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It is very surprising that Indian students are asking, "What is God?" So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact

Expressions researched:
"So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact" |"it is very surprising that Indian students are asking" |"What is God"

Lectures

General Lectures

Apart from your country or Western countries, in . . . I have met in many, many large gatherings of universities. Especially, I am very sorry to say, many Indian students ask me that "What is God?" Now, India is supposed to be the place where God descends as Lord Kṛṣṇa, as Lord Rāmacandra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So it is very surprising that Indian students are asking, "What is God?" So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact. And the Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam (SB 5.5.5).

In this human form of life we can realize what is God. It is not possible in other form of life. There are 8,400,000 forms of life. You have seen it. There are trees, there are aquatics, there are germs, reptiles, then birds, then beasts, then human beings. Out of this human form of life, more than fifty percent they are uncivilized, and maybe twenty-five percent of the human beings, they are civilized. And out of them, maybe ten percent are believing in God, following religious principles. In this way the whole thing is being reduced.

So in the Bhāgavata it is said that not only they are living for short duration of life, they are not intelligent enough that this human form of life is meant for God-realization. Now, especially nowadays amongst the educated circle, they inquire, "What is God? What is God?" You see.

But apart from your country or Western countries, in . . . I have met in many, many large gatherings of universities. Especially, I am very sorry to say, many Indian students ask me that "What is God?" Now, India is supposed to be the place where God descends as Lord Kṛṣṇa, as Lord Rāmacandra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So it is very surprising that Indian students are asking, "What is God?"

So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact. And the Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam (SB 5.5.5). "A man is supposed to be defeated in all his activities if he does not inquire what he is." This statement is also in Bible, you know, that "If one loses his own self and he gains all material prosperity, what does he gain?" Actually, this is the fact.

Therefore Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, He appeared in Bengal and He introduced this movement, saṅkīrtana movement—not whimsically, but according to the tenets of Vedic literature, where it is stated that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). In the Golden Age it was possible to realize God by meditation, when people were all cent percent pure. Then tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ: "And in next age, God-realization was by offering great sacrifices." And dvāpare paricaryāyām: "And the next age, by temple worship or church worship or mosque worship."

Now, at this present age, kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt, "In this age, simply by chanting the glories of the holy name of God." This was introduced by Lord Caitanya. And in India there are millions and millions people who follow this principle, and it may be a new thing in your country, but it is very easy and, I mean to say, authorized and immediately realizable.

Page Title:It is very surprising that Indian students are asking, "What is God?" So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact
Compiler:Nabakumar
Created:2022-11-20, 07:00:42
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1