You cannot change the law of nature. Struggle for existence: we are trying to conquer over the laws of nature. That is not possible. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya (BG 7.14). So these are the subject matter of studies. Why there are, everyone is unhappy and happy to some extent? According to these qualities. So here it is said, therefore, that "As here we see in this life, in duration of life, there are varieties, similarly, guna-vaicitryat, by the varieties of the guna, guna-vaicitryat," tathanyatranumiyate. Anyatra means next life or next planet or next anything. Everything is being controlled. Traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. Krsna advises Arjuna that "The whole material world is being controlled by these three gunas," guna-vaicitryat. "Therefore you become nistraigunya, where these three gunas cannot act." Nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. So how you can stop the action of these three gunas? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita:
- mam ca vyabhicarini
- bhakti-yogena yah sevate
- sa gunan samatityaitan
- brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)
If you engage yourself in pure devotional service incessantly, without any stop, then you always remain transcendental, above these three gunas. So our Krsna consciousness movement is to keep the devotee above the three gunas. Just like in the ocean, if you are fallen in the ocean, it is very dangerous position. But if somebody helps you to lift you from the ocean water and keep one inch above the ocean water, there is no danger. Your life is saved.
So that is wanted, that guna-vaicitryat, if you want to save yourself from these varieties of life, birth, death, old age and disease, and accept so many varieties of life... Just like you were telling while walking that there are trees in California; they are living for five thousand years. That is also another variety of life. People are trying to live for many many years. By nature's way, here is a tree, five thousand years. So is that kind of living is very profitable, to stand up five thousand years in a forest? So any variety of life within this material world is not good, either you are demigod or tree or this or that. That is education. That is education. So one should understand that any varieties of life, either as demigod or dog, here the life is troublesome. The demigods even, they are put into so many dangers. Many times they approach God. So here you will be always in danger. Padam padam yad vipadam (SB 10.14.58). It is futile to attempt to make this material world dangerless. That is not possible. As there are varieties of bodies, varieties of dangers, calamities, so one after another, you will have to... So best thing is, therefore, stop this business, material. That is Vedic civilization. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this idea, that "Stop this nonsense business, repetition of birth, death, old age." Therefore Krsna said, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. What knowledge, this technical knowledge, this knowledge? You cannot stop these things. Therefore main business is how to stop it. And because they are foolish people, they think that "These things cannot be stopped. Let us go on with this repetition of birth and death, and in each life let us struggle for existence." This is material civilization, ignorance, no knowledge.
The knowledge is given by Bhagavan Sri Krsna that "Here is the solution: janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)." The problem is punar janma, repetition of birth, and if you want to stop it, then try to understand Krsna. Then you will be able to stop. As soon as you understand Krsna... To understand Krsna means even if you blindly accept, that is also beneficial. Krsna says what He is, that He is the Supreme Lord. So you accept Him. That's all. Simply have this faith, that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That will make you sufficiently advanced. But this is very difficult for the materialistic person. Therefore Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante: (BG 7.19) "After endeavoring for many, many births," bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate, jnanavan, "who is actually wise, he surrenders to Krsna." Otherwise, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: (BG 7.15) "Otherwise he remain a rascal and implicated in sinful activities, lowest of the mankind, knowledge is taken away." Na mam prapadyante: "He never surrenders to Krsna."