Prabhupāda: Yes. Because God is equal to everyone. He sees that these rascal asuras are misguided, so He sends His representative, He comes Himself, there is śāstras, guidance, and everything. The whole propaganda is how these rascal asuras can be turned into devatā. This is equality in the eyes of God. Very simple thing. Just like government puts a person into prison house. The idea is to correct him. Not that government is enemy of a class of men, they are put into the prison house. Government is equal. But there is department of punishing this . . . (aside) Don't show . . . (indistinct) . . . Government is equal to everyone, but there is the department of reformation which is called jail department. He's punished so that he may come to his senses that, "I have done wrong." But unfortunately there are stubborn criminals, they are not corrected. They go and again come, go and again come. One term finished; another term. One term finished . . . that is transmigration. One term finished, punishment, and another term begins. He creates another term. So that is daiva netreṇa. That is superior arrangement. Now this rascal has finished his human life, now again he has committed so many sins, let him become a dog. Again comes to the human form of life; again one chance is given. This not good. But he does not accept, so again he becomes a tree—stand up for ten thousand years. Nothing is a chance. Everything is under supreme control. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). But he is a rascal. He simply defies and suffers. One man is being slapped with shoes, so he is shameless, he says: "Oh, you have beaten me with shoes. All right, if you touch my wife, I'll sue you." Then the wife is beaten with shoes, then he says: "Oh, you have beaten my wife. All right, touch my son, I will sue you." In this way every member is being beaten with shoes, and he is simply challenging that, "I'll sue, I'll sue." This is going on. He's punished one after another, but he is so shameless that still he defies the authority. That is called asura. They're not very intelligent. "Next time I will see it. Wait millions of years, I shall see." This is going on. So we have to deal with asuras. This is the position.
Devotee: That's why it's so difficult.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Devotee: That's why it's so difficult.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: That is a devotee's business.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes. That is devotee. Because God wants it that these rascals may be turned into sane man. That is God's plan. Otherwise why does He comes? Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Huh? Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8)—two class, sādhu and duṣkṛtinaḥ. So to punish these duṣkṛtinaḥ, that is reformation. That is not God's envy, reformation. As the father gives slap to rogue child, that is also kindness, so these two processes are going on, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Then what is that dharma? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). That is dharma. So to deal with the asuras is not so easy job, but we have to do that. You should not be discouraged.
So asuras may be reformed or not be reformed, but because you are trying this job on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, He will recognize you. Your service will be recognized. Not that you attempted, therefore you must be successful. You may be unsuccessful. It doesn't matter. But you have tried your best, and that will be recognized.
(pause)
Prabhupāda: And these asuras are trying to become happy by material advancement of knowledge. They're not happy—struggling—but this is called will-o'-the-wisp, phantasmagoria. Actually, they are not happy, they cannot be happy, but they are trying. How they can be happy? Nature is there.
Nava-yauvana: They are falsely proud of their achievements.
Prabhupāda: That is asura. That is, that means asura. They have already tried the moon excursion, failure—again do it. This will be a failure—again do it. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), repeatedly chewing the chewed. That is their business. One excursion—failure. It is already chewed. Whatever possibility finished—again chewing, "Let me see if there is any juice." Because they have no other business. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. They are already discussed.