22
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers
To this place— duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam . This place is the abode of miseries. Everyone knows, but they have been befooled by so-called leaders. Material life is miserable life. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that this place is  duḥkhālayam —it is a place of miseries. And it is also  aśāśvatam , temporary. You cannot make a compromise: “All right, let it be miserable. I shall remain here as an American or Indian.” No. That also you cannot do. You cannot remain an American. You may think that, having been born in America, you are very happy. But you cannot remain an American for long. You will have to be kicked out of that place. And your next life you do not know! Therefore, it is  duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam —miserable and temporary. That is our philosophy.
BOB:  But when you have some knowledge of God, then life is not so miserable?
ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA:  No! Some knowledge will not do. You must have perfect knowledge.
janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
Tattvataḥ  means “perfectly.” Perfect knowledge is being taught in  Bhagavad-gitā . So, we are giving everyone in human society a chance to learn  Bhagavad-gitā  as it is and make his life perfect. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What does your science say about the transmigration of the soul?
BOB:  I think . . . that science . . . cannot deny or affirm it. Science does not know it.
ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA:  Therefore I say that science is imperfect.
BOB:  Science may, though, say something. It is said in science that energy is never destroyed; it is changed.