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We are independent," "There is no life after death." These are all foolish man's theory. We are eternal, there is life after death, and that life also has got different gradation

Expressions researched:
"These are all foolish man's theory. We are eternal, there is life after death, and that life also has got different gradation"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that prakṛti, we are under the guidance or rulings of material nature. That is It is not a fact that "We are independent," "There is no life after death." These are all foolish man's theory. We are eternal, there is life after death, and that life also has got different gradation. So this has been described, and this is the fact.
Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:
tasmāt puraivāśv iha pāpa-niṣkṛtau
yateta mṛtyor avipadyatātmanā
doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā
bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit
(SB 6.1.8)

So the discussion is going on between Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. In the last portion of the Fifth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given description of different hellish planets down this universe. There are many hellish planets. As there are heavenly planets, similarly there are hellish planets. Those who are pious, in the modes of goodness, they are promoted to the higher planetary system, and those who are very much abominable, condemned, they are degraded to the lower planetary system. There are different planets, and our modern scientists, they say that "Except this earthly planet, there is no life." This is their knowledge. But actually that is not the fact. Everywhere there is life—but the life of different grades. Just like here also we see. In this planet some of them are very well situated, and some of them are very much degraded in every respect, by birth, janma aiṣvarya, by opulence, and by education, by beauty. There is such arrangement, by nature's law, that you are promoted or degraded. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that prakṛti, we are under the guidance or rulings of material nature. That is It is not a fact that "We are independent," "There is no life after death." These are all foolish man's theory. We are eternal, there is life after death, and that life also has got different gradation. So this has been described, and this is the fact.

Now, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, being Vaiṣṇava, he became very much sympathetic with the persons who are degraded in the hellish planet. So his question was, "My dear sir," Śukadeva Gosvāmī his spiritual master, that "how these people could be saved from this hellish condition of life?" This is Vaiṣṇava's concern. Vaiṣṇava is not a pickpocket, that he will exploit others for his benefit. No. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava's business is: he is very unhappy by seeing others unhappy. Prahlāda Mahārāja said like that:

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās
tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna cittaḥ
śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya
bharam udvahato vimūḍhān
(SB 7.9.43)

Prahlāda Mahārāja, he said to Nṛsiṁha-deva, "My Lord," na udvije, "I am not at all in anxiety." Na udvije. Para: "You are transcendental." Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās. Duratyaya means very difficult to cross over. Vaitaraṇyā, vaitaraṇi, the nescience, ocean of nescience. "Why you are not afraid of?" Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna cittaḥ: "Because I am now Kṛṣṇa conscious, and as soon as I hear the glories of Your wonderful activities, I become merged in it. So I have no problem." "Then you appear to be little unhappy. Why?" "No," śoce, "I am very much aggrieved." "Why?" Tato vimukha-cetasa: "For these rascals who do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am thinking of them. Instead of taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are busy in māyā-sukhāya, māyā, this temporary, little temporary happiness. They are making big, big program. He will live for fifty years, but he is making program for five millions of years. So I am...," śoce, "I am actually lamenting for them." This is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is not very anxious or unhappy for his personal affair. He knows that "Everywhere I will be protected by Kṛṣṇa," so he has no problem. Therefore real Vaiṣṇava, he wants to deliver all these fallen souls from this miserable condition of life. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja is Vaiṣṇava. His first attention was drawn to the persons in the hellish planet. They are suffering. He questioned, "How they can be saved?" That is his concern. This is Vaiṣṇava.

Page Title:We are independent," "There is no life after death." These are all foolish man's theory. We are eternal, there is life after death, and that life also has got different gradation
Compiler:Krsnadas
Created:30 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1