So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to stop people spoiling his life. māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says: māyār bośe, jāccho bhese'. Just like a straw is carried away by the waves of the river, similarly you are being carried by the waves of this māyā, illusory energy. Māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Sometimes you are being drowned. Sometimes you are coming out on the surface. Jīva, jīva kṛṣṇa dās, e biśwās korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. If you simply believe, take it for acceptance, that "Kṛṣṇa is our eternal master, I am eternal..." then there is no more carried away by the māyā's waves. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is wanted. Except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever we are doing, simply we are wasting our valuable life. This is the conclusion.
Illusory energy (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Vyāsadeva saw, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw... Just like in airplane, you go above the cloud. The sun is not affected at all by the cloud. Although below the airplane you'll see vast mass of cloud. Similarly, māyā cannot affect Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Bhagavad-gītā says daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā. Mama māyā (BG 7.14), Kṛṣṇa says, "My illusory energy." Kṛṣṇa is never affected by the illusory energy. Exactly like the cloud. But the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that when impersonal Absolute Truth comes, appears, they also accept the incarnation, but their philosophy is that ultimately the Absolute Truth is impersonal. When He appears as a person, He accepts the māyā body. This is Māyāvāda. Kṛṣṇa may be accepted as the Supreme God, but He has accepted a material body. That means they want to compare Kṛṣṇa with ordinary living entity, and that is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā.
So we should be conscious in this way, that "I am Your eternal servitor. I am not the Lord." As soon as we make mistake that "I am the Lord, I am the Supreme," then this illusory energy entraps us. This is also illusion. This is the last snare of illusory energy, that "I am God." It is a long philosophy. Of course, there is a class of philosophers who proclaim that "I am God. I am God." This is, of course, due to imperfect knowledge of the Supreme Lord that people can claim that "I am God." How can I be God? What is the qualification of God? What are the symptoms of God? Are those symptoms present in me? So those things... There are so many things to be considered, and they are very nicely described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā and, as we make progress, we shall understand them, that we are simply infinitesimal parts of the Supreme Lord.
We shall use our senses when it is required, not according to the dictation of the senses. That should... We should be in that platform. If I am following the dictation of my senses, then I am not the master of the senses. I am the servant of the senses. So actually our position is like that. Because we have forgotten our real master, real master, the Supreme Lord, by illusory energy we have been put to be servant of the senses. Instead of becoming servant of the Supreme, we have become the servant of the senses.
Prakṣepātmikā, vikṣepātmikā. There are... Two forces of nature is acting upon us by which we decide something that "We now, this life, I shall make spiritual advancement. Now it is decided." And next moment the illusory māyā, or illusory energy, says, "What nonsense spiritual life you are going to do? Just enjoy this here. You have got so many enjoyments. Why you are thinking like that?" So prakṣepātmikā, vikṣepātmikā. This is going on. So forgetfulness. So that is the difference between God and man.
Now the question may be that "Why they do not surrender? Why they do not believe in God? Why they do not take to God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness? They are very educated, advanced. They have got university degrees. But why they do not do it? They are supposed to be very culturally advanced." So the answer is given there in the Bhagavad-gītā, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because their intention is to deny God, therefore although they are very much advanced in so-called education, the effect of knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy of māyā. The māyā has taken away the effect of knowledge.
But there are certain persons who are above this mistake, illusory energy. Who are those? The devotees. The devotees, who are called sādhu. Sādhu. There is a word, sādhu. Sādhu means honest, good behaved. They are called sādhu. There is description of sādhu. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. What are they, sādhu?
- titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
- suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
- ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
- sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
- (SB 3.25.21)
This is the description of sādhu. Sādhu does not mean for livelihood change the color of the garment or having big beard and become sādhu. No. Sādhu means devotee. Sādhu means first-class devotee.
The Īśopaniṣad says that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam: (ISO 1) "The Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa, He is the proprietor." But deluded by the illusory energy of the material existence, we are thinking that "I am the proprietor." Therefore in the scriptures, in Vedic scriptures, sacrifice is recommended. Sacrifice means you give voluntarily. You give voluntarily. Because we have been so much attached to this material proprietorship, that... And without that attachment, there is no possibility of our becoming free from this material entanglement. But that attachment is very difficult to give up. Therefore sacrifice has been recommended, that "You sacrifice."
So yaj jñātvā punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi. So Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna... He's addressing Arjuna because Arjuna is hearing as representative of us. He was not speaking to Arjuna alone, but He was speaking to all the human race. So yaj jñātvā na punar moham: "By understanding this science then you cannot go, you cannot be illusioned." Because Arjuna was illusioned and he was not prepared to fight, so this instruction was given, this Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to Arjuna. So He says that "If you have actually undergone the training under the experienced, bona fide spiritual master, then you would not have gone under such illusory energy." Yena bhūtāny aśeṣāṇi drakṣyasy āt...
There is a nice song by a Vaiṣṇava. He says that jaḍa-vidyā, saba māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā means the material advancement of knowledge is a manifestation of this illusory energy. The illusory energy manifests herself in different ways, and that is called material advancement of knowledge. The material advancement of knowledge means we are becoming more and more illusioned. Illusioned. Just like today one of our students, he had been to some doctor for some business. He had some talks with him. So when the student said that "We believe in personal God," then the doctor answered that "Oh, we believe... The world believed seven hundred years before like that." Now people have advanced so far that they cannot believe in the Personality of Godhead.
