A living entity known as a chemist can manufacture water in the laboratory by mixing hydrogen and oxygen. But in reality the living entity works under the direction of the Supreme Lord, and all the materials he uses are supplied by the Lord. Thus the Lord knows everything directly and indirectly, in minute detail, and He is fully independent as well. He can be compared to a gold mine, and the objects within the cosmic creation can be compared to ornaments made from that gold, such as gold rings, gold necklaces, and so on. The gold ring and necklace are qualitatively one with the gold in the mine, but quantitatively the gold in the mine and the gold in the ring or necklace are different.
Hydrogen
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB 1.1.1, Purport:
All material elements as well as all spiritual sparks emanate from Him only. And whatever is created in this material world is but the interaction of two energies, the material and the spiritual, which emanate from the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. A chemist can manufacture water in the chemical laboratory by mixing hydrogen and oxygen. But, in reality, the living entity works in the laboratory under the direction of the Supreme Lord. And the materials with which he works are also supplied by the Lord. The Lord knows everything directly and indirectly, and He is cognizant of all minute details, and He is fully independent. He is compared to a mine of gold, and the cosmic creations in so many different forms are compared to objects made from the gold, such as gold rings, necklaces and so on. The gold ring and the gold necklace are qualitatively one with the gold in the mine, but quantitatively the gold in the mine is different. Therefore, the Absolute Truth is simultaneously one and different. Nothing is absolutely equal with the Absolute Truth, but at the same time, nothing is independent of the Absolute Truth.
SB Canto 6
SB 6.16.36, Purport:
In another verse the Brahma-saṁhitā says, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham: (Bs. 5.35) the Lord exists within the gigantic universe and within the atom. The descent of the Lord into the atom and the universe indicates that without His presence, nothing could factually exist. Scientists say that water is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, but when they see a vast ocean they are puzzled about where such a quantity of hydrogen and oxygen could have come from. They think that everything evolved from chemicals, but where did the chemicals come from? That they do not know. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes, He can produce immense quantities of chemicals to create a situation for chemical evolution. We actually see that chemicals are produced from living entities. For example, a lemon tree produces many tons of citric acid. The citric acid is not the cause of the tree; rather, the tree is the cause of the acid.
SB Canto 8
SB 8.5.33, Purport:
Despite the theories of so-called scientists, the vast quantities of water on this planet and on other planets are not created by a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. Rather, the water is sometimes explained to be the perspiration and sometimes the semen of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is from water that all living entities emerge, and because of water they live and grow. If there were no water, all life would cease. Water is the source of life for everyone. Therefore, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have so much water all over the world.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
CC Adi 16.81, Purport:
They cannot even explain how such a large quantity of chemicals has formed the atmosphere. Scientists explain that water is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, but when asked where such a large quantity of hydrogen and oxygen came from and how they combined to manufacture the great oceans and seas, they cannot answer because they are atheists who will not accept that everything comes from life. Their thesis is that life comes from matter.
Where do all these chemicals come from? The answer is that they are produced by the inconceivable energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Living entities are part of the Supreme Godhead, and from their bodies come many chemicals. For example, the lemon tree is a living entity that produces many lemons, and within each lemon is a great deal of citric acid.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:
Vijñānam... Simply to know is useless. You must practically apply in life. That is called vijñānam. Practical examination. Those who are science students, in BAC, they have to give, pass theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge also. Simply theoretical knowledge, "So much hydrogen, oxygen, makes water," that is theoretical. But when you mix up hydrogen, oxygen gas, and actually prepare water, that is called practical. So that is science. Science means simply theoretical knowledge is not sufficient. Observation and experiment. Experimental knowledge. That is called vijñānam.
Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:
Devotee: "On the other hand, in modern science and scientific warfare so many tons of chemicals are wasted in achieving victory over the enemy."
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are manufacturing so many atomic bomb and hydrogen bomb, this bomb—huge expensive chemical. So that is lost, so who is crying for that? Go on.
Devotee: "According to the vaibhāṣika philosophy, the so-called soul or ātmā vanishes along with the deterioration of the body."
Prabhupāda: The modern theories, they are exactly like that. They want to... Yes, our Kārttikeya was telling that the boys, the young boys and girls, they put forward this theory that "Our parents have made the position of the world so unsafe. So we do not know when we shall, our this body will be finished. So better to enjoy this bodily sense gratification as far as possible quickly." Is not that theory you were telling me? Huh? Is it a fact they are thinking like that? Oh, now, see this nonsense. Now supposing there is soul... And why not suppose? Because experimentally you have not proved that by chemical combination you can produce such moving things.
Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:
Theoretical knowledge is called jñāna, and practical knowledge is called vijñāna. Vijñāna. Just like a science student has to study theoretical and appear theoretical examination as well as practical examination. If a science student has to pass his examination, then he has to prac... Simply theoretical knowledge that so much quantity of hydrogen and so much quantity of oxygen will make water will not help him. He has to practically show in the laboratory that so much quantity of oxygen gas and so much quantity of hydrogen gas mixed and water is produced. That is called vijñāna. Vijñāna.
So jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā. One should have not only theoretical knowledge, but practical knowledge. Practical knowledge. Simply understanding that "I am not this body, I am not body," then I am doing all nonsense of this body. I am discussing... There are so many societies. They are very seriously discussing Vedānta philosophy and smoking, with wine glass, and very enjoying life. You see.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:
Simply knowing that such and such chemical element mixed with such and such chemical element becomes such and such chemical element is theoretical knowledge. Oxygen and hydrogen mixed together produces water. This is theoretical knowledge. But when in the laboratory you actually act—such and such quantity of oxygen gas you mix with such and such quantity of hydrogen gas—at once there is formulation of water. As soon as you mix alkali and acid together, there is at once reaction, soda-bicarbonate. So similarly, theoretical knowledge that we have got a particular type of relationship with God, that you cannot deny. Anything, whatever you have got in your possession, you have got some particular relationship. Suppose you are Americans, we are Indian.
Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:
"They are My energies." Because we have to know, so... To understand Kṛṣṇa means one must know what is this earth, what is this water, what is this fire, what is this air, what is this sky, what is this mind, what is this ego. These material things, they should know that wherefrom these things came. They only theorize that water is combination of some chemical, hydrogen, oxygen. But wherefrom the chemical came, hydrogen, oxygen? That they cannot answer. So therefore this is called acintya-śakti. Acintya-śakti. If you do not apply, if you refuse, acintya-śakti, in God, acintya-śakti, inconceivable energy, then there is no God. Acintya-śakti-sampannaḥ.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:
Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. Jñāna, this knowledge, most confidential knowledge, it is not sentiment. Vijñāna-sahitam. It is science. Just like in scientific knowledge you must know theoretically and practically. Not only that, you simply know that so much oxygen, so much hydrogen produces water by mixing... That is theoretical. You have to make water by mixing these two chemicals—that is practical. So in the B.A.C. examination they take examination, test, theoretical and practical. So theoretical is,, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But when you really surrender, that is practical science. That is practical. If you decide to surrender—that is called śaraṇāgati—then you have to learn the science how to become surrendered. That is vijñāna. Jñāna means theoretical knowledge and vijñāna means practical knowledge. So we have to do it practically, not that "I have read Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata. So I have become a devotee."
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:
How do you say like that? It is very common sense. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said these rascals, these demons, they say, jagad āhur anīśvaram: (BG 16.8) "There is no controller." He's thinking. The scientist thinking. He's practically doing in the laboratory, that he is a spiritual soul. He is mixing the chemicals, hydrogen, oxygen, acid and alkaline. He's mixing, and there is reaction. Then something is coming out. He's doing that. Still, he says, "There is no God." What is this foolishness? Why do they say like that? Therefore they are asuras. They do not admit the existence. Big, big chemist...
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:
There must be somebody—father. That is given to understand in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the origin of everything. Origin must be there. Anything you take, there must be origin. The modern scientists, they cannot find out the origin. They simply say, "It existed like this." Wherefrom this existence came? "There was chemicals, hydrogen, oxygen, and mixed up, there was water." Who put the hydrogen, oxygen? So these answers they cannot give because they have no perfect knowledge. So logical conclusion is there must be somebody, origin. That is God, from whom everything emanates, everything takes birth.
Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:
Jñāna means ordinary knowledge, and vijñāna means practical knowledge. Just like in science, B.A.C., one has to pass the theoretical examination and practical examination. Without passing practical examination, theoretical you may know: hydrogen and oxygen makes water. No. In the laboratory you have to pass the examination, how to transform into water, two gases, hydrogen and oxygen. This is vijñāna.
So he eradicated his ideas. He was thinking that he was wrong. So when everything was clearly explained by Bhīṣmadeva, vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ, scientifically. Sentiment... In the śāstras there is no question of sentiment. In the Vedic knowledge, everything is vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. Education means to purify the knowledge, because we are all born animals.
Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:
Your so much, so many schemes, ten-years plan, five-years plan and so many plans, they will all dry up. The rascals, they do not know. And how parjanya becomes possible? Yajñād bhavati parjanyo parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. You perform yajña. There will be parjanya. The rain falling is not in your hand. You may be great scientist and calculate so much hydrogen and so much oxygen, mixed up, there is water. Now mix up and bring water where there is no rain.
So these so-called scientists, philoso..., all of them are rascals. We should take instruction from śāstra. Kṛṣṇa says: parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). If you perform yajña... Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. We have to perform yajña. Yajña means to satisfy Viṣṇu. That is yajña. Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord's another name is Yajña-pati. So yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Therefore everything should be done for yajñārthe, for satisfying Viṣṇu. But na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31).
Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:
Āsuri bhāvam āśritāḥ. Why all these things? Because they are Godless, only fault is Godless. Āsuri bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because they have taken the position (that) there is no God. These big, big scientists, they are trying to prove there is no God, "This creation is due from matter from chemical, the water has come from chemical combination, hydrogen, oxygen. These are the..." All foolish theories, and they are getting Nobel prize. They are getting Nobel prize. This is the position.
Therefore, from this verse, you should know evaṁ kṛṣṇa-sakhaḥ kṛṣṇo bhrātrā rājñā vikalpitaḥ, nānā-śaṅkā... These rascals, our Say our elder brother, advance, they're suggesting, "This the cause of," "this is the cause of," "this is the cause of," "this is the cause of." But the only cause is Kṛṣṇa, forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, that they do not know. The only cause.
Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:
It is mixing by certain person, but who is mixing, that they cannot see. But that is bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Prakṛti is working, interaction of two chemicals or many chemicals. They are accepting it that the chemicals were already there. But wherefrom the chemicals came? They say that hydrogen and oxygen mixed together, and the water... Now you see the vast water, not only here, but there are so many other oceans, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean. And not only in this planet, but there are innumerable planets, and innumerable Pacific Oceans are floating in the air. Where you got so much chemical? Who supplied it? If the hydrogen-oxygen is the cause of water, then wherefrom so much chemical came into existence? Of course, they came in existence the same process, as it is stated here. It is coming from the sky, and the sky is generated by bhagavad-vīrya in the tamo-guṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:
How water is manufactured, that is explained here. The modern scientists, they speak of manufacturing water by combination of two gases: hydrogen, oxygen. May be true to certain extent. But from Vedic literature we understand that by the interaction of form and touch through the agency of fire maybe there is perspiration. Just like when our body becomes too much heated, there is perspiration, the water comes out, similarly, the same process we get the water, ambu. And as soon as there is water there is jihvā, the sense of touch, rasa-graha, which can taste. Jihvā is meant for tasting. So this is the way of physical manifestation of different ways. But on the background there is daiva-codita.
Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:
So that is called mana-dharma. By mental concoction, mental speculation, we cannot create God. Here is the definition of God, that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcid jagatyāṁ jagat (ISO 1). Idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means whatever you see. You see the big Pacific Ocean. That is created by God. It is not that He has created one Pacific Ocean, therefore His all chemicals, hydrogen and oxygen finished. No. There are millions and trillions of Pacific Ocean floating in the sky. That is God's creation. There are millions and trillions of planets floating in the sky, and there are millions and trillions of living entites, seas, and mountains, and everything, but there is no scarcity. Not only this universe, there are millions and trillions of universes.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975:
Faith, of course, we have to. Dharma, religion, is explained in English dictionary as "a kind of faith." That is the beginning. But really dharma means the constitutional position. That is dharma. Constitutional position. Just like chemicals. Chemicals, to find its purity, the books of pharmacology or other books this chemical, the water, it contains so many percentage of hydrogen, so many percentage of oxygen, and so on, so on. So there is taste. The potassium cyanide, there is no taste. But other chemicals there are taste, touching. Because nobody has tasted potassium cyanide up to date, because as soon as you touch on the tongue, you will die. So similarly, there are taste. So what is the taste? Taste is that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa: (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109) we are eternal servant of God. This is our dharma, or constitutional position. Just like sugar is sweet. That is the taste. If sugar is salty, although both of them looks the same, white powder, but if I give you sugar and if it is actually salt, then immediately you will say, "Oh, this is not sugar.
Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:
Desire(?), of course, serves (?). Titikṣā, ārjavam, and jñānam. Not that simply become qualified, but these qualification are stepping stone to jñānam. Jñānam means knowledge. And vijñānam. Vijñānam means practical application. Just like in the science class there is theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. Theoretical knowledge—if you mix hydrogen and oxygen gas, there is water. But we have to experiment it in the laboratory, mix so many parts of hydrogen and so many parts of oxygen, and actually, when we see there is water, then your knowledge is perfect. So not theoretical knowledge but practical application. Jñānam, vijñānam, and āstikyam. Āstikyam means faith in God, faith in scripture. That is called āstikyam. According to Vedic version, āstikyam means faith in the Vedas. Nobody can refute the Vedas. That is called faith, no argument.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.10 -- Mayapur, April 3, 1975:
By one portion, the Garbho..., er, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu enters each universe, and within that universe He creates a ocean by His perspiration. Now, there are so many questions: "How these oceans are created?" The scientist says that it is a combination of hydrogen and oxygen gas. So wherefrom this gas came? The answer is here. Of course, from the gas, water comes out. If you cover one boiling pot, the gas, the vapor coming... And you will find spots of water. So from the gas, the water comes, and from the water, gas comes. This is nature's way. But the original water came from the perspiration of this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Just like you have got perspiration. You can produce, say, one gram or, say, one ounce of water through your bodily heat. That we have got practical experience. So if you can produce one ounce of water from your body, why God cannot produce volumes and millions of tons of water from His body? Where is the difficulty to understand?
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:
We are not this skin, bone, blood or whatever it may be. You analyze it. I am not this. But life is not there. They are claiming that life is chemical composition, but try each and every part of this body and chemical composition. First of all take this breathing. What is this breathing? Breathing is air. So air, that is also chemical composition: hydrogen, oxygen, ether. (?) So that is chemical composition, or air. So there is no question of chemical combining. Air you can sufficiently have. You are making airtight so many things. So just put some air within the body and by artificial way let it be blowing like the bellows. The bellow also breathes like that. And will life come? No. It is not possible. Similarly, take every one item, take the breathing, take the muscles, take the blood, take the urine, take the stool, take the bone, and analyze it very carefully, part to part, and combine them all together. You have got scientist: bring life. No. That is not possible. That is not possible.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: Yes. That I say. So yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). At the time of death, as you are thinking, your next body is created. Therefore you create the body.
Śyāmasundara: But does the monad of a, say, a hydrogen molecule, does that also create its own body? Does it only accidentally become part of a water molecule, or does it...
Prabhupāda: Nothing is accidental.
Śyāmasundara: It also desires to become a water molecule? Does the atom of hydrogen desire to combine with oxygen and become a water molecule?
Prabhupāda: He... The ultimate desire is of Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: But does each atom, even of matter...
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: If you take it that way, Kṛṣṇa is within every atom. So Kṛṣṇa wants to be it; therefore He is willing to let these two things become one, and there is some creation, and again another creation, and another creation. The ultimate brain is Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: Does the hydrogen molecule have an independent desire?
Prabhupāda: No, but within the hydrogen atom, there is Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is combining. Not this hydrogen atom as matter is combining, but because Kṛṣṇa is within that hydrogen atom existing. He knows that by combination this thing will come about, that will come out, that will come out...
Śyāmasundara: But the individual soul has a little independence to choose?
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Śyāmasundara: Has no independence?
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: That independence that Kṛṣṇa wants me to do something but I want to deny it. But unless Kṛṣṇa sanctions, you cannot do that also.
Śyāmasundara: What I'm trying to get at is that if we desire something and we take a body because of that desire, can a hydrogen molecule desire to become part of water and be given that body? Does it have the independence to desire something and take a body accordingly? The hydrogen molecule, does it have a life?
Prabhupāda: So far as we get information, our knowledge is from the Vedic information, aṇḍāntara-stha paramāṇu: Kṛṣṇa is within, the Paramātmā. It does not say the soul is within, the Paramātmā.
Śyāmasundara: It doesn't say that an individual soul is present within the atom?
Prabhupāda: No. Kṛṣṇa is present.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually modern scientists try to prove that life itself started from four basic chemical elements. They are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen. These four basic elements are necessary for making all the by-processes. Somehow they say that it is made and they don't know who made it.
Prabhupāda: Therefore their knowledge is imperfect. As soon as you say chemical, chemical we have got experience, it is manufactured. Some by big company, they manufacture chemicals, so basic principle is chemicals, who made the chemicals? That question must be there.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Wherefrom the one cell came?
