Evolution (SB Lectures)

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"evolution" |"evolutional" |"evolutionary" |"evolutionist" |"evolutionists" |"evolutions"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

So that is our main business from the very beginning of life. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This human form of life is so rare, after many, many millions of birth, many many millions of years rotating through different species of life, by the evolutionary process, we have come to this human form of life. In this life also, if you are simply engaged in the matter of eating sleeping, sense gratification, and defending, then where is the advancement? No advancement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Guest: What is evolution, according to the Vedas? What is this evolution that is talked about by the scientists?

Prabhupāda: Evolution means changing of different bodies. The spirit soul is changing from one body to another, and finally he's coming in the human form of body. This is a chance to know the actual position. And if he takes this chance, he can go back home to, back to Godhead. Otherwise, he is again put into the cycle of birth and death in different species of life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

Human life is not meant for wasting like cats and dogs, simply eating, sleeping, mating. That is not human life. At the present moment they are simply engaged in these four principles of bodily demands of life—how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sense gratification and how to defend. Unfortunately, we have become less than the animals because the animals, they have no problem. Even the birds... Out of all living entities, 8,400,000 of forms, the human forms are only 400,000. The majority of the living entities, they are in different forms.

jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi

sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati

kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ

pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam

There are aquatics, there are insects, there are birds, beasts, trees, plants, then human being, by evolution process. So they have no problem.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

What is that successful life? Successful life means a human being has come to this human form of life through the evolutionary process. Now he should make such arrangement that next life he may be free from this repetition of birth and death, at least, or he may go to other planets, higher standard of life. As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā,

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

(BG 9.25)

That is the human life. You prepare yourself for higher standard of life or to make a permanent solution of your miserable condition of life, namely birth, death, old age and disease. This is required. This is human business, or dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

Our propaganda is that do everything, but don't waste your time. Make improvement. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Just like by evolutionary process you have come to this human form of body, you can make farther improvement. You can do to other planets. There are many, many other planets where thousand times better standard of life is there. We cannot go. We are so conditioned. Although we are seeing all the planets, the sun planet, moon planet... They are trying to go to the moon planet, but that's a failure. So you cannot go in that way. There is process: yānti deva-vratā devān. If you want to go there, then deva-vrata, you have to worship that deva. Similarly, if you worship Kṛṣṇa, you can go to the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

In the lower animal life, lower species of life, there is no question of religion. We have discussed many times that there is a gradual process of evolution from low..., lower animal life to the human life. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva. Aśīti means eighty, catura means four, lakṣām, eighty-four lakhs, 8,400,000. Non... To tell...(?) Janma paryayāt. This is the evolution. From lower animals, from fish to plants, trees, insects, reptiles, birds, beasts. In this way, we come to the human form of life, and this human form of life is meant for dharma. Practically also, we see that the state laws, state laws are meant for the human beings. State laws are not for the animals. Animals, they do not require to observe the state laws. Neither they are able to do so. That is the difference between animal and human being.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

The cats and dogs, they do not know that they are not the body. They are spirit soul. That they do not know. They know simply that "I am this body, and the necessities of body must be fulfilled somehow or other." That is their business. Whole day and night, they are working just to fulfill the necessities of his body, because there is no jñānam.

But in the human form of life, that is not the business. Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "This life, human form of life, which is achieved after evolution of 8,400,000's of forms of life..." It is called labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). Idaṁ śarīram. This human form of body is achieved, bahu-sambhavānte, after achieving many, many other lower forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. So many different forms of life we had to pass through to come to the standard of human life. Therefore this life is not meant for spoiling like cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

When he is situated on the mental platform, then his occupational duties become speculation, imagination. And when he is situated in his original, spiritual platform, then his occupational duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. These are the three positions: karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti—gradual evolution. Because spiritual knowledge also gradually evolves. Nirviśeṣa-brahman, antaryāmī paramātmā, and ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān—these are the different stages of self-realization or spiritual advancement. Karma, jñāna, yoga and bhakti. Yoga means bhakti-yoga, or the preliminary, primary stage of bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

Dharma, to become religious, the purpose is to go up to the point of mukti. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Gradually. Gradually, step by step. But generally, people stuck up for some material gain. Ārtaḥ arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four kinds of people approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead for evolution, but the, those who are going to the Supreme Person for some material gain, as soon as their material gain is finished, they also finish worship. "Now I have got the money. There is no need of worshiping."

So here Bhāgavata says that dharma... You take to, to the principles of religion for going up to the point of liberation, āpavargyasya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

Especially in the Western countries. Not only Western countries, Eastern, everywhere. Their aim is how to satisfy or gratify the senses more and more. This is their aim. But that is not the li..., aim of life. The aim of life, especially in the human form of life... We are coming to this human form of life through the evolutionary process, gradual evolutionary process of 8,400,000 species of life, and this is the opportunity to understand "What I am, what is God, and what is our relationship with Him?" If we miss this opportunity, then we are committing suicide. Again I..., we're going back in the cycle of birth and death, and we do not know when again we shall come to this form of human body. So we should not misuse this human form of body.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:

They are trying to find out what is the original source of everything. The scientists, they are also trying to find out the original source of everything. So somebody, say, for example, the scientists, they are finding original of everything as matter, chemical, chemical evolution, the modern theory of originality. But actually, if we study what is the position of chemical theory, the so-called scientists, they could not produce life from chemicals, although their theory is that from matter life comes.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972:

Anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ, karma-bandha-nibandhana. We have to cut up this knot of karma-bandhana. By the karma-bandhana, we are transmigrating from one soul, one body to another. This is not Darwin's theory. I am the soul. I am changing, I am selecting my body, in this life. Not that by nature there is a, I mean to say, gradual evolution. Not evolution, it is already there. This living entity simply enters a particular type of body. Actually, it enters, because... Suppose I am doing something, my next life has to become a dog, that is my punishment. Then I'll have to enter into the womb of a dog mother, and she will give me the body of dog. Then I come out and enjoy like dog. This is the law. This is the law. Not that my body is turning.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

The different types of body, 8,400,000 species of life, different types of body. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi, 900,000 species in the water. In this way, planets, creepers, serpents, insects, birds, beasts, then human form. This is the process of evolution. So each body is a concession by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart. You want to do something. Just like for doing something you must have particular type of instrument, similarly, the body means particular type of instrument. So you desire to do something, Kṛṣṇa gives you a particular type with the senses, and you act. This is the change of body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. Daiva-netreṇa, by superior examination it is settled up that "This man or this beast is dying..." Of course, for lower than animals, they have got natural process of evolution.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

Yes. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Because we are coming from animal by the evolutionary process... According to śāstra, it is said that... The Darwin's theory says from monkey. That is also fact, that after monkey the living entity comes to the human form. Somebody says after lion. Somebody says after cow. So from the animals, we, the human form is developed. So unless that human body also reformed, so he remains animal. That reformation required, saṁskāra, reformation, enlightenment, cultural life. That cultural life culminates when one actually becomes a brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava. That is real cultural life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

Our life, they are going in two ways. One way is liberation, and the other way is bondage. Just like you have seen the reel. The reel is rolling. One way it is rolling to roll the thread, and another it is giving way to the thread. Similarly, we can lead in two ways, our life, either towards liberation or towards darkness of bondage. This, our human life, by gradual evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. Now we can move it two ways, either towards liberation or towards bondage. We do not know, modern education. There is no such information what is called bondage and what is called liberation. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. There is no such education, that students may understand what is Viṣṇu, what is God, what he is, what is his relationship with God, Viṣṇu. These things are unknown to the modern educationist.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

If you pour water, it has got the potency to produce wood, but, in that... Similarly, the mode of ignorance, those living entities, those who are in the mode of ignorance, they cannot have any knowledge of the Absolute Truth. That's not possible. Therefore it is gradual evolution, from mode of ignorance to mode of passion. And passion, there is little activity. Just like animal, they have got activity. Just like a dog, we have seen, in the beach and other places, running very swiftly here and there, but there is no meaning. A monkey is very active. You have not seen monkey in your country. In our country there are monkeys. Unnecessarily creating disturbance. But they are very active. But human being, they are not so active, but they have got brain, they're working with brain.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

Therefore there is confusion activity. Foolish activity, there is accident. Sober activity required. Because, just like unless you come to the platform of fire, you cannot utilize the material things. Fire is required. Similarly, to make your life successful, there is gradual evolution from aquatics to plant life, plant life to insect life, insect life to reptiles, reptiles to bird's life, then beast life, then human life, then civilized life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

