Kṛṣṇa consciousness means the original consciousness, "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am God's, part and parcel of God," this consciousness. At the present moment, being illusioned by different material designations, we are thinking in different way: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." These are all designations. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means "I am Kṛṣṇa's." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So 'ham. "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa," or "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This consciousness is required to invoke. That is the prime objective of human life. Now we are in different consciousness. So bhakti means sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to become freed from all these designations: "I am this," "I am that," this bodily concept of life. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). I am identifying myself with this body. This is condemned in the śāstra. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. One who identifies himself with this body, he's no better than the cows and the asses. Sa eva go-kharaḥ.
Identification with the body (Lectures, Other)
Expressions researched:
"bodily"
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Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means one is not identifying himself with this material body. He is identifying himself in his original constitutional position, ahaṁ brahmāsmi.
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. After being liberated from all these designations, one begins his devotional service, devotional life. And Kṛṣṇa says, "If one wants to know Me, then he must accept." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ. If one wants to know Kṛṣṇa, God, as He is, then he has to accept the process of devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhakti-yogena (SB 1.2.20). There is another verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ.
This body is made of three dhātus, kapha pitta vāyu, and if we identify that "I, I am kapha pitta vāyu," then certainly he's a go-kharaḥ. He's nothing more than a cow and an ass. So bhakti, devotional service begins when one is actually self-realized. Before that, sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Anyone who has got the identification of this body, he is engaged in Deity worship, but he does not actually realize his self, he does not know who is a devotee, and he does not know his duty to other persons, he remains a prākṛta-bhakta. Prākṛta-bhakta means he's situated on the material platform, but under the direction of spiritual master, under the direction of the śāstras, he's trying to improve his condition of material existence. That is called prākṛta-bhakta, sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ.
When one has (become) self-realized. Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So long we are identifying with this body, identifying with this material existence, bodily, bodily existence, that is animal life. That is not human life. A human being, if he exists in this bodily concept of life, he remains animal. But when he is advanced in knowledge, he understands that he is not this body; he's different from this body.
That we are discussing in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā: idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram iti abhidhīyate. Idaṁ śarīram. This śarīra is field of activities. One should not identify with this body. So when one actually understands his spiritual position, that he's not this body, he's spirit soul, he's brahma-vatsu... It is not we become Brahman by meditation or by somebody. We are Brahman, but we have now forgotten. Jīva-bhūta. At the present moment, because I'm identifying with this body, I'm thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian, " "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am Vaiṣṇava," "I am this or that." No. When we are actually brahma-bhūtaḥ, as explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7).
Actually, he has no connection with the body. Vimarśanam means cultivation of knowledge. So one has to cultivate knowledge. Then he can be stopped from sinful activities.
People, generally, they identify this body as self, and for bodily interest, he commits so many sinful activities, simply for satisfaction of the senses. But if he's cultured, if he's given proper knowledge that "Bodily concept of life is not your interest. You are spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, in this way, if he cultivates knowledge... That is very easily possible simply by engaging oneself in the service of the Lord. Kevalayā bhaktyā. Simply by devotional service, one can raise himself to the position of perfect knowledge, and thus he can renounce all sinful activities.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, in very simple Bengali song, he says, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu. This is our life. We have got this human form of life, but we are simply spoiling it. This is the whole situation. In our this movement we are traveling all over the world, and according to our views, how they are spoiling their very valuable human life in false identification that "I am this body," everyone, in big, big names, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German," "I am...," and they are spoiling their life under this bodily concept of life. According to śāstra, anyone who is identifying himself, this body... That is the first instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa brought Arjuna to fight with the Kurus, and he identified himself as this body, and therefore he thought, "Killing of my cousin-brothers, it will not be good because I have got bodily relation."
We are talking very, very big, big talks and plans, but actually we are nothing better than cats and dogs. This is our position because we are identifying with this body. "My country, my community, my society, my family, my..." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Jīvasya moho ayam ahaṁ mameti. They do not know. This is the ignorance, basic ignorance. "I" and "my." "I am this body, and anything in relationship with the body is mine." This is ignorance. But this ignorance is going on all over the world. That's a fact, this ignorance.
Because such kind of talk is never, I mean to say, placed by a learned man. So indirectly He said that "You are a fool." And "Why you are fool?" He said that "You are not this body. You are changing every moment your body. Why don't you think that you are not this body? Why you are identifying yourself as with the body?" Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā: (BG 2.13) "You are changing your body at every moment. From the mother's womb up to the death point, you are changing every body. Then why you are thinking that you are body? But you are the same. In spite of all changes, you are the same." I think, my childhood, I think that I am the same. I forget that I am so much grown-up.
So this is the problem, dehātma-buddhi, identifying oneself with this body. That is condemned in the śāstra. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ sa eva go-kharaḥ: (SB 10.84.13) "Anyone who is identifying himself with this body, he is no better than the cows and the asses, animal." This is... The whole Vedic civilization is based on this principle, that one has to learn first of all that he is not this body. Then further advancement. If one keeps himself under this misidentification that "I am this body," he remains an animal.
So Brahman means... Generally we are identified with this body. Body means the senses. We take prominent the senses. Whole world is going on on the sense perception, sense gratification. So indriyāṇi parāny āhuḥ. The indriyas are very prominent in materialistic way of life. Indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ. Then, above the indriyas, there is the mind. Just like philosopher, psychologist or scientist, who are thoughtful, thinking, they are also on the mental platform. The ordinary men, they are on the bodily platform like animal, sense gratification. And little higher than that—indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ—those who are on the mental platform.
Therefore our request is that for your enlightenment of life you do not approach a big animal. You approach Kṛṣṇa, the supreme being. Then you will be benefited. There is no use. And who is animal? Even if he is two-legged, but still, if he remains an animal... Who? Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). One who is thinking of this body as identified with the self, he is animal. Anyone, it doesn't matter. We do not speak of any particular man, but any person who does not know his real identification... As Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired, ke āmi. He was the prime minister, but still, he did not know what he is. That will be explained. Grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita satya kare māni āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. "Some foolish person, they say that I am very learned scholar." Because he was brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is always supposed to be very learned; therefore he is called paṇḍita, paṇḍitajī.
That's all. Under the spell of this material nature, we are simply misunderstanding. But when we come to the pure state... Just like mirror, when cleansed of all the dust we can see our face nicely, similarly, when the mind is cleared of all material dust then we can see what we are. In ignorance we identify with this body and bodily relationships. And in passion we are very much active for this bodily comfort. And in goodness we can see what we are. So in goodness we can see that "I am not this body." Of course, it is very common thing to understand that "I am not this body," the distinction between a dead man and living man. When a man is dead, the relatives cry, lament, "Oh, my son is gone," "My father is gone," "My wife is gone." But if we think, "Your wife is there lying. Your son is lying there.
Ānanda-mātram, simply full of..., reservoir of all pleasures. So because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, we have also ānanda-mātram, simply blissful body we have got. That is called spiritual body. But because we have become mad, we have identified that this material body as "I am." Therefore And material body means sense gratification. There is no other alternative. To enjoy this material body means to gratify the senses.
So this sense gratification means, as it is said by Ṛṣabhādeva, na sādhu manye. "I do not think it is very good." Why? Yata asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4).
Festival Lectures
And so long we are interested with the dead lump of matter without any information of the spirit soul within it, that is material life. This is the difference between material life and spiritual life.
One who is in ignorance, without any knowledge of the spirit soul and identifying with this body and trying to enjoy life, he is implicated. Implicated. Life after life we change and enjoy in different ways. What (is) the enjoyment? The enjoyment is eating, sleeping, sex, and defense. So either you become one little insect or you become Brahmā, the same enjoyment in different forms.
I'll carry my work with me, and according to that work, I shall have to accept by force another type of body. It may be something other than human body. So these things cannot protect us or give us the real pleasure. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises that vidyā-kule ki koribe tār. Then he says, ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā. "Being maddened after false prestige and identification..." False identification with the body and prestige of bodily relationship, it is called ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā. One is mad after this false prestige. Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā. Due to this false prestige we are thinking, "Oh, what is Nityānanda? What can He do for me? I don't care."
So these are the signs of false prestige. Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsa..., asatyere satya kori māni. The result is that I am accepting something which is false. For example, I am accepting this body. This body, I am not this body. Therefore, with false identification I am becoming entangled more and more. So one who is puffed up with this false prestige, ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pā..., asatyere satya kori māni, he accepts something wrong as right. Then he says, nitāiyer koruṇā habe, braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe. If you are actually serious about going back to home, back to Godhead, then please seek after the mercy of Nityānanda.
That is the common law. So in that sense everyone is butcher. Besides that, because a person is killing some cow or some animal, we are calling butcher, but mostly they are killing their soul. Anyone who is unconscious, who is ignorant of his spiritual identity, identifying himself with this body and misusing this opportunity of human form of life simply for animal sense gratification, they are also butchers. If killing of some living entity is butchery, then how great a butcher is he who is killing himself? He is killing an animal, but he is killing himself. Ātma-hā. Ātma-hā, self-killing, out of ignorance. Everyone is in ignorance. Any sinful activity is done out of ignorance. So ignorance is no excuse. The butcher is killing animal because he does not know what is the effect of this killing. Similarly, persons who do not know what is the value of this human form of life and simply spoiling it just like animals, they are also butchering themselves.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
And as soon as we think otherwise—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," that is material consciousness. Try to understand the simple fact that as soon as we identify with our designated body, which I am not... I am not this body, so why shall I identify myself with American or Indian? Accidentally I have got this body in America or India or Africa or in hell or heaven. That is accidental. Or by my karma. But actually, I am not this body. And if I am not this body... Generally everything we are accepting in this material world (is) on the bodily concept of life. Because I have got bodily relationship with some man or woman, I am thinking... There are thousands of men and women, but I am thinking, "This woman is mine," "This man is mine." This is a crude example. And similarly, children. Gṛha-kṣetra.
Anyone, any intelligent man can understand that as soon as we identify our activities with the body, then we are fool number one. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is identifying himself with this body... Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. "And family members, wife, children, they are our own men. All others are enemies." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. "And the land in which we have taken birth, that is worshipable."
"Oh, you are national of this, national of that." Falsely they are working so hard. This is the basic principle, mistake, of the modern civilization—identifying oneself with this body, which he's not. So by Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, this bodily concept of life is..., in the beginning it becomes vanquished. A tacit example: you are all boys. You have forgotten that this body is Indian or American. You are Kṛṣṇa's. This is the first installment. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If this bodily concept of life is removed, immediately all the problems of the world solved. Immediately. All these great writers, thoughtful men, philosophers, politicians, diplomats, and the United Nations, they are trying to solve the problems of the world, but they are increasing the problems.
So basic principle of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to correct the wrong foundation of the human civilization. In the Bhagavad-gītā this is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. When Arjuna was identifying himself with this body and bodily relationship, Kṛṣṇa first of all corrected that "You are not this body." So if we do not understand these first steps of spiritual knowledge, then where is the question of making further progress? Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). This is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasya ātma-buddhiḥ. One who has accepted as self kuṇape tri-dhātuke, this bag of bones and flesh and blood... This body is made of... According to Vedic medicine or Vedic anatomy, it is made of three elements—mucus, bile, and air. Tri-dhātu.
We are not this body, but because we are in this body, therefore we are thinking pleasure of the body is pleasure of the soul. Just like when you are sitting in a nice car, if the car is damaged, the proprietor thinks that he is damaged. But actually he is not damaged; the car is damaged. It is due to our false identification with the body. Therefore we think that sex life is a pleasure. But so long we are in this body, sex life is not prohibited, but it is regulated. By regulative principle, gradually we can give up sex life. Therefore there are four orders of life. The beginning is brahmacārī. There it is very nicely taught how to remain free from material encagement. But if one is unable to take immediately spiritual activity, he is allowed to marry. The married life is regulated sex life.
The yoga system is practiced just to understand this. Yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ. By controlling the senses, especially the mind... Mind is the master or the chief of the senses. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). We are undergoing a struggle for existence with this mind and the senses under the false conception of identifying this body as self. So if we concentrate our mind by controlling the senses, then we can gradually understand. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they meditate upon the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, and by that process they realize the self. Self-realization is the prime object of human life. So the beginning of self-realization is to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.
The living entity is there, but the body is changing. The child is becoming boy, the boy is becoming young man, the young man is becoming middle-aged man, middle-aged man becoming old man. The body is changing. We know, every one of us. But I am the same spirit soul. This misunderstanding, that I am not this body, still, I am identifying with this body, this is our ignorance. And so long this ignorance will continue, we shall remain like cats and dogs, There cannot be any peace. It is not possible. When we come to the real understanding that we are spirit soul and part and parcel of God, then we become actually learned.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means kṛṣṇa-tattva, the science of Kṛṣṇa, or the science of God. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very seriously started this movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa very easily. We cannot understand on account of our ignorance. I am not this body, everyone sees practically. Still, he's identifying with this body. This is called ignorance or, in common words, rascaldom. Mūḍha. They are called mūḍhas, rascals. So the United Nations, for the last thirty, forty years, they are struggling, but there is no unity of the nations. That is not possible. So long you are in the bodily concept of life, there cannot be any unity. When you actually come to the platform to understand that I am not this body, I am spirit soul, then there will be... Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54).
Go-kharaḥ means animals, cows and asses. Anyone who is thinking, "I am this body," he is animal. This is the verdict. Actually he is animal. If the dog is thinking, "I am dog," and if some gentleman is thinking, "I am Indian," "I am American," or "I am Englishman," where is the difference? To identify the body? There is no difference.
Initiation Lectures
Don't think that it is Indian or Vedic system. No. In every country, in every place, in every planet, these four divisions are there.
Brāhmaṇas means those who are interested in spiritual life, they are called brāhmaṇas, intelligent class. They are called intelligent class, because unless one is intelligent, he will simply consider that this body is he, identification of the body. That is foolishness. Brāhmaṇas means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows that "I am ahaṁ brahmāsmi," and he has actually realized that "I am not this body, I am pure spirit self." It is not the question of Hindu, Muslim. Anyone. Anyone who knows this knowledge, that "I am the self," and acts in that way, he is a brāhmaṇa. So these initiation formalities are there. You are instructed, you are guided, but you have to act. Unless you act, then the same thing as in India—the so-called brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas are degraded.
General Lectures
While walking you can chant, while driving you can chant. Nobody is going to tax, that "You are chanting. Give me this tax." It is very easy.
So kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). If you chant, the result will be that your mind will be cleansed. The whole misunderstanding is that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. But I am identifying myself with this body—'I am Indian,' 'I am American,' 'I am Christian,' 'I am Hindu.' " These are all your designations. You are spirit soul. Just try to understand that you are spirit soul, and try to understand on the platform of spiritual understanding. All problems will be solved. And so long you are standing on this designated platform—"I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that"—there is no solution of problems. Take it for granted.
When you see your body you think that "This is my finger, this is my hand, this is my head, this is my chest, this is my leg." You see simply you will find, "This is my, this is my, this is my." But if you try to find out "Then what is I?" then you will find out. That is called self-realization. We are simply now engrossed with things "my," but we do not know what is "I." The identification of myself or I with this body is wrong. The identification of I with the mind is also wrong. The identification of I with intelligence is also wrong. When you actually come to the platform of spiritual understanding, then you understand that "I am neither this body, neither the senses, neither this mind, nor intelligence, but I am spirit soul." That is called brahma-jñāna, or Brahman realization.
The foolish person or the foolish living entity... Anyone who has accepted this temporary body is understood to be foolish. So every one of us is born foolish because we identify with this temporary body as myself. Therefore we are foolish. Everyone knows that the body does not exist, and still, everyone identifies himself with this body. This is called ignorance, or illusion.
