(Click to enlarge photo of a duck-billed platypus, Australia)
Prabhupāda: They live in the desert, the kangaroos?
Devotee: Yes, semi-desert.
Devotee (2): There are many strange animals in Australia.
Prabhupāda: Predators?
Devotee (2): Just strange. The marsupials.
Devotee: Those animals that bear their young in a pouch.
Devotee (2): The pouch here, kangaroo.
Prabhupāda: That is kangaroo.
Devotee (3): And platypuses.
Devotee (4): And platypus, the platypus animal.
Devotee: Half bird, half...
Devotee (4): Half snake.
Devotee: Under water.
Devotee (4): Half beaver?
Prabhupāda: Hmm, snake? Snake?
Devotee (3): Yeah, it's part... it has some snake features, it has webbed feet, it has a duck like a beaver, a body like a...
Devotee (2): A tail like a beaver.
Devotee: A bill like a duck.
Devotee (3): And a tail like a beaver, and a body like a wolverine or something.
Prabhupāda: So the Vedic literature says 8,400,000.
Devotee (3): This is all in one.
Prabhupāda: This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. If somebody is thinking, "If I had like this, like that, like that, like that," "All right, you will have all." (laughter) Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to save himself in this way, that.. "Yes, all are granted," but still he had to die. All granted. So we are trying to take facilities from Kṛṣṇa, beginning from "O God, give us our daily bread," then "Give me motorcar," then "Give me aeroplane," then "Give me this, give me that." "Take all, but you will never be happy unless you surrender to Me. You take all."
This is going on. The modern civilization, they are wanting, "We may have this, we may have that, we may have this, we may have that." "Yes, you take all. But don't talk of happiness, please." That is the only problem. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), if you want this. Otherwise, you take whatever you like.
Devotee: The devotees, they don't care. They'll go across the desert hitchhiking, but Kṛṣṇa gives them happiness. They're happy.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is happiness. They are going for Kṛṣṇa, that is happiness. They forget the trouble.
Devotee: Yes. Today he's gone again.
Prabhupāda: Don't be doubtful about this at least. You might do or not do, but at least you be convinced that this is the nicest thing we have got. Yes. And there is no comparison.
Devotee: No.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: And the more we experience it, the more we become convinced.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Sydney, April 2, 1972)
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