The 8.6-Billion-Year Day

Dr.Singh: The problem with the world is that practically everyone is thinking only in terms of his own circumstances--and that is nonsense.

Student: Someone who has never gone out of his village thinks that his village is the whole world.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

The frog is always thinking in terms relative to his well.

He has no power to think otherwise.

The ocean is great, but he is thinking of the ocean's greatness in terms relative to his own greatness.

Similarly, God is great, but we are thinking of God in terms of relative greatness, greatness relative to our own.

There are certain insects that are born at night, and they grow, bear offspring and die--all before daybreak.

They never see the morning.

So if they conclude that there is no morning, that is nonsense.

In the same way, as soon as we hear from the sastras [revealed scriptures] that Brahma's duration of life is equivalent to millions of our years, we do not believe it.

We say, "How can it be?" But Bhagavad-gita (8.17) says, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh: "Four billion three hundred million earth years equal Brahma's twelve hours." Even a leading Indian politician who was known as a great scholar of the Gita could not accept this information.

He said it is mental speculation.

Such a rascal! Yet he is passing as an important scholar.

This is the problem.

Rascals and fools are passing as scholars, scientists and philosophers, and therefore the whole world is being misguided.

The Second Morning Walk April 19, 1973 Recorded on April 19, 1973, in Cheviot Hills Park, Los Angeles Srila Prabhupada:is accompanied by Dr.Singh, Karandhara dasa adhikari, Brahmananda Svami and other students.