Guest (3): I would like to have this question. Why should one accept this Kṛṣṇa as God?
Prabhupāda: That I have already explained. The . . . we have to accept the Vedic evidence. So the Vedic evidence establishes, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Otherwise you have no opportunity to understand what is God. Then, if you don't accept Kṛṣṇa as God, then present somebody else who is God and whether he is satisfying the definition of God. So considering the Vedic evidences, authorities, we have to accept Kṛṣṇa as God. And when He was present on this planet, He proved that He is God. Then we have no other alternative than to accept Kṛṣṇa as God.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Any other questions? Yes?
Guest (4): With the present state of the world as it is—it seems to be in a pretty much a mess at the moment—what would you say we are actually advancing spiritually?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "With the present state of the world, in the present mess that it's in today, would you say that we are advancing spiritually?"
Prabhupāda: No. Practically, the present state of the world means without any spiritual knowledge. We are blind; therefore it is very dangerous position. The spiritual knowledge we must have; otherwise we are doomed.
Indian man (5): Master, I wish to inquire. From the ancient Vedic scripture of the Vedas, we learn that God is nirākāra . . . (indistinct) . . . and He cannot be seen. However, in the Bhagavad-gītā we learn that Lord Kṛṣṇa is born as a human. Now . . . (indistinct) . . . does this not work conflict to the ancient scriptures of the Vedic religion?
Prabhupāda: Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that you have to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If we simply see that Kṛṣṇa is born or He has taken His birth as a human being, that is not sufficient study of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says His birth and activities are transcendental. Janma karma me divyam. So that you have to study, divyaṁ, yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who understand what is Kṛṣṇa's birth . . . His birth and my birth is not the same. That means you have to study the subject matter very scientifically. Then you will understand that although Kṛṣṇa comes as a human being, still, He maintains His position as God. That is real understanding. Unless you understand this fact, you will misunderstand Him. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, then you become liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Simply superficial study will not help you. Then you have to study to become a serious student of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and study Him. Then you will understand. Otherwise, superficially we cannot understand.
Woman guest (6): Swāmījī, would you say that the soul is locked in the third eye?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The soul is what?
Harikeśa: Locked in the third eye.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Locked in the third eye. She's asking if the soul is locked in the third eye.
Prabhupāda: Locked? What does it mean, "locked"? Soul is not locked. Soul, for temporarily, is embodied according to the soul's desire. There are 8,400,000 forms of body, and as we are desiring, the material nature is supplying the body. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
- bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
- yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
- (BG 18.61)
Yantrārūḍhāni. Yantra means machine. So Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. That is all-pervading. And He knows what the soul wants, so he is given the opportunity. As he wants to work, he is given a particular type of body, machine, yantra. Yantra means machine. And he is seated there, and in this way he is wandering in different species of life and different planets for different times. That is going on. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). So if we stop this business, if we hear Kṛṣṇa—sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)—then our life is successful. Otherwise we shall continue to change this yantra, one yantra to another, another, another. This is going on. So practically the soul is not locked up, but intentionally he wants some position. And Kṛṣṇa is very kind. God is very kind. He is giving the opportunity: "All right, you want like this? Do it like that."
Guest (5): Swāmījī? Are we . . . (indistinct) . . . to believe in that by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa that we can attain a higher conscious level on this earth and attain self-realization without going through all the rigors of the . . . (indistinct) . . . and the old Vedic scriptures?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The question is, "Are you saying that simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Kṛṣṇa, that you can do without all of the other instructions which are in the older Vedas?"
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the special concession for the conditioned soul of this age, that if you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then your heart will be purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Then everything will be revealed. This is special concession. So you can see it. All these students coming, joining this movement all over the world, they are beginning, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and gradually they are becoming purified and taking this consciousness very seriously. You can see it.