Prabhupāda: No, why? The standard of living should be one: plain living and God consciousness. That is the disease. Everyone wants to enjoy this material world to his best capacity. Therefore we divide. They don't want to live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Material consciousness. Enjoyment of the senses. And that is the cause of their suffering. Only on account of this sense gratification they're creating different mentality, and, after death, they're getting different body. That they do not know. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). One is trying to associate with the goodness, brahmiṇ, brahmiṇ qualification, he'll be promoted, and one who is trying to imitate, "I shall be as powerful as the tiger," he'll be degraded. It is nature's law.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, one person asked the other day that, "You say that we have a choice, that either we can surrender to Kṛṣṇa or we can remain under the control of the external energy."
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: And his question was that are those in the mode of passion and ignorance, do they have any choice?
Prabhupāda: Everyone has choice. Everyone has choice. Choice, but under the control. Exactly like that. By your choice, you go to the prison house. By your choice, you go to the university. There is supreme control, government, but it is your choice whether you want to live in the prison or in the university. That is your choice. Government does not say that, "Oh, this man will come to the university, and this man will go to the prison house." No. You make your choice, you work according to that, and government sends you either to prison or to the university. You cannot say . . . one man is condemned to be killed for murdering, another man is rewarded some prize, you cannot say government is partial. You have made your choice, and government is giving you the result. (pause) Once you make your choice to steal, then you are under prison house, immediately.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Choice to . . .?
Prabhupāda: To steal.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Steal.
Prabhupāda: Then immediately you are under prison. It will take some time only. Just like if you infect some disease, it will take some time to manifest, but it will be manifest. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥu (BG 13.22). So in the, in the . . . ordinarily, you can steal and hide yourself, but in the eyes of God, you cannot steal and hide yourself. That is not possible. You have stolen; you must suffer.