Srila Prabhupada explains that, like our own body, the universe develops because of the spirit within it.
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Lecture given in Vrindavan, India, on November 10, 1972.
Behind everything taking place in the material world is the fully conscious Supreme Spirit.
“After creating the material substance, the Lord expands Himself and enters into it. And although He is within the material modes of nature and appears to be one of the created beings, He is always fully enlightened in His transcendental position.” – Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.31
This material creation is possible when the Supreme Spirit enters into it. This is a problem to the modern scientists – how was creation possible? They cannot understand that without the spiritual touch there cannot be any creation. That is due to their poor fund of knowledge.
Darwin’s theory of development by the process of evolution is childish. He and his followers are concentrating on matter – matter evolving. Matter does not evolve; matter is dead. It is due to the presence of the spirit soul that it evolves. They do not understand that. But actually we are seeing that it is true. If a child is born dead, it is simply dead matter; it does not grow. It is our practical experience. But if the child is living, or the spirit soul is within that body, then it develops.
Similarly, how can the whole cosmic manifestation, this big universe, develop unless there is, in the center, the Supreme Spirit? It cannot develop. Either you take this body or this universal body – without the spirit having entered within it, there cannot be development.
The modern scientists have no knowledge; they cannot understand this. They have a poor fund of knowledge. Practically we are seeing every day that this body has developed – your body, my body. How has it developed? Because I, the spirit soul, and you, the spirit soul, have entered into the matter. Therefore it has developed.
The development of the body is possible when the spirit soul enters. The male and female have sex, the two secretions mix and become emulsified, and the spirit soul takes shelter within that matter. And then the matter develops gradually. That is the development of the embryo. And when it is fully developed at seven months, with hands and legs and consciousness, then the child wants to come out. Then, by the natural process, on the tenth month the child comes out.
But medical scientists or physiologist or biologist do not know this. They cannot explain how the body is developing, how the body is being formed. They do not know. But this is the fact.
The Cause of Different Bodies
Now, the living entity wanted to enjoy this material world. We get different types of bodies on account of our desire to have such bodies. We want to enjoy matter in a certain way, and Krishna gives us the opportunity to enjoy as we liked.
Everything is under the control of Krishna. Although the body’s obtained by material arrangement, still, behind the matter there is Krishna. As the living entity enters this material world, Krishna is also there along with him. Sometimes the Mayavadi philosophers mistakenly say that there is no difference between the soul and the Supersoul – that the soul is the Supersoul, or the Supersoul is the soul, that atma and Paramatma are one.
But they are not one; they are two. That is stated in the Upanishads: they are like two friendly birds sitting in one tree. One is enjoying the fruit of the tree; the other is only witnessing. The witnessing bird is Paramatma, the Supersoul, and the fruit-eating bird is the atma, the individual soul. These are the Vedic statements.
We have entered this material world for enjoyment, and to give us facility for enjoyment the plenary portion of Krishna, Paramatma, arranges things. He’s also within this body. This can be explained by the example of a fair. In India we attended the Kumbha-mela fair. Because the people come and gather there, the government takes precautions, or makes the necessary arrangement. There is actually a small government. The commissioner and the magistrate go there and manage things so that things are going on nicely so that people may not be inconvenienced; let them take bath peacefully. That is the idea.
Similarly, the government is Krishna. And because we wanted to come here to enjoy, Krishna has made so many nice arrangements. Sometimes people question, “Why was this material world created?” It is created for us, because Krishna knows that some souls want to enjoy this material world, and to give them facility, everything is arranged here.
This world is a replica of the spiritual world, but it is temporary, exactly as the Kumbha-mela camp is temporary. A chance is given to the living entities to enjoy to their satisfaction, and the Vedic instruction is there so that they may follow and again come back home, back to Godhead. This is the whole arrangement.
Krishna Is Above the Material Qualities
Guneshu gunavan iva. Now, the Supersoul does not become affected by the material qualities, but the individual souls are affected by the material qualities, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, and tamo-guna – goodness, passion, and ignorance. The Supersoul is always above these gunas. Antah-pravishta abhati vijnanena vijrimbhitah. He’s always fully conscious. When Krishna comes within this material world, He does not become affected by the qualities, as we become. But those who are mudhas, those who are fools, consider that Krishna is a human being like us. Avajananti mam mudha manushim tanum ashritam: “Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form.” (Gita 9.11) But about Krishna it is said here, vijnanena vijrimbhitah. He’s full, fully conscious. He knows. Vedaham samatitani. “I know everything,” Krishna says, “past, present, future.” (Gita 7.26) Krishna said to Arjuna,
“I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshvaku.” (Gita 4.1)
Krishna does not forget past, present, or future. Vijnanena vijrimbhitah. He’s always conscious, fully conscious. Whatever was done in the past, what will happen in the future, and what is happening now, everything is known to Krishna. Vijnanena vijrimbhitah.
But we have lost our consciousness. We have lost our memory that we have a past, that we are part and parcel of Krishna. And we are identifying with this material world in different capacities. Somebody’s identifying with this body; somebody’s identifying with the society or community or nation or country. But Krishna does not become materially affected. Vijnanena vijrimbhitah. He’s always conscious.
The Source of Intelligence
Both the Paramatma and the jivatma are within this body, and the intelligence is coming from the Paramatma. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15): sarvasya caham hridi-sannivishto mattah smritir jnanam apohanam ca: “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.”
Suppose I wanted to enjoy something in my past life. So Krishna has given me a type of body so that I can enjoy, and He gives me a reminder also: “You wanted to enjoy like this. Now you have got this opportunity. Do it.” This is the proof: Even a newborn cat or dog will find the mother’s breast. The human child will also try to find the mother’s breast.
It is explained as intuition. But we don’t say it is intuition. Or even if you call it intuition, where is it coming from? It is coming from Paramatma. He’s giving direction, “Find it here. You’ll find your mother’s breast, and here is your food.” Therefore, even just after birth the kitten or the small child finds out where the food is. This is the explanation of intuition.
Modern scientists say “intuition,” but they cannot explain how the intuition is coming. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: mattah smritir jnanam apohanam ca. It is coming from Paramatma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Krishna, as Paramatma, has entered into everyone’s heart. He is in knowledge. He knows that “This individual soul wanted to enjoy this material world,” so He gives him facility: “Now you enjoy.”
One who has no discrimination of eating – all abominable things one can eat – is given the chance, in the form of a hog, to eat everything up to stool. That facility’s given. Now some in the Western countries want to remain naked. There are so many naked clubs. So in the next life they’ll be given the chance to become a tree to stand naked for thousands of years. These are the laws of nature.
People do not know how they’re getting different types of body for different types of material enjoyment. Sometimes one is put as a poor man; sometimes one is put as a rich man. Sometimes as a demigod, sometimes as a cat, sometimes as a dog. In this way it is going on. But people have no knowledge of this.
In the modern civilization, people do not care for this Vedic information, neither have they got any sufficient knowledge of how these 8,400,000 species of life are becoming possible. They have no science. But here it is stated: antah-pravishta abhati vijnanena vijrimbhitah.
Yoga: Connecting the Link
Our Krishna consciousness movement is all-pervasive. It includes science, philosophy – everything we require, cverything complete. By the Krishna consciousness movement everything becomes completely known, because as soon as we become in touch with Krishna, Krishna gives us all intelligence.
“To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Gita 10.10) If we engage ourselves in Krishna consciousness, in devotional service, sincerely and seriously, then all intelligence will come from within, because Paramatma is there; Krishna is already there. A television set is there already, and you can get so much news from outside, but you have to know how to capture it. As soon as you push some electronic button, the picture and the speaking become manifest. Similarly, Krishna is already there within your heart. You are also there. You must simply connect or link with Krishna. That is called yoga. Yoga means connecting the link.
There are different processes of yoga, but the best yoga system, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gita, is to always think of Krishna within your heart. It is said of the great devotee Ambarisha Maharaja, sa vai manah krishna-padaravindayoh (Bhagavatam 9.4.18): he always fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Krishna.
You haven’t got to practice so many ashtanga-yoga processes. That is one way, but this process of bhakti-yoga is to always think of Krishna.
“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Gita 9.14) These words are there. We should engage ourselves always in chanting and hearing about Krishna.
“Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.” (Bhagavatam 1.2.17) Gradually the dirty things within our heart will be cleansed, and there will be clear direction on what to do in which circumstances and how to do it. Everything will come.
Because vijnanena vijrimbhitah: Krishna is there. He’s full of knowledge, scientific knowledge. This very word is used, vijnanena. Not only jnana, but vijnanena, scientific knowledge. Everything will come perfectly. We simply have to link our lost relationship.
We are always in touch with Krishna, but at the present moment, due to the illusory energy of maya, we have forgotten that we are always connected with Krishna. This illusion, this dirty thing, has to be removed. Then our original relationship will be established, and our life will be perfect. That is the process of Krishna consciousness.
Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.