The impetus for lording it over material nature is the sense of "mine" and "I". "I am the lord of all that I survey. So many things I possess, and I shall possess more and more. Who can be richer than I in wealth and education?"

Expressions researched:
"The impetus for lording it over material nature is the sense of" |"mine" |"I am the lord of all that I survey. So many things I possess, and I shall possess more and more. Who can be richer than I in wealth and education"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

The impetus for lording it over material nature is the sense of ""mine"" and ""I."" ""I am the lord of all that I survey. So many things I possess, and I shall possess more and more. Who can be richer than I in wealth and education? I am the master, and I am God. Who else is there but me?"" All these ideas reflect the philosophy of ahaṁ mama, the conception that ""I am everything."" Persons conducted by such a conception of life can never get liberation from material bondage.

SB 3.5.44, Translation and Purport

O Lord, persons who are entangled by undesirable eagerness for the temporary body and kinsmen, and who are bound by thoughts of "mine" and "I," are unable to see Your lotus feet, although Your lotus feet are situated within their own bodies. But let us take shelter of Your lotus feet.

The whole Vedic philosophy of life is that one should get rid of the material encagement of gross and subtle bodies, which only cause one to continue in a condemned life of miseries. This material body continues as long as one is not detached from the false conception of lording it over material nature. The impetus for lording it over material nature is the sense of "mine" and "I." "I am the lord of all that I survey. So many things I possess, and I shall possess more and more. Who can be richer than I in wealth and education? I am the master, and I am God. Who else is there but me?" All these ideas reflect the philosophy of ahaṁ mama, the conception that "I am everything." Persons conducted by such a conception of life can never get liberation from material bondage. But even a person perpetually condemned to the miseries of material existence can get relief from bondage if he simply agrees to hear only kṛṣṇa-kathā. In this age of Kali, the process of hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā is the most effective means to gain release from unwanted family affection and thus find permanent freedom in life. The age of Kali is full of sinful reactions, and people are more and more addicted to the qualities of this age, but simply by hearing and chanting of kṛṣṇa-kathā one is sure to go back to Godhead. Therefore, people should be trained to hear only kṛṣṇa-kathā—by all means—in order to get relief from all miseries.