"They are trying to be happy within this material existence—māyā-sukhāya bharam. Bharam means gorgeous arrangement, very gorgeous arrangement, very big, big road, big, big skyscraper building, and big machine, big industry, and so many big, big things, big, big words, big, big politician and big, big political activities. But so mūḍha that he does not think for a moment, 'How long these big, big things will be enjoyed by me? I have... Certainly there is credit for creating all these big, big things, but māyā will not allow me to enjoy these things. At any moment I shall be kicked out. And what insurance and guarantee I have made, just I can enjoy this?'
Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya: wasting time making gorgeous arrangement. Not only the sukha, but this whole thing can be finished within a second. If there is a big earthquake, everything will be finished. We have got experience many times—anything will be finished. This Bombay can be turned into sea, and the Bombay can be pushed in an island within the sea. Material nature is so strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And under her spell we are trying to become happy. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43).
And the devotees, the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, they know that this is all false—not false; temporary, simply bewildering. On account of contaminated consciousness, people are trying to be happy in this way, but devotees know that this kind of endeavor is simply bewildering, simply waste of time. Real business is how to purify my consciousness, come to the original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real business. Svacchatvam avikāritvam. That is our real business. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching is that our only business is how to revive our original consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Without this, whatever we are doing, in the words of Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāja, 'It is all māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān.' Māyā-sukhāya.
Therefore these are the symptoms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness: svacchatvam, avikāritvam, śāntatvam. Śānta I have already explained last night, several times also, that śāntatvam, śānti... Just like I told you that many people coming: 'Oh, I do not get any peace of mind.' How you will get peace of mind? Here in the material world you cannot be endowed with the peace of mind. It is not possible. Why? Because here everything is māyā. Bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. Asad-grahāt, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asat. Asat means that which will not stand. The material nature is like that. It will not stand. This body we have got at a certain date, and it will continue up to certain date, then it will vanish. You will get never again this body. Finished. So this is called asat. Asato mā sad gama. This is Vedic instruction: 'Don't remain in the asat, temporary.' Sad gama: 'Come to the platform of eternity.' Asato mā sad gama."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Bombay, December 31, 1974)
Compiled by Padmapani das