Expressions researched:
"Daivi hy ena gunamayi mama maya"
|"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome"
|"daivi hy esa guna-mayi"
|"duratyaya"
|"mam eva ye prapadyante"
|"mama maya duratyaya"
|"mayam etam taranti te"
|"mayam"
|"one is situated on the transcendental platform of Krsna consciousness"
|"prapadyante"
|"those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it"
Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is no jurisdiction of darkness or māyā.
You can become immediately out of the scope of māyā if you always remain surrendered to Kṛṣṇa.
So these two things are there. So kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama māyā andhakāra, yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is no jurisdiction of darkness or māyā.
You can become immediately out of the scope of māyā if you always remain surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Māyā will not touch you. Just like if you remain always in the sunshine, there is no question of night. Nowadays it is very easy. If you simply drive your plane on the western side, you'll never get night. You just round about. Yes.
Your so-called society, friendship, love, country, nation, and this, never will be able to help you. Because you are under the clutches of māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
You are under the clutches of māyā. you have no independence.
You have to take care of yourself. Your so-called society, friendship, love, country, nation, and this, never will be able to help you. Because you are under the clutches of māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
You are under the clutches of māyā. you have no independence. Neither anyone has got any independence to save you. That is not possible.
The asuras, they think, "I am independent. I can do whatever I like." No. You cannot do so. If you do so, then you will be punished.
For every little action, you are responsible. It is being noted by the material nature. And you will be forced to accept a kind of body for suffering.
Ahāṅkāra, by false ego. The asuras, they think, "I am independent. I can do whatever I like." No. You cannot do so. If you do so, then you will be punished.
For every little action, you are responsible. It is being noted by the material nature. And you will be forced to accept a kind of body for suffering. In so many types of bodies. Therefore Arjuna, being devatā, he is considering that "Although they are ātatāyinaḥ, at the same time, they are family men. Whether it is good to kill family?" He is asking Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there.
He's also contaminated. He's conditioned by the material nature. And what to speak of śūdra and varṇa-saṅkara? Everyone is conditioned by the material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Brāhmaṇa means to be situated, a first-class prisoner. A first-class prisoner is also prisoner. You cannot say that he's free. No, free is different from a first-class prisoner. Sometimes, any respectable gentleman, some political offense, he's put into jail. Just like Gandhi also went to jail. And so many others. But they were given the place, first-class prisoners. They got servant.
Jaya-gopāla: How is Māyādevī in such a distasteful position? How did she acquire her position?
Prabhupāda: (S)He's not acquired. She's given that position by Kṛṣṇa. Because there are many individual souls who will defy Kṛṣṇa; therefore Māyāvādī (Māyādevī) is required to punish them. Māyādevī is required to punish them. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). "It is very difficult to surpass the stringent laws of My māyā." So laws..., the māyā is not independent. Just like police force. What is the value of police force unless government gives the power? Does it mean... Suppose a Mr. John, he comes as a policeman. He's Mr. John. What power he has got?
Therefore the chanting program, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma... Always remember Kṛṣṇa. Then māyā will not be able to touch you. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etān taranti. Māyā cannot touch. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was engaged in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa. Māyā came in full-fledged strength. Still, she was defeated; Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not defeated.
His potencies are manyfold. One of the potency is this material nature. It is called māyā. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult to surpass the jurisdiction of māyā, duratyayā. But punishment will not be excused. Ignorance of law is no excuse. Similarly, this māyā, this material nature, is very, very strong. If you eat little more... Your nature is to eat, say, two ounce. If you eat three ounce immediately you'll be punished. There will be indigestion. The nature is so strong. Therefore it is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. So in this way you cannot surpass the stringent laws of māyā, but if you want to avoid punishment, then you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is essential. If we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if we follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no question of being harassed by the stringent laws of māyā. This is the version.
They are thinking that they have become liberated, become Nārāyaṇa, or God. Māninaḥ, they are thinking like that. Actually, they are not, because they're subjected to the rules of the material nature. They cannot get out of these clutches. Who can get out of these clutches? Mām eva ye prapadyante. Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who surrenders unto Me..."
So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very pious movement, the most, the most glorious welfare activities. And we are preaching this movement all over the world. Just to place Kṛṣṇa... Our only ambition is that to place Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8), mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te, nānyat parataram (BG 7.14). So these are the statements in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we do not accept Bhagavad-gītā in terms of the statements given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it is useless. It is simply waste of time. You cannot make any commentary of your poor knowledge.
Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious and māyā will not touch you, just like you take injection, vaccine, and the infection will not touch you. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. Find out this verse. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Seventh Chapter. Read it.
Nitāi:
Prabhupāda: So, any other question? Yes?
Devotee or Guest: I want to ask you how can we possibly know that one has attained Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: You have to think of Kṛṣṇa. Hm? What did he say, question?
This is Māyāvāda philosophy. But God is not māyā. God is never covered by māyā. Kṛṣṇa says that mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, he becomes free from the clutches of māyā." How Kṛṣṇa can be within māyā? That is not very good philosophy. Simply by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa, you become free from māyā. How the person, the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, can be within māyā? Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11).
In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot be free from the contamination of this material world. Then how? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). You can simply become free from all contamination, sinful life, when you are a surrendered soul. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Kṛṣṇa therefore comes to teach us this. He's teaching. He's so much compassionate with our suffering that He's coming personally. Otherwise, what is the purpose of His coming? He's always being worshiped by lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). So He has no business to come here to ask you any food.
Sometimes you are being drowned. Sometimes you are coming out on the surface. Jīva, jīva kṛṣṇa dās, e biśwās korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. If you simply believe, take it for acceptance, that "Kṛṣṇa is our eternal master, I am eternal..." then there is no more carried away by the māyā's waves. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is wanted. Except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever we are doing, simply we are wasting our valuable life. This is the conclusion.
Immense sunlight. And practically, the jet planes, they go seven miles above the surface and there is no cloud. The cloud is down. Similarly, you can go also above māyā. You can transcend māyā and see Kṛṣṇa always. That is possible. How? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa will arrange that you are no more under māyā. Simple process. You just become, as Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is sanātana-dharma. Because we are, after all, servant of Kṛṣṇa, but artificially we are trying to become master of this material..., of this world.
Whatever you are, the material nature will not allow you to live in peaceful condition. That is her business. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot live peacefully, that is not possible. The only peaceful condition is that you become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other alternative. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Lord Caitanya clearly says, "There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative." It is not that our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is one of the so many movements.
How you'll stop your war with māyā? Māyā has declared war with you, or you have declared war with māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The māyā, the material nature is enforcing, "Why you are closing this door?" "Oh, because it is very cold outside." Who is forcing? Immediately there will be cold, immediately there will be fog, immediately there will be excessive heat, immediately there may be earthquake. How you can stop it? So they simply think... Just like innocent child, they are concerned with the immediate problem.
Therefore, Vyāsadeva saw, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw... Just like in airplane, you go above the cloud. The sun is not affected at all by the cloud. Although below the airplane you'll see vast mass of cloud. Similarly, māyā cannot affect Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Bhagavad-gītā says daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā. Mama māyā (BG 7.14), Kṛṣṇa says, "My illusory energy." Kṛṣṇa is never affected by the illusory energy. Exactly like the cloud. But the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that when impersonal Absolute Truth comes, appears, they also accept the incarnation, but their philosophy is that ultimately the Absolute Truth is impersonal. When He appears as a person, He accepts the māyā body. This is Māyāvāda.
Therefore we have to keep ourselves very much vigilant, strong, strong. Strength, the spiritual strength is the chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and following the rules and regulations. Then māyā cannot. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you keep yourself strictly to the principles of bhakti-yoga, māyā's father also will not be able to do anything.
Similarly, Lord Śiva also, when Kṛṣṇa appeared before him in Mohinī-mūrti... Mohinī means the most enchanting, beautiful womanly form. Lord Śiva also became mad after Her. So wherever She was going, Lord Śiva was chasing. And it is stated that while chasing Mohinī-mūrti, Lord Śiva had discharges. So these examples are there. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The whole material energy is enchanting every one of us by this beauty, the womanly beauty. Actually, there is no beauty. It is illusion. Śaṅkarācārya says that "You are after this beauty, but have you analyzed this beauty? What is the beauty?" Etad rakta-māṁsa-vikāram. It is just like our student(s) Govinda dāsī and Nara-nārāyaṇa molding plaster of paris.
Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "You are the greatest of all charitable persons because You are offering the greatest boon." Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "You are offering love of Kṛṣṇa, which will get me to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa." This is the greatest gift to the human society. But the foolish persons they do not understand it. What can I do? Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). The māyā is very strong. If we say that "Here is a small booklet, Easy Journey to Other Planets," they'll not take it. They will make plan of how to go in other planet by sputniks, which is impossible. You cannot go anywhere. That is our conditioned life. Conditioned means you must stay here. You must stay here.
Yes. Think of. At the same time, chant. Two things will go on, and this will conquer. (chuckling) As māyā is forcing you to drag you from this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you also force māyā by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is fight. And māyā will go away.
This māyā is very strong. She'll force you to entice you to other path. But if you do not stop, if you chant loudly...
Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). These people, they do not know how much they are under the trap of māyā illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. They are thinking that they are very happy, they are making progress, but they do not know actually the position. This is called illusion. Any other questions? Yes?
How He can be contaminated by the modes of material nature? Because Kṛṣṇa says that
If somebody surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, He becomes free from the touch of māyā. Simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, if one becomes liberated from the clutches of māyā, how Kṛṣṇa can be under the clutches of māyā? This is foolishness. Those who say that "Kṛṣṇa also accepts this material body," that, that is not the fact.
Yes. The important thing is that you're working for Kṛṣṇa. That is important. You see? And māyā is calling; that is not very important. If you engage yourself, keep yourself engaged in Kṛṣṇa's activities, then māyā, even calling, she will not be, I mean, able to call you back. She will call. That is quite natural. But you stick to your business. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). You will find in the Seventh Chapter. If we stick to the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā will not be able to react upon us.
Even if you make some compromise arrangement, you cannot stay here. You'll be kicked out. As soon as you think that "Now I have got a very nice building. Very nice wife and children. Everything is properly settled. Now I am happy," next day, "Get out." Finished. This is the law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
So foolish people, they think that "Now I am settled up." What is your settlement? First of all make it a settlement that you shall be allowed to stay here. If there is no such guarantee, then where is the settlement? Next life you may become a cat or dog according to your mentality. But these foolish people, they do not know it. They think that "This is all right." This is not all right.
This is not new thing. It is very old thing. As soon as.... Because māyā is very strong. māyā sees that "This person is now Kṛṣṇa conscious. He'll go out of my clutches." Because Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyā puts obstacles so that he may not go away. But if you stick to your principle, catch Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet very tightly, then you'll be saved. Kṛṣṇa will save. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So this is our duty. In spite, despite all difficulties, we cannot give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We must go on.
It is very difficult to overcome this māyā, but the formula is very simple. That is also stated in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā, this illusion, is very strong to overcome or to surpass. It is not easy. Māyā is capturing you in so many ways. Just like the last moment, at the last moment, when you are very wise, you understand your spiritual position, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman, I am not matter.
However we may declare ourself that we are independent, we are not independent. We are dependent, completely dependent. We may foolishly mislead ourself by the sense of independence. No. You are not independent. You are completely under the control of the material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The material nature is so strong that it is very difficult to get out of the entanglement.
But there is a way. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me..." The whole process, the whole process of material activities, material nature, is going on under this principle, that we are required to go back to the eternal world, to get our eternal life and eternal blissful knowledge. These things are awaiting us. But if we do not try, do not endeavor for attaining that sublime position and spoil our reserve energy in making an adjustment of this temporary material world, that is our foolishness.
Mām upāśritāḥ. That is the main thing. One has to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante. This very thing, everywhere we will find, this Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa is stressing on His personal feature. Mām eva ye prapadyante: "Anyone who takes shelter of Me..." "Anyone who thinks of Me," man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ... So these things are there. Simply we have to take up this thing, Kṛṣṇa. Then everything, the whole solution is there. (aside:) Why these boys are disturbing? They are not sitting, and talking.
And mām upāśritāḥ, and taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Mām... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). As soon as you become submitted... Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. This is the description given in Bhāgavata. Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Murāri... Kṛṣṇa's another name is Murāri. He's puṇya-yaśaḥ. If we chant Kṛṣṇa's name, then at least we become pious. Because we are all sinful. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra offenselessly, you immediately become purified. If you do not commit again sinful activities.
So Kṛṣṇa is free from the laws of nature. Therefore He can help you. He can, I mean to say, unbind your tightening. Tri-guṇamayī. Tri-guṇamayī means the guṇa. Guṇa means rope and also the modes of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we are all under the stringent laws of this material nature. So if we want to get free, we must accept a leader who is free from this material nature. So Kṛṣṇa is free. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. The material nature is working under His direction. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Material nature is working under His direction. He is not under the direction of material nature. Therefore He can be our leader, and nobody else can be leader.
Material energy is very strong, very powerful. You can know that. If there is a strong, a strong storm immediately, so many houses, so many trees and plants can be immediately uprooted. Material nature. If there is big storm in the ocean, it can inundate many cities, many towns. Material energy is very, very strong. That is stated, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we are under the control of the material nature.
Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Mama māyā. Māyā is under His control. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ. Prakṛti is working under His direction, under His superintendence. So we should know Kṛṣṇa like that. We should not.... Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He is speaking like a man, we are thinking that Kṛṣṇa came, and Kṛṣṇa is now dead, and His instruction is also dead, obsolete. No, that is not. Kṛṣṇa is ever-existing, nityo nityānām. We are also ever-existing. We are covered by this material body, but Kṛṣṇa is not covered by the material body. He comes in His original body.
They will be frustrated. Moghāśā. Anyone who does not take the direction of Kṛṣṇa, then whatever he is hoping, that will be frustrated. Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇaḥ. And whatever he is planning, "I will do like this, he will do like that," that will not stay. Because the māyā is there. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Māyā will kill all your plans. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). And if you follow Kṛṣṇa and do accordingly, then you will not be frustrated. Your life will be successful. This is the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā.
So Kṛṣṇa advising here, evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ. What Kṛṣṇa said? That the karma should be divided according to the quality of the person. There are three qualities—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa—of the material world. Guṇa-mayī māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). So guṇa-mayī. Guṇa means the three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. And guṇa, another, means rope. Just like strong rope, three, three ropes. You take three ropes and wind it, it becomes very strong. That is also guṇa-mayī. So Kṛṣṇa advised, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ, guṇa, quality, is there. Now you act according to the quality. Don't be idle.
Just like a person who is, I mean, tightly bound-up, hands and feet. Suppose we are sitting here, some people, twenty-five gentlemen, ladies, and all our hands are tightly bound-up by some rope, and if I want to make you free, although my hand is also tightly bound-up, is it possible? No. At least my hand should be free. Then I can open, I can untie, your bindings by the rope. So unless one is free man... And what is that freedom? One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is free man. And nobody is free man.
The impersonal Brahman has assumed a body, accepting this body given by māyā." This is the Māyāvāda philosophy. But actually Kṛṣṇa does not come. Because Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Māyā is controlled by Him. How He can accept subordinance of māyā? No. So Vaiṣṇava philosophy is very perfect philosophy according to the śāstra and Vedas. All the ācāryas confirm. So we have to follow this. Then our life will be successful.
Everyone has got right to live and live nicely. For that purpose there is sufficient arrangement by the Lord. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. There is sufficient arrangement. No living being will starve. There is such arrangement. But when we forget more and more Kṛṣṇa and God, nature will punish. There will be restriction of supply of foodstuffs. That is nature's law.
So present crisis, food crisis... Everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā does not say that "You live by breathing air." No. Bhagavad-gītā says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Anna. Anna means food grains. There is necessity of food grain. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Bhagavad-gītā never says that "you don't require to eat. You simply breathe air and practice yoga." No. But we must eat neither more, nor less.
Ignorance is no law, no excuse. If you go to the court, "Sir, I did not know this law. I did not know law that 'Keep to the left,' " so the court will not excuse you. "I did not know that to associate with the smallpox infection." The nature will not excuse you. A child touches fire. The fire will not excuse, "Because it is a child, no, no, I shall not burn it." No. Nature must work. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
So you have to be fully in knowledge how to save yourself from the contamination of the modes of material nature. That is called gata-saṅgasya muktasya. Then you are free. So that is also stated, how you can become gata-saṅgasya. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
You have to situate yourself on the Brahman platform, spiritual platform. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhi... And how it can do it? No. Avyabhicāriṇi-bhakti-yogena. Bhakti-yoga. You have to perform bhakti-yoga.
If you want to make a solution of material existence by the material way, it is not possible. That is also clearly stated. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This material nature which is accepted, claimed by Kṛṣṇa as "My energy," mama māyā... This is also another energy of Kṛṣṇa. Everything will be explained in the Seventh Chapter. So it is very difficult to get out of this energy. Practically we are seeing what we are. Our efforts are very tiny to conquer over the laws of the material nature. It is simply waste of time. You cannot become happy by conquering over the material nature. Now science have discovered so many things.
So one has to become very strong. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). One who determines, "Yes, I will hear of Kṛṣṇa, nothing," then māyā cannot do anything. Man has defeated. If simply one decides that "I simply hearing..., simply I will hear of Kṛṣṇa and nothing more," then he defeats the māyā, simply by determination, that's all. Yes. Next.
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These are the statement. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). You have been captured by māyā. You have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Just try to surrender unto Him. This is the teachings of Lord Caitanya. And they are accepting, these Western outsiders, because they have no hodgepodge in their mind, you see. They have cleansed. So I have said that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), that, and they are getting the result. And chant Kṛṣṇa's name. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name, nondifferent. (Sanskrit—indistinct) There is no difference.
Everything is already arranged. You cannot change. You can simply see how the law is working; so much you can do. But neither you can change the law, you can make a better facility for the law. No. That you cannot do. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Duratyayā means it is very difficult. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was informed this statement of Brahmā, that one should give up the speculative method, that he can create something... These nonsense habits should be given up. He must become very humble. Humbler than the grass. Just like we trample over the grass; it does not protest. "All right, sir, you go." That type of humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Taru means tree. Tree is so much forbearing.
