 different forms of life, and the body is being evolved. The body is machine, and the individual soul desires and he gets a suitable body made by material nature under the order of God. This is Vedic idea, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). God is existing within the core of everyone's heart, and the individual soul is desiring something, and upon the order God he is given a machine made by material nature. So this is evolution, and even a man, although he is human form of body, he can again degenerate to animal form of body according to his desire. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). He has to change the body, and the body is changed according to his work and desire. In the animal kingdom they have also desires, but they are under the laws of nature changing body, and one is given the chance to become a human being, and then he may desire, and according to his desires he gets the next body. If he likes, he can go higher forms of life, and if he degenerates he goes lower form of life.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Hayagrīva: Within the world Bergson sees nothing but constant, unceasing change. He even sees ego change. He says, "If our existence were composed of separate states with an impassive ego to unite them, for us there would be no duration, for an ego which does not change does not endure, and a psychic state which remains the same so long as it is not replaced by the following state does not endure either." So he sees the psychic state of the individual in the ego and all that the ego contains as cognitively changing.

Prabhupāda: This is false ego, that "I am this body." So it has to be changed by education, that "You are not this body." Then when he understands that he is spirit soul, then the activities of the spirit soul begin, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). That is stated in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, that first of all he has to understand that he is not this material body; he is spirit soul. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Within this body the soul is there, and that soul is Brahman, spiritual. People, if they do not understand this, so they are in the animal status of life. But if he understands that he is not this body, then his struggle for existence, to maintain the body, stops. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: Prahlāda Mahārāja says that (indistinct). He says that śoce tato muni vimukha-cetasa(?): "I am simply thinking of these rascals who are without God consciousness." Tato muni (indistinct): "They are averse to God. I am thinking of them." Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). These rascals, simply for māyā-sukha, temporary happiness, they are busy, always running here and there for constructing hundred and fifty-stories' house, and bring your money for that. Very busy, very busy. Just like Mr. Birla, he's always busy, (he) cannot see (you). They do not know that "What happiness I am creating?" (indistinct) Just at the end of my life (indistinct). As soon as I close my eyes and I go away from this body, all these things that I have created will be finished. I cannot remember, you cannot remember what was in your past life. But you are eternal, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So suppose I was a king in my last life, I was another Birla, or Birla's servant, (indistinct). Suppose I was Jawaharlal Nehru, or Gandhi. So what benefit I am deriving now? Who is respecting me as Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru? (indistinct) Even I do not know that my photograph or statue is being worshiped. I do not know that. Such foolish persons.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to teach the living entity that as living being you must have desires. If your desires are stopped, then you become like stone. So you have to cleanse this desire, diseased form of desire. That is bhakti. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Now the desires are according to the upādhi, according to the body. A man gets the body of American, he thinks, "America is my home. American nation, they are my brother. American upliftment is my business," so on, so on. And as soon as it is changed, you are Chinese man, again he thinks, "I am Chinese." Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). He has to change. He has got the material body of a dog, he is barking, "I am dog. This is my business, to bark." So this is all desires. So these desires are temporary. By one desire I get one body, then I desire another body, another body, it is going. So therefore in one sense it is dream, that factually he cannot fulfill the desires, like dream. Yes. There are so many different circumstances.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: Yes. He says that so; therefore that's no solution. He says that death and life are integral.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Hayagrīva: That they are comp..., they go together, death...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: ...and life.

Prabhupāda: Because the will is there, therefore death is not stoppage of life. He gets another life, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So this proves that the life or the person who is willing, desiring, he is eternal, but he does not know what should be his eternal willing. That is his defect. So we are teaching this. His eternal willing is that he should always will to serve Kṛṣṇa. Then he will be happy.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: He says that philosophy is that mental activity which seeks to analyze or clarify the meanings of scientific propositions.

Prabhupāda: This is philosophy: to study what is this body and how it is moving. This is analytical study. And you come to the understanding that the body is a dead lump of matter, there is something which is called the soul. Because the soul is there. This is scientific truth. One who has not this knowledge, he is not scientific; he is foolish.

Śyāmasundara: In other words, if you make a scientific proposition that "Because I am, the body moves," that is your scientific proposition?

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is scientific proposition.

Śyāmasundara: Then philosophy is a clarification of that proposition.

Prabhupāda: Clarification... It is supported by the greatest authority, Kṛṣṇa. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). He says that, the greatest authority, God Himself, He says that as the body's changing in different phases of my life, similarly, ultimately, at the end, this body is left and another body is accepted. That is scientific. It is not our bogus proposition. It is supported by the whole Vedic knowledge and especially by Kṛṣṇa, and who can be greater authority than Kṛṣṇa? That will be scientific.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: In the atheistic Communism he says, "The goals of religion, deliverance from evil, reconciliation with God, rewards in the hereafter, and so on, turns into worldly promises about freedom from care for one's daily bread, the just distribution of material goods, universal prosperity in the future, and shorter working hours." In other words, material, worldly promises are given.

Prabhupāda: In the Communism?

Hayagrīva: In, in atheistic Com..., in Communism.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But they have no idea of spiritual life, neither they can understand that there is spirit with the soul, within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). That they cannot understand.