In this way, gradually, evolution, we come to the platform of human life. And the Vedic knowledge is meant for the human beings, not for these other animals. Therefore it is said, dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ. By Vedic injunction, the human society, civilized human society, they require to perform sacrifices, fire sacrifices. Just like we do in all auspicious ceremonies... It is said that through the fire, God eats. We give to the fire the grains and the fruits and other thing. That is, means, God is eating, through fire. So sacrifice means you sacrifice for God, and God is accepting. God is accepting also when we offer prasādam to the Lord, He's accepting, but we want to see. That is our disease. We want to see everything.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

This is gradual process of evolution. Pārthivād dāruṇaḥ. Just like raw wood. Then, when it is dry, then it is fit for igniting fire. Then, when you ignite fire, first there is smoke, and after it is mature, the flames come out. And agnis trayīmayaḥ. And when the flame is there... Just like we generally perform fire sacrifice. Unless the flame comes, we do not chant the mantra or pour the ghee and the grains. Because that is the beginning of yajña. Trayīmaya. Trayī means Vedic yajñas. So our point is to come to the platform of performing yajña.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So this gradual process of evolution means one must come to the platform of understanding Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am..., I am spirit soul, and I am part and parcel of the Supreme Soul." This understanding one must come. So for that understanding one has to come to the platform of goodness, sattva-guṇa. If one remains in the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, as we have explained, then we shall be entangled in this material world. We may get a different types of body, even if we get the body of demigods or European body, American body, as they are understood, very advanced. So not only European, American, but there are other improved condition of life in higher planetary system.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

He's very much fond of sex life, Indra.

So this will not help us. We must come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, goodness, the brahminical stage. Then our life, our evolutionary process, will be successful. Tamasas tu rajas tasmāt sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam. Gradually, evolutionary process... I think in Darwin's theory there is no such conception of coming to the point of sattva-guṇa, goodness. They do not know even what it is, sattva-guṇa. Simply they are studying the animal bones. That's all. But actually perfection of evolutionary process is to come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, brahminical stage. In other words, to become a brāhmaṇa is the topmost platform of advancement of civilization. Brahminical culture is the perfect advancement of civilization. That is mentioned here.

Lecture on SB 1.2.31 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

This is a problem to the modern scientist, how creation was possible. They cannot understand that without spiritual touch, there cannot be any creation. That is their poor fund of knowledge. The Darwin's theory, development, process of evolution, they are childish. They are concentrating on the matter: matter is evolving. Matter does not evolve; matter is dead. It is due to the presence of the spirit soul it evolves. That they do not understand, although actually we are seeing. Just like a child born. If the child is born dead, it is simply dead matter. It does not grow. It is our practical experience. But if the child is living, or the spirit soul is within that body, then it develops. Similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation, this big universe, unless there is, in the center, the Supreme Spirit, how it develops?

Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Karmāṇi nirdahati... It is said in the śāstra, the karma is reduced for the devotees. That much facility's there. Karma is reduced means in other place, if you commit some sinful activities, then you have to accept a body, and then evolution will take place gradually. Then you again come to human form of body. Then again, if you are intelligent enough, you can utilize. But in Vṛndāvana the karmāṇi nirdahati... Suppose for your sinful, criminal acts you become hogs and dog; next life you are elevated. That is karmāṇi nirdahati. The karma, the cycle of fruitive activities is reduced. But you have to accept. You have to accept. But nirdahati. But why should we waste our time accepting another body of dogs and hog? That we should be very much careful. Although it is nirdahati, it is reduced, why should we accept even that reduced punishment?

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So anyway, actually, human life is meant for some other purpose—God realization. Because this is not possible in other lower animals. And we get this chance by evolutionary process. We come to this human form of life, civilized form of life. Now we should know what is God, who is the supreme controller, who is the supreme source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the life for inquiring about Brahman, the Supreme, the great. But we are neglectful. This is called Kali-yuga. And we are so much degraded... Gradually, we are becoming degraded. So 427,000's of years, if we again come and go, come and go... Because after... Dehāntara-prāptiḥ, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13).

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

Greatest enemy of the human civilization, these rascals. These rascals who is checking Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, and alluring them in different concept of life by designation, they're the greatest enemy of the human society. They are checking the progress of human life. If we accept evolutionary theory, by evolution we have come to... Actually, we have come from aquatics to plants and trees and then insects. Then beasts, birds. In this way we have come to this human form of life. Now what is next evolution? That they do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

Next evolution is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. You read carefully. What is that evolution? Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). Now the next evolution is, if you want to go to the higher planetary system, you can go. But they cannot know, they do not know what are these higher planetary systems. They, we see, every night, there are so many planets, stars, but from the śāstra we can understand that the higher planetary system means the material comforts available there, many, many times more than in this planet. You live in this planet, at most, for one hundred years. But in the higher planetary system you can live which you cannot calculate.

Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973:

So this impurity can be rectified in this life, this human form of life. Therefore human form of life is meant for purification. Therefore so many scriptures are there, so many teachers are there, so many rules and regulations are there. They are not meant for the animals, because they cannot be purified. They must have to come to this position by evolution of human being. Then there is chance of purification.

Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

So veda-anta. Anta means end. There is everything of our material life, as for the beginning and at the end.

So here in this material world, every one of us, we come here ignorant, like animals, no knowledge. There are so many varieties of living entities. Gradually, by evolution, we come to the human form of life, when our consciousness is developed. We can understand higher knowledge. And that is called Veda. So Veda does not mean it is meant for the cats and dogs. Vedas means knowledge, this knowledge, is meant for the human beings. Vedic... Therefore Indian civilization, based on Vedic knowledge, is estimated so high, perfect. Perfect scheme system for human society, based on Vedic civilization. Everything is correctly visioned, and the ideas are given by persons who are above material contamination.

Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

Because everyone is in ignorance. He does not know what is the value of life. Everyone. In other words, all fools and rascals. Just like big, big scientists. They are theorizing that life is made out of matter. How much ignorance it is. All these Darwin's theory, chemical evolution. Simply they are basing that from matter life has come. But where is the... One gentleman in California University, he's Noble Prize holder. He came to lecture. So our disciple, Svarūpa Dāmodara, he's also Doctor of Chemistry. So when the professor explained that from such and such chemicals combination life starts, he said: "If I give you the chemicals, can you make life?" In that big assembly. So he has to reply: "That I cannot say." So what is the use of such knowledge? You are taking Nobel Prize, holding Nobel Prize on the basis of certain theorizing knowledge, and when you are challenged: "Now you produce with these chemicals," you say: "That I cannot say." So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

This is going on, struggle for existence. In the primitive age that human being, so-called human being, naked, in the jungle, they eating animals. The animals have no leg... The Darwin's theory is that there was no civilized man, but gradually it has developed. It is not very clearly explained; he does not know what is the evolution. Evolution means to become civilized. That is evolution. Or to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is evolution.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

Darwin's theory is a failure because he cannot explain that why there are different types of... Even in human society, every man is different from the other man. Why? If it is nature's process, then all the bodies should have been equally the same. But why different? Just like in an apple tree the formation of apple is the same. So if it is nature's evolution, then why there are white men, black men, colored men, deformed men and...? No one's face will be equal to anyone. That he cannot explain. This is the explanation, that... Just the same example, just a man, as he pays for it, he gets a different apartment. So we have got different bodies, different apartments, according to our karma.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

This science is unknown to him, but still, he is known as the master of evolution, and people are following him. This is ignorance. Andhā yathāndhaiḥ. One blind rascal gives some theory, and the followers are also blind rascals; they follow. They do not take instruction from the perfect.

Therefore our position is perfect, because we are not following rascals and fools. We are following Kṛṣṇa, the supreme perfect. I may be imperfect. That's a fact. I am imperfect. Just like a child is imperfect. That's a fact. But so long he follows the father, catching his hand, he is perfect. He is perfect. He has no danger.

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

Why? You can say, "The intelligence is not developed." As the child's intelligence is not developed, it will develop with the chance of the body, similarly, the dog also will have developed sense when he will change his dog's body to human body. That is called evolution. He will get the chance. Nature will give the chance.