As soon as we try to forget Kṛṣṇa, immediately māyā is there. Therefore the reversing process, reversing process, if we want to go back again to Kṛṣṇa, then daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot go back to home, back to Godhead, by your own speculation. That is not possible. Ciraṁ vicinvan. You can go on speculating to become one with God. That is another thing. But if you actually want to know God and see God, then as Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa and māyā will give you no more trouble. You can see Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.
You are not independent of Kṛṣṇa. You are under the rules and regulation of Kṛṣṇa, because we are under the rules and regulation of material nature. But what is this material nature? Material nature is agent of Kṛṣṇa. Mama māyā. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surmount the stringent laws of material ways. And this māyā is Kṛṣṇa's māyā. Therefore the conclusion is given by Kṛṣṇa, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you want to get out of the māyā's activities, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27), then you have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no way out. This is a scientific movement. Anyone, intelligent person, any thoughtful person, he must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise he is doomed.
That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Material nature will oblige you. You are very nice, good-looking young man. Material nature will not allow you to remain as very good-looking young man. You must become old man. Your teeth must fall down. Your hairs must grow gray and you'll look ugly. Why? But he does not think. This is called ignorance, ajñāna.
We have forgotten, but these were the miseries for birth. In suffocated condition...But we have forgotten. So forgetfulness is not solution. Closing the eyes before the enemies is no solution. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So long you are in material condition, you have to suffer all these miseries, either you become rich man or poor man. You may become American or Indian. The miseries of birth, death, old age and disease, they are all the same everywhere, not only within this planet, but also in other planets also. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. This is the intelligence. They are trying to go to the moon planet, or somebody, by karma-kāṇḍīya consideration, they are trying to go to the heavenly planet. But wherever you go, you must know that these four conditions of material life, they are present. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).
Māyā is illusion. Just like cloud. Cloud is another production of the sun. By the heat of the sun, the sea water is evaporated and it is transformed into clouds. So cloud is nothing but a transformation of the energy of the sun. Similarly, māyā-śakti is also another energy of Kṛṣṇa. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Mama māyā. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).
So māyā is controlled by Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa is never controlled by māyā. Kṛṣṇa is never controlled by māyā. That is not very good theory. That is due to poor fund of knowledge. Kṛṣṇa cannot be covered. Just like Vyāsadeva, by his bhakti-yoga meditation he saw Kṛṣṇa and māyā. Māyā apāśrayam, just on the background. Background, just like you find the shadow of the man. Not in the front. Similarly, māyā cannot cover Kṛṣṇa.
That is mahātmā. Mahātmā does not mean by simply changing this dress. Mahātmā means who understands Kṛṣṇa. He's mahātmā because his soul is increased in dimension to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa ma... (BG 7.19). Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). As soon as you become mahātmā, then you are no longer under the control of this material nature. That is also confirmed. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Otherwise, you have to remain under the clutches of māyā and punished by him.
(Prema-vivarta)
These are simple Bengali poetries by Vaiṣṇavas that as soon as you desire to enjoy your senses... That enjoyment of senses will not give you happiness. That is our practical experience. Anybody, call anybody who is engaged in sense gratification, ask him, "Are you happy?" He'll never say.
So this illusion... What is the nature of this illusion? How it can be overcome? That is also explained here.
Oh, you cannot do it by mental speculation. You cannot get rid of this entanglement of three qualities. It is not possible. It is very strong. Don't you think how we are in the grip of the material nature? It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā. Guṇa. Guṇa means this quality, and another meaning of guṇa is rope. Just like we have seen rope, one rope, two rope, three ropes.
Guṇa means rope also. So we are tied up hands and feet with that rope of these qualities, three. You see? It is very difficult to get out of it. Then? Hopelessness? No. No hopelessness. How can I get rid out of it? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, he is at once free." Anyone who becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious by this way or that way, he becomes free.
We should not, therefore, accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man. If you take that, then Kṛṣṇa says that mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Then you become foolish person.
These are the three influences of māyā: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Everyone is entangled with the influence of the sattva-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says that "If anyone surrenders unto Me, or if anyone becomes a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, a devotee, he can surmount this unsurmountable influence of the three guṇas." That is the state That is the position of the devotees.
Simply by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa one becomes a liberated soul. They do not believe. And who does not believe? That is also stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself. He says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Kṛṣṇa says... Once, in a previous verse, He said, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, immediately he becomes free from the clutches of māyā." The next paragraph He says, "Unfortunately, those who are miscreants, they do not do it." Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ.
So we are also avyayam. The sons of gold is also gold. But we are in this miserable condition. Why? Because we are bewildered by these material three modes of nature.
This madness, this hallucination, this illusion of this material world, is very difficult to overcome. It is very difficult. But Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If anyone voluntarily, or understanding his miserable life, if he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many lives. Now I understand that You are my father, You are my protector. I surrender unto You." Just like a lost child goes to the father, "My dear father, it was my misunderstanding that I went away from your protection, but I have suffered. Now I come to you." The father embraces, "My dear boy, you come on.
So this is the process. Mām eva ye prapadyante. "All these bewildered living entities, when they surrender unto Me," māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), "he has no more any miseries of life." He becomes at once under the protection of the father. You will find in the end of Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). When the father... When the child comes on the breast of his mother, the mother protects. If there is any danger, the mother is prepared to give her life first, then the child's life. Similarly, when we are under the protection of God, then there is no fear.
We becomes fearless under the protection of God. The child... Small children, they have got this faith in the father and the mother. So we should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa—mām eva ye prapadyante. "Anyone who takes shelter unto Me, he is out of this danger at once." At once. So why not do this? Is it very difficult job? No. Then why the person do not take shelter? If it is so easy thing, a certain child is going to surrender unto the care of his father, it is so simple thing. Why people do not do this? Why? Because people are, I mean to say, challenging even the existence of God.
Hayagrīva: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material..."
Prabhupāda: Fourteen? That is fourteen?
Hayagrīva: 7.14?
Prabhupāda: Seventh Chapter, fourteenth verse.
Hayagrīva: Fourteenth verse. "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."
Prabhupāda: This is the solution. This material nature... What is that? Read it again.
Hayagrīva: "This divine energy... This divine energy of Mine..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This material nature is another energy of Kṛṣṇa, or God. So the energy is very strong. It is very difficult to surpass the problems put forward by the material energy. What is the exact language?
Hayagrīva: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome."
Prabhupāda: "Is difficult to overcome." There are three modes of material nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance. But they are very difficult to overcome. And now, what is the solution?
Hayagrīva: "But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."
Prabhupāda: Yes. The solution is we have to surrender unto the Supreme. Just like if you are arrested by the police, then it is very difficult to get out of their clutches. But if you are a good citizen, surrendered soul to the state, there is no problem.
The problems are there and the problems are under the management of this material nature. So it is not possible to overcome the stringent laws of material nature, exactly like if you are once arrested by the police department, it is not very easy to come out. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So if you want to get out of these clutches of material nature, which is putting forward problems after problem, then you have to become a surrendered soul or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, material nature is so strong, you think, "Now this problem is solved," but actually that is not solved. You create another problem. (break) ...there any other method for solving the problems? Anyone can suggest?
So if we actually take Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, as it is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, we are sure to achieve the result without any doubt. Kṛṣṇa assures, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be doubtful. Simply surrender unto Me. I shall take care of you." The whole Bhagavad-gītā is taught in that way. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca. In this way, in Bhagavad-gītā we'll find, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. So His instructions are there.
But if you want to avoid this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, then you must be Kṛṣṇa conscious, you must surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Ryaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti... These things are there. So you should (read) Bhagavad-gītā very carefully with attention, as it is, without malinterpretation, with rascal interpretation. Try to understand, make your life successful.
The foolish people, they are trying to adjust this world and be happy. That is not... That is a first-class foolishness. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). They'll never be able to make a solution of this material world. (break) ...do not accept this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness the result is that they do not go back to Godhead, but remain in this material world for continuous struggle for existence. Dharmasya iti, imaṁ bhakti-lakṣaṇaṁ dharmam. This... This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also a principle of religion. Religion... Religion means which has connection with God. Without any connection with God, oh, that is not accepted as religion. Religion, generally understood—searching after God, understanding about God, relationship with God. This is religion. Atheism is not religion. Atheism not religion.
So we are accepting similar bodies, 8,400,000 forms of bodies are there, and one after another we are entering and leaving and entering and leaving. This is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. But we have no such brain that how to get out this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. We can get out. That is, that will be, that is explained, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is māyā. Māyā means actually I am not under this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Ātma māyām ṛte rājan. It is māyā. Just like in dream, I enter some kind of body. At night, every night we can experience, that when you sleep we dream that "I have taken another body. I have gone to another place. I am working in a different way, forgetting this body."
He has to surrender to the police or to the government. If he surrenders to the government, then he hasn't got to the police custody in jail. So instead of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, we have surrendered to His māyā. And the māyā is punishing us.
So if you want to get relief from the punishment of this māyā, then you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Your position is to surrender, either this side or that side.
That seriousness, one who has taken that serious attitude, they can actually perform this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely. But those who are still under the impression that "Material advancement will make me happy," they are still under the spell of illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This planet, that planet, that planet, that planet, that planet. But in no planet nowhere you can have perfect peace of life. That is impossible. Therefore those who are intelligent, those who are by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, or by good association one who can understand that "This sort of life is not desirable. I must perform dṛḍha-vrata, with great determination and vow, in this life so that yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6), I may be transferred into the Kṛṣṇaloka planet where going I shall not have to return back..."
Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The law of nature is very strong and stringent. Just a small example: a child, touching fire. Oh, fire does not excuse. Just see how much stringent law of nature. So law of nature is very stringent. So everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, and we do not know it and therefore we are encroaching upon the property of Kṛṣṇa, and law of, the law of nature is punishing us. This is going on. Now, if you want to stop this, then you have to surrender to the Lord. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Anyone who surrenders unto the Supreme, he becomes away from the stringent laws of nature. He becomes peaceful. He becomes happy. One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is happy. He is peaceful. He does not do any harm to anyone, not even to the ant. What to speak of other animals. He enjoys according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa. And enjoys very nicely.
Similarly, the nature is the police agent of God. As soon as you want to gratify your sense by utilizing the property of God, then you'll be in trouble. The nature will inflict miseries upon you. This is the law of nature. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,
This guṇamayī, māyā, this material nature of three modes of nature, guṇamayī... Guṇa means modes of nature.
This modes of nature means it is a combination of three modes: modes of passion, modes of goodness, modes of ignorance. So therefore it is called guṇamayī māyā. So daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. That is not in your power. Just like however stout and strong you are, when you are under police custody, oh, no strength will help you. You'll be offered all kinds of tribulations.
That nature's law is working. Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to take any direct action. Nature, māyā, is there. As soon as you violate the laws of Kṛṣṇa you'll be punished automatically. You cannot avoid it. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Cannot avoid. Therefore those who are trying to overcome the laws of nature, that is the so-called modern scientists' endeavor. That is foolishness, rascaldom. They cannot do it. It is not possible.
The same way as the jail superintendent takes cares of the criminals, similarly, those who are criminals, non-devotees, does not care for God, they are under the laws of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). The jail superintendent business is to correct the criminal so that he may become a right citizen, a lawful citizen. Similarly, this māyā's business is to give you always trouble, tri-tāpa-yatana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, just to kick you, those who are non-devotees, just to correct you to become a devotee of the Lord. Unless you become devotee of the Lord, the kicking of material laws, stringent laws of nature will go on.
Therefore it is said,
As soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, as soon as you surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no more jurisdiction of māyā upon you. Then you are free. To become liberation, liberated, means to become liberated from the controller of māyā. That is liberation. Therefore, those who are devotees, they are already liberated. They are not under the control of the external energy.
It is already happening. Rice is selling seven rupees kilo, nine rupees kilo. How a poor man will eat? So the more the Kali-yuga will advance... Now we are getting ten rupees or twelve rupees or nine rupees kilo rice, but rice will not be available at all. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because people are becoming Godless, naturally the material nature will put them into suffering. That is the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
Just like if you become criminal, the police department is there. The police department will give you pains, chastisement. Similarly, the more we become Godless, the more we become careless to fulfill the mission of human life, the more nature will give us trouble. There will be no rain. Anāvṛṣṭi, anāvṛṣṭi and durbhikṣa, scarcity of foodstuff, and taxation by the government. These are the symptoms of Kali-yuga mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And people will become so much harassed by these three things that they will voluntarily give up their hearth and home and go to the forest.
Kṛṣṇa therefore says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). māyā is very powerful. But if one is very rigid in devotional service, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etān taranti te, he can overcome the influence of māyā. So kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. So that kṣetrajña, knower of the body, Kṛṣṇa, He's also there. He's always ready to help us, provided we are serious about Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. So this is the process of pleasing Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore if you want to get out of these clutches of māyā... That is also given by Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etān taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me fully, he can get out of the clutches of māyā." Then he can be engaged fully in Kṛṣṇa's service. Then his life becomes successful. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
But we can get out of this material energy by bhagavad-bhakti. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etān taranti te. By our surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, we can get out of these clutches of external energy and again become under the internal energy. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivī prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Now we are under the influence of mahāmāyā. When we put ourselves under the influence of yogamāyā, then we again go back to home, back to Godhead.
How you can become purified? Tat-paratvena. Just being absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. If you simply remain always in fire, then you remain always warm. There is no possibility of being caught by the chilly coldness. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā mama māyā duratyayā.
So the only process for keeping yourself aloof from the touch of māyā is bhakti. Is bhakti. That is the conclusion of all śāstras. Without taking to the process of bhakti, you cannot get out of the influence of māyā. That is required. That is the objective of life.
Therefore when we get real consciousness by good association, if we can understand that "I am under the clutches of māyā, prakṛti, and I'm dictated according to my association with the quality of the nature and I am getting different types of bodies, different types of situation for my distress or happiness. This is my position, under, fully under the control of the prakṛti." It cannot be changed. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot change.
But you can change by one process. What is that? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then you can get out of this control of māyā. Otherwise it is not pos... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Then what should be our decision? That better not to try for improving our material condition of life. That cannot be changed. It is not possible. According to destiny we have to enjoy or suffer. This is called adṛṣṭa.
There are three qualities of the prakṛti: goodness, passion and ignorance. Prakṛti-jān guṇān. These, these are products of material world. It is therefore described in another place, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. This illusory energy is... There are three qualities, qualitative. Some of them... Therefore we find different types of species of life.
There is no excuse. Even a child, if he touches the fire, the fire will not excuse. "Because it is a child, he does not know, therefore I shall not burn his finger." No. No excuse. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape the stringent laws of nature. That is not possible. If you are foolishly thinking that "I shall escape the punishment or reward of the prakṛti."
The only remedy is to become devotee. He is bhartā. He can maintain many millions. There is no question of overpopulation. He can maintain. Bhartā. But nature will not supply. Nature will restrict supply if you become godless. Therefore nature is very strong, strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). He'll restrict supply.
Just to try to enjoy this material world... That the so-called scientists and philanthropists and politicians, they are trying to enjoy this material world to their best capacity, and they are inventing devices how to enjoy it... This is māyā. That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). They are allured by this māyā, "Try to enjoy me," and these conditioned souls are after that, how to enjoy.
So long we remain servant and obliged to perform according to the dictation of the senses, then I am go-dāsa, on the material field, go-dāsa, or under the spell of the material energy, servant of the material energy. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā... (BG 7.14). The māyā, the prakṛti, is dictating. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Dictating means you voluntarily become subjected to the dictation of this material nature. She cannot dictate if you are strong. But if you agree that "I shall be dictated by you," then you become dictated.
The material energy is keeping everyone in darkness. But Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). So this... The darkness is another side of the light. Because there is light there is darkness. Darkness there is no independently. You can understand darkness because there is light. So light and darkness, they are simultaneously there, and everything is janmādy asya yataḥ; (SB 1.1.1) everything's source is Kṛṣṇa.
So what is the time He knows, do you know that? He knows that he will surrender, but when he will surrender... Then? That question must be there. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). He knows that "He'll be happy provided he surrenders unto Me, otherwise not." That He knows also. Is it all right? He knows that "As soon as he is surrendered unto Me he'll be free from the clutches of māyā," and He knows it also, "If he does not know do so, then he'll never be free from māyā." Both things He knows. Is it clear or not?
So all the prisoners who are there, it is to be understood they are all sinful, or criminals. Otherwise, how they are put into the jail. So this material world is jail. You cannot have freedom here. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And the superintendent of jail is Durgā-devī. You have seen the many, there are many worshiper of goddess Durgā. She is the superintendent of this jail. Durgā. Durgā means fort. So this material world is just like a fort, and the predominating deity is the Durgā-devī.
They are going to the moon planet, again coming back. You see. That is our conditional life, that you are conditioned, packed up under certain regulations. If you violate, then you are punishable. You cannot violate. You have to remain within the conditions of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama... (BG 7.14). You cannot violate. If you want to violate the laws of nature, then you will create another difficulty. Another difficulty.
And where there is no māyā? Tell me a place where there is no māyā. We shall go there. (laughter) In the temple there is no māyā. Because I am in māyā, I am thinking that temple is māyā. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "One, anyone, who surrenders to Me, he overcomes the influence of māyā." Therefore... Every member in this temple, they are surrendered. Therefore they are not in māyā.
So long we have acquired knowledge in so many departments, but that has become useless. Because either I am a great scientist or great botanist or great politician, I am conditioned by the laws of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So you become Professor Einstein or Nelson or Clive or this or that, you are conditioned by material nature. You cannot overcome this. Everything will be finished. You may stand as a statue in the Trafalgar Square. Not he; it is a lump of matter. But nobody can say where Mr. Nelson has gone, where Mr. Clive has gone. Nobody can say. Finished. You see?
But if you eat more, if you violate the law... You can eat whatever you require, little. But if you eat more, if you violate this law, then you'll be diseased, immediately. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). As soon as you violate the laws of God, you'll be punished.
You cannot get out of it, out of these four kinds of material tribulation, without being favored by the Supreme Lord. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. Mama māyā duratyayā, it is very difficult to get out of the entanglement of created by My māyā, illusory energy. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), but anyone who surrenders unto Me, he can get out of this entanglement. So here it is stated that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, the whole human civilization is trying to get freedom from some inconvenience.
