# Prabhupada on Tour - Mauritius **Location:** Mauritius **Duration:** 57:06 <div class="video-container" style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tMyDOsV9sWg" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; pointer-events: auto; z-index: 10;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMyDOsV9sWg) --- ## Transcript **[01:46]** We are very pleased to have you in among us, **[01:51]** and we welcome you on behalf of the people of Mauritius, to this island, **[01:55]** and we hope you enjoy your fourth stay here. **[01:59]** Swamiji, how long are you going to stay here? **[02:03]** The program is one week. **[02:07]** Have you got any special programs, for lectures or…? **[02:13]** I do not know what they’ve arranged. But my secretary says that it will be one week. **[02:21]** Have you had any idea of Mauritius before you came here? **[02:24]** My idea is to preach Krishna Consciousness, because for want of this knowledge **[02:35]** our mission of human life is failing all over the world. **[02:43]** Therefore, I am trying to introduce this Krishna Consciousness all over the world **[02:53]** without any distinction of caste, creed, color. **[02:57]** God is for everyone. And we have forgotten our relationship with God. **[03:04]** Therefore, we are suffering in so many ways. **[03:09]** And His instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gita, if we follow, then we become happy. **[03:19]** ...and they have progressed how to die quickly. **[03:21]** This is the progress. At any moment he can die. As soon as he on the car, **[03:29]** 70 miles speed, that means taking the risk of dying at any moment. **[03:35]** This is the progress. **[03:46]** Formerly people were going in bullock cart or horse carriage **[03:48]** from one village to another. That was primitive. Now we can go hundred miles **[03:53]** away from home for earning money and taking risk to die at any moment. **[04:01]** That is progress. Is it not? **[04:06]** Oh, yes. **[04:15]** Formerly they were satisfied by tilling the ground, getting food grains. **[04:20]** Now they have started factories. At the cost of thousands of men's labor, **[04:29]** some director is getting money and enjoying life. That is progress. **[04:41]** And these rascals, laborers, they are thinking that "These men are getting the profit, **[04:49]** cream of this business. We are working. Why not take ourselves?" That is Communism. **[05:01]** ...And by taking, when he is cured he will find, "Oh, it is very sweet." **[05:06]** So then he has to recognize there is some problem living in this material world. **[05:15]** No. He does not find any happiness on account of his too much materialistic mind. **[05:22]** That is the disease. That is the disease. So it has to be cured by this bhakti-yoga. **[05:30]** So in the bhakti-yoga, in the beginning, it will taste bitter. **[05:35]** Therefore they do not come. But if they take to bhakti-yoga, then the material disease **[05:42]** will be cured and they will find it is very sweet... **[06:40]** Ksatriya means one who gives protection from being hurt, ksat. Ksat means hurting. **[06:48]** So suppose if I unnecessarily hurt you, then it is the duty of the government **[06:55]** to give you protection. So unless I am also punished by violence, I cannot..., **[07:05]** He cannot give you protection. So this is also necessary. **[07:10]** Therefore in the society there must be ksatriya. **[07:14]** The brahmanas should be learned; they should give instruction, advice. **[07:18]** The ksatriyas should give protection; the vaisyas should produce, economic development; **[07:25]** and rest, they should assist-sudras, that's all. This... **[07:32]** ...comes from many lamps. **[07:35]** Does your preaching consist only from the Gita? **[07:39]** Yes, that is the supreme light. There are degrees of light. **[07:46]** There is sunlight and there is this light. You cannot compare this light with the sunlight. **[07:52]** Light comes from everywhere but that does not mean that the sunlight and this light is the same. **[07:59]** First of all you understand this. Your question was light. **[08:04]** Fist of all you understand there are degrees of light. **[08:06]** You cannot say this light and the sunlight is the same. **[08:21]** That is your business to study. **[08:27]** But we give you the idea that light comes from everywhere. **[08:32]** There is one glowworm. That light is also light and the sunlight is also light. **[08:38]** You cannot think that the glowworm’s light and the sunlight is the same. **[08:42]** Now it is your business to see which is glowworm light and which is sunlight, **[08:49]** that is your business. **[08:54]** ...connected with certain imperialistic countries. **[08:59]** Let them say all nonsense. What can I say? **[09:02]** Every nonsense will speak something nonsense, how can I check it? **[09:07]** There are so many nonsense’s, therefore we are trying to **[09:15]** make these nonsense into human beings. That is our program. **[09:19]** So long as he is a nonsense he will go on