Influence of maya (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"Maya's influence" |"influence of maya" |"influence of maya's illusory energy" |"influenced by maya" |"maya influence" |"maya. her influence"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Actually the relationship with Kṛṣṇa is there, eternal, but under the influence of māyā the conditioned soul is thinking that "I am something of this material world," identifying himself with this body.

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is composed of four different stages. The first stage is to understand the relationship with Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa. Because the conditioned souls at the present moment, they have forgotten self. They have forgotten their relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Actually the relationship is there, eternal, but under the influence of māyā he is thinking that "I am something of this material world," identifying himself with this body. So we have to awake them from that illusory existence, what he is not. The whole mistake of the modern status of life... I don't say modern civilization. This is coming up since the creation of this material world. Sometimes it is in greater degree and sometimes in lesser degree. In Satya-yuga the same condition, but in lesser degree. But in Kali-yuga the condition is in greater degree. So the first business is to awake the conditioned souls from their illusory position, that he is thinking, "I am this body and anything in relationship with this body is very important."

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

The so-called scientific advancement is simply expanding the influence of māyā's illusory energy.

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: This jaḍa-vidyā, this material science, is simply a hindrance to our progress of spiritual life. All these rascal scientists, they'll deny God. That is their business. Just like you said yesterday that somebody was accepting God, and the other scientists, they thought: "No, it is insult." So already they are in oblivion. They cannot understand what is God. And these rascals are making them more and more rascals. "There is no God." By their scientific research, the rascals are becoming more rascals. And they're becoming captivated: "This is pleasure." What pleasure you will do you with. Therefore they are, they are gādhā. They are gādhā and they are creating gādhās. That is the song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra... It is expansion of māyā's illusory energy. The so-called scientific advancement is simply expanding the influence of māyā's illusory energy. They're already rascals and fools, and still they are being made rascals and fools. So they're forgetting their real purpose of life and the whole human life is spoiled. This is the result of so-called scientific advancement.

For their food, they are working underneath the ground, and whatever money they get, they import grains. Just see the māyā's influence, that: "We are working, getting money, and importing grains." Why not work and grow grains?

Room Conversation with Anna Conan Doyle, daughter-in-law of famous author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: And lots of land is lying in our Letchmore Heath. They won't work for producing food. That land is kept for keeping cows for killing them. And for their food, they are working underneath the ground, and whatever money they get, they import grains. Just see the māyā's influence, that: "We are working, getting money, and importing grains." Why not work and grow grains? Now he's thinking that: "I'll get more money underground, than by cultivating on the surface." This is māyā. He's working very hard. Still, he's thinking it is better happiness. "I haven't to work on the surface. I am working underground. Therefore I am happy." This is māyā. He'll prefer that kind of work. But he won't agree to grow food on the surface of the country.

This will protect you from the influence of māyā.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1973, New Delhi:

Pradyumna: "The intelligent, who have understood the Supreme Lord in association with pure devotees and have become freed from bad materialistic association can never avoid hearing the glories of the Lord even though they have heard them only once."
Prabhupāda: Hm. So this will protect you from the influence of māyā. Read that again.
Pradyumna: Sanskrit or translation.
Prabhupāda: Translation.
Pradyumna: "The intelligent, who have understood the Supreme Lord in association with pure devotees and have become freed..."
Prabhupāda: "In association with pure devotees."

Jaḍa-vidyā, material advancement of civilization, means expanding the influence of māyā.

Morning Walk -- December 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: This advancement of material civilization means entrapping the entrapped. The living entity is already entrapped, and he is allured by farther entrapment. Jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā, material advancement of civilization, means expanding the influence of māyā. Why? Now anitya saṁsāra, cannot live here. You have to give up this place. But still, you are thinking to make it a permanent settlement. That is not possible. Everyone knows. He will not be allowed to stay. But still insisting, gorgeous arrangement, how we can be, how we can become immortal. The scientists bluffing, "Yes, you will become immortal. We are finding out the means." But he will die. That means he is ass. He is allured by these false words. Therefore he is ass.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Viṣṇu-tattva cannot come under the influence of māyā.

