There are three material modes of nature. If you keep yourself in touch with the material modes of nature of goodness, then you will be promoted to the higher standard of life. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Therefore at least you may enjoy material life, but you should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get. But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called Bhūrloka. Bhūrloka. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat-savituḥ. You have gāyatrī-mantra. This is called Bhūrloka. Bhuvarloka . . . then, above this, there is Bhuvarloka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Jaghanya-guṇa. Tāmasika means abominable character. The abominable character means these four things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is tamo-guṇa, exhibition of tamo-guṇa. So if you continue to keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, then you are going to become adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means down. Down means there are many other planetary system. Just like upper there are Bhūr, Bhuvar, Svar, Jana, Mahar, like that, and down also: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, like that. There is system.
So our only request is that . . . we don't criticize you because you try to live comfortably in the material . . . do that. But don't associate with the modes of ignorance. That is very risky. That is very risky. So at least, either you remain in the householder life or brahmacārī life or, I mean to . . . sannyāsa life, you keep yourself always in goodness. Then your position is all right. Otherwise, it is very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization. So at least you Europeans and Americans, you should know it, and you distribute this knowledge. It is your duty to save them. But these . . . they do not know it. As soon as there is talk of this goodness and sinful activity, immediately they go away. Immediately. Yesterday that gentleman came, and just when I began to talk about pious activities and impious activities, he immediately left: "I have got another meeting."
So this is the position. Mūrkhāṇāṁ upadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If one is a foolish person, if you give him good instruction, he will be angry. He will not take it. Mūrkhāṇāṁ upadeśo hi prakopāya na śāntaye payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). A snake, if you kindly give him foodstuff, there is no . . . snake is very fond of drinking milk. They are very much fond. So sometimes a snake charmer, they mix milk with banana and give them to eat for their satisfaction. But the result? What is the result? Result is as soon as he becomes strong by eating, the poison teeth becomes filled with poison. Just like with our healthy body, our different nerves and parts of the body becomes healthy, similarly, the snake's most important part of the body . . . they have got a teeth. They keep . . . within the pocket of the teeth there is venomonous poison. So when they bite, from the hole of that teeth, the poison is emitted, and the man dies or the animal dies. But this is a fact: if you infect some disease, you will have to suffer from that disease. This is a fact. It is scientific. Similarly, if you are infected with the particular type of the modes of nature, then you will have to suffer like that. If you remain in ignorance, then you will get the body of animal. This is the . . .
Therefore every one of you should become pure devotee, first-class devotee. First-class devotee is that . . . in this age it has been made very easy. Simply keep yourself cleansed, not to indulge in the four principles, prohibition, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you will be all first-class devotees. And wherever you will go, you will be able to purify there. Wherever you go. Wherever you speak, wherever you'll sit. So keep this spiritual strength intact. Tīrthī-bhūtāḥ. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni sva antaḥ-sthena. The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting means keeping Kṛṣṇa always within your heart. This is not . . . it is not expensive at all. You haven't got to make a very exalted throne for Kṛṣṇa. You can imagine that, "In my heart I have placed now a very diamond throne, and Kṛṣṇa is sitting." That is accepted. It is . . . actually it becomes. Even within the mind you think that, "I have kept one diamond throne, very costly throne, because Kṛṣṇa is coming. He will sit down here," that is not false. That is a fact. So you create such situation within your heart. "Now Kṛṣṇa has seated. Let me wash His feet with the Ganges water, Yamunā water. Now I change His dress to a first-class costly garments. Then I decorate with ornaments. Then I give Him for eating." You can simply think of this. This is meditation. Svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā. It is so nice thing. Anywhere you can sit down and think that Kṛṣṇa is sitting in your heart and you are receiving in so nice way. They are not false. They are also fact. It is so easy.