As long as you are unable to go back to home, back to Godhead, you have to change this body, either dog or this or that or this. And there are 8,400,000 forms of body. You have to accept one of them. Now you make your decision whether you are ready to accept all these different types of body or you get original, spiritual body. In the spiritual body there is no more birth, death, old age and disease, and the material body continuously there should be birth, death, old age and disease. You can get that spiritual body simply by little cultivation in this human form of life, next life. But if you get next other than human form of life, then you have to wait again millions of years to come to this human form of life. After all, we are under the stringent laws of nature. You... We are..., every one of us, we are under the grip of the laws of material nature. It will go on. You cannot change it unless you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Stringent laws of material nature (Lectures)
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Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So to live irresponsibly like cats and dogs is very risky life. Because so long we shall be engaged in the matter of sense gratification—material life means sense gratification—we shall increase our prolongation of repetition of birth and death. So this irresponsible life of eating, sleeping, sex life and defense like cats and dogs will not help us. Therefore... Because this kind of activities will oblige me to accept another body, and as soon as we accept another material body we become subjected to the stringent laws of material nature. And the material miserable conditions are summarized into four items: birth, death, old age and disease. So those who are not in knowledge of the spirit soul, they are very irresponsibly prolonging his life in material activities. Material science could not find out the spirit soul within the body because the magnitude, the dimension of the spirit soul, is very, very small.
Try to understand bondage, what is bondage. We are thinking we are very, we are free. We are declaring that "We belong to the free nation" or "free community," or everyone is seeking after freedom. But nobody is free. Nobody is free. Everyone is under the stringent laws of nature. So bondage means to remain under the condition of material laws. That is called bondage.
You will find in the Seventh Chapter in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says,
- na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
- prapadyante narādhamāḥ
- māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
- āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
- (BG 7.15)
Lord says that "there are persons who are duṣkṛtina, duṣkṛtina, or miscreants, mūḍha, foolish; duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, and narādhama—and the lowest of the human kind—and māyayāpahṛta-jñānā—and they have been plundered of their real knowledge by the stringent laws of material nature. Such people do not come unto Me."
This is the opportunity to understand your spiritual identity and your relationship with God. If you lose this opportunity and die without understanding God, that is not very good business. We must utilize this human form of life for the highest achievement of life. After all, we are under the stringent laws of nature. It is very difficult to surpass the stringent laws of nature, especially birth, death, old age and disease. There has been much advancement in scientific knowledge in the modern age, but they have not been able to make any solution of the problems, namely birth, death, old age and disease. If you really, therefore, want to get out of the clutches of material energy, namely birth, death, and old age and disease, you must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So Kṛṣṇa is free from the laws of nature. Therefore He can help you. He can, I mean to say, unbind your tightening. Tri-guṇamayī. Tri-guṇamayī means the guṇa. Guṇa means rope and also the modes of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we are all under the stringent laws of this material nature. So if we want to get free, we must accept a leader who is free from this material nature. So Kṛṣṇa is free. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. The material nature is working under His direction. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Material nature is working under His direction. He is not under the direction of material nature. Therefore He can be our leader, and nobody else can be leader.
Just like in ordinary life we, whatever we do, we sometimes, we may unconsciously doing something which is against the law, and therefore we become bound up by the laws of the state and sometimes we are in trouble, similarly, in the laws of nature also, the laws of nature is very strict. There is no excuse. The laws of nature is very stringent. Just like the fire. Fire, it burns. That is natural. This is the law of nature. So even a child touches fire, the fire does not excuse, that "Because it is child, oh, his hand may be, may not be burned." No. That is not possible. So we have to make our work very cautiously. We have to select our work very cautiously. Otherwise, the stringent laws of nature will react, and we shall be bound by the laws of material nature and suffer.
Now, taking it for granted that I am doing all pious work. That's all right. And I am getting my birth in a very rich family or very pure family, just like brāhmaṇa family or something like that. I am getting myself very good education. I am very beautiful to see. And I am very rich man, all these. But our point is that suppose if you are rich man, suppose if you are very learned man, but you are not free from the stringent laws of material world. The whole point of vision should be targeted there, that "I am not going to be under the stricture of this material world." If we miss that point, then we shall be captivated by this aristocratic family or good education or beautiful body or richness.
