subjects/body/001

Not these rascals, one who does not know what is self, what I am. He's an animal, one who does not know what he is. If I do not inquire, "What I am? I am this body? Or I am something extra than this body?" if this inquiry is not there, he's not human being. He's animal. Animal cannot inquire. Cats and dog cannot inquire, "What I am?" He's suffering. Everyone is suffering who has got this material body. That is the condition. If you have got material body, you must suffer. It is not the question of European, American or white, black. There is no such question. If you are animal or man, as soon as you have got this material body, you must suffer. This is condition. This is material condition. Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for, I mean to say, mitigating the so-called sufferings of the body. When there is body, there must be suffering. So we should not be very much disturbed by the sufferings of the body. Because you'll have to suffer. Even though you make very nice arrangement. Just like in comparison to Europe and America. In European cities we see so many nice arrangements, living condition, big, big house, big, big road, nice cars. In comparison to India, if some Indian comes from Indian village, he'll see, "It is heaven, so nice house, so nice building, so nice motorcars." But do you think you are not suffering? He may think, the rascal may think that "Here is heaven." But those who are residing in this heaven, they know what kind of heaven it is. (laughter)

So suffering must be there. Suffering must be there as soon as you get this material body. "Why suffering? We are enjoying." What you are enjoying? Is there any guarantee that you'll enjoy? You have got nice building, nice road, nice car. That's all right. You are enjoying. You are thinking enjoying. But is there any guarantee that you will enjoy? Any moment, you'll be finished. Any moment. So there is no guarantee. That is not enjoyment. Real enjoyment is permanent enjoyment. Just like we construct some house, making the, what is called, foundation very strong. In your country, they make very strong foundation. But what is your foundation, sir? Is it very strong? You can be taken away at any moment. So before making the foundation strong, why don't you make your foundation strong that you shall be able to live here permanently? But that intelligence they haven't got. They'll waste time, making the house foundation very strong, not for himself. His foundation tiltering at any moment, any second. This is called yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatu..., sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13].

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And we, actually, we are hankering after happiness. For whose happiness? It is soul's happiness. It is Krsna's happiness. We, we try to protect this body. We are very much fond of this body. Why? Because the soul is there. Everyone knows it. As soon as this body, there is no soul, it is kicked out, throw it away in the street. Nobody cares for it. Suppose a beautiful man and beautiful girl, dead bodies lying on the street -- who cares for it? But as, so long the soul is there, "Oh, such a nice, beautiful, such a nice, beautiful boy, girl." The soul is important.

So actually, we do not love this body because the same beautiful body's there. Why do you not care? Because soul is not... Therefore I love the soul. This is the fact. This is atmavit, atma-tattva-vit. And why I love soul? Because I love Krsna. Soul is part and parcel of Krsna. So why I am so much fond of soul? Because it is part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore, ultimately, I love Krsna. This is the conclusion. And if I do not love Krsna, that is my abnormal stage. And the normal stage is I love Krsna. Therefore we are trying to awaken Krsna consciousness. As soon as one is fixed up in Krsna consciousness and begins to love Krsna, then he doesn't want to love anything more. Svamin krtartho 'smi: "Now I am fully satisfied." So otherwise, we'll have many questions, many answers so long we are not self-realized, and our time will be spoiled.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.1
Paris, June 9, 1974
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