Nityo nityānām. So every living entity is nitya, as Kṛṣṇa is nitya. He is singular number; we are plural number. That is the difference. We are many; Kṛṣṇa is one. There cannot be many Kṛṣṇa, but there are many living entities. So what is the difference between the singular number? That is also stated here: eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). This one singular number is supplying all the necessities of this plural number. Is it not fact? We are very much disturbed overpopulation. That is all nonsense. Kṛṣṇa is quite able, if there is overpopulation . . . there cannot be overpopulation, because there are already ananta living entities, what to speaking of overpopulation? It is already there; you cannot count. There is no question of . . .
There are already overpopulation. And they can be provided by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. Kṛṣṇa is not limited; He is also unlimited. He can provide unlimited living entities. There is no scarcity of food. So this theory that overpopulation is nonsense. It is also nonsense. There cannot be overpopulation. But there is restriction, by nature. Nature will restrict production of food if there are demons. Nature will not provide the demons.
You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fourth Canto, nature is quite prepared to supply all the foods, but as soon as there are number of demons . . . because the whole plan is to correct. Just like the criminals are sent to the prison house for being corrected so that they may not again commit criminals. That is the purpose of . . . similarly, we are all criminals who are in this material world. The purpose is to be corrected. We wanted to imitate Kṛṣṇa, to become Kṛṣṇa, and therefore we violated the orders of Kṛṣṇa, and that criminality means material life.
- kṛṣṇa bhūliya jiva bhoga vāñchā kare
- pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare
- (Prema-vivarta 6.2)
This is māyā, this material world, māyā. This body is false, māyā. So we have to accept this body because we wanted to enjoy. So enjoy. You enjoy with this body, particular body. Either human's body, or dog's body, or cat's body, or demigod's body, you get as you desire. You get a material body and enjoy. This is material life.
So Kṛṣṇa also . . . although in the material life Kṛṣṇa is providing all necessities of life. Duly, there is seasonal changes. You get seasonal fruits, flowers, grains, and all necessities. You'll be still given chance, especially for the human being, that you get all supplies, necessities. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). All necessities. But again you revive your consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the plan. But if you do not revive your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you simply enjoy the senses, then there will be restriction of supply. This is the law. That is restriction of supply. Therefore there will be no rain. And if there is no rain, what factory will do, you rascal? You can manufacture scissors and knives and buckets of plastic, but you cannot prepare rice and wheat. That is not possible, sir. That will depend on rain. So immediately rains will be restricted. Now you all chew all these kankar. What is this kankar? These stone particles?
Devotee: Pebbles?
Prabhupāda: What are called these? In Hindi, it is called kankar (gravel), Indian.
Revatīnandana: Pebbles?
Prabhupāda: Pebbles, big . . . small. Sand, sand. Yes. So you can eat that. When there is no rain . . . that is also eatable. The peacocks, they eat. The pigeons, they eat. Yes, the . . . they can eat. You have seen? They're eating. So everything is there eatable. So there is no question of overpopulation. Overpopulation is already there, anantyāya kalpate. They why do you call overpopulation? When there is already fire, why do you say there will be fire? It is already there.
So . . . but the restriction, eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That eka, that eka, Kṛṣṇa, He orders. He does not order actually. Just like not every time the police has to be ordered by the superior authority to punish the criminal. They know how to punish. Similarly, the nature knows how to punish these criminals. Therefore, the scientists are finding now shortage of petrol, shortage of this, shortage . . . "What to do? What to do?" This is the position. Otherwise, there is no question of overpopulation. The supply is restricted. That is the problem. Eko yo bahūnām.