(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada and disciples)
"Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14), in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. Tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. We require some satisfaction and some enjoyment, because that is our nature. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Spirit soul. God is also blissful, and we part and parcel of God, we are also blissful. We want simply ānanda, pleasure. That is our nature. But that ānanda, pleasure, you cannot enjoy independently. That is not possible. You must enjoy with Kṛṣṇa. That is called rāsa-līlā. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, they assemble together. Similarly, we are part and parcel... Just like part and parcel of big machine, they are assembled, then it works. If the part and parcel are scattered, oh, then it has no meaning; it is a simply scrap of iron, that's all. But when they are assembled together, that is meaning. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So we must assemble together. Central Kṛṣṇa. Central Kṛṣṇa.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is... Just like in this house, we are living. And the next house, they are also living. So what is the difference? The difference is here, Kṛṣṇa is center. That's all. Therefore it is temple. And the next door, a house. That is the difference between house, ordinary house, and temple. There is no difference. It is also made of bricks and stones and wood, that is also made of bricks and stones. They are also live, they also cook, they also eat. Everything is the same, practically. But the difference is there is no Kṛṣṇa, here is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So when I walk on the street and go anywhere, I simply think how these nice bungalows, house, but still, they're not satisfied. It is 'For Sale.' You see? Why? There is no Kṛṣṇa. Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Just like a body, beautiful body, lying down on the street dead. Nobody cares. Because the life is not there. The spirit soul is not there. Nobody cares.
Similarly, bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 3.11). Big nation. You Americans, you are big nation. But bhagavad-bhakti... There is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jāti, big nation. Jāti means big nation. Bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya jātiḥ japaḥ, their activities, tapaḥ, tapasya... They are trying to invent so many nice things scientifically, mechanically. Or invented machine. Everything. Jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ kriyā. Activities, very methodical. On the road there is light arrangement. Everything is all right. But if it is less Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is... What is that? Aprāṇasya hi dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Just like a dead body, if you decorate. A body, dead body, and you apply pomade and nice dress and scent, what is the meaning? Loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam means you may please some of the people, 'Oh, how you are decorating a dead body,' but it has no meaning. It is useless, waste of time. Similarly, very nice arrangement, big nation, politics, everything, minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness is like that. Aprāṇasya hi dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam.
Therefore your young men, young girls, they have become frustrated, in spite of all this arrangement, nice arrangement. There is no comparison of your country's arrangement. I am traveling all over the world. Such nice roads, such every... Everything nice. But why they are becoming frustrated and confused? Due to this aprāṇasya. There is no life. So life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you actually feel for your country, for your community, for your people, just spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They're dying. You spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they'll come again to life, and everything will be actually beautiful. That is my request. I came to your country with this mission, that 'The American people, they are feeling frustration. If they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they'll be happy, and others will follow their example.' "
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, May 31, 1972)
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