Strive for Advancement

[ancient_paztriot]

Syamasundara dasa: Alexander believes that lower organisms strive to emulate higher. Animals strive to become like men, and men strive to become like gods.

 

Srila Prabhupada: There is no question of striving. It is by nature's way that the lower animals come to the platform of men. The living entity evolves from one life form to another, but this is with the help of nature. This law holds, up to the human platform. Having developed consciousness, the human being has the power of discrimination. Originally, the soul is given independence. Krsna tells Arjuna, “Whatever you like, you do.” (Bg. 18.63) God is the supersoul, and we are the jiva souls subordinate to Him. Therefore we are called tatastha, which means we are marginal; we can go either way. We may take God's side, or maya's side. that is our choice. When we don't want to serve God, we are sent to maya to serve her. Man's position as a subordinate remains the same, but in maya he thinks, “I am the master.” This is just like a child trying to act against his father's wishes. When he is given a chance to do as he likes, the child thinks, “Oh, I am independent now.” Actually he is never independent, but he thinks that he is. When death comes, no one is independent. Although man continually serves maya life after life, he still thinks of himself as independent. Only when we surrender to Krsna do we enjoy our real independence.

 

Syamasundara dasa: But lower forms try to emulate higher ones?

 

Srila Prabhupada: That is natural. Everyone wants a higher position because everyone is trying to be master. That is the whole problem. One can be a master to some extent: a head clerk in an office, a president, or prime minister. There is much ambition in hte material world because materialistic men are guided by the idea that “I shall become like Krsna.” When their efforts fail in the material world, they strive to merge into Krsna. This is Mayavadi philosophy. Not knowing that they are already Brahman, spirit soul, they consider themselves the Supreme Brahman, God Himself. therefore they sit and meditate, thinking, “I am moving the sun. I am moving the moon.” This is simply imagination. This is the last snare of maya. Maya first of all allures us to become a big merchant, a prime minister, a president. Maya is always saying, “Become this, become that, become, become.” Maya is always telling us to work under her direction. Finally, she says, “Now you have failed in all these things. It is better now that you become God, and attain your real status again.” So the living entity begins to think, “I am God,” but maya is still kicking him. As soon as this so-called God gets some toothache, he runs to the doctor. He dows not stop to think, “What kind of God am I?”

 

Syamasundara dasa: But what is that urge for promotion?

 

Srila Prabhupada: It is not the individual's urge. Nature is giving the impetus. For instance, when you were a child, there wa no sex urge, but when you attained adolescence, immediately the sex urge became manifest. Similarly, the perfection of consciousness is there, but unless you come to the platform of human life, it will not develop.

 

Syamasundara dasa: Is there also an urge among lower animals to improve themselves, to be promoted?

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, but all that is being carried out by nature. That is evolution. Darwin has taken this idea from the Vedas, but he has no idea of the soul. The only business of animals is eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. You may call this the struggle for existence. They are simply trying to live, they have no other ambition. If a man, having attained the human stage, is interested only in these things, he is no better than an animal. Nowadays, these are being taught by modern civilization. They teach you how to live comfortably with a car, a bungalow, a girl friend, and restaurants. All living entities in this material world have the propensity to enjoy. On one platform the living entity enhoys certain types of pleasure, but he is always wanting more. It is the spirit of material enjoyment that brings about the disease of materialistic life.

 

Syamasundara dasa: So the urge to advance is perverted by the urge to enjoy?

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, perverted. The living entity's position is to serve Krsna, but instead he is serving his senses and thinking that he is enjoying. You can see how everyone is working hard day and night in order to enjoy. Everyone is thinking that he will be happy if he just becomes a millionaire. Animals work hard to get some food, and as soon as they acquire food, they are satisfied. But human beings are not so easily satisfied. They are so passionate they are constantly working very hard to be happy. People do not understand that in material life, they cannot be happy in any position.

 

Syamasundara dasa: Can the urge to advance be the desire to become godly?

 

Srila Prabhupada: Desire means that one has lost his real happiness dancing with God like the gopis. Änanda-mayo ’bhyasat. The Vedanta-sutra says that by nature, the living entity wants ananda, bliss. Because he seeks ananda in a perverted way, he is confused and frustrated; therefore he thinks, “Not this state but that will give me happiness.” However, when he goes to his desired state, he again finds unhappiness. This is because he is seeking ananda in a perverted way. In Vaikunthaloka, there is eternal happiness becasue everyone is surrendered to Krsna. They are all concerned with making Krsna happy. Only on that platform will we avoid confusion and frustration.

 

Syamasundara dasa: Alexander says that at this point, we cannot know the qualities of the next stage of evolution.

 

Srila Prabhupada: He may not know, but we know. One who has Krsna as his master and teacher knows everything. Yasmin vijnate sarvam eva vijnatam bhavati. If you understand Krsna, you understand everything.