Four defects, I have several times explained. One defect is that we commit mistake, everyone. And we become illusioned, accepting something for something. Just like mostly, even educated person, they accept this body, "I am this body." Just like animal. The cats and dogs, they also think that, "I am this body." I have several times told you that I talked with Professor Kotovsky in Moscow. He said: "After finishing this body, Swāmījī, everything is finished." He said like that. And he is a big professor. And according to our Vedic culture, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). If one is going on under this impression that "I am this body," he is go-khara, ass and cow, (Bengali: Means.) animal.
Therefore they do not know how we are accepting different bodies under karma, by associating with especial . . . associating means even unknowingly. Just like infection. In medical science there is the word "infection." You may not know, but if you have infected typhoid disease, it will fructify at one moment. So similarly, even if we do not know, if we associate with the material modes of nature, it will be effective. Sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Therefore we must have full knowledge how to save ourself from the association, from the infection of this material disease. That is called jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ. Just like a man who knows hygienic rules and regulation, he does not infect disease. But a man in ignorance, he infects disease and suffers. It is not God's creation. Your creation. If you do not know how to live, then you will infect the infection of the different modes of material nature, and you will have to suffer or enjoy.
Therefore commonsense instruction given by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, a great politician, tyaja durjana-saṁsargam. This is his first instruction that, "Don't associate with bad character." We are also doing that, that "Don't associate with the four principles of sinful life: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling." Tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam: "You associate with sādhus." Who are sādhus? That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ (BG 9.30). Who? Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ. That is sādhu. Sādhu means who is fully engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. He is sādhu.
So in this way we have to acquire knowledge. Jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ. Full knowledge. Then we can avoid the association of the three modes of material nature. Gata-saṅgasya muktasya. Then we become liberated even in this life, if you are actually situated in knowledge. And how to . . . how one can understand that "This man is mukta. He is not associating with any material modes of nature"? How? Yajñāyācarataḥ karma. For yajña, yajñāya. Yajña karma-samudbhavaḥ. Just like I was explaining, you have to perform yajña, yajñāya, only for yajña. Yajñārthe. Another place Kṛṣṇa has ex . . . yajñārthe karma anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). If you do not act for yajña, then you will be entangled in the karma-bandhanaḥ.