Śyāmasundara: That they say. He says (it) comes from four different chemicals: oxygen, hydrogen...
Prabhupāda: Well, wherefrom the chemical came? They're not questioning. Who supplied the chemical?
Śyāmasundara: We still may be able to discover some day...
Prabhupāda: That means you are fool, that you are granted. As soon as you say "still," then you are fool number one. That is our...
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Prabhupāda: No. But he said that that is not possible.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, they find that just like I said already, the basic elements of life—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen...
Śyāmasundara: You know the theory, not theory but practical proof, that the genes can be mutated by bombarding with cosmic rays.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. That they prove by so-called... That's why the cancer... The example of that mutation is the cancer cell. They try to find out how cancer is caused in the body. They say that somehow the cell has been changed, and they say that it has been done by mutation, so they try to prove it in the laboratory by changing the structure of the cell, and that is called mutation.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Prabhupāda: So they say why the cancer is formed because cancer is an abnormal cell, this is a normal cell. In answering why these elements are formed from these basic four chemicals-carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen—they try, they say that somehow this nitrogen and hydrogen, they combine forming ammonia. That is called ammonia, from nitrogen and hydrogen. They say somehow this has formed, and somehow, by combination of hydrogen and oxygen, water is formed. And somehow by combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, these so-called carbohydrates, or these are formed. But they say somehow these are formed, but they do not know how it is formed.
Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:
Śyāmasundara: What about..., they say that there is a basic atom called a hydrogen atom.
Prabhupāda: Whatever you will call it, it is also matter. The minute particles are matter. That's all.
Śyāmasundara: That's right. Inside these molecules there are atoms, and inside the atoms there are more particles, and it goes on, smaller and smaller.
Prabhupāda: Yes. These are all matter.
Śyāmasundara: He says that a proposition is a picture of reality, a picture is a model of reality, a picture is a fact, the world is a totality of facts, the totality of true thoughts is a picture of the world.
Philosophy Discussion on Plato:
Hayagrīva: Now you said to Śyāmasundara that water existed before our mental conception of H2O. We conceive of H2O, we think of well, what is..., we begin to analyze water, and we say, well, it's two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. But before we even began to think of this, water existed.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hayagrīva: Therefore H2O is not the permanent essence or the primordial existence of water, but what Plato is saying is that everything that exists has its seed or essence or idea.
Prabhupāda: Seed is originally with Kṛṣṇa.
Hayagrīva: Yes. The seed is, then, Kṛṣṇa says bījam, "I am the seed..."
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: That I was explaining the other day. Where? In Madras, or where? "Who has supplied these chemicals?"
Śyāmasundara: Ah, in Madras.
Prabhupāda: I asked one chemist that according to chemical formula, hydrogen and oxygen mixed, it becomes water. Is it not?
Bob: That's true.
Prabhupāda: Now, this vast water in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, how much chemicals were required?
Bob: How much?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:
Bob: So this comes from the same source as the water.
Prabhupāda: Um hmm. Yes. Water you cannot manufacture unless you have got hydrogen and oxygen. So here is a vast... Not only this Atlantic or Pacific, there are millions of planets, and there are millions of Atlantic and Pacific oceans. So who created this water with hydrogen and oxygen, and how it was supplied? That is our question. Somebody must have supplied; otherwise how it came to existence?
Bob: But should it also be taught how you make water from hydrogen and oxygen? The procedure of burning them together, should this also be taught? That if you burn hydrogen and oxygen together...
Prabhupāda: That is secondary.
Room Conversation -- May 4, 1972, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: Law of gravity... The big, big planets are floating in the air. Now you can explain how it is it's floating. The hint is already there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that He enters. Viṣṭabhyā idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42), (Sanskrit) that "I enter into this universe, and by My prowess they are floating." These hints are there. Now you are a scientist; if you are actually devotee, then you try to explain from your scientific explanation that this floating is possible because God has entered within it. That is your duty. And because you're scientist, your explanation from the scientific point of view, how God has entered, how He is acting, that will be very well received by the public. So that will be great service. Actually that is the fact. It is already stated there that "I enter." We can understand. Yes, we believe. I'll explain. Just like that balloon. What is that gas? Hydrogen gas?
Room Conversation -- May 4, 1972, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: (Sanskrit) So at the present moment we can understand God by anubhava(?): "Here is God." The hint is given by God that raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, that "I am the taste of water." You cannot create this taste. You can make water, hydrogen-oxygen mixing, but you cannot create the taste so that that water may be taken. Is that possible?
Martin: It is possible to make water, and I rely on you to say that it is not possible to make the taste.
Prabhupāda: That... Just like from perspiration we are also creating water, but nobody is going to drink that water. Nobody is coming to lick my body, "Here is water." (laughter) That is not possible.
Room Conversation -- May 4, 1972, Mexico:
Devotee: Even if they mix hydrogen and oxygen to get water, still, where does the hydrogen and oxygen come from?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Wherefrom the chemical comes? Such vast sea water, so where you got so much chemical? Then the next question, that Who supplies the chemicals?
Martin: I've been there before. They all come down the same. They all come to the same place. You said that it is possible to see God eye-to-eye.
Prabhupāda: Yeah.
Martin: How can this be done?
Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: For example, in chemical elements, the elements like helium, neon, argon, these are called inert gasses, these are called ideal gasses, because they behave ideally under the assumptions of scientific theories. It fits perfectly well to their theory, so they call these gasses ideal gasses. And gasses like oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen, these are nonideal gasses because they do not behave properly like helium or neon. So the (indistinct), first they develop the theory from these ideal gasses, and then when the theory doesn't fit to the gasses, like hydrogen and oxygen, they modify it. So they call these are nonideal gasses. So accordingly the theory is modified. They put certain numbers to adjust their modifications. So in all..., most scientific theories, they develop something that is called ideal; and from that ideality, they extrapolate these so-called other theories. That is almost in all scientific theories.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...planet, Vaikuṇṭha planet, and Kṛṣṇa comes to show us the ideal place in Vṛndāvana. The sample Vṛndāvana is here. So why do you say it is utopian?
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 27, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: The understanding in science is that if I burn a piece of wood, that wood contains originally cellulose. So it has certain amount carbons, and a certain amount hydrogens. So if I burn it, that carbon will be converted to smaller molecules like carbon dioxide and water. So if I balance it, starting from the original cellulose, so I'll get a certain number of carbon atoms and hydrogens. So the matter is conserved. In other words, it is not lost. That is the understanding of the science.
Prabhupāda: No, we also, we also say. The energy, we take the sum total, material energy, that is conserved. It is displayed again. When there is annihilation, the whole energy goes back to Kṛṣṇa. Yānti māmikām, prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām.
Morning Walk -- April 27, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Oh, fish also.
Karandhara: Yes. (pause)
Prabhupāda: Water, they're also composition of atomic grains?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: The hydrogen and oxygen, they're called compound. Compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
Prabhupāda: So hydrogen and oxygen, they have got grains, molecular.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So it is called molecules, molecule of water.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: There are innumerable molecules in water.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere. In the sunshine also, there is molecules, shining particles.
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is, it is a scientific or clever method of drawing money from others. That's all. In other words, simple words, cheating. That's all. They do not know anything, and they're teaching, scientific method. Now suppose here is big, big waves. You scientists, you say some jugglery of words, proton, atoms, this, that, and hydrogen, phoxygen, oxygen. But what benefit people will get? Simply they'll hear this jugglery of words. That's all. What else you can say? Now suppose it is hydrogen, oxygen, protons, neutrons, all these things. So your position, my position, where is the change? Still we do not get any profit by this jugglery of words.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Making more confusing to the innocent.
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Material elements are not creative. Creative is the soul. Just like you make something with matter. Matter does not create itself. You living entity, you take them, hydrogen, oxygen, mix them, and becomes water. So matter it, itself, has no creative energy. You keep here one bottle of hydrogen and... Will they make water? Will they make?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Hydrogen, oxygen?
Prabhupāda: Yes, if you keep here hydrogen bottle, oxygen. Will the combination come in contact?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Unless it is not mixed.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So the chemists or the scientists, what they're thinking is, there are chemical elements, which are the materials necessary for staying the spirit soul within the..., so long as he is within the material world. So they're saying that these material elements—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen—the main elements, somehow they combine together forming the living units, but our point is the chemicals are there, but in order to start the real nice house, the spirit soul has to enter within these chemical elements.
Prabhupāda: Yes. These chemical elements will already help him, by nature's way. Just like you put a seed on the earth. So other things necessary for fructifying that seed, that is already there. They will come to help it. That is already there. Just like the living entity in seed form is impregnated within the womb of the mother. The mother has got within the womb all ingredients. Body will develop.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So this whole universe is the form of the Lord. So if in my body there are so many chemicals, enzymes, and other things, so how much there must be, proportionately? Suppose if we find some portion of chemicals in my body, you will find less in the ant's body. Or you will find more in the elephant's body. So if I can create so many chemicals within my body, how much chemicals He can create? On that account... Your theory, that combination of hydrogen, oxygen makes water, that is a fact. But you are surprised, wherefrom such a big quantity of hydrogen, oxygen came so that the ocean is there. That you cannot calculate. But we answer: "This hydrogen, oxygen is there in the body, universal body of the Lord." Therefore you find. Why do they, do not understand this plain thing? Hydrogen, oxygen we accept; that's a fact. But you are surprised wherefrom this big quantity of hydrogen, oxygen came? That we answer.
Morning Walk -- December 3, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: This idea Śrīla Prabhupāda, about the chemical evolution, this idea came from, I think, in 1920 by a Russian scientist. He is a biologist. His name is Oparin. So he demonstrated that before biological evolution the atmosphere of the earth should be, he called, very much reducing. Reducing, that means it must be mostly full of hydrogens, no oxygen, very little oxygen, but mostly hydrogen. Then in due course because of the reaction in these hydrogen compounds and the radiation from the sunlight, then these compounds form into different chemicals which are...
Prabhupāda: That is a side study. But there was hydrogen. Wherefrom the hydrogen came? The scientists, simply they study in the middle. But they do not know what is the origin. Just like here is one aeroplane is coming, and you can say, "All of a sudden a light came out of the sea." Is that the study of this aeroplane? If we... the foolish person will see, "All of a sudden, in the sea there was a light." Is that scientific study?
Morning Walk -- December 7, 1973, Los Angeles:
Karandhara: Actually they are proving our point because as persons they can imitate the Supreme person, but He made the original. If they were not persons or living entities, they couldn't imitate God's creation.
Prabhupāda: Now, in your laboratory, by mixing hydrogen, oxygen, if you produce one ounce of water, what is your credit? Here is vast water already.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They say it was not done before in the lab.
Prabhupāda: It is done already; otherwise where the water came? You do not know who did it. That is your ignorance.
Hṛdayānanda: So it just enviousness. They're just envious.
Prabhupāda: Foolishness. Enviousness means one must be able. But they are not able. Simply foolishness.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 16, 1974, Hawaii:
Bali Mardana: As far as I know, the only publicity that was made from Vṛndāvana was the letters sent to the temples.
Prabhupāda: But they must have been preparing for that. Anyway... The scientist says hydrogen and oxygen is mixed into water. Who supplies so much hydrogen and oxygen?
Bali Mardana: Only God. Would you say that from God's vantage point everything that happens here is not very significant?
Prabhupāda: Oh, there are many Sikhs?
Bali Mardana: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So we shall return? (break) Bombay also has beach. Not much cold, not much heat.
Morning Walk -- January 18, 1974, Hawaii:
Bali-mardana: I think it is in the opposite direction of the temple.
Prabhupāda: Oh. (break) ...formation of water?
Devotee: Do you know? A scientific explanation of water?
