The real happiness is different. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Andhā yathāndhaiḥ. And anyone who will give him false hope that "If you get independence, then overnight you will become like this, like this, like that," that leader is very nice. If there is some political meeting giving only bluff, lots of bluffs only, and people gather there by thousands and millions to hear the bluff . . . because . . . my Guru Mahārāja therefore used to say that this present human society is a society of the cheaters and the cheated. Somebody is being cheated and somebody is cheater; a combination of two things: cheater and the cheated, because they do not know the real interest of life. And anyone who will speak all nonsense and bluff, he will be very much adored. This is going on.
But actual interest is . . . human life should be sober. He should . . . therefore the first beginning of real life is to understand that, "I am not this body." This is the first lesson. But where is that education? Throughout the whole world, go anywhere. Where is that education that students are being taught that, "You are not this body"? There is no education. Then what is the value of this education? To keep them andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), to keep them in the darkness. That is going on. This is the only institution which is giving people real life.
- ajñāna-timirāndhasya
- jñānāñjana-śalākayā
- cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena
- tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
- (Gautamīya-tantra)
So our request is, therefore, that try to understand this Kṛṣṇa philosophy and take to it seriously. Then your life will be successful. Otherwise you are simply wasting your time. This is our message. And if you want to talk, if you want to argue, then also we are prepared. We have prepared so many books for this purpose. Now this is the fact. If you accept it, it is good.
Then the next question may be that, "Why the people do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? If it is so important, why they do not take to it?" That is also explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). So matir na kṛṣṇe. If one sticks to this principle, that "I shall be happy with this material body. I shall be happy within this material world, within my country, within my society," in this way if one thinks, they are called gṛha-vrata. So for such persons, gṛha-vratānām, those who want to become happy within this bodily envelopment, they are . . . (break) Therefore from the beginning of life one has to be educated the value of life or approach a devotee.
What is that next verse, Prahlāda Mahārāja?
- matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā
- mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
- adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram . . .
- (SB 7.5.30)
Adānta-gobhiḥ. Because they cannot control their senses . . . the yoga system means to control the senses. Now yoga system has become a means of making the senses strong to enjoy. At the present moment, the so-called yoga system is a exercise for making the body strong and senses strong. There is another verse, I forget. Na vṛṇīta tāvad. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim.
- naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
- spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
- mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekaṁ
- niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
- (SB 7.5.32)
Matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā. Kṛṣṇe matiḥ, by personal endeavor, svataḥ, or by taking lessons from others . . . just like we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, attending meeting also, conference also. But still, matir na kṛṣṇe. But that can be achieved only, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim, unless one surrenders to the mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekam.
Unless one surrenders to the dust of the lotus feet of pure devotee, Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be developed. It is not possible. That is the secret. Otherwise you go on attending thousands of meetings and bhāgavata-katha and so-called, I mean to say, sat-saṅga. Unless you surrender to a person . . . tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Unless you surrender . . . this is a process of surrender. As soon as there is a lack of surrendering process, it is very difficult. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "Surrender." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "Surrender." So Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's representative, one should surrender. Then kṛṣṇe matir bhavatu anyathā naiva. So matir na kṛṣṇe parato svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta. This was instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja.
(aside) Then next, read. What is that?
Pradyumna: "The material comforts of life are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America."
Prabhupāda: Yes, this is vivid example. In America there is no scarcity of food, there is no scarcity of anything. Here we cannot imagine that how there cannot be any scarcity of food, because here everything is scarcity, controlled. So similarly, I have seen Russia. Russia is advertising, "So much comfortable," but the poorest country, in my opinion. They stand in line as here, controlled everything. If you have to purchase your necessities, you have to waste two hours at least.
(aside) Where is Śyāmasundara? Śyāmasundara has, huh?
So Śyāmasundara was going to purchase our things. So rice practically not available, nice quality. Dāl also not. The butter is available, milk is available, and meat, as much as you like. And no fruits, no vegetables. It was very difficult for the vegetarian. And still, that is everything. He had to spend two hours for bringing milk and butter and little rice. So everything is controlled. What I was speaking?
Pradyumna: "The material comforts of life alone are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America."
Prabhupāda: Yes. And America, just the contrary. You can purchase any amount of milk, any amount of wheat, any amount of rice—whatever you want. Everything, everything is complete. So many stores, so many stock. And still, their production is so great that government restricts, "Don't produce crops. Don't produce crops." They bribe the farmer that, "Don't produce." And I think the land, America, not even one fourth of the land is utilized. If they utilized the whole land, I do not know how much they can produce. I think they can feed the whole world if they utilize. Similarly, I have seen in Australia. Similarly, I have seen in Africa—enough land is lying without cultivation.