Just like the birds and beasts, they are living on nature's condition. The bird will go to a tree and eat some fruit, but not more than he requires; neither he will take the fruit at his home to stock for next day or for making black market. No. We have created all this nonsense situation by claiming God's property as ours. This is the mistake. But the rascal leaders, they do not know what mistake they have committed in the beginning. Stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12). Everything belongs to God. Therefore everything should be employed in the service of God. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy. We do not think anything which has no connection with Kṛṣṇa. We take everything . . . just like we are using this microphone. We do not think it is material. Because it is being used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, therefore it is spiritual. That is the difference between material and spiritual. When you accept it as your own or for your own sense gratification, that is material. And if you accept everything as Kṛṣṇa's and you simply take Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, then it is spiritual.
We are not Māyāvādī philosophers, that we say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. No. Why jagat should be mithyā? If Kṛṣṇa is truth, God is truth, the jagat is also truth because it is the energy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Therefore our Gosvāmīs prescribed:
- prapañcikatayā buddhyā
- hari-sambandhī-vastunaḥ
- mumukṣubhiḥ parityago
- phalgu vairāgyaṁ kathyate
- (Brs 1.2.256)
Prapañcikatayā buddhyā.
(sound of firecracker) (aside) What is this sound?
Prapañcika-buddhyā, by accepting something as material, hari-sambandhī-vastunaḥ, but it has connection with Hari; so if we give it up, then it is phalgu-vairāgya. Just like this for land we are fighting, because we are thinking that, "Kṛṣṇa has come here, Kṛṣṇa is seated here. It cannot be vacated." We are not thinking that it is a material thing. This is an example.
Just like Arjuna. Arjuna fought because he thought that, "This war, this Kurukṣetra battle, is for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa." Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). In the beginning, Arjuna denied to fight. He thought, "Why shall I fight with my kinsmen? Let them enjoy." But when he understood that, "It is Kṛṣṇa's desire . . ." Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin: "It is already planned." Kṛṣṇa said: "My dear Arjuna, you are thinking that you'll save your relatives, but you are wrong. It is already planned. Those who have come here, they must be killed. That is already My plan. You simply become a instrument." Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin. So when Arjuna understood that, "It is the Kṛṣṇa's plan. That I am servant of Kṛṣṇa; I must satisfy Kṛṣṇa," Arjuna therefore asked . . . Kṛṣṇa therefore asked Arjuna, "Now, after hearing My instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, what you are going to do?" Kṛṣṇa said . . . Arjuna replied, naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā: "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, my illusion is now over." Smṛtir labdhā, "I have got my remembrance. Everything belongs to You. For Your satisfaction everything must be done." Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). "Yes, I'll fight."
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So long you think it is for your satisfaction, that is material. And as soon as you think, as soon as you understand that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa and everything should be used for the service of Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual. That is the distinction between material and spiritual. There is nothing like that material . . . spiritually something wonderful. But everything . . . Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). If everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, where is material? There is nothing material.