And who is this māyā? That is explained. Yayā sammohito jīva. The same māyā, the same illusory energy which has covered these conditioned souls. And who are those conditioned? Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5). Although this spirit soul is as light as Kṛṣṇa or God, although small. But he's identifying himself with this material world. Yayā sammohitaḥ, this is called illusion. When we identify ourself with this matter, yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam, paro 'pi manute 'nartham. Although he is transcendental, still he's engaged in nonsensical activities. Paro 'pi manute 'narthaṁ tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate. And he acts dictated by this māyā.
So our position is that. That we are spiritual sparks, lightning spark. But now we are covered by this illusory energy, māyā. And we are being dictated by māyā and acting and becoming entangled more and more in material energy. You have to get out from this entanglement by this yoga, or perfect yoga of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is yoga system.
When we accept any self-realization process, it is practically declaring war against the illusory energy, māyā. So when there's a question of māyā or a question of fight or war there will be so many difficulty imposed by māyā, that is certain. Therefore there is a chance of failure. but one has to become very steady.
Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna," na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid durgatim: "Anyone who has attempted even one percent sincerely, culture of spiritual realization, he will never fall down. He will never fall down." That sincerity. Because we are weak, and the material energy is very strong, so to adopt spiritual life is more or less declare war against the material energy. The material, the illusory energy, she is trying to curb this conditioned soul as far as possible. Now, when the conditioned soul tries to get out of her clutches by spiritual advancement of knowledge, oh, she becomes more stringent. Yes. She wants to test, "How much this person is sincere?" So there will be so many allurement offered by the material energy.
The modern civilization is simply meant for creating unnecessary necessities of life. That's all. So we are becoming deviated from God. The more we are advancing in so-called material civilization, we are more becoming far away from God. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung: jaḍa-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. Jaḍa-bidyā, the material education, they are simply paraphernalia of this illusory energy, māyāra vaibhava. And the effect of this advancement of material civilization means stopping one's relationship with God. Jaḍa-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre. Anitya means this temporary life, this... Everyone, we are in this material world, say, for fifty years, sixty years, hundred years. That is temporary.
As soon as we desire to forget Kṛṣṇa, or to rebel against Kṛṣṇa, that "Why I shall serve Kṛṣṇa? I am Kṛṣṇa," immediately māyā is there, side by side. Kṛṣṇa is there. Apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. When Vyāsadeva, after getting instruction from Nārada, he wanted to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, so he first of all meditated. Bhakti-yogena manasi, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam (SB 1.7.4). He saw both Kṛṣṇa and His illusory energy, apāśrayam, on the back side.
Kṛṣṇa is never influenced by the illusory energy, māyā. We become influenced by the māyā. Kṛṣṇa... Just like cloud. Cloud cannot cover the sun. It is our eyes which are covered by the cloud. We see, we say that "Now the sun is covered by the cloud." No, that is not the fact. Sun is very, very big. Sun cannot be covered by cloud. It is our eyes which are covered by the cloud. Similarly, māyā... We are teeny part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are covered by māyā.
Narādhama means not even ordinary knowledge of a human being. Lowest of the mankind. We are searching out what is God, and God is canvassing here. We do not accept. Therefore narādhama. Why? Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, because their knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy. But one who is, whose knowledge has not been taken away... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was personally instructed by Kṛṣṇa, and how he accepts Kṛṣṇa? He accepts Kṛṣṇa:
- paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
- pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
- puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyaṁ
- ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum
- (BG 10.12)
"O Kṛṣṇa, You are Parabrahman." Parabrahman. The word... There are two words: Parabrahman and Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that does not mean ahaṁ parabrahmāsmi.
As you have got shirt and coat, the shirt is the inner covering, the coat is outer covering. Similarly, the body is made of earth, water, air, fire. This lump of matter is nothing but distribution of the material elements. Just like we make some machine by manipulating the material elements. This is also just like a machine. And it is stated here in the Bhagavad-gītā, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. We have been given this machine to move. By whom it is given? By māyā, by the illusory energy.
So these kinds of people who are fool number one, impious, lowest of the mankind, and whose knowledge has been exploited by this illusory energy and who is atheistic, these people, they do not go to God. Now why mūḍha? Mūḍha means fool number one. Just like I explained that he is being kicked in every step; still, he is thinking that "Oh, I am very intelligent." This is a sign of fool number one. And narādhama, why narādhama, lowest of the mankind? Oh, because this human form of life is meant for recognizing our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God.
So the lowest of the mankind, the fool, the impious. Now, you can say, "Oh, they are all degree holders at the university, M.A., Ph.D., B.A.C., and you are calling him the fool?" Yes, still. "Why?" Māyayāpahṛta-jñānaḥ: (BG 7.15) by the illusory energy of the Lord, all their knowledge has been taken away. Why? Because the knowledge is meant for to understand what is, "What I am? What is this nature? What is God? Why I am suffering? Is there any remedy?" These are knowledge.
We are thinking that we are enjoying facilities, but actually they are not facilities. So instead of wasting our energy for so-called facilities, we should apply our energy: "What I am? Why I am suffering? I do not like to suffer. Why suffering is imposed upon me?" This is called knowledge. But by the illusory energy of māyā, the so-called knowledge, our real knowledge has been taken away, and some foolish knowledge has been imposed upon us that we are thinking, "Oh, we are advancing. Advancement of knowledge."
