Bodily consciousness

Expressions researched:
"bodily consciousness"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

This body is a gift of the material nature, and one who is too much attached to the bodily consciousness is called manda, or a lazy person without understanding of spirit soul.

BG 3.29, Purport:

Persons who are unknowledgeable falsely identify with gross material consciousness and are full of material designations. This body is a gift of the material nature, and one who is too much attached to the bodily consciousness is called manda, or a lazy person without understanding of spirit soul. Ignorant men think of the body as the self; they accept bodily connections with others as kinsmanship, the land in which the body is obtained is their object of worship, and they consider the formalities of religious rituals to be ends in themselves. Social work, nationalism and altruism are some of the activities for such materially designated persons. Under the spell of such designations, they are always busy in the material field; for them spiritual realization is a myth, and so they are not interested. Those who are enlightened in spiritual life, however, should not try to agitate such materially engrossed persons. Better to prosecute one's own spiritual activities silently. Such bewildered persons may be engaged in such primary moral principles of life as nonviolence and similar materially benevolent work.

The difference between a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and a person in bodily consciousness is that the former is attached to Kṛṣṇa whereas the latter is attached to the results of his activities.

BG 5.12, Purport:

The difference between a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and a person in bodily consciousness is that the former is attached to Kṛṣṇa whereas the latter is attached to the results of his activities. The person who is attached to Kṛṣṇa and works for Him only is certainly a liberated person, and he has no anxiety over the results of his work. In the Bhāgavatam, the cause of anxiety over the result of an activity is explained as being one's functioning in the conception of duality, that is, without knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Kṛṣṇa's energy, and Kṛṣṇa is all good. Therefore, activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are on the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is therefore filled with peace in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SB Canto 4

This advanced stage is called the paramahaṁsa stage, and once it is obtained, both husband and wife can be actually liberated from bodily consciousness.

SB 4.28.44, Purport:

Since the wife is weaker than the husband, this weakness is expressed in this verse with the words upa patim. Upa means "near to," or "almost equal to." Being a man, the husband is generally more advanced than his wife. Nonetheless, the wife is expected to give up all luxurious habits. She should not even dress nicely or comb her hair. Hair combing is one of the main businesses of women. In the vānaprastha stage the wife should not take care of her hair. Thus her hair will become tangled in knots. Consequently the wife will no longer be attractive to the husband, and she herself will no longer be agitated by sex impulses. In this way both husband and wife can advance in spiritual consciousness. This advanced stage is called the paramahaṁsa stage, and once it is obtained, both husband and wife can be actually liberated from bodily consciousness. If the disciple remains steady in the service of

CC Adi-lila

Those who are in bodily consciousness and who desire sense gratification are forbidden to indulge in discussions of the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

CC Adi 13.42, Purport:

For critical students of mundane poetry and literary men without God consciousness who are after bodily sense gratification, there is no need to read such a high standard of transcendental literature. Persons who are after sense gratification should not try to imitate rāgānuga devotional service. The songs of Caṇḍīdāsa, Vidyāpati and Jayadeva describe the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mundane reviewers of these songs simply help people in general become debauchees, and this leads only to social scandals and atheism in the world. One should not misunderstand the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa to be the activities of a mundane young boy and girl. The mundane sexual activities of young boys and girls are most abominable. Therefore, those who are in bodily consciousness and who desire sense gratification are forbidden to indulge in discussions of the transcendental pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

CC Antya-lila

The speaker and listener spoke and heard in ecstatic love. Thus they forgot their bodily consciousness.

CC Antya 5.65, Translation:

The speaker and listener spoke and heard in ecstatic love. Thus they forgot their bodily consciousness. How, then, could they perceive the end of the day?

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Strutting with false pride, strength, anger, lust, and so on, the demons become totally absorbed in bodily consciousness, thinking "This is my body. I am Indian, Bengali, and so on."

Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.3:

Strutting with false pride, strength, anger, lust, and so on, the demons become totally absorbed in bodily consciousness, thinking "This is my body. I am Indian, Bengali, and so on. He is a Muslim; he is a Hindu; he is a German." In this way they perpetrate acts of violence on others. The Supreme Lord repeatedly puts these most abominable, wretched sinners into the most distressful conditions, constantly punishing them with His stringent laws of nature, or daivī māyā. Thus taking repeated births as demons, these reprobates can never appreciate the transcendental pastimes, names, beauty, and so on, of the Supreme Lord. Gradually cultivating the impersonal knowledge of the Absolute, they are destined to suffer the worst possible life.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This bodily consciousness, bodily concept of life, will keep us conditioned within the material nature. Therefore our first business is how to get free from all these designations.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Public Lecture With German Translation Throughout -- Hamburg, September 10, 1969:

So that is our position, that we are completely under the clutches of material nature, and according to the modes of material nature, we are acting and changing our body in different species of life. So our real business in this human form of life is to get, try to accept the process by which we can get free from this conditioned life. The process is that we have to give up all our false consciousness. We are, under false consciousness, I am thinking, "I am Indian," you are thinking you are German, and the dog is thinking "I am dog," and cat is thinking "I am cat." So this bodily consciousness, bodily concept of life, will keep us conditioned within the material nature. Therefore our first business is how to get free from all these designations. Just like I am putting on this saffron cloth, but I am not saffron cloth. Or you are putting a red cloth or black coat, you are not that cloth. Within the coat, you are the person. Similarly, within the dress, I am the person.

Identifying himself with this body, they are acting in bodily consciousness and increasing their problems of life and conditional life in material existence. Horrible condition.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

So Vyāsadeva, in clear consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he saw Kṛṣṇa and this māyā. And what is this māyā? That is said, yayā sammohito jīva. That māyā which has enchanted all these conditioned souls. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānam anarthaṁ manute (SB 1.7.5). Considering himself that "I am material product." I am coming to this point. Those who are thinking that "I am a material product," they're completely in darkness of māyā. Yayā, manute anarthaṁ tat-kṛtaṁ ca abhipadyate. And identifying himself with this body, they are acting in bodily consciousness and increasing their problems of life and conditional life in material existence. Horrible condition. Therefore Vyāsadeva says, anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). Anartha, this anartha, this misconception of life, if you want to discard this misconception of life, that "I am this body," and you act according to that consciousness and suffer... This is your disease.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means not bodily consciousness. The material world means bodily consciousness: how to keep the body in comfortable.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means not bodily consciousness. The material world means bodily consciousness: how to keep the body in comfortable. But that is not possible. Body means misery. You cannot keep it comfortable. That is māyā. It will never be comfortable, but they are all trying to make it comfortable. This is called māyā. Kleśada āsa dehaḥ. So long you'll have a material body you'll have to suffer. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not on the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. To come to the spiritual platform, it is necessary that you reduce or make nil sex life. So if one remains brahmacārī throughout the whole life it becomes very easy for him to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the secret. Therefore the whole Vedic civilization is based on first of all brahmacārī, no sex life. Gṛhastha, that is also very regulated.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

This bodily consciousness—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that"—that is just on the tottering sea. But if you come immediately on the spiritual platform, then prasannātmā, "Now I am safe."

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

So when one comes to the platform of brahma understanding, that is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: (BG 18.54) when you come to that platform, understanding of the soul, then you become joyful, free from material anxiety. Just like you are on a ship and it is in danger on the ocean, tottering. At any moment you can drown. But somehow or other, if you come to the land, you feel safety, "Now I am safe." Similarly, this bodily consciousness—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that"—that is just on the tottering sea. But if you come immediately on the spiritual platform, then prasannātmā, "Now I am safe." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). To Brahman realized soul, he has no more any hankering, nor any lamentation. So long we are on the bodily platform, we are hankering and lamenting.

As soon as we work on the platform of bodily consciousness, we become bound up by the reaction of my works. And as soon as I work on spiritual consciousness, I am not bound up either by sukṛti or duṣkṛti, either by pious activities or by, I mean to say, vicious activities.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

You are not liable for loss or gain. When there is gain, don't be puffed up. You should think that this gain is for the Lord. And when there is loss, you, you should know that "This is not my responsibility. It is God's work. He'll see." Then you'll be happy. That practice you have to do, everything on account of the Supreme. That transcendental nature we have to develop. Tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam (BG 2.50). This is the trick of doing work in these present circumstances. As soon as we work on the platform of bodily consciousness, we become bound up by the reaction of my works. And as soon as I work on spiritual consciousness, I am not bound up either by sukṛti or duṣkṛti, either by pious activities or by, I mean to say, vicious activities. That is the technique.

We are active on the platform of this bodily consciousness. That is also required for some time, not for all the time. The aim is to work for the soul.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So these Pāṇḍavas were trained up very nicely. Therefore vāsudeve bhagavati hy ekānta-matir āpa tam. They knew that "Ultimately, Kṛṣṇa is everything." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "Anyone who understands that ultimately Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is everything," sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ, "such person is very rare, mahātmā, great soul." So all these Pāṇḍavas were great soul, and they ultimately... Retirement means no more material affairs. We are active on the platform of this bodily consciousness. That is also required for some time, not for all the time. The aim is to work for the soul. But because now we are covered by this material body, so we have to utilize the best use of a bad bargain. It is a bargain, that we have got this material body. But because... Just like you take care of your car because you, the spirit soul, will utilize it for going here and there. Without a man being interested going by car, nobody takes care. Similarly, this is also a car given by nature.

Just like anyone who is coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in any country, they are forgetting their bodily consciousness.

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Just like anyone who is coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in any country, they are forgetting their bodily consciousness. Just like in our society we have got members from different parts of the world. Especially in Africa we have seen. There is very much distinction between white and black. But in our society there is no such distinction. The Indians there, they hated with the Because the Africans are working as servant to Indians. So now this time they agreed to take prasādam, all in the same line. The Europeans, Americans, Indians, Africans, even brāhmaṇas, high caste, all. I also. We sat down to take prasādam. In our Māyāpur they are distributing prasādam. Perhaps it is for the first time that Hindus and Muslims are taking prasādam in the one line.

Those who are too much bodily concept of life, bodily consciousness, they should practice this yoga, haṭha-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, so that the mind can be purified.

Lecture on SB 3.26.39 -- Bombay, January 14, 1975:

So mind, it is expansion of the mind, different way. Mānasa-vṛtti. This is called the characteristic of the mind. Then subtle action of mind: thinking, feeling, willing. And the mind is expanding in hundreds, thousands, millions of ideas. In this way I am becoming entangled. So when this mind is controlled... The yoga system is for that purpose. Those who are too much bodily concept of life, bodily consciousness, they should practice this yoga, haṭha-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, so that the mind can be purified. As soon as the mind is purified, then all this expansion into thousands and millions of ideas will be controlled, and the only idea will be Kṛṣṇa. This is called yoga system, concentrating. Dhyānāvasthita yogena paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ. Dhyānāvasthita-manasā: "The mind is controlled, and the focus of the mind is on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu." Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Then we can see the effulgence, and the localized, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Actually, I don't depend on sleeping or eating or mating or defending. It is simply due to my bodily consciousness these things are required. But when one is actually spiritually advanced, he has no such appreciation.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

Well, there is no guarantee of holding up your body even if you have no sleep or have sleep. The material condition is so cruel that body can be finished at any moment. So that is no consideration. The consideration is how to advance in the spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you make, I mean to say, considerable advance, then the eating and sleeping and sex demand or defense, these things will be negligible. Negligible. These things are depending on our practice. Because actually, I don't depend on sleeping or eating or mating or defending. It is simply due to my bodily consciousness these things are required. But when one is actually spiritually advanced, he has no such appreciation. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified, but he never protested because he had no bodily consciousness at all. So when one is spiritually advanced, there is no bodily consciousness. But we should not imitate. That requires advancement, as we have mentioned. Nothing has to be done in hasty. But if you follow the rules and regulation, then someday it will be experienced that how we have spiritually advanced.