Your forefathers, grandfather, they were also eating; you are also eating. They also died, and we shall also die. What new thing is there? They died, and you will not die? What new we can give? Nothing. You have to follow by nature's law the old principles. They died; I will have to die. They ate; I am eating. They beget children; I am also begetting. So what is the difference? What is the new? Everything is going on in the old principles. It is simply our imagination that we are doing something new. There is nothing new. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. We are under such stringent laws of the nature, there is no scope for inventing something new. That is not possible. We have to follow the old principles by force, by nature's law. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest benefactory movement to the human society because it is giving information to the human society that "You make your life... You have got this nice human form of body. Make this life perfect by understanding Kṛṣṇa." This is the opportunity. You may think of independent of Kṛṣṇa. You are not independent of Kṛṣṇa. You are under the rules and regulation of Kṛṣṇa, because we are under the rules and regulation of material nature. But what is this material nature? Material nature is agent of Kṛṣṇa. Mama māyā. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surmount the stringent laws of material ways. And this māyā is Kṛṣṇa's māyā. Therefore the conclusion is given by Kṛṣṇa, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you want to get out of the māyā's activities, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27), then you have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no way out. This is a scientific movement.
The general opportunity for human being is to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, and go back to Him again. We have come from Him, but we are attracted by this material enjoyment, which is not very pleasurable. It is suffering. Just like here, without this fan, it was uncomfortable, excessive heat. So, excessive heat, excessive cold, so many things, adhibautic, adhyatmic, adhidaivic. We are actually suffering always. This is the nature of this material world. Stringent laws of the material world. And still we are trying to become happy by some adjustment. This is called struggle for existence. In this way we cannot be happy.
Uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. We are so much conditioned. As... Just like one hands and legs are tied up, he cannot do anything independently, similarly, we are so much tied up by the stringent laws of nature that we are not at all independent. But we are trying to adjust things in this material world to be happy. This is not possible. Therefore śāstra says that they do not know the, what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ: "They do not know." Svārtha-gatim. Everyone is self-interested. Each of us, every one of us, we have got our self-interest. But we do not know actually what is our self-interest.
Just like if you are arrested by the police, then it is very difficult to get out of their clutches. But if you are a good citizen, surrendered soul to the state, there is no problem. The police has nothing to do with you. Is it very difficult to understand? The problems are there and the problems are under the management of this material nature. So it is not possible to overcome the stringent laws of material nature, exactly like if you are once arrested by the police department, it is not very easy to come out. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So if you want to get out of these clutches of material nature, which is putting forward problems after problem, then you have to become a surrendered soul or Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Prakṛter vaśāt. We are completely under the grip of the stringent laws of material nature, and we are repeatedly put into that stringent laws of material nature so that we may come into our consciousness that "Why we are suffering this repeated birth and death?" But we have become so much dull and so much accustomed to this habit... Because it is continuing since a very, very long time, time immemorial, so we have become accustomed. We have become accustomed. So we don't take it very seriously that why we are dying and why we are getting again body and why we are suffering these miseries. So this is called ignorance. This is called ignorance. So we are not very serious. Especially in this age we are not very serious. We think this is the process of life. No. This is not the process of life.
In the Eleventh Chapter Arjuna requested, "O Kṛṣṇa, that will You kindly show me Your universal form?" So Kṛṣṇa showed him, "Yes." So that... This was Arjuna's teaching to world that in future so many fools will represent himself as God. So don't be befooled by them. Just ask him, "Show me your universal form." Then accept him as God. Don't very cheaply accept any fool as God. So this is the highest imperfection, that he is in the stringent laws of the material nature. If there is simply a toothache, he becomes overwhelmed, and he himself preaches as God. So this sort of thing can be accepted by similar foolish-natured people. God is supreme. Nobody can God. Nobody can be equal with God.
We encroach upon others' property, others' land, and we want peace. How there can be peace? Our business is to encroach upon others' property, and we want to be peaceful? But there cannot be peaceful. The police action is there. Similarly, the material nature is the police action of the Supreme Lord. As the state is protected by the department of law and order, similarly, this whole universe is protected by the stringent laws of nature. If we violate, the stringent laws of nature will not excuse me. Even a children, if he transgresses the law of nature, if he touches fire, the fire will not excuse because he is child. No. Ignorance is no excuse. Similarly, everything, the Prabhu, the Supreme Lord, God, is the proprietor of everything. Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca. Na tu mām abhijānanti.
The law of nature is very strong and stringent. Just a small example: a child, touching fire. Oh, fire does not excuse. Just see how much stringent law of nature. So law of nature is very stringent. So everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, and we do not know it and therefore we are encroaching upon the property of Kṛṣṇa, and law of, the law of nature is punishing us. This is going on. Now, if you want to stop this, then you have to surrender to the Lord. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Anyone who surrenders unto the Supreme, he becomes away from the stringent laws of nature. He becomes peaceful. He becomes happy. One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is happy. He is peaceful. He does not do any harm to anyone, not even to the ant. What to speak of other animals. He enjoys according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa.
This guṇamayī, māyā, this material nature of three modes of nature, guṇamayī... Guṇa means modes of nature. This modes of nature means it is a combination of three modes: modes of passion, modes of goodness, modes of ignorance. So therefore it is called guṇamayī māyā. So daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. That is not in your power. Just like however stout and strong you are, when you are under police custody, oh, no strength will help you. You'll be offered all kinds of tribulations. Similarly, the nature is very strong. So long we shall go on utilizing God's property illegally and encroach upon others', I mean to say, possession, then there cannot be any peace.
What is that truth? That truth is "God is great, and we are subservient. So our duty is to abide by the orders of God," the simple truth. "God is great." You can say, "Why we should abide by the orders of God?" Because you are subservient. "No, I am not subservient." That is untrue. You are subservient. If you don't accept your subordinate position before God, then you have to accept your subordinate position under these material stringent laws. You have to become subservient. There is no other alternative. You cannot become absolute.
The jail superintendent business is to correct the criminal so that he may become a right citizen, a lawful citizen. Similarly, this māyā's business is to give you always trouble, tri-tāpa-yatana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, just to kick you, those who are non-devotees, just to correct you to become a devotee of the Lord. Unless you become devotee of the Lord, the kicking of material laws, stringent laws of nature will go on.
As soon as there is cause of death, he is no more independent. He cannot say that "I have got so many business to do, perform. Give me some time." "No, immediately get out." So he is under control, fully controlled. Still, he is thinking that he is independent and he can do whatever he like. In this way his life is being spoiled. And he is becoming entangled by the activities. And there is strong stringent laws of nature, exactly... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. These things are all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You do not know what kind of body you are going to... You completely under the stringent laws of nature. Here it is said, kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate. As soon as you give up this body, you are completely under the grip of material nature and you will get a type of body according to your karma. And then puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate. That puruṣa, the living entity, will have to enjoy or suffer according to that body.
Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. These rascals are interested to adjust things materially. That's all. Durāśayā. It is called durāśayā, which hope will never be fulfilled. Therefore it is called durāśayā. The bahir-artha-māninaḥ, external energy. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Andhāḥ, blind leaders, they are leading other blind men. They do not know. They are under the stringent laws of material nature. What their program will fulfilled? Just like see, so many plans are being made, but the result is rice is selling at six rupees kilo. This is the result.
That is the aim of human life. Otherwise we are losing the opportunity. So, everyone wants to live forever, but nature will not allow that. That's a fact. We may think very independent, but we are not independent. We are under the stringent laws of nature. A young man, you cannot say that "I will not become old man." No. You must become. That is the law of nature. And if you say, "I'll not die," no, you must die. So this is law of nature. So we, we are therefore mūḍhas. We do not know practically what is the law of nature.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
You have accepted this material body voluntarily for enjoying this material world. You enjoy it to the fullest extent under the condition of stringent laws of material nature. Now, in the human form of life, civilized human form of life, your consciousness is now developed. There is a chance to understand why you are conditioned. You don't want condition; you want liberation. This question arises in the human form of life, not in the cat's life, dog's life. No. So we should remember this is the difference between other bodies and this body. Here, we become awakened that "Why I am conditioned?"
