[Posted October 2, 2007]

Science doesn't go there

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

They're not afraid of science, they say, so why are they genuflecting to the Big Bang?

BBC NewsOctober 1, 2007 - DAVID WILLEY

Papal stargazers reach for heaven

For the second time in seven years the Vatican is hosting a scientific conference for astronomers.

More than 200 scientists from 26 countries including the United States, Britain, Italy, Germany, Russia, and Japan have gathered in Rome for a five-day meeting on disc galaxies.

At the Papal University in Rome, normally frequented by Catholic theologians studying the Bible, the scientists, including Jesuit priests who work at the Vatican's own astronomical observatory, will be grappling with abstruse formulae and mathematical simulations about the physical origins of the universe, involving concepts such as cold dark matter and black holes. go to story

Sri Guru and Gauranga

Study the creator

excerpt from conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor, London, July 9, 1973

SHYAMASUNDAR: So we see in the creation of God, it also traces back to the Creator.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Creation means the Creator. Just like when I see the picture of so many sculptors. So who has done it? I come to David. To appreciate the creation means you have to come to the point, appreciating the Creator. Otherwise, it is not finished. Or your knowledge is imperfect still. So these scientists, they are simply trying to study the creation. They have no knowledge about the Creator. That is the defect. Neither do they try, neither they can understand. They are so foolish and poor fund of knowledge. They should try to understand the Creator also. Then the knowledge is perfect. Just like the scientists, they are theorizing that life began from matter, chemicals. But wherefrom the chemicals came? That is insufficient knowledge. They say, "Chemicals existed." Now, we have no such experience... Just like we ate some puris. Puris had to be created. Not that existed. It is existing, but when I require, I have to create it. The crude example. The chemicals, wherefrom the chemicals came? That is answered in the Bhagavad-gita. In this way you have to study. Simply to study the creation, that is imperfect knowledge. When you come to the Creator, then it is perfect. Just like if you see simply his sculptures, so many things, that is not perfect knowledge. Why this book is "David Wynne"? Now, you go to the creator. And ...the all appreciation is there, credit is given there. That is perfect. Otherwise, you see, so many stones are there, figures are there. But when you study that "This is the creation of such and such artist, sculptor, and he's such and such," then that is perfect. Study him.

SHYAMASUNDAR: Just like by my knowing David, it's very easy to understand his sculpture.

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

SHYAMASUNDAR: But someone who's just seeing his sculpture, they don't know what...

PRABHUPADA: That is not perfect knowledge.

SHYAMASUNDAR: They don't know what he's like.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. That is not perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge is when you understand the creator. What do you think?

DAVID WYNNE: I think yes. I'm not sure that the analogy..., I think that the greatest... Well, it is true because with the greatest sculpture, one does get to the full understanding, but if one really understands the universe, well, one would see God, I suppose.

PRABHUPADA: No.

DAVID WYNNE: No.

PRABHUPADA: You have to penetrate. You have to understand who has created this universe.

DAVID WYNNE: Yes. Yes. But if a great artist was no longer alive, people would still appreciate...

PRABHUPADA: No, but the God is not like that, no longer alive.

DAVID WYNNE: No, but that's what I mean. The analogy falls down there, doesn't it?

PRABHUPADA: God is not like that.

SHYAMASUNDAR: But you're saying that it's better to first penetrate and understand God.

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

SHYAMASUNDAR: Then understand the universe.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. That is perfect knowledge.

SHYAMASUNDAR: Before understanding, trying to understand God by His universe.

DAVID WYNNE: And science almost denies the existence of God in order to exist, doesn't it?

PRABHUPADA: That is a rascal. These rascals say like that. Anyone who denies the existence of God, he is rascal number one. Immediately. And anyone, he may be a great scientist or philosopher, let him come. If he says that "I don't believe in God," then I shall prove that "You are rascal number one." That I shall prove.

SHYAMASUNDAR: We'll bring you some scientists.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. So many scientists, psychologists, philosophers came to me.

