May 5, 1969, Boston

Prabhupāda: …come to the light of the sun, immediately you get out of your room and get, immediately. Similarly, although God is far, far away, He is everywhere at the same time. That is God’s nature. Simply we have to agree that “Now I shall realize…” [break] …without any difficulty, very easily. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, yayātmā suprasīdati [SB 1.2.6]. And without spiritual realization you cannot have peace of mind. That is impossible. If you want to make… If you want to have peace of this world, of your mind, of your society, of your family, simply by amassing money, by material advance, it will never be possible. But if you improve a little in spiritual life, you become immediately happy. 

So your business is how to become happy, because by nature you are happy. Diseased condition, that happiness being checked. So this is our diseased condition, this material, conditional life, this body. So as one intelligent person puts himself under the treatment of a physician to get out of the disease, similarly, human life is meant for putting himself to the expert physician who can cure you from your material disease. That is your business. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. That is the injunction of all Vedic literature. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna. Arjuna is surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te ‘ham māṁ prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] “My dear Kṛṣṇa, so long I was speaking with You just as friends. Now I surrender unto You as Your student, as Your disciple. You become my spiritual master and teach me properly.” This is the process. Arjuna is exampling himself that he’s accepting Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master, teacher. And then Kṛṣṇa began to teach the Bhagavad-gītā, and he changed his decision, and he was freed from all anxieties. This is spiritual life. So this spiritual realization is easier than any kind of material realization because we are not meant for material realization. We are meant for spiritual realization, the human form. So that we should take advantage of. That is the mission of human form of life. If we miss this, then we are committing suicide. 

Missing text: …………………………… 

So now you can… If you have got any question, you can pose. 

Glenn Teton: You talk about the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. How does service of our fellow man come in? 

Prabhupāda: How these boys are coming here? How you have come here? It is not service? The best service, to take them out from the illusory life of material existence, the best service. This is the best service, to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What do you mean by service? To give him relief from the suffering. That is service. This is the best relief. Yayātmā suprasīdati. The Bhāgavata says, “That is the best service, that is the best religion, that is the best philosophy, which teaches one how to love God.” And as soon as he comes to that position, without any motive, without any impediment, yayātmā suprasīdati, immediately he becomes satisfied. Svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi varaṁ na yāce [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. Dhruva Mahārāja, a five-years-old boy, was insulted by his stepmother, and he wanted the kingdom of his father. So his real mother advised him, “If God gives you, then you can get. Otherwise it is not possible.” So he went to the forest. He inquired from his mother, “Where is God? I shall go there.” The mother said, “My dear boy, I think He is in the Himalaya or in the forest, because many sages go there and find out God.” The five-years-old boy immediately went to the forest and began to search out where is God. He was so… That means [in]tense desire: “I shall find out God, where is God.” So, many people went there. Even Nārada Muni came there: “My dear boy, you are prince. You are so delicate. You are so nice. You cannot undertake this austerity, this severity of penance, finding out God. You better go home. Go to your father, mother.” “Oh, sir, oh, I don’t want your advice. Can you give me any way to find out God?” Then Nārada Muni initiated him, and he began to meditate, and ultimately he found out God. But when he saw God, he says, “My dear Lord, I do not want anything. Now I am fully satisfied.” Svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi varaṁ na yāce: [Cc. Madhya 22.42] “I came here for something which is just like broken pieces of glass, but I have got the diamond. So therefore I have nothing to ask for.” Similarly, when one finds out his eternal relationship with God, loving spirit, then he becomes, say, “Oh, I do not…” Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find. If you, I mean to say, go that standard of life, then you will feel, “I have no more want. Finished. All want finished.” That is the best gift, that is the best service, when a man will feel that “I have no more want. I am fully satisfied.” That is the best service. What is this service, nonsense service? Suppose I am hungry; you give me some food. Does it mean that I shall not be hungry again? That food is already given also in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness move… That is not very difficult job. That is being given also. But we are giving some food which will make him satisfied for good. No more hunger. That is the best service. Just try to understand what sort of service is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness: no more hunger, no more demand. Svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi: “Oh, I am fully satisfied.” Varaṁ na yāce: “I have no more demand. Finish.” And if you go materially, satisfy your hunger, this, that, this, that, this, that, oh, it is simply illusion. It will never be finished. Just like you are advanced in material prosperity than other country. Does it mean that you are satisfied? Why there are hippies? Why there are so many frustrated youngsters? The richest country in the world. That, this richness of material world, the rascals, they are following that “If we become like America and some industrial, we shall become happy.” That is rascaldom. Actual happiness is how you learn to love God. Then you get happy. That can be achieved without any material advancement. Anywhere you can have, without any expenditure, without any effort, without any education, without any knowledge. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you develop that love. This is the highest service to the human society. Just try to understand. Everyone will say, “Oh, I am now satisfied, fully satisfied. I don’t want. No more stealing, no more pick-pocketing, no more cheating, because I have no want. Why shall I cheat? Why shall I cheat?” Everything will be complete, fully satisfied. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Suprasīdati, this very word, Sanskrit word, is there. You have to make yourself fully satisfied. Then there will be no more want. You see? 

Just like there is a story, “Alexander and the Cynic.” Perhaps most of you know. There was a cynic. He was saintly person. He was sitting in a solitary place, almost naked body. Alexander the Great went there and asked him, “If I can do something for you? You are a great man.” He said, “Oh, please don’t obstruct sunshine. Please be aside, That’s all. [laughter] You may do this. Don’t obstruct the sunshine. I am quite pleased. You please set aside.” Because he was fully satisfied, why this Alexander Great will, can do him? 

yam labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ
manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ
yasmin sthito guruṇāpi
duḥkhena na vicālyate
[Bg. 6.20-23]

In Bhagavad-gītā you will find. If you are situated in that transcendental position, then there is no more demand. And if you are situated in that position, the greatest difficult position, you don’t care for it. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena. Guru means heaviest type of difficulty. If you are put in, you don’t care for it. This is life. Any condition, in any position, you are satisfied. You are not disturbed. That is required. That is called peace. That can be achieved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not by any other method. Any other questions? 

Indian man (1): I have a question. Are you trying to say that human beings are created for sacrifice of God from the beginning to the end? 

Prabhupāda: What is your idea? 

Indian man (1): I want your idea. 

Prabhupāda: First of all I want your idea. [laughter] 

Indian man (1): I’m here to listen to you. 

Prabhupāda: Then you listen. We are listening that you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that is perfection. 

Indian man (1): You are a giving a truth, a side, already handed out to me, that you have to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. 

Prabhupāda: Because you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious… Because you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, therefore we have to teach you that you become Kṛṣṇa conscious and you become happy. 

Indian man (1): That’s a given truth you are giving to me. 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Indian man (1): Well, how do you know? 

Prabhupāda: How do you know it is not truth? 

Indian man (1): I don’t know. I haven’t found out. 

Prabhupāda: Therefore you take it truth because we accept the truth from Kṛṣṇa. 

Indian man (1): You have accepted it. Have you ever found out? 

Prabhupāda: What is that “found out”? 

Indian man (1): That being Kṛṣṇa conscious, you’re the most happiest person? 

Prabhupāda: Yes. 

Indian man (1): You are? 

Prabhupāda: Yes. [laughter] Don’t you see practical happiness? I left my home, sannyāsī. I have got my wife. I have got my children…, but how many children I’ve got… [end] 

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