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You are not controller of material nature. You cannot dictate. You can dictate some of your followers, that's all. But you cannot dictate the supreme authority. That is not possible

Expressions researched:
"You are not controller of material nature. You cannot dictate. You can dictate some of your followers, that's all. But you cannot dictate the supreme authority. That is not possible"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You cannot dictate, "Oh, nature, please don't change my dress. Keep me American." No. She is not your order-supplier. She will see what dress you require. So she will examine what is your mentality. "Oh, your mentality is dog, doggish? Take this dog's dress. No more American dress." And if you have god's mentality, "Oh, take this god's dress." This is under, in the material nature. How can we control it? You are not controller of material nature. You cannot dictate. You can dictate some of your followers, that's all. But you cannot dictate the supreme authority. That is not possible.

You have got so many "mines." You have got so many dresses. Why do you claim a particular dress as "this is yours"? Why? Don't you think that after changing so many dresses, if you are particularly situated in certain kind of nice dress, may be very nice dress, but why do you attach so much importance on that nice dress? Why don't you understand that this dress is nice. That's all ri . . . Next moment I may be in a very ugly dress. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). As you are associating with the different kinds of material modes of nature, we have to change your dress. That is in the grip of material nature. You cannot say. You cannot dictate, "Oh, nature, please don't change my dress. Keep me American." No. She is not your order-supplier. She will see what dress you require. So she will examine what is your mentality. "Oh, your mentality is dog, doggish? Take this dog's dress. No more American dress." And if you have god's mentality, "Oh, take this god's dress."

This is under, in the material nature. How can we control it? You are not controller of material nature. You cannot dictate. You can dictate some of your followers, that's all. But you cannot dictate the supreme authority. That is not possible. Just like I can dictate to my students, but I cannot dictate the government. I have to obey the orders of the government, however great swamiji I may be. That is not possible. Similarly, we cannot dictate. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27).

Therefore, out of many, many fools . . . We are all fools. So it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3), martyeṣu yatamāneṣu, that somebody tries to understand, "Oh, actually what I am? Am I American or Indian or Chinese or Japanese or cat or dog?" This inquiry. This is inquiry. This is really inquiry, "What I am?" So this inquiry goes on. This is called brahma-jijñāsā, this inquiry.

Now, if you inquire something, then you have to ask somebody. You cannot go on inquiring and answering yourself. That is another foolishness. If you inquire, then you have to inquire from a person who is bigger than you. Is it not? Can you inquire yourself when . . . Suppose you may cross a street. You have forgotten which way to go. Then you have to inquire some police standing there or some gentleman, "Where is this way?" So similarly, this inquiry, if this inquiry comes into you, that "What I am?" then you have to go to an authority. The Vedic injunction therefore asks you, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "If you are actually seriously an inquirer, then you must go to a spiritual master."

Page Title:You are not controller of material nature. You cannot dictate. You can dictate some of your followers, that's all. But you cannot dictate the supreme authority. That is not possible
Compiler:Soham
Created:2022-12-22, 12:31:02
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1