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1974, Los Angeles:

Nara-nārāyaṇa: Garuḍa is from the jīva-tattva or he is an expansion?
Prabhupāda: No, he is jīva-tattva. Nitya-siddha.
Nara-nārāyaṇa: Does that mean that there is some soul who can come under influence of māyā in the spiritual sky and some soul who cannot?
Prabhupāda: Yes, that potency is there always.
Umāpati: Is that the difference between jīva-tattva and Viṣṇu-tattva.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Viṣṇu-tattva is called acyuta, infallible.

How Kṛṣṇa can be under the influence of māyā? But these Māyāvādīs says that "Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, He comes under the influence of māyā."

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Mr. Sar: Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of māyā. He's the Lord of māyā.
Prabhupāda: Māyām etāṁ taranti te. By simply surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa, one becomes freed from māyā. So how Kṛṣṇa can be under the influence of māyā?
Mr. Sar: No, He cannot. He's the Lord of māyā.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But these Māyāvādīs says that "Kṛṣṇa is also, when He comes, He comes under the influence of māyā." This is called Māyāvāda.

These anarthas, problems, they have created under the influence of māyā.

Car Conversation on the way to Chateau -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Bhagavān: The problem is in the cities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Rascals, they want to live in city and drink wine and eat meat. So there must be problems. This civilization is simply to create problems, anartha. Anartha. Anartha means unnecessarily problems. So these rascals, they do not know how to solve it. But the solution is this bhakti-yoga. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

These anarthas, problems, they have created under the influence of māyā. So if you want to solve it, you take to bhakti-yoga.

And being captivated by this maya, although the lving entity is pure spirit soul, he is thinking, "I am material. I am this body." In this way he thinks, and influenced by māyā he acts.

Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yayā sammohito jīva. Vyāsadeva, by bhakti-yoga, he saw two things: the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the māyā on the back side. Which māyā? Māyā... Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has many māyā features. Yayā sammohito jīva. That māyā by whom the whole material world and living entities are captivated. Yayā sammohito jīva, ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5). And being captivated by this maya, although he is pure spirit soul, he is thinking, "I am material. I am this body." Ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam, manute, tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate. In this way he thinks, and influenced by māyā he acts. This is the position he saw.
So this is called anartha, a position which is false. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). In order to deliver him from this illusory position, anartha upaśamaṁ bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasya ajānataḥ. The whole world does not know it. Vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. Therefore, Vyāsadeva, the most learned, he compiled this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

"Everything belongs to God." That's a fact. Under the influence of māyā we are thinking that "This is my property."

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: There was a great devotee in South India. He was a treasury officer. So he took money from the treasury and constructed very nice temple. (laughter) Yes. Later on, he was caught, and he was put into jail by the Nawab. At that time the Mohammedan king, Nawab, he saw in dream that two boys, very beautiful, they have come to the Nawab: "Sir, what money he has taken, you can take from me and release him." So the Nawab said, "If I get my money, I can release him." Then, when his dream broke, he saw the money on the floor, and nobody was there. Then he could understand that he is great devotee. He called him immediately, that "You are released, and you take this money also. Whatever you have already taken, that's all right. And now this money also you take. You spend as you like." So devotees sometimes do like that. Actually nothing is private property. That is our philosophy. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam: (ISO 1) "Everything belongs to God." That's a fact. Under the influence of māyā we are thinking that "This is my property."

Whatever you are doing under the influence of māyā, it is suffering. It is not enjoyment.