So after getting the chance, if we do not utilize the chance as human being, then I remain a dog. This is the philosophy. Therefore these books are meant for sober human being, not for the so-called human being: he is a dog, but he has got two hands and two legs. That's all. Not like that. Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

He is not jñānī or mahātmā. Then who is mahātmā? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After working uselessly for many, many lives like cats and dogs, trees and plants and like that, evolution, when one works for understanding the ultimate goal of life, jñānī... So jñānīs also cannot understand immediately that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life. They cannot understand, although it is stated that vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Through the studies of Vedas, what knowledge one should achieve? When one achieves the knowledge that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, that is, I mean to say, perfection of Vedic study. But these so-called jñānīs, they are simply bookworms, simply reading Vedas, four Vedas. And they say, "We are concerned with Vedas. We are not concerned with Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:

And still, they're passing on as great philosopher, great scientist, and getting Nobel Prize.

But they are illusioned. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5). Ātmānam means the soul. Soul, they're thinking that it is a product of this matter, by evolution, or so on. So many nonsense theories they have, all rascaldom. There is no evolution. Evolution is there in the matter of consciousness. Just like a child. His consciousness is not developed. A child goes to capture a fire because his consciousness is not developed. But that does not mean the child has no consciousness or the child has no soul. Just like some rascal says, "The animals, they have no soul." So why the animals have no soul?

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:

If the animal has no soul, then the child has also no soul because the child behaves like an animal. In the family, a small child and a dog, they're behaving similarly, and therefore dog is also considered as one of the family members, children, because his consciousness is not developed.

So the evolution means developed consciousness, and according to the developed consciousness, one gets a particular type of body. This is nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham... (BG 3.27). The evolution means evolution of consciousness. The same child, when he's... He'll get a different body. Just like a female child. By evolution, means when she gets another body, youthful body, her consciousness is different.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:

Similarly, in every behavior... Just like we, Kṛṣṇa conscious people, we have given up intoxication. Now, if somebody comes and bribes and offers some money that "You take this one thousand dollars and drink," you'll not agree. Because your consciousness is developed. So evolution is not of the body. Evolution of consciousness. And as your consciousness develops, you get a particular type of body. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). Therefore, the evolution should be of the consciousness. And this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your life is perfect. And fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you, after giving up this body—tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), no more material body.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

This human form of body is obtained after many millions of years. Not very easily. Because we had to come through the evolutionary process, 8,400,0000 species of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Therefore this human form of life should not be wasted. Here is the solution of all the problems of life. Don't neglect it. Therefore it is advised, durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge taraha e bhava-sindhu re. E bhava-sindhu. This is the ocean, this is the ocean of nescience, ignorance. What is that? Bhava. Bhava-sindhu means take birth again and again. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This is very botheration. And there is no guarantee what kind of... Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... He's also devotee. He's going to Vaikuṇṭha.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

Aimless life is animal life. They have no aim. By the laws of nature they are going on, transforming from one body to another, and ultimately they are coming by evolutionary process to the human form of life. And especially this civilized human form of life, it is very responsible life. One has to make his choice whether he wants to continue his materialistic way of life and change the body, one after another. That is very risky job. You should always remember that if in my next body I am given a body like a tree, just see, in this part of the world, how condemned life. They are standing in the snowfall. You have got house. You are protecting yourself. They cannot even move. So there is possibility of getting such life.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

He was astonished that "How these children are happy. How children, they are being educated." So this is to be introduced. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavat..., durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This human form of life is durlabham. Durlabham, very rare to achieve. It is not so easily obtained. We have to pass through evolutionary process, 8,400,000 species of life, aquatics... Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. We have to pass through aquatics, animals in the water, then trees, plants, then insects, birds, beasts. After all, we get this human form of life, especially civilized form of life, with some idea of religion. If we do not utilize it... Religion means to understand God. That is religion. In religion, a godless religion, where there is no conception of God, that is not religion. That is called cheating religion. In the name of religion, but there is no conception of God. That is not religion.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

So the consciousness of the trees are admitted in the Vedic literature. Similarly, the consciousness is developed from tree to worms, microbes, worms, germs—their consciousness is little more higher. Then birds, their consciousness is little more higher; then beasts, their consciousness is little more higher. This is development, gradual process of evolution. Gradual process of evolution means gradual process of developing the status, the state of consciousness. In this way the consciousness in human form of body is further developed, very nicely developed. And similarly, there are other elevated living condition in higher planets. They are called demigods. They are far advanced, very more and more intelligent. Their standard of living, their everything, is far, far above than all these planets, thousands and thousands of times.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

He is fallen already from Vaikuṇṭha planet. He is fallen in this material world, and he is again trying to make progress.

Prāpyaṁ mānuṣyam. In this way, after many, many births, he gets this human form of life. Prāpyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt. By the graduation, gradual evolution process. This is real evolution. Not the body is changing. Body is already there. Jīva-jātiṣu. The jīva-jāti, species, are already there. There is a defect of Darwin's theory. He does not want, he does not know that the living entity is passing through different types of body. Not that the body is changing. Bodies are already there. Bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpyaṁ mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt. Paryayāt means chronological. What is called, one after another?

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

I am dying, my father is dying; my son is dying. But even if we accept, "Yes, we are accepting another body," but what do you know what kind of body you are going to accept? What is the position? There are 8,400,000 different forms of body. If you become an insignificant worm, then it will take millions of years by the evolution process to come again to this human form of body and come to..., there may be chance to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not very easy. If I miss this opportunity, I may miss millions of years. So this knowledge should be given. It is not expected that everyone will accept or understand. But this knowledge must be current. A class of men, the brāhmaṇa class, the Vaiṣṇava class... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3)—that is a fact. But still there must be somebody out of millions to understand this philosophy.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

That is their fault. That is their ignorance. The Darwin's theory, this theory, that theory, simply they are bewildered, thinking this body is the self. The body's developing or evolution ... No. So all our senses should be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is perfection. It is indirectly being said in these verses that if our senses are not engaged in the service of the Lord, then it is dead. Śāvau. Śāvau karau no kurute saparyām. Just like a dead man, he has got his legs and hands, but he cannot employ it for any service. It is now flat. Actually, it is flat, but because within the body there is the soul, who is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, if he does not come to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform and does not engage himself in the service of the Lord, then his hands, legs, heads, everything is dead body's head. The decoration of dead body.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

"As sure as death." And we do not know when that death is coming to take place. So how much serious we should be. We should be very serious. Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. We have got this human form of body, human consciousness, advanced consciousness, after many, many births, after through the evolutionary process. Many millions of years we have passed through many species of life. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tāñ jīva-jātiṣu. Aśītiṁ caturaḥ, eighty-four lakhs or 8,400,000's. Bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpyaṁ mānuṣyam. In this way, going through so many species of life, we have got this human form of life.

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

Maybe in future they will take interest. As we are publishing the books and going to the universities and to the professors, there may be. There is possibility now. Otherwise these rascals did not know what is this science. They did not care. Big, big professors, big, big scientists, they are putting the theories that life has come from chemicals, chemical evolution, and they are getting Nobel Prize. And if they are offered that "Take these chemicals. Produce a life," they'll deny.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

If you understand mantras, the mantra, when a goat is sacrificed before Goddess Kālī, before the goat being cut by his throat, the priest says that "Because you are sacrificing your life before Goddess Kālī, next life you are going to have human form of body for your, this sacrifice." Otherwise you have to undergo the process. That is gradual evolutionary process. But because you are forced somehow or other in the presence of mother material energy, she will give you the facility to promote immediately to the human form of life. And as human being, you will have every right to kill this man who is killing you. That is meaning of māṁsa. Mām means me, sa means he. "He will also eat me." So I will have to take the form of a goat next life. And he will take the form of a human being and he will get the chance of killing me. He can excuse, but he will get the chance. This is the bandhana. Karma-bandhana.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa's energies, the material energy is working by the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that is advanced knowledge. But on the whole, if we... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). That is perfect knowledge. If we think that this matter is working independently, as modern scientists, they think that chemical evolution... No. No chemical evolution. Life does not produce by chemical evolution. Life is from life. That... Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, that ahaṁ sarvatra, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). The answer is given there. The Vedānta-sūtra, the question is "What is Brahman?" And the answer is there... athāto brahma jijñāsā, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Indirectly given. The Brahman, Para-brahman, is that from whom everything emanates.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