DAVID WYNNE: But the greatest scientists have... are the humblest.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. That is real knowledge, when one becomes humbler: "Oh, God is so great." That is real scientist. I think Professor Einstein, he admitted.

MUKUNDA: Yes, he said that "I want to know how God created the universe. Everything else is details."

PRABHUPADA: Yes. So that means he's still thinking, "My knowledge is imperfect because I do not know about God." That is real scientist.

SHYAMASUNDAR: Just studying one small part of God's creation...

PRABHUPADA: Oh, yes.

SHYAMASUNDAR: ...is, is...

PRABHUPADA: You see how nicely God has created this flower. How nice artist he is, how he has put the color exactly to the same point. So there is no hand? This is foolishness. It is going on. There is hand of God, but how His hand is working we do not know. That is explained in the Vedas: parasya shaktir vividhaiva shruyate [Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 13.65, purport]. He has got so subtle power that it is working, but we are seeing that it is automatically being done. But He's working. He's working. Just like we work. To paint one flower, we require a brush, color and so many things. Similarly He also requires. But His requirement are supplied so quickly that we see, "It is being automatically done." That is the... Because He's so perfect and unlimited that His working capacity we cannot follow. These are explained in the Upanishads, that God has no leg, but He can go so fast that nobody can compete with Him. These are the statements the Upanishads, that He goes so fast that nobody can compete with Him, nobody can go with Him. That is God's energy. So when it is said, "God has no leg," that means He has no this imperfect leg. He has go..., He has got so perfect leg that nobody can walk with Him. This is the idea. Not that God has no leg. He has got leg, but not this rascal leg. After walking three miles, that's all, finished. [laughter] Not like that. Not like that. Pashyaty achakshuh. He sees, but he has no eyes. These are the statements in the Vedas. He has no eyes... Just like we have got eyes, but we cannot see beyond this wall. But He can see everyone's heart, what he is thinking, what he is doing, everything. You cannot hide anything from His seeing. Pashyati. That is, that is His seeing. Pashyaty achakshuh. As soon as we hear something "seeing," immediately understand the relative term that one must have eyes to see. Then when the Vedas says achakshuh, immediately warns that "Don't think God has got eyes like you." Because as soon as we think of eyes, we think of our eyes. We cannot think that there can be eyes which can penetrate everywhere. We cannot think of that. And therefore they become impersonalists. Because we rascals, when we think of God's personality, we think of our personality. "So we are imperfect. Therefore, how God can be person? He must be just opposite." Imperfect knowledge. They cannot think, these impersonalists, that God is person but all His bodily construction is perfect, sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah. Ishvarah paramah krishnah sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah [Brahma-samhita 5.1: "Krishna, known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body"]. That they cannot think. That means poor fund of knowledge. The impersonalist cannot think that having eyes, how one can see everything all at a time, past, present and future. But that is impossible by us because we have got imperfect eyes. Therefore they conclude, "No eyes. He must be without eyes." Imperfect knowledge.

SHYAMASUNDAR: So if God is a person with eyes, legs, He stays in one place?

