Material civilization means

Expressions researched:
"material civilization means" |"material civ..., means"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The material civilization means, śocati kāṅkṣati, two business, śocati, kāṅkṣati: desiring for things which we do not possess and lamenting for things which we have lost.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975: So this is not the position of Arjuna only. The whole material civilization, the whole population of the whole world, they are like this aśocyān anvaśocas tvam [Bg. 2.11]. When the body is living, when the body is moving, they are busy how to make the body comfort. And when the body is not moving they are lamenting. That is the business. Therefore brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati [Bg. 18.54]. The..., our business is, the material civilization means, śocati kāṅkṣati, two business. Kāṅkṣati means desiring. While the body is moving we are desiring, making plan: "I want this. I want this. My son requires this. My nation requires this. My community requires this." This is, means, kāṅkṣati, desiring to possess this, possess... And when the body is lost, then śocati: "Oh, my father is lost. My brother is lost. My son is lost." Two business. So long there is no spiritual knowledge, we have got on the material conception of body two business—śocati, kāṅkṣati: desiring for things which we do not possess and lamenting for things which we have lost. This is our two business. But if you become self-realized, if you become aware actually what you are, then na śocati na kāṅkṣati.