Everyone wants happiness

Expressions researched:
"wants happiness" |"wants to be happy" |"desiring happiness" |"desires happiness" |"wanted to be happy"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

If one wants happiness at all, his money will not help him; he has to elevate himself to the mode of goodness by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

BG 14.17, Purport: In the mode of passion, people become greedy, and their hankering for sense enjoyment has no limit. One can see that even if one has enough money and adequate arrangements for sense gratification, there is neither happiness nor peace of mind. That is not possible, because one is situated in the mode of passion. If one wants happiness at all, his money will not help him; he has to elevate himself to the mode of goodness by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one is engaged in the mode of passion, not only is he mentally unhappy, but his profession and occupation are also very troublesome. He has to devise so many plans and schemes to acquire enough money to maintain his status quo. This is all miserable.

SB Canto 3

When a person forgets his constitutional position as an eternally subordinate part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wants to be happy independently, he functions mainly in two ways.

SB 3.5.31, Purport: The chief function of the false ego is godlessness. When a person forgets his constitutional position as an eternally subordinate part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wants to be happy independently, he functions mainly in two ways. He first attempts to act fruitively for personal gain or sense gratification, and after attempting such fruitive activities for a considerable time, when he is frustrated he becomes a philosophical speculator and thinks himself to be on the same level as God. This false idea of becoming one with the Lord is the last snare of the illusory energy, which traps a living entity into the bondage of forgetfulness under the spell of false ego.

One tries to be happy by fulfillment of material desires, another wants to be happy by becoming one with the Supreme, and another, the perfect man, is a devotee. In any case, everyone should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for He will fulfill everyone's desire.

SB 3.21.15, Purport: Kardama Muni could have asked his benediction from Umā, for it is recommended in the scriptures that if anyone wants a good wife, he should worship Umā. But he preferred to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead because it is recommended in the Bhāgavatam that everyone, whether he is full of desires, has no desire or desires liberation, should worship the Supreme Lord. Of these three classes of men, one tries to be happy by fulfillment of material desires, another wants to be happy by becoming one with the Supreme, and another, the perfect man, is a devotee. He does not want anything in return from the Personality of Godhead; he only wants to render transcendental loving service. In any case, everyone should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for He will fulfill everyone's desire. The advantage of worshiping the Supreme Person is that even if one has desires for material enjoyment, if he worships Kṛṣṇa he will gradually become a pure devotee and have no more material hankering.

If one wants to be happy and peaceful in his position, either as a householder or citizen or member of human society, one must promote devotional service for the pleasure of the Lord.

SB 3.22.31, Purport: No one can achieve wealth, opulence, good birth, a beautiful body or nice education without the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, those who are in possession of such valuable facilities must acknowledge their gratefulness to the Lord by worshiping Him and offering what they have received from Him. When such acknowledgement is given, either by a family, nation or society, their abode becomes almost like Vaikuṇṭha, and it becomes free from the operation of the threefold miseries of this material world. In the modern age the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is for everyone to acknowledge the supremacy of Lord Kṛṣṇa; whatever one has in his possession must be considered a gift by the grace of the Lord. Everyone, therefore, should engage in devotional service through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one wants to be happy and peaceful in his position, either as a householder or citizen or member of human society, one must promote devotional service for the pleasure of the Lord.

SB Canto 5

Sometimes the living entity wants to take shelter of the creepers; in other words, he wants to be happy by being embraced by the creeperlike arms of his wife.

SB 5.13.16, Purport: In the forest of the material world there are many animals and birds, trees and creepers. Sometimes the living entity wants to take shelter of the creepers; in other words, he wants to be happy by being embraced by the creeperlike arms of his wife. Within the creepers there are many chirping birds; this indicates that he wants to satisfy himself by hearing the sweet voice of his wife. In old age, however, he sometimes becomes afraid of imminent death, which is compared to a roaring lion. To save himself from the lion's attack, he takes shelter of some bogus svāmīs, yogīs, incarnations, pretenders and cheaters. Being misled by the illusory energy in this way, he spoils his life. It is said, hariṁ vinā mṛtiṁ na taranti: no one can be saved from the imminent danger of death without taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word hari indicates the lion as well as the Supreme Lord. To be saved from the hands of Hari, the lion of death, one must take shelter of the supreme Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. People with a poor fund of knowledge take shelter of nondevotee cheaters and pretenders in order to be saved from the clutches of death. In the forest of the material world, the living entity first of all wants to be very happy by taking shelter of the creeperlike arms of his wife and hearing her sweet voice. Later, he sometimes takes shelter of so-called gurus and sādhus who are like crane, herons and vultures. Thus he is cheated both ways by not taking shelter of the Supreme Lord.

