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Life Comes from Life
The Bhagavad-gita is the main source-book on yoga and a concise summary of India's Vedic wisdom. Yet remarkably, the setting for this classic of spiritual literature is an ancient Indian battlefield. At the last moment, the great warrior Arjuna begins to wonder about the real meaning of his life.
138 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
33 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
A.C. Bhaktivedanta
813 books715 followersHis Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (अभय चरणारविन्द भक्तिवेदान्त स्वामी प्रभुपाद)was born as Abhay Charan De on 1 September 1896 in Calcutta, India.
He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four branches of Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge in the Western world. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad, he became his formally initiated disciple.
At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and in 1944, without assistance, started an English fortnightly magazine.
In the last ten years of his life, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
He first met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, in Calcutta in 1922. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a prominent devotional scholar and the founder of sixty-four branches of Gaudiya Mathas (Vedic institutes), liked this educated young man and convinced him to dedicate his life to teaching Vedic knowledge in the Western world. Srila Prabhupada became his student, and eleven years later (1933) at Allahabad, he became his formally initiated disciple.
At their first meeting, in 1922, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura requested Srila Prabhupada to broadcast Vedic knowledge through the English language. In the years that followed, Srila Prabhupada wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita and in 1944, without assistance, started an English fortnightly magazine.
In the last ten years of his life, in spite of his advanced age, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe twelve times on lecture tours that have took him to six continents. In spite of such a vigorous schedule, Srila Prabhupada continued to write prolifically. His writings constitute a veritable library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 12, 2020
U ovoj knjizi Svami Prabhupada kritikuje relativnost i ograničenost naučnog pogleda na svijet, nazivajući ga "filozofijom doktora žapca" - žabac koji živi u bunaru ne može da poima veličinu Atlantskog okeana, ali to mu ne smeta da svoje ograničeno znanje posmatra kao domen apsolutne istine. Na Prabhupadinom nišanu se tako nalaze sve materijalističke koncepcije o postanku života, uključujući Darvinovu teoriju evolucije. I to nije problem, ali jeste njegova tragikomična argumentacija. Definitivno treba izbjegavati Prabhupadu i naći boljeg tumača izvornih vedskih spisa.
September 16, 2011
Love comes from love. And from love only love comes, nothing else. This book is a must for all those who are not satisfied by second-class explanations for the most important aspects of human life and existence.
September 10, 2012
A must read for anyone who wants to understand the origin of life.
March 8, 2018
This is another good book to increase your spiritual aspect of life. Loved this one.
One line from this book.
"If small amount of consciousness in form of human life can create big big cities/sky scrappers/IIS/high end technologies then just imagine about the Supreme consciousness, can't it make the entire universe...?"
I was like wow after reading this line.
One line from this book.
"If small amount of consciousness in form of human life can create big big cities/sky scrappers/IIS/high end technologies then just imagine about the Supreme consciousness, can't it make the entire universe...?"
I was like wow after reading this line.
September 5, 2016
Brilliant treatise by Prabhupada on why life comes from life, it has not yet been "invented or created." Prabhupada was a brilliant speaker and thinker; this tiny book is a gem that gave me lots to ruminate about: life, energy, the cosmos.
January 29, 2011
Inspiring, thought-provoking
May 18, 2016
nice one..only swami prabhupada can challenge science like this. must read for all who wants to know the origin of life
March 5, 2018
The Swami has answered a lot of riddles very clearly!
September 1, 2022
I am man of science and also I have faith in God but I felt like this is a good book for someone who has embraced the ISKCON faith but for someone who has no prior knowledge, this book rubs off as arrogant, boastful and prejudice, which is exactly what it was trying to prove about modern science.
The synopsis of the book says that it is a critique on modern scientific theories, but the reasoning of this whole book can be summed up with this- "Something happened because God did it and if modern science is so advanced then why can't it beat death."
The synopsis of the book says that it is a critique on modern scientific theories, but the reasoning of this whole book can be summed up with this- "Something happened because God did it and if modern science is so advanced then why can't it beat death."
April 5, 2020
This is an eye opener for people who have blind faith on science and modern scientists as tested and proven truth.
