Prabhupāda: Yes.
Indian man (2): But in the court of the Lord he does not know. He wants to know what kind of crime he has committed in the past so that he can purify himself . . .
Prabhupāda: Well, that . . . just like a child, when he's crawling, he touches a fire and he's burned. He forgets. But when he's grown-up, if he inquires from the parents, "Why this scar is in my hand?" the father reminds, "My dear child, you did like this." So because you have forgotten, that does not mean it did not take place. You have forgotten. You do not know what you were doing at this time yesterday. You are so forgetful.
So your remembering or forgetful doesn't matter. The law of nature must work severely. It doesn't matter whether you forget or you do not know the law. Forgetfulness of law is no excuse. You must suffer. Just like the child, when he touches the fire, the fire does not consider, "Oh, here is an innocent child, why shall I burn him?" He must be burned. That is law of karma. When you touch fire you must act and you must suffer. Without any judgment the law is already there.
Indian man (3): Swāmī, have you seen God? (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Do you know how to see?
Indian man (3): Yes. I can see you. But because He reveals Himself . . .
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Yes, that I have already explained, that Adhokṣaja, God, cannot be seen by your these blunt senses, but when you develop pure senses, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When our senses are nirmalam, without any designation, you can see God.
Indian man (3): So my question was, "Swāmījī, have you seen God?"
Prabhupāda: Now if I say yes, will you believe? (laughter from audience) Will you believe? So therefore you have to make purify your senses to see God, instead of asking anybody whether he has seen or not. I say anybody who has purified his senses, he can see God. Better asking me, you better see God. That is real. What you'll gain? Suppose if I say: "Yes" or "No," what you'll gain?
Indian man (4): Swāmījī, is there life after death?
Prabhupāda: Yes, that I've already explained, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), the karmaṇā and everything. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. You do not read Bhagavad-gītā?
Indian man (4): Very regularly.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Indian man (4): Very regularly.
Prabhupāda: So read. The knowledge is there. If you don't read, remain like animals, then what can be done? The animal cannot read.
Indian man (5): Prabhupāda, how much freedom do we have . . . (indistinct) . . . the Supreme Personality of Godhead? We have this conditioned mind and conditioned body, and I think that we should use our intelligence, and that's why . . .
Prabhupāda: You have got freedom. Just like in this Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7): every living entity is part and parcel of God. So God has got independence, complete independence; therefore you have got also independence, because you are part and parcel of God. Just like the ocean and a drop of water of the ocean.
The chemical composition is the same, but the ocean is very big and the drop of water is very small. Similarly, you are just like a drop, part and parcel of God. So all the qualities of God you have got in minute quantity. Therefore you have got independence in minute quantity. Your independence is not final or absolute.
Indian man (5): We don't realize it. We have the mind . . .
Prabhupāda: That means you are ignorant.
Indian man (5): No, no . . .
Prabhupāda: So you be educated and you'll realize it. Unless you become educated, how you can realize it?
Indian man (5): . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: That does not mean. Suppose a chemical law. If you say, "I do not realize it," does that mean . . . is it very good question? You are a fool, rascal, you cannot realize it. But you be educated, you realize. Therefore these books are there to make the fools educated, to realize it. How in the foolish state of condition you can realize?
This is a very odd question. You realize it. When you come to that stage of realization, you'll realize. You've got the potency of realization. Therefore the books are there, the Vedic knowledge is there. But you don't care to read them. What can be done? If you want to remain foolish, ignorant, then who can . . . (indistinct)?
There . . . in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a very simple passage: anādi-bahirmukha jīva. It is in Bengali, you may not understand. I will explain.