So anyone within this material world, they are prisoners. Bhrāmayan yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa as Hṛṣīkeśa, He is sitting in everyone's heart as Paramātmā, and He is guiding. This is confirmed in the Vedas that two birds are sitting on one tree. These two birds, one is Kṛṣṇa and another, the living entity, Paramātmā and jīvātmā. The jīvātmā is eating the fruit, and Paramātmā is simply becoming witness. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. Paramātmā is seeing, Hṛṣīkeśa is seeing that you are doing this. So we may forget what nuisance we had done in our last life, but Paramātmā is there, witness; you have to get a body according to your work. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You are working, that is being witnessed by the Paramātmā. And He is also giving advice. Because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, we have rebelled against Kṛṣṇa. We want to act according to our whims.
Prisoner (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Just like there are some prisoners who do not like to get out of the prison life. They think it is better to remain in the prison because "I have no responsibility. If I go outside the prison, oh, I will have to search out some work. Oh, that is botheration. Let me remain here." Or even after the termination of the prison life, when he comes out, he commits again some criminal act so that he may be put again into the jail. He has been accustomed. Similarly, he does not take seriously the miseries of prison life. He is so accustomed that he does not take. That is ignorance. That is ignorance. Similarly, those who are in this material world under the shackles of material modes of nature, they have completely forgotten that we have got a spiritual life which is full of freedom, full of knowledge, full of bliss, and we can become exactly almost like God. These things they have forgotten. They think that "If, from the C-class prisoner's life, I can become an A-class prisoner..." Just like in the prison life there are some classes, A-class prisoner, B-class prisoner, C-class prisoner, similarly, our endeavor is going on in this material life to become A-class prisoner. The program is not for getting out of the prison life, but we want to become A-class prisoner. That is ignorance. That is ignorance.
Just like in ordinary prison, prisoner... Of course, I do not know what is the case here of prison life, but I have seen. Sometimes in New Delhi I was invited to give some good lessons to the prisoners. So I have seen so many prisoners. They were shackled with iron chains, iron chains. So we are also chained up here, and what is that chain? That is our sense enjoyment. Yes. We are chained in this material world by sense enjoyment. That's all. So if we want to cut our prison life, then the first symptom will be to minimize this sense enjoyment or to regulate the sense enjoyment. Here the Lord says that yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ kūrmo 'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ.
To get yourself promoted in higher standard of life, from C-class prisoner to become A-class prisoner, that is not required. Bhagavad-gītā does not teach us that you improve your life in the respect that you are now C-class prisoner; you become A-class prisoner. No. You should not remain a prisoner. You should get yourself this prison life. This material life is prison life. Just like in prison house we are forced to undergo some sort of miseries. We may agree or not agree; we have to undergo. In prison life you cannot deny. The state agents are there. He prescribes some work; you must do it. If you say, "No, I cannot do it. I am not accustomed to do it, no." Then you'll be again more punished.
Just like there are first-class prisoner, second-class prisoner and third-class prisoner. So after all, they are prisoners, maybe first-class, second-class or third-class. That doesn't matter. Similarly, within this material world somebody may be very learned, rich, beautiful, all good qualifications, in the modes of goodness. So they... Or somebody is passion and somebody in lower degree, even animal life. But they are all prisoners within this material world.
This whole material atmosphere is surcharged with three modes of material nature. So one has to transcend the modes of material nature. Just like one should not try to become a first-class prisoner. In the prisonhouse, if one is a third-class prisoner and one is first-class prisoner, the third-class prisoner should not aspire that "Let me remain in this prisonhouse and become a first-class prisoner." That is not good. One should transcend the prison walls or come out of the prisonhouse. That is his aim.
Just like the example... We can give very tangible example. Just like in the prison house sometimes the head of the country goes to visit, to see, to inspect how the prison life is going on or to give them some instruction, some good lesson, that "Why you are rotting in prison? You become good citizen." Now, suppose the head of the state goes to the prison and to instruct the prisoners, and if the prisoners think, "Oh, he is also a prisoner. The head of the state who has come to instruct, he is also one of the prisoners, like us."
Kṛṣṇa has got two nature, lower and higher nature. The higher nature is internal potency. That is His real life. So here Kṛṣṇa says that "I come." Ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san: "Because I need not come here. I need not come." Bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san. Just like if He's the Supreme Lord, why does He come here? Yes, He does not need come here, but if He comes here, we cannot object. We cannot object. We cannot say that He cannot come here. He is free. He is svayambhu; He is fully independent. If He likes, He can come. Just like the example: If the head of the state goes to a prison house, it is not that he as been forced to come there just like other prisoners, but he comes to inspect, to see. It is his du..., it is his liking.
