Material world means darkness, wherein you cannot understand what is God, what you are. That is material world. They are very busy in this material world, but they do not know where they are going. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Actually, they are darkness. The material world is darkness. The so-called scholars and teachers, they are also in the darkness, and they are leading other people in the darkness. Because it is darkness, therefore we require sunshine, moonshine and this electricity. As soon as it is covered, the sun is covered, you can experience it is darkness. At night it is darkness. Actually, it is darkness. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, He has arranged the light. But there is another world, where there is no need of, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is another world where there is no need of these things, lighting agent, either sunshine or moonshine. But God is so kind that in each and every universe, it is full of darkness. Now you see how brilliant sun is there. This is His kindness. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām (Bs. 5.40). Therefore the sun is described as the eye of all the planets. Because you have got very nice, good planet, very nice city, Rome and London and America, this and that. That's all right. But as soon as it is dark, you cannot see anything. The mercy of sunshine, Kṛṣṇa's mercy, is there; therefore you can see, you can enjoy.
Therefore sun is described, yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means sun. Yac-cakṣuḥ. Savitā is that actually the eyes. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Without sunshine, you cannot see, in any part of the universe, in any planet. So factually, the sun is supposed to be the eye of . . . one eye is the sun, another eye is the moon, of the Absolute, virāḍ-rūpa. So when He sees, then you can see. Without His seeing, you cannot see. We are very much proud, "Can you show me God?" "And what can you see, rascal? Unless God sees, you cannot see. Why you are so much proud of seeing, 'We have not seen. We have not seen'? And what you can see?" They are so rascal that these teeny eyes, they are proud of, they can see God. They can see this thing, they can see . . . but first of all understand what you can see, without seeing by the God. God sees by the sun. Then you can see. So your seeing power is so dependent, and you are so much proud that you can see. Just see how much the whole world is full of rascals. Do they not say: "We have not seen God"? And what you can see? You cannot see even yourself, and what you will see, God? You are seeing your father and mother, and when they die, you are crying, "Oh, my father has gone." Where he has gone? He is lying here. Why do you say: "My father has gone"? "No, he has gone." What do you mean by "gone"? You have always seen the body of the father. That is lying here. Why do you say? That means you have never seen your father. You have never seen your brother.
So this is our position. We cannot see. Still, we are proud, "Can you show me God?" He does not think his incapability that, "I cannot see even our daily necessities of life without the sunlight." Therefore here it is said, adhyātma-dīpam. It is the light. If you want to see God, then you have to see through this light. And for whom this seeing is necessity? It is not necessary for the ordinary rascals. It is necessary, atititīrṣatāṁ tamo 'ndham: one who is sober to think that, "Why we are put into the darkness?" We require light. Unless God gives us the light, sunlight, we are always in night. We cannot see. Tamo 'ndham. So those who are intelligent that, "Why shall I remain in this darkness? If there is light . . ." Just like in daytime, if there is a dark room we are staying, and if we hear that, "Why I shall stay in this darkness? There is light, enough sunlight, outside," immediately we will be busy, "Let me go to the light. Why shall I remain in this dark room?" Similarly, the sober man, intelligent man, he will think that, "I am put into this material world, which is full of darkness. Is there any light where can I go?" That is intelligence. Daily he is . . . in the northern part of the hemisphere, there is six months no light. So it is intelligence, that . . . why we are discovering so many electricity light? Because we want light. So therefore intelligent persons should be that, "This material world is by nature dark. Whether there is another nature, where there is only light?"
Therefore it is said, atititīrṣatāṁ tamo 'ndham. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is required for such intelligent person who wants to go out of this darkness to the light. The Vedic information is that tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in the darkness. Just go out to the light." Jyotir gama. Jyoti means light. So Vedic injunction is that, "Don't remain in the darkness. Go to the light." So when one becomes inquisitive how to go to the light, for him the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is required. Therefore it is said that atititīrṣatām. Titīrṣatām means to surpass, to overcome. Atiti . . . desiring to overcome, atititīrṣatāṁ tamo 'ndham, this darkness, the position darkness. Who are in the darkness? Why these people are in the darkness? Saṁsāriṇām. They are undergoing the punishment. Because they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, they have defied the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa, they are put into the darkness. Just like one who defies the laws of the government, they are put into the jail, outlaws. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhuliya jiva bhoga vāñchā kare (Prema-vivarta). These rascals who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, God, to serve Him, and wants to remain independent, without serving, they are made servant of the prison house, māyā. Just like the criminal, "We don't care for government's law. We can do anything." "All right, come in here. Force you. Sleep. Remain here." This is our position. Simply defying, "I don't care for God," you may not care, but māyā is there. He will give you kick and put you in the . . . that . . . you will learn how to care. You will learn how to care.
This is the position. These rascals, they have become godless, and suffering day and night threefold miseries—adhyātmika, adhidaivika, adhibhautika. Still, they are not coming to their senses. So blunt, so dull-headed that, "We are . . ." This is intelligence. When one comes to this understanding that, "I don't want all these sufferings. Why they are forced upon me?" then you can become a gentleman. Just like in the jail. Nobody wants to, I mean to say, what is called, breaking?
Nitāi: Breaking stones.
Prabhupāda: Ah, breaking stone. He doesn't want. But there is jail superintendent—"All right, you must break so many." And there is stick. "If you don't break, then . . ." So it is going on. Māyā. Māyā is kicking always, "You must do it." Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). "You wanted to eat anything and everything. All right, you take this body of hog and eat stool." That's all. This is māyā, prakṛti. He has given you a body. You have to suffer according to the body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Why there are different types of bodies, different types of enjoyment? Everyone is in the material world. Why one has become hog, one has become dog, and one has become very rich man and demigod, very . . .? Why? Who is making arrangement? Who wants to become cat and dog? Who does not want to become king? But why this is arrangement? Who is doing this? These rascal cannot understand.
Therefore, to cover all this ignorance, they do not believe in the next birth. But wherefrom these varieties of life are coming? They have no brain. The so-called scientists, so-called . . . all bogus theory. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. As you desire, you will be given this chance by prakṛti.