They do not know what he is. Simply coming, accepting a body, and living for some time, and just dying like cats and dogs. That's all. They are most abominable condition of human civilization at the present moment that they do not take care about the real identity of his self. He's simply mistakenly identifying himself with this body, which he's not. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). The Bhāgavata says one who identifies this body with his self, and one who thinks that the bodily relationship is the protector of his kinsmen, and the body produced in certain part of the land is accepted as worshipable—there are so many descriptions—such man is no better than an ass or cow. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
"I am born" means my body is born. Or because my body is born from another body, my father and mother, so I think that "This body is my kinsman, and this country is mine," and so on. But the basic principle is false, that "I am considering, falsely identifying myself with this body. But I am within this body." That is a fact. And how can I understand how I am within this body? I can understand I am within this body by my feeling. If there is some pain or pleasure on my body, I can feel. I am conscious that I am there. In consciousness, I am there. And what is this consciousness?
There are hundreds of thousands of women, but the woman who has got relationship with this body is my wife. There are thousands and millions of children, but one child who has got intimate relation with this body I call my son. So if the body falsely identified, then we can understand that our identification with this world is also false. The real identification is, as it is stated in the Vedic literature, ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman." "I am Brahman" means "I am spirit soul. I am not this matter." So this misconception has to be removed. Of course, it is not possible that everyone will understand or everyone will be able to understand it, but even a certain percentage of the human society can understand, immediately there is solution of so many problems—to understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi. And how that solution is made, that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Because he has identified himself with the car. If the car, if there is any accident to the car, if the car breaks, he thinks, "I am gone. Oh, my car is gone." Although he is different from car, he thinks like that due to identification, false identification. Similarly, because we are falsely identified with this body, therefore we have got so many problems of life. So if we want to make solution of the problems of life, then we have to understand what I am. And unless this question arises in your mind—not only in your mind, everyone's mind—then we should, we must consider that whatever we are doing, that is our defeat because we are doing everything in false consciousness.
Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is accepting this body as self, he's either an ass or a cow. Misconception. So people are not interested. We are trying, the Bhagavad-gītā is trying. In the beginning, beginning of the instruction... Just like Arjuna was identifying himself with this body in the beginning, and he was thinking that "He is my grandfather, he is my son, he is my nephew, he is my...,." so on, so on. Kṛṣṇa replied him. When Arjuna was unable to make a solution of his problems, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I surrender unto You as Your disciple.
This knowledge that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am born of this family," "I am father of this person," "husband of that lady," and this and that, so many designations, that is not real knowledge. Real knowledge is to know oneself. That is being taught by Sanātana Gosvāmī, that "I do not know what I am. I am simply identifying myself with this body. That is not real knowledge." He's presenting in that way. Read next.
The Bhagavad-gītā, the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā is that when Arjuna surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, He immediately said that "My dear Arjuna, you are posing yourself as very learned man but you are fool number one." Why? "Because you are identifying yourself with this body." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). "My dear Arjuna, you are talking just like very learned man, but you are lamenting on the subject matter of your body." Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. Actually one who is learned, he has no necessity for lamenting on the subject, on the body, either living or dead.
This is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ means a realization of one's self as Brahman. At the present moment our realization is that "I am this body," and because this body is produced in a certain country or a certain place, a certain society, therefore I am identifying my body as American or as this or that. These are all designations. When we actually come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ platform, in that platform only, you can become joyful, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). As soon as you come to that platform of self-realization, then you will be joyful, immediately. And you are seeking after that joyfulness, that pleasure, because by nature you are joyful. By nature... It is your nature.
That is also stated, that if you purify your existence, then you'll be situated on the Brahman platform. You'll understand that you are Brahman, you are spirit soul, you are not this body. Just like the animals, they cannot understand what he is. He identifies himself with this body. But a human being should not identify himself with this body. That is ignorance. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). If anyone identifies himself with this body, then he is said, according to the Vedic version, he's an ass. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Khara means ass, animal. Animal, he does not know what he is. The human form of life, there should be inquiry, "What I am? Am I this body?" This is called meditation.
"You are not this body." He was talking with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was asking him to fight, and he was placing so many pleas that "If I fight, my family will die and the women will be widows. They will be polluted." So many arguments he placed. That means Arjuna was identifying himself with this body. And Kṛṣṇa, when Arjuna submitted to Kṛṣṇa that "I am now puzzled, bewildered. I cannot understand what is my duty at the present moment; therefore I am submitting unto You," śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "I become Your disciple." Śādhi māṁ prapannam: "I am surrendered unto You. You please instruct me." So because they were talking like friends in the beginning, so argument like friends, talking, that cannot give any conclusion. Here is the Vedic process. Just like Arjuna said that śādhi māṁ prapannam, śiṣyas te 'ham: "I become your śiṣya." Śiṣya means disciple.
They are considered as animals. Just like the animals, they are fully absorbed in the thought that "I am this body," similarly, if a man is absorbed in such thought, that "I am this body," then he is equal to animal. That's all. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). And with bodily relation we make our identification. "Because my body is born in this land, England, therefore I am Englishman. Therefore all Englishmen are my countrymen." Or my family: "Because I have got this bodily relationship, they are my kinsmen, they are my sons, they are my wife, they are my father, they are my mother, they are my societymen." In this way, all our conception of life is on the bodily concept of life. But we are not body; we are ātmā. This is self-realization.
If actually one has realized Brahman, then he should be free from all anxieties. Prasannātmā. Prasanna means joyful. Because all our anxieties are due to this identification of this body—"I am Englishman," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." Therefore I am..., we are always anxious, anxiety. Even the cats and dogs, they are also anxious for their body, protection. As in nationwise, everyone is anxious, "Oh, let them... Russians, they may not come." The Russians thinking, "Here... Yes. They may not come." Oh, should be... Oh, wars and peace.(?) All anxiety! Advancement, so-called nonsense advancement is increasing anxiety.
That is the first stage. That is the first stage, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. And what is that? How? What is that quality of prasannātmā? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There is no hankering and there is no lamentation. So long we have got this bodily identification, we have got sense gratification. What we haven't got for sense gratification, we hanker after it. And if we lose something, then also we lament. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na.... But a brahma-bhūtaḥ person, he has no hankering, no lamenting. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then he sees equally everyone. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Not that "He is animal. He should be sent to the slaughterhouse for our eating purpose, and the animal may suffer and we may enjoy." This is not Brahman realization. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Equal: "Oh, if somebody pinches me, I suffer."
Therefore meditation required. Accepting that you are God, now find out "I." Now what is that "I"? Is that "I" this body or this, that "I" the mind, or is that "I" the intelligence? So meditation means to find out that "I" who's claiming that "I am God."
So if you identify yourself with this body, then there is no need of meditation because body, you are actually seeing—this is body. No meditation means that you have to transcend the bodily platform, the mental platform, the intellectual platform. Then you find out what is the "I." That is meditation. But fortunately we get information directly. Instead of searching out what you are, what is your position, what is this "I," you get direct information from Kṛṣṇa.
Take, take the example of Arjuna. What is that? He was in the battlefield. The problem was to fight or not to fight. But so long he was not in the brahma-bhūta stage, identifying his body, that "I am this body," he was thinking the bodily relationship: "Oh, he's my father. He's my brother. He's my uncle. He's my grandfather." He was hesitant. But the same fighting remained after hearing Bhagavad-gītā. And what is the change? The change is that bodily identification gone, spiritual identification taken, that he, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, it is his duty to serve Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa wants this fight. I must fight. That's all."
In so many way we are. Our consciousness are polluted. Actually, my position is, as it is said in the Vedic literature, ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman, or spirit soul." In the Bhagavad-gītā we find that when a person becomes realized as Brahman, means spirit soul... Now I am identifying not with Brahman, but I am identifying with this body: "I am American," "I am Englishman," "I am Indian." Because by accident I have got this Indian body, I may think, "I am Indian." You may have American body; you may think, "I am..." But we are neither American nor Indian. We are pure spirit soul. This is only an outward dress. Suppose you have got green dress. You don't say that "I am green dress." You say, "I am Mr. John." Similarly, if we say that "I am American," "I am Indian," that is not my real identification.
So fragmental part of gold is gold; it may be fragmental. Similarly, we are minute particles of God's body; therefore, qualitatively, we are as good as God. The chemical composition of God's body and our body... Not this body. This is material. I am speaking of our spiritual identification, that body. That is as good as God. The chemical composition is one. But similarly, as the rainwater falls down on the ground, similarly, as we come in contact with this material world,... Material world means it is being manipulated by the material energy of Kṛṣṇa, prakṛti, nature. Nature means whose nature? As soon as we speak of nature, it must be inquired, "Whose nature?" God's nature. Nature is not acting independently.
That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātma (BG 18.54). When one realizes Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. At the present moment, we are jīva-bhūtaḥ. We are identifying ourself with matter, with this body: "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Christian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am black," "I am white." These are all designations. This is not my real identity. My real identity is ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul."
What happens after death?" I think hardly any scientist will give you clear idea. That is not possible, because their basic principle of understanding education is wrong, dehātma-buddhiḥ, I am this body. Everyone is fighting. The Pakistani is fighting with Hindustani. Twenty years ago, there was no Pakistani. But due to this false identification of body, a section has become Pakistani. Similarly, long, long ago there was only Vedic culture. Five thousand years ago there was no other culture except this Vedic culture, Aryan culture. But later on, all these so-called system developed. The Christian religion, the Mohammedan religion, or the Buddhist religion, they are all later. Nobody can give history more than two thousand five hundred years. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at least if you take the historical reference of Kurukṣetra battle, it is five thousand years old at least.
Mukti hasn't got any other definition. Mukti means just like you are attacked with fever. If your fever is gone, then you are mukta, you are liberated from fever. Similarly, this disease, ahaṁ mameti... (SB 5.5.8). I am in this material world, I am thinking this body as myself, I am identifying with this body, and according to that bodily relation, I am identifying my... Mamāham iti. There are thousands of women, but the one woman who has got bodily relationship with me, (s)he is my wife. There are thousands of children, but the one children or two children who has got bodily relation with me, they are my sons, my daughters. Mamāham iti manyate.