Just like in a prison house, if you want to improve your condition, you become a very good prisoner, and the government gives you A-class status. There are three classes of status in prison life. Some are suffering the prison life in the A-class status. Some of them are suffering in the B-class status. There are also classes. Just like when some political leader is put into prison, they are given A-class status. But a sane man, a sane man should not be satisfied by becoming an A-class prisoner, A-class prisoner. So we are, in this material world, some of us are in the A-class prisoner, some of us are B-class prisoner, some of us are C-class prisoner. So to become an A-class prisoner from C-class prisoner is not the solution of our problem. The problem should be solved that "Let me become completely free, completely free from the prison life." That is the whole problem.
Everything is contaminated here by some modes of material nature. Even the modes of material nature of goodness, that is also another kind of contamination, and what to speak of the modes of passion and ignorance? Even goodness... In goodness, one becomes enlightened. He becomes enlightened about his position, about this matter, about transcendental subjects. But the defect is there: "Oh, now I have understood everything. I am all right." He wants to stay here. That means a first-class prisoner. And... He's offered all kinds of facilities in the prison house. Oh, he thinks, "Oh, now I am all right."
Simply building is increasing. Every year the building is increasing. What is that? The number of lunatic persons are increasing. You see? But they are under welfare activities. But do not see that "How much welfare I am doing? Why the patients are increasing?" You see? "Oh, we have increased the hospital." That means you increase the disease. They are very much proud of having a big hospital. (laughter) Just see the ignorance. They are not sorry that "Why so much big hospital? Why so much big prisonhouse?" The number of prisoners are increased. So rascals are, they are engaged in welfare activities. Just see. And they are in charge of welfare activities. I do not wish to criticize but there are so many things, simply rascaldom—without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply rascaldom.
My finger, when it is cut off and it is lying on the ground, it has no value. My finger, when it is cut off and it is lying on the ground, it has no value. But as soon as the finger is joined with this body, it has got millions and trillions of dollars value. Invaluable. Similarly we are now disconnected with God or Kṛṣṇa, by this material condition. Forget, not disconnected. Connection is there. God is supplying our all necessities just like a state prisoner is disconnected from the civil department. He has come to the criminal department. Actually not disconnected. The government is still take care. But legally disconnected. Similarly we are not disconnected. We cannot be disconnected, because there is no existence of anything without Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa has not extended māyā. You wanted māyā, therefore He has given the facility to enjoy māyā. Just like the government creates the prison department. It is not the government's desire that "There must be some prisoners." But you are criminal, therefore there must be prisonhouse. So you create the prisonhouse, not the government. Government creates university. "Come there, take education." Māyā is created by you. As soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa, the māyā is there. Just like there is sunshine and darkness, side by side. If you want to keep yourself in the sunshine, there is no darkness. But if you voluntarily come to the darkness, what the sun will do? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." But why don't you do it? That is māyā. It is up to you. Therefore you create māyā. Kṛṣṇa does not create.
This material sky is meant for the conditioned soul. Just like the prison house. What is this prison house? The prison house is a certain area of the state, walled, all sides walled and protected, so that the prisoners may not come out. That is called prison. But it is within the state, within the city, under insignificant portion. Similarly, this material manifestation is only a very insignificant portion of the spiritual sky, and it is covered so that we may not go to the spiritual sky. That is not possible. We cannot go. We cannot travel even in the outer space of this material sky. So we have got very limited potency. But this is the situation.
The demons and the rākṣasas, they're existing always. As I have told you, two classes of men are always there. But in this age the number of atheist class, or demons, are very much increased. Otherwise, material world means for the demons, atheistic class. Just like the prisonhouse. The prisonhouse means it is meant for the criminals. One may be a first-class prisoner, one may be a third-class prisoner, but it is prisonhouse. Similarly, anyone who is in this material world—never mind whether he is Lord Brahmā or the insignificant ant—they are more or less all criminals. Criminal means disobeying. Disobeying the Lord or His order, they are materially criminal.
Kṛṣṇa says, "I'll give you protection from the resultant action of all sinful activities." We must know that anyone who are, anyone who is in this material world—more or less sinful. Without being sinful, nobody exists in this material world. Just like yesterday we visited the Savarmati (?) jail. So all the prisoners who are there, it is to be understood they are all sinful, or criminals. Otherwise, how they are put into the jail. So this material world is jail. You cannot have freedom here. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And the superintendent of jail is Durgā-devī. You have seen the many, there are many worshiper of goddess Durgā. She is the superintendent of this jail. Durgā. Durgā means fort. So this material world is just like a fort, and the predominating deity is the Durgā-devī.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Without God's grace, you cannot live. You are still, but you have forgotten. Just like a prisoner. A prisoner is put into prison house. That does not mean he has lost his relationship with the state. Before coming to the prison house he was a state citizen, and in the prison also, he is also a state citizen. And the government has concern both ways, when he was free, and when he is in prison. So our relationship with God is not broken, or it cannot be separated. It is there always, but at the present moment, we are covered. We are thinking there is no God. That is our ignorance. Therefore you are suffering.
