WORKING HARD DAY AND NIGHT IS MONKEYS’ BUSINESS

In conversation withSrila A. C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda

Prabhupāda: We have to point out their foolishness. That is our business. They are working very hard, undoubtedly, but they are working foolishly. Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. The result is that they are becoming tired. That’s all. Because they are not working intelligently. Like the monkey, he is busy all day. What is the value of your ‘busy’? You’ll find the monkey is never sitting idle. He’s always busy, “eh, eh, eh.” (imitating monkey) So what is the result of that busy-ness? He’s a monkey. And they claim to be coming from monkey, these rascals. So we can see that your monkey’s quality is already there. (laughter) You have not improved any more than the monkey, because you are working uselessly. They are theorizing that they have come from monkey, and as soon as you say that you are monkey, they become angry. Just see. They are claiming that we are coming from monkey. And if you say you are monkey, no better than monkey, then they are angry. Just see.

Paramahamsa: That’s because we’ve advanced from the monkey stage up to the human stage.

Prabhupāda: You have not advanced. If you are uselessly working, then you are a monkey. Monkey is busy, but useless. There is no value. What is the value of your working? You cannot make a solution of the problem that you are dying. Then what is the use of your working? You do not like to die. Why are you dying? You are keeping memory of the dead soldier because you wanted that he should not have died. That is your desire. You do not like to die. So where is the solution of your death? You might open many hospitals, but where is the solution of disease, that there should be no more disease? That you cannot do. Therefore your so-called scientific research, working hard day and night, is all monkeys’ business. Useless.

Paramahamsa: But we are seeing that even the spiritualists get old and die also.

Prabhupāda: That’s all right. We are not talking of this body. We are talking of the soul. We say that soul transmigrates. So, instead of transmigrating to another perishable body, we are transmigrating to the eternal body. That is our business. We are making solution. But you do not know. You are simply working like monkey, uselessly.

Paramahamsa: But we haven’t seen that anyone has got an eternal body…

Prabhupāda: How you can see? You cannot see. You do not believe in transmigration. So how can you see? Paśyanti jnāna-caksusā (Seeing through the eyes of knowledge). When you will have the eyes to see—knowledge—then you’ll see. Now you are monkey, how you can see? A monkey cannot see. Paśyanti jnāna caksusā. Just like our men in India, they know I have come to Australia. But they’re not seeing by their eyes. They know the arrangement was made, they purchased ticket, and they went to the airport. And they are confident. They are sending letters here. Have they come with me to see? How do they know? That I have come here, how do they know? They have not seen that I have come here. But how do they know?

Ganeśa: By hearing.

Prabhupāda: That means there are other sources of understanding—not just the eyes. The rascals do not know. They want to “see”.

Paramahamsa: Of course a person can never be completely sure…

Prabhupāda: Therefore, jnāna caksusā. You can see with knowledge how this man is being transferred to the eternal life. But you have no such knowledge! You are monkey. A monkey cannot see, a monkey cannot understand. Suppose there is a dog at my house. He does not understand how I have come here, because he has no knowledge. So seeing means knowledge… not the eyes. If he wants to see by the eyes. He’s a monkey. That’s all. He’s a dog.

Paramahamsa: But first we have to believe it, and then we can see it?

Prabhupāda: It is not the question of belief. It is a fact. It is a fact in this way, that Krishna says, tyaktvā deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]—that’s all. You have to see through Krishna. Krishna is perfect. Krishna says that a such and such person devotee, after giving up this body, he does not accept. That is seeing. Krishna says and you see. Just like you believe me. A child believes the father. Similarly, if the authority is there, then you see by his word, that’s all. That is knowledge. Seeing by perfect knowledge—that is seeing. Not by endeavoring with these imperfect senses. That is not knowledge.

Paramahamsa: But in this modern age…

Prabhupāda: Modern age means all rascals and fools. So we haven’t got to follow the rascals and fools. You have to follow the most perfect, Krishna.

[Morning walk, May 10, 1975, Perth]

 

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