PRABHUPADA: Again, the same... You are comparing with yourself. Because your person can stay in one place only. That means you are simply comparing the Personality of Godhead with your personality. That you have to forget. He, He stays everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. Therefore we have to consult the authoritative Vedic literature. This answer is there, that goloka eva nivasaty, "He is living in Goloka Vrindavana; still, He is everywhere." You cannot think of. You are in this apartment. You are not in your office. But Krishna, although He's in Goloka Vrindavana, He's everywhere, in everyone's heart. He's seeing everything. That you cannot imagine, how it is possible. That means you want to compare with your, this foolish, imperfect personality with God's personality. That is our defect. He's distinct from our personality, but He's a person. Yes. Nityo nityanam chetanash chetananam eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanishad 2.2.13: "The Supreme Lord is eternal, and the living beings are eternal. The Supreme Lord is sentient, and the living beings are sentient. The difference is that the Supreme Lord is supplying all the necessities of life for the many other living beings."). He's also a person like us, He's also living entity like us. But what is the difference? He's the maintainer; we are maintained. How many persons you can maintain? A family of two children and one wife, you are embarrassed. And He's maintaining everyone. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati... Innumerable living entities, He's supplying food everyone. He's supplying food the ants within the hole of your room there are thousands of ants. You are not supplying food. How they are getting food? Similarly, you go to the African jungle. There are thousands and millions of elephants. They eat a huge quantity. He's giving food. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. In the air, within the water, there are so many living entities. In the air there are so many living entities. On the land there are so many living entities. Everywhere. How He's feeding? That is the distinction between God's personality and our personality. We are embarrassed to maintain a family of four, five members, and He is maintaining the whole family of living entities. Not only one planet, there are innumerable planets. And not only innumerable planets, the one universe, then innumerable universes. And these, all these taken together, this is one-fourth creation of God. So three-fourth creation is of the spiritual world. Just imagine how big it is. All of them being maintained by that one. This is the difference. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. This is the distinction.

So you can, at any time, visit our temple. You can understand, try to understand the conception of God. We shall try to explain. But we can, at least, so far our knowledge is concerned, we have got a clear conception of God, what is meant by God. Therefore we do not accept the so-called dogs as God. No. So many people come: "I am God. I am God." We kick on their face. We don't accept. We don't accept such cheap gods. God is one, and He's all-powerful. That is our conception. We all servants of God. If anyone says that "I am servant of God," he's welcome. He's my master. The servant of God is my master. And if anyone claims to become God, I kick on his face. This is our principle. Because he's pretender, cheater. He should be punished immediately.

The source of creation

excerpt from lecture, Bombay, March 19, 1972

So maya, or illusion... There are two platforms: maya and Krishna. Krishna is just like sun. It is said that Krishna is just like the sun and maya is just like the darkness. So whenever there is sun, there is no more darkness. Just like at the present moment it is dark night because the sun is absent from our vision. This is called maya. Sun is always there in the sky, but when the sun is not visible, this is called darkness. Similarly, Krishna is present always within our heart, everywhere. It is said in the Brahma-samhita, andantara-stham paramanu-chayantara-stham govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami. Andantara-stham. Krishna is within the universe, Krishna is within your heart, Krishna is within the atom. You can take it from the shastras, from the Vedas, that Krishna is always present everywhere; therefore He's God, the original Vishnu, all-pervasive. This is also stated in the Brahma-samhita:

yasyaika-nishvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-bilaja jagad-anda-nathah
vishnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-vishesho
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.48]

The Maha-Vishnu, from whose breathing period millions of universes are coming out, and when He is inhaling, millions of universes are going within Him, He is called Maha-Vishnu. That Maha-Vishnu is described in the Brahma-samhita. That Brahma, Lord Brahma, who exists only on the breathing period of Maha-Vishnu, that Maha-Vishnu is partial expansion of Krishna. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. Krishna says that there are many manifestations of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. Just like candles, there are many candles, each candle has got the illuminating power. Similarly, eko bahu syam. Vishnu expands Himself in many, many millions of forms. Those forms are called svamsha and vibhinnamsha. Svamsha, personal expansions, and separated expansions. The separated expansions are we, we living entities. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mamaivamso jiva bhuta [Bg. 15.7: "The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts."]. So we are also expansions of Vishnu, or Krishna, but we are separated. Means we are not personal expansions. The personal expansions is called Vishnu-tattva, and the separated expansion is called jiva-tattva. And jiva-tattva is also shakti-tattva. Vishnu is shaktiman [the all-powerful], and we are shakti [power]. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

apareyam itas tu viddhi
me prakriti param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]

