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The more we become so-called materially advanced, means

Expressions researched:
"The more we become so-called materially advanced, means"

Lectures

Festival Lectures

The more we become so-called materially advanced, means we are entangled with the network of māyā.
Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Now Sanātana Gosvāmī says that "Although in the mundane sphere I am what is known as a great, learned man..." Sanātana Gosvāmī informed Caitanya Mahāprabhu: grāmya vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita. Just like in India, you'll find there is a system. A brāhmaṇa is addressed, "Paṇḍitji." Still, that is the etiquette. A brāhmaṇa is addressed as "Paṇḍitji," a kṣatriya is addressed as "Ṭhākura Saheb," and a vaiśya is addressed as a "Sethji" and a śūdra is addressed as "Choudhari." They have got respect for everyone. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was not a false paṇḍita. Nowadays... I have seen in Calcutta one brāhmaṇa with thread, he was pulling on thela. So somebody addressed him "Paṇḍitajī." So that sort of paṇḍitajī was not Sanātana Gosvāmī, that without any knowledge he was pulling on thela, and he's also a paṇḍitajī. Not like that. He was actually paṇḍita. He was very learned scholar. But he knew his position, that "Although my friends, my admirers, my assistants, my subordinates, they address me Paṇḍitajī, but actually I am not paṇḍita." He said, grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita, satya kari māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nāhi jāni! Grāmya-vyavahāre. Grāmya means ordinary deals, ordinary dealings social etiquette. "They call me Paṇḍitajī, but actually I do not know what is the aim of my life, what is my constitutional position." Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tapa-traya. "I do not know why these threefold miserable conditions of material existence is troubling me. I do not want them."

So this is the real position of everyone. One may be materially, academically very learned, so-called learned, but he does not know what is the aim of life, why he's put in this material condition, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tapa-traya. They are trying, tapa-traya, and miseries of life, we know. There is heat and cold, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. These are miseries. And there are problems—birth, death, old age and disease. But we do not know from which source they are coming, and they are being enforced upon us, and still we are proud of our education. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings, jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more we become so-called materially advanced, means we are entangled with the network of māyā.

jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā
anitya saṁsāre moho janamiyā jīvake koroye gādhā

So anitya saṁsāra, this material atmosphere, it is anitya. Anitya means temporary. Although temporary, I shall live here, say, for fifty years or hundred years. Still, I am very much busy to make adjustment of my, this temporary living condition. Everyone is busy: how to have a house, how to have nice bank balance, how to be secure nationally, this way, that way. We are embarrassed with so many problems. But at any time, at any moment, the notice may come: "Please vacate this place." We have to do that. But we do not take care of this.

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
yad indirya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
(SB 5.5.4)

Asann api. This body, asann api, it will not exist forever. It is temporary, but it is troublesome always. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Three kinds of miseries are always there. So Bhāgavata says that we are mad, pramattaḥ kurute vikarma, and doing all sorts of mischievous activities for sense gratification. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya (SB 5.5.4). Indriya-prītaiḥ: simply for the satisfaction of the senses. Tons of beef are sold simply for satisfaction of the tongue. The tongue becomes dry... And a great trade is going on in India, everywhere, in your country also—cigarettes. It has no necessity, but simply for the satisfaction, temporary satisfaction of the tongue, this great trade is going on. So just vikarma. In this country, there is no such government... But in your country, perhaps you know, in every cigarette package, packet it is written it is dangerous for health or what is that?

Page Title:The more we become so-called materially advanced, means
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:08 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1