Everyone wants to be happy in the material world, but the miserable conditions of material life simply increase.

SB 5.14.15, Purport: In the Gurv-aṣṭaka, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has sung:

saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-

trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam **

A life in this material world is exactly like a blazing forest fire. No one goes to set fire to the forest, yet the fire takes place. Similarly, everyone wants to be happy in the material world, but the miserable conditions of material life simply increase. Sometimes a person caught in the blazing fire of material existence condemns himself, but due to his bodily conception he cannot get out of the entanglement, and thus he suffers more and more.

SB Canto 8

If one actually wants happiness, one must go to the spiritual world.

SB 8.5.23, Purport: One cannot be happy in any way within this material world. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.16):

ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ

punar āvartino 'rjuna

"From the highest planet in this material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place." Therefore, not to speak of going to the moon, even if one is promoted to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, there cannot be any happiness in this material world. If one actually wants happiness, one must go to the spiritual world. The material world is characterized by a struggle for existence, and survival of the fittest is a well-known principle, but the poor souls of this material world do not know what is survival and who is fit. Survival does not mean that one should die; survival means that one should not die, but should enjoy an everlastingly blissful life of knowledge. This is survival. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to make every person fit for survival. Indeed, it is meant to stop the struggle for existence. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā give definite directions on how to stop the struggle for existence and how to survive in eternal life. The saṅkīrtana movement, therefore, is a great opportunity. Simply by hearing Bhagavad-gītā and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one becomes completely purified. Thus the struggle for existence ceases, and one goes back home, back to Godhead.

SB Canto 9

If any wife wants to be happy with her husband, she must try to understand her husband's temperament and please him. This is victory for a woman.

SB 9.3.10, Translation and Purport: Cyavana Muni was very irritable, but since Sukanyā had gotten him as her husband, she dealt with him carefully, according to his mood. Knowing his mind, she performed service to him without being bewildered. This is an indication of the relationship between husband and wife. A great personality like Cyavana Muni has the temperament of always wanting to be in a superior position. Such a person cannot submit to anyone. Therefore, Cyavana Muni had an irritable temperament. His wife, Sukanyā, could understand his attitude, and under the circumstances she treated him accordingly. If any wife wants to be happy with her husband, she must try to understand her husband's temperament and please him. This is victory for a woman. Even in the dealings of Lord Kṛṣṇa with His different queens, it has been seen that although the queens were the daughters of great kings, they placed themselves before Lord Kṛṣṇa as His maidservants. However great a woman may be, she must place herself before her husband in this way; that is to say, she must be ready to carry out her husband's orders and please him in all circumstances. Then her life will be successful.

One who actually desires happiness must give up such unsatisfied desires, which are the cause of all tribulations.

SB 9.19.16, Translation: For those who are too attached to material enjoyment, sense gratification is very difficult to give up. Even when one is an invalid because of old age, one cannot give up such desires for sense gratification. Therefore, one who actually desires happiness must give up such unsatisfied desires, which are the cause of all tribulations.

Light of the Bhagavata

Everyone wants to be happy in his householder life, but the laws of nature do not allow one to become happy in material existence.