speaking nonsense. What can I do? **[09:32]** Yes. It is in the third chapter of twelfth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. **[09:40]** Have you got all the Bhagavatams, Twelfth Canto? So you can note it. **[09:50]** There are many things. Dampate rati eva he. **[09:58]** Simply one can understand what is the difference between the dead body and the living body. **[10:07]** Living body means there is the soul, and dead body means there is no more soul. **[10:25]** janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya **[10:31]** The solution is there. You try to understand Krsna. **[10:35]** Then you will have not to accept any more material body. Simple thing. **[11:08]** He is greater than the greatest, smaller than the smallest. **[11:26]** isvara sarva bhutanam hrd dese arjuna tisthati **[11:33]** You'll find at night a small insect, **[11:38]** He has got all the framework... **[12:06]** Krishna is within the atom, that is Krishna. **[12:31]** Knowledge, philosophy, logic. You want to study Krishna? So many books. **[12:48]** You cannot finish even in your life. We have already published 60 books. **[13:01]** Brahman and Parabrahman, Krishna is Parabrahman, **[13:11]** We are all brahman. But Krishna is Parabrahman. **[13:21]** Do you think, Swamiji, that man can become perfect? **[13:25]** Oh yes, that is the chance of a human being. **[13:29]** Therefore in the human society there is school, college, education, culture, **[13:34]** not in the animal society, because they can be made into perfect, not the animals. **[13:48]** So if they are denied proper education, that is the greatest harm. **[13:53]** They got the opportunity, and the authorities are not giving them their opportunity. **[14:00]** No, but do you mean the perfectness is to become God or to become the man? Then I want... **[14:10]** You can not become God. **[14:13]** What does perfectness mean? **[14:15]** Perfect means to become godly. **[14:26]** Can you be interested directly in politics? **[14:34]** Why not? Krsna... Krsna was in politics. So He instructed Arjuna to fight. **[14:43]** This is politic -- for the good cause... **[14:57]** The Supreme Person, Bhagavan said, "My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? **[15:05]** They are not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life. **[15:10]** They do not lead to higher planets, but to infamy." **[15:14]** And purport? **[15:16]** Purport. "Krsna and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are identical. **[15:22]** Therefore Lord Krsna is referred to as Bhagavan throughout the Gita. **[15:26]** Bhagavan is the ultimate in the Absolute Truth. **[15:30]** Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding, namely Brahman, **[15:37]** or the impersonal, all-pervasive spirit; Paramatma, or the localized aspect **[15:43]** of the Supreme within the heart of all living entities; and Bhagavan, **[15:47]** or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna. **[15:51]** In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, this conception of the Absolute Truth is explained thus: **[15:57]** vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabhyate **[16:07]** 'The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding by the knower **[16:12]** of the Absolute Truth, and all of them are identical. **[16:16]** Such phases of the Absolute Truth are expressed as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan.' **[16:27]** These three divine aspects can be explained by the example of the sun, **[16:32]** which also has three different aspects, namely... **[16:35]** Because the body is born in America, therefore he is thinking, "American." **[16:44]** The body is born in India, therefore he is thinking, "Indian." **[16:49]** The body is born in Hindu family, therefore he is thinking, "Hindu." **[16:55]** So this is the real... **[17:02]** There can not be any civilization. So this Krishna consciousness movement means **[17:10]** we are trying to eradicate this conception of life. Bodily conception of life. **[17:21]** The animals, an animal, he is also thinking, "I am dog," "I am cat," "I am cow," "I am ass." **[17:36]** On account of this bodily concept of life. **[17:41]** And if we, human beings, remain in that bodily concept of life, **[17:49]** then we are no better than the animals. **[17:56]** ...we also depend. So if we remain engaged only on the principles of four demands of body, **[18:07]** then we remain animals. Our extra education required that: "I am not this body, **[18:18]** I am spirit soul." And there is necessity of the soul. **[18:25]** If you don't come to this platform, then we remain animals. **[18:33]** ...Striving for peace in the world. Is it one of your goals? **[18:39]** Yes. Everyone is striving for peace in the world, **[18:42]** I have already referred to the United Nations organization. They are also trying for **[18:49]** peace of the world but one must know the right way, how to bring peace in the world. **[19:16]** The war is also necessary. When there are demons, they should be punished. **[19:22]** But we must know who is demon and who is not demon. **[19:28]** Just like any good state, just like our Indian state, **[19:38]** accepting that we attained our independence by Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent movement, **[19:51]** but do you think that India is keeping non-violent? **[19:56]** ...That one can offer to me with love and devotion a flower, leaf. **[20:03]** In this way he mentions vegetarian items. He never says offer me meat. **[20:09]** So a bhakta, or devotee, he eats prasadam, which means the remnants of the offering to Krsna. **[20:20]** So he offers Krsna very nice things of halava, and rasgula, and sandesh, **[20:28]** and puri, kachoris, and so many samosas, so many nice things. **[20:37]** Neither do we find the necessity to slaughter the animal and eat the flesh. **[20:46]** We don’t find need for that although we have ourselves been brought up in such a culture, **[20:53]** we find after taking to this process, that we lose our taste for these things. **[21:00]** We no longer require, in fact we even shun it. **[21:03]** If someone should offer something with meat we will reject it immediately. **[21:08]** We do not take any means in the airplane. **[21:12]** We take our meals with us and we pay for that, first class. **[21:19]** But, still we do not. They offer and give us some fruit, that’s all. **[21:24]** Coming here on Air India, the stewardess was very surprised why we had so much of the **[21:31]** elaborate meals prepared, but we don’t take these things. **[21:40]** Nobody is interested in spiritual life. Therefore no customer is coming, **[21:46]** we go to sell our books there. **[21:49]** Have you had a significant impact on the American society? **[22:00]** The values that you preach, have they influenced Americans to a certain degree? **[22:04]** Oh yes. You can go in America, any city, and everyone will know ‘Hare Krsna.’ **[22:11]** No, that’s not what I mean. What I mean is have Americans started to become **[22:17]** less violent for or have they started to become less egotistical... **[22:22]** Well, not unless they follow our movement. Those who have followed our movement, **[22:27]** But those who have followed our movement, recently there was one study that was **[22:30]** published by a very eminent sociologist in America, from the University of California, **[22:36]** the Union Theological Center. He stated in that book that, **[22:41]** "The members of this movement, formerly they were drug addicted hippies. **[22:45]** And now they have become servants of Krsna and humanity. Loving servants. **[22:51]** So, he has given proof through intensive interviews that one who follows, **[23:01]** joins this movement, he dramatically his life becomes changed. **[23:06]** He is a big professor, and his books are being sold in higher circles. Professor Judah. **[23:17]** One’s life perfect and successful. **[23:38]** I do not know anyone’s movement. We are pushing our movement **[23:44]** on the basis of Bhagavad-gita, Krishna’s movement. **[23:49]** Therefore, we are named, Krishna Consciousness. **[23:52]** So if you know about the Bhagavad-gita, then talk on that, don’t bring anyone else. **[24:08]** I want to know why you are creating a class of sannyasis like these people? **[24:24]** This is your ignorance, you do not know what is sadharma. **[24:30]** Sadharma according to Bhagavad-gita, sadharma means varnashram dharma. **[24:37]** Four varnas and four ashrams. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. **[24:48]** There are four varnas. **[24:50]** And four asramas means brahmachari, ghrhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. **[24:59]** So, our Indian culture means varnashrama dharma. **[25:16]** It is a systematic way of social and spiritual life, this varnashrama dharma. **[25:23]** So, unless one comes to this system of life, he’s not a human being, he’s animal. **[25:32]** Our primary form of income is through the sale of books. **[25:35]** Srila Prabhupada has written almost sixty books. four hundred pages each. **[25:44]** These books are published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust which has headquarters in **[25:50]** Los Angeles, London and Bombay and New York. **[26:09]** So the amount of literature is quite large. First of all we have our **[26:15]** "Back to Godhead" magazine, a monthly magazine that is **[26:19]** now being published one million copies per month. **[26:29]** What is the sale per month? **[26:32]** The sales are approximately $250,000 per month. **[26:36]** Approximately between 3:00 and 3:30 in the morning and we take morning bath and we put **[26:44]** tilak on the body, twelve different places, then we have Mangal Aroti, we worship the Deity. **[26:55]** Here we have the Deity of Gaura Nitai, our other temples we have Radha-Krishna. **[27:03]** After Mangal-Aroti then we perform the japa meditation **[27:10]** and we chant at least 16 rounds on the japa beads daily. **[27:19]** That takes approximately two hours of time. The we have our classes, **[27:26]** we have