Lord says that "Under My superintendence the material nature is working, and therefore so many wonderful changes are going on." So nature is working under the order of the Supreme Lord, and we are under the stringent laws of nature. Therefore we are obliged to carry out the natural sequences. Just like I already explained, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, youthhood to old age, these are natural laws. And after mature old age, you have to change this body and accept another body.
The lawful activities is very good. But unlawful activities, you are punishable. So the business of sense gratification is unlawful activities. You cannot gratify your senses more than necessity. Everywhere that is the stringent laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass it. Duratyayā. If you surpass, then you will be punished. There is simultaneous law of nature. The example is that you can eat, say, four ounce or eight ounce foodstuff. If you eat ten ounce, then there will be suffering, indigestion, you cannot eat, there will be dysentery, so many things.
We are under the grip of the stringent laws of material nature. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. This is human intelligence. One should not be satisfied with this comfortable or so-called educated human body. We should be prepared what we are going to get next. That is real knowledge. Because it is anartha. Anartha means unwanted. "Why shall I get at all any body? I am eternal; I must live eternally." That is human knowledge. That is called brahma-jijñāsā.
Durgā means "very difficult to overcome." The, everyone is trying to overcome the difficulties of this material world, but it is very, very difficult. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: "You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature." You cannot. This is our struggle for existence. Material nature is offering some difficulty, and we are trying to overcome them. This is called struggle for existence, and this is going on lfe after life. Any life, either human form of life or animal form of life, the struggle is there. There must be always anxiety, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt, because we have accepted this material body, or this material world.
According to one's work... Work means all sinful acts. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful activities. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for Yajña, for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Otherwise, you will be entangled. And who is serving Kṛṣṇa? Nobody is serving Kṛṣṇa. So everyone is being entangled. This is the material world.
Acceptance of this philosophy means, I mean to say, godly conscious or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Very simple thing. There is no difficulty. But the demons are so rascal, they will not admit it. They are already under control-prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27)—under the control of the stringent laws of material nature. Still, foolishly that rascal demon is thinking that he is free. This is rascaldom. Just like a outlaw, an outlaw is thinking that he doesn't care for the government. Although he is put into jail, he is punished there, still, he is declaring, "No, I don't care for the government." Madness.
Just like if I tie your hands and legs with rope, you are helpless, similarly, the guṇamayī, the mother nature, has tied up, and we are bound up by the laws, stringent laws of material nature. So daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot get out of it. It is not possible. How to get out of it? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he can get out of it. That is the only way.
A dog in the park is jumping very fast, walking. But as soon as the master, "Come one. Come one," immediately, "Yes, sir." "Give me your neck." "Yes, sir." Chain. Chain. He's thinking that he's very free, but as soon as the master calls, immediately he has to submit. This is our position. We are very busy, but the master is the material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duraty... (BG 7.14). The fact is that we are under the stringent laws of material nature. We have no freedom. That we do not know. We are struggling so much.
Now, bahir-artha. Bahiḥ, bahiḥ prajñā, or external energy, or the material energy. The material energy is called external energy. So that is called bahiḥ. Bahiḥ means external.
- na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
- durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ
- andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
- te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
- (SB 7.5.31)
Because they are thinking so, tied up by the rules and regulation of the stringent laws of material nature. But they are thinking... They are called karmīs.