Don't consider Kṛṣṇa as human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He comes to show actually what is God, He comes as human being. That does not mean He is like us, human being. Just like in the prison house, if sometimes the governor goes to inspect and the prisoners think, "Oh, now governor is also one of us. He has become prisoner..." Just like Mahatma Gandhi went to the prison house, and the pickpocket, if he thinks, "Now Mahatma Gandhi is also one of us," this is wrong. This is wrong. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Because he is mūḍha, the pickpocket, he is thinking that "Mahatma Gandhi is also like me." Or "The governor, he has come into the prison house; therefore he is also like one of us." No. Out of his mercy, he comes.
Just like one is a prisoner. So if he pleases the superintendent of prison, he can get some little facilities. Now I have seen, practically, that one young boy, he was imprisoned for some criminal act. So he was typing in the office of the jail superintendent. So that means he was educated, but he was put into ordinary prison term. He was breaking some stone. But he satisfied the jail superintendent that "I am not accustomed to this. However, I can serve you in some other way." So, he saw that "He is educated. He knows. All right. You come to my office. Just help me, in typing."
So everything is property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So this material world is also the property of Kṛṣṇa. Because here the people do not care for Kṛṣṇa, that does not mean that it is not the property of Kṛṣṇa. Just like in the prison, within the prison walls, the prisoners, they say, "We don't care for the government." They say like that. But it does not mean that the prison house does not belong to the government. It is government property. But these rascals, they are being forced to live in the prison house, and still they say, "We don't care for the government." This is rascaldom. You are under my control, and as soon as you are in wrong, I am kicking you on your face, still, if you say, "I don't care for you..." You can say that. But there is force that you say, "Don't care," but I force you. You have to care.
One side is apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ. Kilbiṣaḥ means the sinful reaction of life. To reduce the reaction of sinful life. Because unless we are sinful, we cannot remain within this... A prisoner means a criminal. As soon as you find a person in the prisonhouse you should understand that he's a criminal. That criminality may be of different degrees, that is another thing, but he's a criminal. Similarly, anyone, beginning from Brahmā down to the germ in the stool, they're all sinful. All sinful. People will be surprised that "Brahmā is also sinful?" Yes. Brahmā has also desired that "I shall be the supreme creature within this brahmāṇḍa, whole universe." A little or more.
Just like to remain in the prison house means criminal. You may be a first-class prisoner, it doesn't matter, but you are a prisoner. You are a criminal. Sometimes the big, big politicians, they are put into the jail and they're given all comforts. But that does not mean he's not a criminal. He's a criminal. Either he may be Gandhi or anyone, because he's put into the jail he's a criminal. Similarly, anyone who is enwrapped with this material body, he's a criminal. He's a criminal. Either he may be in the heavenly planet or in this earthly planet or in the cats' and dogs' life or insect or aquatics. There are varieties of life. Every one of us, as long as we are put into this material body, it is to be understood that we are all criminal.
So although Kṛṣṇa has created this material world for the condemned persons, still, He wants to see that they are having their necessities of life and..., so that they may live prosperously. And let them enjoy for some time this material world according to their inclination. But at last, let them come back home, back to home, back to Godhead. Just like the prisoners: they are condemned, and the government puts them into jail. So for their criminality they are punished within the jail. But the government does not want that these prisoners may remain perpetually within the jail. The same thing. Try to understand.
So I was given place just in front of the room where Gandhi was imprisoned. That, that room is considered as sacred. So government makes such arrangement that "These prisoners may be corrected." Similarly, in this material world, although we are all condemned... Anyone who is within this material world, he is condemned. Simply there is division. Just like in jail also, there are first-class prisoners, there are second-class prisoners and third-class prisoners. The first-class prisoners, they are given some facilities. Just like political prisoners, they are given separate bungalow and servants, newspaper, book. But they cannot go out of the prison. That is called first class. Similarly, there are second class. And third class, ordinary.
So here also, we are first-class, second-class, third-class prisoners. Therefore we find so many varieties of living condition. But we are all prisoners. And He's the supreme controller. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, as supreme controller, He wants His representative to rule over this material world. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. In every planet there is a person, representative of Kṛṣṇa, who is ruling over the planet. Just like the sun planet. The sun planet is being ruled by the sun-god. His name is Vivasvān. He was also instructed by Kṛṣṇa, and that is explained in the Fourth Chapter: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1).
Lord Brahmā is the creator of this universe, and Lord Śiva is the destroyer of this universe. And Lord Viṣṇu is the maintainer. Lord Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So for the maintenance of this material world there are three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So each one of them has taken charge of one department. So Lord Viṣṇu has taken the department of sattva-guṇa, and Lord Brahmā has taken the department of rajo-guṇa, and Lord Śiva has taken the department of tamo-guṇa. They are not under the influence of these guṇas. Just like a, the superintendent of jail. He's not a prisoner; he's controlling officer. Similarly Lord Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā, although they are controlling each department, they are not under the controlling department. We may not commit mistake.
