If we cannot rise early in the morning, that means we are under the clutches of maya. This is the test

Expressions researched:
"If we cannot rise early in the morning, that means we are under the clutches of māyā. This is the test"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

From five o'clock or before that, three o'clock, they are enthusiastic. They are not sleeping very nicely. That means lack of bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. It is māyā. So you must be very careful. Test. If we cannot rise early in the morning, that means we are under the clutches of māyā. This is the test.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

When one has realized Brahman, prasannātmā, prasannātmā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā . . . here also it is said, evaṁ prasanna-manasaḥ. The same thing you will find everywhere. There cannot be any contradiction. Prasanna-manasa and prasannātmā, the same thing.

So how one can become prasannātmā or prasanna-manasa? That is described here: bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). If you accept bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, devotional service to the Lord, you shall be prasanna-manasa. You shall be always feeling jolly. If I am not jolly, if I am not prasanna-manasa, that means māyā has attacked me. A bhagavad-bhakta shall never be aprasanna, not joyful. Always joyful. If he is actually in contact with Kṛṣṇa, how he can become morose? No. If he is morose, if he is unhappy, that means māyā has attacked him. This is the test.

Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, utsāha: we shall be always enthusiastic. But we cannot become enthusiastic artificially. There must be bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. Just like these visitors in the temple, see how much enthusiastic they are. They are rising early in the morning, going to take bath in the Yamunā, and they are visiting so many temples, especially this Dāmodara temple, because it is Dāmodara month.

And from five o'clock or before that, three o'clock, they are enthusiastic. They are not sleeping very nicely. That means lack of bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. It is māyā. So you must be very careful. Test. If we cannot rise early in the morning, that means we are under the clutches of māyā. This is the test. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says:

jīv jāgo jīv jāgo gauracānda bole

kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole

(Aruṇodaya-kīrtana II)

Sleeping is very dangerous. It is to be understood that I am under the clutches of māyā the more we sleep, because the symptom of tamo-guṇa is laziness and sleep. This is the symptom of tamo-guṇa, laziness and sleeping. And symptoms of rajo-guṇa—very active, but just like monkey. Monkeys are very active, but all injurious. Wherever they will sit, they "Gata-gata-gat-gat-gat." Not a single moment they are inactive—but all foolishness. That is passion. And goodness means knowledge.

So in the previous verse it is described how to come to the platform of goodness. When one comes to the platform of goodness, then he becomes prasanna-manasa, because he is not attacked by the modes of ignorance and passion, means laziness, sleep and foolishly active. Foolishly active is more dangerous than less active. Because if one is dangerous, it is better not to become very much active, because . . . just like this monkey. You will find always very active, but nobody likes them. As soon as a monkey comes, everyone drives them away: "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Therefore we should not be lazy and sleepy, at the same time not foolishly active. We must come to the real standard of life, goodness. Then we can begin our devotional service. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

After being brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), after understanding clearly ahaṁ brahmāsmi, one can take to transcendental loving service of the Lord. Not that before. Before, if we take bhakti-yoga . . . of course, we shall become gradually brahma-bhūta also . . . Bhakti-yoga is so nice that it does not depend on any condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā means not under any condition.

You can begin . . . in whichever position you are, you can begin immediately. You can begin hearing about Kṛṣṇa from any point. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). It doesn't matter. And if you follow strictly the bhagavad-bhakti-yoga process, then automatically you are situated above goodness. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Anyone who has taken seriously devotional service . . . vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Liberation means knowledge and detachment. Knowledge, full knowledge, means that, "I am not this body; I am spirit soul, and my bodily activities are not congenial for my ultimate goal of life. I must engage myself in spiritual activity." This is called jñāna and vairāgya.