So this is the process of... Loka-sraṣṭuḥ sūtikā-dhāma dhātuḥ. Dhātu. Dhātu means one who creates. So Brahmā is the secondary creator. Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, He creates the situation. Then He gives him a seat, that lotus-flower like, and when he was puzzled... In the beginning, everything was dark. He could not understand "Wherefrom I am coming? What is my duty? Why I am sitting here?" When he was puzzled, then from within there was dictation that "You meditate, tapaḥ. You undergo austerities. Then you'll gradually understand." So even Brahmā, the first creature of this creation, he had to meditate—"Why I am here, and what is the purpose of my coming here?" So we are also this, in the same position. We are the, I mean to say, dynasty expansion of Brahmā. Brahmā's son is Manu, or this sun-god. Manuṣya. Manuṣya means coming from Manu; therefore we are called manuṣya. So the same process: we are born ignorant, born ignorant. Human life is the chance to dissipate this ignorance, and that requires tapasya, not to live like cats and dogs, frivolous life. That will not help us. Tapaḥ. Tapo divyaṁ yena putrakā śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). That human life is meant for tapasya, austerities, not to live extravagant life, irresponsible life like cats and dogs. No. That is not human life. That is animal life. So therefore śāstra says that you undergo austerities. Then your existence will be purified, and then pure knowledge you will get, and you will understand what is your position, why you are in this material world, why you are suffering the threefold miseries, why you are obliged to die, why you are obliged to become old man. So many things you have to learn. But if we learn like cats and dogs, then we spoil our life.
As Brahmā, the first created being, had to undergo tapasya to get information from the Supreme... The Supreme Lord is within you. He's there. But He will advise. When you are fixed up by tapasya, determined with vow, then He will talk to you. He's ready to talk, but you require to acquire the qualification to hear Him. And what is that qualification? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Such persons... (aside:) Don't do it. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Satata means always, twenty-four hours, not that five minutes I meditate and rest of the time I live like cats and dogs. No. This kind of meditation will not help you. Kṛṣṇa says, satata. Satata means twenty-four hours. You have to mold your life in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll think of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you think, "Now I have chanted my sixteen rounds. Now I've finished my business. Now I can do whatever nonsense I like," no. Kṛṣṇa says no. Satata. Therefore we have to plan our life in such a way that we haven't got any other engagement than service of Kṛṣṇa. This is required. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Satata means twenty-four hours. Yukta means engaged. What for? What is that engagement? Bhajatām. Bhajatām, bhaja sevayam: to serve Kṛṣṇa. Bhajatām. How? Prīti-pūrvakam. Not that "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has said. All right, let me do." No. With love and affection. Then you'll get attachment. Unless you develop love for Kṛṣṇa, you cannot be engaged twenty-four hours. That is not possible. Therefore it is said, prīti-pūrvakam: not officially, but with love. If you acquire this qualification, then you will talk with Kṛṣṇa who is within your heart. Then you'll talk. He is ready to talk, but He does not talk with rascals and fools. One must acquire the qualification to talk with Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be able to talk with Deity. Within your heart Kṛṣṇa is situated there. Anywhere you go, Kṛṣṇa is within you, and He'll give you intelligence. Talking with Kṛṣṇa means buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam: (BG 10.10) "Those who are engaged, those who are qualified like this, then I give him intelligence."
The same thing happened to Brahmā. Because he had to create this whole universe—so many planets, so many demigods, so many human societies, so many, so many... There is no limit. He is the creator of everything. He's called, therefore, "great-grandfather," prapitāmaha (BG 11.39). No, pitāmaha. Prapitāmaha is Kṛṣṇa, great-grandfather, because He instructed Brahmā. So the same thing: He can instruct you also. What is that instruction? Yena mām upayānti te. The instruction means how you can go back to home, back to Godhead, that instruction, not this instruction, that "You rot in this material world in this hellish condition of life." That, no. That instruction you'll get in the colleges and universities. But Kṛṣṇa's instruction is different. He'll give you instruction so that you can get rid of this hellish condition of life and go back to home and back to Godhead.