Śrīla Prabhupāda's Hare Krishna Society

Real Necessity

Srila Prabhupada: Never, never, never. That is his insanity, another. As soon as he thinks that "I am independent," that is another insanity. He is under control. Just like the same man. He is thinking, "I don't care for state laws." He is insane. He will be forced to accept state laws in the prison house by the police. But he thinks, "Oh, I am free man." Still... He is slapped by the police. He says, "Oh, I am independent. Go on slapping."

This is insanity. Is it not insanity? The police slaps him, and he says, "I am independent." Do you ... we are having. We are kicked by maya always, and we are thinking, "independent." This is insanity. He does not think, "Why I am independent? I am servant of my senses.... and I am thinking I am independent." That means insane. He cannot think properly. Where is his independence? Cannot be independent. He is born dependent because part and parcel of God. His constitutional position is dependent.

Just like child. A child declares independence. What is the meaning of that independence? Danger. That's all. Simply inviting dangers. A child wants:... for my parents. I shall cross the road. I shall go everywhere." So if he is allowed to do that, that means he is simply inviting dangers. And if he remains under the protection of the parents, he is always safe. So this living entity's declaring independence means he is insane, different kinds of insanity. He cannot be independent. Let him think very deeply that it cannot be independent. He is thinking independent of God, but he is dependent on his sense pleasure. That's all. And some intoxication, a voluntarily accept dependence of something maya. That's all.

Who is independent. Is there anyone independent? Nobody is independent. To think of independence is maya. Best thing is that "I am dependent, and let me remain dependent in properly. Then I am protected." That is Krsna consciousness. 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 maya. Just like in dream he is falsely thinking there is a tiger. There is no tiger, but he is actuated by this 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 maya. 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 how to accept Krsna. That's all."

Conversations
Devotee: Actually the trees are absolutely necessary for the survival of animals. Srila Prabhupada: That is another thing. We say nothing is necessary, simply Krsna is necessary. That is material conception: "This is necessary. This is necessary." But Krsna says, "Nothing is necessary." Sarva-dharman parityajya. You are simply planning and becoming entangled with so-called "necessary."
Devotee: But that is on the spiritual platform.
Srila Prabhupada: You can create spiritual platform immediately. Sa gunan samatityaitan. If you fully engage yourself in devotional service, immediately you are above this material conception.
Devotee: So the concept that the three modes of material nature, they're working all species, so it's not the...
Srila Prabhupada: They are directing. Just like in the jail there are different departmental management, similarly, this management is required because you are in the jail. If you don't go to jail, the management may be closed. But you are thinking, "If I do not go to jail, how it will exist?" That is your business, say that "If we all become liberated, how this world will go on?" They say like that, as if it is very necessary.

Conclusion--We as devotees should be humble anough to admit to ourselves, that we ARE STILL very much under the influence of Maya because, how many of us STILL think in the above "so called necessary ways"??? How many times do we give to ourselves and other devotees excuses of why we cannot do some/more devotional service or give up some forms of maya ? Until and unless we come to this Brahma bhutah platform by constant engagement in Devotional service, we are still in this material world and will still be "thinking", if you want to call it that, that we have so many "necessary things" to do OTHER than Devotional Service?

Spiritual life means 100% engagement in the Lords service and as long as we persist in "thinking" we have "other so called necessary" things we have to do, we will remain in this material world birth after birth after birth.

Srila Prabhupada once said that the only difference between the material world and the spiritual world is the MENTALITY OF OUR SERVICE. These philosophical tidbits from Srila Prabhupada are meant to give us clues of how to end all our so called problems-forever. So how we deal with our minds determines our present and future consciousness.....just some thoughts.....

Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das

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