So long the, you are materially affected and making plan how to get out of it, the material nature is so strong that it will baffle all your plans, and therefore you will have to remain perpetually restless. One plan you make, and it is baffled by the material nature, stringent laws of nature. And at last, making plan, making plan, making plan—one day the time comes and immediately orders, "Please vacate your presidency, your prime ministership." Although I am trying to make plan, successful plans, up to the point of death... Pralayānta, pralayānta, asuric plan, up to the end of life... And then he entrusts. He says, "My dear son, my dear daughter, I could not fulfill this plan, so you do it. Now I hand it over to you." And the son also going on, making plan, plan, plan. It will never be fulfilled.
For two days we have explained mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ. People have forgotten at the present moment what is the meaning of mukti. They do not know practically. Mukti means the..., to get out of the clutches of the stringent material laws. That is called mukti. We are at the present moment conditioned, so many conditions. So mukti means to live without condition. That is called mukti. The mukti definition is given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: muktir sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ, muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. This is called mukti.
So therefore māyā's name is guṇamayī. Guṇa, guṇa means also rope, guṇa. Guṇamayī, tri-guṇa-mayī, three ropes you bound together become very strong. Similarly, this māyā, the stringent laws of material nature, prakṛti, is very, very strong. You cannot declare independence. That is not possible. If you really want independence, then you mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. Then you have to take shelter of mahājana, mahat-sevā. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34).
But if one takes poison knowingly, that means he's killing himself. He knows it. Similarly, in this human form of life, if we do not come to this understanding sahasā vipaścit, that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I am simply taking poison, then his life is spoiled, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. He will simply be put into miserable condition. That is the nature's way, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā dur... (BG 7.14). You cannot escape the stringent laws of material nature. You will go on suffering, suffering. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra vartmani (BG 9.3). You will suffer again and again this body and next body, next body. That is nature's way.
Everyone is thinking that he's independent, he can do whatever he likes. That is not possible. Then you'll be punished. Nature's law is so strict, stringent. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape the stringent laws of nature. Little discrepancy... Suppose you can eat eight ounce. If you eat nine ounce, then you will have to starve for three days. There is no excuse. "Why you have eaten more than eight ounce?" The nature says... Just like we require salt in our foodstuff, everyone. But if the salt is little more, it is useless. And if the salt is little less, that is also useless. It must be exactly to the quantity. So nature's law is like that.
Kṛṣṇa says, "Birth, death, old age and disease, these are your problems." Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Does it mean that these sufferings of birth, death and old age and disease, there is none in America or in other, moon planet? No. There is also same. Neither in greater portion, proportion. So there is stringent laws of the material nature everywhere, and there is God behind him, behind the nature. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Everything is going on under the direction of the supreme controller, and these are officers, just like Yamarāja, strictly following the regulative principles, the order of sun-god.
We are purchasing suffering more and more. The laws of God or laws of nature, they are very strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot avoid the stringent laws of the material nature. If you violate, then you will suffer. If you follow, then you will be elevated. That is stated, vartamānaḥ anyayoḥ kālaḥ. This suffering or enjoying—there is no enjoyment-suffering, so this is past, present and future. I am suffering or enjoying in this body.
Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sar... (BG 3.27). Everyone is going on under the stringent laws of material nature. We cannot help. The same example: If a man is diseased, you can try to bring to him nice physician, nice medicine, but that is not guarantee that he will be cured. That depends on Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate, I mean to say, beneficiary, or benevolent. Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate bene... If He likes, He can. So take Kṛṣṇa's shelter, and whatever He likes, accept that. This is full surrender.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa openly says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The Ajamila, he was brāhmaṇa, undoubtedly, but he fell a victim to māyā. But you know the story of Haridāsa. He was young man at that time, and one man instigated a prostitute, young prostitute, to deviate him, but she was unable. On the other hand, the prostitute became a Vaiṣṇavī. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. But a devotee can do that because a devotee is not affected by the influence of material nature.
Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. One blind leader giving, leading to other blind men. Suppose one blind man says that "All right. Come. Follow me. I shall help you crossing this street, Mulberry Street. All right." So he is blind, and the followers are also blind. The result will be that he is dashed by some motorcar or truck and they all die. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that we are tied up very hard by the laws, stringent laws of material nature. How we can become free from this material bondage? That is not possible. You have to take instruction who is not andhā, who is not blind. That means whose eyes are open, who is liberated from this material bondage. You have to take instruction from him. Then you will understand what is your self-interest.