Upādhi means pāpa. Upādhi... If we get different bodies, that is due to our sinful actions. If I am given the chance to execute as a human being, this human form of body... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). We have got this body after many, many evolutionary process. So this is a chance given to we. Hari hari biphale. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is singing, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have wasted my time for nothing, uselessly." Why? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "Because I got this opportunity, the human form of life... It was meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa." Or add Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī. That is perfect Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa alone is Vāsudeva, and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is perfect, with all potencies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Absolute Truth with potencies.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So we should not misuse this... Labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte mānuṣyam (SB 11.9.29). We should not waste our this valuable life, human form of life. We begin our this evolution. First of all, the world is covered with water. Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam **. Now, still, three-fourth of this earthly planet is covered with water. In the beginning, the whole earthly planet was covered with water. Gradually, the water is drying up, and the land is coming. Then we are calculating, "This is Asia. This is America. This is Europe." Land is coming out. And gradually land, land, land, land—there will be only land, no water. That means destruction.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

They have improved their consciousness. But better than these plants and herbs are the crawling insects, snakes, snail, because they can move. The herbs, they cannot move, and within the sands there are living entities, they cannot sprout. So in this way, this is called evolution, one after another. So the insects, the reptiles, they are better than the standing herbs and plants, and these insects, the worms, they grow wings at the end of their life. In this way they are elevated to the bird's life. In this life they could not attain the bird's life, but on account of very strong willingness they grow the wings, and next life they become small birds, they fly. So they are better, the small birds, they are better than these insects. Then there are birds, big, big birds, the eagle birds, they can fly very high. In this way, beast life, that is better. In this way, beast life, then human life, uncivilized life, that is better.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

Then civilized life, those who are organized, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are better. And amongst the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, the brāhmaṇa is the best, because they are on the platform of spiritual realization. This is the evolution. Evolution, we are coming in that evolution. Bahu-sambhavānte. Bahu-sambhavam, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), bahu-sambhavānte.

So this human life is after many, many evolutionary process. We have forgotten that. So this life is meant for jñānam, ultimate knowledge. In the lower grade of life, there is jñānam, there is consciousness, there is knowledge. A mosquito bug, mosquito knows where to bite.

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

As I have explained many times, that three into three equal to nine, and nine into nine equal to eighty-one. So at least eighty-one varieties of living entities there should be. But actually, there are eighty-four. Eight million four hundred... Curāśī-lakṣa. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva, jīva-jātiṣu. That evolutionary process is there in the Padma-Purāṇa, in the Vedic literature. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ, then pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam, paśavaḥ triṁśal-lakṣāṇi mānuṣāḥ catur-lak... Everything is there, evolution. So this is the creation, material creation. They are working by the material nature. But behind the material nature there is Kṛṣṇa. Mohitaṁ nābhijānāti. Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ, mohitaṁ nābhijānāti.

Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

There is aim. Why Kṛṣṇa says that this material world, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19)? Bhūtvā bhūtvā. There is aim. The manifestation of prakṛti, cosmic manifestation, is there to give the living entities another chance for liberation. One chance is given. Just like we have got. Śrī Prakṛti is now manifested, and we are living entities. We are here, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4), in many varieties. So what is the aim? The aim is God realization. By evolutionary process, gradually, we come to the human form of life. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva jīva-jātiṣu, jīva-jāti. Jīva, under different species of life, they are evolving.

Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

In this way, the evolution is coming—from aquatics to plants life, the insect, reptiles, then birds, then beast, then human life.

So this human life, civilized human life, followers of the Vedic principle... That is the civilized life, Aryans. Ārya. Therefore the followers of Vedic principles, they are called ārya, advanced. Because those who are follower... Just like Manu-saṁhitā. It is Aryan literature, Vedic literature. So Aryan means advanced. Advanced means civilized. So if we civilized people, we give up this Aryan literature or Vedic literature and take to Jasoushi(?) literature to waste our time, sex literature, then we are committing suicide. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā. That Kṛṣṇa is the original father, we have forgotten. Anādi. Anādi means before the creation. Ādi means the creation. So this is a chance.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

So the modern theory that life is made possible by chemical evolution is not correct. Or the Darwin's Theory, evolution of matter. No. The... They are missing the soul. That is their mistake. They are simply observing the material cover. That is the basic mistake of modern civilization. They have no information that within the body there is the spirit soul. That is the basic principle of material development. Matter is coming out of spirit, not that spirit is coming out of matter. They think by combination of matter there is a stage when living symptoms are visible. That is not the fact. The fact is that spirit soul is there, and therefore matter is developing.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

Prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Prakṛtiṁ yānti māmi... Then, at the time of creation, they come out again in the same body as it was in the last creation. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Of course, the evolution takes place, but at the time of creation the particular type of body which I inherited in my last birth or millennium I get again, and again begin evolution. This is the process, going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). The dissolution takes place.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

The material, there was no existence of the material. The materials are created by the Supreme Living Being. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is to be understood. So the modern theory that the phenomenal world or this cosmic manifestation is due to chemical combination... They have written books, Chemical Evolution. The same example, that a solution of soda bicarb and solution of citric acid, mixed together, there is effervescence. But who is mixing? The mixture is bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt. This is to be understood.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

For that surrendering process this human life is meant. In other life, the fish cannot, but I can. That is the difference between the life of the fish and my life. The fish entangled in the network, he has no power. He is doomed. So doomed, doomed, in this way, by nature's mercy, he gets evolution. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. The living entity is entangled in the network of this material nature. He has to go through nine lakhs' species of this aquatic life. There are nine lakh species of fish in the water. Who knows it? The śāstra says. One who has seen. Who has seen how many varieties of fishes are there? But there are many, many varieties. From the śāstra we get information of the whale fish, timi. And there is another fish which is called timiṅgila. Timiṅgila means he is so big that he swallows up this timi, whale fish, like a small... (makes gulping sound) Finished. (laughter) They are called timiṅgila. So you have not seen. We have not seen. But the śāstra says.

Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

Nitāi: "In the course of time, when the subtle forms are transformed into gross forms, they become the objects of touch. The objects of touch and the tactile sense also develop after this evolution in time. Sound is the first sense object to exhibit material existence, and from the perception of sound, touch perception evolves, and from touch perception the perception of sight. That is the way of the gradual evolution of our perceptive objects."

Prabhupāda: You can read the next purport. Mṛdutvaṁ kaṭhinatvaṁ ca.

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc. of verse 36) Translation: "Softness and hardness and cold and heat are the distinguishing attributes of touch, which is characterized as the subtle form of air."

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

"Why? Why bhāgavata-dharma so important that I have to learn from the beginning of my life?" Now, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "This human life is very rarely obtained, durlabham." Dur means "very difficult." After many, many births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), this human form, after evolution, we have got. Durlabham, with great difficulty we have got it. That, why it is important? Now it is arthadam. Arthadam. Artha means meaningful or riches or something wealth. Arthadam, you can achieve arthadam. So that arthadam, although adhruvam... You can say, "What is the difference between human life and dog's life? They are all temporary. Why you are giving so much stress on human life, the same business: eating, sleeping, sex life, and defense?

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

Ātma-han means suicide. If you cut your throat yourself, who can save you? So we should not become ātma-han and spoil this life. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human form life, durlabham. After many, many millions of evolution, we have got it. So it is very durlabha. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. We have got this opportunity by the grace of God, or the material nature has given us this opportunity. Now we should utilize it properly. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Don't spoil it.

And what is that? Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1).

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

This is the way. So our teaching, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is perfect because we have taken the lesson from Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand how perfect we are. We don't say anything as "I think," "maybe," "perhaps." No. We never say. We say definite. Definitive information. Just like they are speculating Darwin's theory of evolution. We have got perfect knowledge from the śāstras: jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Now, we say there are 900,000 forms of life within the water. We have not gone within the water; neither as biologist we have studied. We have taken the perfect information from the perfect source. We say 900,000. This is called Vedic knowledge. This is perfect.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

This evolution theory is already mentioned. Darwin has taken this from this Vedic knowledge, and he has placed the whole thing in his imaginative way. Otherwise the evolutionary process is mentioned in the Vedic scripture. First of all aquatics, then plants and trees, then insect, then birds, then beasts, then human being. Now, in the human being form, because by gradual process of evolution we have got advance consciousness, the, I mean to say, subject matter is given to us. Now make your choice now again. Nature has given this opportunity whether you want to go the sat-patha or asat-patha; whether you are again wish to go to the cycle of evolution or if you want to make further progress. Further progress means this human form of life you can go to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18).

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

Further progress means this human form of life you can go to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). Now you can make your choice. You are now civilized, very advanced intelligence. Now whether you want to go to the cycle of evolution again or whether you want to stop this and go to your original position. These two things are there: sat-patha and asat-patha. If you make further progress this asat-patha, asat-patha asat. Asat means it will not stay.