People are dying, and that dying process is accelerated, and we are proud. Advancement of knowledge. Oh, manufacture something which will stop death; then you will have advancement of knowledge. Killing is there. What advancement? Killing is there and you are facilitating, you are making more killing at one drop. This is not knowledge. This is called māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, "the knowledge taken by the illusory energy."
Asura means demons. So the demons and the fools and the lowest of the mankind and whose knowledge has been plundered by the illusory energy and who is impious, oh, they cannot go to God. It is impossible. They are not allowed. But they can be, provided they agree. God is always kind to accept anybody, but these people, they cannot have due to their... They will have to suffer these threefold miseries for many more days. Then when they come to the senses, then they can come.
Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Last day we have been discussing four classes of men who come to God and four classes of men who do not come to God. The four classes of men who do not come to God, they are impious, foolish, lowest of the mankind, and their knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy and they are atheists.
Now, so far the four classes of men who do not come to God... That means the impious, the foolish, the lowest of the mankind, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, and the atheists. Apart from these classes of men, the four classes of men who come to God, just like ārta, distressed, inquisitive, arthārthī... Arthārthī means poverty-stricken. And jñānī means philosopher.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, jaḍa vidyā sab māyāra vaibhava. By advance of material science you are simply increasing the paraphernalia of this māyā, illusory energy. Jada-vidyā, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more one become materialistic scientist, he, he defies God: "That is not. We, we believe in science, believe in science." But what is your science perfection? That is a different subject matter. But the difficulty is, at the present moment especially, the more one becomes advanced in this material knowledge, he becomes atheist. He becomes disbeliever.
The Lord is gati. Gati means the destination. We do not know what is our destination. Due to our ignorance, due to our becoming overwhelmed by the illusory energy, we do not know what is our destination of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). People do not know what is their destination of life. The destination of life is to reestablish his lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is his destination.
So therefore two things are there witness. He gives you full independence. Whatever you like, you do, but He gives instruction at the same time that "These things will not satisfy you, My dear boy." Sarva-dharmān... "You give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. I shall give you all protection." But we don't want to take protection. What God will go? Poor God, what can He...? He can do everything, but He doesn't interfere with your affair. If you want to forget, He will give you so many facilities by the illusory energy that you'll forget, forget, forget. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. Now you have got this beautiful body of human, civilized human being. Or you can get the body of more and more developed body, just like Brahmā, just like the sun, moon, and so many there are.
Evaṁ gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante. Under the spell of this illusory energy, we are captivated by this temporary sense gratification and we have forgotten our real life. So those who are in the sense of his real constitutional, of their real constitutional position, as Bhagavad-gītā started from the very beginning... This very conception, that "I am this body," beginning from, from beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā this is discredited, that "You are not this body." So you have to mold your life in your identification of spiritual existence.
We are thinking that "I am very much advancing in civilization," but unless you revive your original life of eternity and full knowledge and bliss, you should know that you are not advancing; you are being defeated by the illusory energy. This is destruction. Destruction of my real life is materialism.
Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Ahaṅkāra, this false egoism—ahaṅkāra means false egoism. What is that false egoism? That I am not this body, and I think I am this body. This is called false egoism. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya, I mean to say, he preached his mission that you are not this body. You are spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Now, still, when we try to realize ourself, self-realization, there also foolishness, or the dictation of the māyā, or illusory energy, continues.
Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). They have, somehow or other, they have come in contact with this material nature, and each and every one of these living entities, they are making, having a hard struggle for existence. But under the spell of the illusory energy, they are thinking we are happy. Although whole day and night, they are unhappy. Their desires are not fulfilled. They want something, but they are forced to accept something else. This is going on. This is called hard struggle for existence.
So therefore Kṛṣṇa gives you message that these living entities, they are very unhappy in this material world under the spell of material energy, under the spell of illusory energy, they are thinking that they are happy.
Bhāgavata also confirms: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā means some impossible hope. They are being conducted under the guidance of this illusory energy with some hope which is impossible to be fulfilled. Durāśayā. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they are thinking of that impossibility? Impossible hope? Because they have taken, they are captivated by this material energy.
In this process you can go on chanting. Nobody will disturb you. Because as soon as you take to spiritual life, there will be so many disturbances. Because it is a declaration of war with the illusory energy, so as soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the illusory energy sees, "Oh, this man is going out of my hand, out of my control. Oh, give him all impediments." Therefore you have to learn this tolerance. Therefore next two words after kṣamā, satyam. Satyaṁ yathā dṛṣṭy-artha-viṣayaṁ para-hita-bhāṣaṇam.(?) Satyam means you should speak the actual truth. You should not flatter. You should not flatter for sense gratification. Satyam.
This machine is this body. Now I am walking, I am going here, preaching. What is the machine? The machine, first machine is my body. So who has given me this body? Māyayā. Māyā, the illusory energy, has given me this body. My real body's spiritual body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). These are ver, Vedic versions. We are not speaking unauthorized. Karmaṇā. As you are working, or as you desire to work, then similar type of body will be given to you. By nature. You are, you have got this body by nature. Māyayā, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā.
