And in America also, there is freedom. But where is freedom, sir? That they do not know. Why? Apasyatam atma-tattvam [SB 2.1.2]. They do not know what is freedom and whose freedom. That they do not know. Therefore they have created so many newspapers for freedom. The so-called freedom. But there is no freedom. Even big, big leaders, they have no freedom. What we are?

Therefore Krsna points out in the Bhagavad-gita that real freedom is when you get freedom from four different problems. What is that?

Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. If you get freedom from these four things -- no more death, no more birth, no more old age, old age, and no more disease -- that is freedom. But where is that freedom? The so-called scientists, big, big scientists, they have very scientifically advanced, but they had no freedom from death. They had to die on a fixed-up date. Professor Einstein or any other big, big scientist, they could not manufacture any scientific instrument and keep it in the custody of his student, that "As soon as I die, you just apply this machine. I shall come alive again." Where is that freedom? So this so-called scientific improvement, advancement in civilization, it is just like jumping like the dog. That's all. It has no value. Real value is to understand atma-tattvam, "What I am? Why death is imposed upon me? I do not wish to die. Why old age is imposed upon me? I do not wish to become old man or old woman. I wish to remain a beautiful young..." "No, sir, that is not possible." Then where is your freedom? What for you are jumping so much? As soon as the master will call "Yes, sir. Bind me..."

So you are completely under the nature's control. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14].

Prakrteh, prakrti, nature, is pulling by the ear, "Come here." "Yes, sir." "Come here." "Yes, sir." And he's freedom. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah. He is completely under the control of the modes of material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani, ahankara-vimudhatma. This is called false egotism: "I am something." "I am Napoleon Bonaparte," "I am Mussolini," "I am Hitler." This is ahankara-vimudhatma. Fool, rascal. They are thinking like that. "No freedom, sir. No freedom."

Prabhupada's lecture:
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.2
Paris, June 11, 1974
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