Light of the Bhagavata 17: The duty of sages and saints is to go from door to door and thus enlighten the householders in spiritual knowledge. Householder life is compared to a dark well. In a dark well the frog cannot see the free light of the open sky. The dark well of householder life kills the soul. One should therefore get out of it so that he may see the light of spiritual vision. Saints and sages mercifully try to uplift fallen souls from the dark well of householder life. An enlightened householder therefore takes pleasure in the appearance of such saints and sages at his house. The mind of the householder who is a conditioned soul is always disturbed by the threefold miseries of material life. Everyone wants to be happy in his householder life, but the laws of nature do not allow one to become happy in material existence, which is like a spontaneous forest fire.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So Arjuna is pious, but still he wants the family benefit. This is his defect. Family prosperity. He wants to be happy with society, friendship and love.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973: So Kṛṣṇa is pious, but still he wants the family benefit. This is his defect. Er, Arjuna. Family prosperity. He wants to be happy with society, friendship and love. Therefore he says that na kāṅkṣe vijayam... This is called vairāgya. Śmaśāna-vairāgya. It is called śmaśāna-vairāgya. Śmaśāna-vairāgya means that in India, the Hindus, they burn the dead body. So relatives take the dead body for burning to the burning ghāṭa, and when the body is burned, everyone present there, for the time being, they become little renounced: "Oh, this is the body. We are working for this body. Now it is finished. It is burnt into ashes. So what is the benefit?" This kind of vairāgya, renouncement, is there. But as soon as he comes from the burning ghāṭa, he again begins his activities. In the śmaśāna, in the burning ghāṭa, he becomes renounced. And as soon as comes home, again he is vigorous, vigorous, how to earn, how to get money, how to get money, how to get money. So this kind of vairāgya is called śmaśāna-vairāgya, temporary. He cannot become vairāgī. And he said, na kāṅkṣe vijayam: [Bg. 1.31] "I don't want victory. I don't want this." This is temporary sentiment. Temporary sentiment. These people, they attach to family life. They may say like that, that "I don't want this happiness, don't want this very nice position, victory. I don't want." But he wants everything. He wants everything. Because he does not know what is the śreyas. Śreyas is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, when one gets Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he can say that "I don't want this."

Anyone, everyone wants to be happy with this Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ, household life, and having some land.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973: Anyone, everyone wants to be happy with this Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ [SB 5.5.8], household life, and having some land. In those days there was no industry. Therefore industry is not meant. Land. If you get land, then you can produce your food. But actually that is our life. Here in this village we find so much land lying vacant, but they are not producing their food. They make their food the cows, poor cows, to kill them and eat them. This is not Gṛha-kṣetra. You become gṛhastha, but you produce your food from the land, Gṛha-kṣetra.

Everyone wants to be happy because that is his natural inclination. In this material world, what we are trying to become happy, that is like will-o'-the wisp, false thing. Real life is in the society of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974: Vidyāpati, a great poet, Vaiṣṇava poet, he has sung that... We are happy within this material world. How? Suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje. Suta. Suta means children, and mita means friends, and ramaṇī means woman. So actually, our material life, existing, is society, friendship and love. If there are nice, beautiful women at home, children and friends, we are taking, "This is our life." But that is not life. Real life is to understand what I am, ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattvam. Without understanding ātma-tattvam, the life is failure. Therefore Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama, suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje. We have created this society, friendship and love in this material world for becoming happy. Everyone wants to be happy, because that is his natural inclination. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). As Kṛṣṇa is happy always... You will see. Kṛṣṇa is enjoying His life with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs or the cowherds boys or His father, mother. That is spiritual, everything. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ [Bs. 5.37]. That is ānanda-cinmaya. A similar imitation here in this material world. The same thing, suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje. But it is false. Just like you see water in the desert. You'll see there is vast mass of water in the desert, and the animal falsely go to drink the water and dies. Similarly, in this material world, this suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje, what we are trying to become happy, that is like will-o'-the wisp, false thing. Real life is in the society of Kṛṣṇa.

Big, big asuras like Rāvaṇa, he also wanted to be happy himself and others by material adjustment. So that was failure.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976: Unless we achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, our sufferings in the material world will continue. It will not stop. We are trying to stop all kinds of suffering by adjustment of this material world. That is not possible. That is stated in the śāstra. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. Durāśayā, hopeless. Big, big asuras like Rāvaṇa, he also wanted to be happy himself and others by material adjustment. He proposed that "There is no need of acting piously to go to the heavenly planet. I shall construct a staircase so anyone can go." Rāvaṇera svargeśvari. So that was failure. Just like we are now trying, the modern scientists. We are trying to go to the moon planet. It is failure. They will never be able to go there. I have discussed this point. We are conditioned. We cannot live one place to another without being proficient or without being eligible.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If anyone wants happiness, śānti, peace, then he must know these three things. What is that? That Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer of everything.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971: Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-loka-maheśvaram.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