Lecture on SB Questions & Answers -- Hyderabad, April 10, 1975:

It is already described in the Bhagavad-gītā that kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). There are different forms of life, different species of life. What is the reason of these different gradations? A dog's life and a man's life is different. How it has so become? What is the scientist's reply? I don't think the scientists can reply this. Or they can reply, "Evolutionary process." How the evolutionary process is taking place?

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

This is the goal of life. In the Vedānta-sūtra... Those who are philosophically advanced, they might have studied the Vedānta-sūtra or Brahma-sūtra. So the first aphorism of the Brahma-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this human form of life is there..." We have got it by the material nature's grace. There are 8,400,000 different forms of life, transmigration or evolution, as you say.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

He must die. Similarly, after death, if you think foolishly that there is no more life, that is also wrong. Nature's law is that you must accept another body. This is nature's law. So we are dependent on nature's law. However foolishly we declare that "We are independent. We don't care for anything," that will not stay. We are under the clutches of material nature's law. In this law, by evolutionary process we have come to this human form of life, and if we don't utilize it properly, then we are missing the chance.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

There are 900,000 forms of body within the body. Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. And there are trees, plants, two million forms of body. So we have already gone through all this body, and we have got this human form of body after many, many millions of years by evolutionary process. Therefore Ṛṣabhādeva says, ayam deha. This body, don't think it is ordinarily received. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke: "In the human society you should not waste it like the hogs and dogs simply for sense gratification." This is the Bhāgavata instruction. You should soberly use it.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

This verse we were discussing yesterday. Portion of the verse was explained, and portion of the verse we shall try to explain this night. Tapo divyam. Ṛṣabhadeva says, "My dear sons, this body, human body, nāyaṁ deha, this body is not for wasting life, dogs and hogs." They are not wasting. They are in the gradual evolution process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. They are coming to the human form of body gradually, by nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So long we are in the lower species of life, we are conducted by complete laws of nature, prakṛteḥ kriya-guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, according to the different guṇas.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

We can see activities are going on, different varieties of activities in this world, but they have been summarized into three divisions: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa... The animals, they are in the tamo-guṇa. Then gradually they are elevated by the evolutionary process to the rajo-guṇa, and then we are elevated to the sattva-guṇa. That is the brahminical qualification. And we have to surpass the sattva-guṇa also. Not that coming to the platform of sattva-guṇa we become perfect. No. There is chance of falling down from the sattva-guṇa. We have got practical experience in this age, Kali-yuga, many persons have fallen down from the platform of brahminical qualification. The brahminical qualification is the platform of sattva-guṇa: śamo damo titikṣava ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is the brahminical culture.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

So, that is the way for liberation, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. There are two, just like we are in the crossroad, which way we shall go? That can be understood in this human form of life. This human form of life, we have come to this point by evolution. Now we are on the, just on the crossroad, whether we shall go this way or that way. If we want to be free from the entanglement of material misery, then here it is recommended, mahat-sevām. We must render service to the holy, saintly person and if you want to go deeper and deeper in the darkest region of existence, then we should turn our face for sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

So that is called austerity. Tapaḥ divyam. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, "My dear sons, you just voluntarily accept some austerities, divyam." Why? For transcendental realization. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). "If you accept this principle, then your existence will be purified."

Just remember that the whole different grades of evolution of life means purifying the existence. The aquatic animals, when they are developed into plant life, that is little purified. Then from plant life, microbes, insects, that is still more purified. From microbes, insects, birds' life, different grades of birds' life, that is still more purified. And from birds' life to beasts' life, that is still more purified. And, from beast life to human form of life, that is still more purified.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (2): So it's an evolutionary process, and one need not force.

Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of force. There is no question of force. We don't force. There is no question of force. Force cannot act. If I force you, then it will not act. You have to evolve yourself, from this platform to this platform. That is possible for everyone.

Guest (2): So if someone feels he has an overwhelming need, he shouldn't try to hold back to the point at which he suffers pain, but he should also chant or do something that will elevate him. And gradually he will...

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So here, it is suggested that in this human form of life, you have got two choices. Either you again go to hell or you go back to home, back to Godhead. Two choices, that in, by evolutionary process, you come to the human form of life after going through eight million forms of lower-grade life. Then you come to this human form of life, when your consciousness is developed. You are not exactly like animals. The animal propensities are there, but it is decent. Because you have got good, advanced consciousness. The animals eat; we also eat. But our eating process is more decent than the animals. We have got nice kitchen. We can prepare varieties of foodstuff by mixing so many eatables. Because we have got intelligence, we can do. The animals cannot do. So similarly, sleeping. There are animals.

Lecture on SB 5.5.21-22 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1976:

In this way, this is evolutionary growth, one after another. The evolution takes place. Evolution means gradual evolution or manifestation of consciousness. That is evolution.

So the atheist class of men, because they cannot understand that there is soul, they cannot understand that evolution means evolution of consciousness. They do not understand. They are thinking that the, originally in the matter there was no life. and all of a sudden the life came. No. Life is completely different from the matter. Not completely different; it is the same energy from the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on SB 5.5.23 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1976:

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva personally speaking that na brāhmaṇais tulaye bhūtam anyat (SB 5.5.23). There are 8,400,000 of living entities, and as we have studied yesterday, how gradually evolution comes, elevated. So here it is the conclusion, the evolution must come to the topmost platform of brahminical culture. Satya śamo dama titikṣa ārjavaṁ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Now people are not at all interested. If you advertise that "We are opening one gurukula where brahminical culture will be instructed. Send your boys," nobody will send. They are not concerned anymore that "My son should be truthful, self-controlled, mind controlled," śama dama. Śama means mind-control, śamata, and dama means sense-control.

Lecture on SB 5.6.4 -- Vrndavana, November 26, 1976:

Whatever you have got by nature's way, be satisfied. Don't spoil your time. Save your time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is Vedic civilization. That is the purpose of life, the valuable life. Bahūnāṁ saṁbhavānte. This life, human form of life, we have got bahu saṁbhavānte, after many, many years in the evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-sāṅkhyakāḥ. We are coming, one after another, from the lowest low-grade life in the water. Then plants, creepers, trees, then insect, then flies. In this way—then birds, then beasts—in this way, millions and millions years after, we have got this human form of life, especially those who are civilized. There are 400,000's forms of human life also—not all the same: the uncivilized and civilized, the black and white, and so many different grades of men. They have different intelligence. In this way, one who has taken birth in India, he is the most fortunate.

Lecture on SB 5.6.4 -- Vrndavana, November 26, 1976:

That is the beginning of life. Because varṇāśrama means... The life is... Human life is meant for understanding the Supreme Lord. That is human life. The cats' and dogs' life is not meant for understanding God; it is not possible either. They cannot understand. But the evolutionary process, when you come to the civilized form of life, especially the Vedic culture...

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

We cannot invite dogs and cats to come here and hear about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. No. That is not possible. But a human being, he can hear. He can understand.

So this is our special opportunity after evolutionary process passing through eight million..., at least eight million different forms of life. The list is there in Padma Purāṇa. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni: "Nine lakhs' forms of life within the water." There is animal in the water which is called timiṅgila. It is so big that... We have got experience. The whale fish is very big. That whale fish is taken up by this timiṅgila fish just like a big fish swallows a small fish. Such big, big fishes are there within the... They do not come visible to the..., but there are.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

This is the purport, very simple thing. And as soon as he will serve the designation, false service, he will spoil his time and will be under the condition of material nature. Material nature, we are all conditioned by material nature. Therefore we are changing body from one body to another. Now, by the nature's own process, evolution, we have come to this human form of body and we have got advanced consciousness, we have got direction like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Hari guru vaiṣṇava bhāgavata gītā. Bhāgavata-gītā. Just our Madhudviṣa Swami sung, we have got Kṛṣṇa, we have got spiritual master, we have got the books, Bhāgavata, we have got Gītā. Now let us take advantage of it. These transcendental literature, we have taken much pain to translate them into English so that you can understand. We have got fifty books. So take advantage.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Honolulu, May 5, 1976:

Similarly, if we use this human form of life exactly like the cats and dogs, simply for sense gratification, then we are committing suicide.

