So you are completely under the grip of nature. This time, fortunately or unfortunately, I have got this human form of life, but next time I may get the body of a dog or the body of a god. That will depend on my work. But the laws of nature is working. The laws of nature, or the material nature, is forcing me that "You accept it." You cannot say that "After my death, let me have my birth in America." Oh, how can you say? You are not authority. You are not authority. So this is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
- guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
- ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
- kartāham iti manyate
- (BG 3.27)
Everything is being conducted by the supreme laws of nature, but the foolish man thinks that, "I am something. I am independent." This is foolishness. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Ahaṅkāra, this false egoism—ahaṅkāra means false egoism. What is that false egoism? That I am not this body, and I think I am this body. This is called false egoism. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya, I mean to say, he preached his mission that "You are not this body. You are spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Now, still, when we try to realize ourself, self-realization, there also foolishness, or the dictation of the māyā, or illusory energy, continues.
What is that? Somebody's trying to realize his self, "I am not this body." He understands that, "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." Then? If you are spirit soul, then what is your position? Oh, void. Impersonal. Spirit soul, that means voidness? Oh, there is nothing after finishing this body? This voidness? There are philosophers who preach voidness, "After this finishing this body, there is nothing." And other philosophers, impersonalists, they say that as soon as this body is finished, my personal identity is finished. Do you think like that? Is it possible?
So long I am in this body, this body is not actual "I am." It is just like a vehicle. Just like you are sitting in a car. The car is moving according to your desire, not that the car is moving independently. So when you are in the car, so you are moving the car according to your desire, right or left, or this road or that road. Suppose, if you are out of the car, do you think that your personality is gone? Is it any reason?
So this body is just like a car. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).
Māyā has placed you in this car because you wanted this sort of car. Just like you have got in your practical experience, somebod