Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


The Devi, this material energy, has captured everyone, and she is there . . . the more one sleeps, that means he's under the control of maya. And the more he is not sleeping, he's free from maya

Expressions researched:
"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"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Why Māyāpur? 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.

Prabhupāda: By practically knowing he's a . . . are you independent, anyone? Everyone is servant. He's serving his senses. That's all. He's servant. He's never master. But he has become the servant of māyā or senses. That's all. He has to change only; instead of becoming servant of māyā, be servant of Kṛṣṇa. Servant he is. Where he'll go? How he will become master? To remain a servant is his position. He cannot become master. That is false pride. As soon as he wants to be master, that is false pride. That is māyā. "So if I am servant, then I have to serve. So why shall I serve the senses' dictation? I will serve Kṛṣṇa, what He says." So he's self-realized immediately, within a second. Where is the difficulty to become self-realized? Hmm? Is there any difficulty? He must know that "I am serving. I am never master—but serving the senses, that's all, whims of the senses in the name of independence." That is not possible. Very simple philosophy. One who understands, he's self-realized. And if he preaches, then he becomes recognized. On this principle we shall help everyone. "Come here. Stay with us nicely—nicely you can—but serve Kṛṣṇa. We take responsibility." Organize in this way throughout the whole world. Give them shelter; give them food; give them cloth. That is the most benevolent welfare activity in the human society. So here people have generally tendency to come to the beach to enjoy. "All right, we shall give you a place. Come on. Stay here. You haven't got to pay anything for food or lodging. Simply attend ārati, classes." They will do. "For experiment, three days' period, you see."

Gargamuni: Anyone.

Prabhupāda: Anyone.

Satsvarūpa: Even those three days they have to attend the maṅgala-ārati?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Maṅgala-ārati they must attend. It is not that sleeping, "goh-goh-goh," and taking free food. No.

Gargamuni: No. Even in Māyāpur we wake them up at four.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that must be. Why Māyāpur? 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. Have you tested this?

Gargamuni: Yes. I can remember.

Prabhupāda: Therefore Ekādaśī. One day or two days in the month he should practice fasting, and then he'll be able to conquer over these things. These are all practical. So we should practice ourself and teach others. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And if he thinks that he's quite all right in this material atmosphere, then he's doomed. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti. That means aprāpya mām—without achieving Kṛṣṇa—nivartante—again he goes back—mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3)—the cycle of birth and death. Take one birth, suffer, again take another body, again take another body, another body. There are four hundred . . . eight million, four hundred . . . that's all. Sometimes so-called happiness, he is born as demigod; sometimes as dog, sometimes as insect, sometimes as tree. What is this business? "I am eternal. Why shall I suffer this?" This is sense. They are simply trying how to become a hog, how to become a dog, or how to become a God. God you cannot become. You may have some partial happiness just like the demigods. They have got power. They have got high standard of living. But that does not mean the solution of the problem. Solution of problem means no more birth, no more death. That is solution. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That is solution. If he remains in the birth-and-death cycle, that is not solution of material problem. Who can understand this science? They have accepted birth and death. But birth they do not believe. They think accidentally it grows within the womb, a lump of matter, and at a certain stage there is life. This is their . . . do they not think like that?

Satsvarūpa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Fetus. By sex there is some reaction of flesh and blood and something comes out.

Page Title:The Devi, this material energy, has captured everyone, and she is there . . . the more one sleeps, that means he's under the control of maya. And the more he is not sleeping, he's free from maya
Compiler:Soham
Created:2023-02-05, 15:34:04
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1