We want to forget and entangle ourselves in these material activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, by the agency of his māyā, illusory energy, helps us in forgetting. But if we want to revive our original consciousness, then also Kṛṣṇa helps you. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
- teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
- bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
- dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
- yena mām upayānti te
- (BG 10.10)
So two things. We are at liberty to make our choice. If we want to enjoy this material world, Kṛṣṇa will provide it, provide all facilities. You can enjoy. But Kṛṣṇa says that you'll never be happy, never be happy. You'll simply be more entangled.
So we are trying to make the situation improved because, after all, as soon as you get this material body, it is suffering. There is no question of happiness. But by the illusory energy, by illusion we are thinking we are enjoying. That is called illusion, māyā. Just like the same example, a hog is eating stool, but he is thinking he is enjoying. This is called prakṣepātmikā-śakti.
There are three qualities of the prakṛti: goodness, passion and ignorance. Prakṛti-jān guṇān. These, these are products of material world. It is therefore described in another place, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. This illusory energy is... There are three qualities, qualitative. Some of them... Therefore we find different types of species of life.
For the impersonalists, He is the Supreme Brahman. And for the personalists, devotees, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. And those who are under the influence of the illusory energy, māyā, for them, this Kṛṣṇa is ordinary boy. Māyāśritānām. They cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Those who are mūḍhas, not sufficient knowledge, poor fund of knowledge, they accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person. So therefore... Bhāgavata also says māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa: "Those who are under the protection of māyā, illusory energy, for them Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person or human being." But these boys are playing, kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Puñjāḥ means stock, huge stock of pious activities. Therefore they have come to the position, directly playing with Kṛṣṇa. They have become associates.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
"Why you are sleeping on the lap of this māyā, illusory energy? Why you are sleeping?" Jīv jāgo jīv jāgo gauracānda bole. "Get up."
- bhajibo boliyā ese saṁsāra-bhitare
- bhuliyā rohile tumi avidyāra bhare
When we were in the womb of our mother, the situation was so troublesome that we remembered at that time Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa..."Just like when we are in great trouble we sometimes remember God. Similarly, that condition, packed-up condition, when the child's in the belly.
Everyone is suffering, māyār bośe. Under the influence of māyā, the illusory energy, they are being carried away by the waves. Waves mean the three modes of material nature. And suffering. Sometimes being drowned, sometimes up, sometimes relief, sometimes distress. This is going on. So the only way to get out of this anxiety or to stop the perpetual being carried away is to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You are suffering; you simply surrender unto Me."
You cannot get out of it, out of these four kinds of material tribulation, without being favored by the Supreme Lord. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Mama māyā duratyayā, it is very difficult to get out of the entanglement of created by My māyā, illusory energy. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), but anyone who surrenders unto Me, he can get out of this entanglement.
Naturally, we must be happy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This is our position, that we must be always ānandamaya, jubilant. This is our position. Just like Kṛṣṇa is dancing—you have seen—similarly, our position is simply dancing with Kṛṣṇa and be happy. That is our position. But we have come to this material world to enjoy independently of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have been captured by the illusory energy.
There is no knowledge of the value of life, and they are becoming more and more attached to this material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that so-called advancement of education, education means māyayā apahṛta-jñāna. The māyā, the illusory energy, is plundering the real purpose of knowledge. Therefore they are narādhamas, simply spoiled. In Los Angeles, from the University, many scientists come, many psychologists and psychiatrists.
Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Blind men, they are leading other blind men. Therefore they are kept in ignorance, and the world is suffering therefore. They do not know what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to adjust things by illusory energy. That's all. Therefore, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. It is exactly like the, a blind man is trying to lead other blind men. This is going on.
One cannot challenge the authority of the Supreme and know Him also at the same time. He reserves the right of not being exposed to such a challenging spirit of an insignificant spark of the whole, subjected to the control of illusory energy. The devotees are submissive, and therefore the transcendental knowledge descends from the Personality of Godhead to Brahmā, and from Brahmā to his sons and disciples in succession. This process is helped by the Supersoul within such devotees.
Simply we have to link our lost relationship. We are always in Kṛṣṇa touch, but at the present moment, due to the illusory energy of māyā, we have forgotten that we are always connected with Kṛṣṇa. This has to be, this illusion, this dirty things has to be moved; then our original relationship will be established, and our life will be perfect. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, anādi-bahirmukha jīvera svataḥ kṛṣṇa nāhi jñāna (CC Madhya 20.117).(?) We are so much foolish, influenced by the illusory energy, that by automatically we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Because we are influenced. Therefore this propaganda required. Not that automatically they will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So generally, these jīvas, the living entities, they are allured by this māyā. The Vyāsadeva saw two things: Kṛṣṇa, the puruṣaṁ pūrṇam; and His illusory energy. So this illusory energy is not controller of Kṛṣṇa. Just like darkness. Darkness, you have got experience. Here at night we are experiencing darkness, but there is no darkness in the sun. The sun is there in the sky. Because the sun is not here, therefore it is darkness. But as soon the sun will appear in the morning, there will be no more darkness.
