Moon Expedition: Stairway to Heaven

Madhudvisa: Paramahamsa was... we were discussing this morning about the species of life. We understood that there is actually all the species of life on this one planet, or some species don't exist here?

Prabhupada: No, everywhere the same process. Everywhere there are living entities in different forms.

Srutakirti: The 8,400,000 species is for the whole universe or for each planet?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. No, whole universe.

Devotee: So not all of those species are on this planet.

Prabhupada: No, all of them are there.

Devotee: On this planet.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Madhudvisa: And the demigods we cannot see. Like the demigods, the higher human species, we cannot see.

Prabhupada: You, why do you believe on your seeing? That is the defect. That is the defect of the Westerners. They are very deficient; still they say, "I cannot see." What is your seeing power? Suppose if Narada comes, some demigods come, but you cannot see. Just like when Lord Nrisimhadeva appeared, Prahlada was seeing. "Is your God here?" "Yes." And he could not see. So why do you believe so much on your seeing? You have to attain seeing power. That is very good example, Prahlada... Hiranyakashipu asking Prahlada, "Where is your God?" "My God is everywhere." "He is on the pillar?" "Yes." So he was seeing, but he was not seeing. He became angry and broke the pillar. "Let me see, where is your God." This is the position. So one has to create the eyes to see things. Not that whatever eyes you have got you can see everything. No. Just like motorcar is being driven, a child is seeing that the car is running automatically. And the father is seeing, "No, there is driver."

So the seeing of the child and seeing of the father is different. In our childhood we were thinking that in the gramophone box there is a man. And the fan there is a ghost. [laughter] I remember quite. "How these records are being played? There must be one man. He is singing." And the electric fan was running, I was thinking there is some ghost. This is the way.

Madhudvisa: The demons are trying to go to the heavenly planets by building their skyscrapers higher and higher.

Prabhupada: Ravana's, Ravana's staircase for going to the heaven. He promised that "Oh, what is the use of austerity? I shall make a staircase directly. You can go." As their... It is the same, Ravana's staircase and the modern attempt to go to the moon planet, the same thing. They will never be able to go, but imagining that "We shall do it." The same process, Ravana's process. For how many years they are going? Since 1950?

Devotee: To the moon expedition?

Prabhupada: Yes, moon expedition.

Devotee: Maybe 1955.

Madhudvisa: 1955.

Devotee: The first moon landing was 1961.

Prabhupada: That is beginning. First of all they sent dog. [laughter]

Madhudvisa: Space dog. Space mouse.

Prabhupada: Huh? Space mouse.

Devotee: Space monkey also.

Prabhupada: So since 1955 even. So twenty years, what they have done?

Devotee: Spent billions of dollars.

Prabhupada: Yes, simply they have brought little dust, that's all.

Madhudvisa: Now they have found that that same dust is here on the earth.

Prabhupada: Yes. Simply propaganda. They are not going. Now the Russian scientist and American scientist are combined. Because both of them thieves, so one thief is asking, "Don't expose me. I will not expose you, so that our business will go on." This is the way. "Let us combine together and cheat these rascals, and otherwise, if you expose me, then I will expose you. Then our business will stop."

Devotee: They are cooperating.

Prabhupada: Cooperating. Thief, thieves' cooperation.