It is not possible to overcome the stringent laws of material nature. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā: "It is My energy. I am controlling." Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "But if somebody surrenders unto Me..." The whole process, whole material activities, the cosmic manifestation, situation, is going on just to bring these rebelled souls to come back to Godhead. That is the situation. The māyā, the stringent laws, are there. Just like what is the purpose of this police force or material force or military force? The purpose is to keep the citizens obedient to the state. That is the purpose. So long... At any time, if a citizen becomes disobedient to the state laws, he is immediately put into the police custody. And if he is more powerful, then under military custody. Similarly, anyone who has rebelled against the superiority of God, he is put into the stringent laws of material nature and he is suffering. That is the position. Therefore his self-interest is to seek out the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto Him.
This time you may have this human form of body, next time you may not have. Then what is the value of material knowledge? Because you cannot change the order of transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That you have to accept according to your karma. So, therefore, material knowledge will not help me. Therefore they struggle so. You are under the grip of natural laws, daivi hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Natural, nature's law are very stringent. You cannot interfere with the... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). The prakṛti, the nature, material nature is so strong that you cannot interfere with her business, that is not possible. So your material knowledge will not help you, unless you have got Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge.
So that is the problem. For Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement these are the problems. First of all the public is also vimūḍha, rascal, and their so-called leaders, political, social, religious, and so on, so on, so on, so many leaders, misguiding them. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantrya uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Everyone knows that "I am completely under the stringent laws of material nature," and still, they are making plan to become independent. This is their vimūḍha, vimūḍhaka. This is their stupidity. Stupidity.
This is the conviction of a (person) perfectly convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The preacher who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they must be convinced that without accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nobody has any means of escaping these stringent laws of material nature. It is everywhere stated. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unfortunately, the conditioned souls, although they are very, very much afflicted with the pressure of material nature, they have become callous.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
But in spiritual, whatever you have done, one percent, two percent, three percent, as you have done, that is not lost. Therefore the śāstra says that those who are not devotees, what is their profit? Even they are doing their duties very nicely, what is the profit? Because he remains under the stringent laws of nature. Suppose this life I have done my duty as a politician very nicely, but the next life I become a dog. Then what is the benefit? What is the benefit? To become next life as a dog or god, that will not depend on you; that will depend on the nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). It is being automatically done.
So Lord Caitanya is explaining the position of the conditioned souls. They are completely under the grip of this material nature. And just like one is seated on the car and the driver drives him—if the driver is not under control, he drives him anywhere, to any hell—similarly, we are sitting on this car of this body, supplied by the material nature, and she is driving anywhere, sometimes up, sometimes down. In this way we are suffering life after life, birth after birth. This is our condition. We are not independent; completely under the stringent laws of material nature.
Sādhu means that they are always compassionate with the sufferings of the people in general. That is sādhu. Because they are devotees. The Lord comes... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Whenever there is... The nature's law is so stringent that if you violate a little, then you have to suffer. There is no mercy. There is no mercy. So as you go on violating the laws of nature, the nature law is so made that the nature is giving you chance to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the whole program. And as soon as you deviate from that law, then you are put into trouble. So we are passing in that way.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu further says that the purpose of studying Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as one understands Kṛṣṇa, automatically the tinges of māyā, the influence of māyā, automatically becomes vanquished. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam..., er, Bhagavad-gītā, that,
- daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī
- mama māyā duratyayā
- mām eva ye prapadyante
- māyām etāṁ taranti (te)
- (BG 7.14)
"It is very difficult to surmount the stringent laws of material nature, but anyone who surrenders unto Me, very easily, automatically, simultaneously he becomes freed from the contamination of māyā."
Festival Lectures
You want to solve something; instead of solving, you'll create so many problems. This is material life. Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating problems. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is all right. But that you have given up.
- na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
- durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ
- andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
- te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
- (SB 7.5.31)
They do not know that you cannot go an inch beyond the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible.
Wedding Ceremonies
As soon as there will be order, "Please get out," you have no power to remain. Suppose... We are Indian. We are poverty-stricken or we are not very happy materially. You American people, you are very happy. But the nature of law is stringent both for the Indians and Americans equally. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is particularly to go back to Godhead, giving up this material world, which is full of miserable life. It is actually full of miseries, but those who are thinking that "I am happy," or "We are happy," they are under illusion, māyā. That is called māyā. Actually, there is no happiness, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead says it is a place of misery. How you can make it comfortable place?
General Lectures
By the laws of God, by the laws of nature, he is tightly packed up. You see? If your hands are tightly knotted, if your legs are tightly, then how you can work? So these leaders, they do not know that they are under the control of the stringent laws of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Suppose if there is a heavy earthquake. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean... And there is some suggestion like that, some years they will mix together, by the scientists. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean mix together. Then how you can check? Your hands and legs are tightly packed up. You cannot check the laws of nature.
So we are trying to bring them into practice, how to serve Lord, how to, how to serve the Supreme Lord. That is our movement. It is not patchwork. Other humanitarian societies or welfare societies, they are trying to give some patchwork. They cannot give relief to the stringent laws of nature: birth, death, old age and disease. But we are giving the final cure of the disease of condition of material existence. That is the teaching of Bhagavad-gītā: māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32).
And impious means just the opposite: birth in abominable species of life, just like cats, dogs, hogs, or uncivilized people, ugly feature, no education. These are consideration, pious or impious. But either you become pious or impious, you cannot get out of these stringent laws of nature: birth, death, disease and old age. So we are educating our students to practice how to revive his old, the eternal constitutional position to serve the Lord. This is our practice. Just like here you can see the boys have decorated the sitting place of the Lord, how nice, with flowers and candles. It is not very expensive, but it is so beautiful that immediately it attracts.
It is very difficult to surmount the stringent laws of material nature. It is not possible. If you surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it is possible. So this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is very scientific movement. It is based on authentic scriptures and experience and recommended by personalities like Lord Caitanya, Rāmānujācārya, and many stalwart scholars and devotees. So we are spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā in practical demonstration of life.
Abodha-jāta, every one of us born foolish. And we are acting in different ways to become happy, but we do not know that every step we are being defeated. We are fighting with the stringent laws of nature, struggle, but we are happy by some complacent thoughts that we have become happy, we are advanced. We are happy. We are becoming educated, we are advanced in science. But Bhāgavata says, "No, you are not advancing, you are simply being defeated, because you do not know how to get happiness. You are not trying for real happiness."
Daivī hy eṣā. You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible. Practically, the modern so-called scientific world, they are trying to conquer over the laws of nature. That is not possible. You forget that. Peacefully forget that. It is not possible. You will never be able. Because we believe in the words of Vedic scripture, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), you cannot conquer over the laws... (break) "...conquer over the laws of nature, then my liberation is stopped. How it will be possible?" Yes, you can do that. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "Anyone who fully surrenders unto Me, he can overcome the stringent laws of nature." See practically. The laws of nature, the āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam... Apart from other laws of nature, I become hungry; I require to eat something. I require to sleep. I require to have sense gratification. So these are laws of nature. But people who are accustomed to bad habits, it is very difficult to overcome them. But those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are actually overcoming the stringent laws of nature. These are practical.
They do not believe in the next life although it is a fact there is next life. And they do not know. They are not educated there is next life. How much irresponsibly we are working. Nature's law is very stringent. If you work irresponsibly, then you can, you have to accept... Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). If you become attached to this material enjoyment, then you will have to accept a body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. You have to accept. But this education is not there, whole world. So simply these Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they are trying to educate people on this point. So it is sometimes very distressing, but never mind. Nothing is be distressed. When you serve Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of distress.
