Page 28 - Metaphysical questions of life

body-completely depends on the ac vi es we performed in our previous
life or lives.

Ul mately, all karma, whether good or bad, is unfavorable, for it
binds us to the material world. Devo onal service in Kṛṣṇa conscious-

ness, however, is akarmic. In other words, it produces no reac on at all.
Hence, when Arjuna killed his opponents on the Ba lefield of Kurukṣet-
ra, he suffered no reac on, for he was simply carrying out the will of
Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is able to occupy a higher-class apartment. Real evolu‐
on does not mean physical development, but development of con‐

sciousness. Do you follow?
Dr. Singh- I think so. Do you mean that if one falls to one of the lower

stages of life, he must evolve step by step up to the higher stages?

Śrīla Prabhupād- Yes. As you get more money you can move to a be er
apartment. The apartment already exists, however. It is not that the
lower‐class apartment becomes the higher‐class apartment. That is
Darwin's nonsensical theory. He would say that the apartment has
become high class. Modern scien sts think that life has come from
ma er. They say that millions and millions of years ago there was

simply ma er, but no life. We do not accept that. Of the two ener‐
gies—life and ma er—life, or spirit, is the original, superior energy,
and ma er is the resultant inferior energy.

Dr. Singh- Do they exist simultaneously?

Śrīla Prabhupāda- Yes, but spirit is independent, and ma er is depend-
ent. For example, I can live even without my hands or legs. If they were
amputated, I could survive. Therefore I am not dependent on my hands
and legs; my hands and legs are dependent on me, the spirit soul within

my body.”
Without understanding the existence of the soul and its rela onship to

Lord Krishna as the Supersoul in the heart of every living being (and in
every atom of the universe), it is impossible to understand the origin of

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