So long we are covered by māyā, our godly qualities are not manifest. But we are not God. Or you are God, but not that God, that big God, but you are a particle of. You can say, "I am God," but you are not that original, chief God. That you are not. This is our philosophy. And that is very genuine. How can I be God? If I am God, then why I have lost my godly qualities? Or why my godly qualities are now covered? This is very common sense. The godly qualities are there. Just like a small particle of the spark, it is carbon. When it comes out of the fire, then it is extinguished. But if you put again to the fire, it is carbon, again bright, brightened. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, but if we fall down from the association of God, then we become . . . appearing like material. But we are not material. It appears that extinguished. This is simultaneously . . . acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. We are simultaneously one and different. As part and parcel in quality, we are one; but in quantity God is great, we are small particle. So originally, we have got all these qualities:
- satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntis
- tyāgaḥ santoṣa ārjavam
- śamo damas tapaḥ sāmyaṁ
- titikṣoparatiḥ śrutam
- (SB 1.16.26)
Everything is there. But due to material contamination, especially in this age, Kali-yuga . . . the Kali-yuga is very strong. Time is very strong, that even in contact . . . coming in contact with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are falling. They are falling. That is due to Kali-yuga. Therefore Mother Dharitrī is . . . Śocāmi rahitaṁ lokaṁ pāpmanā kalina ikṣitam: "Now the Kali-yuga has come. I'm thinking that . . . I'm very much disturbed that people are losing their original qualities." These qualities are not to be acquired. These qualities are there, but it is covered. Just like a sharpened knife: the cutting power is there, but when it is covered by dirt, it does not cut.