Lecture - Bombay, December 21, 1974
So we have come to this material world. Kṛṣṇa is always anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati [Bg. 4.7]. What is that dharma? That dharma is not this dharma, Hindu dharma, Mussulman dharma. No. That dharma is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That's... So in this way, our position, although we are both in this material world, one is the controller; one is the controlled. And the one who is controlled by the prakṛti, by the material nature, if he accepts to be controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then his controlling by the material nature upon him, that is finished, no more control. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. This is perfection of life. At the present moment we are being controlled every second, every step. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām [SB 10.14.58]. Every step there is danger.
This control means punishment. You cannot expect very good treatment in the prison life. So this is prison life, conditioned life. So you cannot expect any good treatment by the material nature because her business is to punish us. That is the business so that we can enquire that "Why I am being punished?" That is required. That "why" philosophy is very important. That is the beginning of human life. But we are so dull, in spite of being kicked every moment by material nature, that "why" question is not coming, so dull-headed. And we are advanced in designation.
Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
-Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.9