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We are all here to remember our beloved Lord Mahāprabhujī, and it is a great privilege for us to know something more about him. Recently, I read an article containing a very profound sentence. It was a Sanskrit verse—a Ṛṣi Vākya—which was translated into Hindi. The statements of the Ṛṣis, the great sages, and the statements of the Guru are the same. When the Ṛṣis discussed creation, they spoke of how Brahmā has created different beings with different qualities. We know that on this planet, the Creator has brought forth 8.4 million different life forms, all fashioned from the five elements. Among all these, one is the human being. The Ṛṣis state that nothing is created without purpose or meaning. Everything—this planet, the life upon it, including plants, vegetation, aquatic life, terrestrial life, and celestial life—has its meaning and a purpose that should be fulfilled. If you miss or fail to fulfill your purpose, you have failed, and you must repeat the process again and again. Most life forms on this planet have the purpose of simply being there and undergoing their destiny; they have no choice. Humans, too, must undergo their destiny. However, humans possess the choice to perform karma. Destiny is created first, and then life is given. Other beings cannot choose; they must go through it. But humans are endowed with intellect and viveka (discernment), so they can decide what to do or not to do. Therefore, the purpose of human life, the meaning of human life, is greater. Eating, sleeping, and procreating—animals are also very active in these. If a human does only this until death, there is very little difference between an animal and a human. Consequently, humans have greater obligations. The main purpose of human life is to gain knowledge, specifically ātma jñāna, Self-realization. If you die without this, you have failed in your human life. To achieve that knowledge, a human must first lead a very sāttvic life—a life without consuming meat, alcohol, eggs, or drugs. A sāttvic life is crucial because the nourishment you take, or any kind of drug, attacks your intellect (buddhi). It turns your buddhi toward different interests and directions, causing you to lose positive spiritual thoughts and feelings. The worldly life begins to seem more joyful to you, while a simple, disciplined spiritual life appears boring. There is a parable: a fly was sitting on sandalwood paste. As long as it sat there, it felt a headache and was tired. Suddenly, a crow defecated nearby. The fly smelled that dirt and immediately flew to it. Conversely, someone once closed a honey bee in an outdoor toilet, like those found in the countryside. The bee was suffering in the filth. When someone opened the door, the neighbors had a beautiful garden with blossoming apple trees. The bee flew to the flowers. It took it a few hours of breathing, of performing a kind of prāṇāyāma, to cleanse itself of the negative quality. Thus, it is said the fly flies from the sandal paste to the dirt. In the same way, an ignorant person (agyānī) cannot listen to satsaṅg. They are not able to pay attention; they either leave or fall asleep. This is a sign of negative karma and destiny overshadowing the soul. The impurities of mala (dirt), vikṣepa (distraction), and āvaraṇa (veiling) are overloaded upon you. What is to be done? We need treatment. That treatment is like a medicine; when a doctor first gives you injections or medicine, you may not like it. But when the injection takes effect, you will even suggest that medicine to others. Therefore, the Ṛṣi Vākya states that human life is given to collect and realize knowledge. The human spirit, soul, consciousness, mind, intellect, qualities, and abilities are indescribable. O human, God has given you such a divine life; it is a godly life. You are incarnated as a divine being, yet you are behaving like a very low creature. Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Weekend seminar