So one side is māyā-javanikācchannam. Māyā, this illusory energy, is covering with the curtain. Just like we are seeing the Deity, but if there is a curtain, we cannot see. Similarly, there is a curtain which is illusory energy, māyā. Big, big scientists, they cannot see what is behind this material nature. They cannot understand. Because the māyā, this wonderful material energy, is acting in such a big curtain, they cannot understand that beyond this there is something else. They cannot understand. Māyā-javanikā ācchannam. Illusory energy. They are thinking this material energy working, that is everything. Nothing beyond this. The whole world is covered. This is one side. And the other side: ajñā.
Here is the person who is the source of brahma-sukha and dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. Dāsyaṁ gatānām means devotees. A devotee is always prepared to render service to the Lord. Dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. Supreme Personality of Godhead. And... And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. And those who are under the spell of illusory energy, for them He is ordinary boy.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness means serving the Lord. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa dictated that "You are sitting here very peacefully without any botheration. No, you go to the Western countries. Teach them." So that is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness, developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to render service to the ignorant of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is better, because Vyāsadeva saw that māyā, illusory energy, or the shadow, darkness... Yayā sammohito jīva. The whole world, living entity, conditioned soul, they're bewildered by this māyā. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5).
But as I have got now this human form of body, we should not be again misled. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni ... (CC Antya 20.12). If we can cleanse our heart, then this blazing fire of repetition of birth and death can be extinguished. But the illusory energy is so strong that we forget our last death-time miseries. At the time of death we suffer very much, so that ... Just imagine, when we give up our life, how much difficult position at that time.
My wife, my children, my home, my bank balance, my society, my community, my nation, my country, my." This is called mamatā. So how this mamatā, or the consciousness of "my," grows? There is a machine, manipulated by māyā, illusory energy. The beginning. What is that? Attraction. A man is attracted by woman, and the woman is attracted by man. This is the basic principle. Here, in this material world, there is no attraction for God, but there is attraction.
The moon is far away from the cloud, and it has nothing to do with the cloud, but it appears the moon is moving. (break) Try to understand. Have questions and answer. It is very important thing. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan. Except ātma-māyā, the illusory energy... It is the maneuver or handling of the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa. This illusory energy develops when we forget Kṛṣṇa. That's all. It is... In other words, this illusory identification of me with the body is simply due to my forgetfulness. We wanted to forget, we wanted to give up Kṛṣṇa and wanted to enjoy this material world.
Actually we have nothing to do with this material world, But we have been trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we are thinking, "I am Indian. I am American. I am this. I am that. I am brāhmaṇa. I am śūdra. I have to do this. I have got so much duty," all these illusions, simply thinking. We have nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still, we are taking it very serious. "I have to do like that. I have to do like that. I am this. I am that." That's all. That is explained. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan: "Except the influence of that ātmā-māyā, the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa..." Ātma-māyā.
By the influence of the illusory energy they think, "I am God. I am God. I shall become God by pressing my nose like this, doing this." So this is going on. They will never be able. That is not possible. Otherwise, there is no meaning of God. If everyone can become God, then there is no meaning of God.
This is called svapna-citta-nyāya. I am sleeping, forgetting everything. I am in a different place. But as soon as I am awakened I remember, "Oh, I have to do this, I have to go there." So this forgetfulness is a temporary illusion, that's all. Actually we don't forget. It is temporary. Ātma-māyām ṛte. It is only it is action of God's external energy. Because I wanted to forget Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa has helped me in forgetting Him by His own illusory energy. Have saṅkīrtana.
Goodness in the material world also at times becomes contaminated with touches of the mode of passion and ignorance. In the Vaikuṇṭhaloka it is unalloyed goodness only. The whole situation there is one of freedom from the illusory manifestation of the external energy. Although the illusory energy is also a part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, still, illusory energy is differentiated from the Lord. The illusory energy is not, however, false, as claimed by the monist philosophers. The rope accepted as a snake may be an illusion to a particular person, but the rope is a fact, and the snake is also a fact.
Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They are not even human being who do not accept the authority of the Supreme Lord. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And they have been described as mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means rascal, foolish. Real meaning of mūḍha is ass. So those who are like that, duṣkṛtinaḥ, and full of impious activities, narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, na māṁ prapadyante, they do not accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Actually, every one of us who are in this material world, they are, we are all under the full control of this illusory energy and working differently according to the influence of the different modes of material nature. I am not real kartā. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). Guṇaiḥ karmāṇi.
So mahātmā and Vāsudeva, there are two. The mahātmā realizing Vāsudeva, and Vāsudeva is everywhere. That is perfection of life. A person who realizes Vāsudeva in that way... Vāsudeva means everything lives on somebody. Vāsudeva. So Kṛṣṇa says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, but still, it appears that I am not there." This is illusory energy. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), that's a fact. Vāsudeva is everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Simply we have to purify our senses to understand the presence of Vāsudeva. That is required.
We have all God's quality because we are part and parcel of God, but it is covered by the material modes of nature. Tri-guṇa. Manyate tri-guṇātmakam. Yayā vimohito jīva manyate tri-guṇātmakam: "Being covered by this illusory energy, the jīva, the living being, although it is transcendental, as good as Kṛṣṇa, but," manyate tri-guṇātmakam, "he is thinking that 'I am one of the products of this material world.' " This is called māyā. This is called illusion. This is called ignorance.
If one likes, he can cure his disease and again he can become healthy. Similarly, we are fallen somehow or other. "Somehow or other" means the reason is as soon as we become independent, we deny to serve Kṛṣṇa, but we deny to serve Kṛṣṇa—we want to become independent. Then immediately we are forced by the illusory energy to come under her and work under her direction. We are born servant, jīvera svarūpa haya-nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. It is made for the purpose of serving me. This is the purpose.
