Prabhupāda: Yes. They follow some gentleman. And because at that time it is good living, somebody takes charge, "All right let me take this pup." And the children also like, so he gets some shelter. So similarly, according to different body, the activities begins. Therefore body is the field of activities. Hmm? A snake, because he has got the field of activity of a snake's body, from the very beginning he is very, very envious. The same, trying to bite others. In this way our activities begin according to the body. And this change of bodies take place in the lower animal life automatically, by nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). But when he comes to the form of a human being, on account of developed consciousness, he has got responsibility. He has to make his choice. He is suffering in this material world, changing in different types of bodies, one after another, and the propensity to lord it over the material world is going on. Now he has to change the consciousness, whether he wants to continue this propensity for lording over the material world, or he wants to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
This choice has to be made by the human being. If he makes his choice after getting good education from the right source that, "I am going on in the wrong way by the desire to lord it over the material nature, but I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, therefore I must surrender now," bahūnām janmanām ante jñānavān mām . . . (BG 7.19). This is wisdom. And if we do not get this wisdom, simply like animals we continue to lord it over the material nature by acquiring money—dharma, artha, kāma—then we are spoiling our life. Separate times we become religious for being promoted to higher standard of life—economic development, big big scheme, plans, how to make very ni . . . gorgeous city, buildings, roads, cars, slaughterhouse, scientific, how to cut throat very scientifically. These plans are going on . Some of them are trying to be religious to go to the heaven, because he has heard, and that's a fact also, that heavenly planets the standard of living is more opulent, hundreds and thousands times; the sex enjoyment is hundred and thousand times better. So by so-called religious functions, sacrifices . . . the aim the same, how to satisfy senses. And the dog is also anxious to satisfy his senses. As soon as he finds a female dog, he wants to make friendship with her and have sex. On the street, never mind. And similarly the demigods they are also doing the same business, in a different standard only. The business is the same. Āhāra-nidrā-bhayam etam.
So if one wants to continue this business then he'll continue this material body, and if he wants to stop this business, come to his original position, then he makes real progress in life. But nobody is interested in advancement of spiritual life. Generally they take to religion, religiosity, for material happiness. Artho arthārthī. I am distressed, I have no money, or I am suffering from some disease—you'll find all these. So all of them go to the sādhu only for this purpose. "Sir, I am suffering from some disease, so without going to the doctor, and saving so much money, let me pay hundred rupees to the sādhu, and he'll give me his blessing. So I will save thousands of rupees for curing the disease." For this purpose they go to sādhu. Nobody goes to sādhu for going back to home, back to Godhead. It is only we are proposing. Otherwise the so-called yogīs, sādhus, svāmīs, they are making good-luck business simply by promising that you'll get this material power. This Mahesh Yogi, he says that . . . what is his philosophy?
Harikesa: He says that if you renounce now, you can enjoy later. That if you take some austerity now, like meditation, abstaining from certain things, that later on you can enjoy sex life unlimitedly, have clear intelligence unlimitedly, and ultimately become the . . .
Prabhupāda: The Mahesh Yogi, TM. Transcendental Meditation. But I don't think they say that if you undergo austerities you . . .
Harikesa: No, that was in the beginning they were saying. He said . . .
Prabhupāda: Oh, now he has changed!
Harikesa: Now he has changed, because it was too unpopular.
Prabhupāda: It is business.