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It is very difficult for the Western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul, and then consideration of importance

Expressions researched:
"It is very difficult to the . . . for the Western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul, and then consideration of importance"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is very difficult to the . . . for the Western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul, and then consideration of importance. This is their position.

Prabhupāda: Everything is worst. Sinful is sinful. Disease is disease. This body, either it is living or it is dead, it is not very important thing. Now see. And the whole world is after this body. Kṛṣṇa says: "The body, either dead or alive, it is not a subject matter for serious consideration." Now see. And what the world is going on? Simply for bodily . . . body means senses. It is very difficult to the . . . for the Western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul, and then consideration of importance. This is their position. And if one cannot understand what is soul, what he will understand about God?

Soul is a minute particle of God. If one cannot understand about this minute particle, then what he'll understand of the Supreme? In the laboratory, if you can test a little sample, just like take a little sea water, analyze, you chemically test, then you can understand what is the composition of the sea water. But if you have no knowledge even a small drop of sea water, how you'll understand the sea, what . . . that is their position. They do not understand even the sample of spirit soul, as we are. Simply they are trying to cover it, "There is no soul. There is no soul. Life is generated from matter," although they cannot prove it. A fool's paradise. The fools, rascals, they are explaining the living force in some way, and other fools are accepting.

This is the position of Western countries, Europe and America. It is a fool's paradise. It is paradise, certainly. Very, very, big, big building and advancement, but all rascals and fools. Fool's paradise. (pause) And if you call a fool a fool, he'll be angry. Murkhayopadeṣo hi prokapāya na śāntaye. (pause) (japa)

(break) . . . so many, so much production, but if nature's like it can stop this production, then the question of overpopulation. If the nature likes, it can produce three times, four times this production. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). After all, nature is producing. We do not know how to deal with nature. Therefore there is scarcity, and we say "overpopulation." There is no question of overpopulation. There are so many hundred and thousands of birds within this forest, other animal. They have no problem of overpopulation. Eh? (pause) All these men who are living in these villages, so what is their means of livelihood? Agriculture or industry? Or service?

Haṁsadūta: I think mostly they work at some . . . well, some service, yes.

Prabhupāda: Factory.

Haṁsadūta: Employed at some factory, or . . . but very few people actually work on the land. And we can see so much land. No one is working. 'Cause by machine, they can work so quick on the land. (break)

Prabhupāda: This should be exemplary, that our community shall live in this way and save time for spiritual advancement of life. This example should be shown to the whole world that, "Here is a community, they have no problem, and they are simply interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This will be the idea. Is it possible?

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. "They do not do any industry. They do not kill cows. They do not go to cinema. They do not have illicit sex. They don't drink. No problems. Simply they're eating very nicely and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Show this example, at least, in this fool's paradise. They are thinking it is paradise, and the paradise is lost every ten years or fifteen years by the bombing—German bombs the France, and France bombs the . . . this is their paradise. So let them understand that, "You are all fools. You are fool's paradise. This is life, what we are doing." Teach them so that the fools will understand what is life. They are manufacturing atom bomb. Russia is hiding himself.

Devotee: Now they've found out, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that India has been, over the past few years, spending crores of rupees to develop the . . .

Prabhupāda: Hmm. And people are starving for want of. There was a cartoon that some public came to some minister: "Sir, we are starving. Give us our food." So the reply was, "Of course, that's a problem, food problem. But I can assure you that from next week you'll have television." (laughter) These rascals are like that. "Next, from next week, you'll have television, atom bomb. Never mind. Starve." (laughter) So that is also becoming fool's paradise. Jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava. In this way, the more we increase sense . . . sense gratification by advancement of material . . . the more we forget Kṛṣṇa. And more we forget Kṛṣṇa, we are more fools. (aside) Don't come so near.

Page Title:It is very difficult for the Western people to understand that body is not important thing; the soul is important thing. First of all, they do not know what is soul, and then consideration of importance
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-11-04, 15:12:27
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1