"People who are lowest among men and bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord will give up the original varṇāśrama-dharma and its rules and regulations." (SB 5.6.10) The varṇāśrama-dharma, that is beginning of human civilization. So in this age they have already given up. There is no varṇāśrama. In India it is simply in name. Actually, there is no varṇāśrama. The, most of the people, they are śūdras.
So here it is stated that people who are lowest amongst men and bewildered by the illusory energy... This is bewildered. What is that bewilderment? They are trying to be happy by material adjustment. Just this morning we were discussing of the air crash. It is very good to fly in the air, but at any moment the whole plane may be crashed and all of them finished. So this kind of material adjustment will not help us. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is illusory, or māyā sukha.
So you try to make Kṛṣṇa sun rise in your heart. Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said Kṛṣṇa is just like sun. Māyā haya andhakāra. And māyā, this illusory energy, it is darkness. Yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra. As soon as there is sun, Kṛṣṇa, immediately darkness of māyā disappears. So why not take this simple method? All māyā disappears. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Otherwise, to surpass, to overcome this ocean of darkness, māyā, is very difficult.
Piśācī means ghost. When one man is ghostly haunted, he speaks so many nonsense. Similarly, when one is entangled by the illusory energy, māyā, he also speaks all nonsense. At last he speaks that "I am God." That is the last snare of māyā. So they are not, they cannot be liberated, because they are under the false impression still.
That is, everyone knows. Jail life is for punishment. Similarly, in this material world everything is punishment, but by the illusory energy you are thinking, "This is all right." Every step there is punishment. Just study your life or my life. What is that? That beginning from the womb of my mother, when the body is formed, the soul, spirit soul, is injected in the womb of the woman, and then the formation of the body takes place. So the body grows.
Svajanera kole. Many relatives, mother, father, takes care, and he forgets that "I promised I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious this time." But on account of illusory energy, he thought that "I am very comfortably situated. My father is taking care. My mother is taking care. My relatives are taking care. So very happy life." This is called forgetfulness.
There are persons like that. They don't want to be attached to this material affection. Māyāra vaibhava. These are expansion of the illusory energy. That is sense. That is first-class understanding. Actually, there is no need of this material world. Just like somebody says that "If all the prisoners become free, how the prisonhouse will go on?" And is it a very good proposal?
Kṛṣṇa says, the Lord says, that "Those who are miscreants, always trying to do harm to the society, to the country, to the people, to the other animals, other living creatures..." They are called duṣkṛtina, miscreants. Miscreants. Na mām duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And fools. So miscreants, fools, and narādhamāḥ. Narādhama means the lowest of the mankind. Narādhamāḥ. And māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: and one whose knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy. Who are they? So-called educated.
But a fragmental portion of the sky is covered by cloud, and because we are very teeny, if the cloud is spread only for ten miles we think, "Now the sun is covered." The sun is never covered. Similarly, the illusory energy cannot cover Kṛṣṇa, but it can cover you. And we are in this covering condition. Therefore we have forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Now we have to uncover by Kṛṣṇa's grace, or we'll have to go to the sunlight. It is not that the sun is covered by clouds.
Maybe the former body was very pleasing, and this body is not very pleasing, degraded. That is possible. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). It is not that you'll always get a body very pleasing. But the illusory energy is so strong, even one gets the body of a pig, he thinks, "It is very nice." This is called prakṣepātmika-śakti. Māyā has got especially two energies: āvaraṇātmika and prakṣepātmika.
Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Because one has acted in such a way that he has to eat stool, he must eat. But the māyā, the illusory energy, is so clever that while the animal is eating stool, he's thinking, "I am enjoying heaven." This is called māyā. So even by eating stool he's thinking that he is enjoying heavenly pleasure.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
You surrender unto Him, and He assures, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Immediately he becomes relieved from the effects of illusory energy. So there is no difficulty, not at all difficulty. Let us immediately become surrendered to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Think of Him always. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, to become His devotee, always think of Him.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he sings, jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. This advancement of material education means advancement of the snares of the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa. Māyāra vaibhava. Because we are already enamored by the glimmer of this material world. Just like the insects are attracted by the fire. They, with great force, enter into the fire without knowing that he's going to die. His forceful entrance into the fire means his sure death.
So Cupid, Cupid is one of the agents of this material, illusory energy, but if we are perfectly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this Cupid cannot pierce with our arrows, with his arrows. That is not possible. As Yamunācārya says, that tadāvadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-pa..., yadāvadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindo... So to a devotee... Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So out of millions and millions of persons like this, engaged in animal propensities of life, only a few persons, selected person... Because the illusory energy has grasped us under her clutches very tightly, to get out of the clutches is very difficult. So somehow or other, a few people, out of many millions and thousands, they come to the understanding that what is the real perfection of life.
So Lord Caitanya says, "Because people in general, by the influence of the illusory energy, they have forgotten their eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, therefore the Lord Himself, as Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa..." Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa is considered to be a powerful incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Unless he was a, he was an incarnation, it was not possible to write so many books.