Bali-mardana: H-2-O. Hydrogen, two molecules of hydrogen, one molecule of oxygen.
Prabhupāda: So in anywhere there is water, that formula is applicable?
Bali-mardana: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So, within the dob there is water.
Bali-mardana: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So who supplied the chemicals?
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:
Guest (1): Well, it's more involved than just saying that. Sun is just a big complex of hydrogen and helium, a big pile of rubbish really, but it develops this marvelous reactions which causes it to work as a big nuclear reactor, an entirely different story, what the vision of science, of the present science, about the meaning of celestial bodies and the meaning of, in particular, of sun and moon and so on. We are extremely realistic about this world. We can't see, assuming all the glory of that what happens on the earth due to the existence of those bodies, we do not try to look inside of the structure of these things, as something meant for us. Just universe as it is... And this question, like Nietzchean question which I am repeating—that's not my point—this big question is... Western philosophy presently does not answer, does not ask this question. I think that this scientist who did ask it had quite a point. This question expresses the quest of the human race for some meaning for some sense, for some sense. That's what religion is now offering us, or philosophy, or... Rarely, directly, we hear the direct answer to that.
Prabhupāda: What is your direct answer?
Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1975, Atlanta:
Prabhupāda: Origin of everything.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Matter, crude matter, origin of the chemicals, the, this carbon, hydrogen, these elements, these also, there is a brain behind it who made these chemicals.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So we have to find out who is that brain, who is that scientist. That is real research. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is brahma-jijñāsā. Jijñāsā means enquiry, that "Who is that brain?" Because things are already going on. It is not depending on your so-called research. It is already going on nicely. So your business should be: "Who is that brain behind it?" That should be your research, not that how chemical combination can be... It is already being produced without your so-called scientific knowledge. It is already going on.
Room Conversation with Press Representative -- March 21, 1975, Calcutta:
Prabhupāda: Scientists' role, not only scientists, scientists, philosopher, politician—everyone should endeavor that "Wherefrom we got these propensities? Where is the origin?" That is described in the Vedānta-sūtra: athāto brahma jijñāsā. I am a scientist. I am thinking of myself very great man, but I do not think that "Who is that great scientist under whose order the sun, moon, the sea, ocean, everything is working very properly?" I am thinking of that water is created by hydrogen, oxygen, but I do not inquire, "Wherefrom such hugh quantity of hydrogen, oxygen came, so that there is big oceans and seas, water?" That I don't enquire. So I am so foolish scientist. I am theorizing. I am theorizing that life has come from matter, chemical composition, but as soon as I ask that "I give you the chemical. You create," he says, "That I cannot do." This is going on.
Room Conversation with Press Representative -- March 21, 1975, Calcutta:
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Even if it is not possible, but you have to accept there is a supreme scientist. If you cannot see Him, that is your disqualification. That is your disqualification. But you have to admit that there is a supreme scientist. If you say that hydrogen and oxygen mixed together makes water, that's all right. But who has created this big sea and ocean? Wherefrom the hydrogen, oxygen came? Who supplied? That is intelligence. Simply theoretical I know, but I cannot say who has created this big, vast mass of water by mixing hydrogen, oxygen. Wherefrom such huge quantity of hydrogen, oxygen came? Our point of view, that you scientists, you say that hydrogen, oxygen creates water, and here we see that somebody has created, but not somebody will know who is that body, how great He is. And that is our credit. If you want little credit by experimenting, hydrogen, oxygen mixed together, then how much credit should be given who has created the vast Atlantic Ocean, not only one, millions! Why don't you give credit?
Guest: You should give.
Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Who is he?
Dharmādhyakṣa: His name is Edward Teller.
Prabhupāda: So what he is?
Revatīnandana: He's famous for inventing the H-bomb. He invented the hydrogen bomb.
Revatīnandana: Hydrogen bomb. He was the main inventor.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:
Yadubara: ...class by the inventor of the H-bomb, the hydrogen bomb, Dr. Teller.
Prabhupāda: He was inventor?
Yadubara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So he taught you how to use?
Yadubara: What?
Prabhupāda: He taught you how to use H-bomb?
Yadubara: No, he wasn't teaching that. He was teaching some physics. He was not a very good teacher. There were 1500 pupils in the class, students, and we would never be able to see the teacher, so many students.
Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Dharmādhyakṣa: This inventor of the hydrogen bomb, he said he had no regrets about making the bomb. He had no regrets about his career whatsoever. And he felt that science was still the answer to man's problems. That's why he was lamenting so much that people were not interested anymore.
Prabhupāda: So what is the problem? Real problem is birth, death. So have you any proposal?
Dharmādhyakṣa: No, he has no proposal for those.
Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:
Brahmānanda: No.
Prabhupāda: Then why these rascals create problem? And become a big scientist and draw a good salary, fatty salary, that's all. (break) He has invented hydrogen bomb, but does it mean the war is taking place every day? Say, after twenty years, fifty years, war will, then his service will be appreciated, by the time he will die.
Brahmānanda: They have not used the hydrogen bomb yet.
Prabhupāda: Even there is use, so where the use? We require daily things. (break) ...this fruit?
Dharmadhyksa: These are cones. This is a pine tree, and these are cones. What are cones used for?
Morning Walk -- July 18, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are publicly suiciding, and others are silently suiciding. The suiciding policy is going on. Somebody manifests; somebody does not manifest. That's all. If the human life is wasted for sense gratification, that is suicidal. Because you got the opportunity of enlightenment and you live like dogs and cats, this is suicide. (break) This, what is called, hydrogen bomb manufacturer, he is thinking that he is successful in his life by discovering this hydrogen bomb. but he does not know how to save him from death. So it is suicidal.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are simply expert at accelerating death.
Morning Walk -- July 18, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Whatever he has done, so he could not save him. He cannot save him from death. So what is the use of this scientific knowledge? If the dog is also going to die and he is also going to die, so where is the difference of his scientific knowledge?