So we are shakti-tattva. We are not shaktiman-tattva. It is not corroborated. One who thinks that "I am God,'' shaktiman-tattva, that is false. We are shakti-tattva. Shaktiman means the powerful, one who possesses the power, and shakti means the power or energy. Or one who controls the energy, He is called shaktiman, and the energy acts in different way. Parasya shaktir vividhaiva shruyate [Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 13.65, purport: ""The Supreme Lord has multipotencies, which act so perfectly that all consciousness, strength and activity are being directed solely by His will." (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.8)"]. There are different kinds of, millions of energies, of the shaktiman. So we are energy of Krishna. We cannot be Krishna. Just like fire and heat or light. Heat is not different from fire, but heat is not fire. If you feel heat, it does not mean that you're touching the fire or that you are being burned. So simultaneously one and different. This philosophy of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, achintya-bhedabheda-tattva: simultaneously, inconceivable one and different. That is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's philosophy, Vaishnava philosophy. We are neither different nor one, simultaneously, and therefore it is called inconceivable, achintya. In our material conception we cannot think that one thing may be simultaneously one with another and different from another. So this is our position: jiva [the living entity] is shakti-tattva and bhagavan [the Supreme Lord] is shaktiman-tattva. But shakti, shaktiman abheda, there is no difference. There are many other examples. Just like the sun and sunlight. Sunlight is not different from the sun, and still the sunlight is not the sun. In the morning, when you find that there is sunlight within your room, you can say that the sun is within your room. You can say that, but the actual sun is far, far away, 93,000,000 miles away from us. So there are so many examples that we are energy of the Supreme Lord, we living entities.

Time to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth

So the Srimad-Bhagavatam therefore begins with the first aphorism of the Vedanta-sutra, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], the Absolute Truth. Vyasadeva has given you Srimad-Bhagavatam after his mature experience. He wrote all the Vedic literatures but he was not happy. So when he was not in his mood, he was deeply thinking that "What is the defect in my writings that after writing so many Vedic literatures I am not feeling very happy,'' at that time his spiritual master happened to appear before him, and he explained that why he was not happy. He explained that "You have touched many subject matters about dharma, artha, kama, and moksha–religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation–but you have not explained about the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore you are feeling unhappy.'' So Vyasadeva, after writing Vedanta-sutra, he, by the instruction of Narada Muni, his spiritual master, he compiled this Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is explanation of the Vedanta-sutra. Srimad-Bhagavatam is explanation by the same author. Vyasadeva is the author of the Vedanta-sutra, and he explains what does he mean by the Sutras. That is very nice. The author explains his mind. That is perfect explanation. I cannot understand the author's mind. I may imagine something, but you cannot understand the author's mind, what does he want to explain. Therefore Vyasadeva explains himself about the Vedanta-sutra: athato brahma jijñasa, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. "The human life, now it is the time for inquiring about the Supreme Absolute Truth." Not in other life. "Other'' means other than the human life–animal life, beast life, plant life, aquatic life, insect life. There are so many, 8,400,000 species of life. By evolutionary process, when we come to the human form of life, it is our duty to understand and inquire about Brahma. athato brahma jijñasa. That Brahma is explained by the author. That Brahma is that from where everything emanates, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Janma means birth, shiti means stay, and loi(?) means annihilation. So wherefrom everything is coming out, and from whom everything is staying, and after annihilation, where everything is entering–that is Brahma.

Now, that source of energy wherefrom everything is emanating, now what is the actual position of that thing? Is it inanimate or animate? Just like some scientists explain the theory of creation, that "There was a chunk that was inanimate. From inanimate things animation has developed under certain conditions.'' That is not possible. We have no such experience that from inanimate things some animation has developed. Sometimes we see that from heaps of rice stocked, one scorpion is coming out. It does not mean that the inanimate rice has given birth to a scorpion. No. The actual fact is the scorpion lays down eggs within the rice, and by fermentation they develop, and then it comes out. So there are different types of emanation. That is biological subject matter. But here in Srimad-Bhagavatam Vyasadeva says that origin of the emanation of everything is sentient, conscious. He's not like matter, unconscious. Janmady asya yatah 'nvayad itaratash chartheshv abhijñah sva-rat [SB 1.1.1]. He says that the origin of creation must be conscious, abhijñah. Abhijñah means conscious. Unless the origin of creation is conscious, how things are so happening so rightly and nicely? How all the planets are rotating in their orbit, there is no collision, there is no fall down? So there is a great plan. Therefore the creator must be conscious, a person. That is the verdict of Vyasadeva. And anyone who is also conscious and intelligent can understand. He says, janmady asya yatah anvayad. Anvayad: directly and indirectly. Directly He's conscious of the creation, and indirectly, as we are, we are also conscious because we are parts and parcels of the Supreme. Another explanation is that my birth has taken place from my father. My father's birth has taken place from his father. In this way you go on researching–his father, his father, his father. So everyone is a conscious personality. So why the original source of everything should not be conscious personality? This is another thing. Conscious and person. Just like my father is conscious and person, his father is conscious and person. In this way you go on researching according to our Vedic knowledge, you come to Brahma. Brahma is considered to be the original creature within the universe, adi-kavi. So now this Brahma is also born of the navel lotus of Vishnu; the Vishnu, He must be conscious. The Vishnu is conscious, abhijñah. So the origin of creation cannot be unconscious. Origin of creation must be conscious. That is the version of the Vedas, Vedic literature. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], this is the Vedanta-sutra verse. He must be conscious.

Now Vyasadeva is explaining that supreme consciousness. He has already offered his respect, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, janmady asya yatah. Sripada Sridhara Svami has commented on this om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, that Vasudeva means Krishna. Chinma karundaya krishnaya, he has said in his comment. Om namo bhagavate paramahamsa asadhi charana kamala.(?) This consciousness, supreme consciousness, can be realized by the paramahamsa asadhi. The paramahamsas [topmost men] can taste what is that supreme consciousness. Paramahamsa asadhika charana kamala chinmakarundaya bhaktajana manasa nivasaya shri krishnaya. Bhaktajana manasaya nivasaya. That Supreme Absolute Truth, chinmakarundaya, in the peaceful lotus within the heart, He lives there. He lives in everyone's heart. Ishvarah sarva-bhutanam hrid-deshe 'rjuna tishthati [Bg. 18.61: "The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."]. Krishna has explained that ishvara, the Supreme Lord... He is the Supreme Lord. He says that ishvara, the Supreme Lord, lives in everyone's heart, and He also lives there as paramatma, chinmakarundaya. So the paramatma and the atma both are living within the heart. Chinmakarundaya krishnaya. So Paramatma is partial expansion of Krishna, and jivatma is separated part and parcel of Krishna. And Krishna is the original person, Supreme Personality of Godhead.

ishvarah paramah krishnah
sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]

Sarva-karana-karanam. In the Bhagavad-gita it is also said, aham sarvasya prabhavah mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8: "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me."]. Sarvam means the creative deities: Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara. They are also from Krishna. The Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara are called guna-avataras of Krishna, incarnation of the material qualities. Brahma is incarnation of the material quality passion, rajo-guna, and Vishnu is incarnation of the quality sattva-guna [goodness], and Lord Siva is the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in tama-guna [ignorance]. So the example is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam also, what is the difference between Lord Siva, Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. The difference is they are one but they are different manifestations. Just like firewood. In the wood there is fire. So in the beginning there is no fire, but when there is little fire, there is smoke, then there is ignition, flame. But we are concerned with the flame, neither with the wood nor with the smoke. Similarly, although Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma are different manifestations of the same thing, Absolute Truth, still we are concerned with the fire of Vishnu, not with the wood, nor with the smoke. This is the conclusion of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Transcending the modes of nature and the creation

Therefore Vyasadeva says that the original person, or the Absolute Truth, must be conscious. Directly and indirectly He knows everything. In the Bhagavad-gita it is also said, vedaham samatitani [Bg. 7.26]. Krishna knows everything, past, present and future. That is also explained in the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, where Krishna said that "Long, long ago I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god.''

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avya
yam vivasvan manave praha
manur ikshvakave 'bravit [Bg. 4.1]

So at that time Arjuna inquired from Krishna for clearance how Krishna spoke millions of years ago this Bhagavad-gita, all about this Krishna consciousness, to the sun-god. He inquired as an ordinary man, "My dear Krishna''–Krishna was his friend and cousin-brother also–that "how can I believe that You spoke this Bhagavad-gita millions and trillions of years ago to the sun-god?'' What was the reply by Krishna? The reply was, Krishna said, "You have forgotten. I remember all of it.'' "I remember all of it.'' That is the difference between Krishna, or God, and the ordinary living entity. We have forgotten. If I ask you what you were doing last evening at this time, you will have to remember, "Yes. I was doing that. I forget.'' But Krishna will not forget. Therefore, this is described here, He knows everything. "I am sitting in everyone's heart.'' Sarvasya chaham hridi sannivishtho mattah smritir jñanam apohanam cha [Bg. 15.15]. "From Me there is remembrance; jñana, knowledge; and forgetfulness.''

That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manushyah partha sarvashah [Bg. 4.11]

So Krishna is very kind, as I have already explained. Two spiritual identities, namely the atma and the Paramatma, are there within your heart. The Paramatma is giving you direction. What kind of direction? Because I wanted to forget Krishna, He sometimes gives me direction that "Yes, you forget like this.'' And anyone who wants to remember Krishna, to revive Krishna consciousness, He helps you also. This is Krishna. Why? Because we are parts and parcels of Krishna. Krishna is fully independent. That is also explained here–abhijñah svarat. Svarat means fully independent. The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person, is fully independent. Not only conscious, but He is independent. And we are part and parcel of Krishna; therefore the quality of independence of Krishna is there, but in minute quantity. Our independence and Krishna's independence is not the same. Just like here is the Arabian Sea. You take a drop of water from the Arabian Sea, you taste it, you'll find it is salty. The salt is there in a drop of the Arabian Sea water, and salt is there in the Arabian Sea. But the quantity of salt in the whole Arabian Sea and the quantity of salt in the drop of water, they are different. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Krishna, all the qualities of Krishna, they are also present within us in minute quantity. And because it is in minute quantity, sometimes it becomes lost.

Therefore our consciousness, originally, because we are part and parcel of Krishna, our original consciousness is Krishna consciousness, but somehow or other, being in contact with this matter, we have lost our Krishna consciousness. Therefore this movement is to revive Krishna consciousness. That is our original constitutional position. ...Somehow or other in material contact we have lost our Krishna consciousness, it has to be revived. It has to be revived; then we shall be happy. That is the particular point we want to stress on this Krishna consciousness movement: revival of the original consciousness. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has explained this as cheto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], cleansing the heart. Cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam:

"'Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Krishna expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.'

If we cleanse our heart, that means if we come to the original Krishna consciousness, then this blazing fire of material consciousness will immediately extinguish. That is the process. Every one of us trying to be happy, peaceful and blissful also, but unless we revive our original Krishna consciousness, it is not possible.

So this movement is very important movement, that we are attempting to revive one's original consciousness. The original consciousness is clean. Just like the water. Originally, when it drops from the clouds, it is distilled water, clean, but as soon as it comes in touch with the muddy earth, it becomes unclean. Similarly, originally our consciousness was Krishna consciousness.

Now, in touch with the material modes of nature, we have formed different types of consciousness. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmashu [Bg. 13.22: "The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species."]. This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Karanam–the cause of our tribulation. What is that tribulation? Sad-asad-janma-yonishu. We are taking repeatedly birth, one after another, sometimes very good birth and sometimes very bad. There are 8,400,000 species of life. Sometimes I may become Brahma and sometimes I may become the insect or the germ in the stool. That is my position. Because we have lost the original consciousness, I am being in contact with the material modes of nature, means sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Karanam guna-sangah. We are mixing with the different types of material qualities, and as such we are developing different modes of material nature in our consciousness. This consciousness has to be cleared. This consciousness... Even if our consciousness is goodness... Just like there are many people who are very charitably disposed: they want to make charity, they want to open schools, they want to open hospitals. That is goodness. That is all right. But still it is material; it is not spiritual. Similarly, there are others also who are contacting the modes of passion, just like big, big kings, they are very much anxious or very much ambitious to expand their kingdom. This is called association with the modes of passion. Similarly, there is mixture also: mixture of goodness, passion and ignorance. So according to these different types of mixture, or original quality, there are different classes of men. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita, chatur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagashah [Bg. 4.13]. These three qualities, when one is developed in the modes of goodness, he is very intelligent or he is brahmana. When our consciousness is passion, that is called kshatriya. And when it is mixed up, it is called vaishya. And when it is ignorance, it is called shudra. These are the divisions. So here Krishna says, "If you want to transcend these qualitative situations of material life, then you have to come to Me.'' Because all these qualities are different modes of material nature, which is called maya.

So we are now compact in the association of maya, in different qualities, and Krishna says, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te. If you actually want to revive your own consciousness, original consciousness, then you have to surrender. That is being explained by Vyasadeva here, satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1]. Dhimahi is gayatri-mantra: Om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi. So by brahminical culture, by chanting the gayatri-mantra or the Hare Krishna mantra, gradually we become purified. That is explained by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Cheto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Come to the original consciousness, Krishna consciousness, then you'll become happy. Original consciousness, the beginning of original consciousness: to understand one's self as brahma, not matter. Brahma means spirit. Aham brahmasmi: "I'm not matter; I'm spirit soul.'' This is the beginning of spiritual consciousness or Krishna consciousness. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

brahma bhutah prasannatma
na shocati na kankshati
samah sarveshu bhuteshu
mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54: "One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me."]

Unless you come to the platform of brahma bhuta [SB 4.30.20] consciousness, you cannot treat everyone on the same level. It is not possible. The so-called universal brotherhood is not possible on this material condition of life. Therefore you can see that materially there are so many attempts to find out a platform of universal brotherhood. But there is no universal brotherhood. There is simply platform of enemy. The United Nation is trying to come to the platform of universal brotherhood. When I go to New York, I see the great institution. There are hundreds and thousands of flags. Instead of being united, the flags are increasing, because this universal brotherhood, this equality, fraternity, cannot be established on this material platform. It is not possible. You have to come to the point, to the platform of Krishna consciousness, or brahma bhuta stage, then it is possible.

So everything is scientifically described in the Vedic literature. You haven't got to make any research. It is already there. You have to simply accept it and take it. Then your life will be sublime, your life will be successful. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that, to make everyone's life successful. Everyone become happy. That is the mission of everyone. "Everyone'' means those who are devotees. How people will be happy? That is their mission. It is not that we start a mission just to make some money and to fill up our belly, hungry belly. No. It is a mission to see that everyone is happy in Krishna consciousness. This is the mission. Our acharyas, just like Srila Rupa Goswami, about him Srinivasacharya writes,

nana-shastra-vicharanaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau
lokanam hita-karinau tri-bhuvane manyau saranyakarau
radha-krishna-padaravinda-bhajananandena-mattalikau
vande rupa-sanatana raghu-yugau shri-jiva-gopalakau

They engaged themselves. They were ministers. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami were two great ministers in the government of Pathan kingdom in Bengal. And they resigned the post just for the benefit of the mass of people. They became mendicants. So this is the mission of all who is born in India. That is the statement by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,

bharata bhumite haila manushya-janma yarajan
ma sarthaka kari kara para-upakara [Cc. adi 9.41]

So this Krishna consciousness movement is for doing good to others–the best welfare activities in the world. And it is India's duty, it is India's prerogative to take this knowledge and broadcast all over the world. And actually it is happening. All these European and American boys and girls, they are trying to understand this Krishna consciousness movement very seriously. So it is very scientific, authorized and practical also. So we hope that all of you who are present here will try to cooperate with this movement, and let us meet at least so long as I am here. That will be very beneficial.