The fire will not consider that "Here is a child. He does not know. Excuse." No. No excuse. So as there are stringent laws of nature or laws of the state, that because you do not know something, you have committed some wrong, you'll be excused—no, that is no, there is no possibility. You have committed something wrong out of ignorance, you must suffer. This is the law nature's law. You cannot... I have (given) many examples. Suppose you can not eat more. Out of ignorance, if you eat more, then you have to fast two days, three days, suffering, or you'll have some disease. You cannot violate any laws of the nature or any laws of the state anywhere. Wherever there is law, if you break it, then you'll suffer. This is ignorance.
This whole world, every living entity, even birds and beasts, they are also trying to lord it over the material nature, what to speak of human being. They are trying to overcome the stringent laws of material nature by so many scientific improvements, but still, they are under material nature. That is the conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This material nature is called māyā, energy. Actually, it is the energy, energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From Vedic literature, we get information: God has got many potencies or energies.
If we simply become disturbed by the external symptoms, it is not possible to make them solved. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot make solution of the stringent laws of material nature. It will go on. Just like the fire. If you touch fire, it will burn your finger. It will not consider that... Even if you are a child, if you touch fire... The material laws are very stringent. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). So our only request is: Those who are working in the United Nations in so many different departmental situations, if they will take advantage of this great cultural book, Bhagavad-gītā, and try to study and, if possible, to implement in social life—everything is there—then people will be happy, and there will be no problem, and the chaotic condition will not exist.
So ignorance is no excuse. If in the law court you say, "My lord, I did not know that by stealing one is punished," that, the magistrate or the judge, will not excuse you. The law, even this material law, is so strict, and you can imagine how much strict are stringent laws of the nature. So this is the material life, that knowingly or unknowingly we are infecting a particular type of modes of material nature, and our next body is being created. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Sad-asad life, there are different varieties of life, 8,400,000 varieties of forms. So why there are different forms of life, different standard of life? Why? The answer is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāraṇam, the reason, is guṇa-saṅgaḥ, his particular infection with a particular quality of material nature.
Philosophy Discussions
Devotee: He isn't saying how we should control people. He is simply putting forth the idea that people should be controlled. He doesn't say... In fact, he admits that he doesn't know what the aim or goal is, or how exactly we should control it. He is simply putting forth that according to the Vedic system, the correct thesis that man can be controlled.
Prabhupāda: Man is already controlled, already controlled. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that you are already under the dangerous laws, under the control of the stringent laws of material nature. And you are feeling inconvenienced, just like the threefold miserable condition. (indistinct-greeting guests) So there is no doubt about it. We are controlled. Nobody can say "I am free." We are controlled. When we are being controlled, we are feeling some inconvenience. So we are advising that you be under the control of Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: He says that the free will, which creates itself or realizes itself is the truest of all realities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So if by free will if you choose to surrender to Kṛṣṇa they you'll get your real free will, freedom. Otherwise you are under the clutches of māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature, that is not...
Śyāmasundara: He says, contrary to Kant, he says that the practical reason is primary, is the first thing, that what is practical is superior to what is...
Prabhupāda: Practical, this means, suppose I want to do something, I do not know, then I go and ask a superior person who knows it. Just like when you drive your car, you are going somewhere, so you take the direction from the signpost, this way go, this point here, this village. Similarly, for practical purpose you have to approach a person who knows. That is practical. And if you think that I shall do it myself, without consulting anyone, that is not practical, that is theoretical. You will be misled. At least we are prone to be misled.
Purports to Songs
A brāhmaṇa is not interested with pounds, shilling, pence, "Get money and enjoy." That is not brāhmaṇa's business. What us enjoyment? That is illusion. You cannot enjoy because you are conditioned by the stringent laws of nature, and where is enjoyment? There is no enjoyment. But they are thinking, "I am enjoying." This is called illusion, māyā. There cannot be any enjoyment. When you are not free, when you are conditioned under the stringent laws of... You do not like to die. You are forced to die. You must die. You cannot say, "No, I will not die." No, that is not possible. So where is your freedom? But we are declaring, "Now we are independent." This is all illusion.
| Page Title: | Stringent laws of material nature (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, Serene |
| Created: | 05 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=73, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 73 |