Prayāsa means do something with extraordinary endeavor. So, of course, we have to do sometime, but it is the general principle. We shall accept . . . suppose you are constructing a temple. If it is . . . suppose two millions of dollars required, or, say, five millions of dollars. If we cannot do that, we shall not attempt. That is prayāsa, unnecessarily endeavor. Which is within your control, you should act. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ. And prajalpa. Prajalpa means talking all nonsense. Suppose politics, "What Mr. Nixon did yesterday, or what did he say?" So what interest we have got in this Mr. Nixon? We shall not waste our time talking this politics, that politics, this sociology, this cinema, this affair. No. We have nothing to do with that. That is called prajalpa, unnecessary talking. Talking means decreasing your duration of life. Talking. So why should you decrease your life unnecessarily? Every moment you have to utilize, "Whether it is used for Kṛṣṇa?" This is sādhana. This is sādhana, practice. Unnecessary talking, unnecessarily making enemies. Unnecessarily, "You are my subordinate; I am your master." Who is master? Everyone is subordinate to Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is master. Why you talk unnecessarily?
So therefore it is said that, kim anyair asad-ālāpaiḥ. Asat. Asat means that will not exist, and sat means which will exist. That we do not know, which will exist. But we know that this body will not exist. That everyone, we know. And what is that thing which will exist? That we do not know, the soul. That we do not know. We know what will not exist. That everyone knows. And in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam (BG 2.17). Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). Everything is there. We know that this body is asat, antavanta. Antavanta means "Which has got an end." Antavanta ime dehāḥ. This body has got an end at a certain date. Everyone knows. But the, the other is nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ. But within the body, which is the living force of this body, which is moving this body, that is nitya. Two things are there: my body and the force within the body. Everyone knows as soon as the force is withdrawn or gone away that this body has no more movement, it has no value. That everyone knows. But they will explain in different way. But according to our Vedic knowledge, that which is moving this body, that is eternal. That is not finished. "The . . . after the end of this body, the body is burnt into ashes or into . . . buried into the earth, and still?" Yes. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).
In this way, every step, svayaṁ bhagavān is personally . . . Kṛṣṇa is instructing us, and we are so fool, we cannot understand. We cannot understand. Big, big politicians, they read Bhagavad-gītā, in our country. But by their action it is seen they did not understand even a word of Bhagavad-gītā. Even a word of Bhagavad-gītā. Big, big politician. They became very big, big mahātmās or great men, but they tried for this body, which is to be finished. Antavanta ime dehāḥ. Nobody tried for that thing which will never be finished, that is eternal. You find from their life, they never instructed about the soul. They dealt with politics very nicely, to give bluff that, "Within one year I shall give you liberation and this and that," about the . . . what is the value of this liberation? Because they did not know the thing which is not perishable, they are after this body, which is, liberated or not liberated, will perish. They are busy. They are busy with the activities of this body, which is surely perishable.
What is the value of our independence? Can you avoid death? Suppose you are independentness. What is the meaning of this independence? When death will come, will catch you by your neck and throw you away, your independence, nonsense independence . . . what is the value of this independence? Be independence from the clutches of māyā. No more death—that is independence. That is independence. No more birth—oh, that is independence. No more death. Otherwise, what is the meaning of independence? You are not independent. You are under the clutches of māyā. You are struggling. You are struggling to get out of the clutches of māyā or the material nature, external energy of God. You are trying to make nice medicine to get out of the attack of disease. But you can manufacture a better medicine, but you cannot get out of disease. That is not possible. This is struggle. Now we have manufactured such a nice medicine that cancer or any other disease will not attack us. That is very nice. But find out some medicine that death will not attack you, "Oh, that is not possible." Then where is the meaning of your advancement?
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that medicine by which you can conquer over death. Therefore this is the best medicine. Bhavauṣadhi. It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, bhavauṣadhi. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt . . . (aside) You can stand on the wall, not in the middle. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhi (SB 10.1.4). This word bhavauṣadhi means the panacea for all material diseases. Bhavauṣadhi chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that, "This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, it is chanted by whom?" Nivṛtta-tarṣaiḥ, one who has finished his hankering after material pleasure. Nivṛtti. Nivṛtti means finished, no more. There are two ways: pravṛtti and nivṛtti. I want to smoke—that is called pravṛtti. And when I give up, that is called nivṛtti. Pravṛtti and nivṛtti.