Prabhupāda: The material nature is being controlled by three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa—goodness, passion and ignorance. But one who acts on account of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he becomes freed from the reaction of these qualities. That is called karmaṇy akarma. Although a devotee is seen that he is very active, but his activities are not like material activity, to result in some pious result or impious result. Both of them are bondage, pious or impious things.
So if we become bound up by pious or impious activities, then we'll have to accept this material body, karma-bandhana. And material body, as soon as you accept this material body, you are under the laws of material nature, especially birth, death, old age and disease. So you become bound up. Therefore this human form of life is especially meant for to get freedom from this bondage—birth, death and old age. But people do not understand.
Their brain is so packed up with material things that they have become just like animals. They cannot understand. But anyway, unless one understands the spititual significance of life, he is just like animal, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Śāstra has said go-kharaḥ. Go-kharaḥ means animal. Go means cows, and khara means ass. So anyone who is acting on the bodily concept of life, without any spiritual understanding, he is no better than animal.
But he is satisfied . . . that the animal is being sent to the slaughterhouse, still he is satisfied. He does not know that, "I am going to be slaughtered. I am going in these flock, but I will be simply waiting for being slaughtered." So as the animal goes, the cows are being slaughtered, so the animals are being slaughtered, so everyone without spiritual consciousness, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is to be slaughtered by the laws of material nature. They do not know that. Even just like animal: even if he is slaughtered, he is not sorry. That is the position of the present human society.
So there is great need of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. People are so fallen, they are reluctant to even to hear about this Bhagavad-gītā, where everything is explained. They are living like animals. So it is our duty to awaken them. That is the Vedic injunction. Vedic injunction is to awaken. They are sleeping in ignorance. Just like when a man sleeps, he is ignorant of everything what is going on outside. He is sleeping, deep sleeping. So therefore the Vedic injunction, Upaniṣads says, uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.14): "Please get up. You have got this human form of body. Now you get up and get out of these clutches of cycle of birth and death." Unfortunately, they have become so dull that they cannot understand. So people should be trained up how to live conscientiously, especially in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will solve the problems of life. Otherwise he is committing suicide. That is the verdict of the śāstra.
Now any . . . (break)
Lady devotee: You said that if we are performing some activity, that activity must be tested to see if Lord Kṛṣṇa is pleased. But what is the test?
Prabhupāda: If the spiritual master is pleased, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. That you are singing daily: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. If the spiritual master is pleased, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. That is the test. If he is not pleased, then he has no other way.
That is very simple to understand. Suppose anyone who is working in the office, the immediate boss is the head, head clerk or the superintendent of that department. So everyone is working. If he satisfies the superintendent or the head clerk, then it is to be understood that he has satisfied the managing director. It is not very difficult. Your immediate boss, representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is to be satisfied. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya.
Therefore the guiding of spiritual master is required. Kṛṣṇa comes in the form of spiritual master to guide. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. So guru-kṛpā, mercy of guru, is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. So when both of them are satisfied, then our path is clear. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Then our devotional service is perfect. So you did not mark this statement in the Gurvaṣṭaka?
Lady devotee: Yes.