So if you associate with goodness, you get one type of body. If you associate with passion, you get another type of body. If you associate with ignorance, you get another type of body. This is law of nature and the witness is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So there is exactly everything in order. You cannot escape that. Divī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is not possible to escape. This is karmavāda. But this karmavāda, just like one man is sentenced by the law to be hanged, nobody can save him, but still there is King's mercy, he can save you.
They must know that "We are in threefold miserable condition of life, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And we do not want these all miserable condition. We want to be happy. We want to be peaceful. How to do it?"
That is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
It is very difficult. You are trying to be happy by adjustment of material conditions, but that is not possible. Māyā is very strong. She'll not let you become happy under material condition. That is not possible. Then how one can become happy? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). As soon as you become obedient, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you become transcendental to the laws of material nature. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Those who are mahātmās, they are not under material condition. They are under spiritual guidance. Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is their symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ. Without any diversion, they are engaged in bhajana. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. This is bhajana.
We have to... Our, this material position is we are all puffed-up, unnecessarily. Although we are on the grip of material nature, we are very much puffed-up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamāyī (BG 7.14). We are beaten every step, we are so beaten by the material nature, still I am thinking, "I am God." Every step. This position should be given up, and we have to become namanta eva, submissive. Then, becoming submissive, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām, we have to hear about Kṛṣṇa from the Kṛṣṇa devotee, not from others, not from professional men, not from the impersonalists, even not from the yogi, but from the devotee, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya.
So, so long one is not conscious that "What is the position of my life? What I am doing?" that is called knot, tied up very tightly. So here is the medicine. What is that? Yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. Just like if there is very hard knot, you take a sharp knife and you can cut it, then the knot will open, immediately. Similarly, this knot, this materialistic way of life, is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And this knot is, the beginning of the knot is sex life. Beginning of this knot. We are tied up by this sex life. The lowest is the hog. There is also the sex life.
So Kṛṣṇa and māyā are side by side. As soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa, or as soon as you want to utilize Kṛṣṇa for your sense gratification, it is immediately māyā, darkness. And as soon as you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, immediately it is light. So if we keep ourself on this side, light side, always serving Kṛṣṇa, then there is no possibility of our being in contact with māyā.
This māyā is very strong. The same example yesterday we were giving. The sun, little deviation, the whole world, universe, becomes frozen, and little deviation, the whole universe becomes ablaze. This is the position, very... Therefore our position is marginal. We are called marginal energy.
That is not possible. The māyā, the material energy, will not allow you to become perfect unless and until you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is her business. Therefore it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā,
So in this verse it is confirmed... The same thing. In the Vedic literature the same thing is spoken in a different way, in different circumstances. But the ultimate goal is how to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So if we follow this principle, hear Bhāgavatam... Bhāgavatam means the words or the activities of Bhagavān. But the impersonalists, they think the ultimate goal, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, is not a person.
Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). Then the result will be this: ceta etair anāviddham. Because they are, māyā is attacking you with these... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī. Guṇa means these qualities, the three modes of nature. The material nature is guṇamayī. Guṇamayī means involved or full of these three modes of material nature, guṇamayī. Maya means... Just like golden. It is smeared with gold or it is gold, you can..., you can say golden. Golden means it is made of gold or it is covered with gold glittering. Similarly, this māyā, this material nature, is made of these three modes of nature, sattva, rajas, tamas. Therefore it is called guṇamayī.
Guṇamayī... Another meaning of guṇa is rope. Just like you have seen rope. There are three layers, they are twisted very strong, and such rope becomes strong. So similarly, these three guṇas, these three modes of nature, are twisted like rope, and we are bound up. You cannot get out. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). If your hands and legs are tied with such rope, then it is very difficult. Similarly, we are all bound up. We are declaring freedom, and so many things, nonsense, we are speaking, but we have forgotten that we are under the grip of this māyā. Immediately, you can be overcome by māyā. Māyā is so strong.
Those who are contaminated with tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, they can create their own God. There are different types of "God" also. In one sense everyone is God. God means the controller. So everyone is to some extent a controller. But as I have explained several times, real controller means who is not controlled by others. That is God. If I am controlled by the material nature, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā... (BG 7.14). Birth, death, old age and disease, if I am controlled by these conditions of nature, then how I can become God? God is never controlled. Therefore one who can understand God must be free from the contamination of this material nature. Mukta-saṅgasya.
The laws of nature is that you can eat as much as you can digest. But if you eat more than you can digest, immediately, by the laws of nature, you suffer from indigestion. You cannot violate. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Nobody can violate the laws of nature.
So in this way, if we really want salvation, free, freedom from these clutches of māyā... That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā is very, very hard to pass over. Duratyayā. Only means is: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is the verse. Here it is also, the same thing confirmed: śreyāṁsi. If you want ultimate goal, ultimate goal means to get free from the conditional life, repetition of birth, death, old age—then you have to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. But people do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). For temporary benefit they go to worship other demigods.
That's all. Nobody can disturb you. And if you pollute yourself silently, then this goodness will go on. So this is the warning. Once you are initiated on the promise that you shall not do these all nonsense, then you remain perfectly in goodness. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Māyā cannot do anything. But if you cheat yourself, cheat your spiritual master, cheat God, then you will be cheated by māyā.
o the laws of nature is working. I am under, completely under the laws of nature. I may declare independence falsely. That doesn't matter. Nature's work will go on. And what is that nature's work? Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Nature is also Kṛṣṇa's nature. This material nature is Kṛṣṇa's nature. So material nature is not bad itself. She is also engaged in service of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the police force. Police force, as the department of government, is not bad. It is doing faithfully service to the government. It is bad to me because I am criminal. Otherwise police force as it is, department, is not bad. Do you think that government is maintaining a nonsense bad department? No. It is serving the government. But it is bad for the criminals. Similarly, this māyā, the external energy, the māyā, it is bad for those who are godless, who are rascals. For them, māyā is there. Otherwise, for devotee, there is no influence of māyā.
Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that māyā is strong only, it is very difficult to surpass the laws of nature, for whom? Who is not surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa. Māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... If you are not criminal, what business you have got with the police department? Nothing. Let the police department remain. You have nothing to do. Neither police department has any jurisdiction to come and disturb you. No. You live peacefully, lawfully. There is no... Similarly, if we do not become Kṛṣṇa conscious while we have got this opportunity, this human form of life, we can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, and if we willfully do not take to this consciousness, then the māyā will act. Therefore...
Daiva. Daiva means that is in the supernatural power. Daiva. The same thing: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). You cannot say. Daiva-netreṇa. You are preparing your life. The higher authorities will give you chance. If you prepare yourself nicely, you get good chance; you get birth in higher planet. Or if you prepare himself, yourself nicely, then you go to Kṛṣṇa even.
That is not the jurisdiction of māyā. Because you have read in the Bhagavad-gītā that Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā: (BG 7.14) "It is very, very, very difficult to get out of the grip of the strong māyā." It is not... But mām eva ye prapadyante: "If anyone comes to Me or surrenders unto Me," māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), "he immediately becomes out of the jurisdiction of māyā." So māyā is strong always.
If we fix up our mind... Mām eva ye prapadyante. If we fix up our śaraṇāgati, surrender to the Supreme, then there is no question of falling down. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was tested once by Māyā, and in another time he was tested by a prostitute to allure him... He was young man. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was very beautiful young man. So under diplomacy of Rāmacandra Khān he was to be entrapped. You know the story. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not entrapped, because he was strong, strong enough. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Māyā could not do anything. Although Māyā came there at dead of night, very beautiful, attractive dress, attractive feature, attractive words—this is māyā—so he was not allured. The... Rather, the veśyā, or the prostitute, became converted into a Vaiṣṇavī.
So by this karma... vikarma rather. Karma means when you act according to the śāstra, that is called karma. Lawful activities. The lawful activities is very good. But unlawful activities, you are punishable. So the business of sense gratification is unlawful activities. You cannot gratify your senses more than necessity. Everywhere that is the stringent laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass it. Duratyayā. If you surpass, then you will be punished. There is simultaneous law of nature. The example is that you can eat, say, four ounce or eight ounce foodstuff. If you eat ten ounce, then there will be suffering, indigestion, you cannot eat, there will be dysentery, so many things.
So apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam, Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa-puruṣa. There is no lack of everything. Ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaṁ pūrṇam, six kinds of opulences: riches, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. He is full. That is called pūrṇam, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. And māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. This māyā also there, but Kṛṣṇa is not affected by māyā. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is duratyayā for the living entities, not for Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the controller and we are controlled. Therefore in the next verse it is said, yayā sammohito jīva (SB 1.7.5). Jīva, we living entities, we are being controlled by this māyā, sammohita. Sammohita means illusion. Mohita means captivated, and sammohita, sam means sam, fully, fully.
We are trying to adjust things according to the dictation of māyā, that we shall be able to stop our struggle for existence in this way and that way. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). If you make some plan... You can make plan, but that plan will never be successful. This is the... By false understanding we may make hundreds and thousands of plan to be happy in this material world. That is not possible.
Therefore Bhāgavata says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ (SB 7.5.32). Apagama. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim. To get out of this māyā's problem, one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). It is easy process. If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately you get out of all these problems. So that is not being taken. It is declared, but people have not taken.
Frequently. You won't find such fire in India, at least. We have no such experience that every moment there is fire brigade. Is it not? I am exaggerating? Huh? You see. We have got so many cities in India, but we don't have such arrangement that constantly, twenty-four hours, dung-dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. At least we haven't got. Less suffering, because we are not so advanced. The more materially you become advanced, the more suffering. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14).
These rascals, they do not know. Saṁsṛti. Therefore here we see that tvam eko dahyamānānām apavargo 'si saṁsṛteḥ. This is Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna is mahājana. He is mahājana. He's directly Kṛṣṇa's friend. He knows what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he submitted that, "Kṛṣṇa, it is perplexity. I do not like to fight, and You are asking me repeatedly to fight. So it is very awkward position. I cannot understand." Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ. "I have been infected with kārpaṇya-doṣa, and (I'm) kṣatriya, I am in the battlefield.
So where is the difficulty to understand God, īśvara, or the puruṣa? There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa personally says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). So many things. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Everything is explained sākṣāt, directly. Where is the difficulty to find out God? They are searching after God, making research, all nonsense speculation. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "Why you are searching?" You say, "Can you show me God?" Why don't you see, "Here is God"? Why, just like the owl you have closed your eyes, not to see the sun? Sun is there. See. Open your eyes and see it.
But we are so rascal that we do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa, we manufacture our own ways, the suffering goes on. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is māyā. He's thinking that he'll make his own plan and be happy. That will never be possible. The only plan you have to accept—what is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). That is the only plan. You have to get yourself relieved from all other engagements. Simply engage yourself... Not immediately.
Therefore śāstra says that you are conditioned. You cannot change the condition. So there is no need of endeavoring for changing the condition. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), Kṛṣṇa says. Māyā, mama māyā duratyayā. It is not that... Suppose if you are in the prisonhouse, you are shackled. You cannot improve your condition. You must be shackled. You are put in a cell, you must live there. Similarly, this is useless effort. The so-called māyā-mohita-cetasaḥ, the whole material world is like that. They're trying to improve the condition.
So following the mahājanas, the principles, as Arjuna is doing, we must follow the instructions of Kṛṣṇa. That is fully explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. And surrender unto Him. And then our life will be successful. There will be no disturbances. Otherwise, if we declare independence, that is troublesome. It will create simply trouble. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That is māyā. To think oneself independent is māyā. We are not independent. We are completely under the control. So, so long we declare independence we suffer. And if we remain fully dependent on the will of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, then we are happy.
There are three guṇas, qualities, in the material world. Sattva-guṇa. Tri-guṇamayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī. Triguṇamayī in this material world, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So those who are influenced by the sattva-guṇa, they are first class. First-class means first-class in this material world. Not in the spiritual world. Spiritual world is different. That is nirguṇa, no material qualities. There is no first-class, second-class, third-class.
This is their duty. Kṛṣṇa wants that "These rascals, these condemned persons, who are suffering in this material world, and they cannot understand that 'We are suffering...' They are making plan. No plan will be successful." Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You can make your plan, but it will never be successful. The only plan will be successful. What is that? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). That is the only plan. There is no other plan. But these rascals, they are being put into severe penalties. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). More and mo... The more they are forgetting God, they are put in, they are put into more and more miserable condition.
The supreme energy, that is external energy, that is called Durgā. Durgā means "very difficult to overcome." The, everyone is trying to overcome the difficulties of this material world, but it is very, very difficult. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: "You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature." You cannot. This is our struggle for existence. Material nature is offering some difficulty, and we are trying to overcome them. This is called struggle for existence, and this is going on lfe after life. Any life, either human form of life or animal form of life, the struggle is there.
. At any moment there may be tumultuous waves. So in this material world you should always expect danger. You cannot expect very peaceful life within this material world. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Śāstra says in every step there is danger. But if you become a devotee, then you escape. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14).
So you cannot overcome the ruling, or the control, of the material nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So asura, to kill the asuras, however powerful they may be... We have seen. There were so many asuras in this world. There were Lenin, there were Stalin, there were Hitler, there were Hiraṇyakaśipu. So many. But they could not survive. It is not possible. They'll be finished.
This is police business. If you follow, if you obey the government's rules and regulations, then police has nothing to do with you. Police may be. Police department may be. Similarly, mām eva ye prapadyante, if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), this māyā has nothing to do with you. There may be māyā, hundreds of māyā, thousands of māyā. That doesn't mean that māyā will bother you.
Even if you want to live very peacefully, you'll not be allowed to live. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā durat... (BG 7.14). It is not a place to live very peacefully. But if you think artificially that "We are very happy. We are advanced in material civilization and we have very comfortable life," where is comfort? There cannot be any comfort.
There cannot be any sinful life. Everything bright, everything peaceful. Therefore we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness if we want to save from the clutches of māyā. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:
So Kṛṣṇa, manye tvāṁ kālam īśānam. Eternal time. We are calculating past, present and future, but actually in the spiritual world, there is no such thing as past, present and future. We therefore sometimes question that "Wherefrom God came?" So many odd questions they say.
So where you cannot go unless you accept so many difficulties, that is called durgā, or fort. So this universe, material world, is just like a durgā. You cannot escape. Conditioned souls, you cannot escape. It is very difficult. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī duratyayā (BG 7.14). There are rules and regulations. Just like immigration department, security department-same thing. These are simply reflection of the original function of the supreme government. So this is...
The original superintendent is Durgā. Durgā means the protector of this durgā, where you cannot escape. So she is also servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, bhīr api yad bibheti (SB 1.8.31). This Durgā is the fearful personified, but still she cannot disobey Kṛṣṇa's order. That is her position, dāsī. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The bhīḥ, the fearful feature of Kṛṣṇa's potency, can only excuse you when you are surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, you have to suffer these material pangs.
Master of māyā is Kṛṣṇa. Mama māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). A master can control māyā, but we are not master. We are servant. How we can control māyā? It is impossible. But if you become servant of Kṛṣṇa, māyā will not touch you. That's all. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). You cannot control māyā. That is not possible, because you are servant. If you don't become servant of Kṛṣṇa, you must become servant of māyā.
So prakṛti will work very nicely provided you are also nice, Kṛṣṇa conscious. If you are not nice, then daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). "My māyā, My prakṛti, My energy, is very strong, duratyayā." These rascals, they are trying to control this flood, government. So much money they have wasted, but still in this quarter there are havoc. Therefore daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot control the nature's way. That is not possible.
How nature can be controlled? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). This is the law of nature. If you become disobedient to God, then prakṛti or nature will give you trouble in so many ways. And as soon as you become submissive, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there will be no more natural disturbances. I have heard in 1900, 1898—I was born in 1896—so I have heard, I have seen also, I remember, in Calcutta there was a very virulent type of plague epidemic in 1898. So Calcutta became devastated. All people practically left Calcutta. Daily hundreds and hundreds of people were dying.
Then the doctor was condemned to death. So Mr. Armstrong was appointed his lawyer. So he was solacing, "Don't worry, I shall get you released by appeal." So our so-called scientists, they also say like that: "In future we shall do this. In future. Now you go to hell. That's all." But in future they cannot do anything. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Nature's law is so strong. The so-called childish scientists, they cannot give any relief. That is not possible. That is not possible. It is simply false promise. And those who are fools and rascals, they believe that in future... Future, but what they have done in the past? They cannot do anything.
This is the process of nature. You cannot check. You may be very great scientist, but you cannot check the process of nature. That is not... Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That is not possible. That is natural. I've given the instance that if you contaminate some poisonous disease you must suffer.
But nature's law is such that you don't require... Your senses will keep you intact in jail. You don't require to be handcuffed. The senses are so strong that it will keep you in this material world, incapable. You cannot move. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī. Guṇa means qualities. Everyone is compact, bound up by different qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. And guṇamayī means...
Just like if I tie your hands and legs with rope, you are helpless, similarly, the guṇamayī, the mother nature, has tied up, and we are bound up by the laws, stringent laws of material nature. So daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot get out of it. It is not possible. How to get out of it? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he can get out of it. That is the only way.
When you go above the control of the material nature, then you can say independent. But they do not know that. And nature is controlled by God. That also they do not know. Nature... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like police force. Police force is under the control of the government, and you are under the control of police force. Everyone knows it. So how you can get out of the police force? When you are not criminal.
They do not know. They are accepting unhappiness as happiness. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. Māyā-mohita-jīva. And you cannot get out of this illusion and mistakes unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
So everyone in this material world, he does not know what is the aim of life. Unnecessarily he is making plan, this plan, that plan, this plan, that plan. And all plan is being frustrated by the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Every plan will fail. And those who are plan-making persons, they are all rascals. They do not know that what kind of plan should be made. The plan should be made that everyone should be God conscious. Then every plan will be successful. Otherwise all, everything will fail.
Unfortunately, they are so rascals, one sex to another, another sex to another, another sex... That is māyā's illusion, influence. But if you stick to Kṛṣṇa... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you catch up Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet very tightly, then you will not fall down. But if you make a show of so-called brahmacārī, so-called gṛhastha, or so-called sannyāsī, then you will fall down. We are experiencing that. Then you must fall down. Kṛṣṇa will not tolerate a defaulter, a pseudo devotee. Māyā is very strong.