classes in Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is twelve cantos in length, 18,000 verses, **[27:35]** and which has been given by Srila Prabhupada with very elaborate purports for each verse. **[27:40]** So each day one verse is very carefully studied and analyzed and understood. **[27:49]** Then we have our prasadam. We are vegetarians, we do not take any meat, fish or eggs. **[27:58]** And then afterwards we have our morning duties, we have so many different activities, our work. **[28:08]** In this way the day is spent up until approximately ten o'clock at night when we take our rest. **[28:24]** We have our Gurukul school in Dallas where we have the children of our householders. **[28:34]** The children are sent there at the age of five and there they are taught **[28:41]** in the association of other children, these principles of Krishna consciousness. **[28:45]** They are trained, they are trained in English and Sanskrit. **[28:49]** They are trained in cleanliness, as brahmins, to be the leaders of the society. **[28:57]** This is the present need of the modern civilization, that there is no brahmin class. **[29:03]** And by brahmin class we don't mean those who are born brahmins, **[29:08]** but those who are qualified as brahmins. **[29:10]** At the present moment "brahmin" simply means that one has been born a brahmin. **[29:15]** But that doesn't make one a qualified brahmin. **[29:18]** Just like if my father is a high-court judge, that doesn’t mean that I am a high-court judge. **[29:25]** I also have to go to the university and take training and be recognized by the bar. **[29:32]** So at the present moment there is no institution that is actually training brahmins. **[29:40]** And without the brahmins, the brahmins are meant to be leaders of society, **[29:44]** as Srila Prabhupada mentioned the Varnasrama system, **[29:47]** the leaders of that Varnasrama system are the brahmanas. **[29:51]** And now we see in the modern civilization that there is no one who is... **[29:55]** Thank you very much swamiji. Your stay will be very fruitful **[30:02]** after a long and arduous work you have been doing all over the world... **[30:07]** I want to see the leading men of this place because if they understand the importance **[30:17]** of this movement then my mission will be successful. **[30:20]** You will have the opportunity of seeing. **[30:27]** In the Bhagavad-gita it is said the leaders, whatever they do, **[30:32]** the ordinary, common man follows. So if the leading men of Mauritius, **[30:42]** if they understand the importance of this movement, **[30:44]** then I am sure it will be very much beneficial for everyone. **[30:52]** So thank you very much swamiji, on behalf of the people of Mauritius, **[30:56]** we are very grateful to you. **[31:12]** The whole world is under the bodily concept of life. **[31:20]** Even big, big nations, just like your Prime Minister has gone to the United Nations. **[31:31]** There are many big, big men in the United Nations, they will speak, **[31:44]** and they’re speaking for the last thirty years. **[31:50]** The United Nations is formed, but they could not find any solution of the **[31:58]** problems of life. Because the basic principle they are losing, they do not know. **[32:11]** Everyone of them is thinking of the bodily platform. **[32:19]** I am Indian, I am American, I am German, I am English man, like that. **[32:33]** Therefore there is no solution because the basic principle is wrong. **[32:42]** Unless we understand what is the wrong of the active principle of the body, **[33:00]** the problems cannot be solved. **[33:05]** Just like you cannot diagnose the disease simply by symptomatic treatment he can not make the... **[33:16]** ...no gambling, no intoxication, this is materialistic way of life. **[33:24]** Otherwise, what is the difference between this life and that life? **[33:32]** So, if we stick to the materialistic way of life it will be very, very difficult **[33:42]** to understand this Krishna Consciousness movement. **[33:54]** Why, adanta gobhir, adanta gobhir means uncontrolled, uncontrolled, **[34:04]** our senses are uncontrolled. **[34:10]** This morning, when I was walking on the beach, we found so many things, **[34:20]** the capsule of the coca-cola, cigarette box, and so many other things. **[34:30]** So, what is the necessity of this coca-cola? **[34:37]** We don’t try all these things in our society, we don’t drink coca-cola, **[34:43]** we don’t drink Pepsi cola, we don’t smoke, **[34:47]** so many things which are selling in the market in huge quantities, by advertisement, **[34:55]** by victimizing the poor customer, but they are called unnecessary. **[35:05]** There is no need of such things. But because the senses cannot be controlled, **[35:13]** they’re making big business. Unnecessarily. **[35:20]** So we have to control the senses. If we really want spiritual life, **[35:30]** if we really want to be free from these material shackles, **[35:36]** then we have to learn how to control the senses. That is morality.