Freedom. When we have got our spiritual body, without being covered by this material body... We have got our spiritual body within this material body. Very small. That is my real identification. Now I'm covered by two kinds of material bodies. One is called subtle body and the other is called gross body. The subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego, false ego, and the gross body is made of earth, water, fire, air and ether mixed together, this body. So two kinds of body we have got. And we are changing. Generally we can see the gross body; we cannot see the subtle body. Just like everyone knows... I know that you have got your mind.
Any person who is accepting this body as himself... Just like generally we say: "What you are?" "I am Mister Such and Such. I am American" or "I am an Indian" or "African." This bodily designation, if I identify my self with this body, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu. Kuṇape means bag. This is a bag. This body is a bag of bones, flesh, urine, blood, and so many other things. You cannot manufacture a living entity by combination of bones, flesh, blood, urine and stool. That is not possible. You are great scientist. You are going to the Moon planet, but if I give you some ingredients like these bones, flesh, stool, urine, can you manufacture a human being? Can you? Can anyone?
Is there any scientist in the world who can manufacture a human being by combination of bones, flesh, blood, urine, stool? No. If it is not possible to manufacture, how you are identifying with this body? "I am this body." Do you mean combination of bones and flesh can create such intelligent man?
Just like in your country, George Washington. Many scientists. In our country also, many big leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and others. Do you think that these men are combination of bag, combination-bag of bones and flesh and urine? Therefore, the śāstra says: yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).
And the..., anyone who possessing this material body, he must be illusioned. Illusioned means that accepting something for something. Just like we are accepting this body as self. But this is illusion. I'm not this body. I am spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. That is my position. But anyone identifying himself, he thinks that he's this body... Especially the animals. The animals have no knowledge that he's different from the body. Therefore a human being, if he's under the impression that he is this body, he's no better than the animal. Therefore in the human form of life, one can understand his real identity, he can understand what is God, he can understand what is his relationship with God and act accordingly.
"I am this," "I am that," that's all. Bodily. This is going on. And he is fool number one, and he is passing on as the great scientist, great philosopher. One who does not know himself, what is the value of his learning? One must know his own identity. So everyone is identifying with this body—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am German," "I am Englishman"—and fighting is going on. Why fighting is going on? The living entity is part and parcel of God. He is spiritual spark. He is covered by this material body. Just like we are all human beings. Now we are covered by different dresses. That does not mean we are different. We are one as human being, as inhabitants of this earth, but on account of this dress, I am thinking you are my enemy, you are thinking I am your enemy.
Anyone who is identifying himself with this body and the land of his bodily growing there in the country, bhauma ijya-dhīḥ... Everyone is thinking, "God is not worshipable. In this land I have taken my birth. This land is my worshipable"—nationalism or this "ism" or that "ism." But he never thinks that "How long I shall be allowed to occupy this body and to occupy this land?" This is called ignorance.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Material forms have changed. The living force has not. The same example: the living force is there, the forms babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, the form is changed, but the person whose bodies have been changed, he is permanent, he is spiritual, he is not changed. But when he identifies with the body, he thinks that "I am changed." The example is, just like in the rainy season, at night there is cloud, and the cloud is moving, but if you see, you see the moon is moving, moon is moving. But actually the moon is not moving, the cloud is moving. You have any experience?
Prabhupāda: That is quality. So that standard is mentioned in the Vedic literature, that those who are intelligent persons, those who are yogis... Yogi means perfect man. So they want pleasure which is eternal, not transient. Transient pleasure is liked by fools and rascals. Because fools and rascals, they do not know what is their constitutional position. But one who is intelligent, one who is learned, he knows his constitutional position, that he is eternal, he is not this body. Therefore he must be seeking eternal pleasure. Bodily pleasure... Body is transient, and bodily pleasures are also transient. So that is not sought after by any intelligent man. Those are sought by rascals. Because one identifies himself with the body, therefore bodily pleasure is this pleasure. But one who knows that he is not body, he is eternal. Then he seeks what is that eternal pleasure.
Prabhupāda: That they have to understand through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is a fact. Not as yet. Because they do not know the verse in the Bhagavad-gītā that "You are not proprietor." Neither you are Chinese, neither you are Americans. This they have to know. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu, nāhaṁ vipra na ca narapati. He does not identify Himself with this tabernacle identifications, with this body.
Śyāmasundara: So where we differ from James is that we say that the truth exists, and it is revealed to a person...
Prabhupāda: As he becomes...
Śyāmasundara: ...as he experiences it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Or as he becomes wiser.
Prabhupāda: That is pleasure, serving God. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, just see, in the cottage. They are minister. They are ministers. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. They are living most aristocratically, and now they are taking the place of mendicants living in the cottage, no bodily comfort, no servants, nothing of the sort. Does it mean they are suffering? There is one... That is stated in the, that vande rūpa-sanātana, that they, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. They gave up as most insignificant this society, this aristocracy. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. It is... What is the value of this? Give up. And bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. And in order to become merciful to the mass of people, they accept simply loincloth, any way covering, that's all. That is a suffering? No. They are not suffering. Then people may say that that is suffering. But for them, there is a... Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur. Then he merged into the ocean, in the thought that how gopīs, gopī-bhāva, they are transacting their business with Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛta. That is a ocean of transcendental bliss. So because they're merged into that ocean, what is this suffering? They have no sense of suffering. One man is suffering because he has identified with this body, he is suffering. But they were identified with the cause of the gopīs.
Śyāmasundara: They say that the condition or the evidence required to know if this is true, that I came from...
