Srila Probhupada Speak out

NO More Cheap Bodies

The following conversation took place in Gorakhpur, India, on February 17,1971.

Guest: If the soul is always changing from one body to another, how is the soul liberated?

Sri prabhupada: In this material world the soul is accepting material bodies. And when he becomes a bona fide servant of Krsna, he’ll be offered a spiritual body. As long as a person is not a soldier, he will not be awarded a uniform. But as soon as he accepts service as a soldier, he is given the uniform- So you are accepting different bodies in the material world. That is bhutva bhutva praliyate: You accept one type of body, it is vanquished, and again you have to accept another. But as soon as you become perfectly Krsna conscious, after leaving this body you do not come to the material world-tyaktva deham punar janma naiti. You are immediately transferred {to the spiritual world}, and you accept a spiritual body.

Is that clear of not? You are accepting material bodies now, birth after birth. That is transmigration.

Sometimes you accept a human body, soetimes a dog’s body, sometimes a king’s body, and sometimes some other kind of body.

Now when you are Krsna conscious, you haven’t got to accept a material body. You go directly to Krsna and accept a spiritual body. Then your life is eternal.

Guest: You will not again get a material body?

Srila Prabhupada: No. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti. When you are to change-one after another, one after another, one after another. For example, if you purchase something cheap, it goes wrong and you have to purchase a new thing. But if you purchase a real, nice thing, it will continue for good. Similarly, as long as you are getting a cheap body, a material body, you have to change. And as soon as you get the most valuable body, a spiritual body, there will be no more change. One who does not know what is Krsna thinks that someone is greater than Krsna. But anyone who knows Krsna as He is gets that permanent body immediately simply by knowing Krsna.

janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah tyaktvci deharh punar janma naiti mam eti so ‘rjuna 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 abobe, 0 Arjuna.” (Bg 4.9).

So you simply have to understand Krsna. Then the whole problem is solved.

Try to understand Krsna. Krsna can be understood simply by devotional service. Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati. And that begins with surrender to Krsna. Sarva-dharmman parityajya: Whatever nonsense you have known, throw it away. Simply surrender to Krsna. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita.