We cannot either renounce or enjoy. Both are illegal. Simple thing is that we must know that as it is formulated here, that everything belongs to God, so everything should be engaged for the service of God. That is real knowledge

Expressions researched:
"we cannot either renounce or enjoy. Both are illegal. Simple thing is that we must know that as it is formulated here, that everything belongs to God, so everything should be engaged for the service of God. That is real knowledge"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

If we say, "All right. I am giving up this, renouncing this enjoyment life,"... So either... We cannot either renounce or enjoy. Both are illegal. Simple thing is that we must know that as it is formulated here, that everything belongs to God. So everything should be engaged for the service of God. That is real knowledge.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966: <div class="text" Everyone is claiming that "I am proprietor of this house," "I am proprietor of this land," "I am proprietor of this country," or "I am proprietor of this planet." You can go on increasing. There are many instances who became proprietor of many other planets also. In the history I have got. Not only this planet, but many other planet. But this is mistake. Actually, the proprietor is the Supreme Lord. We are just guest in His house. We are not proprietor. We must have . . . we must develop this sense, that Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, or the Supreme Lord is the proprietor.

Now, that is actually fact. We come here as guest. Suppose I am Indian, you are American. We have come on this earth as guest for few years, say, for hundred years or fifty years; then we leave this place. So if I am the proprietor, why don't I take this place with me when I am going? No. I am not proprietor. So there is no question of tyāga, renunciation. And there is no question of bhoga, or enjoyment. Because you are not proprietor. So you neither you can enjoy, neither you can renounce it.

So renunciation or enjoyment, both are illegal. Renunciation . . . suppose we are sitting in this room. This room belongs to the landlord. Suppose I am vacating this room, and while vacating, while I am going from this room if I say to the landlord, "Well Mr. Such-and-such, I leave this place for you now." Now, what is this place? That place belonged to him.

How we are leaving? So he'll laugh, "Oh, you were my guest, you were my tenant. How you can leave? It is mine." Similarly, if we say: "All right. I am giving up this . . . renouncing this enjoyment life . . ." so either . . . we cannot either renounce or enjoy. Both are illegal. Simple thing is that we must know that as it is formulated here, that everything belongs to God, so everything should be engaged for the service of God. That is real knowledge.

Just like suppose here is a hundred dollar note somebody left by mistake. Now, what is to be done with that hundred dollar note? If somebody takes that hundred dollar note, "Oh, here is a hundred dollar note. Take me . . . let me take it and enjoy it," that is illegal. And if that hundred dollar note is neglected, "All right, let it remain there. The owner will find it," that is also not good, because if I do not find out the person and hand over that hundred dollar note, that is not my duty, because others may take it away. Similarly, to leave that hundred dollar note is also not good, and to enjoy that hundred dollar note is also not good. The best is that find out the proprietor of that hundred dollar note. Ask somebody, "Have you left something, sir? Anybody?" If one, "Yes, I'm missing one hundred dollar . . ." "Here is . . ." That is real service.

Similarly, if we understand that everything belongs to God, so that sense will lead me, "No, I am not enjoyer." So my sense gratification, my anger, my lust, all finished. All finished at once, at stroke, if I understand that, "Nothing belongs to me; everything belongs to God." If I want to enjoy it, that is illegal, and if I neglect it, that is also illegal. If I say, "Oh, let . . . jagan mithyā, this world is false.

I don't want it. Let me go to the Himalaya and the jungle," oh, that is also not good. You must try to utilize the whole thing for the purpose of Kṛṣṇa, because everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. That will be your duty. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because He is the proprietor.