Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He's asking a question, Śrīla Prabhupāda: isn't it important to mold the activities of ourselves and also the children who come into this movement; to mold them so that we can become Kṛṣṇa conscious?
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is our gurukula is there. Now these children are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious . . . (indistinct) . . . we see how they are learning Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are doing the same thing: offering obeisances to the Deities, taking prasādam, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, in the same way as his father is doing. So automatically he's being trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Good association, that is required. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ (SB 3.25.25). We are keeping this house why? For association of devotees, so that automatically they become Kṛṣṇa conscious by association. The most unfortunate position is that there is no education about future life, or the perfection of life. The education is the animal education—the animal eating, we are eating. If we are eating on table, or nice place, nice chair, then we think we are advanced. But the business is the eating. Similarly sleeping. The dog is sleeping on the street—we are sleeping in good apartment, skyscraper building. They are thinking this is advancement of civilization. But actually the business is sleeping. Similarly sex life. The dog is having sex life on the street, we are having in a very nice apartment. The business is sex. In this way our modern activities are animal activities, but in a polished way. But that does not make any difference between the animal propensities and so-called civilized life. Civilized life is there when we understand what is God, our relationship with God. That is civilized life. But that is lacking. There is no such education. The education is only the same animal life in a polished way, that's all.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, could it be said that in a society where stress is placed on developing this understanding of God, people would naturally become disinclined for these so-called modern activities of sense gratification?
Prabhupāda: That is the best qualification. If he becomes disinterested with these so-called modern civilized activities, that is the perfection of life. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti means the more you become God conscious, you become disinterested with these material activities. And that is needed, because material activities means you are wasting our time. What is the value of animal life? It is risky. If we become like animals, then we'll become animal next birth. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). At the time of death, the mind's position will give me another body. That is nature's law. That we do not know. There is no education how the body is being transferred, how the soul is transferred to a different body. And there are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and at the time of death, according to our mentality, we have to accept by nature's law a type of body which may not be human body. That we do not know. There is no education. The people are kept in darkness about the laws of nature. That is a very risky civilization.
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, sometimes they . . .
Prabhupāda: Just like a . . . without any knowledge if we infect some disease, it will manifest in due course of time, and you'll have to suffer. Similarly, without any knowledge we are infecting the modes of material nature, and according to that modes of material nature, you have to accept a type of body which may not be very comfortable. Of course, there is no comfort when there is death. We don't want death, but there is compulsory death. There is no comfort at all. But still, the short duration of life, if we have little comfort . . . but again if we have discomfortable life, then what is the benefit of this comfort? That material laws of nature we do not know, neither any education about it. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving that education. Therefore it is not a sentimental so-called religious movement, it is a scientific movement of real education, to solve the problems of life.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I don't think human society has been educated to even understand the problem, what to speak of a cure.
Prabhupāda: Problem there is, but he's a fool. Who wants to die? Why this fire brigade is running here and there? To save life. He doesn't want to die.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They will say, though, that everyone has to die.
Prabhupāda: They will say, that is . . . whatever they . . . foolishly whatever they may say, then let them say. Actually he doesn't like to die. Otherwise let there be fire. Why you call fire brigade? Let me die peacefully in the fire. (laughter) Nonsense, he's suffering, but still he says there is no suffering. That is nonsense. That is ignorance. He's suffering every moment, but he does not know why he's suffering. That is ignorance. Just like an animal you are taking into the slaughterhouse. He's suffering, he's screaming, but he does not know, "Why you have taken to slaughterhouse, and I am . . . (indistinct) . . .?" And that is animal life. And when there will be question of "Why I am suffering? I did not want this fire; why there is fire?" that is perfect . . . (indistinct) . . . is there any solution? Then there is human life. And if he remains like animal, and simply try to make some remedial measures . . . he's suffering, undoubtedly, but because he does not take it seriously, therefore he's animal. Animal does not take seriously why he's suffering. That is the distinction between human life and animal life. Suffering is there, but the animal does not take it seriously.
But human life must take it seriously, otherwise he's an animal. There are so many sufferings. This is adhibhau . . . adhidaivika. Adhidaivika: by—you say accident—by nature, by superior power, some miserable condition is enforced upon us. Suppose if there is an earthquake, that is not in your hand, but it may cause some havoc. This is adhidaivika. Similarly, adhibhautika: suffering caused by other living entities. And adhyātmika, suffering caused by this body and mind. So suffering is always there, but we are suffering, we have been accustomed to suffer. But when the question is that, "Why I am suffering? Whether there is any remedy?" that is human life. Otherwise, the animal life. That is the distinction between animal and human life. If there is fire, and there are animals only, dogs and cats, they cannot call fire brigade. They'll die, because they do not know how to take measures. But human being immediately calls fire brigade just to try to save himself. But the suffering is there, either he's animal or human being. But the distinction is the human being tries to counteract it; the animal cannot. So if you simply become subject to this suffering without any remedial measure, then you are animal. And you are suffering and you try for the remedial measure, that is human life. This is plain thing. You cannot say there is no suffering. Suffering is there both for the animal and for the man. The man tries for the remedial measure; the animal cannot.