Paramahaṁsa: Coincidentally, the original purpose of the hydrogen bomb was to prevent death, to end the Second World War as soon as possible.
Prabhupāda: How they can prevent? That he does not know, how to prevent. He can accelerate. That's all. (break) ...puts before us, "Here is your problem, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Solve it." Where is that scientist? They avoid the real problem and take some childish problem. (break) ...not any hidden problem. It is the open problem. Kṛṣṇa puts it: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, The real seer will see to these problems. There is no answer or solution of these problems. Where is the solution of these problems?
Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:
Bahulāśva: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the scientists will argue that Kṛṣṇa consciousness won't be scientifically accepted if it's just based on...
Prabhupāda: The scientists, how they can argue like that? Therefore they are rascals. First of all they explain something theoretically: "Hydrogen, oxygen-mix together it becomes water." It is faith. Then it is practically shown in the laboratory. So faith is the beginning. Theoretical knowledge means faith. Then experiment.
Baradrāj: The Vedic knowledge is also that way, very scientific.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bahulāśva: So first we hear from the guru that Kṛṣṇa is God, and we have faith in that, we chant, and then we come to know.
Morning Walk -- July 25, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So where..? Our position is: "Wherefrom it came?"
Rādhā-vallabha: Well, we have to test this out scientifically. We can't just accept.
Prabhupāda: No. You say that the water is composition of hydrogen and oxygen. Wherefrom you got this so much hydrogen, oxygen, the Pacific Ocean? There is so much water needed in so many places. Why don't you take chemical and pour water? Why you talk nonsense?
Brahmānanda: They can make a little water in a test tube.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) That's all. (laughter) That we can produce while I pass urine. (laughter) So you can create little urine, but that we do automatically. At least I do. Every hour I pass urine. So your credit is urine-maker. (laughter)
Room Conversations -- July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach:
Prabhupāda: But this... Who supplied the resources of this ocean? They say that water is combination of hydrogen and oxygen, so wherefrom this hydrogen-oxygen supply came?
Devotee (4): There is another group. They call themselves Zero Population Growth. So their idea is that there's too many people on this planet. So therefore either they want... What they want to do is that they want to increase the number of deaths...
Prabhupāda: Death.
Devotee (4): Yes. (laughter) And decrease the number of births. It is called Zero Population Growth, and they are actually thinking like this.
Room Conversation with the Rector, Professor Olivier and Professors of the University of Durban, Westville -- October 8, 1975, Durban:
Prabhupāda: But in Sanskrit there are two words, jñāna and vijñāna. Jñāna means theoretical knowledge, and vijñāna means practical knowledge. So vijñāna is taken as science. Just like you... Theoretically you know that two hydrogen-oxygen mixed together becomes water. And when you do it practically in the laboratory, that is science, vijñāna. So jñāna-vijñāna-sahitam. In the Bhāgavata it is said, jñānaṁ me paramaṁ guhyaṁ yad-vijñāna-samanvitaḥ. Knowledge of God should be practical application in life. That is vijñānam. And according to our philosophy, unless one has got perfect knowledge of his self-identification, he remains an animal.
Prof. Olivier: He is what?
Morning Walk -- October 25, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: That's all right. That is our business. But you cannot interpret. They cannot accommodate within their tiny brain what is going on in the creation. They think in their own way. That's it. Now, they say that the water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. And who supplied so much hydrogen, oxygen?
Indian man: God.
Prabhupāda: So therefore it is, everything, in God's hand. Their difficulty is that they'll not accept God. That is the... Therefore we are very much angry with them. We want to kick on their face. The atheist number one, all these so-called scientists.
Brahmānanda: As soon as they were able to create some oxygen and hydrogen in the laboratory, then "Oh, there's no God."
Morning Walk -- October 25, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: "There is no God." So you bring hydrogen, oxygen; create another ocean. Simply talking nonsense. Now, our challenge is "You just get one egg." Can they? Ask any scientist. Can he make one seed which will bring such a big tree? And where is that science? They're all nonsense.
Indian man: They were trying to...
Prabhupāda: "Trying." That's it. And therefore they should be kicked on their face. They are trying like foolish man and it will never be successful; therefore they should be kicked. This is our proposition. "Trying," "in future," this is their bluff. We don't accept this. (break) ...one check, million dollars, postdated. Then, if you ask me, "Why you have postdated?" "No, I have no money now. In future it will be deposited." Will you accept that check? This is their bluff.
Morning Walk -- December 11, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Ha?
Akṣayānanda Swami: Not very intelligent... (break)
Jñāna: ...nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen...
Prabhupāda: So who, who put all this energy there? Where from nitrogen came?
Jñāna: That they don't know.
Prabhupāda: Therefore they are rascals. Therefore they are rascals. They do not know, something, and they are speaking on the subject matter. Is it not nonsense?
Harikeśa: We know there's no life on the sun because we can look at a fire here and we see there's no life.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Just like I am seeing you; you are seeing me.
Dr. Patel: That is saksad...
Prabhupāda: That is...
Dr. Patel: Just as you know that hydrogen and oxygen when brought together forms water. But then you make it and see it...
Prabhupāda: (break) ...tato bhāvaḥ sādhakānām ayam premnaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ. (break) Vaiṣṇava doesn't make any discrimination that "He is Hindu," "He is Muslim," "He is this and that." He takes everyone as servant of Kṛṣṇa. (break) In India the caste brāhmaṇas criticize me that "Swami Bhaktivedanta is putting Hindu dharma ruin." Yes.
'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Now understanding these basic differences, to study the origin of life has some meaning. But scientists studying the origin of life, they have no idea about these fundamental differences. So they claim that life actually is a manifestation of matter. In other words, life comes from molecules. They call it "molecule to man" theory. That we will see in the next slide. Now in this slide the molecules is called primordial chemical soup. Now these chemicals are supposed to be formed from simple, reduced substances like water and ammonia and carbon and hydrogen compounds. They are called hydro-carbons. Now these somehow, under the action of ultra-violet radiation or cosmic force, they combine together and form these amino acids. Now these amino acids, in due course of time, form the polymers called proteins. And similarly, several polymeric compounds develop and, given a long period of time, we've shown there chance and given a long period of time, then it's going to bring life, it's going to give life. That is the fundamental background of the scientific study of origin of life. This is what they have proposed. These molecules, somehow they combine, given enough length of time, billions of years as the time period, and then it's bound to happen. They say, given enough length of time...
