(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada distributing prasadam)

"We have already explained in our last meeting what is the miser and what is a brāhmaṇa. The opposite word is brāhmaṇa. Miser means this valuable body, who does not properly utilize it; simply they utilize this body for sense gratification and nothing more. They are kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. Miser, who does not utilize the asset given to him, he's a miser. Miser. He's not liberal. One should be liberal.

There is a paṇḍita, learned man. His name is Cāṇakya. If you, some of you, had been in India, in New Delhi, where foreign ambassadors are settled, in New Delhi, capital of India, there is a quarter which is called Cāṇakya Purī. Cāṇakya Purī. This Cāṇakya Purī has been named due to the name of this gentleman, Cāṇakya. He was a great politician and prime minister during the reign of Emperor Candragupta. Long, long years before. He was a great politician. So his politics are studied in higher, M.A. class, and so he has got some, he has got a book which is called Cāṇakya Śloka and some principles of morality, some principles of morality. So we, in our childhood, we had to study that small book, Cāṇakya Śloka. So in that principles of morality even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that sannimitte varaṁ tyāga vināśe niyate sati. Vināśe niyate sati: 'Oh, this body, this body is destined to be destroyed. You cannot protect it. It is to be destroyed.' Sannimitte varaṁ tyāge vināśe. Vināśe means it is sure to be destroyed. 'As sure as death.' There is nothing sure as death. Therefore this body should be utilized, sannimitte, for purpose of spiritual realization. Before it is finished... In all the śāstras, this is the advice. This is the advice.

The dog's body will be finished, and the man's body will be finished, but what is the difference of dog and man? The dog does not know how to utilize his body, but we are given instruction in so many books of knowledge, how to utilize this body. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that sannimitte varaṁ tyāga. You have to give up this body. Why don't you give it up for the highest cause? Highest cause. This is the highest cause, spiritual realization. Somebody's offering his body for country's cause. Somebody's offering body for the society's cause. Or somebody's offering body for theft case or some murdering case. We have, everyone has to offer his body at the end. But the man who sacrifices this body for the purpose of self-realization, he's the most intelligent man. Sannimitte varaṁ tyāga vināśe niyate sati. You'll have to meet death, undoubtedly, but before meeting death... This is the instruction given. Buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ: 'Don't be miser. Don't misuse this great opportunity.'"

(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New York, April 5, 1966)

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