Dr. Weir: The trouble is, aren't you going to lead yourself into this difficulty: if you are spiritually satisfied you would sit down and do nothing and if everybody were doing that we should be rather back to where we started rather than have enough food or music or transport.
Prabhupāda: That is for the voidist, not for the spiritualist. The spiritual life there is enough activity for even scientists. That they do not know. They mean spiritual life is void. That is negation of the present activities only, negative idea. But actually when you stop material activities your real activity begins. That is spiritual life. The spirit, spirit soul is active. You cannot stop it. You cannot stop it. Now it is acting through the coverings of material, matter, therefore it is imperfect activities. But if the activity is uncovered by material things that is real activity.
Mensa Member: But aren't desires biological in cause?
Dr. Weir: They're necessary.
Mensa Member: Yes, but they're biologically necessary rather than spiritually necessary.
Dr. Weir: Well, may I say, let's go farther, that when you say biologically necessary, is it necessary for you to be alive? What scientific...
Śyāmasundara: Prabhupāda has told us that even in the spiritual world there is desire to have the senses enjoy. Isn't that so?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Weir: But I think you need, I agree, I would say you need both. I want spiritual life, material life.
Mensa Member: (indistinct) spiritual thing, I mean, isn't it (indistinct) we're talking about China or New York (indistinct) about it, in fact it might even be a little (indistinct)
Dr. Weir: Well, I think to each person his picture is different too.
Śyāmasundara: The idea there is that in spiritual activity everything is seen in relationship to God and if you serve God with your every activity...
Prabhupāda: Yes. The same example, just like this finger is part and parcel of body. So long it is attached with the body there's not activities. You cut it from my body, there's no activity.
Dr. Weir: Yes, but you've still got a body.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Dr. Weir: You've still got a body and you've still got some other fingers left.
Prabhupāda: No you can call it a finger, but it will not act as finger, it will act (indistinct)
Dr. Weir: No, but the others will. I don't see the need for your analogy.
Śyāmasundara: The God is there and we are His servants.
Prabhupāda: If you are part and parcel of God then we must be active in serving God. That is my analogy.
Dr. Weir: But I don't see the need for analogy. That statement is sufficient.
Prabhupāda: Why not? Why not? There must be a need. If you think, if you know that you're part and parcel of God then you must act for God.
Dr. Weir: You see, I would go the other way round and say that as long as I know that God is part and parcel...
Prabhupāda: You cannot (indistinct). God is the spirit and you are spirit. Therefore you have to take lessons from God. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated there mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke (BG 15.7), that these living entities they are My part and parcels. So, because part and parcel of God, therefore the part and parcel must be active on account of God. That is real life. Why stop activity? That is real life.
Dr. Weir: I fear Swami, if I may say so, without disrespect, that in some ways you're preaching to the converted and you only make it more muddled to me by giving analogies, don't you feel that at times?
Mensa Member: Yeah, I think the Swami's used to, probably used to talking to people that need this...
Prabhupāda: When there is a truth spoken by God that living entities are My part and parcel, mamaiva. Why shall I not give the analogy? How do part and parcel acts? I must give analogy. Otherwise how they can understand?
Dr. Weir: It's like some people...
Prabhupāda: For understanding analogy must be there. Analogy is created for understanding.