# Illusion *On the illusory nature of material life* --- ### Moha Means Illusion > Yes. As Arjuna said, *kariṣye vacanaṁ tava, naṣṭo mohaḥ:* "Now my illusion is over. I agree to act as You say." This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. *Naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā tvat-prasādān madhusūdana.* The *moha* is there. *Moha* means these desires are illusion, like dreaming. In dream we see so many things. They are all false. In dreaming I am seeing that somebody is coming to kill me, but there is nobody; but still, I am dreaming. This is called *moha.* So when one is free from *moha,* then he's Kṛṣṇa conscious. The whole material world is going on under such illusion. Therefore it is called *māyā.* — [[spoken/1975/751210mw.vrn|Morning Walk, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### Suffering by Such Thoughts > This attraction of man and women, this is material bondage. Therefore it is said, *durāpūreṇa kāmena*: these lusty desires is never fulfilled, even up to the point of death. And what is this nature of these lusty desires? *Moha,* illusion. It is not fact—it has no substance—but it is there, that's a fact. The example is given just like in dream, somebody is cutting my head and I'm crying. Actually there is no man cutting my head—my head is there—still, I am suffering by such thoughts. This is called *moha.* Actually there is no fact, but on account of being entangled in three stages of pollution... — [[spoken/1975/751210sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.8, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### Three Stages of Pollution > The pollution is that intelligence. The intelligence is polluted in three ways: *jāgriti, svapna* and *suṣupti. Jāgriti* means just like we are now awakened; we are not sleeping. This is one stage. And another stage, at night when you go to sleep, and you sleep with dream, that is another stage. And another stage is *suṣupti,* so deeply, just like if a man is intoxicated or chloroform during surgical operation, he does not understand that "Surgical instruments are being applied on my body." He remains silent. This is another stage. — [[spoken/1975/751210sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.8, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### Do Not Become Disturbed > So if one is serious about spiritual advancement, then he should not... First of all he must know, "What is my position? How I am packed up with all these twenty-four elements?" Of course, due to our habits we are sometimes subjected to these pains and pleasure. Still, Kṛṣṇa says, "You do not become disturbed by these so-called artificial pains and pleasures. Don't be disturbed." *Śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. Āgamāpāyino 'nityas tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya, śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.* — [[spoken/1975/751210sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.8, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### Thinks I Am Not This Car > Just like we are covering because it is cold, but actually, as spirit soul I am not affected. *Asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣa.* In the *Vedas* it is said that the soul is unaffected with this material condition. Several times we have given this example, that a person has got a good car, and it is somehow or other broken, and he becomes upset, because his car... Although he knows that "I am not this car," but his thoughts being absorbed by the attraction of the car, when the car is broken someway or other, he becomes almost unconscious. — [[spoken/1975/751210sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.6.8, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### To Keep Them in Darkness > *Mūḍha janmani janmani.* He'll remain *mūḍha janmani janmani.* This is this pastime. Life after life, he shall remain a fool, rascal. So this Rajagopalacharya and company, they'll remain in darkness life after life. For them this pastime is there. *Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritah*: "The rascals, they think of Me as ordinary human being." To such rascals, He is playing like: "Yes, you see I am ordinary human being. Just see. I am dying." This is... To keep them life after life in darkness. — [[spoken/1975/751210mw.vrn|Morning Walk, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### This Requires Intelligence > If it is so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, that He is dying—"*Ācchā.* I have read it. I have seen. He has died"—then what is the use of saying, *manuṣyāṇā sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānām*? Out of many millions of persons one can understand Kṛṣṇa. Then what is the use of saying this? If it is so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is doing, what for He is doing, then everyone could understand Kṛṣṇa. Then what is the use of saying *manuṣyāṇā sahasreṣu?* This requires intelligence. — [[spoken/1975/751210mw.vrn|Morning Walk, Vṛndāvana, December 10, 1975]] --- ### First Thing Is Praṇipāta > *Upadek..., upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ.* Therefore *Bhagavad-gītā* recommends, *tad-vijñānārtham...* Now... What is that? *Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā*. You must go to a person, surrendering, not with your naughty behavior, "Why this? Why that?" First thing is surrender. You must approach a person... Surrender. The first thing is *praṇipātena.* Then you question. Unless you have surrendered, you have no right to question. What is the meaning of such question? Simply waste of time. — [[spoken/1973/731210mw.la|Morning Walk, Los Angeles, December 10, 1973]] --- *8 verified verbatim quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on illusion*