April 18, 2022
Ott, loe kunagi sellest paar peatükki, see imeline kuidas keegi saab nii valesti tõlgendada teadust.
September 15, 2012
Waste of my time
May 1, 2015
hare krsna
May 26, 2021
Too repetitive. Didnt finish.
January 4, 2021
Although the format of the book may be "unpalatable" to some of the general readership (it was actually a series of discussions between H.D. Srila Prabhupada and his disciples, some of whom were scientists, and therefore, the more casual and even challenging tone), the content of the book is superb! Srila Prabhupada points out with utter clarity, the obvious flaws in the unproven and unscientific assertions by modern-day scientists, that life has been generated by matter. Srila Prabhupada admits that he is not a scientist, but just based on common sense and observation, it can be seen that life is generated by life: the vital seed of a plant generates a new plant of the same type under proper conditions: an insect or bird will "create" more of the same species by laying viable eggs which develop into one of their species; a man and woman conceive a child by the intelligent arrangement of an "Intelligent Designer" (none of this comes about by "chance"!). AND without life being present, those forms will not live and grow. AND those living entities DO produce MATTER, in the form of blood, perspiration, stool, bone, bile, mucous...as well as the bodies of other living entities, called "offspring" through the process of regeneration, via eggs, sperms, seeds, etc. On the contrary, where is the evidence EVEN ONCE of life being produced from dull matter, of life being generated from rock, stone or wood, or some chemicals only? And yes, why not call the scientists' bluff and call their theory a sham IF THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THEIR ASSUMPTIONS IN THE LABRATORY?! One must conclude either that that the scientists are in deep ignorance, deep illusion or are completely bewildered by their desire to "be little gods" themselves and someday "create" life AND that they simply want to deny the existence of a higher intelligence, a bigger brain, a bigger controller than themselves. They hope to "prove" that God does not exist!
The process of life being generated by another life has been going on for eons without stoppage! The atheistic scientists, on the other hand, have made their baseless propositions only a few decades ago and we're supposed to wait around and "see" if anything comes out of their mad assumptions! Not me! I've got more important things to do with my God-given life!
For more precise information on these subjects, one should take knowledge from the Absolute Authority, the Creator of this world Himself. That knowledge can easily and efficiently be accessed in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, also translated by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada. All questions of life can actually be answered there. Here's just a bit of that in regard to the above subject matter:
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies. Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe." Bg 7.4-5.
The materialistic scientists don't even know the difference between life and matter and they admit that...because they don't admit the existence of the soul. They would do well to familiarize themselves with the knowledge contained in the pages of the Gita and clear up any confusion they have.
The process of life being generated by another life has been going on for eons without stoppage! The atheistic scientists, on the other hand, have made their baseless propositions only a few decades ago and we're supposed to wait around and "see" if anything comes out of their mad assumptions! Not me! I've got more important things to do with my God-given life!
For more precise information on these subjects, one should take knowledge from the Absolute Authority, the Creator of this world Himself. That knowledge can easily and efficiently be accessed in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, also translated by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada. All questions of life can actually be answered there. Here's just a bit of that in regard to the above subject matter:
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies. Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe." Bg 7.4-5.
The materialistic scientists don't even know the difference between life and matter and they admit that...because they don't admit the existence of the soul. They would do well to familiarize themselves with the knowledge contained in the pages of the Gita and clear up any confusion they have.
July 28, 2025
This was pretty awful. Embarrassingly bad, really.
I've read a few of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's books and while I wouldn't call any of them "brilliant," this is by far the worst. Some were enjoyable even if poorly conceived. This wasn't.
Prabhupada comes across as just mean, petty and arrogant throughout all these conversations. (His followers come across as even worse in the letters in the appendix.) He's making big, mostly silly claims, but doing it in such a condescending way that it's just incredibly irritating.
His attacks on "scientists" are so very silly. Childish, sort of. The way he lumps all these fields together, talks in huge generalities, as if he's talking about people who majored in Science at the College of Science and now work as Scientists. No understanding of different fields, of nuances, of what the scientific method involves. His attitude toward them is incredibly un-generous, he repeatedly suggests nothing but the most nefarious reasons for their work and conclusions. In his ranting, the Scientist building atomic weapons and the Scientist trying to find a way to cure childhood cancer are essentially doing the same thing.
