One who is controlled by maya, he's thinking himself master, but he's servant. And a devotee, he'll never thinks himself, "I am master." "I am servant." That is the difference between maya and not maya

Expressions researched:
"One who is controlled by māyā, he's thinking himself master, but he's servant. And a devotee, he'll never thinks himself," |"That is the difference between māyā and not māyā"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

At once he can be dismissed by the public, he is servant. And he takes that position, placing himself that "I'll give you very good service. I shall be your first-class servant." Therefore people vote, "All right, you become president." And he's advertising, "Re-elect me. Re-elect me." That means he is servant. But he's thinking, "I am master." That is the position. Māyā. One who is controlled by māyā, he's thinking himself master, but he's servant. And a devotee, he'll never thinks himself, "I am master." "I am servant." That is the difference between māyā and not māyā. He at least knows that "I am never master. I am always servant." But these rascals, they think that they are master when actually they are servant. That is the difference.

720704 - Conversation with Bob Cohen - New York

You cannot be without being controlled. That is not possible. Therefore one who is intelligent, he puts himself under the control of God directly. That is intelligence. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19): "After many births of struggling, or speculation, one surrenders unto Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarva . . . "Kṛṣṇa, You are everything. So I am . . . accept me. I am now fully surrendered unto You, and You control me."Because I am controlled. So, so long I have been controlled by these rascals, so there is no benefit. I'm controlled . . . I have been controlled by my senses. So under the control of the senses, I have served family, so-called family, society, country, nation, up to serving the dog, but nothing has given me the satisfaction. Therefore now I have got sense, good sense. I put myself under Your power. Instead of being controlled by dog, let me be controlled by God." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.You have not seen man, how he is controlled by a dog in the street? The dog stops, passes stool. "Yes, I stand." Is it not? He's passing stool, his urine, and the master is thinking, "I am master," but he's being controlled. That is māyā. He has become servant of dog, but he is thinking that "I am master of dog." This is māyā. This is māyā. So unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, one cannot understand. We can understand that this rascal is being controlled by this dog, but he's thinking that he is the master of him. We can understand. What do you think? Does he not become controlled by the dog?Bob Cohen: It's very true.Prabhupāda: Huh?Bob Cohen: That, it's very true.Prabhupāda: But he's thinking that, "I am master of the dog." A family man, he's controlled by his wife, by his children, by his servant, by everyone, but he's thinking, "I am master." President Nixon is thinking that he's master of his country, but he's controlled.At once he can be dismissed by the public, he is servant. And he takes that position, placing himself that "I'll give you very good service. I shall be your first-class servant." Therefore people vote, "All right, you become president." And he's advertising, "Re-elect me. Re-elect me." That means he is servant. But he's thinking, "I am master."That is the position. Māyā. One who is controlled by māyā, he's thinking himself master, but he's servant. And a devotee, he'll never thinks himself, "I am master." "I am servant." That is the difference between māyā and not māyā. He at least knows that "I am never master. I am always servant." But these rascals, they think that they are master when actually they are servant. That is the difference.That is the difference. When a servant is thinking, "I am master," that is called illusion. And when a servant thinks, "I am servant," that is not illusion; that is mukti. That is liberation. Because he is not controlled by a false thought.Try to think about this subject matter. A devotee is never controlled by a false thought. He knows his position. Svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti, liberation, means to be situated in his own constitutional position. That is called mukti, liberation. I am servant, so if I know that "I am servant," that is my liberation. And I am servant; if I think, "I am master," that is his bondage. That is the difference between conditioned life and liberated life.So these Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee, they're always thinking that they are servants of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore all . . . they are all liberated. They haven't got to endeavor for liberation. They are already liberated, because they are situated in their constitutional position. They're not artificially thinking that, "I am master." Otherwise, everyone is thinking, "I am master." Everyone is thinking. That is illusion.You cannot be master in any stage of your life. You must have to remain a servant. That is your position. But when one thinks artificially that he is master, that is his conditioned life. And when one voluntarily surrenders to the supreme master, that is his liberated life. A devotee hasn't got to try for liberation separately. As soon as he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative, he is liberated.Bob Cohen: Prabhupāda, people that engage in religions, like these Jesus freaks and other people, they claim that Jesus is guiding them. Can this be so?Prabhupāda: Yes. But they're not taking the guidance. Just like the Christians. Jesus guiding him, "Thou shall not kill," but they're killing. Where is the Jesus guidance? Simply by saying: "I am guided by Jesus Christ" will do? "But I don't care for his words." Is that guidance?So nobody is being guided by Jesus Christ. They're falsely claiming. It is very hard to find out a man who is actually being guided by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ's guidance is open there, but nobody is caring for him. They have taken Jesus Christ as a contractor to take up their sins. That is their philosophy. They commit all kinds of sins, and poor Jesus Christ will be responsible. That is their religion.