Devotee (2): Prabhupāda, how can one know whether he'll be going back home to Godhead in this lifetime?
Prabhupāda: Yes, believe in Kṛṣṇa. He gives His word. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says: "Anyone who understands Me in truth," tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti, "he doesn't accept any more material body; he comes to Me." That's it. The guarantee is there. So you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you do not understand anything more, if you simply accept it without any hypocrisy that, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He'll protect me. Let me serve His lotus feet as far as possible," this much qualification is sufficient. But if you have got still doubt about Kṛṣṇa, then you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Be without any doubt that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then your everything is guaranteed. Tattvataḥ. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Here? (devotees look for book) Eh? You should keep all these books ready for reference.
- janma karma me divyaṁ
- yo jānāti tattvataḥ
- tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
- naiti mām eti kaunteya
- (BG 4.9)
This very fact. So we are spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement just to make people . . . Yes? Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ.
Pradyumna:
- janma karma ca me divyaṁ
- yo jānāti tattvataḥ
- tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
- naiti mām eti so 'rjuna
- (BG 4.9)
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."
Prabhupāda: Purport?
Pradyumna: "The Lord's descent from His transcendental abode is already explained in the sixth verse. One who can understand the truth of the appearance of the Personality of Godhead is already liberated from material bondage . . ."
Prabhupāda: He's already liberated. If one understands this fact, that why God comes, if he is fully aware of the fact, he's already liberated, immediately. Go on.
Pradyumna: ". . . and therefore he returns to the . . ."
Prabhupāda: Because without being liberated, one cannot understand God as He is. It is not possible, because he has no perfect vision. Liberated means perfect knowledge, perfect vision. That is liberation. Yes?
Pradyumna: "Therefore he returns to the kingdom of God immediately after quitting this present material body . . ."
Prabhupāda: Yes, immediately after giving up this body. The example is given in the śāstras that if, when you walk . . . just like the steps, like this. So this step is secure—the another step, when you feel it is secure, then you get up, get up this step. This is our practical experience. Similarly, unless our next birth is fixed up, we do not leave this body. At the time of death, by superior authority, what body I'm going to take next, that has to be decided. Then, when it is decided, if he takes little . . . because that is for the most sinful person. And for the devotee, it is already decided. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)—immediately transferred to the spiritual world. Immediately. There is no question of decision; it is already decided, Kṛṣṇa's decision. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Therefore it is said: "A devotee . . ." Jīvo vā māro vā: "A devotee, either you live or die, the same thing." Why? "You are living, you are serving Kṛṣṇa. When you die, you go to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's all." Jīvo vā māro vā. Therefore they are called jīvan-mukta. The same thing which he will do after death, he's doing the same thing here. Therefore he is jīvan-mukta, liberated even in this material existence. Jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate. Īhā yasya harer dāsye (Brs. 1.2.187): "One who is always thinking how to serve Kṛṣṇa," jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate, "he's jīvan-mukta." He's already mukta, liberated. Just like in government service there is civil service, or administrative service. As soon as you are . . . you have passed your examination of the civil service, the civil post is ready, immediately. There is no delay; it is already there. Simply you go and take your seat. So what is that examination? Just try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, that's all. If you can understand this very fact . . . so you understand or not understand, if you have firm faith, if you take Kṛṣṇa, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality," then your examination is passed. Just like fire. You understand what is fire or not understand, but if you catch fire, it will act. When you take fire, you do not try to understand what is the chemical composition of fire. Anyone who understands the chemical composition of fire then takes to fire, that man, and a child who does not know what is the chemical composition catches, the action is the same. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa through philosophy, science and everything that we have got, that is also the same thing, and if anyone blindly accepts Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. It doesn't matter. Because Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa.