730808 - Lecture Arrival - Paris

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730808AR-PARIS - August 08, 1973 - 12:19 Minutes

(poor recording)

(translated simultaneously into French by devotee)

Prabhupāda: So it is said:

bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya

jātiḥśāstraṁ japas tapaḥ

aprāṇasyaiva dehasya

maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam

(Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 3.11)

The verse says that if a person, or if a community, or if a nation has no sense of devotional service, such person, such community or nation, they are like decoration of the dead body. Sometimes a dead body is decorated. So that decoration may be pleasing for the relatives of the dead body—otherwise, decorating a dead body is not very much pleasing to others. So the idea is that we have this body—simply decorating the body or taking care of the body is not the perfection of life.

The body means the senses, and above the senses there is the mind, and above the mind there is intelligence, and above the intelligence there is the soul. Actually, on the foundation of the soul, the intelligence, the mind and the senses are acting. When the soul is gone out of this body, there is no more use of intelligence, mind or senses. When it goes out of this body, he transmigrates finally, and according to that body, he uses a different type of intelligence, mind and sense gratification. Just like a dog, it has got a body. But we say: "Dog's mentality" because according to the body, his mind is also different, his intelligence also different. So the soul is pure, part and parcel of God, but on account of the soul's being covered by material body, mind, intelligence, it is different at the present moment.

So in the human form of body there is the opportunity to understand all these integrity or philosophy of life. So in this human form of life, if we do not cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are missing the opportunity. So it is the duty of the mahājanas, or the leaders, to give opportunity to the human being for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest benedictory movement for the human society. Unfortunately, we are living in a time where the people of demonic mentality are in greater number. So this demoniac mentality is always there. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja was executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His father was a demon, so the father put the son into so many difficulties of life.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement . . .

(break) . . . become Kṛṣṇa conscious there will be some difficulties. So just like we are chanting within this room—somebody called foolish. So these kind of difficulties we have to meet. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means preparing for going back to home, back to Godhead. We are rotting within this material world from time immemorial . . . (break) . . . or in a previous creation, we similarly . . . (break) . . . since the creation of this cosmic manifestation we are rotting. So by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and spiritual master, guru-kṛṣṇa, we have got this seed of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So that is a great fortune. We have to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness despite all kinds of hindrances, because it is a function which is final solution of all problems of life.

The problems of life are four: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), means birth, death, old age and disease. But these demonic people, they think that birth, death, old age and disease, they are . . . (indistinct) . . . they are . . . unusual . . . things. Because we learn from Bhagavad-gītā that the living entity, na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin (BG 2.20). The living entity never takes birth or never dies. Nityaḥśāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The living entity at annihilation of this body . . . the living entity does not annihilate. So-called scientists, so-called theologist, so-called engineer, they can make very big, big . . . (indistinct) . . . I see in your city it is very nice.

(break) . . . for these problems. Therefore, they are called mūḍhas, rascals. Mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

(BG 7.15)

The miscreants always engaged in sinful activities, just like illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, gambling. They are called duṣkṛtinaḥ, means sinners, always engaged in sinful activities. So my request to you, I thank you very much that with all inconveniences—I don't think there is any inconvenience—but even though there are many inconveniences, don't give up this practice or cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Caitanya Mahaprābhu has advised:

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror iva sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

We have to tolerate. Just like in the airport, for a little simple reason we are detained for about fifty minutes. Immediately the police is there. Somebody will complain, somebody will do something else. But these things are expected, because the demoniac people will always try to tease devotees. So this is going on. During the long, long ago, millions of years, Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father. Two thousand years ago, even Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. He was killed. (break) Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was also tortured. He was caned in seven marketplace. The only fault of this torturing . . . for this torturing procedure is that they were Kṛṣṇa conscious. That's all. That is their only fault. (break) . . . rest assure as Prahlāda Mahārāja said by Nṛsiṁhadeva. So Kṛṣṇa in His Nṛsiṁhadeva avatāra: tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-sṛṅgaṁ (Gītā Govinda, Śrī Daśāvatāra Stotra 4). We should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He will give us all protection, rest assured. Do not give up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is my request.

So I thank you very much for inviting me in your temple, and I am very much pleased there are so many young boys and girls, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is a new thing in the history, in a city like Paris, younger generation will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. We are making history. That's a fact. So do it sincerely. In all circumstances, trials, do not give up.

Thank you very much. (end)