[Bg. 5.29]

If anyone wants happiness, śānti, peace, then he must know these three things. What is that? That Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer of everything. Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram. You can perform yajña, you can perform austerities, penances, but the result should be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When you come to that consciousness that "I am working hard and earning so much money..." Everyone is thinking that "I must enjoy. Why others?" That is the materialistic way of thinking. But we are trying to change the consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that, that you earn as much as you like, but the enjoyer should be Kṛṣṇa, not you. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not very difficult thing to understand. The only... We have to change the account. That's all.

Everyone wants to be happy. Ātmārāma means everyone is wanting to remain happy and peaceful in his ātmā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973: Everyone wants to be happy. Ātmā. Ātmā means body, ātmā means mind. Ātmā means ātmā, soul, also. So somebody is trying to be happy bodily. That is also ātmā. But that is very temporary. And somebody is wanting the peace and prosperity or tranquillity of the mind. That is also ātmārāma. Ātmārāma means everyone is wanting to remain happy and peaceful in his ātmā. So those who are gross, they are trying to be happy bodily. They are called karmīs. And those who are little advanced, they are trying to be happy mentally. They are called jñānīs. Karmīs, jñānīs. And those who are trying to be happy spiritually, they are called yogis. So yogis, there are different kinds of yogis. But the first-class yogi is bhakti-yogī. Bhakti-yoga.

We wanted to be happy. Wherefrom we get this idea of happiness? The idea is already there because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have got this propensity.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Hyderabad, April 23, 1974: So that we have forgotten. We wanted to be happy. Just like there are many examples: A very rich man's son, he wants to become happy without his father. He becomes independent, comes out of home and goes here and there, but he does not become happy. There are many instances. Again he comes back home. Similarly, our position in this material world is like that. Our position is very jubilant and happy, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), sac-cid-ānanda. Sat-cit-ānan... We have got our eternal life, sat; cit, and full of knowledge; and blissful, as Kṛṣṇa has got. Therefore because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta [Bg. 15.7], so Kṛṣṇa, if Kṛṣṇa is good, so I am also good. If Kṛṣṇa is happy, then I must be happy. If Kṛṣṇa is jubilant, then I must be jubilant. Wherefrom we get this idea of happiness? Because we are part of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa dances with the gopīs, we also want to dance with young girls here, in this material world, Why? Wherefrom this idea we have got? The idea is already there, and we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have got this propensity. So ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.

We have given up the company of Kṛṣṇa, and we wanted to be happy in this material world; therefore we are suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972: Spiritual life means happiness. There is no distress. But that happiness can be attained in cooperation with the Supreme. We are sparks of fire. So with the fire, if the sparks are "fut-put"... You see sometimes, the sparks; it looks very beautiful. The same spark, as soon as falls down from the fire, extinguished. The fiery quality immediately extinguished. So our material condition is like that. We have given up the company of Kṛṣṇa, and we wanted to be happy in this material world; therefore we are suffering. So same spark, particle of carbon, if you put again to the fire, it will again become red hot and fire. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are trying the sparks, which by chance has fallen down from the fire, to pick it up again and put it in the fire. That is real happiness.

"I wanted to be happy in this way, but it has become an embarassment."

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976: So these are natural demands. First of all husband and wife and child, then apartment, then land, then friends, then money, in this way we become entangled more, ahaṁ mameti [SB 5.5.8]. So instead of sukhera lagiya ei ghara bandhun, I became a householder for happiness, agune puriya gela, now there is blazing fire. Sukhera lagiya ei ghara bandhun agune puriya gela. And there is another, ravana hoila ithe gatila janja: "I wanted to be happy in this way, but it has become an embarassment." So this is going on.

Prahlāda Mahārāja's father's only plan was to conquer all over the world and become happy with money and women. That's all. That is gṛha-vrata.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

English boy: Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, he said that he would never come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: "Never" means so long he remains a gṛha-vrata, because his only plan was—he was a powerful king—to conquer all over the world and become happy with money and women. That's all. That is gṛha-vrata. Anyone who wants to be happy with money and women, that is called gṛha-vrata. So he flatly said to his father, matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. But by good association, by Kṛṣṇa conscious association, one becomes free from this vow, gṛha-vrata. They becomes detached. That is the progress of devotional service. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42]. ...materialistic way of life. Therefore people are afraid to send their boys to us. "Oh, he'll be disinterested. He'll not do business. He'll not become a demon." That's it. They do not like.

So everything in this material world, so-called distress and happiness, they come and go. Nobody wants distress, but everyone wants happiness. So without knowledge, in ignorance, we are simply trying after happiness.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Toronto, June 19, 1976: So the suffering also, and enjoyment, this is also due to the senses. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ [Bg. 2.14]. So in the material world, so long we have got this material body, two things will be there: suffering or enjoyment. And what is the suffering and enjoyment? With reference to the senses. Or... Senses... Just like the skin is called touch sensation. We feel pleasure by touching the skin. So this pleasure, due to the touch sense, sometimes it is painful, sometimes it is pleasing, due to different circumstances. Just like water. Water is very pleasing to the skin if it is winter. So water is the same, my skin is the same, but due to seasonal changes, the same water is sometimes pleasing and sometimes displeasing. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. So, so long we have to remain in this material world or so long we have to continue this material body, two things will continue. You cannot stop it. It is not possible. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. And what are actually there? Agamāpāyino 'nityās: they come and go. They're all temporary. Winter season or the summer season, it does not stay. It comes and go away. So everything in this material world, so-called distress and happiness, they come and go. We should not be very mch disturbed by... Neither we shall waste our valuable time seeking after so-called... Nobody wants distress, but everyone wants happiness. So without knowledge, in ignorance, we are simply trying after happiness. This is material world.

General Lectures

Forest fire means in this material world everyone wants to be happy. That is a fact. Everyone. But some, by some cause or by some way, there is a fire just like forest fire. Nobody's interested to go in the forest and set fire there, but there is fire, automatically.

Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969: So if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, your self-realization will be possible on the second stage. First stage: you'll realize that you are not matter but you are spirit soul, Brahman; and the second stage is: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni means these material anxieties. It is compared with forest fire. Forest fire means in this material world everyone wants to be happy. That is a fact. Everyone. But some, by some cause or by some way, there is a fire just like forest fire. Nobody's interested to go in the forest and set fire there, but there is fire, automatically. Similarly, this world... Nobody wants war, nobody wants famine, nobody wants earthquake, nobody wants disease, nobody wants death, but these things happening. It will happen. Even if you do not want, you cannot, I mean to say, combat all these, I mean to say, attacks of the material nature. That is the way of material nature.

Everyone wants to be happy, peace and pleasure. But wherefrom this idea comes?

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 26, 1973: So this ānanda potency... We are seeking after ānanda. Every one of us, we are seeking after pleasure. This is struggle for existence. Everyone wants to be happy, peace and pleasure. But wherefrom this idea comes? The Vedānta-sūtra says janmādy asya yataḥ: [SB 1.1.1] it also comes from Parabrahman. So if Parabrahman has no such tendency how to enjoy, wherefrom this so-called love in this material world between young boy and young girl comes? There cannot be any existing. It is only perverted reflection of that pleasure potency of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. It is only perverted reflection. It is not false. It is temporary, perverted.

Philosophy Discussions

First thing is, people are desiring happiness. Whatever one may desire, the ultimate end is happiness. Nobody can deny this.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Śyāmasundara: These utilitarians said that activity should be to achieve all that is desired by the people, but Dewey says that activity should be to achieve what is worthy to be desired.

Prabhupāda: No, no. First thing is, people are desiring happiness. Whatever one may desire, the ultimate end is happiness. Nobody can deny this. But a diseased fellow, if he thinks that "I am happy," that is false happiness. A diseased man cannot be happy unless the disease is cured. Sometimes we go to a diseased person and ask, "How are you?" "Yes, I am all right." If he is all right, why is he lying down? He is not all right. He is artificially saying that "I am all right." What is this "all right"? Similarly, these foolish people, they are thinking, "I am happy." What is their happiness? If you have to die, then where is your happiness?