So in order to save the world to become hellish, the king was so alert. That is also bhakti. Because the whole natural plan is to come back to home, back to Godhead. This is nature's plan. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like the police department. What is the meaning of police department? Why government spends so much money for police department? Just to keep law and order. There must be. As soon as there is disobedience of law and order, immediately police department must go and punish and arrest. We can experience these things.
Just like in your country, supposing everything is all right. But what is that severe disease? Cancer. Cancer. People are afraid of cancer. Or something else. Must be. You cannot be peaceful here. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). But the foolish rascals, they cannot understand that "I want to live peacefully, happily.
Daivī hy eṣā... Because anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he must be punished by the laws of nature. He must be punished. Therefore it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ... (BG 7.14). They're already, in inauspicity. The whole atmosphere is inauspicious. So if there is little more inauspicity, what is the wrong there? There is nothing... The more inauspicity will come.
So in due course of time, everything happens. That is the nature's law. When I was also a child, I was looking very beautiful, but kālena, in due course of time, I'm now old man, a ugly man. Nobody likes. (laughter) So this is the influence of time, influence of time. So influence of time will act. You cannot check it. Influence of time, that is nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). That is māyā's strength. How you can check? It is not in your power.
So today some of you are going to be initiated. This is the beginning of your spiritual life. But if you don't take care for farther development, then that is up to you. You may fall down. Because māyā is very strong. Māyā will place so many impediments. She does not like that so easily you go back to home, back to Godhead. That is māyā's business. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Just like police. Police business is to see the criminal that is actually, he is in his original consciousness to become law-abiding citizen. Otherwise police will go on punishing him. That is police affair. Similarly, this māyā is the police agent. Her business is to chastise you. Every moment this is going on. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa brahmite kona bhāgyavān jīva.
So these things are all very elaborately, nicely explained in our books. So those who are going to be initiated, they should take it as a vow, not to fall down again. Catch Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet very tightly and you'll not fall down. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So be determined. Don't make it a farce, that "Today I am initiated and tomorrow I again I give up everything and again grow my hair and then go to hell." No. Don't do that. If you want to be serious, then the path is clear for going back to home.
We may not be again covered by the darkness of māyā. That we should be... That you can keep yourself very fit not to be covered by the māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you very strictly adhere to the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then māyā will not be able to touch you. That is the only remedy. Otherwise māyā is always looking after the opportunity, loophole, how she can capture you again.
But if you remain strictly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā will not be able to do anything. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Daivī hy eṣa guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of māyā. It is very difficult. But Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) if one is strictly adhering to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, always... Therefore our, this program is twenty-four hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Satatam. Satataṁ cintayo kṛṣṇa. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31).
So this is going on. (laughs) A dog in the park is jumping very fast, walking. But as soon as the master, "Come one. Come one," immediately, "Yes, sir." "Give me your neck." "Yes, sir." Chain. Chain. He's thinking that he's very free, but as soon as the master calls, immediately he has to submit. This is our position. We are very busy, but the master is the material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duraty... (BG 7.14). The fact is that we are under the stringent laws of material nature. We have no freedom. That we do not know. We are struggling so much. War has been waged in, all over the world, especially in Europe, for freedom. You have got that freedom statue. And in America also, there is freedom.
So you are completely under the nature's control. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
Prakṛteḥ, prakṛti, nature, is pulling by the ear, "Come here." "Yes, sir." "Come here." "Yes, sir." And he's freedom. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. He is completely under the control of the modes of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. This is called false egotism: "I am something." "I am Napoleon Bonaparte," "I am Mussolini," "I am Hitler." This is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Fool, rascal. They are thinking like that. "No freedom, sir. No freedom."
But we are sleeping to get energy to work more diligently and nicely for Kṛṣṇa, and they are working, taking rest for working for sense gratification. So eating, sleeping, fearing. We are also fearful in this way, that "Māyā may not catch me." We are always cautious. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Because māyā is very strong, so we should be always fearful that "Māyā may not catch me." Always stick to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet so māyā may not be able to touch you. Just like in a contaminated, diseased area, the doctor is also fearful, but he has got prophylactic administration. He is quite fit. He can go even in the contaminated state.
Just like this is night. What does it mean, night? Means there is no sunlight. Sunlight is there in other part of this globe, but here there is no sunlight; therefore it is darkness. Similarly, as soon as we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is māyā, immediately. Either māyā or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you should understand that you are in māyā. And if you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). These are the open description. Anyone who is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he has no māyā.
One should examine the fact that the father or father's father has already died, and therefore he himself is also sure to die. And similarly his children, who are the would-be fathers of their children, will also die in due course. No one will survive in the struggle with material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
So our real problem is how to revive our original, eternal life. That is struggle. The modern people, scientists, philosophers, they even do not know what is our original constitutional position, and... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I do not die, even after the destruction of this body. These things are unknown. And still, they are posing themselves as leader of the society.
Illusion. Māyā. When you are under the strict rules and regulations of the material nature, how you are independent? Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). They think that to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, this is slave mentality. "I shall remain free." But where is your freedom, sir? That is illusion.
That is not possible. Therefore, in order to avoid the superintendence of the Supreme Lord ... because there is superintendence ... as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, you have read, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "Under My superintendence the law of nature is working." So we are under the laws of nature. The nature is very vigilant, strong agent of Kṛṣṇa. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we cannot avoid. Even if we deny, "There is no God, there is no systematic government or stringent laws," just to avoid our responsibility, but that will not save us. Now, the argument is in the previous verse. It is said that we are decreasing our duration of life. The scientists will say, "No, we shall stop it." Taking this argument, Bhāgavata says, "Suppose you stop death ..." It cannot be.
One who are loitering in the street naked, they are going to have next life trees. "Stand up naked for 10,000 of years. That's all right." But they are enjoying. They're showing beauty by nakedness. But nature will not tolerate. Prakṛteḥ... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā... (BG 7.14). There is nature. They do not consider how one living entity has got the body of a tree, how one living entity has got the body of a hog, how one living entity has got the body of a demigod, how one has got the body of a Vaiṣṇava.
Māyā is always after you to bewilder you. Because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa by our independence, misusing our independence, so māyā wants to give us some good lesson, that "Forgetting Kṛṣṇa, you are trying to be happy. All right, I shall give you nice happiness." This is going on. Therefore, māyā is very strong. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot get out of the clutches of māyā so easily.
Then? How it is possible? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The same thing. "If anyone fully surrenders unto Me, then he can get out of the clutches of māyā." So here, Parīkṣit Mahārāja is fully surrendered to his spiritual master. Vaiyāsaker iti vacaḥ. Whatever he said... Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he placed the whole thing before him, how to concentrate one's mind on Kṛṣṇa. So upadhārya matiṁ kṛṣṇe. Then immediately this is the result.
Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he has no more illusion." Māyām etaṁ taranti. Immediately. So people are conditioned, encaged. So many big, big words The Māyāvādīs, they are undergoing austerities or penances just to become liberated. Yogis, they are also trying to become one. So many endeavors are going on. But the simple process is, as soon as you surrender, that you are not fallen, "It was illusion. I was dreaming. I am Kṛṣṇa's," finished. All gone. "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant.
So the māyā is acting very nicely to keep us under her control. Māyayā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Māyā wants to keep you under her control, every one of us. Why? Because we are offender to Kṛṣṇa, she wants to punish us, kick us very nicely. That is her business. And therefore she wants to keep under her control everyone. And therefore she has three qualities, tri-guṇa. Just like tri-guṇa. Guṇa means rope also. You have seen? In the rope there are three fibers.
So different qualities. All these, whatever you see in the material world, they are simply permutation, combination, like that, of the material qualities, tri-guṇa. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). They are nothing more. So this jaḍa-vidyā, this material science, expansion of material qualities, so Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says the jaḍa-vidyā, this kind of education, they are simply expansion of material qualities. And they are simply impediments for, to advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The more you become technologist and attached to this material world, then more you go far away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
The leader is blind and the follower is blind. Then there will be no result. They do not know... Īśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They are tied. They are tied hands and legs by īśa-tantra, by the regulative principles of the nature.
The prapadyante means bhakti-yoga. So the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is the beginning of bhakti-yoga. Therefore he says, tāni me śraddadhānasya kīrtanyāny anukīrtaya. Anukīrtaya: "Just speak to us by following the paramparā system." Anu. Anu means following. Anu means always, and anu means following. Anu-gamana, anu-karaṇa. Anu-karaṇa means imitation. Anu-gamana means follower and go. So here, anukīrtaya. First of all you must know from the authorities what is the truth. Then you speak. Don't speak nonsense. It will not help you or your followers. That is called anukīrtaya.
There are... Of course, this material energy is also ātma-māyā, Kṛṣṇa's. Not ours. Mama māyā. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). This material world is Kṛṣṇa's. We cannot say mama māyā. No. We are under the control of this material nature. But Kṛṣṇa is the controller of the material nature. That is the difference. We are controlled by the material nature, but Kṛṣṇa is not controlled, but He's controller. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). One who understands this, that this prakṛti, this material nature, is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that is our real knowledge. How the things are going on? That is not possible to understand.
Nobody can say, "I am independent." Even President Nixon, he's not independent. He was dragged down from the post. So you cannot say that "I am independent." That is a foolish proposal. You must always think that you are dependent. That is said, stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Bahir-artha-māninaḥ, and there is said, te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Īśa-tan... We are bound up by the laws of nature, hands and legs, tightly, and you still think that you are independent? You don't care for God? This is the mūḍha. The mūḍha says like that.
So mukti and liberation, if you keep your consciousness materially affected... Guṇeṣu saktam. Material world means the three qualities, tri-guṇa, guṇamayī. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, guṇamayī, mama māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. We are being conducted in this material world by three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Out of these three guṇas, the sattva-guṇa is the best. Knowledge, the qualification of brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). One who has developed sattva-guṇa, then the following qualifications will be found in him: he'll be truthful and controlled of the mind, of the senses, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā, tolerant; ārjava, simplicity; jñānam, jñānam, full knowledge; vijñānam, practical application of knowledge in life; āstikyam, āstikyam, to have full faith in the authority of the Vedas. That is called āstikyam. Āstikyam and nāstikyam.
You're American, you're happy, or Indian, you are very happy. You have chalked out your plan how to continue happiness. But nature will not allow you to stay. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). As soon as nature will call back, "Please give up this post. Now take the post of a dog,"... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). "You have acted... You were given the most, I mean to say, exalted form of life, human being... You did not act as human being, you acted as a dog. Now you take the body of a dog." This is karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa.
That attachment is called ajaraṁ pāśam. Pāśam means rope. If you are tied up with a rope, hands and legs, then you are helpless. So we are actually tied up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Therefore it is called guṇa. Guṇa means rope. We are tied up. We are not free. Just like we are trying to go to the moon planet so many years, but because we are not free, still we have not been successful to go there. So there are so many planets within this material world, we can go.
Because you are thinking falsely that "By adjustment of this material atmosphere I shall be happy." Everyone is trying. Nationally, individually, collectively, everyone is trying. But it is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It will be frustration. Therefore it is called bahir-artha-māninaḥ.
This material nature will not give you freedom so easily. It will not give so much freedom... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama... mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). If you become strong enough to capture the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... Then māyā will give you, "No, he's very strong. I cannot any more keep him under my clutches." So that is ananya-bhāvena. That is described. Ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām, mat-kṛte. For the sake of Kṛṣṇa, one can give up everything. That is ananya-bhāva. The first-class example is the gopīs.
And a devotee, even if he falls down by chance... There is every possibility of falling down because māyā is very strong. And it is a fight against māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Duratyayā. Māyā is very strong. We are getting experience. Some of them are falling down. But still, whatever he has done sincerely, that is a permanent credit of his account.
So if you want controlling the material nature, then you have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is stated mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Otherwise you're carried by māyā. You may be very big prime minister or anything, but as soon as māyā will dictate, "Please vacate your post and go away," you become a dog. You have to become. How you can challenge prakṛti? That is not possible. Because karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), your next body will be offered to you.
There is no way out. Simply the way out is that if you take precaution, some vaccine, some injection, then you may avoid. Similarly, cannot... It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot avoid the hands of māyā upon you, or material nature. We call "māyā," and the modern scientific word is "material nature." Completely under. You cannot avoid it. But mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa... When Kṛṣṇa will save me? I am so much sinful. Yes. Kṛṣṇa can do that. Kṛṣṇa says
So why don't you do that? Why you are so much eager to serve the modes of material nature? Why not serve Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? No difficulty at all. Just there's Kṛṣṇa.
So if you think of Kṛṣṇa when you become satisfied by drinking water, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, you will become one step advanced, immediately. Is that very difficult? Nothing difficult, but we are obstinate, we will not do that. We will not try to understand Kṛṣṇa, we will not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Why it is so? Māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), that is very strong. As soon as I try to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, māyā will whisper in my ear, "No, no, no. There are many gods, why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa?" Immediately, "There are many gods, why you are accepting Kṛṣṇa?" But śāstra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).
Faith means one who has got firm faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is called faith. "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I do not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead or He is a person, as He says in the Bhagavad-gītā..." He says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mattaḥ, when He says He's a person... So Kṛṣṇa says that "There is no more better personality or better superior existence than Myself." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). He says, "Me." Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ sarvasya... Aham, "Me," "I." He says everywhere. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is person. Kṛṣṇa is not imperson. Kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. It is said that "One who is impersonalist, he takes more trouble to come to Me. He will come later on, but it will take some time." The impersonal feature of understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth, it is partial understanding.
You are subjected to the rules of your own country. Similarly, so long you are in devotional service, you are not subjected to the rules and regulation of this māyā. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyām etām... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Anyone who is not devotee, who is not engaged in the service of the Lord, he is under the control of māyā. And anyone who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and is simply twenty-four hours engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, he is not under the control of māyā. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Kṛṣṇa says.
So one has to visṛjya... As it is said by Kapiladeva, visṛjya sarvān anyāṁś ca mām evaṁ viśvato-mukham, bhajanty ananyayā. We have to forget all these so-called sources of happiness. This is misleading. Māyā. So who can, I mean to say, understand that this is illusion, māyā? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). When one becomes a devotee, then he can understand that "The position which I am now taking for granted, that 'It is very happy,' that is mistake. That is māyā." Kṛṣṇa says that it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Kṛṣṇa says. How you can take it as very nice place? Kṛṣṇa says, the supreme authority says, duḥkhālayam: "It is the place of suffering." And that is the fact. We are simply suffering. On account of this body, we are simply suffering.
You study the whole history of the world: it is simply struggling. We are making some plan to be out of miserable condition, but it is causing another miserable condition. Therefore it is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is māyā. We are simply planning to overcome some problem, some difficulties, but it is becoming more difficult. This is the fact.
It is not difficult at all. You can become immediately nirguṇa as soon as you engage in the service of the Lord. And so long you keep yourself in that position, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you remain nirguṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Saguṇa means māyā. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante: "One who surrenders to Me," māyām etāṁ taranti, "no māyā touching, no in contamination of māyā." Māyām etāṁ taranti. There is nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means be engaged in the devotional, loving devotional service of Kṛṣṇa. That is... Then you are svarūpa-darśana, ātma-darśanam.
He is not covered by māyā. If māyā is greater than Kṛṣṇa, then māyā can cover Kṛṣṇa. But that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā. That means... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes free from the clutches of māyā. So how Kṛṣṇa can be caught by māyā? This is contradictory. If anyone surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, he becomes free from the influence of māyā, simply by surrendering.
Then how Kṛṣṇa can be influenced by māyā? It is common sense. By surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, by becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you become free from the clutches of māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Simply by surrendering. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So never think that Kṛṣṇa... The Māyāvādī thinks like that, that "We are one, Kṛṣṇa and we. We are one." Yes, we are one—in quality. The same thing: just like the fire and the spark, one in burning capacity. Even a small spark of the fire, it can burn. So we are one in the spiritual quality, but in quantity, we are different. Same example: vibhu and aṇu. This is very nice verse in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14).
In another verse is there,
Very powerful, she has got ten hands. Ten hands means ten direction: east, west, and north, south, and the four corners, eight, and up and down, ten direction, dik, daśa-dik. So she is watching all sides: "You cannot get out." Therefore she is called Durgā-devī. Or this material world is called Devī-dhāma, "the place where the Devī, mother Durgā, is the superintendent." Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī, māyā (BG 7.14). She is called also Māyā, Daivī-māyā. Māyā..., whose māyā? It is Kṛṣṇa's māyā. Māyā means something wonderful, mystic. Or māyā means illusion. So many, there are meaning. Māyā means affection also. So some way or other, this Durgā-devī, Māyā, is Kṛṣṇa's māyā.
Just like prison house. Prison house is also government house, but it is not as good as the government house. It is government... The proprietor is the government. It is looked after by the government. You can call it government house, but government house is different, rāja-bhavan. Similarly, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Him. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā. Mama māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). That is creation of Kṛṣṇa. It is necessary.
This is intelligence. It is a fact that we are under the control of the material nature, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14), and we are acting under the control of material nature. However great scientist I may be, however great politician, prime minister I may be, but when nature will say, "Please get out," we have to do it. You cannot, by your so-called scientific method, you can say, "No, no, I shall remain. Who can drive me away?" That is not possible. So this is a fact, that they are defying the authority of God. They say that "What is the use of accepting God?" because foolish. They...
That is not very difficult. But ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Either you go to Brahmaloka or Pātālaloka or any loka, this form or that body, you will have to go through these four principles of material condition: birth, death, old age and disease. That is not possible to overcome. That you can overcome only—mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Therefore the conclusion is that instead of serving under the spell of material nature, let us immediately transfer our position to become the original. Original means eternal servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is our constitutional position.
We are eternal servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. So if we take to it immediately... Kṛṣṇa says also, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The spell of māyā we can overcome if we immediately take the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that He says, "You surrender unto Me, and I shall give you all protection from the sinful reaction of your life."
Just try to understand. This is the position. Kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve bhoktṛtve. Kartṛtve is material nature. But bhoktṛtve I am, bhoktṛtve. I am put into that. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale: "Somehow or other, I have fallen in this ocean of birth and death." Taribāre nā dekhi upāy: "I do not find how to get out of it." But we can get out of it very easily. That is advised by Kṛṣṇa: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Otherwise you cannot. Here it is a great struggle. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Karṣati, great hard struggle going on. We are trying to be happy, but that is not possible. Just like if you are put into the ocean, you may be very good swimmer, you may struggle very nicely, but you are under the control of the prakṛti. You cannot be happy in the water. But if somebody helps you to get out of the water, then you will be happy.