This is the age, Kali. It is called Kali. Hypocrisy, simply hypocrisy. Kali means full of hypocrisy. So we have to be very careful. We have to... Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). And the illusory energy is very strong. At any moment, little slackness... (aside:) Oh, you have wrongly put. (break) So this is... Actually, we should understand. So Lord Caitanya says that sambandha means we have to revive, we have to reestablish our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God.
Material energy is under the, I mean to say, control of this Śiva-rūpa of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is called father. He is called father, and the material energy is called mother. Father and mother, Durgā.
- māyā-saṅga-vikāri rudra-bhinnābhinna rūpa
- jīva-tattva haya, nahe kṛṣṇera 'svarūpa'
And because he has connection with this illusory energy, therefore he is not exactly God. God has nothing to do with this material energy, illusory energy. He is never illusioned. But Śiva, Lord Śiva, he has connection with Durgā, the material energy. Therefore his position is between the living entity and Kṛṣṇa.
But somebody is required for destruction, so that destruction part is taken by Śiva, and he is charge of this tamo-guṇa.
- 'śiva'-māyā-śakti-saṅgī, tamo-guṇāveśa
- māyātīta, guṇātīta 'viṣṇu'-parameśa
Therefore Viṣṇu and Śiva, the difference is that Viṣṇu is never in touch of this illusory energy, or material energy, but Śiva is in intimate touch with the material energy. That is the difference between Śiva and Viṣṇu.
Those who are advanced in knowledge, they are comparatively happy in this world, and those who are ignorance, they are not happy. Of course, by the spell of this illusory energy, although he is not happy, he thinks, "I am happy." Just like in the Bowery Row, street, you will see, so many drunkards, they are lying.
Amṛṣā. It is false. But it appears to be just like real. Foolish living entities, under the spell of illusory energy, they have accepted this false exchange of material elements as reality. This is called materialism. One who has accepted this false representation of reality, they are called materialists. And one who knows the real position of this material world, he's spiritualist. That is the difference between materialism and spiritualism.
So these things are sometimes executed by great īśvaras, controller, like Brahmā, like Śiva. They sometimes exhibit material frailties. They are not fallible in that way, but they teach us by their behavior that even personalities of the most exalted position, they are also sometimes subjected to the spell of illusory energy. The idea is that we should be very careful. Nobody should think that he is beyond the range of material energy.
One is trying to get out of the clutches of the illusory energy, but it is very difficult. Up to the last point the māyā, illusion, will offer you something so that she will baffle your endeavor to get out of her clutches. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. Then how to get out of her hands? Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti... Only process is just you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and māyā will not any more interfere with your business.
Just like we become..., sometimes we take a pet dog with shackles on the neck, similarly we are under the spell..., we are pet dogs of the illusory energy, with shackles. You see? So why? Now, 'kṛṣṇa-nitya-dāsa'-jīva tāhā bhuli' gela: "That the living entity is eternally servitor of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, that he has forgotten." That he has forgotten.
Therefore, if one agrees to serve Kṛṣṇa under the direction of spiritual master, follows the instruction of spiritual master, and engages himself in the service of the Supreme Lord, māyā-jāla chuṭe, pāya kṛṣṇera caraṇa, then he can get out of this network of illusory energy and pāya kṛṣṇera caraṇa, and he can get the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
In the Bhāgavatam where describing the illusory energy... When Vyāsadeva wrote Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he, first of all, he meditated himself in bhakti-yoga.
- bhakti-yogena manasi
- samyak praṇihite 'male
- apaśyat puruṣaṁ sākṣāt
- māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam
- (SB 1.7.4)
Māyā ca yat, yaya sammohito jīva. So this māyā, Kṛṣṇa's māyā, this illusory energy, external energy, also saw. Vyāsadeva saw. He saw Kṛṣṇa, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw the Supreme Personality as well as His māyā.
Festival Lectures
Anyone who is killed by Kṛṣṇa, he also gets liberation. And what to speak of the devotee. So on this advent day of Kṛṣṇa we shall seek protection at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Then we shall be able to cross over this illusory energy, ocean of illusory energy.
That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He wanted to deliver these fallen souls, the conditioned souls rotting in this material world. So Kṛṣṇa Himself... Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa sends His devotees, Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee—just to execute this mission to reclaim the fallen souls from the clutches of illusory energy, material world.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Actually, anyone who has not taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness—simply wasting time. This is fact, scientifically true. But they do not know it. Māya-mohita. Mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam (BG 7.13). Being covered by the illusory energy, they do not know the background of this gigantic cosmic manifestation. That is Kṛṣṇa. So intelligence means to find out Kṛṣṇa.
Initiation Lectures
Mahāmāyā. Mahāmāyā, the illusory energy. (chuckling) So illusory energy is not bad. Illusory energy is another face of Rādhārāṇī. Those who do not want to worship Kṛṣṇa, for them illusory energy is there. Come on. You know the rules and regulations? Hare Kṛṣṇa.
General Lectures
So in this way, different forms of life has come in—8,400,000 species of life. So they're all sanātana. All these living entities are sanātana, but on account of their forgetfulness being diverted, misled by the illusory energy... Māyayā apahṛta jñānāḥ. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā (BG 7.15).
So, modern history of the world cannot give any chronological data of historical event more than three thousand years, but this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is still older, from prehistoric days. It is not new. Eternal. As I am eternal, God is eternal, this consciousness is also eternal. But because we have forgotten due to the covering of the illusory energy, we have to revive it. That is our business.