Everyone wants happiness, but when one is misguided, that is called illusion. He is searching happiness without any basis.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Devotee: Suppose somebody says, "Well, I want to be happy." So we say, "You just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and join us, then you will be happy." So he is saying, "No. I want to keep my job. I want to do this or that." So when we can say that actually he is not serious about becoming happy. If he really were serious about becoming happy, he would join us. So in a sense he actually doesn't want to be happy. That's what he would say.

Prabhupāda: He wants to be happy but he is miserable. That is (indistinct). He wants to be happy but he is misguided in search of happiness. Everyone wants happiness, but when one is misguided, that is called illusion. He is searching happiness without any basis.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is material world. Even at the time of death, this big zamindar is thinking enmity with others. He wanted to be happy that "If you bring that man and beat him with shoes, I'll be very happy."

Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay: Prabhupāda: The material activities are so palatable for the materialists, that even up to the point of death... In Bengal, there was a big zamindar. So his father, er, his sons asked him at the time of death, "Father, what we can do for you, last desires?" So he expressed that "That man is my enemy. If you can bring him here and beat him with shoes, I'll be very much satisfied." This is material world. Even at the time of death, he's thinking enmity with others. And he will, he wanted to be happy that "If you bring that man and beat him with shoes, I'll be very happy." The other day somebody said that one man was cut into two, and he was asked, "What do you want?" He said, "Give me a cigarette." (laughter) This is the position.

Our movement is a challenge to everyone, a challenge, genuine challenge. After all, everyone wants happiness, but they do not know what is happiness.

Room Conversation -- November 1, 1973, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: They do not know what is siddhi. What is perfection of life, they do not know. Neither they have information.

Brahmānanda: Simply they talk about it.

Prabhupāda: All foolish. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. Blind man leading other blind men. There is no sense. Whole civilization. It is, this Kṛṣṇa con..., our movement is a challenge to everyone, a challenge, genuine challenge. After all, everyone wants happiness, but they do not know what is happiness.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Who wants happiness? I want protect this body—why? Because I am within this body. And if I go away from this body, who seeks for the happiness of this body?

Morning Walk -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: It is... It is very simple truth. Just I am this body. I am seeking happiness. So why I am seeking happiness? The... If you simply discuss on this point, then you'll find that a man is reasonable. Why I am seeking after happiness? What is the answer? That's a fact. Everyone is seeking happiness. Why we are seeking happiness? What is the answer?

Pañcadraviḍa: Because everybody's miserable, and they don't like it.

Prabhupāda: That is a opposite way, explanation.

Kīrtanānanda: 'Cause by nature I am happy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By nature I am happy. And who is happy, this body or the soul?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, the soul.

Prabhupāda: Who wants happiness? I want protect this body—why? Because I am within this body. And if I go away from this body, who seeks for the happiness of this body? This common reason, they have no sense. Why I am seeking happiness? I am covering this body because the body may not be affected by cold. Then why I am seeking happiness of the body from cold and heat? Because I am within the... If I go away from the within the body, then there is no more seeking after happiness. Either you throw it on the street or it is in extreme cold or extreme heat, it doesn't matter. Then who is seeking happiness? That they do not know. For whom you are so busy for happiness? That they do not know. Just like cats and dogs.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone wants to be happy. Who does not want to be happy? But he does not know how to become happy.

Room Conversation with Vrindavan De -- July 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They were all rich men's sons. Where is happiness? They became hippie.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We gave up all of that because we weren't happy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone wants to be happy. Who does not want to be happy? But he does not know how to become happy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I could see my parents. They had so much money, but they weren't happy.

Prabhupāda: Nobody's happy, I have seen. Therefore they drink. Whenever there is unhappiness, they cannot adjust it—"Let me drink." This is Western happiness.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Or sex life.

Prabhupāda: That's all. They have no other information. So just try. You are comfortably situated. There is no economic shortage. Now you become devotee. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise it is not possible. Don't think by getting large sum money one becomes happy. That is not the fact. That is mistake.