Just like the scientists, they are trying to control over the material nature. That is not possible. You cannot control. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot control. You shall be controlled, but you cannot control. The controller is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa (BG 9.10).
That's... So in this way, our position, although we are both in this material world, one is the controller; one is the controlled. And the one who is controlled by the prakṛti, by the material nature, if he accepts to be controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then his controlling by the material nature upon him, that is finished, no more control. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). This is perfection of life. At the present moment we are being controlled every second, every step. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Every step there is danger. This control means punishment. You cannot expect very good treatment in the prison life. So this is prison life, conditioned life.
So Kapiladeva is giving knowledge, beginning how the creation, the material creation, is begun. He is beginning from that point of view. Pradhānaṁ prakṛtiṁ sad-asat and yat tat tri-guṇātmakam. This material world is tri-guṇamayī, tri-guṇātmakam, or tri-guṇamayī, the same thing. As Kṛṣṇa said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī, guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa. This material world, this prakṛti, is guṇamayī; there are three modes of material nature. So we are controlled by these tri-guṇamayī, and we have to become guṇātītam. As Kṛṣṇa advises to Arjuna, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "You just try to become above the three guṇas." That is human life. Human life is not meant for remaining within the category of these three guṇas and struggle for existence. That is not human life. That is animal life.
Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Mama māyā: "This māyā, this energy, is My energy." So energy is controlled by the energetic. Suppose if you have got some energy, you can control it. Suppose if you have got very good energy to kill anyone or to hurt one or to beat anyone, good strength, but that strength is not beyond you. The strength is under your control. When you like, you can use it; when you do not like, you cannot use it, you do not use it.
Therefore this māyā, this material world, saguṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Kṛṣṇa is not māyā's, but māyā is Kṛṣṇa's. We have to understand that way, not that Kṛṣṇa becomes enveloped or overpowered by māyā. That is wrong theory. The Māyāvādī theory is like that, that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. Now I am overpowered by māyā, and as soon as I become free from māyā, again I become Kṛṣṇa." But the question is that "If you are Kṛṣṇa, if you are God, then why you became under the control of māyā? What kind of God you are?"
If there is a big earthquake, everything will be finished. We have got experience many times—anything will be finished. This Bombay can be turned into sea, and the Bombay can be pushed in an island within the sea. Material nature is so strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And under her spell we are trying to become happy. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43).
Kṛṣṇa is talking. Kṛṣṇa is not dumb, deaf and dumb, nirākāra. No. He is talking before Kṛṣṇa, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), aham: "Here I am. I am the origin of all the devas." So Kṛṣṇa is talking like that. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). He is talking. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "Just think of Me, become My devotee." He is stressing everywhere, a person, mama, "unto Me," "My," "I," the first person, everywhere. Aham ādir hi devānām. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So these are the talking of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is talking. So you take up this message from Kṛṣṇa directly and engage like that, vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. Don't talk nonsense. Or if you talk of Kṛṣṇa, then nonsense talking will stop automatically.
Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Just like you have been in the beach. The dog is bound up by the chain, or the master says, "You come here." He has to come here. "You go there," like that. So we are enchained by these laws of material nature—daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14)—but we are claiming independent. There is no independence. There cannot be independence. You are the servant. We are all the servant of māyā, prakṛti, because we have given up the service of the Lord. Our constitutional position is to remain a servant. But if we defy God, Kṛṣṇa, and we want to become independent, that means we become servant of prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27).
Nobody would retire voluntarily—unless he is killed by somebody or he is killed by the laws of material nature. This is the disease. He cannot give it up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The māyā is so strong that even an old man advertising to be very pious man, he cannot give up politics. Because māyā is so strong, he's thinking, "If I leave political field, my countrymen will suffer, and so many disaster will happen." He's thinking like that.
There are three guṇas; therefore the material nature is called guṇa-mayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Kṛṣṇa says that this material energy... There are three different energies of the Supreme Lord. He has got multi-energies, parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). We can see activities are going on, different varieties of activities in this world, but they have been summarized into three divisions: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa...
Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Kṛṣṇa says; I am not saying. This place, Kṛṣṇa says, this is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). But we are trying to mitigate our distresses by material adjustment. But Kṛṣṇa says no, that is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Whatever plan you make, the nature will break it. You have to suffer here. Because you have preferred to come into this material world and want to become happy—you do not know what is the way of happiness—you must suffer. Kṛṣṇa does not like, because you are His son, but it is a punishment under the control of the material nature.
If one understands this, that Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—He's also Paramātmā, He's also impersonal Brahman—sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "He becomes the great mahātmā." Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). That mahātmā is under the control of daivī-prakṛti, spiritual energy. He's no more under the material energy. As soon as he understands Kṛṣṇa—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—he's no more under material energy.
So this human form of life is very valuable, especially those who are born in India. Those who are born in India, it is automatically Kṛṣṇa conscious. Unfortunately, we are killing that consciousness. This is our advancement of civilization. So our only request is that "Don't kill yourself. Don't commit suicide.
These things are there. We are being forced by the laws of nature. Where is our independence? They're declaring resolution: "Now we are independent. Ah. Finished." Where is your independence? You are kicked out by the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You are not free. You are under supreme control. Nature, they will accept nature's control but not God's control. But the foolish person does not know that nature is also controlled by God. This you will have to learn from Vedic literature.
The nature's law is working very stringently. You cannot avoid it.
So these things are there. I can quote many verses like that. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very easy, and everyone should become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31).
So don't work for being defeated by the laws of material nature. Try to conquer over the laws of material nature. That you can do simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mama māyā duratyayā. What is that verse?
Where is that Bhagavad-gītā? Take Bhagavad-gītā. Find out this verse. Seventh Chapter. Mama māyā duratyayā. So read books profusely, and learn the problems of life and the solution of life. Everything is there. Read it.
Pradyumna:
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Pradyumna: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."
Prabhupāda: Purport.
Pradyumna: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead has innumerable energies, and all these energies are divine. Although the living entities are part of His energies and are therefore divine, due to contact with material energy, their original superior power is covered."
We have to take shelter of another energy. Therefore our position is marginal. We can take shelter of the material energy or the spiritual energy, as we like. If we take the shelter of material energy, then we become entangled. Therefore it is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Without knowledge, without identification, if we take the shelter of material energy, then we become in darkness. Tṛtīya karma-saṅga anya śaktir iṣyate. This third energy, material, I mean to say, human being, or living entity... Therefore at the present moment... There are different atmosphere. Just like here, in this house, in this temple, the spiritual energy is acting.
That we do not understand. This is the ignorance, mūḍha. And this suffering can be ended only by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The suffering is inflicted by māyā. Bhuṇkte prakṛti-jān guṇān. But there is no education, the people are so dull, rascal, they cannot understand that they are suffering, and the suffering they are accepting as enjoyment. In this way they are rotting in this material world.
You have to do it, because we are placed in a condition of suffering. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). I have given this example many times. Just like in the school the teacher engages two naughty boys to catch the ears of one another. And he is pulling the ear; he is also pulling the ear. There is competition of pulling the ear.
Here also said, na brāhmaṇais tulaye bhūtam anyat (SB 5.5.23). Namo brāhmaṇya-devāya go brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. So when Kṛṣṇa takes care of you, He..., attention is on you. Then who can...? Māyā's... There is no strength of māyā to touch you. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyā may be there. Police may be there. Police is there, so what business I have got with the police if I am honest? If I am properly observing the rules and regulation of the government, what business police has got to touch me? Māyā is there. Māyā must be there. Māyā... (aside:) Don't stop...
Māyā is there, but it does not mean māyā can touch you if you are actually surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). So here it is (aside:) Sitting there. So Kṛṣṇa personally will take care. And to come to the brāhmaṇa stage, this is also Everything is described. Everything is prescribed. If you have to follow again and again We can come to the brāhmaṇa stage by a simple method, as we are practicing, that nityaṁ bhāgavata.
And if we understand it perfectly... Understanding means when we are uncontaminated, we can understand. So long we are contaminated—daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14)—then you cannot. But you can get out of the clutches of this māyā. Then you can understand. How? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Just surrender. Surrender means to surrender... Mayy āsakta manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is surrender. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, we cannot take shelter directly, mad-āśrayaḥ.
It is very good to fly in the air, but at any moment the whole plane may be crashed and all of them finished. So this kind of material adjustment will not help us. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is illusory, or māyā sukha. Prahlāda Mahārāja regrets, tato vimukha-cetasā māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Any moment everything will be crushed. This is called māyā-sukha. And still they are wasting time, that for māyā-sukhāya, illusion. They'll not be happy. Any moment everything can be crushed, and they are busy.
So anyway, the nature's law is very strict. We cannot surpass. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
You cannot go, or you may go, but so far you have not gone or you have not been successful. But there are many, many other planets. That we see at night, many, many. But spiritual process is so made... Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyā, the material nature, is very, very strict, but if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he surpasses the laws of material nature. That is possible. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). How?
Māyā is not a ghost. Māyā is a condition of consciousness. That's all. When you forget God, or Kṛṣṇa, that is called māyā. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is very nicely explained in the Seventh Chapter that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā: (BG 7.14) "The influence of māyā is so strong that it is very difficult to surmount." Yes. Māyā is energy of God also. So as your energy can produce so much wonderful thing, why not Kṛṣṇa's energy, or God's energy, is very strong? Yes. It is very strong. Just like you are also energy, but why you are not strong?
So we can take advantage of all these things. Still, there is Kṛṣṇa. Still there is speaking Kṛṣṇa and His representative, and everything is there. Simply we have to take advantage. That's all. But the spell of māyā is so strong that it does not allow.
So if you know the secret of success, that is not very difficult. There it is... The statement is given by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself that "The spell of māyā is very strong undoubtedly. It is insurmountable. But if one is intelligently or one is intelligent enough and comes to My shelter, oh, there is no more spell of māyā."
So this education is lacking now. They are... Everyone is thinking that he's independent, he can do whatever he likes. That is not possible. Then you'll be punished. Nature's law is so strict, stringent. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape the stringent laws of nature. Little discrepancy... Suppose you can eat eight ounce. If you eat nine ounce, then you will have to starve for three days. There is no excuse. "Why you have eaten more than eight ounce?" The nature says... Just like we require salt in our foodstuff, everyone. But if the salt is little more, it is useless. And if the salt is little less, that is also useless.
I can hide myself, cheating others, or committing theft, and that, thereby I save myself from the punishment of the state laws, but I cannot save myself from the superior law, the law of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult. There are so many witnesses. The daylight is witness. The moonlight is witness. These are described. You cannot say that "I am committing these things. Nobody is seeing me. There is no witness. So how I can be...?" And the supreme witness is Kṛṣṇa. He is sitting within your heart. He is noting down what you are thinking, what you are doing. He is giving facility also. If you wanted to do something to satisfy your senses, so Kṛṣṇa is giving facility. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo: (BG 15.15) "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. "From Me, there is remembrance, knowledge," smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca, "and forgetfulness."
Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said Kṛṣṇa is just like sun. Māyā haya andhakāra. And māyā, this illusory energy, it is darkness. Yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra. As soon as there is sun, Kṛṣṇa, immediately darkness of māyā disappears. So why not take this simple method? All māyā disappears. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Otherwise, to surpass, to overcome this ocean of darkness, māyā, is very difficult. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. Duratyayā, very, very difficult. Hard. Then how? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Simply teach people to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. God. All illusion, fog, mist will disappear. Will disappear.
So our mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt, position is like that. Teṣām ahaṁ anukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ. Teṣām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt (BG 12.7). So we should understand our position. Nobody wants to die, but he is slaughtered. Again he is given another chance, another body. Again he is slaughtered. This is the laws of nature, going on. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We should seriously understand this, that how to stop this slaughtering process of material nature. That is intelligence. Otherwise, to become happy like cats and dogs, "Oh, I am very nicely eating and jumping. I don't care for being slaughtered," that is not very good intelligence. Intelligence is how to stop this slaughtering process of nature. That is intelligence. That is being discussed.
One who has this fixed-up mind, that "How I shall render service to Kṛṣṇa?" and if he tries his best, then he becomes immediately mukta unless he changes his decision. That is... Every time is possible. Even one is mukta, liberated, he can be also fallen down unless he is very strong in his determination. Māyā is always there. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). But if one is determined that "I shall stick to the service of Kṛṣṇa," māyā will not touch. That is kevalā bhakti. If sometimes it appears that he has deviated out of past habit, that is excused. Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). But not intentional. We should not fall down and deviate from our path of devotional service intentionally. That will not... That is very great criminality. We must try our best, kevalayā bhaktyā.
So therefore they do not know what is the aim of life, and the nature's law is, unless you come to the point of understanding what is the aim of life, the nature will go on punishing you in so many ways. Little mistake, you'll be punished. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We have come to this material world, disobeying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So just like police: as soon as you become outlaw, the police will take you and the police will go on punishing you unless you become lawful. This is the... So without understanding "Why I am put into the jail?" if I simply think that "It is all right. Let me remain here and suffer the punishment," jail life is not for happiness.
So when we are attached to the shadow, that is called ignorance, illusion. This is illusion. So here in the material world we are all engaged in shadow attachment. Therefore it is called illusion. Māyā-mohitam. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). So this is going on, life after life. We are after shadow. Tejo-vāri-mṛṣā mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayaḥ. They, just like in the desert you will find exactly a vast water, pool, and the animal runs after the... It is called phantasmagoria? No?
Even if you accept nature, then you are under the control of nature. That is a fact. Who is controlling nature, that you may not know because your knowledge is very poor. But nature is controlling you, that you can understand, everyone can understand. You cannot supersede the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like ordinary criminal, thief. The police is chastising him. He does not think that there is any other power over the police. He thinks the police is the father and mother, and he is poor class. He does not know that police is not the supreme power. The supreme power is the president or the minister of law and order. He thinks, "This constable is everything." So poor-class thinking, they think nature is everything. But any way, everyone is under the control of nature.
The machine is so perfect that as you have infected this disease... This is practically we know. So all of a sudden one gets cholera. So the doctor says that you are very bilious, or cholera (indistinct). So nature's law is so perfect. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape. Suppose you can eat two ounce, and if you eat four ounce, then you have to starve three days. This is the law. "There's some very palatable dishes. Now eat, let me eat it to my satisfaction," and you'll overeat. No. The nature's law is that you have to starve for three days. Next eating will be after three days.
No excuse. Exactly like that: if a child catches fire, the catches fire will no excuse because it is a child. No. It will act. So we should know that, that... (aside:) Yes, yes. Aiye. There cannot be any excuse. Therefore we have to be very, very careful. And the best carefulness is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Simply if we surrender. (aside:) You take this letter and post immediately, immediately after class. In that envelope our Dhruvānanda Mahārāja has written that "I am enclosing herewith one bird's-eye view plan." Eh? Have you done? If he has done, ask him and put it. If he has not, without that plan we shall send. Aiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
This is for the devotee. For the ordinary person these are the description, that the sūrya, the sun is also Kṛṣṇa, the fire is also Kṛṣṇa, the sky is also Kṛṣṇa, the air is also Kṛṣṇa, the moon is also Kṛṣṇa, the evening is Kṛṣṇa, daytime is Kṛṣṇa. Then how you can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says that "I am..." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa. Simply on account of your foolishness, māyā is covering your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then māyā's curtain will be taken away and you will see Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is required. Then you become perfect as soon as you learn how to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. This is the art, transcendental art, spiritual art, how to see Kṛṣṇa. Then you become perfect. That is wanted.
So these varieties of bodies are there. You cannot change the law of nature. Struggle for existence: we are trying to conquer over the laws of nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (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, guṇa-vaicitryāt, by the varieties of the guṇa, guṇa-vaicitryāt," tathānyatrānumīyate. Anyatra means next life or next planet or next anything.
So this is the position. And this is not at all good. It is suffering. We are purchasing suffering more and more. The laws of God or laws of nature, they are very strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot avoid the stringent laws of the material nature. If you violate, then you will suffer. If you follow, then you will be elevated.
Āsīt, "In this way he is involved." Sa eva na cirād īśa-saṅgād vilīyate. So he is involved in this way, but if he associates with Īśa, the Supreme Lord, then na cirād, very soon, all these things, entanglement, can be finished. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). One who is entangled with these modes of material nature, it is very difficult to come out of it. But mām eva ye prapadyante: "Anyone who takes My shelter, he can get out." And practically you have got all experience that our regulative principle is very difficult to give it up, but those who have become devotee, they have easily given up.
Therefore it is called illusion, in the darkness. But we understand that kṛṣṇa sūrya sama: "Kṛṣṇa is just like sun." Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama; māyā andhakāra: "And this darkness means māyā."
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). This is the process.
So it is a great science. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is most scientific movement to get the whole human society from the pitch of darkness. Gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛham andha-kūpam. The Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father, "What you have learned most...," I mean to say... I forget. Yes, "The best thing, what you have learned?"
Overpopulation, there is no question of. If Kṛṣṇa has overpopulation, He is competent to supply them food. But it is the nature's restriction. When we become godless, the nature's trouble will be there. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like the flood is going on in many parts of the world. So this is due to our sinful life. Nature is punishing. Adhidaivika. You cannot control. Nature will punish.
That is nature's business. The more we become godless, the more we'll be punished by the laws of nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surpass. You make many scientific plans to overcome—it is not possible. Then how it is possible? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa That is your business.
So we cannot violate the laws of God, or dharma. Then we'll be punished. The punishment is there, awaiting, by the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The laws of nature is to punish you. So long you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, the laws of nature will go on punishing you—three kinds of miserable conditions: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. This is the law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27).
That is the general statement of the rascals and fools. But the fact is different. If you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Yamadūtas Then you'll be punished. You cannot avoid. You are completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, and you are the servant. You have declined to serve Kṛṣṇa; therefore you must be punished. This is the nature's way. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). You cannot escape. You can not escape the mundane, man-made laws, but you cannot the God-made laws. That is not possible.
So nature has got the restricting power. As you become more and more demons and sinful, nature will restrict supply and you'll suffer. This is the law.
Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to teach people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, surrender unto Him. Then they will be happy. This is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to create some ideal men. People will see them, and at least they will understand that "Here are the ideal men." They will be ashamed. So those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should be śreyān-yad yad ācarati śreyān—the best men in the society.
So sinful activities, it is punishable. You cannot violate the laws of nature. Prakṛti is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like the government has police department, military department, law courts. Why? Because not all the citizens were good citizens. There are many outlaws. So more or less, whoever is in this material world, they are outlaws. Outlaw means they do not abide by the laws of nature, and therefore they are punishable.
That is going on. And God is coming, Kṛṣṇa is coming, canvassing, that "Come back to home, back to Godhead," and we are not interested. We are making plan here. This is our misfortune. But this plan will be frustrated. That is the nature's law. Daivi hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Whatever plan you make, it will be frustrated. It will never be successful. Therefore śāstra says, bahir-artha-maninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Where is the destination of life, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ. These rascals, those who have come to this material world, they do not know where is the goal of life because they are rascals, mūḍha, narādhama.
So that sort of qualification is not very good qualification. One should be actually a surrendered soul. That will make him qualified. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām. Here it is said, spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ. Even such qualified brāhmaṇas, they are also spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ, contaminated by the touch of māyā, māyā-grasta. He is not free. But Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Only a fully surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa is able to get out of the contamination of māyā. Therefore such surrendered soul can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, not others.
The māyā is forcing me that "You sleep twenty-four hours." But I have to conquer māyā: "No. I shall not sleep more than seven hours." That is your business. If I ask, if you say, "I don't know," that is not the answer. You have to... And how this māyā can be conquered? That is also said. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "Anyone who is fully surrendered, he can conquer the māyā." Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura conquered māyā. She came at dead of night, beautifully dressed, very young girl, and offered herself. But he conquered. "Yes, I shall do. I shall enjoy with you. Please sit down. Let me finish my regular chanting process. Then we shall enjoy." So he conquered māyā. Māyā could not conquer.
You cannot manufacture the process of your happiness by tackling this material energy. That is not possible because the material energy is not under your control. It is controlled by the Supreme. How you can overpower the material energy? That is not possible. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: Daivī hy eṣa guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is not possible to overcome the stringent laws of material nature. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā: "It is My energy. I am controlling." Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "But if somebody surrenders unto Me..." The whole process, whole material activities, the cosmic manifestation, situation, is going on just to bring these rebelled souls to come back to Godhead. That is the situation.
So we are making different plans but it will not be successful. That much I explained last night, that we are thinking independent and we are planning so many things independently to become happy. It is not possible. That is not possible. That is māyā's illusory play. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surpass. Then what is the ultimate solution? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then we revive our original position. That is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means instead of keeping so many things in consciousness... They are all polluted consciousness.
No." Nobody is satisfied that "My life is meant for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Here is a chance to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let me live here peacefully and let me eat the prasādam and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." You'll will find no customer. This is māyā.
It is very, very difficult. But still, Vaiṣṇava, he will advise. A moralist who knows śāstra, he will also advise, just like Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. I was saying, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Formerly there was exchange for... Means of exchange was coins, gold mohan(?). Even in India, even in Muhammadan, there was gold.
So it is forbidden for a brahmacārī even to think of woman. That is brahmacārī. Even thinking of woman is subtle sex life. It is very, very difficult. But mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you catch the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa very tightly, these things will not disturb. That is said by Yamunacārya. Bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ. If you become pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then as soon as you think of sex, you'll spite. "Eh! Nonsense. What is this?" This is the result. That is the certificate, whether you have got that attitude—spite on it.
Māyā's business is to keep you always sleeping, forgetting God. This is māyā's business. Daivī hi eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is māyā's business. The more you forget Kṛṣṇa, the more you are under the influence of māyā. Jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. If you increase your volume of material civilization, then more and more you'll forget God and you'll be attached to this material world, māyāra vaibhava.
Our aim is how to become free from this material bondage and real sneha, real affection, real love should be spread. And that can be done through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, it is all false. Sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham utsaheta. This māyā is so strong that we are taking this false thing as reality. It is very difficult to give it up. That is explained by Kṛṣṇa:
This is the only meaning. If we become pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then my love will be extended to everyone. Not only my society, but to everyone. It is not that "This is my children, that is other's children." All children. All human being.
There will be some fever, disturb me. Some calamity will disturb me. So because all these disturbances are, this is nature's daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That māyā is always ready to disturb us. Because to remind us that "You want to be happy in this material world, that is not possible. I shall disturb you always, in this way or that way." That we haven't got eyes to see, that we are being disturbed. But if we want undisturbed happiness then we have to purify our existence. That is wanted. It is for our interest. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious means that is our interest.
That is not scientific, scientist's hand or experimental, I say, philosopher's hand. It is completely under the hand of the material nature. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says that daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The material nature is so powerful that your so-called fighting against the material nature is simply waste of time. You cannot. You cannot, by material science, transfer yourself from this planet to another planet or according to your desire. No. That will be managed by laws of nature, material nature. So you are transferred.
That is the nature. So however we may make plans to live very happily, the nature's law is that it will destroy.
So this material nature is very powerful. You cannot protect from the onslaught of material nature. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advising us that you try to achieve the permanent. The permanent is the soul.
Yes. It is a post, thankless post. Nobody thanks, everyone derides, you see. But she is a great devotee. She tolerates and punishes. That's all. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). She only wants to see that "You become Kṛṣṇa conscious, I leave you, that's all." Police business is that "You become law-abiding citizen; then I have no connection with you." So far. "And so long you are not a law-abiding (citizen), I shall kick you as much as possible." So Māyā's business is like this.
Immediately. That is the law. daivī hi eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). He has to obey. But if he disobeys the order of Kṛṣṇa, he must come down to the jurisdiction of māyā to be forced to obey the orders of material nature.
There is no secrecy. We worship Kṛṣṇa, we think of Kṛṣṇa, we work for Kṛṣṇa, we glorify Kṛṣṇa, we chant for Kṛṣṇa, we dedicate our life for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... This is our philosophy. We think of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, we are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, we worship Kṛṣṇa, mad-yājī, we offer our obeisance to Kṛṣṇa, māṁ namaskuru, this is our... Sarva-dharmān parityajya, we have no other religion, we don't approve any other religion except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is our philosophy.
Because you cannot change the order of transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That you have to accept according to your karma. So, therefore, material knowledge will not help me. Therefore they struggle so. You are under the grip of natural laws, daivi hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Natural, nature's law are very stringent. You cannot interfere with the... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). The prakṛti, the nature, material nature is so strong that you cannot interfere with her business, that is not possible. So your material knowledge will not help you, unless you have got Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge. You can, anyone can understand. Suppose if I want to protect this body with all hygienic principles, soaps and pumice and injection and medicine and so many things, does it mean that you shall live? Can you overcome the laws of nature?
So ugra-jāteḥ means demonic family, passionate. Ugra. There are three qualities within this material world. Therefore it is said guṇa-mayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa-mayī means three guṇas, three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. So our mind is jumping. Everyone knows the nature of the mind, sometimes accepting one thing, again rejecting it, saṅkalpa-vikalpa. This is the quality of the mind or nature of the mind. Sometimes the mind is jumping over sattva-guṇa, sometimes on the rajo-guṇa, and sometime on the tamo-guṇa.
That is my option." No. As soon as you become thief, you are punishable. Similarly, anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's immediately punishable. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The punishment will go on in various ways. That is going on. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). The punishment... This is punishment. That is presented by Kṛṣṇa.
Just like that Jumnagar(?) Agarwal, that... He is now in the police custody. Now he is crying, "Save me, save me, save me." But nature's law is very strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Once you have committed mistake, immediately nature's law reacts, and it is very difficult to come out of it. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā.
Because we are serving māyā, there must be dissatisfaction. There must be dissatisfaction. Nobody can be peaceful within this material world so long he is under the clutches of māyā. That is not possible. But these rascals, they do not know this. It is said everywhere, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti.
Kṛṣṇa said, but we do not take Kṛṣṇa's words. Śānti means we have to accept these three principles. What is that? Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer; He is the master; He is the proprietor. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sar... You are performing yajña. You are performing tapasya, penances.
Therefore here it is said, saṁsāra-cakram aja ko 'titaret tvad-anyaḥ. "A strong māyā. I cannot get out of her clutches." So Prahlāda Mahārāja knows it. Ko 'titaret: "Who can surpass? Who can get rid of this clutches of māyā?" Tvad-anyaḥ. That is the fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me, and you'll be free from māyā." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ sara..., ahaṁ tvām: (BG 18.66) "I'll give you protection." Mām eva ye prapadyante. The same thing, whole instruction, is there. Simply if we want to be happy... Happiness you cannot have in this way, by concocting plans. That is not possible. You have seen the whole world, especially in the modern days.
Then you'll be detached. Yad avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde nava-nava-dhāma... When our pleasure exchange will be done between Kṛṣṇa and ourself, then we shall be detached. Otherwise not. Otherwise it is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
So Prahlāda Mahārāja is realizing that anything, material possession, it has no value. It may have some value, temporary, but there is risk also. For some temporary enjoyment, there is so many risk. The enjoyment... The highest enjoyment in the material world is sex. So for some temporary happiness we may enjoy sex, but there are many, what is called, after results. That is not very happy.
Just imagine. This... Because if... Tit for tat. If I kill a child in the womb—"Now I am very much proud of my scientific advancement"—then I am have to be killed in my birth. That's all. You cannot avoid this nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). There is very, very sūkṣma. The word is used sūkṣma, very, very fine laws. Who can see it? Ātma-yoni, so he's also not free. Although he is Lord Brahmā, he's also not free. He's perplexed: "Wherefrom I came? What is the source of my birth in darkness?" He could see only the lotus flower on which he was sitting, nothing else. Exactly our position... Just like so many scientists, they think that this world is everything, and other planets and worlds, there is no life. Only because he is there, there is life. This is the modern presentation.
So if we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, these two literatures, then we get all Vedic knowledge, and then we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And to do this business there is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa will give you all protection, provided you remain, I mean to say, adhere to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etaṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The māyā will not touch you. You'll be happy.
So Kṛṣṇa also says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), the same thing. As Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā duratyayā, similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja also says duratyayā, it is very difficult to supplant the laws of nature. If you don't act according to the direction... Veda means knowledge. So in the Vedas, they are giving direction how to live. Even if you want to be materially prosperous, you have to follow these rules and regulations. And if you want to get out of this material world, these are the rules and regulations. Otherwise, we have to meet always... Already there are calamities.
So the Vaiṣṇava's duty is... That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's proposal, that "Personally I have no problem. I am begging Your mercy for everyone, not for me, sir. I am quite sure. Because You are assuring, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), so I have no such māyā. I have fully surrendered unto You. And You also promise, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So I am simply fully surrendered unto You. Then as far as I know, I have done it. I shall continue it. So I have no problem." Therefore Vaiṣṇava is worshiped as para-duḥkha-duḥkhī.
This is the conviction of a (person) perfectly convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The preacher who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they must be convinced that without accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nobody has any means of escaping these stringent laws of material nature. It is everywhere stated. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unfortunately, the conditioned souls, although they are very, very much afflicted with the pressure of material nature, they have become callous. Every moment, every second, they are being controlled, and still they are thinking they can do anything and everything independently.
The nature's law is like that, that from monkey we have become human being, and in the human being we are dancing like monkey. So nature will say, "All right, again you become monkey." You cannot check that. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This nature's process is going on, but we are so advanced scientist that we do not know how nature is working. Automatically working.
That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is his actual life. Otherwise, he's in the dreamland. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is called māyā, illusion. Nighttime dreaming and daytime dreaming. The nighttime dream... In this way, we are dreaming life after life. As human being, as animal, as tree, as aquatics. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. This evolutionary process is going on.
This is, this is, there is no use... But people do not know this science. They think that "I am doing right as philanthropist, as nationalist, as..." But you, he, he forgets that he's under the full control of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot plan. The ultimate plan is sanctioned by God, or by His agent, the prakṛti. You cannot make your plan. You get the result of your present activity. Karma phala. Go on.
Defeated means everyone is trying to satisfy his senses to the greatest extent. Unfortunately, māyā will now allow him to do so. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Parābhavaḥ. The karmīs who are trying to satisfy their senses to the highest limit, they are being defeated. It cannot be. Nobody's satisfied with the senses, to the greatest extent. In Europe and America, this can very practically experienced. Many, many, old, very rich men, seventy-five years old, seventy years old, they're still going to the club for satisfying the senses. That means the sense satisfaction business cannot be completely done even to the point of death.
Therefore people are suffering. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everyone must suffer. That is the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot avoid it. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Only you can be happy when you are a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa. That is the only way. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti.
They will, I mean to say, spend electric energy in so many ways, that is not loss. But people were coming for half an hour and one hour, gentlemen, "No. Electricity will be spoiled." This is māyā. Māyā is always after this checking process. So we have to fight against the māyā, then we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That fighting determination must be there. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). One must be determined. So māyā may check my progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but I must fight māyā. This determination wanted. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. That is wanted. "All right let me do. All right, not.
This philosophy, they do not know. They want to... Like Kaṁsa, they want to make minus Kṛṣṇa. Like Rāvaṇa, they want to make minus Rāma, and the result is that with their all family, all their wealth and everything, material advance—vanquished, finished. That is prakṛti. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). They are trying to avoid God. They are trying to become independent of God. Then what is the benefit? In every step we are seeing that we are dependent on God. Because God has not supplied rain for one year, there is so much catastrophe going on. But still, they will not take it.
So these kind of Gods will not help you. Take to Kṛṣṇa. Take to Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says, the method: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). These things are there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You take it, practice it, and see how your life becomes successful and how you become happy. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Devānām, from Brahmā, devānām means beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, then other devas, Indra, Candra. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. I am the ṛṣīnām, all the ṛṣis, then prakṛti. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10), under my superintendence this material world is working. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakta mad-yājī māṁ nama... Everything Kṛṣṇa is declaring, and the rascals say Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Just see the fault. And he's explaining Bhagavad-gītā.
So where is the difficulty? Let us surrender to Kṛṣṇa and execute His will, whatever He... Surrender means I must be prepared to execute the will of Kṛṣṇa; not my whims, but Kṛṣṇa's will. The Kṛṣṇa's will is that you become Kṛṣṇa's devotee. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Where is the difficulty? You surrender unto Him, and He assures, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Immediately he becomes relieved from the effects of illusory energy. So there is no difficulty, not at all difficulty. Let us immediately become surrendered to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Think of Him always. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, to become His devotee, always think of Him.
That is the statement of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṇā-manasā vācā: "Anyone who is simply engaged in the devotional service of the Lord by his activities, karmaṇā, by his mind, and by his words, such person is always liberated in any condition of life." Īhā yasya harer dāsye. Simply we have to engage ourself in the devotional service of the Lord, then māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). One who has surpassed the boundaries of māyā, he's liberated. He's liberated. He's already liberated. Why he should aspire after liberation? He's already liberated. Go on.
"As soon as I think of sex intercourse, immediately my mouth becomes turned aside and I want to spite on it." So therefore Kṛṣṇa is Madana-mohana. Madana is attracting everyone, sex life, and Kṛṣṇa, when one is attracted by Kṛṣṇa, then madana also becomes defeated. So as soon as madana becomes defeated, we conquer over this material world. Otherwise it is very difficult. The... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Duratyayā means very, very difficult. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. But if anyone surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, catches His lotus feet very strongly, "Kṛṣṇa, save me," Kṛṣṇa promises, "Yes, I'll save you." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). "Don't worry. I shall save you." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). "My dear Arjuna, you can declare to the world, My devotee, pure devotee, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11), who has no other desire, he'll be protected by Me."
We are under the control of the material nature. Everyone can realize it. Nobody can be free. But the process of freedom is also stated there: Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā, mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). If anyone takes to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, surrenders there, and be engaged in His service, then these laws of nature will be slackened, or almost nil. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). These are the statements of the śāstras.
Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). These statements are there. If we actually take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then māyā, the laws of nature, will not act. And... Otherwise, we shall be put into the cycle of birth and death. So the best utilization of this human life is to elevate oneself to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: if we try to understand Kṛṣṇa, in truth, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), then we'll not have to accept any more this material body, which is full of miserable conditions. Then we go back to home, back to Godhead. Go on.
You never find Kṛṣṇa is speaking about His pastimes with the gopīs or with Rādhārāṇī. No. He's officially speaking about Himself, "I am this, I am that." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Thoroughly study Bhagavad-gītā, and after studying Bhagavad-gītā, if you are fortunate enough to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then, Kṛṣṇa says, surrender. That is the beginning of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to understand the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs.
You should always remember this. A little mistake will spoil the whole scheme, little mistake. Nature is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Very, very strong. So you all, boys and girls, those who have come from America, I am very much thankful to you. But don't be less serious. Be very serious. And another thing I'll request especially to the Americans, that America has got good potentiality to save the world, so if you preach very nicely in your country...
Māyā has captured by embracing, just like if you capture somebody very tightly, it is very difficult to go out. Hands and legs are all caught up. Similarly, we are under the clutches of māyā in that way. But māyā's business is just to punish, but as soon as we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately māyā lets loose. Yes. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Very easy thing.
So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He's preaching about Himself, because without knowing, without understanding the tattva, vetti māṁ tattvataḥ, without understanding the Absolute Truth as He is, there is no question of getting out of the clutches of māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). "One who surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "he can get out of the clutches of māyā." Māyā means this material life. We have forgotten ourself, that we are intimately related with Kṛṣṇa, we have got a special function on His behalf. Just like part and parcel of my body: the finger has got a special function the leg has got a special function, the head has got a special function; similarly, we all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we have got a special function in relationship with the Lord.
You are seeing already, but it is not full-fledged experience. Everything we are seeing. We have experienced God's power, God's energy. But because we are in ignorance, therefore we cannot conceive perfectly. And as soon as you are above the māyā... Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). That māyā you can, I mean to say, surpass simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As you become full-fledged Kṛṣṇa conscious, oh, then you see always brahmajyoti and Brahman and Kṛṣṇa and everything.
So anyway, tāṅhāra vibhūti, saba... Therefore Brahman, His body, cannot be material. So material matter is under His control. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "This material nature is under My control." And in another place it is said,
"The whole cosmic manifestation is rolling on under My superintendence." Mayādhyakṣeṇa. "Under My order, under My supervision," prakṛtiḥ, "this, oh, the huge, gigantic material nature, is working under Me," hetunānena, "and, on this account, there is rules and regulations, everything is being done nicely." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Because Brahman, or the Supreme Lord, is the greatest, therefore His body cannot be made of this material nature."
So the ārtaḥ and arthārthī, they are lower than the jñānī and the jijñāsuḥ. Because sometimes we go to worship Bhagavān in the temple in distressed condition, but as soon as my distress is over, I forget. Or if I get some money, I forget. There is chance. Not that always we forget. But because māyā is very powerful, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14), sometimes we forget. Very rich men, opulent, they don't care for what is God. Generally, we see at, in Europe and America, they don't talk of anything about God. They are busy only how to acquire money and enjoy sense gratification.
You cannot create water, you cannot create fire, you cannot create earth. It is God's property. You take it and satisfy your senses. That's all. That's your business. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmaṇī sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Prakṛti is supplying. But how prakṛti is supplying? How the material nature is supplying you ingredients? Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "Under My direction." So what is the difficulty? And how can you become God? How you can become greater than God? This is all foolishness. You are completely under the control. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You are completely under the prakṛti, this material nature.
Similarly, by bribing or by satisfying Durgā, you can get a comfortable position within this material world, but your real business is how to get out of it. That Durgā cannot give. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. So long you do not come to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of getting out of the clutches of māyā. That is not possible.
Some of you must have traveled in the air. The cloud is covered... (break) ...little hazy, and when you go above the cloud, it is sunshine. So different stage of covering... Similarly, this avidyā or māyā is covering us in different stages, in different features. Māyā has got three qualities. Guṇamayī, māyā, Bhagavad-gītā says. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī means having three modes of material nature: sattva, tamaḥ, rajaḥ. So here also the same thing is. Yayā kṣetra-jña-śaktiḥ sā veṣṭitā nṛpa sarva-gā. That veṣṭitā... Either you are covered by the quality of goodness, or you are covered by the quality of passion, or you are covered by the quality of ignorance.
Everyone is nīca, badly associated, fallen, and the lowest of the mankind because he's missing the chance of understanding Kṛṣṇa in the human form life, and nobody knows what he's going to be, next life. So it it a very risky civilization without any understanding of Kṛṣṇa. Be careful. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, execute the Kṛṣṇa consciousness business very cautiously so that we may not fall down. There is risk of fall down, but if we stick to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet—mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti—then there is no fear.
The so-called happiness will increase problems, and you have to deal with that problem, then again another problem, another problem. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like they are trying to control over the laws of material nature. That is impossible. It will never be possible. If you solve one question, then you will have to meet with thousands of other questions. It is not possible. So...
So this is māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayi mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We are under the rulings of the māyā. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Why? Because we are declaring master. Servant is declaring to become master; therefore suffering. And as soon as we accept that "I am not master; I am servant," then there is no suffering. Very simple philosophy. That is mukti. Mukti means just come to the right platform. That is mukti. Mukti is defined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6).
These things, sādhu, śāstra, saintly person and scripture, they have to be accepted. If you don't accept them, then there is no other way. Why there is no other way? Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). He's citing again from Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is the book of evidence. Lord Caitanya is citing. Because it is Vedic. Just like in the law court you have to cite section from the law book, not from your concocted mind.
You are a conditioned soul. Can you manufacture something? No. You cannot manufacture anything. You have to give reference from authorized scripture. So Lord Caitanya is giving evidence from Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Why you cannot yourself get out of these material clutches? The reason is this: daivī hy eṣā. It is, material clutches is so powerful. You cannot get out. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. "This material nature, which is My energy," Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "it is very strong, very strong." In the history you'll never find that anybody has overcome the laws of material nature by his own effort. No. It is not possible. Therefore the modern scientific world who are trying to conquer over the laws of material nature by their teeny scientific arrangement, they are all fools. It is not possible. Not possible.
If you try for something which is not possible, then you'll simply go on, wasting your time. That is a different thing. But if you accept the scriptures, the truth, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā-daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā: (BG 7.14) "This material nature, which is one of My energy, it is very difficult to get out of it"—then he'll be a sane man who: "Then why I am trying foolishly? In this way, that I can make adjustment in this material world for comfortable life? No. It is not possible." Then what is the remedy? The remedy's there. What is that? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) "As soon as one surrenders unto Me, he becomes out of these clutches." This is the process.
Prabhupāda:
So Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that this is the condition, suffering condition of the living entities, and he can be rescued by the mercy of sādhu, saintly persons, the scriptures and the spiritual master. They are prepared to bestow their mercy upon everyone, provided people like to take their instruction and mercy. That is the solution. And in the Bhagavad-gītā the same thing is confirmed in the Seventh Chapter: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The influx of the disturbances created by this material nature under different forms is very stringent. So anyone who wants to be rescued from these miseries, he should surrender unto the Supreme Lord. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.
This māyā has got two kinds of influence: prakṣepātmikā, āvaraṇātmikā. Āvaraṇātmikā means we are already covered by the illusion. Although we are suffering in every step, we are thinking that we are happy. Just, just the day before yesterday the lady, she said, "Oh, the temperature was so high that I could not tolerate it. I could not..." The next moment she said, "Oh, I don't feeling any, any unhappiness." This is called prakṣepātmikā. First things is that I am so much illusioned that I...
So covering influence and throwing influence. Out of these two influences, one can come out if he agrees to surrender unto the Supreme Lord. Otherwise there is no other way. He'll be, he'll be always covered or be thrown again.
Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Anyone who surrenders unto Me fully, he, he alone can get rid of these two kinds of influence of māyā. Others cannot."
That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam..., er, Bhagavad-gītā, that,
"It is very difficult to surmount the stringent laws of material nature, but anyone who surrenders unto Me, very easily, automatically, simultaneously he becomes freed from the contamination of māyā."
Always remember that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a sort of declaration of war with this illusory material nature. So there is war. She will always try to get you fall down. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very strong, powerful. How you can save yourself? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you persistently simply adhere to the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, there will be no more strength of this illusory nature to drag you. No more. There will be no more power to get you into this province of sense gratification. Material nature means the jurisdiction of sense gratification.
Simply, I mean, beating the skin is no good. We must have some concrete result. That concrete result is one who is directly engaged in the transcendental service, loving service of the Supreme Lord. That is recommended.
So the same thing is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter, that the Lord says that... This is also another influence of māyā, illusion. Just like under the spell of illusion we are thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am king," "I am big man," "I am poor man"—so many we have got—and this is all due to this body, bodily conception. It has no actual standing. It is all..., they are all designations. Similarly, the last snare of māyā is to, I mean to say, induce one to think that "I am God."
We must have some concrete result. That concrete result is one who is directly engaged in the transcendental service, loving service of the Supreme Lord. That is recommended.
So the same thing is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter, that the Lord says that... This is also another influence of māyā, illusion.
We are thinking, "I am this and that, this and that." So after many, many years' cultivation of knowledge, if one comes to the conclusion that "I am God. There is no other second God. I am God," so that is also another spell of illusion. So the Bhagavad-gītā says that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). One is trying to get out of the clutches of the illusory energy, but it is very difficult. Up to the last point the māyā, illusion, will offer you something so that she will baffle your endeavor to get out of her clutches. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. Then how to get out of her hands? Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti... Only process is just you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and māyā will not any more interfere with your business.
People are trying to save themselves, and sometimes talking foolishly that by scientific knowledge man will be immortal. You cannot stop the process of the material laws. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The process of material nature, which is composed of three qualities—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... Tri-guṇa. Another meaning of guṇa is rope. Just like you have seen rope, they're twisted in three process. First of all thin rope, then three of them, they are rolled, then again three of them rolled, then again three. It becomes very strong. So these three qualities, sattva, raja, tamo-guṇa, they are mixed up. Again they produce some by-product, again mixed up, again mixed up.
Everything is a process. Process. So if you lose this opportunity of elevating yourself, then again you come to the process. Nature's law is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). The sooner you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Such person is able to overcome this process of material nature.
All of them are tied up by the stringent rules and regulations of the material nature. And they have become leader. They do not like any authority. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. They are being misled; still they are following that. This is called māyā. So try, some way or other, you have come in contact with Kṛṣṇa. So catch Him very tightly. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you catch very tightly Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, then māyā will not be able to do any harm.
So this illusion means māyā. māyā... If you want to get out of this illusion, māyā, then you have to accept the Kṛṣṇa's formula. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā for guidance if we accept the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Everything is there. Peace is there, prosperity is there. So that is a fact. Unfortunately, we do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Or we misinterpret it. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Kṛṣṇa says that "You always think of Me," man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. "Become My devotee." Mad-yājī, "You worship Me." Māṁ namaskuru, "And offer obeisances unto Me." Is it very difficult task? Here is Kṛṣṇa's Deity. If you think of this Deity, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, is it very difficult? Man-manā. You come into the temple and, just as a devotee, offer your respect to the Deity, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. As far as possible try to worship the Deity, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa does not want your whole property.
Kṛṣṇa says therefore, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Mama māyā duratyayā. It is very difficult. But without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to control over the material energy. That is explained by a Vaiṣṇava poet, very simple language,
As soon as we forget Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller, and we want to control over the material energy, bhoga vāñchā kare... Bhoga means control over. "I shall control this market. I shall be the head of the market." Everyone is trying that. So kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha.
This bhoga vāñchā, on account of this bhoga vāñchā, he becomes subjected to the conditions offered by this material nature. Therefore it is said,
So in the Bhagavad-gītā is..., everything is explained. Either you study in, comparing in the modern scientific and philosophical ways, or as you accept it as it is, the conclusion is the same—Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller. That will be explained later verses.
These rascals, godless people, they will simply manufacture plan. Manorathena: by mental concoction. "Now this, we have made this plan. It will be very nice." But no. That is not possible.
Māyā is so strong that it will break, dismantle everything into pieces, your plan.
That is very risky. Very risky. You may be very proud that "I am this, I am that, I have to...," but you are after all under the control of the laws of nature. That you cannot avoid. Falsely proud. But you have to abide by it. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is not so easy. Actually, nature's law, you can eat once attar. If you eat little more than that, then there is indigestion immediately. You have to go to the doctor. So what is your independence? You cannot violate a little portion of the laws of nature. So many. In every step. As soon as you violate, immediately there is punishment. And still, we are declaring independence.
If you want to keep intact of transcendental position, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa sincerely. Then you will be kept. Nobody can harm you. Nobody can deviate you. Māyā will fly away. You see? Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā is very strong. You cannot conquer māyā by so-called meditation or this or that. No. Simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Kṛṣṇa. Only He. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. He can overcome the stringent laws of māyā. So don't think that after finishing this ceremony you become all right. No. Māyā is always strong. Kṛṣṇa-nāma karo bhaya āra sab miche, palāivera path naya yo māche piche. The instruction is that you always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
That song, Jīv Jāgo, Jīv Jāgo. "I have brought this medicine for killing this Hong Kong flu of māyā." Enechi auṣadhi māyā nāśibāro lāgi', hari-nāma mahā-mantra lao tumi māgi. Now you take. This is greatest contribution of Caitanya Mahāprabhu to fight against this attack of material influence. Everyone is subjected. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Under the three modes of material nature people are entangled. So to get out of this, the same proposition, as I explained in the beginning, to get out of this entanglement of constant transmigrating from one body to another, so this is the mantra. Simply to... Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam. Puṇḍarīkākṣam means Kṛṣṇa. So if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you'll be forced to remember Him.
So next, what is your name? Georgina. So your spiritual name is Gunamayī. Gunamayī... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī is the name of the energy of Lord. Woman is the energy of man. Similarly, we are all energies. A man works very hard, being energized by his wife or mother. That is the history of the whole world. Any big man, behind that big man is a woman, either mother or wife, especially. You have heard the name of Vidya-sagara Pandit.
Thank you. So take your... So what is your name? (break) I asked this, what is your name? Georgina? No, now what is your spiritual name? Immediately forgot? (laughter) Guṇamayī. Guṇamayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī means qualities, full of qualities. So this material nature is, has got three qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. This is also guṇamayī. And the spiritual nature also has got three qualities—sandhinī, saṁvit, and... What is called, other?
Ahlādinī, yes. Sandhinī, saṁvit, and ahlādinī. So both of them are guṇamayī. The spiritual nature is horrible for the conditioned soul, but she is not horrible for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). So everyone Kṛṣṇa's..., related with Kṛṣṇa is not, he or she is not horrible. Just like a police department is horrible for the criminals and not for the President. The President is not afraid of the police department because the police department is under his control. Similarly, this material nature with three qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, it is horrible for the conditioned soul. Therefore, if anyone surrenders to Kṛṣṇa—mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti—immediately he overcomes the horrible feature of this material nature. Otherwise, if one does not come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if one does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, this material nature is horrible. So therefore in both ways the spiritual nature or the material nature, they are guṇamayī. And the difference is that when one is conditioned, he is under the material nature guṇamayī, and when he is liberated, he is under the spiritual nature guṇamayī. But both of them are guṇamayī.
That doesn't matter. The police exists, but if you are not criminal it has nothing to do with you. You are not afraid of the police. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Police has nothing to do with law-abiding persons. Let the māyā remain there. You have nothing to do with her. Yes?
Guest: Swamijī, we always think of the pictures of Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa. There are, full of pictures, here, and also the usual pictures which you... When you think of the word "consciousness" and "life," as applied to the image of God, it seems to make sense. But how do you apply the concept of consciousness and life to a God conceived of in the terms like this image here?
Never īśa. Guḍāka-īśa, guḍākeśa. Guḍāka means darkness, and īśa means master. So you remain in guḍāka, but not guḍākeśa. So if you want to become guḍākeśa, master of this ignorance, then surrender to Kṛṣṇa. You'll get it.
"It is very difficult to surmount this darkness of ignorance, but anyone who surrenders unto Me, he immediately surmounts."
Therefore you are, you keep yourself pure. Is that clear? Yes. So try to keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any deviation. Then you remain pure. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī... (BG 7.14). (break) It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of this māyā, contamination. Very difficult. Mām eva ye prapadyante: "But one who keeps touch with Me, with full surrender," māyām etāṁ taranti te, "he's out of these clutches of māyā." So just like there is antiseptic, what is called, vaccination, to keep yourself from the contamination... There is epidemic, and under government order everyone is vaccinated, that "You take this. So you shall keep your..." This is material way of keeping oneself from contamination. Similarly, if you keep always yourself in spiritual understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you remain pure. Yes?
Therefore the best method of my perfection of life is to become dependent on God, Kṛṣṇa. That is the solution of all problems. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that. Try to understand your constitutional position and be surrendered to God, to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Very simple thing. The moment you surrender unto God, immediately you become happy. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.
So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not very difficult either to understand or to execute. Simply we shall be willing to do this. That's all. That willing is in your hand. If you like, you can accept it. Because you have got little independence to accept something or reject something. That independence you have got. And by rejecting something good, we are in distress, and accepting something good, we are happy. So this acceptance and rejection is in your hand.
So our human civilization is going to be like that. The other day I was reading in your—what is called?—World Almanac. In the next hundred years people will live underground like rats. So our scientific advancement has created this atomic bomb to kill man, and it will be used. And we have to go underground to become again rat. From tiger, again rat. That is going to be. That is nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). If you defy the laws of your state and you are put into difficulty, similarly if you continue to defy the authority, the supremacy of the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, then the same result: again you become rat. As soon as there is atomic bomb, everything, all civilization on the surface of the globe will be finished. So people may not like it.
Then? So we manufacture something. This material world is like that, problematic. That I have already explained. Just like the blazing fire. So the answer is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama duratyayā (BG 7.14). In this material world the onslaught of the material nature is very, very severe. Nobody can surpass it. In some way or other it will come in a different form. The problem will not be solved. The problem can be solved, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te, when one surrenders unto God, Kṛṣṇa. Then he can surpass this onslaught of material nature. So that is the real remedy. Unfortunately, people does not take that process. But if anyone accepts this process, his problems are solved. That is the fact. That is the fact. But we do not expect that everyone can accept this process. But if anyone can accept this process, at least his personal problems will be solved. But it is the duty of such God conscious persons to distribute the message.
If you do not believe in that, if you think that this life you can make this world happy by arrangement, by scientific advancement, that is not possible. That is not possible. It is plainly and very straightly said in the Bhagavad-gītā,
It is very difficult to surmount the stringent laws of material nature. It is not possible. If you surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it is possible. So this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is very scientific movement. It is based on authentic scriptures and experience and recommended by personalities like Lord Caitanya, Rāmānujācārya, and many stalwart scholars and devotees.
Formula is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). To become liberated, to become free from the contamination of this mayic illusion, or māyā... There are many yogis, they are trying to get out of the clutches of māyā, but the method is simple according to Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You can try to get rid of, out of the clutches of māyā in different ways, but it is very, very strong. It is not so easy to get out of the clutches of māyā. But immediately He says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti: simply by surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa. What is that surrendering? "Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many births, from time immemorial. Now I surrender unto You. Please accept." This simple method.
If somehow or other he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, by the mercy of a sādhu, and by understanding the śāstra, if somehow or other he becomes lean to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he is eligible for being delivered from this miserable condition of material life. Māyā tāhāre chāḍaya. Then this illusion, māyā, releases our light here now. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,
This simple process that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and māyā immediately gives you release, "Oh, no more. That's all right." (pause) Yes, any questions? So, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized and practical, and very simple. You all take to this and be happy. That is our program. If you have got any question, you can ask. (pause) We shall hold class here in the morning at about half past five, six and in the evening at seven, after seven. Any questions? (pause) Then have kīrtana.
Then here is one commentation by a learned scholar and devotee, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana. He said, nanu cettvām eva prapannā vimucyante, tarhi paṇḍitā api kecit kim iti tvāṁ na prapadyante. Now, if Kṛṣṇa has said simply by surrendering unto Him, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te... Our business is, in the human form of life, how to get out of the clutches or conditions of māyā. We are actually trying to do that. All the scientific improvement, material advancement of knowledge, means that we are trying to avoid the conditions imposed by material nature. That is actually we are doing.
It comes from the material nature. Therefore our struggle for existence is to fight with the impositions of the material nature. So Kṛṣṇa says that in this way fighting, you cannot get out of the clutches of māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult. You may have hundreds and thousands of electric fans, but still you will have to feel the effect of excessive heat. You cannot avoid it. Similarly, you may have hundreds or thousands of heating arrangements; still, you have to feel the effects of the cooling effect of winter season.
It is not my statement. Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape. Suppose you are escaping by some arrangement, by heating arrangement, by cooling arrangement. But that does not mean by that process you will escape the actual laws of material nature. Just like we have got cold storage. We keep fruits and other things in the cold storage. It looks that it is keeping fresh, but the decomposition method is not stopped there.
As soon as you take out from the cold storage, it is all rotten. So you cannot escape the actions or reactions of material nature by these methods. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult, duratyayā, most difficult task to get out of the, I mean to say, regulative principles of material nature. Then how it is possible? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "Simply by surrendering unto Me one can do it."
So this saṅkīrtana movement is meant for purifying our heart. By long association with this material nature, we are thinking that "There is no God," "I have nothing to do with God. I am independent of God." We are thinking like that. But actually this is not a fact. The gross material nature is very strong. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā—those who have read Bhagavad-gītā—daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). God has got multi-energies, and they are divided grossly into three: the external energy, the internal energy and the marginal energy. The external energy is this material nature, and the internal energy, there is another, spiritual nature. As you see this universe, as far as you can see or imagine, it is covered.
Then you cannot... You are caught up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Then it will be just what kind of body you should have. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), under superior administration. Just like in the government service there is service record. And according to the service record, one is promoted or degraded. Similarly, there is record in the God's accountant department, statistic department. Every moment, upadraṣṭā anumantā, God is within you, He is seeing all your activities. If you desire something, God will remind you.
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). He established Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but rascals and fools began to imitate Him and decry Him. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He came as human being, so many persons represented that "I am God, I am Kṛṣṇa, I am this," no. God is one. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).
That is our real identification. But unfortunately, artificially we are trying to lord it over Kṛṣṇa or over the material nature. This is struggle. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This struggle you cannot overcome. Kṛṣṇa says duratyayā. It is very difficult to surmount the influence of material nature. Mama māyā duratyayā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "If anyone surrenders unto Me, then he can get rid of this influence of the material nature." This is the law. You cannot artificially change it.
These are the divisions. So here Kṛṣṇa says, "If you want to transcend these qualitative situations of material life, then you have to come to Me." Because these are..., all these qualities are different modes of material nature, which is called māyā. So we are now compact in the association of māyā, in different qualities, and Kṛṣṇa says that mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you actually want to revive your own consciousness, original consciousness, then you have to surrender. That is being explained by Vyāsadeva here, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). He says, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. Dhīmahi is gāyatrī-mantra. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi.
So nature is so strong that you can malinterpret, but nature is so strong that one day he will make you forget everything, brain paralysis. So how you are going to interpret the powerful nature? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:
Daivī hy eṣā. You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible. Practically, the modern so-called scientific world, they are trying to conquer over the laws of nature.
Because we believe in the words of Vedic scripture, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), you cannot conquer over the laws... (break) "...conquer over the laws of nature, then my liberation is stopped. How it will be possible?" Yes, you can do that. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "Anyone who fully surrenders unto Me, he can overcome the stringent laws of nature." See practically. The laws of nature, the āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam... Apart from other laws of nature, I become hungry; I require to eat something. I require to sleep. I require to have sense gratification. So these are laws of nature. But people who are accustomed to bad habits, it is very difficult to overcome them. But those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are actually overcoming the stringent laws of nature. These are practical.
So māyā, of course, when he sees that "This man, this living entity, is now corrected; he is now taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness," then she will not disturb.
Māyā etāṁ... Māyā, she is the most sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. She wants to chastise. Just like police. Police want to chastise a person unless he comes to his consciousness that he must abide by the laws of the state. That is police business. Otherwise police is not enemy.
So Kṛṣṇa is giving us the knowledge that "You surrender unto Me, and māyā will not trouble you." Māyām etāṁ taranti te. So we are giving this information, that "You rascal, you are trying to be happy by your material plan. You will never be happy. Don't be fooled. You have been befooled so many lifetimes. Now just make an experiment in this life.
This is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are actually struggling with material nature to become happy. But it is not possible to conquer over the material nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult. You cannot do it. Then how I can get from the clutches of the hands of material nature? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "You simply surrender unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "and you immediately get rid of this māyā." There are many greatly, great saintly persons. They are trying to get out of the clutches of māyā, to become liberated. But here is the simple process: simply you surrender unto Kṛṣṇa.
He personally advocated. It is not that we are manufacturing in some way. It is spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, that "You simply surrender unto Me, and immediately you are out of the clutches of māyā." Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. So I do not wish to take much of your time, but the thing is that the whole world is struggling hard. They are not in peace. One man is enemy of another man. One nation is enemy of another nation.
They are trying to get out of the clutches of māyā, to become liberated. But here is the simple process: simply you surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. He personally advocated. It is not that we are manufacturing in some way. It is spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, that "You simply surrender unto Me, and immediately you are out of the clutches of māyā." Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. So I do not wish to take much of your time, but the thing is that the whole world is struggling hard. They are not in peace. One man is enemy of another man. One nation is enemy of another nation. This is going on. This is... All these things are going on simply due to our forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa.
Actually who is in knowledge, he should know, "Where is happiness? I do not wish to die; I am dying. I do not wish to be diseased; I am diseased. I do not wish to become old; I am becoming old. So where is my happiness?" This is called māyā. There is no happiness, but still, he's thinking that he is in happiness. This is called illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So this is... Just like the animal is in illusion. A hog is eating stool, but he's thinking that "I am enjoying, very nice." He's becoming fat. This is called illusion. You are not happy. Nobody's happy in this material world. Therefore the inquiry should be... That is the Brahma-sūtra.
Just like you are all big businessmen. You have got supreme independence in business. Similarly, your sons, they have got also some independence, although subjected. Similarly, we, being part and parcel of God, sons of God, we have got little independence. If we misuse that independence, then we become subjected to all these tribulations. But if we do not misuse... As Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. So it is up to you. If you want to remain in this world of duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), you can do so. But if you want to get out of it, you can do so. That is up to you. It is not Kṛṣṇa's fault. Kṛṣṇa has given you liberty, little independence, whatever. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). He's given you chance. You want to do this—"All right, do it." You want to do this? "Do this." He's giving you chance. There is a verse, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He's situated in everyone's heart. He's understanding what you want, and He's giving you all chance: "All right, have it. Enjoy it." But His instruction is that "This will not make you happy." Sarva-dharmān parityaja mam ekam. You do not do it. You must suffer. That is not Kṛṣṇa's fault. That is your fault.
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. "Always think of Kṛṣṇa," man-manā. Bhava mad-bhakto: "Just to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." And māṁ namaskuru: "Offer obeisances unto Me." Kṛṣṇa instructed, mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Kṛṣṇa instructed that He's the Supreme Personality. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa instructed to surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).
So you cannot be godless. If you become godless, if you become without religion, if you become without any intentions to abide by the orders of God, then you will be punished. This is nature's law. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā we learn that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Every one of us is serving under the order of māyā, illusory energy, material energy, and we are becoming tired, sometimes very much fatigued, every one of us. Nobody is satisfied, cannot be satisfaction. Because in the prison house you cannot expect any comfortable life. That is not possible because it is meant for reformation, and there is punishment, and there is injunction.
They are trying to overcome the stringent laws of material nature by so many scientific improvements, but still, they are under material nature. That is the conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This material nature is called māyā, energy. Actually, it is the energy, energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From Vedic literature, we get information: God has got many potencies or energies.
Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Dhanañjaya, there is no more superior authority than Me." You have to accept that. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. You have to accept that. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). You have to accept that. Then you will be able to... You will be successful. Otherwise it is useless waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam.
Then everything will be adjusted. If we simply become disturbed by the external symptoms, it is not possible to make them solved. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot make solution of the stringent laws of material nature. It will go on. Just like the fire. If you touch fire, it will burn your finger. It will not consider that... Even if you are a child, if you touch fire... The material laws are very stringent. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22).
Kṛṣṇa is presently instructing in person, and foolish people are thinking that He's imperson. Why imperson? Kṛṣṇa is always speaking: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). The first person is used everywhere. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Aham. Kṛṣṇa says aham, person. So why we should think of Kṛṣṇa being imperson? This is our misfortune. Therefore it takes many, many births.
Yes. That we accept also. We say māyā. But one can be free from māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then one is not captivated by māyā. Māyā is there. Just like police is there. If you are not a criminal, then police has nothing to do with you. Police may be there. But if you are a criminal, then police will arrest you. Similarly, māyā is acting as police force of Kṛṣṇa. So as soon as you become criminal, forget Kṛṣṇa as your master, then the police, māyā, will capture you. That is the business.
As soon as you try to become independent of Kṛṣṇa, immediately māyā captures. This is the beginning of māyā. And again when you surrender, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. No more māyā. So to become free from māyā is very easy provided one understands Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as he understands Kṛṣṇa, he understands his duty, that my duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhakti, immediately he becomes free from all the contamination of māyā. Sa gunān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Who? Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). If you employ yourself immediately in loving service of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa also says, māyām etāṁ taranti te. So all the devotees they are not under māyā. They're already in liberated stage. Therefore a devotee does not want liberation because he's already liberated. Why he'll aspire about liberation? That is explained by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān. Mukti is standing before me with folded hand, "What can I do for you?" So why the devotees will aspire (to) mukti? Mukti is ready to serve him as maidservant. This is the position of devotee. Muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate, this is the great authority, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. Yes?
So we are praying to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy. If we pray to Kṛṣṇa's energy, she is Kṛṣṇa's energy, she will understand, "Now, he is now correct." So she gives facilities. She gives facilities, "Yes, now you can serve Kṛṣṇa. I give you... I give you freedom. You are no more under my clutches." Māyām etāṁ taranti te. Immediately you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you are immediately liberated. We haven't got to search out liberation separately. Immediately surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately you are liberated, immediately, simultaneous. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). At that time māyā takes another feature.
So God is giving protection to every living entity, but if you become devotee of the Lord, pure devotee, without any motive, then God will take special care of you. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are being harassed by māyā, the material energy, and if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa then we will be specially protected. Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.
So try to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this philosophy. We have got so many books. Whoever comes here must read the books, devotee, the inmates of the temple, outsider, then you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Or you should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa only.
Before us there were so many exalted ācāryas-Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, and, in our line, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So our process is to follow the predecessor ācārya. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). That is the way. So although you are young men—there are many difficulties to keep sannyāsa—but if you keep faith, full faith in Kṛṣṇa, the māyā will not be able to touch you. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā is very strong, but if we-mām eva ye prapadyante—if we keep ourself fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, māyā will not be able to counteract this process.
In Bhagavad-gītā everything is explained, how one can give up the control of the aparā prakṛti and be under the shelter of parā prakṛti.
It is not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa comes to instruct this simple truth, that "You are being controlled by the material energy. You give up this business; you be controlled by the spiritual energy, and your life is successful." This is the method. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.
So we are..., our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for this purpose, that simply we are trying to educate people how to give up the control of the material energy, and under the control... Not to control the material energy; that we cannot do, that is not possible. But not to become under the control. That is very simple method: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Just like if you become honest, if you are not criminal, then there is no police control-police may be there. But as soon as you become criminal, you come under the control of police.
It is not very easy, but it can be done if we have got intelligence. Intelligence is... That Kṛṣṇa says. (aside:) Who is that making sound? Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately... Of course, we must take sincerely, not a show. Everything is seriously. Then immediately we become on the path of mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2).
But we are hesitating. So there is no surrender. So all right, you remain under the clutches of māyā and suffer. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā is very strong. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti As soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa immediately you are mukta. Immediately, instantly. It is in your hand. You follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction, do the needful, you are mukta. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Duṣkṛtina means one who has got brain, but the brain is utilized for mischievous activities. And one becomes sinful, mischievous, on account of his foolishness. He does not know by mischievous activities he would be punished. This is going on by the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā is very strong. For all our mischievous activities we are being punished. Māyā is punishing us by giving different forms of body.
The different types of body we are getting on account of association with the material qualities. So if we want to stop this business of repetition of birth and death in this cycle, we must understand. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. We must understand. It is compulsory. We must understand "What is God, what is my relations with Him." Then we can get release from this repetition of birth and death. That process is being described by Bhagavān Himself, that mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. You have to increase your attachment for Bhagavān.
Some way or other, we have introduced this program in the Western countries, and you are so intelligent, you have very soon captured it. So stick to the standard; then your life is successful. It is not at all difficult. But don't deviate. Then you are pakka. Yes. Pakka means solid. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. If you remain solid in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the māyā cannot touch you. So that is my request.
So I am traveling all over the world. I am going to see how things are going in Dallas or New Vrindaban and another... So my touring is natural. I have started this movement. I want to see that it is going on nicely. So you kindly help me. Don't deviate. That is my only request. (starts to cry) Then you will remain solid.
Prabhupāda: Well, we don't fight with māyā. Those who are under the clutches are being kicked by māyā, they are struggling. We have nothing to do. Māyām etāṁ taranti te. Māyā does not disturb us, so where is the fight? (laughter) Those who are being kicked by māyā, they have got fight. Just like the police. Police is for chastisement, but he has nothing to do with honest men. Let there be police, what is the trouble. Those who are criminals, they have got fight with the police. But we are not criminals.
Prabhupāda: They will be punished to forget God, forget. He wants to forget, so apohanaṁ ca, mattaḥ... The brain is there, but Kṛṣṇa wants that this rascal should be punished to forget God. Then he will be punished more by the material nature, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Māyā's business is to punish the demon, so māyā keeps him in demonic life so that he may be punished more and more. And Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence to a devotee, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). One who is engaged in devotional service, trying sincerely, from within He is giving instruction, "Do like this. Do like this."
Prabhupāda: Of course, to reach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform the process is not man-made.
Śyāmasundara: No.
Prabhupāda: The process is also God-made. Just like Kṛṣṇa said that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the process. This is not man-made; this is God-made. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is God-made. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). This is God-made. So to come to Kṛṣṇa conscious platform also, you have to follow the God-made method, not your method. You cannot give any definition.
Śyāmasundara: But he has a philosophy of religion. And he says that the believer in God has a greater chance than the doubter to discover truth and to gain...
Prabhupāda: That... Vinaśyati. Those who are doubtful, they vinaśyati; they are finished.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So our process of solving problems is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So we take Kṛṣṇa's shelter and our problems are solved. As it is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, He is the reservoir of all mystic power, yogeśvara. So Bhakta's business is instead of endeavoring to become a yogi, he takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is yogeśvara, the master of all mystic power. We take it that this is the solution of our problems. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te, instead of... I was reciting the verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, bālasya neha saranay vicinvam (?). So there are different kinds of methods of solving the problems. The best method is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, and all problems are solved.
Śyāmasundara: I think yesterday Hegel described it in terms of conflict, that through conflict progress comes out.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So here is a perpetual conflict with māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is a fight against, māyā is putting impediments, what I think it is right, māyā is breaking it.
Śyāmasundara: That's what he sees in it, the irrational.
Prabhupāda: That is māyā. Māyā means what he is thinking, that is not fact. That is called māyā. Mā-yā. What you are thinking, that is not a fact. So daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So he is continually serving the māyā, life after life, but still he is thinking, "I am independent." So the right intelligence is, actual independence is, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. When you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is your real independence.
Prabhupāda: I break all the laws." But he is put into jail. There is no question of breaking the laws, but by law he has to work forcibly. He has to do it. So here in this material world we are working under force of māyā. That is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That force you cannot avoid. You cannot avoid. Only you can avoid when you voluntarily cooperate with Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.
Śyāmasundara: He's using the sense of free will in two senses. Just like I would drive down the right side of the road because I know that it's the law. So I want to obey the law. And then the other sense would be I want to drive down the right side of the street in order not to harm anyone and for so many other reasons, a higher type of use of free will. One is automatic, one is more thoughtful.
Prabhupāda: If I voluntarily become the servant and carry out His order, then it is my normal life. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja (BG 18.66). Otherwise it is abnormal life. I have to serve māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā will kick upon my face and force me to do something, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). So I will be servant of prakṛti, material nature. That means I will be servant of my senses. By nature, my senses dictate, "Now you do this," I will be forced to do it. This is my position.
Prabhupāda: Yes, freedom. Our present condition is not freedom. We are completely under the laws, te 'pi svatantra rudhāṇī vardhya (?). They are tied up by the ropes of material nature, hands and legs, and still they are thinking, "I am free." That is illusion. Nobody is free. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We are seeking freedom but nobody is free. Nobody is free. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27), they are pulled by the ear, "Do this." Prakṛteḥ. You have to do this.
Śyāmasundara: He says that the free will, which creates itself or realizes itself is the truest of all realities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So if by free will if you choose to surrender to Kṛṣṇa they you'll get your real free will, freedom. Otherwise you are under the clutches of māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature, that is not...
Śyāmasundara: He says, contrary to Kant, he says that the practical reason is primary, is the first thing, that what is practical is superior to what is...
Prabhupāda: Practical, this means, suppose I want to do something, I do not know, then I go and ask a superior person who knows it. Just like when you drive your car, you are going somewhere, so you take the direction from the signpost, this way go, this point here, this village. Similarly, for practical purpose you have to approach a person who knows. That is practical.
Prabhupāda: So he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. When he fully engage himself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, then he is liberated, and if he keeps himself, then nobody can touch, the māyā cannot touch. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Māyā is very strong, but if one keeps in touch with Kṛṣṇa constantly, māyā has no jurisdiction. Māyām etāṁ taranti te. This is perfection of life.
Hayagrīva: Transcendental to the modes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. When he, we remain in contact with God, the sin cannot touch. That is the explanation given in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). According to our desires we are associating with the different qualities of material nature, and we are getting different types of body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. Nature is the agent of Kṛṣṇa, God, so as we desire, Kṛṣṇa gives us the facility by giving us a body which is a machine. Just like father and the son. The son insists, "Father, give me a cycle." So the affectionate father gives him a cycle.
| Page Title: | BG 07.14 daivi hy esa guna-mayi... cited (Lec) |
| Compiler: | Lelihana, MadhuGopaldas, JayaNitaiGaura |
| Created: | 13 of Feb, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=369, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 369 |