Prabhupāda: The first thing is that if I identify myself with the body, the body means movements of the limbs. Now if something is wanting, and the limbs do not move any more... But that moving force is "I am."
Śyāmasundara: They would say that it is a combination of chemicals or some...
Devānanda: They postulated... The French philosophers at one point postulated that within the matter itself there is a potential of consciousness. They called it elan vital, living potential within matter, and when you put the matter together in certain positions, then that living potential is able to come out, and when the material nature changes again, it is no longer manifested.
Prabhupāda: Ruby. Why it is not alive? Redness is there. Therefore we have to accept your identification with the soul, not with this body; otherwise this is nonsense.
Śyāmasundara: He is not disputing that there is soul or there is not soul. He is merely putting forward a principle to test something, if it is true or false.
Prabhupāda: This is the test. This is the test. Because the soul is there, therefore the body is moving.
Śyāmasundara: So that is the evidence for...
Prabhupāda: Passed away... What is this passed away? That means you have not seen your father. You have not seen your father, still you identify the body as your father. Or your father identifies your body as yourself. Just like the father has not seen the son, the son has not seen the father. Therefore it is illusion.
Śyāmasundara: The movement of the body is evidence that the soul exists.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the only evidence. Because the soul is there, that individual soul.
Śyāmasundara: He says that philosophy is a process which attempts to clarify God, not that itself it has factual content.
Prabhupāda: This is clarification. Mostly the people are under illusion, identifying the body with the self. But we are clarifying that "You are not this body, you are spirit soul." Therefore it is a scientific proposition.
Śyāmasundara: So we are clarifying a scientific proposition with our philosophy.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is it. Philosophy means the science of sciences. Another definition of philosophy is "the science of sciences." All sciences are derived from philosophy. So philosophy's actual position is on the higher level than the sciences.
Prabhupāda: He is blind, because it is not the fact. The evidence is there, but he is in blind faith. The whole world is working in blind faith—"I am Pakistani," "I am Hindustani," "I am American," "I am Englishman." Simply bodily identification. The whole world is a set of fools only. That's all. That is stated in the śāstras: yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who accepts this bag of three dhātus, kapha, pitta, vāyu, as self, he is an ass.
Śyāmasundara: He says that atomic propositions, or the components of compound propositions, depend for their validity upon the reliability with which they accurately picture atomic facts. In other words, suppose there is some proposition that this ring is gold. This proposition is part of a compound proposition which tells where the ring came from, how it was originated, who wore it, so many other facts.
Prabhupāda: We are trying to create (indistinct) these falsity. Everyone has got some false egoism. That is our (indistinct). Just like Freud is thinking that he is American or (indistinct). This is false ego. We are giving everyone the intelligence that this identification with this material body, that is (indistinct). Due to ignorance I am thinking that "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am (indistinct)." This is false ego-ahaṅkāra, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is inferior quality of egoism. The superior quality of egoism is Brahman: "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." So if he is taught to the superior engagement, then automatically this false egoism becomes stopped.
Prabhupāda: But the basic principle is called, as Vivekananda says, that he is following the principles of (indistinct), he has no conception of the soul that is existing beyond the body. So they are taking consideration of the body. So according to our philosophy, Bhāgavata, anyone who is in the concept of this body is no better than an ass. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). One who is identifying this body of three elements as the self, he is no better than an ass.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Mind is the beginning of subtle. Just like my senses are gross, but my senses are being controlled by the mind. The mind is the subtle element, but mind is controlled by intelligence, and intelligence is controlled by ego. So if the ego is false, then the whole thing is false. If I am thinking I am this body, this false identification, ego, then all other things which are coming out of this false ego, they are also false. Therefore it is called māyā, or illusion, because they are standing on false platform. Therefore the whole Vedic education is that you be relieved from this false platform and come to the real platform. That is called brahma-jñāna, real platform. And in Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, (indistinct). When one comes to that knowledge that I am spirit soul, than immediately he becomes happy. All this trouble is due to this false ego. Immediately he comes back.
Śyāmasundara: We have more to discuss.
Prabhupāda: He is identifying the body with the soul. And our preaching is different—that we are not this body. Our first principle of understanding is to know that we are not this body. I am different from this body and I am transmigrating from one body to another. That they cannot express. They are explaining that the body is evolving from this body to that body. That is the basic misunderstanding.
Prabhupāda: That is also true, because when one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious or self conscious, he thinks this body as "I am." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13), sa eva go-kharaḥ. So such persons who identify the body as the self, he is no better than the ass and the cow.
Śyāmasundara: For instance, I may think that I am like this, I am like that, but I don't realize that I am also like this. There's some other part of me which I'm not aware of which is guiding my behavior, which I repress.
Prabhupāda: Consciousness is there, consciousness is always there. As far as there is soul, there is consciousness. But this consciousness is colored. Just like generally water is transparent, but if you mix with color, it becomes reddish. Just like rain falls from the sky, it is distilled water, pure water, but as soon as it touches the earth it becomes muddy. Similarly, the soul is pure consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but when it comes in contamination with the three modes of material nature, it becomes a different color. So at that time they fight, "I am Hindu, you are Mussulman," or "You are Christian," "I am (indistinct)" "I am white," "You are black," because he has been contaminated by different colors of the material modes of nature. He is identifying with that colorful position in the body. This is ignorance. This (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: But he does not know what is the standard status of the mind. He doesn't know. Even the psychiatrist, he is also not in sane mind. "Physician heal thyself." Because he's identifying himself with this body, so he is also insane. So that treatment will not perfect. How a diseased man can become a physician? Therefore the English word is, "Physician heal thyself."
