Basic principle of material existence

Expressions researched:
"basic principle of material existence"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

The false ego—"I am," and "It is mine," which constitute the basic principle of material existence—includes ten sense organs for material activities.

BG 7.4, Purport: In the material energy, the principal manifestations are eight, as above mentioned. Out of these, the first five manifestations, namely earth, water, fire, air and sky, are called the five gigantic creations or the gross creations, within which the five sense objects are included. They are the manifestations of physical sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Material science comprises these ten items and nothing more. But the other three items, namely mind, intelligence and false ego, are neglected by the materialists. Philosophers who deal with mental activities are also not perfect in knowledge because they do not know the ultimate source, Kṛṣṇa. The false ego—"I am," and "It is mine," which constitute the basic principle of material existence—includes ten sense organs for material activities. Intelligence refers to the total material creation, called the mahat-tattva. Therefore from the eight separated energies of the Lord are manifest the twenty-four elements of the material world, which are the subject matter of Sāṅkhya atheistic philosophy; they are originally offshoots from Kṛṣṇa's energies and are separated from Him, but atheistic Sāṅkhya philosophers with a poor fund of knowledge do not know Kṛṣṇa as the cause of all causes. The subject matter for discussion in the Sāṅkhya philosophy is only the manifestation of the external energy of Kṛṣṇa, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

SB Canto 4

Both man and woman desire one another; that is the basic principle of material existence.

SB 4.26.26, Purport: Both man and woman desire one another; that is the basic principle of material existence. Women in general always keep themselves beautiful so that they can be attractive to their lusty husbands. When a lusty husband comes before his wife, the wife takes advantage of his aggressive activities and enjoys life. Generally when a woman is attacked by a man-whether her husband or some other man—she enjoys the attack, being too lusty. In other words, when one's intelligence is properly utilized, both the intellect and the intelligent person enjoy one another with great satisfaction.

SB Canto 5

The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence.

SB 5.5.8, Translation: The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of "I and mine."

SB Canto 8

When a man and woman exchange feelings of lust, both of them are victimized, and thus they are bound to this material world in various ways.

SB 8.12.22, Purport: "The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of 'I and mine.' " (SB 5.5.8) When a man and woman exchange feelings of lust, both of them are victimized, and thus they are bound to this material world in various ways.

Human life is meant for self-realization, not for increasing unwanted things propelled by the the attraction between male and female which increases attachment for the body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth.

SB 8.22.9, Purport: "The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of 'I and mine.' " (SB 5.5.8) Human life is meant for self-realization, not for increasing unwanted things. Actually, a wife increases unwanted things. One's lifetime, one's home and everything one has, if not properly used in the service of the Lord, are all sources of material conditions of perpetual suffering under the threefold miseries (adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika). Unfortunately, there is no institution in human society for education on this subject. People are kept in darkness about the goal of life, and thus there is a continuous struggle for existence. We speak of "survival of the fittest," but no one survives, for no one is free under material conditions.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The illusory conception of "I am this body and everything in my bodily relationship, that is mine" begins with the unity of man and woman.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

Pradyumna: "The attraction between male and female is the basic principle of material existence. On the basis of this misconception, which ties together the hearts of the male and female, one becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of "I" and "mine."

Prabhupāda:

puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ

tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ

ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair

janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti

[SB 5.5.8]

This is material world, ahaṁ mameti, "I am this," artho 'ham, balavān aham. "I am everything," aham, "and this is mine. This is my property. This is my country. This is my society. This is my nation." Mine, mine, mine. And I, I, I. This is material world. Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29]. The Supreme Personality of Godhead declares clearly that "I am the proprietor." Śāstra says, Veda says, īśāvāsyam idam sarvam: [Īśo mantra 1] it is God's property, everything. We are claiming, our country, "This is my country," but as soon as you go on the beach of the sea, your country finishes, the land. Then whose, the water, whose water that is? But the foolish person: "No, it is in my throne(?), it is mine."

So this is moha, illusion. We have heard so many times about illusion, this is illusion. Ahaṁ mameti: [SB 5.5.8] "I am this body and everything in my bodily relationship, that is mine." So how it begins? The begins, mithunī-bhāvam etam, the unity of man and woman. Mithunī-bhāvam. A man is searching after woman, and woman is searching after man. How nature's arrangement to keep the conditioned soul under the laws of nature... Because the conditioned souls are put under the laws of nature, all he has come voluntarily under the laws of nature.