When he talks about Darwin it becomes very, very, very clear that he doesn't understand Darwin. Not even a little. He sounds like a 1950s small tiny pastor shaking his fist and screaming about Darwinists and Commies without any sense of what any of them actually have to say. Literally every sentence in his Darwin talks says "I'm not really sure what Darwin was saying, but I don't like it."
His proofs are silly. Ignorant and petty. He is very proud of himself, feeling he has called out all the Scientists and shown that all their work is lies by saying "hey, if Life comes from chemicals, why can't you just put chemicals in a bowl and make Life right now?" This is idiotic.
He comes across as someone absolutely terrified of the unknown, someone who cannot sit in wonder. He is unable to say that there are some things for which he doesn't have the answers. He can't conceive of any "Scientist" acknowledging that their knowledge is incomplete-- if they don't have EVERY answer, they must be lying, deluded, rascals! There's no sense of wonder or mystery. That would be big and scary.
The bit that sort of says it all for me?
"If you say, 'No, Krsna is not the operator behind the cosmos,' then you have to accept another operator, and you must present him. But this you cannot do. Therefore, in the absence of your proof, you should accept mine."
That's laughable, but it really captures the spirit of this whole ridiculous little book.
"If you can't explain it all in every detail, then I'm right, because I have an explanation."
It's like, if you and I were in a room and there was a sweater in the room on a table. We look around, there's no one else here, and you don't have any clue who left it here or when. I tell you "it was left here by an Elf; his name is Randy; he loves Corn Flakes in vanilla almond milk, and his favorite band is Led Zeppelin."
If you say "I don't think that's true," I will say to you "you don't have an explanation, so you have to accept mine."
That is the whole of Prabhupada's philosophy. His "wisdom." His "science."
I've read a few of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's books and while I wouldn't call any of them "brilliant," this is by far the worst. Some were enjoyable even if poorly conceived. This wasn't.
Prabhupada comes across as just mean, petty and arrogant throughout all these conversations. (His followers come across as even worse in the letters in the appendix.) He's making big, mostly silly claims, but doing it in such a condescending way that it's just incredibly irritating.
His attacks on "scientists" are so very silly. Childish, sort of. The way he lumps all these fields together, talks in huge generalities, as if he's talking about people who majored in Science at the College of Science and now work as Scientists. No understanding of different fields, of nuances, of what the scientific method involves. His attitude toward them is incredibly un-generous, he repeatedly suggests nothing but the most nefarious reasons for their work and conclusions. In his ranting, the Scientist building atomic weapons and the Scientist trying to find a way to cure childhood cancer are essentially doing the same thing.
When he talks about Darwin it becomes very, very, very clear that he doesn't understand Darwin. Not even a little. He sounds like a 1950s small tiny pastor shaking his fist and screaming about Darwinists and Commies without any sense of what any of them actually have to say. Literally every sentence in his Darwin talks says "I'm not really sure what Darwin was saying, but I don't like it."
His proofs are silly. Ignorant and petty. He is very proud of himself, feeling he has called out all the Scientists and shown that all their work is lies by saying "hey, if Life comes from chemicals, why can't you just put chemicals in a bowl and make Life right now?" This is idiotic.
He comes across as someone absolutely terrified of the unknown, someone who cannot sit in wonder. He is unable to say that there are some things for which he doesn't have the answers. He can't conceive of any "Scientist" acknowledging that their knowledge is incomplete-- if they don't have EVERY answer, they must be lying, deluded, rascals! There's no sense of wonder or mystery. That would be big and scary.
The bit that sort of says it all for me?
"If you say, 'No, Krsna is not the operator behind the cosmos,' then you have to accept another operator, and you must present him. But this you cannot do. Therefore, in the absence of your proof, you should accept mine."
That's laughable, but it really captures the spirit of this whole ridiculous little book.
"If you can't explain it all in every detail, then I'm right, because I have an explanation."