Morning Walk -- June 29, 1975, Denver:

Brahmatīrtha: One scientist recently did a study on mosquitoes. They found out that all mosquitoes do is have sex and eat. And he was lamenting, he said, "Oh, these mosquitoes..."
Prabhupāda: Sex and eat.
Brahmatīrtha: That's all they do. He was amazed that they have so much sex life, mosquitoes. So then the scientist he was lamenting. He was thinking, "Oh, these mosquitoes, they probably do not enjoy the sex life." And he sounded as if he wished he was a mosquito to find out.
Prabhupāda: Yes, mosquito, flies, I have seen. Even the sparrows. Sex life is the center of happiness in this material world. In all forms of life. That is the only.
Brahmānanda: They think that sex life for humans is the best, is the better sex life, that the animals, they really don't know how to enjoy.
Prabhupāda: That is another foolishness. If you take some palatable thing in different pot, does it mean the taste changes? You take some juice in the golden pot or iron pot. Does it mean the taste of the juice is changed on account of golden pot? That is another foolishness. Taste is the same, either you drink it in golden pot or iron pot.
Kuruśreṣṭha: Bhāgavatam says, "Unless a person is influenced by māyā, how could he do such a thing?"
Prabhupāda: Therefore we say that whatever you are doing under the influence of māyā, it is suffering. It is not enjoyment.

This is māyā influence. These things should be stopped.

Morning Walk -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Cyavana: What about Bali? There are also many...
Prabhupāda: Bali, there are practically Hindus. Yes. Everywhere. The soul is pure. They have been made impure by misleading.
Cyavana: All the outside influences are also here trying to make propaganda.
Prabhupāda: Just like here, this is māyā influence. These things should be stopped.

Jada vidyā means material education, the so-called material science. Vidyā means education, so this expansion of knowledge means expansion of the influence of māyā. And the result is that people will forget God.

Morning Walk -- October 18, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Modern advancement of science, what actually they have done? We are talking on that point. Simply misleading. The Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one nice... (tape recorded section accidentally plays) "eating meat and drinking wine." (Prabhupāda and devotees laugh at interruption. Harikeśa apologizes) That... He says, jada vidy saba māyāra vaibhava. Jada vidyā means material education, the so-called material science. So jada vidyā. Vidyā means education, so this expansion of knowledge means expansion of the influence of māyā. Jada vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. And the result is tomāra bhajane bādhā. People will forget God. With the advancement of so-called material science or material knowledge, the result will be that people will forget God. And then next, next is anitya saṁsāre moha janamiya. "This material world, which is temporary, where we cannot stay, we are already captivated, but this advancement of material knowledge will make me more captive, and I shall work just like an ass." That's all.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura declares all these artificial way of life, advancement of material civilization, means advancement of influence of māyā.

Morning Walk -- November 11, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is life. This artificial life is no life. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has described this modern civilization of artificial life. So he says, jaḍā vidyā sab, māyāra vaibhava. He declares all these artificial way of life, advancement of material civilization, means advancement of influence of māyā. Jaḍā vidyā sab, māyāra vaibhava. Expansion of the influence of māyā. Then? What is the result? The result is anitya saṁsāre, moho janmeiya. Jaḍā vidyā sab, māyār vaibhava, tomāra bhajane badha. māyā means forgetfulness of God. This is māyā. māyā means the more you forget Kṛṣṇa, the more you are involved in māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So māyā's business is to cover you more and more as you forget Kṛṣṇa. This is māyā's business. So therefore, expansion of māyā's influence means forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Tomāra bhajane badha. They're all hindrances only to make spiritual progress and to understand God. So what is the net result? The net result is anitya saṁsāre, moha janmeiyā. We are already attached to this material world, which is temporary. By this expansion of māyā's influence we become more attached. Attachment is already there, but we become more and more attached. In this way, jība ke karaye gadha. So he is already ass; he becomes first-class ass. That's all.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

They'll come to fight: "Oh, you are playing mṛdaṅga at four o'clock and disturbing my sleeping?" This is going on. "Let me go to the police. You are trying to awaken me from my sleeping? You are trying to make me intelligent? Let me remain fool. Why you are disturbing me?" Māyā's influence.

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo. Still he will sleep in this human form of life and remain animal, cat and dog. A simple word, jīv jāgo, jīv jāgo. This is Vedic instruction. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata: "Get up. Be awakened. You have got this body. Try to understand God." That they will not do. They'll come to fight: "Oh, you are playing mṛdaṅga at four o'clock and disturbing my sleeping?" This is going on. "Let me go to the police. You are trying to awaken me from my sleeping? You are trying to make me intelligent? Let me remain fool. Why you are disturbing me?" Māyā's influence. Kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole. Simply wasting of time. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. The Gosvāmīs, they conquered over sleeping first, nidrā, then eating. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau.

Why do you desire to keep yourself in this.... That means you do not understand what is spiritual life. Thinking. Thinking, he's under the influence of māyā.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore he's required to read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly. It is said clearly, "This is a place of misery." Why do you desire to keep yourself in this.... That means you do not understand what is spiritual life.
Hari-śauri: Still thinking he's this body.
Prabhupāda: Thinking. Thinking, he's under the influence of māyā. māyā is dictating, "Why you are trying to go away? Come on, here, Santa Monica." (laughter) And when you become detestful either this Santa Monica or any Monica, "I am not interested," then your spiritual life is...

Unless you are fully surrendered, you cannot be freed from the influence of māyā.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: He has another argument. He says that he's in the grip of māyā.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: Māyā is keeping him.
Prabhupāda: Unless you are fully surrender, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), you cannot do it. Māyā will not leave you.
Rāmeśvara: But in order to fully surrender, you have to be free from māyā.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Māyā will keep you freed when you fully surrender. If you surrender to your wife and many women, māyā will not give you.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He's thinking freedom without Kṛṣṇa.
Rāmeśvara: He says that māyā keeps making him full of material desires.
Prabhupāda: Yes, māyā must keep you, must keep you, must keep you because you are not surrendering fully.
Rāmeśvara: Then he says that "As long as I have all these material urges, I cannot control them. The māyā is insurmountable."
Prabhupāda: No. Māyā is not.... What māyā is? Punishing, that's all.
Hari-śauri: The desire is ours; it's simply either Kṛṣṇa or māyā.
Prabhupāda: Therefore you have to rectify your desires. That is bhakti.

If you stick to devotional service, māyā will not be able to touch you.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Makhanlāl: ...says that such a person never laments nor desires anything. So...
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you realize that you are servant of Kṛṣṇa, where is lamentation?
Makhanlāl: Due to māyā's influence, a devotee may sometimes materially lament.
Prabhupāda: That you have to struggle. Tapasā brahmacāryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). That is called tapasya. But if you stick to devotional service, māyā will not be able to touch you.
Makhanlāl: The māyā that harasses the devotee is just mental concoction, then? He should concentrate on just serving?
Prabhupāda: Māyā's harassing, that means you are not in devotional service. It is not concoction; it is fact.

So-called intelligent, they are not intelligent. They have lost their sense by the influence of māyā.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Devotee (1): So many intelligent people, they are going to Transcendental Meditation simply because it's costing money. They want to pay. My sister, her husband, they are intelligent people, but they are simply...
Prabhupāda: So intelligent that they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. What kind of intelligence is that, the plain thing in the Bhagavad-gītā, they cannot...
Devotee (1): Very bad intelligence.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Māyayāpahṛta-jṣānāḥ (BG 7.15).
Prabhupāda: Yes. So-called intelligent, they are not intelligent. They have lost their sense by the influence of māyā. Even big, big men, they say that Kṛṣṇa, this Kṛṣṇa is not God. "The God Kṛṣṇa is different" and so on, so on. Do they not say like that?

These dull-headed conditioned souls, they do not know their real self-interest, being influenced by māyā.

Comments on Bhagavad-gita Play -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: ...of this human being, people do not know how they are kept in ignorance. And because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy He comes to deliver us from this ignorance. Unfortunately, they are so much engrossed by the illusory energy, they do not take advantage of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being propagated that these dull-headed mūḍha—they are being described as mūḍha, dull-headed; they do not know actual interest of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These dull-headed conditioned souls, they do not know their real self-interest, being influenced by māyā. Māyā is also Kṛṣṇa's energy, so it is her duty to punish the conditioned soul because they have decided to forget Kṛṣṇa. Still, Kṛṣṇa is so merciful, He comes personally, He authorizes His devotees, servants, to enlighten these conditioned souls. Now our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an humble attempt to raise the standard of these conditioned souls to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those who are engaged in this business, they should personally behave as devotee, and by their example they should teach others and elevate them from this gross ignorance of materialistic life.

The modern world means how to befool persons, that's all. Not to enlighten, but to keep them in ignorance and befool them more and more, and they like it. Under the influence of māyā they like to be cheated.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: This is their position, and they are proud of their knowledge.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not at all scientific.
Bali-mardana: But they make up many very big words.
Prabhupāda: That any rascal will do. Bambharambhe laghu kriya. Aparkulasvenavargolajagundakuligondoliojalīlāvale... (gibberish) (laughter) You can talk like that—what is the meaning? That intelligence they have got, to manufacture... I know, I was in the medical business. So any petty medicine, and you inquire medical man, and he'll present it in such a scientific way that people will think that it is very important thing. I know it well. In Bose's laboratory we used to do that. Aparkulavenavargolajdgunda... This is... (gibberish) Simply soda bicarb and little this and that. So the modern world means how to befool persons, that's all. Not to enlighten, but to keep them in ignorance and befool them more and more, and they like it. Under the influence of māyā they like to be cheated.

Who is very, very much under the influence of māyā, he is Māyāvādī. Unless he is too much under the influence of māyā, how he can say that "I'm God"?

Evening Darsana -- August 15, 1976, Bombay:

Indian: Māyāvādī?
Prabhupāda: Māyayā apahṛta-jṣāna. Māyā (Hindi) Who is very, very much under the influence of māyā, he is Māyāvādī. Unless he is too much under the influence of māyā, how he can say that "I'm God"? Which is impossible. (Hindi) So many things which makes one rāja, and if you simply imagine, "I am rāja. "So how much rascal he is. Just see. Mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). (Hindi) Māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If one follow the Māyāvādīs and thinks that "I am God," then he is finished. His future is finished.

Those who are under the influence of māyā, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa's an ordinary boy.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

When Kṛṣṇa was playing with His cowherd boys friend, so Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "Who are these boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa who is the source of brahma-sukha?" Brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. These boys are playing with another boy known as Kṛṣṇa. He is the source of brahma-sukhānubhūti. And dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. Those who are devotees, for them He is the Supreme Lord. And māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. And those who are under the influence of māyā, they are seeing He's an ordinary boy. But whatever He may be, these boys who are playing with him, sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puṣjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). After many, many lives acquisition of pious activities, now he has got this opportunity to play with this boy, the source of brahma-sukha. Itthaṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. They are not playing with ordinary child. He is the source of brahma-sukha. This is the statement of Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

This sleeping is the māyā's influence.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Satsvarūpa: Even those three days they have to attend the maṅgala-ārati?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Maṅgala-ārati they must attend. It is not that sleeping, "gongongon," and taking free food, no.
Gargamuni: No. Even in Māyāpura we wake them up at four.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that must be. Why Māyāpura? Vṛndāvana, they are accustomed. Yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu nidra... This sleeping is the māyā's influence. It is stated in the... Yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu nidra-rūpeṇa saṁsthitaḥ.(?) The Devī, this material energy, has captured everyone, and she is there... The more one sleeps, that means he's under the control of māyā. And the more he is not sleeping, he's free from māyā. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. The Gosvāmīs, they conquered over three things: nidrā, sleeping; āhāra, eating; and mating. These things are the clutches of māyā. More we have sex, more we have eating, more we have sleeping, that means I am entangled. The more we conquer over it, we are free. That we have to try. Whether I am in the clutches of māyā or not can be tested—whether I am sleeping more, whether I am eating more, whether I am more sexually inclined. He can test himself. And bhakti means vairāgya-vidyā, to conquer over these three things. So practice this. They are... To rise early in the morning and attend maṅgala-ārati is compulsory. It is part of this education, spiritual education. And not to eat more than necessary. Then you'll not sleep more. You'll find, if you observe fast, you won't feel sleepy.