So, everything—the rivers, the seas, oceans, the mountains, the hills, the forest, the creepers, the vegetables—sarvāḥ kāmam anvṛtu, according to seasonal changes everything has got meaning. So if we are honest, if we are, because the, just like in prison house, jail, although the prisoners are criminals, condemned, still there is arrangement for your comfort also, by the government. There is arrangement of supplying food and all other necessities of life. Recently in Ahmedabad when I was visiting, the prison authorities also invited us for kīrtana. So I saw the criminals, prisoners. Savarmati. Savarmati jail, yes, where Gandhi was also imprisoned during the political movement. So Gandhi's room, where Gandhi was staying they showed me, and I sat down there. So, there is very good arrangement for the comforts of the prisoners, if they abide by the laws. Similarly, although this material world is just like prison house, prison house, we living entities, we have come here as punishment.
Just like in the prison house, although the prisoners they are condemned, still government takes care of their food, of their hospitalization, not that they should starve. No. Similarly, although in this material world we are all condemned, we are prisoners, prisoners. We cannot move, we cannot go from one planet to another. They are trying so much. Now they have failed. They do not talk now. (laughter) It is not possible, because we are prisoners. Conditioned. You will have to remain in this planet. One has to remain in their planet. There is no question that out of your own will and freedom, because you have no freedom.
Enjoying and suffering. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that "This place..." The supreme authority says, "This place, this material world, is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: (BG 8.15) it is the place for suffering." That is a fact. One person is trying to accept suffering as enjoying, and another person is trying to end actually suffering. This is the difference between sane and insane person. I'll give you a practical example, that in the prison, government prison house, there are some prisoners who are called first-class prisoners. They are given special favor by the government. So... And there are third-class prisoners also. But both of them are prisoners. And prison is not meant for comfortable life. It is meant for suffering. The Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings, anādi karama-phale paṛi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya. One who is sane person, he knows that "I may be first-class prisoner, that does not mean I am not prisoner. I am prisoner." The suffering of the prison house, that I have no independence to do anything, that is prison life.
So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that don't try to change this cell, from this cell to that cell. That will not make you happy. If you think, if a prisoner thinks that "I am in this cell. Let me request the superintendent of the jail to change my cell and I'll be happy," that is a mistaken idea. One cannot be happy so long he is under the prison walls. One should become free. That should be the aim of our life. So we are trying to be happy by changing the cell, by this "ism" to that "ism," by capitalism to communism, from communism to this "ism," that "ism." That will not make us happy. You'll have to completely change from this "ism," this materialism. That's all. Then you'll be happy.
They're all nitya-mukta. They're all everlastingly liberated. So we have been just like a prisoner is. Although he's a prisoner, he can be also good citizen. There is no hopelessness. Similarly, we are now prisoner in this material world, and we have got this material body. Therefore we are changing: sometimes young, sometimes old, sometimes these boys, some But tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then, after leaving this body, you're not any more getting this material body. That is stated. tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Then what happens? Mām eti. He comes to back to home, back to Godhead. And as soon as you go, you get your original, spiritual body, same beautiful body as Kṛṣṇa has, as Nārāyaṇa has. This is the opportunity.
This is a discussion between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The question was that "Why people are suffering in different types of hellish condition of life, and how they can be delivered?" Parīkṣit Mahārāja heard from Śukadeva Gosvāmī that there (are) different kinds of hellish condition of life according to different types of sinful activities. So in this material world everyone is implicated or involved in some sort of sinful life. Just like in the prison house. One may be a first-class prisoner, just like sometimes big politicians, they are put into first-class prison arrangement. A second-class prisoner, a third-class prisoner, there are. But as soon as we understand this man is in the prison or prisoner, it should be understood that he's criminal. He has committed some criminal activity; therefore he is in prison. Now, you can compare between the first-class prisoner or third-class prisoner, that is another thing. But they're all prisoners. They're undergoing the duration of prison life.
Just like somebody says that "If all the prisoners become free, how the prisonhouse will go on?" And is it a very good proposal? The prisonhouse, as soon as it is stopped, as soon as it is closed, that is good for the society. Why there should be prisonhouse at all? But they want to maintain the prisonhouse and very anxious, "If people all are set free, then who will fill up this prisonhouse?" They question that, that "If all people go to back to home, back to Godhead, then how this world will go on?" (laughter) That is their anxiety. But we say the sooner you close this business and all of you go back to home, back to Godhead, then everything is very nice.
So we are concerned with the laws of God. God may be dead or alive—it doesn't matter. Suppose by law we are prisoners, we are in the prison house, and all of a sudden the president or the king dies. Does it mean you shall be free? No. You have to rot. Just like Bengali proverb says (Bengali), that if the king dies, his government is not stopped. We should remember that, that that government is prakṛti, the material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. So this is all foolish things, that "God is dead," "I don't care for God." But God, actually, God is not dead. You are dead. You are dead actually because this body, the bodily concept of life, this body is dead.
Just to save him from so many other punishments. That is the law in Manu-saṁhitā, that a murderer is killed, then his all sinful activities, reaction of life, finishes by that killing, by that hanging. Otherwise next life he has to suffer so many things. So when the king orders a murderer to be killed, it is his mercy. It is his mercy. Because he saves him from so many other entanglement. Better kill him so that his sinful reaction is finished. Similarly, Yamarāja, the sinful man taken to the Yamarāja, he is put into suffering, the same principle as a prisoner. He has to suffer for a time, six months or one year or sometimes more than that, just to atone for his sinful activities. So nobody can check. You can imagine that "There is no God, there is no Yamarāja, there is no punishment. Let me do." That is your fancy. But it is not the fact. Fact is, if we commit some sin we must suffer from it, and there is nobody in the world who can check it.
Just like first-class, second-class, third-class prisoner. They are all punished in the prison house, but some of them are first class, some of them are second class. So similarly, within this material world it is called durgā. Durgā means fort, and the superintending deity is called Durgā, goddess material nature. So it is a fort like. You cannot go from here and there. You are trying so much to go from this planet to moon. You cannot do. Just like in the prison house, no prisoner can leave this place to go to another unless he is ordered to do so; similarly, we are conditioned. It is not possible, "Because we have manufactured some machine, by force I can go anywhere." No. That is not possible. That is not possible. You may do it for perpetually, but śāstra says if you practice piously, then you can be elevated to the higher planetary system.
Just like in the prison house the number of prisoners are not greater than the number of free persons. That is natural. Although this material world is mixed—sinful men and pious men—still, at least formerly, there were sinful men, less. It is said in the śāstra that in Satya-yuga there was no sinful men at all. All pious men. Then, in Tretā-yuga, one-fourth sinful and three-fourth's pious. And then, Dvāpara-yuga, half and half. And now, in the Kali-yuga, one-fourth pious and three-fourth's sinful. And that will also gradually diminish. And when everyone will be sinful, then there is no more preaching. There is Kalki avatāra, simply cutting the head. That's all.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Everyone is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. But being influenced by māyā, when he gets this body, given by māyā... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27), when he's conducted by the three guṇas of māyā, he thinks himself otherwise. He thinks himself independent of Kṛṣṇa. But actually, nobody is independent of Kṛṣṇa. I've given this example that the prisoners, the criminals in the jail, they go to jail thinking themselves to be independent of the state laws, outlaws. A criminal thinks, "I don't care for the state laws." But after all, for his activities, criminal activities, he's put into the jail. So at that time he's forced to obey the state laws. Outside the state laws, he's disobeyed. But within the prison, he's forced by punishment. Similarly, those who are defying the authorities of the Supreme Lord, they are all criminals, and they are being punished by Durgā-devī. Chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44).
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Everyone in this material world, they are suffering in different grades. Just like in the prison house there are different grades of prisoner: first class, second class, third class. But if the first-class prisoner thinks they are enjoying life, that is ignorance. He should know that he's in the prison house. In the prison house where is there enjoyment? It is all suffering. Maybe first-class suffering, (laughter) but it is suffering. So they are all in the darkness, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu appeared to dissipate, tamo-nudau, to dissipate this darkness of the whole human society. That is Their kindness.
Everything is arranged by the Supreme Lord for everyone's necessities of life. There is no question about that. Just like if a person is in the prison house, that prisoner has no problem for his material necessities. The government has arranged already for his eating, sleeping and, if he is sick, medical help. That is not problem. The problem is that he has become criminal by transgressing the laws of the state. Now he should become a very good citizen and come out of the prison house. Then he is happy. Similarly, in this material world, so far our material necessities are concerned, it is already arranged. There is no question of becoming anxious for getting our material necessities. It is already arranged by God.
Just like in the prison house, all the prisoners, they are bad. Why? Because they have accepted their home in the prison house. Therefore the conclusion is they are all bad. Maybe degrees of difference, but they are all bad. Similarly, anyone who is living in this material world, beginning from Lord Brahmā down to the small insect or ant, who are struggling in this material world... Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa said that "These living entities within this material world, they are My part and parcel" or "They are My sons." In another place He says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.
Now, try to understand. This prisoner, by his satisfying the superintendent of jail, he is little given concession not to be placed in ordinary cell, but he is working (in) the office as a typewriter. Or he is given some... Or there are many political prisoners, they are given first-class bungalow, first-class residence, and all facilities. But the superintendent of police has no power to release him. That is not possible. That is not possible. Similarly, by bribing or by satisfying Durgā, you can get a comfortable position within this material world, but your real business is how to get out of it. That Durgā cannot give. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. So long you do not come to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of getting out of the clutches of māyā. That is not possible.