It's like, if you and I were in a room and there was a sweater in the room on a table. We look around, there's no one else here, and you don't have any clue who left it here or when. I tell you "it was left here by an Elf; his name is Randy; he loves Corn Flakes in vanilla almond milk, and his favorite band is Led Zeppelin."
If you say "I don't think that's true," I will say to you "you don't have an explanation, so you have to accept mine."
That is the whole of Prabhupada's philosophy. His "wisdom." His "science."
September 14, 2025
Book Review: "Life Comes from Life" by A.C. Bhaktivedanta
An ISKCON member gave me this and a few other books to read. I had hoped for spiritual insight and a logical discussion on the debate between materialistic science and spirituality. Unfortunately, this book felt more like a collection of arrogance, blame, and ad hominem arguments.
Anyone seeking logical reasoning, genuine spiritual understanding, or even a glimpse of thoughtful discourse may be disappointed. The language used throughout the book is also not particularly pleasant or inviting.
I personally would not recommend this book.
An ISKCON member gave me this and a few other books to read. I had hoped for spiritual insight and a logical discussion on the debate between materialistic science and spirituality. Unfortunately, this book felt more like a collection of arrogance, blame, and ad hominem arguments.
Anyone seeking logical reasoning, genuine spiritual understanding, or even a glimpse of thoughtful discourse may be disappointed. The language used throughout the book is also not particularly pleasant or inviting.
I personally would not recommend this book.
March 5, 2023
i figured i would finally read the book a random guy gave to me at the park on my partners birthday. it was very interesting reading this as an agnostic science major, because this book mocks people just like myself. however, there were definitely some takes that i agree with. i enjoyed getting a better look into hinduism as well.
November 28, 2017
Trash! Wasted my time.
A rude, arrogant, and angry ( holy? ) man tries to lead people to the fantasy world and wish to subdue them by preaching how to be close minded.
A rude, arrogant, and angry ( holy? ) man tries to lead people to the fantasy world and wish to subdue them by preaching how to be close minded.
December 26, 2017
The highest Truth
January 7, 2020
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
November 13, 2021
One of my favourite book.
Review can't be expressed in words
I recommend all of you to read and relish it.
Review can't be expressed in words
I recommend all of you to read and relish it.
August 11, 2022
Book talks about choices and the parameters involved in making choices.
October 9, 2023
A scientific perspective on God s existence....
Amazing Book
Amazing Book
May 29, 2020
I received a clear understanding between what is there and what is not there and the difference between them!
January 3, 2017
This is a pure trash. Surely the worst of all 200 books I intend to read this year. It doesn't teach you absolutely anything more than how to be a closed minded and uneducated fanatic. Author is trying his best to construct his fantasy world and to convince everyone around him that it is a scientifically proven reality, and he gets extremely hostile, rude and angry (strange for a "holy man", isn't it?) when someone disputes him and completely wrecks his claims in a few seconds. Swami Prabhupada was possibly mentally ill, or just a very closed minded, hostile, uneducated, and overall harmful human being whose life goal was to lead people into a fantasy land and subdue them to his will. This terrible book is a shameful monument to that. The main purpose of this book is to redicule and dispute scientific theories like the theory of evolution, and to prove that god created everything. This unholy idiot fails miserably, of course, but without even realising it. His main "arguments", which he repeats over and over again, are: "Scientists can't create life from a dead matter, so it must mean they are wrong about God not being a creator". This is equally intelligent "argument" as if it would be for him to say to a scientist to ejaculate on a tree branch and then accuse him for not being able to create life, or challenge him to create a new planet and then victoriously scream that that is evidence that scientist can't do anything and that matter surelly can't never create life. Idiot.
Other of fine examples of his "supreme" argumentations are - "It is so because I believe it is so. If you believe something else, then you are not allowed to make theories but to prove your claims immediately. In the meanwhile I'm going to claim whatever I want, without any proof whatsoever, and continue being right", and "I know that it is so because Bhagavadgita said it is so. And Bhagavadgita is undoubtedly true because I say it was written by god, and the text claims it also, so I belive it. It simply can't be fantasy, because text himself claims otherwise". Lol. So you see, he is a religious freak and a fanatic without any understanding, logic, tolerance or authority whatsoever.