Prabhupāda: Provided he lives billions of years. But he's finished within fifty years. (laughter) And his theory remains. The rascal cannot remain more than fifty years, and he's talking of billions of years. This is the defect. Who will see after billions of years? He is finished within hundred years. These are theories only. We see practically. Egg appears like chemical combination, but if you give, proper fermentation will come, fermentation?
Morning Walk -- July 4, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: Two atoms?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, angstroms. Angstrom is the smallest scale that science can imagine. It is smaller even than the hydrogen atom. So actually it is atomic, it is very small in size.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But we were wondering whether that is reasonable.
Prabhupāda: Reasonable? Yes. It is given in Upaniṣads and Padma Purāṇa, authorized.
Rūpānuga: It's just that this one ten-thousandth tip of hair has no material quality. It is nonphysical but still can be measured.
Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Yes, science is correct, as far as it is practical. Science means practical. And, so far I know, those who are students of science, they have to appear for practical examination, is it not? Simply theoretical knowledge is not science. So much percentage of oxygen, so much percentage of hydrogen, mix together, becomes water. That you have to demonstrate in the laboratory, create water by mixing of oxygen, like that. That is science. But if you simply theorize, and when I say that you now practically prove, you say "Wait millions of years," that is nonsense; that is not science. That is nonsense. The observation and experiment. Simply observing is not science. And observing, this chemical, this chemical is being combined, then it can be... First of all, observation. But when you put into, what is called, experiment, and practically show, then it is... They say that life is generated by combination of chemicals. So now show me by experiment, then it is science.
Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Ātreya Ṛṣi: They don't know how it began. Some say it came from water. How does life begin? Nobody really knows.
Hari-śauri: They say there has to be certain combination of gases, ammonia, water, some hydrogen.
Prabhupāda: They cannot make this gas and combine?
Hari-śauri: This is the way they are testing for life on Mars. This is one of the tests.
Prabhupāda: No, why Mars? In their laboratory they can make gas and mix.
Hari-śauri: Well they say that they've made amino acids.
Prabhupāda: They cannot make?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Silica. What is silica?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Silica contains one atom of silicon and two atoms of oxygen, but in the case of an acid, it contains two atoms of hydrogen.
Prabhupāda: Acid is liquid.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Silicic acid?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Silicic acid, it forms with water and silicon.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So... And without water, where silica comes? They are all rascals. Wherever there is silica, there must be water, dried up or existing.
Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: The rainfall. With the rainfall, those who are fallen souls, they are coming down. Then takes shelter within the atom. Then again grows.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's interesting that science says also that in the beginning there was only hydrogen. So actually water is... Its main composition of two parts of hydrogen...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: One part of oxygen. So if the soul is coming through this water, through rain from higher planetary system...
Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:
Dr. Ghosh: Yes. (faint background talking about diet, etc.) Stomach is all right. Liver is all right. So then only what have got to do is to eat. (Bengali)
Bhavānanda: Apricot, raisin, dahi and milk. Papaya. Avocado, coconut milk...
Dr. Ghosh: (Bengali) (indistinct conversation about medicines, hydrogen peroxide, etc.)
Bali-mardana: The other doctor from Ramakrishna Mission is here. Should he come in?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Ghosh? The other doctor has come.
Dr. Ghosh: Doctor has come?
Bali-mardana: Yes, from Ramakrishna. I'll bring him in?
Dr. Ghosh: Yes, please.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bring another chair.
Dr. Ghosh: (indistinct, talking of Dr. Gopal)
Prabhupāda: I saw you yesterday.
Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One thing that we have seen is that when Dr. Ghosh and Dr. Gopal talk, they disagree on a number of points. Someone pointed out that Dr. Ghosh is a little bit old-fashioned. He's not so much up-to-date any more. He's eighty-two years old. Just like he gave recommendation for when you wash your mouth, using hydrogen peroxide. Now, Dr. Gopal stated hydrogen peroxide is very cleansing, but nowadays they make things which are not so strong, and without harmful effects of hydrogen peroxide. But because Dr. Ghosh is a little old-fashioned he's not aware so much of these things.
Prabhupāda: So? They disagree?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Yes, on some points they do.
Prabhupāda: So which is correct?
Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So which is correct?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which is correct? Well, it's obviously a fact... I mean anybody who's gargled with hydrogen peroxide knows that it's very strong. That's the point. It's very strong. In your condition, it's very strong.
Bhavānanda: Dr. Gopal, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he recommended this medicine, and you took this medicine yesterday. And he recommended increase the liquids...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These are all Dr. Gopal's...
Bhavānanda: ...and this morning you had clear urine. So...
Correspondence
1971 Correspondence
Letter to Brhaspati -- Delhi 17 November, 1971:
Try to interest these students in our books. If you simply stick to the textbook teaching becomes very easy. Philosophy is the highest, but even higher than philosophy is practice of philosophy. So when your students apply Krishna philosophy to their lives, they will feel the beneficial result, and this will make your teaching work very easy. Just like you add hydrogen and oxygen and get water. So let them chant and learn Bhagavad-gita and they will get Krishna's mercy. I am successful in my teaching work because I have not deviated one inch from my Spiritual Master's instruction, this is my only qualification. So if you simply remain pure, your preaching will have effect. Kindly push on this college program—only the most intelligent persons can understand Krishna philosophy, so it is very important that we spread this message to the intelligent class of men.
| Page Title: | Hydrogen |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 27 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=3, CC=1, OB=1, Lec=27, Con=43, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 76 |