Prabhupada 0994 - What is the Difference Between God and Ourself?



730407 - Lecture SB 01.14.43 - New York

So when we went to communist country, Moscow, I think everyone was in want, and they could not get even foodstuff to their own choice. Whatever government rules and all these thing will supply, they will have to accept. And actually there was no good foodstuff, for us. We were staying in that National Hotel, and Śyāmasundara had to spend at least two hours for getting things. That also not very nice thing. Rice could not be obtained. One Madrasi gentleman, he supplied us some rice, nice; otherwise only milk and butter is available, and meat, that's all. No fruit, no vegetables, no nice rice, and these things are not available. This is Kali-yuga. Things will be..., supply will be reduced. Actually the supply is made by Kṛṣṇa.

nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām
eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān

That is the difference between God and ourself. We are also person, God is also person. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He is also living entity, we are also living entity. So what is the difference between God and ourself? That ekaḥ, that one living entity, nityaḥ, singular number. So, bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He supplies the necessities of life to all these plural number, bahūnām. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. Those who know Sanskrit, this nityaḥ means singular number person, and the nityānām, that is plural number. Both of them are persons, both of them are living entities, but why that singular number is considered to the supreme? Because He supplies foodstuff to all the plural. So actually Kṛṣṇa has everything ready for supplying to all the living entities. Nobody is meant for starving. No. That is not. Just like in the prison house, although the prisoners they are condemned, still government takes care of their food, of their hospitalization, not that they should starve. No. Similarly, although in this material world we are all condemned, we are prisoners, prisoners. We cannot move, we cannot go from one planet to another. They are trying so much. Now they have failed. They do not talk now. (laughter) It is not possible, because we are prisoners. Conditioned. You will have to remain in this planet. One has to remain in their planet. There is no question that out of your own will and freedom, because you have no freedom.

But Nārada Muni has freedom. Nārada Muni is going from one planet to another. He is coming from the spiritual sky through the material sky, because he is perfect bhakta. So that is the ideal living entity. As Kṛṣṇa has got full freedom, similarly when we become perfect, Kṛṣṇa conscious, we also become free. This is our position. But not in the conditioned state that we can move. Cannot. Baddha. Brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān, we are conditioned. But in the conditioned state also, if we follow the Vedic principles we can be happy. Happy, and this human form of life especially, it is meant for that purpose, that you live happily, save time for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that next life you are no more in this material world. You are transferred to the spiritual world. This is the purpose of human life. But these rascals they do not know. They think that we are advancing civilization, because the cats and dogs they are lying on..., on the floor and sleep, we have got 104-stories building and we lie down there. This is their advancement. But they do not understand that the sleeping, the enjoyment by sleeping, it is the same to the dog and to the man who is lying on the 104th planet, (laughter) story. Similarly, sex life to the dog and to the man or to the demigod, the pleasure is the same. There is no difference.