Initiation Lectures

We are going to Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we are going to our eternal consciousness. We are changing from the temporary, bodily consciousness to the eternal consciousness.

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

So initiation means now we are in the consciousness of this body, which is never eternal, temporary. So we are going to Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we are going to our eternal consciousness. We are changing from the temporary, bodily consciousness to the eternal consciousness. This is the sum and substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And we invite all ladies and gentlemen to come to our classes. We hold our classes three days in a week-Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So everyone is welcome, and everyone can inquire and understand the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if one is fortunate enough to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is, then his life will be perfect and successful.

General Lectures

The nonsense idea that "I am this body," that is the root of all misunderstanding. So he has to give up this bodily consciousness. That is naturally. That is the beginning of teachings of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

"If one were to begin to study ISKCON techniques, what would he have to give up?" Give up... Give up means... First give up is that "I am this material body." The nonsense idea that "I am this body," that is the root of all misunderstanding. So he has to give up this bodily consciousness. That is naturally. That is the beginning of teachings of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Bhagavad-gītā teaches Arjuna. Arjuna was overwhelmed of family affection, that "How can I fight with my members of the family? They are my brothers..." So this conception, bodily conception, was first of all eradicated in the Bhagavad-gītā. He lectured... Arjuna was talking, arguing with Kṛṣṇa, that "If I kill my family, male members, the female members will be without husband, and they will be polluted, and there will be unwanted children and this on...," so many, as far as one can, materialistic person can think. So he was talking like that as very man of wisdom. So Kṛṣṇa first of all chastised him—not in the beginning, because in the beginning there was friendly talk, but when Arjuna surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa that "You don't take me as Your friend. I accept You as my spiritual master. So You teach me."

There are different platforms and status of consciousness. Bodily consciousness means sensual consciousness. Above that, there is mental consciousness, speculative, philosophical, poetic. Above that, intellectual consciousness. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness—above intellectual consciousness.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

You know, you are all educated students, psychology students. In our boyhood when we were a student in psychology class, Dr. Urquhart explained this brain substance. The man has got the highest brain substance—not all—up to sixty-four ounce. And woman has got the highest up to thirty-six or thirty-four. Of course, we are not discussing that point. Our movement is a spiritual movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is beyond brain. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhir (BG 3.42). So there are different platforms and status of consciousness. Bodily consciousness means sensual consciousness. Above that, there is mental consciousness, speculative, philosophical, poetic. Above that, intellectual consciousness. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness—above intellectual consciousness.

The yoga system is recommended. Those who are in bodily consciousness of life, for them, this meditation yoga, or to understand oneself, that is very important thing.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

If you study yourself, then you study to some extent what is God, because you are the sample of God. It is also stated in the Bible that human being is made under the image of God. So if you study yourself—that is called meditation—then you can understand what is God. Therefore the yoga system is recommended. Those who are in bodily consciousness of life, for them, this meditation yoga, or to understand oneself, that is very important thing. If you try to understand yourself, very simple method... You take your finger. You ask yourself whether you are finger, the answer will be "No, I am not finger. It is my finger." Everyone will say, even a child will say, "This is my finger, my hand, my leg, my head." Nobody will say that "I leg, I finger, I head." Nobody will say. Therefore the conclusion should be I, the soul, is different from this material body. The material body changes on account of presence of the soul. Just like a child gets a different body like a boy; a boy gets a different body like a young man.

This bodily consciousness, bodily concept of life, will keep us conditioned within the material nature. Therefore our first business is how to get free from all these designations.

Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:

So our real business in this human form of life is to get, try to accept the process by which we can get free from this conditioned life. The process is that we have to give up all our false consciousness. We are under false consciousness. I am thinking, "I am Indian," you are thinking you are German, and the dog is thinking, "I am dog," and cat is thinking, "I am cat." So this bodily consciousness, bodily concept of life, will keep us conditioned within the material nature. Therefore our first business is how to get free from all these designations. Just like I am putting on this saffron cloth, but I am not saffron cloth. Or you are putting red cloth or black coat; you are not black coat. Within the coat, you are the person. Similarly, within the dress, I am the person. So at the present moment we are on the dress consciousness: "I am German dress," "I am Englishman dress," "I am Indian dress," "I am male dress," "I am female dress." So this is called conditioned life.

I am very glad, especially to see that the small children from all other countries and Indian, Bengalis, all together, forgetting their bodily consciousness. That is the greatest achievement in this movement, that everyone forgets the bodily conception of life.

Speech Excerpt -- Mayapur, January 15, 1976:

So you have come from all parts of the world and living together in this temple. So train these small boys. I am very glad, especially to see that the small children from all other countries and Indian, Bengalis, all together, forgetting their bodily consciousness. That is the greatest achievement in this movement, that everyone forgets the bodily conception of life. Nobody thinks here as "European," "American," "Indian," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian." They forget all these designation, and simply they are ecstatic in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So kindly what you have begun, do not break it. Continue it very jubilantly. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the master of Māyāpur, He will be very much pleased upon you and ultimately you will go back to home, back to Godhead.

Bhagavad-gītā instruction is given just to bring you back to Brahman consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not this bodily consciousness. Bodily consciousness is there in the dog and the cat. So that is not very glorification.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

So if the moments of your life is spent uselessly, then how much loss you are suffering, you just imagine. Therefore our request is that we have got this valuable life, human form of life, bahu-sambhavānte, after many, many births in the evolutionary process. Now we should try to understand what is Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Don't spoil it otherwise. And that brahma-jijñāsā and answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Bhagavad-gītā instruction is given just to bring you back to Brahman consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not this bodily consciousness. Bodily consciousness is there in the dog and the cat. So that is not very glorification. We should come to the Brahman consciousness, then brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. Then you'll be jubilant. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati-samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). And when you come to that platform of understanding Brahman, then there is question of sama, samatā. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. And on that stage you can attain the parā-bhakti, or devotional life to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

So so long people will remain in bodily consciousness of life, that is animal life. That is not human life.

Interviews with Macmillan and various English Reporters -- September 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Future, future of the world, because the people are trained up in the bodily consciousness of life, "I am this body." So so long people will remain in bodily consciousness of life, that is animal life. That is not human life. So they have to be educated to spiritual consciousness of life, that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul." Then they'll be benefited. Otherwise, they'll degrade more and more.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The basic principle is there, the bodily consciousness. Therefore it is animalism.

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are animals. Yes. If they are sensible, they can understand, now, what is the difference. A dog is thinking, "I am very stout and strong dog." He has, on the basis of his body. And another man, a big American, thinks, "We are very big nation, powerful nation." So what is the difference between these? The basic principle is there, the bodily consciousness. Therefore it is animalism. Is it not? The basic principle has not changed. Suppose a pickpocket... The same story, Alexander the Great and the thief. He was arrested, and when he convinced him that "What is the difference between you and me? You have got good military strength. You are conquering. And I have got my knife and another thing. I am just going and plundering. So you are also plundering, I am plundering. Why you have caught me? What right you have got to punish me? Because we are the same. You are doing in a larger scale, I am doing in a small scale. That is the difference."

There is not school or college, they do not know about the soul and soul changing different positions, different bodies. In this way he remains materially entangled and the real relief is to get out of this bodily consciousness and advance in spiritual life.

Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: Material desires begins with this designation. Just like the child, he has got a childish body and he plays like a child. The same child when he'll get a youthful body (indistinct). The soul is the same but on account of the type of the body, he is acting. This is material. Small child in the childhood talks like nonsense, people enjoy it. But the same child when he is grown up, if he talks like a nonsense, people will call him nonsense, rascal. Why? The body has changed, the circumstances have changed. This is (indistinct) that we have changed this body and on account of the bodily situation we are acting different. That they do not understand. There is not school or college, they do not know about the soul and soul changing different positions, different bodies. In this way he remains materially entangled and the real relief is to get out of this bodily consciousness and advance in spiritual life.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Consciousness is also in different platform, bodily consciousness, mental consciousness, intellectual consciousness, then spiritual consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is spiritual consciousness.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Harikeśa: You cannot understand the consciousness of a devotee by testing his body or his mind.

Prabhupāda: No, consciousness means... That is mental platform. Consciousness is also in different platform, bodily consciousness, mental consciousness, intellectual consciousness, then spiritual consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is spiritual consciousness.

The bodily consciousness is also material. That is also one. And the soul consciousness, spiritual, that is also one.

Morning Walk -- November 12, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The bodily consciousness is also material. That is also one. And the soul consciousness, spiritual, that is also one. That is ekatvam. So for a learned person there is no defect. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini, paṇḍitaḥ samaḥ (BG 5.18). This is the... So anyone who is under the bodily conception of life, either human beings or dogs, they are the same. But that upādhi amongst human being is stronger than the cats and dogs. The human being, being advanced in consciousness, they are making this nationalism. But it is nothing but dogism. Is it not? That's all. The so-called national people are sacrificing so many lives, so many politicians, Napoleon and these big, big leaders. But what is their business? Business is that doggish mentality: "I am this body." So it is very difficult to give up this doggish mentality that "I am this body." Very, very difficult.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is education, the same dehātma-buddhi, that "I am this body," extended. The extended feeling of bodily consciousness, is that advancement?

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Subdued. So then there is no chance. Kancai no wale basa mas korbe tas tas:(?) "If you want to bend this bamboo, when it is green, you can do it. And if it is yellow, can't. It will break." Tas, tas. This is Bengali. If you take one yellow bamboo, to bend it, it will crack and make sound, "Tas, tas." But when it is green, you can bend it. Kancai no wale paca means green. (Bengali) Kancai no wale basa mas korbe tas tas.(?) First human civilization begins when you restrain the children not to become restless. This is the training. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam. This training is lacking. Therefore even in old age, the washerman business. I am bodily conscious, and I am training others also to become bodily conscious: "You feel like Indian," "You feel like American," "You feel like Englishman." This is education, the same dehātma-buddhi, that "I am this body," extended. The extended feeling of bodily consciousness, is that advancement? Is that advancement? The bodily consciousness is animalism.

1970 Correspondence

At the present moment everyone of us is in gross misunderstanding of bodily consciousness and this situation is also present in the animal kingdom.

Letter to Minoru, Kenji -- Los Angeles 22 April, 1970:

At the present moment everyone of us is in gross misunderstanding of bodily consciousness and this situation is also present in the animal kingdom. The four necessities of bodily concept of life; namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending, are common in the human form of body or animal form of body. In the human form of body we get a chance for our self-realization and we should utilize this opportunity very seriously.

1976 Correspondence

Since they are too attached to their children they are even more insistent that the child be drowned in bodily consciousness so that he may avoid all types of austerities and enjoy life to the fullest, thereby going to hell at the earliest age.

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Mayapur 20 January, 1976:

The karmis cannot accept this because they are too much attached to their bodies and cannot tolerate any austerities. Since they are too attached to their children they are even more insistent that the child be drowned in bodily consciousness so that he may avoid all types of austerities and enjoy life to the fullest, thereby going to hell at the earliest age; mahat sevam dvares ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yosita sangisangam []. Those who associate with the mahatmas through service to them become eligible for liberation whereas those who are associating with woman or those who are too attached to woman are paving their way to hell. Therefore the school systems require so many codes and regulations so the children will not feel any inconvenience. The training is geared to producing cats and dogs who will feel quite at home in a society of sense gratification.