Unfortunately, somehow or other we have forgotten that interest. That is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, anādi bahir-mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva māyā tāra golay badhila(?). We do not know when we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, our self-interest. And because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, therefore māyā, the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa, has caught up us. Ataeva māyā tāra golay badhila.
The atheist class men are described as the lowest of the mankind, duṣkṛtinaḥ. Why? Narādhamāḥ, na duṣkṛtinaḥ: always engaged in sinful activities. That na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ, and rascals. Prapadyante narādhamāḥ, and lowest of the mankind. So "They are very educated." Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā: "Their knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy." Why? Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ: "Because they have taken to the philosophy of atheism." So their position... Of course, we approach everyone to preach this science of God consciousness, but it is very difficult.
Māyā means the illusory energy, where we want to enjoy, but it is not actual enjoyment. It is illusion. So the sex life in this material world is the center of this attraction. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to get the living out..., living entity out of this material entanglement. Because real happiness is not sensual happiness. Real happiness is above the senses. It is supramental sense, or spiritual sense.
Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So in this way different forms of life are coming—8,400,000 species of life. So they are all sanātana. All these living entities are sanātana. But on account of their forgetfulness, being diverted, misled by the illusory energy, māyayā apahṛta-jñānam... That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhā duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ, māyayā apahṛta-jñānam. Their jñāna, their knowledge, has been taken away by māyā; therefore they do not understand Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā we learn that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Every one of us is serving under the order of māyā, illusory energy, material energy, and we are becoming tired, sometimes very much fatigued, every one of us. Nobody is satisfied, cannot be satisfaction.
Philosophy Discussions
Karandhara: They're always saying their conquest over nature.
Prabhupāda: But where is the conquest of nature? Now if there is a mistake of two degrees, you have to go round forever. What is the independence? Vikathante. The exact word used in this connection in the Bhāgavata, that these people talks all nonsense, vikatha. Under the influence of illusory energy they have become mad, and they are talking all nonsense.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66). This material selfishness is māyā. Actually that is not selfishness. Real selfishness is to know the relationship with God. But persons who are engrossed with the spell of māyā, illusory energy, they do not know that. Mostly, 99.9%, they have vague idea of God, and how they will know the relationship? So, so that our actual business, first business is to have complete idea, complete sense of God and our relationship. That is the business of human life. Therefore in the Vedic process, the real business is realize God. Either you take yoga system or jñāna system, and bhakti is cent percent simply realization of God. That is the business of human life.
Hayagrīva: But the visible cosmos is beautiful, and the evil does not arise from the creator.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That the individual soul, being attracted by this illusory energy, he comes here for sense gratification. It is not by the desire of the Supreme One. By his personal desire. So God gives him freedom. So he begins the life from a very exalted position in this material world—sometimes like Brahma. But on account of material activities he becomes entangled, so much so that degradation from the exalted position like Lord Brahma, he comes to become a worm in the stool. Therefore we find so many species of life. The degradation and elevation is going on—sometimes elevated, sometimes degraded—and in this way they will..., individual soul is suffering.
Devotee: Conductor and a chorus.
Prabhupāda: ...they are singing in the tune, sometimes attention diverted by the audience, it becomes out of the tune. Similarly we, when we divert our attention to the illusory energy, then we fall down, and although we remain the same part and parcel of the Lord, but the influence of the material energy covers us, and we identify with the covering elements, and life after life bodies changing, and we are identify with the covering, and this is our miserable condition of material existence. And therefore first education is that "I am not this covering." That is spiritual education.
Prabhupāda: So it is upon the leaving of the soul this body there is no more consciousness. This is reasoning. Why a second before there was consciousness and after there is no consciousness? If you chopped up the body there will be no protest, there will be no feeling of pain, that "What is that?" This is reasoning, that something is missing. That soul has gone out; therefore the consciousness in the body is absent. That soul is immortal; the consciousness is also immortal. Now the consciousness, by the influence of illusory energy, is engaged in so many material things—consciousness of society, consciousness of nationality, consciousness of this, that, so many. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is educating movement, how the consciousness can be purified to remain only Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then his life is successful.
Purports to Songs
Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā: "They have become maddened by a false concept of the bodily life." Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā: "And for this reason they have completely forgotten their eternal relationship with Nityānanda." Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pāsariyā, asatyere satya kari māni: "Such forgetful persons accept the illusory energy as fact." Asatyere. Asatya means which is not fact. In other words, it is called māyā. Māyā means which has no existence, a temporary illusion only. So such persons who have no contact with Nityānanda, they accept this illusion as fact, this illusory body as fact. Asatyere satya kori māni.
"How long you shall go on sleeping on the lap of the witches, māyā?" Bhajibo boliyā ese saṁsāra-bhitare: "In the womb of your mother you promised that this life you shall engage in the matter of developing your Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Bhuliyā rohile tumi avidyāra bhare: "But you are forgotten everything under the spell of illusory energy." Actually, when$the child remains within the womb of his mother, packed up in airtight bag, at the age of seven months within the womb, when he develops his consciousness, he feels very uncomfortable, and the fortunate baby prays to God, "Please relieve me from this awkward position, and this life I shall fully engage myself in developing my God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
| Page Title: | Illusory energy (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Jamuna Priya, Serene, Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 28 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=110, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 110 |