Śyāmasundara: So this Jung sees a positive aspect of psychology, not just the negative aspect, whereas Freud saw that the goal of psychology was to restrict or reach (indistinct) these powerful, primitive instincts then to mitigate troublesome symptoms, which is a rather pessimistic or negative philosophy. Jung says that man is capable of changing positively into something better by the use of psychology.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Personal, personality is there. Suppose a man rebukes a dog. So the dog also responses. Even a small ant, it is going to certain direction, if you check it, it will protest. So personality is there always, either in the body of human being, cats, dogs, even an ant. So the bodily changes do not affect the personality, but one identifies himself according to the body. When a soul is within the, a body of a dog, he thinks in that bodily conception, "I am dog, I have my duty." In the human society also. When one is born in America, he thinks, "I am American, and my duty is like this, my duty is like this, I am..." So this, according to the body the personality manifests, but personality is there.
Prabhupāda: No. That they do not know. The same soul is, is passing through another gross body with his mental, intellectual identification. He is..., that is nature's gift. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). As we have infected a certain type of modes of nature, he is getting a similar body, but the person is the same.
Hayagrīva: Now the, this would be the view, the second view, that is reincarnation. "This concept of rebirth necessarily implies the continuity of personality. Here the human personality is regarded as continuous and accessible to memory, so that when one is incarnated or born one is able, at least potentially, to remember that one has lived through previous existences, and that these existences were one's own, namely that he had the same ego form as the present life. As a rule, reincarnation means rebirth in a human body."
Prabhupāda: When I think that I am this body, that is false ego. That is false ego. Because I am not this body. So those who are falsely identifying this body, (indistinct) they're animals. They're (indistinct).
Śyāmasundara: So he sees that the world is made up of a combination of continuous struggle of dialectic between the opposing elements of ego and non-ego. My subjective identity and the objective world are continually locked in struggle, endlessly, and this is the way things are going on.
Prabhupāda: Not endlessly, but if you understand that you are not this body, then this ignorance is ended, immediately. So you cannot say it is endless.
Prabhupāda: ...they are singing in the tune, sometimes attention diverted by the audience, it becomes out of the tune. Similarly we, when we divert our attention to the illusory energy, then we fall down, and although we remain the same part and parcel of the Lord, but the influence of the material energy covers us, and we identify with the covering elements, and life after life bodies changing, and we are identify with the covering, and this is our miserable condition of material existence. And therefore first education is that "I am not this covering." That is spiritual education. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā instruction, that "You are not this body. Arjuna, you are not this body. Why you are taking this bodily concepts of life, your relatives, your family, so seriously? It is all foolishness. It is accidental. You are born in this family, and you have got so-called relatives. You are actually spirit. So now you are identifying with this bodily concept of life, you are member of the Kuru family.
Prabhupāda: So now you are identifying with this bodily concept of life, you are member of the Kuru family. Then as soon as this change of body takes place, you will again enter into the dog's family or cat's family or demigod's family. Again you identify, 'I am dog,' 'I am cat,' 'I am demigod.' " So this is the, our ignorance. We have to stop this mentality of bodily concept of life, identify ourself as a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit, and act according to His direction. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). What Kṛṣṇa says, if we act, then gradually, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), we become immediately free from all upādhi, designation, and gradually develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to spread this knowledge all over the world.
Prabhupāda: So up to the animal bodily concept of life, one is unable to understand his spiritual identity. But in the civilized form of life, when the society is divided into eight divisions, varṇa and āśrama-four varṇas and four āśramas-brahman, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, four varṇas, brahmacārī, and gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī... So a brāhmaṇa from the social status, when he becomes elevated to the position of a sannyāsī, that is the highest perfectional stage in this material world, and at that stage only he can realize his original constitutional position and he acts accordingly, and thus he becomes delivered, which is called mukti. Mukti means to understand his own constitutional position and act accordingly, and conditional life means to identify with the body and act accordingly. So in the mukti state the activities are different from the conditional state. Therefore the devotional service is the activity of the liberated stage.
Purports to Songs
So we fallen souls, conditioned souls, we are very much attached to this material body, and consequently, material world. This is the disease. This is called bhava-roga, or material disease, to become attached to this body. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am white," "I am black"—I identify with this body because we are very much attached to this body. But if we study very deeply, "Why I am attached to this body?" Suppose if there is some danger, immediately warning, just this roof is going to fall down, we shall immediately take care of our own body, not of our Godbrothers. Because we are very much attached to this body. This is the first business, how to save this body. Now, the next question is "Why you are so much anxious to save this body?" What will be the answer? Can anyone say? Why one is so much attached with this body? The answer is that because I, the real I, I am within this body, therefore I am anxious to save it. Then why you are anxious to save the soul, individual soul? The answer will be that because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So ultimately we want to love Kṛṣṇa, but because we are in a forgetful platform, then someone is trying to save his body, someone is trying to save his bodily relationship.
| Page Title: | Identification with the body (Lectures, Other) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 04 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=80, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 80 |