Tit for tat
Srila Prabhupada : And similarly, one who is not a devotee of God, he has no good qualities because he will hover on the mental platform. There are different platforms. Bodily concept of life, general. "I am this body. Therefore, my business is to satisfy the senses." This is bodily concept of life. And others, they are thinking, "I am not this body. I am mind." They are going on mental speculation like philosophers, thoughtful men. And above that there is intelligent class of men, practicing some yoga. And spiritual platform is above that. First bodily concept, gross, then mental, then intellectual, then spiritual.
So this Krishna consciousness movement is on the spiritual platform, above body, mind and intelligence. But actually we should come to that platform because we are spirit soul. We are neither this body, nor this mind, nor this intelligence. So one who is on the platform of spiritual consciousness, they have got everything - intelligence, proper use of mind, proper use of the body.
Just like a millionaire, he has got all the lower grade position. Ten rupees or hundred rupees, he has got everything. You should see whether you are successful. And what is the standard of success? The standard of success is whether you have pleased God. Read this.
Srutakirti das : What is it?
Srila Prabhupada : Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha.
Srutakirti das : Atah?
Srila Prabhupada: Pumbhir.
Srutakirti das: Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha.
Srila Prabhupada:Find out this verse.
Srutakirti das: Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha, varnasrama-vibhagasah, svanusthitasya dharmasya, samsiddhir hari-tosanam. "O best among the twice born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging his prescribed duties, dharma, according to caste divisions and order of life is to please the Lord Hari."
Srila Prabhupada: That is the idea. That should be there. So whether by my profession, by my business, by my talent, by my capacity, there are different categories, whether I have pleased God. Then it is success. If you have pleased God by your legal profession, you are in a different dress, it doesn't matter. You are as good as they are whole time serving God, because their business is also to please God. Similarly, if you have pleased God, then even by practicing your law you are as good as the saintly person. That should be the aim, whether I have pleased God with my professional duty or occupational duty. That is the standard.
Guest: You could assume that whatever religion, if a person was religious?
Srila Prabhupada: Religion means God. God is one.
Guest: That that should aid all religions.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: The more Krishnas there are, the more other religious people might benefit. Yet these - they can't see that.
Srila Prabhupada: According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, religion means the law given by God. Just like law means the act given by the state. You cannot manufacture law, I cannot manufacture law. Everything is there. He must be, at the same time, although he is hero, he must be generous.
Just like Alexander the Great, perhaps you know this story. He arrested one thief. So when he was arrested and he was being judged by Alexander, the thief pleaded that "What is the difference between you and me? You are a great thief, I am a small thief." So Alexander understood it and got him released, "Yes." This is generosity. You must agree to the principle.
Guest: There is another one, the battle. You know, the big battle where the opposition, what was his name, was on the ground?
Madhudvisa das: I told Wally the story that Abhimanyu was surrounded by the maharathis, there was no mercy then. So now Karna was objecting that "You cannot shoot a man if he gets off his chariot." And Krishna said, "There was no mercy with Abhimanyu, so therefore there will be no mercy now."
Srila Prabhupada: Tit for tat.
Guest: But where was the generosity there?
Srila Prabhupada: In war that is happening, tit for tat.
Guest: Was that generosity?
Srila Prabhupada: Huh?
Guest: Where was the generosity?
Srila Prabhupada: No.
Madhudvisa: There's times, Wally, sure. There's times where they don't?
Srila Prabhupada: That is war tactics. That is war tactics.
Madhudvisa das: So he left about 20 people back at his house at some party, so he is feeling that he must return.
Guest: It's my father-in-law's birthday.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh.
Guest: And it's my son's 9th birthday.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh.
Guest: We decided we're going to have the family.
Srila Prabhupada: That's nice, very good.
Guest: And then my wife said?
Srila Prabhupada: So give some prasadam.
Guest: A couple of nights ago my wife said?
Srila Prabhupada: Take some blessings from the temple for your son and father-in-law.
Guest: Thank you very much. So we decided to get all of my father-in-law's friends. He doesn't know yet, and I'm supposed to pick him up, you see, a couple of hours ago. He just thinks it's a family dinner, you see. But by the time we get home, it's a surprise for him.
Srila Prabhupada: That is very nice. It is a very nice funciton, the father-in-law, the grandson.
Madhudvisa das: He's going to bring some prasadam for you.
Srila Prabhupada: Give some prasadam for them also. Yes.
Madhudvisa das: We invited everyone over to Ugrasrava's house one night. We had a big party, and Wally came and Raymond came and they became very much addicted to prasadam.
Srila Prabhupada: Make his father-in-law also interested.
Guest: Well, he was here on Sunday.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes?
Guest: He came down on Sunday.
Srila Prabhupada: So you are going?
Guest: Yes, I am going. Thank you very much for your time. You've been most gracious and kind with us. I hope you have a nice trip.
Srila Prabhupada: Thank you, Hare Krishna.
Madhudvisa das: He is coming back in January too. Maybe then we can have a longer meeting.
Srila Prabhupada: It is a very nice place. I wish to stay here, but I have got so many branches I have to go.
Guest: Good night.
Srila Prabhupada: Good night. Hare Krishna.
Guest: I think you must be very happy to see what's happened in Melbourne here.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, I am very happy. This house is quite suitable for our purpose.
Guest: They looked very hard for a long time.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Guest: And they had a lot of difficulty.
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Guest: This is one of the things that- I imagine you know the story. But the Catholic church, the Roman Catholic church owned this property, and it was almost by devious means that it was acquired.
Srila Prabhupada: They did not want to give us
Guest: They didn't want to sell direct like that.
Reference: Following Srila Prabhupada-A Chronological Series by Srila Prabhupada
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