Rather, in criminal department the government may spend more than civil department. Similarly, these distinctions, these qualitative distinctions, matter, spirit, and the different kinds of modes, they are distinction for us, not for Kṛṣṇa. He is Absolute. He is Absolute. To the Absolute, there is no such distinction. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa comes, when Kṛṣṇa comes in this material, He is not affected by this. Suppose the minister, the secretary of the president, goes to the criminal department to see the prison house. He is not affected by the prison rules. It is simple to understand. If the prisoner thinks, "Oh, he is also one of the prisoners because he has come here," this is nonsense. He is not prisoner. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa comes in this material world, if a foolish man thinks that he is also one of us, he is foolish number one. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ: (BG 9.11) "Foolish persons, they think that I am one of them." These examples are very nice. We can understand.
Just like in the prison house, when the prisoners are there, it is not meant that they should be comfortably situated there. The prison house (is) meant for giving them always some trouble so that they can come to their consciousness that "We have broken. We are lawbreakers. Therefore we are punished here." But if the prisoner becomes so fool that "All right. Don't care for this prison. Let me finish this term and again commit nuisance and again come to the..." That is going on.
Just like a person in charge of the criminal department or jail department, but we should not think that he is also one of the prisoners because he is in charge of the jail department. No. Similarly, Śiva, Lord Śiva, he is in charge of the modes of ignorance, but he is not ignorant. He is the most enlightened devotee of Lord. He has got a paramparā, disciplic succession, which is called Viṣṇu Svāmī-sampradāya. There are four sampradāyas of great devotees of Lord: one from Brahmā, one from Śiva, and one from Lakṣmī, and one from the Kumāras. So Lord Śiva, although he is in charge of the department of the modes of ignorance, but he is not ignorant. You should not mistake that.
Without Brahman, without Kṛṣṇa, nothing can exist. Everything existing on His energy. The same example can be given that every department is government department. Therefore, if a prisoner says, "Yes, I am in government department," that sort of knowledge is not very good. "Because prison department is also criminal department, is also government department, so instead of becoming in the university department, let me go to the criminal department." That is not congenial. We have to select. Kṛṣṇa is everything. So Kṛṣṇa says that every dhāma, every place, belongs to Him, but yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) "There is an eternal dhāma, where going nobody comes back. That is My supreme dhāma."
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Just like good citizens, they are taken care of by the government directly, and the criminals, they are taken care of by the government through the prison department, through the criminal department. They are also taken care of. In the prison house the government takes care that the prisoners not in uncomfortable—they get sufficient food; if they're diseased they give hospital treatment—every care is there, but under punishment. Similarly, we in this material world, there is care certainly, but in, in a punishment way. If you do this, then slap. If you do this, then kick. If you do this, then this... This is going on. This is called threefold miseries. But under the spell of māyā we are thinking that this kicking of māyā, this slapping of māyā, this thrashing of māyā is very nice. You see? This is called māyā. And as soon as you get into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Kṛṣṇa takes care of you.
He has no discrimination who is devotee, who is nondevotee, who is atheist or theist, or who is... In this way, he sees everyone, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And everyone is engaged... One who is suffering, he's also engaged, because... Just like the prisoner. The prisoner, he's also serving the government—by force. Therefore one who is elevated, even those who are in abominable stage of life, the mahā-bhāgavata sees, "Oh, he's also obeying." Actually, it is obeying. The prisoners, they are obeying the government, although by force; but they're obeying. Similarly, those who are materialists, they are also obeying. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, this philosophy, that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). A living entity's eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa, either he admits or not admits. That doesn't matter. He's a servant.
Festival Lectures
Undoubtedly, it is Kṛṣṇa's. But that worm class of living entities, they are attracted by it. You see? So we should not be attracted. That should be our... Because we are not going to be worms of the stool. Kṛṣṇa, if He cannot... There are many arguments. If you ask question, "Why the government has created this criminal department?" Is that valid question? The jail department is criminal department, prison, where citizens are put into jail and given trouble. So if the prisoner says, "Why the American government has created this prison department?" is that valid question? The American government may create prison departments, but why you are interested there? Why you are going there? The real position is: because you are criminal, therefore government has to create such department.
Initiation Lectures
Just like we went to that Savarmati jail in Ahmedabad. We were received by the jail authorities, where Gandhi was put into jail. Who was with me in that...? You were... You were also there. No. So we went to jail. There, they made very good arrangement. The prisoners, they received us, they chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So it was a good function. So we want to, went to jail. But what we have got to do with the jail? We have no business with the jail. Similarly sometimes we are invited in a very rich man's house, governor's house. We go there. That is heaven. So we have nothing to take, either from this heaven or from that hell. We have to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra anywhere. That is our business.
General Lectures
Suicide is killing the body. What is that explanation? Untimely. Untimely. Suicide means that you were given some body to suffer or enjoy for a certain time according to your last fruitive activities. Now, if you commit suicide, that is just like a prisoner is condemned to live in the prisonhouse for six months, but some way or other, if he gets out of the prison, when he is again caught, then he is punished to remain there for one year more. Suicide is like that. You are having a particular type of body that is given to you for enjoyment or suffering according to your last work. If you finish it untimely, then you have to accept such body again, and the duration will be extended.
Just like a prisoner. Prisoners are condemned, at the same time, given protection by the government. Within the prison walls they are protected. If somebody comes to kill them, government immediately calls for military or police to protect them. But because they are condemned, they are put into the prison. Similarly, all living entities, they are children, they are sons of God. So God is giving them all protection. Kṛṣṇa is giving them all protection. But by misuse of their little freedom, they are misusing, they are misusing their liberty. Therefore they are put into this material world. Otherwise, generally, the protection is there.
So it is one of the seven wonders of the world. So that Shah Jahan lost his wife at an early age. She (he) was very fond of his wife. And because, affectionate father, he did not very much chastise his sons, and he spent all his money in constructing the memory of his wife, so when the sons grew up, the third son, Aurangzeb, came out very crooked. And he made a plan how to usurp the empire. He killed his elder brother and other brothers. He arrested his father, Shah Jahan. So this is the book subject matter, Shah Jahan. So whole activities. But the author says that "Aurangzeb is not the hero; hero is Shah Jahan." Then he explained why. "Now, because Shah Jahan was living, sitting in the Agra Fort as a prisoner, and all the reactions of Aurangzeb's activities, killing of his other sons, usurping the empire, that was beating on his heart; therefore he was suffering. He is the hero."
So this material world is the prison house of God. Anyone who is living in this prison house, they are all prisoners. It may be demigod, as it is said, deva. Na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ. We are human being. There are other beings. They are called asuras. They are very powerful, asuras, but godless. Just like nowadays some portion of the world is occupied by the asuras. They are materially very powerful, but they are asuras because they do not believe in God.
Every one of us is serving under the order of māyā, illusory energy, material energy, and we are becoming tired, sometimes very much fatigued, every one of us. Nobody is satisfied, cannot be satisfaction. Because in the prison house you cannot expect any comfortable life. That is not possible because it is meant for reformation, and there is punishment, and there is injunction. You have to abide by that. Similarly, in this material world also, all of us, we are prisoners because actually we have disobeyed the orders of God. That is our position.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He says that a man should never become a mere object of utility. In other words, he should not lower his standard just because it is practical at the time.
Prabhupāda: More or less, he is a strict moralist. But that is not the highest stage. One has to transcend even this moral principle. That is perfection. Because this moral value is within this material world, moral values, morality, immorality are of this material world. Just like there are three qualities. Morality is on the platform of the modes of goodness. So from higher standard, here in the modes of goodness, suppose one is brāhmaṇa, perfect brāhmaṇa, but he is in the material world. Even though he has got some moral principles, still he is existing in the material world. But according to transcendental spiritual vision, the whole material world is condemned. It is like that if one is a first-class prisoner. Just like if a politician is in prison, he is given first-class treatment, he is given special bungalow, servants, many facilities, does it mean that he is not a criminal? As soon as one comes to the prison, he's a criminal. He may be a great politician or an ordinary pickpocket. A pickpocket is given third-class prisoner's life, and a politician, Gandhi or Nehru or someone else, big politicians, when they are imprisoned, they are given special treatment. But on account of his being within prison walls, he is condemned. Similarly, anyone who is in this material world, either with the brahminical qualifications or śūdra qualifications, he is a conditioned soul. Of course, so far conditioned life is concerned, there is value of morality and immorality. But the morality may help him to transcend, to come to the transcendental platform, but to come to the transcendental platform is not dependent on morality. It is independent of anything. Just like under the order of Kṛṣṇa, fighting by Arjuna, killing his kinsmen, that is above morality.
Śyāmasundara: So it's in the... Is it good if someone comes to the material world and then they leave? I mean is the fact that they should come here...
Prabhupāda: It is not good. Then where is the question of taking him back to Godhead? It is not good. But if someone falls down somehow or other... But not that those who are coming with a mission, they are fallen down. When the governor goes to the prison house to inspect, it does not mean he's also prisoner. If the prisoners think, "Oh, the governor has come here, therefore he's also one of us." That is not. Therefore it is forbidden, guruṣu nara-matir, you never should think of guru as ordinary man. Guruṣu nara-matir, vaiṣṇave jāti buddhiḥ, arcye śilā-dhīr, if you think that is stone, "Ah, we are worshiping stone," these are forbidden. Actually they are not. Arcye śilā-dhīr, guruṣu nara-mati, vaiṣṇave jāti buddhiḥ. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), because he's coming just like ordinary man. Not ordinary man, as man, so people are thinking, "Ah, He's a maybe little powerful. That's all." (indistinct). That is ignorance.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Everyone will be. Somebody sooner, somebody later.
Śyāmasundara: So that the purpose of the life force then is to eventually go back...
Prabhupāda: Just like when a man becomes a prisoner, he will be freed, he'll be a free man at the end of his term, and within this term he is simply kicked by the police, so that he may not come back again to prison house.
