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Vary

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

The different kinds of living entities vary according to the modes of material nature, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature.
SB 3.26.5, Translation and Purport:

Divided into varieties by her threefold modes, material nature creates the forms of the living entities, and the living entities, seeing this, are illusioned by the knowledge—covering feature of the illusory energy.

Material energy has the power to cover knowledge, but this covering cannot be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is applicable only to the prajāḥ, or those who are born with material bodies, the conditioned souls. The different kinds of living entities vary according to the modes of material nature, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.12) it is very nicely explained that although the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance are born of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is not subject to them. In other words, the energy emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot act on Him; it acts on the conditioned souls, who are covered by the material energy. The Lord is the father of all living entities because He impregnates material energy with the conditioned souls. Therefore, the conditioned souls get bodies created by the material energy, whereas the father of the living entities is aloof from the three modes.

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one's mind is his enemy, and one's mind is also his friend; its position varies according to the different dealings of the living entity.
SB 3.28.9, Purport:

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one's mind is his enemy, and one's mind is also his friend; its position varies according to the different dealings of the living entity. If we divert our mind to thoughts of material enjoyment, then our mind becomes an enemy, and if we concentrate our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then our mind is a friend.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 20.17, Translation:

“Because people vary in their desires, You have distributed various holy names by Your mercy.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Isopanisad

The duration of life varies according to species. Lord Brahmā, the chief living being within this material universe, lives for millions and millions of years, while a minute germ lives for some hours only.
Sri Isopanisad 14, Purport:

The duration of life varies according to species. Lord Brahmā, the chief living being within this material universe, lives for millions and millions of years, while a minute germ lives for some hours only. But no one in the material world can survive eternally. Things are born or created under certain conditions, they stay for some time, and, if they continue to live, they grow, procreate, gradually dwindle and finally vanish. According to these laws, even the Brahmās, of which there are millions in different universes, are all liable to death either today or tomorrow. Therefore the entire material universe is called Martyaloka, the place of death.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

God consciousness is there, dormant in every living entity. But the perception varies according to the development of body.
Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

What is the difference between animal and man? The animal cannot be instructed anything about God. It is not possible for them to understand. But a man, however degraded he may be, if he is trained up, he can understand about God. Just like five years ago, you did not know about Kṛṣṇa. But because you are being trained up, because you are human being, therefore you are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Which was unknown to you five years ago, now you are taking it to very seriously. Why? Because you are being trained up.

Similarly, God consciousness is there, dormant in every living entity. But the perception varies according to the development of body. Just like child. You say something serious, say, about sex life, they do not understand. But the same child will understand sex life when the consciousness is developed. Similarly, in this material world, our consciousness is covered, God consciousness. So there are different species of life. Just like the aquatics in the ocean. There are so many living entities. But if you preach there Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not possible Their number is far greater than human being. Still, they have no capacity. Next development, plants and trees, there also, no sensation. You cut the trees, no protest, because there is no sensation. There is practically consciousness... There is consciousness, very slight. Sir Jagadish Candra Bose has proved that when you cut tree, he feels, and that is recorded in what is called, that machine? So everyone has got consciousness. Living entity means there is consciousness. But they have their consciousness only for eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. There is consciousness amongst the fish. Their consciousness is so strong, two miles away if some big fish is coming, they can understand. Immediately they can take precaution defending. These are all described. So different animals in different species of life, they have got one type of consciousness very strong.

Philosophy Discussions

But if first of all you give account for eight million species—you have no account. We say these are the fixed-up species. But your calculation of species, first of all give us account for eight millions, then you say, "The list is not complete."
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: "So if men came from monkeys, why don't we see it still happening?" That's what you said.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our argument.

Śyāmasundara: So if you accept that there is an evolution, do you accept that the bodies change because of changing conditions of the natural surroundings?

Prabhupāda: Body is not changing. The body is already there. The soul is changing bodies, transmigrating from one body to another.

Karandhara: Darwin doesn't accept that there is a fixed number of species. Rather, the number of species may vary at any time, simply according to the natural selection. But he doesn't give any axiom that there are a certain number of species from which all other variations come. We are saying that there are 8,400,000 species to begin with.

Prabhupāda: But if first of all you give account for eight million species—you have no account. We say these are the fixed-up species. But your calculation of species, first of all give us account for eight millions, then you say, "The list is not complete."

Śyāmasundara: Their idea is that there's constant...

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, within that eight millions, but you cannot give us list.

Śyāmasundara: They say that there is new species always evolving.

Prabhupāda: That is not new. That is within the eight millions. You could not find the same thing, you could not find, before that; now we are finding. Your species, you could (not) give us a complete list. What is the evolutionary process wherefrom it began and how it's coming? You cannot give any fixed-up list. That is your imperfect knowledge. You are simply imagining. "It may be changed," "It may be chance," or this or that. That's all.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just one and a half hours before sunrise. If the sunrise varies, then the waking time also should vary. The rule is that one and a half hours before sunrise. So that you have to make, when the sunrise, then just one and a half hour before, maṅgala-ārati.
Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:

Bhānu: In the morning the Deity should be woken up not before five? The Deities should be woken up at five in the morning? Some temples it is 4:30, some temples five.

Prabhupāda: Just one and a half hours before sunrise. If the sunrise varies, then the waking time also should vary.

Sudāmā: So according to season, we should...

Prabhupāda: The rule is that one and a half hours before sunrise. So that you have to make, when the sunrise, then just one and a half hour before, maṅgala-ārati.

Sudāmā: So that's when the ārati begins, when the curtains are opened and we start offering.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Sudāmā: One and a half hours before sunrise is when the ārati begins. Then you wake them up before.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Just waking, ārati begins. And you can offer something.

No. Sunset.
Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:

Bhānu: Does evening ārati vary according to the sunset? Or it is just...

Prabhupāda: No. Sunset.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

There is no still, petrol is the same. The machine

may be different.

Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Jesuit: Both of them are life, a flower has life, a dog has life.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Jesuit: A man has life, for me that is a gradation of life, you've got to start...

Prabhupāda: That gradation so far, just like there are gradation of motor cars. This is made by Ford, this is made by (indistinct), but the petrol is the same.

Jesuit: The petrol is the same.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit: Hm, even that can vary, but still...

Prabhupāda: There is no still, petrol is the same. The machine

may be different.

Jesuit: They're all machines.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the body is machine.

Jesuit: All inferior (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Yes, body is matter.

Jesuit: Body is matter.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit: But a person is more than just matter. I'm more than matter.

Prabhupāda: No, the person, just like... that is... If a man is sitting on a Rolls Royce car, he's thinking, "Very important." And a man sitting on some ordinary car, he's thinking, "I am poor." But as man, both of them (are) equal. Falsely, because he is sitting in a particular type of car, he is thinking, "I am bigger."

Jesuit: Yes, I can see I agree with all that.

Prabhupāda: So the soul is the same. So there is no difference, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), find out this verse. Soul is the part and parcel of the supreme soul, Supersoul, God.

Page Title:Vary
Compiler:Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas
Created:29 of Sep, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=1, OB=1, Lec=2, Con=3, Let=0
No. of Quotes:9