Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.17
—
Los Angeles, July 12, 1969
That I have repeatedly explained in this meeting. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg. 4.9]. Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, how He appears, how He disappears, what is His constitutional position, what is my constitutional position, what is the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, how to live. Everything. Simply if you understand these things, Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ... Tattvataḥ means reality, scientifically. Not by whims or sentiments or fanaticism. No. Everything. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is everything scientific, solid scientific. It is not bogus. It is not imagination. So tattvataḥ. That is called tattvataḥ, in fact, in reality, in truth. If one understands Kṛṣṇa in truth, then the result is tyaktvā deham. By giving up this body... We have to give up this body, willingly or unwillingly. A day will come when you have to submit to the laws of nature and give up this body. Even your president, Mr. Kennedy, he was going in procession, but when nature's law demanded that "Now you submit your body here and change for another body," he had to. There was no question, "Oh, I am president, I am Mr. Kennedy, I cannot do this." No. You have to do it. Force. That you do not understand, how this nature's force is working on us.
So this is the business of developed consciousness, human consciousness. Otherwise, consciousness is there in the dog, in the cats, in the worms, in the trees, in the birds, in the beasts. Consciousness is there. But are we meant for living in that consciousness? Cats' and dogs' consciousness? No. Therefore Bhāgavata says that labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte: [SB 11.9.29] "After many, many births you have got this nice body, human form of body." And what to speak of American body, the nicest body, very beautiful body, very rich body. Don't misuse, please. Utilize it. Develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy. That is our propaganda. We are not asking anything that "Give me some fees, and I give you some mantra." The mantra is being distributed free in the street. You simply take it, chant it, and just see how you are developing your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. An inch development, advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is a great profit. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. This consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if achieved in the slightest degree, it can help you for the highest benefit. For the highest benefit, to takes you to the spiritual kingdom, Vaikuṇṭhaloka, Vṛndāvana. So don't be proud that "I have got human body" unnecessarily. Don't be proud that "I can live very, very longer period than the cats and dogs."
These things are very nicely discussed here. We shall try to explain. The beginning is taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti [SB 2.3.18] . The beginning of this... How our consciousness is developed and important, that is stated in these pages, that taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti. You are proud of having a little long duration of life than the cats and dogs; therefore you are proud? Oh, don't you see how long the trees also live, for seven thousand years, many thousands of years. So what is there in living for long duration of life? So there is no actual wonderful achievement by the so-called material advancement of life unless you have got developed consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is false. False means maybe, temporary. You are American. You are feeling that you belong to the rich country, very beautiful body, no scarcity of food. That's all right, but it is also temporary. It is not permanent. And next life you do not know. Even if you have no information what is life after death, but there is. There is life after death. The body is changing. This is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The body is changing, but the soul is eternal. We are busy with the bodily affairs of life, but we do not take care of the soul. That is the mistake of the present civilization. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is teaching to the people in general, the philosophers, the religionists, the leaders, that this is not the way of civilization. You try to develop your consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa. Then your life will be successful.