The whole Vedic civilization means how to utilize this human form of life for better purposes. Even modern scientific point of view. Not scientific, but they say. Accepting their version... Just like Darwin's theory: by evolution you come to the human form of life. Accepting that from monkey one becomes a human being, so what is after this form? Then they have no information. What is the next life? If the evolution is... That is also accepted in the Padma Purāṇa, 8,400,000 species, forms of life, and then we come to this human form of life. What is next?

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Honolulu, May 5, 1976:

They have no sense. They cannot explain what is next. And there is next life. If by evolutionary process through the channel of so many species of life, 900,000 aquatics. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa... Two millions trees and plants, then 1100,000 insects, and one million species of birds, and then 33,000,000 species of animals, four-legged animals, paśu. And then we get this human form of life, especially civilized form of life. Then what is next? That question nobody inquires, neither there is answer by the so-called modern scientist, that what is next.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

So, we were discussing last night about nivṛtti-mārga, the opposite direction of progressing towards hellish condition of life, that by nature's own way the living entity comes to the human form of body by the evolutionary process. That we have already discussed. There are 900,000's forms in the water. Then there are two millions forms of trees, plants. And jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Then insects, moths and flies, like that, they are 1,100,000 forms. Then birds, one millions forms. Then beast three million forms. And then human being, civilized or not civilized, there are 400,000. This is the total number of different forms of life. The living entity, spirit soul, is the same, but they are passing through different forms of life. Just like I am the same man.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Just like I am the same man. I have passed through my babyhood body, my childhood body, my youthhood body. Now I have come to another body. So it is a fact that I was staying in a baby's body. Now it is another body. A very simple thing, that we are changing body, but I am, the soul, the same. We have to understand this thing. The evolution is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Now, by nature's law the evolution brings you to a nice body, civilized human body, with higher consciousness. But if we utilize this higher consciousness simply for constructing very high skyscraper buildings and do not know what form of body I am going to accept next, that is not very good intelligence. My business is that by nature's evolutionary process I have come to this human form of life. Now I have got good intelligence, better than the animals. If I utilize that intelligence for simply having nice motorcar and skyscraper building, but I do not know what is my future, then it is not very good intelligence.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Then what I am going to get next? What kind of body?" That is utilized for human intelligence. A cat and dog cannot think like that. Therefore our business should be: "Now, by the nature's way, I have come to this form of life by evolutionary process. Now I have got good intelligence. How I shall utilize it?" That proper utilization is indicated in the Vedānta philosophy. Vedānta philosophy, perhaps you have heard the name. Veda means knowledge, and anta means last stage or end. Everything has got some end. So you are being educated, you are taking education. Where you shall end? That is called Vedānta. Where the ultimate point.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

So eight millions they are below the human standard of life, human being. They are animals. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Nine lakhs, hundred thousand in the water, different types of forms, body. Then insect... Then plants, trees, then insect, then birds, then beast, then human being. This is the evolution. So these eight million different forms of body below the human being, they are not punishable because they are animals. They have no intelligence. Then again, amongst the human being, those who are intelligent, those who are acting according to the Vedic instruction, they will not be also suffering. Those who are avoiding the instruction of the Vedas, they will be put into that hellish condition of life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

And we are declaring independence. This is our foolishness. This is our foolishness.

So in the Fifth Chapter, at the end of the Fifth Chapter, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has described the different sufferings, body in the hellish condition. We are, according to change of body, we are not only going through the evolutionary process of different types of body, as we have got experience here: the aquatics, the trees, the plants, the insect, the birds, the beast, then a human being. Similarly, after human being, if we do not work properly with our advanced consciousness, then we go down again in the hellish planet that are down this universe. And if we act piously, then you go to the upper planetary system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

Now it will take again millions of years to come to the stage of human being. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. He has to pass through the fish life. There are 900,000 different species of life. Then you again come to the land—you become trees, plants, and so on. Two millions different forms you have to go through. That is evolution. Darwin's theory of evolution, that is not perfectly explained. It is explained in the Vedic literature. So just a tree is standing for ten thousands of years, we had to pass through this life. But there is no perfect knowledge. We are thinking we are now very nice American body or Indian body. No. It took so many years to come to this life. Therefore śāstra says, labdhvā sudurlābhaṁ idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte: (SB 11.9.29)

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

You should understand that you are not cat and dog, simply you shall spoil your life by eating, sleeping, and sex and defense. No. This is very valuable life. Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. This is the instruction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. "No, don't spoil it. You have got this boon, this human form of life, after many, many births, evolutionary process. Don't you see so many different varieties of life? And you had to undergo through all these life. Now you have come to human form of life, so you should utilize it."

So that full utilization is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

These things should be utilized. How? By dhīra, those who are dhīra. Dharmajña. One who knows actually the principle of religion. Dharmajña. Deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ, kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api. So because our life is continuously committing sinful activities, from time immemorial... You do not know when it began. Evolution, many births. Therefore this life is meant for rectifying all mistakes that we had committed in our previous life or in this life. How? By this process. Kṣipanty agham. Agham means the resultant action of sinful life. Mahad api. Although it is very great, mahad api, how? Veṇu-gulmam, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like if you set fire to unwanted grass and creepers in the field. You set fire, and they will be all burned. Similarly, by this process, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13), you can liquidate all of your sinful activities of life and you become purified.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Honolulu, May 14, 1976:

One is sober. Even there is cause of agitation, still he remains firm. He is called dhīra. And adhīra means as soon as there is cause of agitation, he became a victim. That is called adhīra. So we have to become dhīra. We have been adhīra in so many different forms of life because I am coming to this human form of life after evolution of 8,000,000 forms of body. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa viṁśati. That is evolution. So after... Bahu sambhavānte. After many, many years I have got this opportunity. In other lower animal life I have enjoyed the senses in so many ways. So sense enjoyment is not very difficult. Even there... Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. The hogs and pigs, they have got facility for sense enjoyment. They do not care even who is who. Even she is mother or she is sister or she is daughter, they will enjoy sex. That is hog life. You have seen.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Honolulu, May 14, 1976:

And the monkeys, they are enjoying sex life. So everyone enjoys sense life. So "Why? I have got this valuable life, human form of life. Why I shall become a living entity like hogs and dogs?" This is called tapasya. "Why I shall become hogs and dogs and again I shall put myself in the cycle of birth and death? I have got this life after so many evolutionary process. Why not practice little tapasya in this life?" This is knowledge. "If by practicing little tapasya, restraint, I can get relief from this repetition of birth and death, why shall I not do it?" This is knowledge. And if I again become victimized... The laws of nature is there. If you want, you can enjoy. Nature will give you. "All right, you want so much sex. All right, come on. Become a hog. Yes."

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

These questions do not arise. Arise, but they cannot make any solution. That is less intelligent.

But there is solution. And that solution is possible in this life, in this human form of life, intelligent life, advanced consciousness, not in the animal life. By nature's evolutionary process, we come, gradually, through the 8,400,000 forms of life, we come to human life. And this human life is meant for curing this material disease. What is that? Birth, death, old age and disease. But people are so unintelligent that they do not care for it. They are simply busy in producing some material, temporary comfortable situation of this body. That's all. They are wasting time. Dīna gelo, rātri gelo... That we are sleeping at night.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Denver, July 2, 1975:

Don't spoil life. Labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions of years. We have to come through the evolutionary process from aquatics to plants, trees, insects, serpents, birds, beasts. In this way we have come to this human form of life. And in this life we can hear about Kṛṣṇa, think about Kṛṣṇa, see Kṛṣṇa's Deity, so many opportunities. And if you take this opportunity, be accustomed to think of Kṛṣṇa... When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, means God. Kṛṣṇa is the God, Supreme. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So Kṛṣṇa has very kindly agreed to come to your city, Denver city, this temple. Take advantage of it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

"No, show me how made..." "Yes, we are trying. It will be in future." Yes. Our Svarūpa Dāmodara... There was one professor. He came to California. He was speaking how from matter life can be there. He has written one volume, book, and he has got Nobel Prize, and the book's name is Evolution of Chemicals and Life. So he is also doctor in chemistry, our Svarūpa Dāmodara. He was also present there. As soon as he asked, "Sir, if I give you the chemicals, can you manufacture life?" at that time he said, "That I cannot say." "Why you cannot say? You are speaking that 'Combination of chemical brings in life.' " We are writing one book that life is from life, not from matter. That is not possible. These rascals are simply bluffing that "From chemicals life can be manufactured." No. We challenge.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

That will come. But we are creating this tenth class... No. Everyone has the chance to become first-class man and come to the understanding, the value of life, and mold our life so that we can, next life we can get better chance. The so-called Darwin's evolutionary theory... Some way or other, he brings to the human body, but he has not discussed what is after human body. He has avoided. But after this, that depends on your work. Because your consciousness is developed than the animal, than the cats and dogs. And the śāstra is giving you information, how you can get the other body, next body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

The last word, what He says, that is to be accepted. You cannot argue that Kṛṣṇa said karma-yoga is also good. You cannot argue that "I shall take to karma-yoga." That is, karma-yoga, different stages of evolution. One who is fit for simply karma-yoga, that process is recommended for him. But if one ultimately wants the supreme benefit, then this is the injunction of Bhagavad-gītā, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So we have to follow the Vedic principles. That is dharma. And why Vedic principles are to be accepted as supreme? That is also explained here.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

"This rascal has been given the nice human form of body to understand Me, My relationship with him." Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that this human form of body is durlabhaṁ. Labham means "obtainable," and duḥ, "when you have(?) difficulty." So many species of life we had to go through by evolution. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. In this way we have got this human form, durlabhaṁ, with great difficulty. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. So mānuṣaṁ janma, durlabhaṁ: "very, very difficult to obtain it." So somebody says, "What is the benefit? Everyone dies, and man also dies." But Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Yes, that is fact." Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "Although it is temporary, but you can achieve the great success of life."

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

Through it, you should understand what is the goal of your life. If you do not know that, then proportionately, as you are ignorant, fool, you will be punished. You will be punished.

So nature's way, evolution... The punishment is beginning from the aquatics. Then gradually, gradually, by evolutionary process, nature gives the chance that from aquatics you become plants and trees; then from plants and trees you become insect, reptiles; then from that, you become bird; then from that, you become beast; and from that beast, you become human being. In this way, by evolutionary process, you come to the platform of becoming a human being. Now, developed consciousness, you have to decide, "Where...

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

Now you have to decide, "What kind of service I shall accept?" That is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Jijñāsā means enquiry. A sane man will understand that "I have been engaged in different types of service, now by evolutionary process, I have come to the human form of life. What is my real service? Under whom I shall work? Shall I loiter in the street like the dog, or find out some good master?" This is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Dallas, July 30, 1975:

So the mind of Yamarāja, he can see. In the previous verse it is said, vartamanaḥ anyayoḥ kālaḥ guṇābhijñāpako yathā. Within this material world we are passing through many evolutionary process and getting different types of body according to the guṇa, quality, modes of nature, we are associating. So Yamaraja can see. When a living being, criminal, sinful living being is brought before him, he can understand through his mind. Just see that everyone's mind is not of the same category. There are difference of mind also, according to the position.

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

The worms have body. All living entity, anyone who has come into this material world, under different body or different dress, they are suffering in this material world. Therefore the śāstra is meant for the human being so that he can understand his awkward position. So everywhere this is advised, ayaṁ deha: "You had many other bodies in your past lives' evolution. Now, this body," ayaṁ deha, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke, "one who has got this human form of body," nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujām (SB 5.5.1), "don't engage yourself for simply for eating, sleeping, in very hard labor." Just like at the present moment huge, big, big industries, karma It is called ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means ferocious activities. Anyone who has gone into the factories, it is ferocious activities, unnecessarily economic development.

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

The first grade qualification is sattva-guṇa, second rajo-guṇa, and the third, tamo-guṇa. So they believe in the evolution. Now, in this human form of life, what is further evolution? The further evolution is that if you are keeping in sattva-guṇa, in goodness, then you can be promoted, elevated, to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). And if you keep yourself in the rajo-guṇa, then you will keep within this Bhurloka. And if you are infected with the tamo-guṇa, then you again go to lower grade life, again animal life, plant life. This is the nature's process. You cannot avoid it. You may be very much proud falsely, but after death, after giving up this body, you are completely... You are already completely under the regulative principle of nature. You cannot violate even.

Lecture on SB 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975:

So without obeying the instruction of the śāstra, he has fallen down. Although he was born in the brāhmaṇa family and educated nicely, but on account of bad association he fell down from the standard of human ideal life. Therefore he is punishable. Not only he, every one of us. The human fom of life is specially meant for going back to home, back to Godhead. The animal life... By progressive evolution, they come to the human form of life, and when one is, the living entity is on the platform of human form of life, he has got his responsibility.

Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

There is no alternative. Therefore we have to come. Just like we go to school, college for education. What is the purpose? That "We are ignorant. We are illiterate, uneducated. Therefore I must go to school to learn, to become enlightened." Similarly, from the lower animal status we are coming by evolution, and in the human form of life, especially in the civilized human form of life, the enlightenment is that one should come from this tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa to sattva-guṇa. That is required. Therefore the brahminical culture is so much adored in India to make one from the lower status of life to the higher status of life. And that is very easily done simply by devotional service.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Death can take place at any moment. Therefore a sane man will understand that we are always old enough because there is no guarantee. Durlabhaṁ. And this mānuṣaṁ janma, this human form of life is called durlabha. Durlabha means very rarely obtained, after many, many evolutionary process, either you take the anthropologists' theory how human body has developed or you take from Vedic literature. But the difference is that anthropologists, they say, "There is no soul. The organic matter is developing in different ways." But Vedic literature says it is not the organic matter, but it is the soul. The soul is a person, is individual, and he is transforming different types of bodies from one body to another, transmigrating. This we have explained several times.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

They think that this spot life is all, and this body is all, and there is no other life. Next life, they do not believe it. This is all due to ignorance. Life is eternity, and this spot life is preparation for the next life.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ. Durlabhaṁ means very rarely obtained. Our modern anthropologists, they also admit it, that after many evolution of different species of life, this human form of life is obtained. But they do not know what is meant for. That is answered here, Prahlāda Mahārāja. We have to pass through many millions of species of life. There are 900,000 species of life in the water. Eleven hundred thousand species of life Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Sthāvarā means plants and trees. Two million species of life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

That is to be changed into, that is to be improved into Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. That is your duty. So unless we are trained up to change our consciousness which we have had in many other animal life Because this is evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni. From 900,000 species of life of aquatics, then trees and plants, then reptiles, worms, then birds, then beasts, then uncivilized men, then we have come to this form of civilized men who are, there is intelligence for production, there is nice brain for so many things. So how it should be utilized? Prahlāda Mahārāja says it should be utilized for understanding God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, it is simply a misuse of life. Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

He has no personal desire, simply how to glorify. So this Prahlāda Mahārāja, he is our guru. Out of the twelve mahājanas, he is one of them. So he is advising, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Why so early, kaumāra? Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma: "This human form of life is very, very rarely obtained in the process of evolution, 8,400,000's of different species of life." After that, we have got this durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. It should not be wasted, living like cats and dogs. Everyone should be trained up in this bhāgavata-dharma. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. And "Yes, it is important, that's all right. But let me live for hundred years. Then we shall talk about Kṛṣṇa." And Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "No." Adhruvam:

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

Why you are thinking that way, that now you are five years old; you will live for five hundred years? No. There is no guarantee. At any moment you can die.

Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This body, human form of body, is obtained after many, many millions of years through evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, 8,400,000 species of life we had to come through. Then we have got this body, human form of life, and civilized. Civilized, according to our Vedic conception, a civilized means ārya, ārya. When Arjuna was declining to fight, Kṛṣṇa condemned him, anārya-juṣṭam: "You are just like..., speaking like an anārya, not an ārya. It is your duty. You must do it." Anārya-juṣṭam akīrtiṁ karam arjuna. "You'll be defied by others. Don't do it." So an ārya... Aryan means who accepts this varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas, four āśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58).

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

And gradually the grass is eaten by some animals or insects, and then there is semina. Then the same semina becomes insect. From insect to bird, bird to beast, from beast to animals. It takes millions and millions of years to come to the form of human being. This is evolution. They do not know it. But that is the process. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. You must understand that this human form of body you have got after many millions of years. Don't waste it like animals. If we utilize this human form of body just like cats and dogs, what is the difference between my life and dog's life? Therefore he says: durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ tad apy adhruvam arthadam.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Just like the trees, plants, they are also living entities, but they cannot move. They are called sthāvarā. Two millions. Now where is the botanist who can give exact information how many plants and trees are there? But you get fully, full information. Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. This is the evolutionary process, from aquatics to the plant life, then insect life, kṛmayo. Rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ means eleven hundred thousand. Pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. The birds, after insects, the next evolution is to the bird species. So there are one million different species of birds. Pakśiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. Paśavaḥ triṁśal-lakṣāni. Then beast, four-legged beast, animals. There are three millions. And mānuṣāḥ catur-lakṣāṇi. And then we come to the form of the human being; there are also four hundred thousand species. In this way, altogether there are 8,400,000 species, forms of life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

"My dear friends, you try to learn this science," dharmān bhāgavatān iha, "from this very childhood life." Because this human form of life, he says that, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Mānuṣaṁ janma. This form of body... We have got by evolutionary process. It is a chance given by the nature to understand what is God. This is the main business of this body. Not that economic development. That is not the business of human body. Sense gratification. Sense gratification is there in the animals. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). The human form of life is not meant for to live like the dogs and the hogs. They are busy always for maintaining the body. They are busy.

