The modern civilization is suffering from this defect, that they are not inquisitive about the Brahman. They are simply. . . Just like cats and dogs, they are interested with this body and the bodily necessities of life. They do not know beyond that. That is the defect. The other day in Caracas some psychiatrists came. Their question was that "The problems of the world are increasing, so what is your prescription to solve these problems?" So the problem is very easy to be solved. I gave the example that this body is there, and there is something which is moving the body: living force. So that living force is the driver of the body, and the body is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā as a machine. It is. . . Actually it is a machine.
- īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
- bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
- yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
- (BG 18.61)
Yantra means machine.
So we are seated on this machine. This is the knowledge. The person who is seated in this car, or the machine, nobody knows. There are so many advancement of knowledge department, but where is the department to understand that the living force which is driving this machine, what is that living force? How it is working? There is no enquiry and no education. Therefore this education has no value. They do not know what is education. Education means to enquire about the living force which is moving this body. That is education. This is not education, that we have manufactured nice car or nice machine. That is called craftsmanship. That is not education. Just like one electrician, he knows how to join the two wire and bring current. In India it is called mistri. Mistri means worker. Because he knows that technical art how to bring electric current, that does not mean he is educated. Education is different thing. The worker, they are just working so many wonderfully, but that does not mean they are educated. That is. . . In Sanskrit it is called. . . What is called? The English is "craftsmanship." He knows the art, how to do it.
So at the present moment the technical education is there. Formerly this technical education was entrusted to the demons. Formerly they were also manufacturing big, big aeroplanes, but they were being done by the demons, not by the great saintly persons, sages. No. They were being done by the demons. And the yogīs, they could produce such wonderful things by their yogic mystic power. That was another thing. But generally, when there is question of manufacturing, that was being done by the demons.
So actually, at the present moment, although we are manufacturing so many nice things for the comforts of the body, but that does not mean it is education. Education means brahma-vidyā: to understand what is that living force within this body that is working, what is his position, constitutional position, how it is working, wherefrom it has come, so many things. That is called brahma-jijñāsā, to enquire about the spirit. That is education. So that education is lacking. Therefore there are so many problems at the present moment. The problems are created. Just like if I do not give food to the driver, and he is entrusted with a nice car, and he is not happy on account of not being properly taken care of, then he must create disaster. There will be car accident. So that is happening. Nobody is taking care of the driver of this body. No education is there. They are simply trying to rectify the defects in the body.
That is enquired here, kṣetra. . . kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñaṁ ca. This body is kṣetra, field of activities. But the field worker is different. Therefore this is the enquiry. Kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam. We are taking care of this kṣetra, this body, but we do not take care of the occupier of the body or the owner of the body. There are two kṣetra-jña, you will find in this verse, two living entities. One is called the soul, and the other is called the Supersoul. In this body there are two souls. One is the occupier soul, and the other is the proprietor soul. Proprietor soul. . . Just like in a house there are two kinds of persons: the occupier and the landlord. The landlord is actually the proprietor of the house, and the tenant is occupier. Similarly, there are two souls within this body. That is stated in the Vedic literature. Just like two birds on one tree. So the living entity, the individual soul, is there. He is also one bird. And the Supersoul, or God, is also there.
So God, the Supersoul is simply observing the activities of the individual soul. And He has given freedom to the individual soul, because the individual soul has come in this material world to enjoy independent of the Supersoul. That is the material disease. He has to remain under the protection. . . He is already under the protection of the Supersoul, but he is thinking that he is independent. That is called māyā. He is not independent. As soon as there is call of death, he is no more independent. He cannot say that "I have got so many business to do, perform. Give me some time." "No, immediately get out." So he is under control, fully controlled; still he is thinking that he is independent and he can do whatever he like. In this way his life is being spoiled, and he is becoming entangled by the activities.
And there is strong stringent laws of nature, exactly. . . Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). These things are all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Why one is put into one type of body, and why one is put in another type of body? One body is enjoying very nicely. Not enjoying; he is also suffering. He is enjoying for a limited time. He is also suffering. But he. . . Comparatively, one is situated in a very nice, comfortable position, and the other is not. Therefore other is envious, that "Why this man is in a comfortable situation and I am put into. . .? So let us become Communist or revolt against this person or this group of person." In this way the struggle for existence is going on, and there is no solution. How there can be solution? Because they are all uneducated, not educated.