Anyone who is in this material world is more or less crazy, a madman

Expressions researched:
"crazy" |"mad" |"material world"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

When one is cured of his madness and he is situated in healthy state, that is called mukti. So here in this material world everyone is mad.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Real mukti is described in the Bhāgavata. Mukti means muktir hitvānyathā rūpam. Muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. When one is cured of his madness and he is situated in healthy state, that is called mukti. So here in this material world everyone is mad. Somebody is thinking, "I am king." Somebody is thinking, "I am minister." Somebody is thinking, "I am president," "I am this," "I am Nārāyaṇa," so on, so on, so on, all madmen, all madmen, because it will be finished. His so-called conception of becoming this and that will be finished within few years. But he is eternal. He is thinking the temporary situation of becoming an American, Indian, or minister, or president, or this or that, how long it will stay? It will stay, say, ten or fifteen or fifty or hundred years. That's all. But he is not for hundred years. He—nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). But the rascal does not know. He is thinking, "By chance, I have become minister or president or this or that. For some years this is my position." Dehātma-buddhiḥ. So that is the difference between mukti, mukta and bandha, bondage and liberation.

Because anyone who is in this material world—more or less crazy, madman. Because he doesn't care for God, therefore he's crazy.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

So psychiatrists generally their patients are crazy fellows. Generally they treat crazy fellows. Is it not? No sane man goes to a psychiatrist. (laughter) Is it not a fact? So all these crazy men sometimes makes the psychiatrist a crazy also. So more or less, everyone is crazy. That is the... It is not my layman's opinion. It is the opinion of a big medical surgeon. There was a case in the court, murder case. The murderer pleaded that "I became crazy, mad, at that time." That is generally... So the medical man was called to examine. He was great civil surgeon in Calcutta. So he gave his opinion in the court that "So far I have treated many patients, so my opinion is that everyone is more or less a madman. More or less. It is a question of degree." So our opinion is like that, that anyone who is not under the direct connection with God, he's a crazy man. He's a madman. Now you can treat. So we are also psychiatrists. We are pushing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So because anyone who is in this material world—more or less crazy, madman. Because he doesn't care for God, therefore he's crazy. He is completely under the control of God, but still, he has the audacity to say, "No, I don't believe in god." Crazy man. So anyone who does not believe in God, he's a crazy fellow. You can treat him. Everyone is patient.

This crazy fellow is fully under the control of material nature, and he's still thinking that he is independent. That is craziness.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

(recites verse)

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

This crazy fellow is fully under the control of material nature, and he's still thinking that he is independent. That is craziness. Everyone is thinking like that, so everyone is a patient of psychiatrist. How we can declare independence? There is no independence. We are completely dependent on the laws of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. Nobody wants to die, but nature says, "You must die." Where is your independence? Nobody wants to take birth, enter into the mother's womb. But you must enter. Nobody wants to become old man. Nature says, "You must become old man." Nobody wants disease. The nature says, "You must have disease." So where is your independence? But the crazy fellow says, "I am independent. I think like this." What is the value of your thinking? You may think in your favor but the nature will not allow you. So everyone is crazy who is declaring independence. He's a crazy. Then? Any question? Yes, this question is very nice. Anyone who does not believe in God, does not surrender to God, he's a crazy fellow, that's all.

Because we are all sons of Kṛṣṇa... We are wandering in this material world as mad chap. Just like a rich man's son has become mad. He leaves his home and loitering in the street and eating in the garbage. That is our position.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:

Because we are all sons of Kṛṣṇa... We are wandering in this material world as mad chap. Just like a rich man's son has become mad. He leaves his home and loitering in the street and eating in the garbage. That is our position. We are the sons of the richest person. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. Bhagavān means who is the proprietor of all riches. So we are sons of such a rich man. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanā... But we have become mad. We have become mad. We want to enjoy... Just like there are many sons. Although the father is... In America we find many. Although father is rich, millionaire, he has become a hippie, out of frustration, confusion, or some other reason. So our condition, like that. We are the sons of the richest person. Not only richest, the wisest. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya. The most powerful, Kṛṣṇa. The most powerful, the richest, the wisest, the most beautiful. Everything, supreme degree. We are sons of such a father, but we have become mad after this material enjoyment. This is our madness.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

This material world means all crazy, mad fellow after sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Therefore, when one is after sense gratification, he is mad, he becomes mad. Balavān indriya-grāma durdānta. Indriya-grāma, these are the adjectives. Durdānta indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. These are the description. Indriya, the senses, are just like snakes, kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. As the snake, as soon as it bites, immediately there is death, so similarly, our indriyas, the material senses, are like durdānta indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī, and we are using it. These sense are being used in this material world. Therefore it is said, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. They have become mad, mad after sense gratification. The sublime sense gratification is sex. Therefore it is advised that,

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā

nāviviktāsano bhavet

balavān indriya-grāmo

vidvāṁsam api karṣati

(SB 9.19.17)

So we shall be very much careful about the senses. The whole yogic process means to control the senses. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Indriyas are so powerful that it drags us to the hellish condition of life. It is very difficult. So this material world means all crazy, mad fellow after sense gratification. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Why they are acting unlawful things, either stately unlawful or according to scripture unlawful? Yad indriya-prītaye, only for sense gratification. Yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti.