Prabhupāda: So your question is answered? Material consciousness means thinking falsely independent. That is material consciousness. Falsely. He is not independent, but he is thinking falsely, "I am independent." This is māyā. Just like in dream he is falsely thinking there is a tiger. There is no tiger, but he is actuated by that false impression, "Oh, tiger is eating me. It has attacked me. Save me."
So this material existence means because he is insane, he is thinking there are so many problems, "The tiger is there. He is attacking me," this, that, "So many enemies, friends . . ." creating so many things. But they are all false. But he is attacked by that false hallucination. That's all. This is māyā.
Everyone is thinking, "Oh, there are so many problems I have to solve. I have to make this, that, this, so many." But he has no problem. He has no problem. His only problem is to . . . how to accept Kṛṣṇa. That's all. And Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He says, "Yes, you accept Me. Simply chant 'Kṛṣṇa,' I am yours. That's all." But my . . . I am so misfortunate that I cannot chant even. All problems solved simply by chanting "Kṛṣṇa."
Etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavān (CC Antya 20.16, Śikṣāṣṭaka 2). Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that, "O Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind that You have come to me in the sound vibration, word, 'Kṛṣṇa.' I can very easily chant, and You remain with me. But I am so misfortunate that I have no attraction even for this." You say people, "You chant 'Kṛṣṇa' you'll get everything," they will not believe it.
If you say: "You press your nose. You pay me fifty dollars. I'll give you some nice mantra and this, that. You make your head like this, leg like this," "Oh," he'll say: "here is something." Something. "And this Swāmījī says: 'Simply chant Kṛṣṇa.' Oh, what this is?" Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavān mamāpi durdaiva: "But I am so unfortunate that You have become so easily available in this age, but I am so unfortunate, I cannot accept it."
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness so easily being distributed, but they are so unfortunate, they cannot accept. Just see. And you give them bluff, you cheat them—they will, "Ah, yes, welcome. Yes." They'll welcome it. And cheaters are always ready, "Oh, there are so many customers are being cheated. Let me take advantage of it." So my Guru Mahārāja used to say: "This world is the society of cheaters and cheated." The members are somebody are cheating, and somebody are cheated. The association of cheaters and cheated. So we want to save them from this society of cheaters and cheated.
Janārdana: Prabhupāda, often when we'll be performing . . . doing something, some activity during our day, and so many things will go wrong, and we become frustrated . . .
Prabhupāda: Well, when one is a professional, there may be something wrong. That doesn't matter. But you try to discharge your duties rightly, whatever you are prescribed to do. Then everything will come to the right point. Your only business is to follow the four principles of regulative life and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa sixteen rounds. So there may be sometimes mistake. That will be corrected automatically.
Because we are coming from a different platform, so it may be. That is also said in the Bha . . . Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30): "If one is found doing mistake or doing something wrong, but because he is sticking to this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is sādhu." Sādhu means a holy man. He is holy. He is not doing any wrong consciously, but due to habit . . .
Suppose just like most of you were, in your former life, you were smoking or taking intoxication. But by some influence, if you sometimes take to it, yes, if you are conscious, "Oh, I have done wrong," but that is excused if you have done unconscious. But if you think that "Now I am Kṛṣṇa conscious. Whatever I do, it is right," then it is great sin. But accidentally it happens—that is excused—never mind.
So accidental mistake is not dangerous. Willful mistake is dangerous. That we should be careful. We should be very careful always so that accidental mistakes also may not take place. But if it takes place, it is excused.