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

Sometimes we are in abstract dream, and sometimes we are in concrete dream. This is also dream. We do not know how many lives we have passed before this, hundreds and thousands and millions. "Oh, sometimes I have been a cat." Oh, that is now dream. Sometimes I might have been a dog. Not might have been, because the evolution is there. We are coming by evolutionary process from aquatics to vegetable life, from vegetable to, I mean to say, reptile life, then, from bird's life, then beast's life, then uncivilized life. Then we have come to the civilized form of life under the grip of nature. So we have passed so many status of life. So they have become now dream. If somebody says, "Oh, forty millions of years before, you were a tree," so will you believe it? It is dream. But actually I was, by nature's law.

Lecture on SB 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977:

"You take this chemical and prepare the living force," they'll say, "That I cannot do." And what is this? If you cannot do, then why you are speaking like nonsense, that "The combination of matter or chemicals gives the life"? You take the chemicals. Our Doctor Svarūpa Dāmodara in the California University... One big professor came to lecture on chemical evolution, and he challenged immediately, that "If I give you the chemicals, can you produce life?" He said, "That I cannot say." So this is their position. They cannot prove it. They cannot do it. Science means not only observation but experiment also. That is complete. Otherwise theory. It is not science.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

Are you going to hell or heaven or back to home, or back to Godhead? That you have to decide. This is human intelligence, not like working like cats and dogs and dying like cats and dogs. That is not human life. Human life is meant for to decide where you want to go next. By the evolutionary process you have come to this human form of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. By going through so many, 8,400,000 species of life, you have got this human form of life. Now you decide where you'll go. So where I have to go, how to go, there is that information in the śāstra. Śāstra-cakṣuṣaḥ. See through the śāstra where you can go.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

This verse we have been discussing. (aside:) You can open. So vipra. Vipra means one who is fully conversant with Vedic knowledge. He is called vipra. For spiritual elevation there are gradual evolutionary stages. So vipra stage is just before becoming a qualified brāhmaṇa. That is called vipra. The first stage, by birth everyone is śūdra. Śūdra means affected by the miseries of this world. He is śūdra. Śocati. The material condition is full of anxiety, so anyone who is full of anxiety, he is śūdra. This is the... So if you analyze the present society, that who is not anxiety, full of anxiety, oh, nobody will say that "I am not full of anxiety." "I have got so many anxieties." So that means he is a śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age, everyone is śūdra." That is concluded. A brāhmaṇa is not afraid.

Lecture on SB 7.9.15 -- Mayapur, February 22, 1976:

These things are to be known. And when we neglect to understand these things, that means we are going to the wrong way of life. The wrong way of life can be allowed up to the animal life. Out of 8,400,000 forms of life, the animal life, three million types of animal life, by evolutionary process we come to the human life. Now we should inquire about spiritual life. That is civilization. Without spiritual life, without inquiring the spiritual life, it is animal life. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And spiritual life means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa comes to explain Himself. And hear from Him and understand Him as He says. Then, as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

As you associate, so you get your next body. There are 8,400,000 different forms of body. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: "You'll get another body." He doesn't say that "You will get this body after..." Just like this Darwin's theory. They say, "After this body, this body. After this body, this body." That is when the evolution takes place in the lower species of life, nature's law. But when you come to the human form of life you have got your responsibility. Wherever you want, you can go.

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

So we have to undergo tapasya because our grandfather, he had to undergo tapasya. So anyone who is in this material world, Brahmā, beginning from Brahmā down to the ant, must undergo tapasya. But for the ant, cats and dogs, it is not possible. They are condemned. They will have to come to the human form of life by evolutionary process by the help of nature. But as soon as we come to the human form of life, the responsibility is there. What is that responsibility? Because you have got developed consciousness more than the cats and dogs, you have to decide, "How I have come to this material world? Why I am suffering? I do not wish to die. The death is there.

Lecture on SB 7.9.37 -- Mayapur, March 15, 1976:

So this is going on not only in this life, before this life also, anādi, anādi. So once we get the chance to understand what is the problem of life, and this human life is given a chance. By evolution, by nature's way, 8,400,000 species of life we are coming through. Then the nature has given one chance, this human form of life. Now it is for understanding what is our position. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. But if we do not take care of this questioning... Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. Sanātana Gosvāmī placed this inquiry before Caitanya Mahāprabhu. To approach guru means to inquire about himself, "What I am?" That is intelligence. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the minister. He was very opulent.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

That is not possible. This is analysis. You are very expert in analyzing things in the laboratory and charge fees, chemical analysis. But this is also composition of these chemical. But they say "chemical evolution." That's right, evolution. It has come, life. Then, when life is lost, why don't you combine these chemicals, bring life? That is not possible. Therefore, by proper analysis one must come to the conclusion that these ingredients are different from the living force. Then... That is called self-realization. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this matter." That is the first step of knowledge. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). "Oh, I was so much busy with this lump of matter. Now I understand that I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the first realization, self-realization.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

"Oh, you shall eat me? All right. Punar mūṣiko bhava: Again you become a mouse. I have made you tiger, and you want to eat me. So you become again mouse."

So our civilization is like that, that in the gradual process of evolution we have come to the platform of human being. This human being is meant for understanding God, but they are forgetting God. Therefore the next stage is punar mūṣiko bhava, "Again become monkey." That is waiting us. The nature's law is like that, that from monkey we have become human being, and in the human being we are dancing like monkey. So nature will say, "All right, again you become monkey." You cannot check that. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

Dog-eaters were there (indistinct) millions of years ago. All kinds of people are there always. It is not that now somebody has developed. No. Everything is perpetually existing. We don't believe in Darwin's theory, evolution. Everything is... But sometimes the dog-eaters are very less, and sometimes the dog-eaters are very great. Sometimes the cow-eaters are very great, and sometimes... But everything is there. First-class, second-class, third-class men, asura and devata, they are all existing, always existing. Otherwise how Prahlāda Mahārāja mentions śvapacaṁ variṣṭham? Śvapaca means dog-eaters, that during his time, millions and millions of years ago, there were dog-eaters. Otherwise how he says? So all classes of men are existing always, and everyone has got chance to become a devotee. Otherwise how Prahlāda Mahārāja says śvapacaṁ variṣṭham?

Lecture on SB 10.22.35 -- Bombay, March 19, 1971:

In order to make our life successful, dehinām iha dehiṣu. There are many embodied souls, 8,400,000 of species of life. Out of that, this civilized form of life, especially those who are followers of Vedic regulations, they are called the Aryans or the advanced civilized persons. So, it is obtained after many, many evolutionary process. Bahunam janmanam ante (BG 7.19). Labdhvā sudur... Sudurlabhaṁ idam bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. So dehinām iha dehiṣu, of all the embodied souls, this embodied soul, this human form of life is meant for liberation. We are entangled in this chain of repeated birth and death, old age and disease, but we are not yet fed up. We think that, "All right, let us go on like this," but that is not actually advancement of knowledge.

Lecture on SB Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1972:

Let me enter that life, that life, that life, that." In this way he falls down. He is fallen already. From Vaikuṇṭha planet he is fallen in this material world, and he is again trying to make progress. Prāptaṁ mānuṣam. In this way, after many, many births, he gets this human form of life, prāptaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma-paryāyāt, by the graduation, gradual evolution process. This is real evolution, not the body is changing. Body is already there. Jīva-jātiṣu, the jīva-jāti, species, are already there. That is the defect of Darwin's theory. He does not want... He does not know that the living entity is passing through different types of bodies, not that the body is changing. The bodies are already there. Bhramadbhiḥ puruṣair prāptaṁ mānuṣam janma-jātiṣu, janma-paryāyāt. Paryāya means chronological... What is called, one after another?