The most disgusting part comes at the end of the book, when Hare Krishnas start invading privacy of some scientist they want to dispute, insult him via letters, and to redicule him and gloat over his condition because he has cancer, so his science is worth shit, because he can't cure himself.
This book is a clear example of why Hare Krishnas mustn't be given any authority, and why they should preferably be disbanded. Because they actively contribute to de-evolution of human mind, and are very vigorous and violent in their efforts to spread their uneducation to the masses. They are a disease. Being religious is something else, and everybody has a right to his beliefs. But when you claim that you are a scientist but you are actualy seducing people back into middle ages, and you simply won't accept other world views, or a simple fucking evidence against you, or a disagreement, then your fanatic ass needs to be stopped at all costs.
Other of fine examples of his "supreme" argumentations are - "It is so because I believe it is so. If you believe something else, then you are not allowed to make theories but to prove your claims immediately. In the meanwhile I'm going to claim whatever I want, without any proof whatsoever, and continue being right", and "I know that it is so because Bhagavadgita said it is so. And Bhagavadgita is undoubtedly true because I say it was written by god, and the text claims it also, so I belive it. It simply can't be fantasy, because text himself claims otherwise". Lol. So you see, he is a religious freak and a fanatic without any understanding, logic, tolerance or authority whatsoever.
The most disgusting part comes at the end of the book, when Hare Krishnas start invading privacy of some scientist they want to dispute, insult him via letters, and to redicule him and gloat over his condition because he has cancer, so his science is worth shit, because he can't cure himself.
This book is a clear example of why Hare Krishnas mustn't be given any authority, and why they should preferably be disbanded. Because they actively contribute to de-evolution of human mind, and are very vigorous and violent in their efforts to spread their uneducation to the masses. They are a disease. Being religious is something else, and everybody has a right to his beliefs. But when you claim that you are a scientist but you are actualy seducing people back into middle ages, and you simply won't accept other world views, or a simple fucking evidence against you, or a disagreement, then your fanatic ass needs to be stopped at all costs.
February 16, 2015
სვამი პრაპჰუპადა ერთ ერთი ავტორიტეტული პირია ბჰაგავადგიტასა და ზოგადად - ვედური ლიტერატურისა და ფილოსოფიის დარგში. მისი სხვა წიგნები დიდი ინტერესით იკითხება, მაგრამ ამ წიგნში, სადაც იგი უპირისპირდება მეცნიერებას, არაფრით განსხვავდება არც თავად მეცნიერებისაგან და არც სხვა, შეზღუდული მსოფლხედვის მქონე პირთაგან. მეცნიერი ეყრდნობა საკუთარ გამოცდილებასა და ცდებს, პრაპჰუპადა კი აგრეთვე გამოცდილებასა და ვედებს და ორივე მხარე მოქცეულია ამ მსოფლხედვით არეში და აქვს გარკვეული ჭეშმარიტების ფლობის პრეტენზია.
April 4, 2023
Funny story - I got this book because a dude was giving them for free in New Orleans.
I decided to read it because it was so short. It's literally less than 1 inch thick.
I enjoyed reading it. It's basically 17 chapters, each chapter basically containing the concise conversations between Prabhupada and some people. It's awesome. Provides a fresh and logical perspective on some topics like life, death, science, and creation.
I decided to read it because it was so short. It's literally less than 1 inch thick.
I enjoyed reading it. It's basically 17 chapters, each chapter basically containing the concise conversations between Prabhupada and some people. It's awesome. Provides a fresh and logical perspective on some topics like life, death, science, and creation.
October 8, 2012
Such utter nonsense. It displays a huge amount of closed-mindedness to and ignorance of science. Its one redeeming feature is the guide to the pronunciation of Sanskrit. However, this is of little use to the general public.
July 31, 2014
Si los científicos hubieras descubierto algo importante, sabrían como hacer para que la gente no se muera. Me acuerdo eso, y lo leí hace más de 10 años...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews