is like forest fire

 
Imported quote 24286
Prabhupada: Never, never, never. That is his insanity. Anyway, as soon as one thinks, "I am independent," that is another insanity. He is under control. Just like a man is thinking, "I don't care for the state laws." He's insane. He will be forced to accept state laws in the prison house by the police. But he thinks, "Oh, I am a prisoner, but I am still independent." He is slapped by the police, but he still says, "I am independent. Go on slapping." That is insanity. Is it not insanity? The police slap him, and he says, "I am independent." Do you think that is independence? That is the sort of independence we are having. We are always kicked by maya, yet we are thinking ourselves independent. This is insanity. We do not think how we are independent. One is servant of his senses, he cannot refrain from enjoying his senses for an hour, and he is thinking himself independent. That means he is insane. He cannot think properly. Where is his independence? He cannot be independent. He is born dependent; he is part and parcel of God. His constitutional position is dependent. The child might declare independence, but what is the meaning of that independence? Danger, that is all. He is simply inviting dangers. A child says, "Oh, I don't care for my parents. I shall cross the ocean; I shall go everywhere." So if he is allowed to do that, then he's simply inviting dangers. And if he remains under the protection of the parents, he is always safe. So these living entities declaring independence are insane and are suffering from different kinds of insanity. They cannot be independent. Let them think very deeply, but they cannot be independent. They are thinking themselves independent of God, but they are dependent on their senses, that's all. And some intoxication. They 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. The best thing is that since I am dependent, let me remain dependent properly. Then I am protected. So is your question answered? Material consciousness means thinking oneself 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 a dream, he is falsely thinking there is a tiger. There is no tiger, but he is actuated by this false impression: "Oh, the tiger is eating me! He has attacked me! Save me!" So this material existence means that because he is insane he is thinking there are so many problems. "The tiger is there! He is attacking me!" This, that, oh, so many, he is creating so many things. But they're 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 much. I have this-" But he actually has no problems. His only problem is how to accept Krsna. That's all. And Krsna is so kind He says, "Yes, you accept Me. Simply chant 'Krsna'; I am yours. That's all." But I am so unfortunate that I cannot chant it. All problems are solved simply by chanting Krsna. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "O Krsna, You are so kind that You have come to me in the sound vibration 'Krsna.' I can very easily chant, and You will remain with me. But I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction even for this." When you see people and tell them, "Chant Hare Krsna and you'll get everything," they'll not believe it. And if you say, "I'll press your nose, you pay me $50, and I'll give you some nice mantra. And you move your head like this, your leg like this," then they will say, "Oh! Here is something!" [laughter] "So this Swamiji says simply chant Hare Krsna! What is this?" Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "You have become so easily available in this age, but I am so unfortunate that I cannot accept this." This Krsna consciousness is so easily being distributed, but they are so unfortunate that they cannot accept. Just see. And if you give them a bluff, if you cheat them: "Ah, yes, welcome!" Yes. They welcome it, and cheaters are always ready. "Customers are being cheated, so let me take advantage of it." My Guru Maharaj used to say that this world is the society of the cheaters and the cheated. You have the association of cheaters and cheated. So we want to save people from this society of cheaters and cheated.    (More...)

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