Śyāmasundara: But we can't predict that the process of punishment will have permanent effect, can we? Can we predict that? Many prisoners leave the prison, but some come back.
Prabhupāda: No, there is no permanent effect because we have got little independence. There is nothing as permanent. You can misuse your independence at any time.
Hayagrīva: Yes. He sees the material worlds as being isolated. He says, "There is then a bond between the worlds, but this bond may be regarded as infinitely loose in comparison with the mutual dependence which unites the parts of the same world among ourselves," excuse me, "which unites the parts of the same world among themselves. So that it is not artificially for reasons of mere convenience that we isolate our solar system. Nature itself invites us to isolate it." So this, this calls to mind the image of a prison house. The isolation of the world, as far as man is concerned, is isolation imposed by material nature on the conditioned.
Prabhupāda: He is isolated. He is thinking in the wrong way. Just like in the prison house every prisoner, every, every criminal is different from other criminal. So everyone has to suffer the consequence of his criminal activities, so every individual person is suffering or enjoying according to his past deeds. So there cannot be any combination. Then we forget the individuality. That is not possible.
Śyāmasundara: Just like all of our desires that we have are never fulfilled.
Prabhupāda: That will never take place. Just like in a prison house, if the prisoners desire something, no, it will never furnish it. It is meant for punishment. So he'll have to abide by the desires of the jail superintendent. He cannot. Similarly, here every living entity is a prisoner. The superintendent of prisons is Durgā Devī. Durgā means fort: you cannot go out, conditioned. So therefore frustration is the law here.
Śyāmasundara: Yes. He says from sunrise (?), he says everyone is conditioned anyway. Everyone is conditioned.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is conditioned, that is a fact. Unless he is conditioned, there is no question of material life. Material life means conditioned life. There is no question of material life. Material life means conditioned life. There is no question of freedom. Just like prison life. Prison life means conditioned life. You may be a first-class prisoner, a second-class, a third-class prisoner, that is another thing, but as soon as you are put within the walls of the prison house, you are conditioned. That is a fact. Similarly, anyone who has accepted this body (Sanskrit). Just like Bhāgavata says, nayam deha dehabhajam nrloke. Nrloke. Everyone is conditioned, accepting this material body. But he says nayam deha deha-bhajam nrloke. But those who have accepted this material body in the human society, for them it is not good to be engaged in sense gratification like dogs, hogs and camels. Everyone who has got this material body, he is conditioned. But, so when one gets the body of a human being, he should not be so conditioned like the dogs, hogs, camels. This is the truth, that we are conditioned. We have got the body. We have got the bodily necessity. We have to eat, we have to sleep, gratify our senses, protect ourself from fear. The conditions are there, but still, we can make the conditions better. How? Tapo. We have to undergo austerities, penances. Just like we, we don't say, "No sex life," but "No illicit sex life." This is better life.
Hayagrīva: The way of action in the world. And the jñāna, or knowledge, in itself is not sufficient, but it must be applied and must serve as a basis for action in the world.
Prabhupāda: Yes, ethics is the basic principle of purification. Unless one does..., knows what is moral and what is immoral... Of course, in this material world everything is immoral, but still we have to distinguish good and bad. That is called regulative principle. Simply by following the regulative principle, if he does not reach the ultimate goal of spiritual life, so that is also not wanted. The real aim is to come to the spiritual platform and become free from the influence of these laws of material nature. So passion is the binding force in the material nature. Just like in the prison house the prisoners are kept sometimes chained by some iron shackles and other method, so material nature has given the chain, shackles, of sex life, passion, rajas tamaḥ. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ. Rajah-guṇah means the modes of passion. So modes of passion means kama, lusty desires, and krodha. When the lusty desires are not fulfilled, one becomes angry. But these things are the means of bondage in this material world. In another place it is said, tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). When one is afflicted with the base material modes of nature, namely rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, then he becomes greedy and lusty. So ethics require to get out of the clutches of greediness and lusty desires. Then he comes to the platform of goodness, which will help him to go to the platform of spiritual life.
Prabhupāda: Christian religion is that the man either goes to heaven or goes to hell. So he has got the freedom either go to hell or go to heaven. This freedom he has got. But who gives him hell or heaven? He has got the freedom to make choice, but when he is going to hell, then where is his freedom? That where is the distinction between hell and heaven? These are... If he is Christian he should answer that the man is given chance, once, either to go to hell or go to heaven. So all right, if he goes to heaven it is all right. Then if he goes to hell, where is freedom? This common sense also, that every citizen has got the freedom to live as free citizen or to go to the jail, but one who goes to the jail, where is freedom? And who gives him the chance of free citizenship or prisoner's life? Therefore his freedom is dependent on somebody, higher principle, who gives him chance to remain free or go to prison. That God is the supreme controller. He gives the living entity freedom to make his choice, either go to hell or go to heaven, but he is not completely free as God is free.
| Page Title: | Prisoner (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 03 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=67, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 67 |