Because I am a being of the land, artificially, when I go up on a plane, in the sky, this is the cause of my anxiety. So I am a spirit being, I am a spirit soul. So long I'll live in material conception of life, we cannot avoid anxiety. This is not possible. This is the problem.

High Anxiety

Getting relief from anxieties

PRABHUPADA: This anxiety there must be when we are in a different atmosphere. Just like we heard there was a plane crash. So we are travelling by plane. So as soon as we get on the plane, that anxiety is there. So the anxiety is caused on my boarding airplane. So if I do not board airplane, then that anxiety is nowhere. So anyone who is existing in this material world, there must be anxieties. There must be anxieties. Exactly, the same example, that as soon as I... It may be very nice plane; it doesn't matter. But I know that it is unsafe. At any moment it can crash. Therefore there is anxieties. So similarly, we are, so long we are in the material platform, we cannot avoid anxieties.

ROBERT GOUIRAN: Yes. It's a little... Because what I felt is this, when we could...

PRABHUPADA: First of all we should understand this, that we are in, on a platform that is called material platform. So long you'll remain on the material platform—material platform means the bodily concept of life—the anxiety will never be stopped. First of all let us understand why there is anxiety. The example is given: because I am a being of the land, artificially, when I go up on a plane, in the sky, this is the cause of my anxiety. So I am a spirit being, I am a spirit soul. So long I'll live in material conception of life, we cannot avoid anxiety. This is not possible. This is the problem.

ROBERT GOUIRAN: Yes. Yes.

PRABHUPADA: I am a spirit soul, so my natural abode for living is spiritual world. So long I am in the material world... it may be... The same example: I may be on the 747 or DC-10 or 10C-10 or this or that nonsense, I must be in anxiety. So that is the problem. And what is that material problem? Material life means you have got this material body and you do not wish to die. The anxiety on the plane is: "Because I may die..." That means you do not wish to die. That is my anxiety. If there is plane crash, then I may die. And therefore my anxiety. If I am assured that I'll not die, then where is that anxiety? The anxiety is that I do not wish to die, but death is there. So that death is there either on the plane or on the ground. You cannot avoid death. Why I cannot avoid death? Because I have got this body which is perishable. Therefore if I want to be anxietyless freely, I must try for that thing by which I do not get again a body like this. Then I'll be anxiety-free. Even a small bird, if he sits here, he'll do like this—anxiety. You give him something to eat, but he'll not dare to come near you, because he has anxiety that you may capture him. He knows that. Therefore the material life means four things: We require to eat something, we want a place for sleeping, we want to gratify our senses, and we want to defend from anxiety. This is material life.

ROBERT GOUIRAN: And may... I agree completely, because I felt that when I could get a contact with the spiritual plane, I felt the protection. I felt that nothing could happen to me, not happen. As long as I was in touch...

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

ROBERT GOUIRAN: ...with this spiritual plane, nothing could happen because I felt I was in harmony. And when I went back, I took the plane, exactly as you say, at Colombo. I went by Colombo, and there was a storm, terrible storm when the plane took off, and the lady beside me was very frightened, and I was so enlightened at the time that I told her, "We are protected. I am protected. So if you are beside me you are also protected. So nothing could happen." And it was an extraordinary feeling. In French we call that Providence. You know that?

PRABHUPADA: Providence? Yes. That... When we are in danger, we remember the Providence, but when we are happy we forget Providence. [laughter]

ROBERT GOUIRAN: No, because I felt that when we reach this point, we, we are, we get to...

PRABHUPADA: Anyway... At the time of danger, we remember Providence, or God. That is also good. So that is a Hindi proverb: duhkse sab hari bhaje, sukse bhaje kol, sukse ajar hari bhaje, duhka ase hay. Means "When one is in danger, he remembers God, and when he is in happiness he forgets God. Therefore if he remembers God always, then where is danger?" So our business is to become God conscious. Then there will be no anxiety. So we are preaching that you become God conscious. Death is there. You cannot save yourself. Either you are on the land or on the plane, death will be there. You must be prepared for the death. But if by practicing remembering God, even at the time of death you continue to remember God, then your life is successful. Death will be there. You cannot stop that. Ante narayana-smritih [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.6]. So if at the time of death we can remember God, then our life is successful. Therefore, before death we shall mold our life in such a way that always thinking of God. Man-mana bhava mad... Satatam chintayanto mam. Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bhagavad-gita 9.14]. This is life. We should always remember God. Then we must know who is God otherwise how can I remember? If I have no idea of God, then how can I remember? So we must know what is God. We must remember always God. We must become a devotee of God. In that way we can save ourself from the anxiety. Otherwise it is not possible. Because a God conscious man, he knows that "I'll die. Everyone will die; I'll also die." But his concern is: "At the time of death, I shall remember Krishna." That's all. Then his life is successful. Death we cannot avoid. There must be. Tyaktva deham. We have to give up this body. But the question is how I shall give up this body. The cats, dogs... they also give up their body, and I'll also have to give up my body. But shall I give up the body like cats and dogs, or as human being? That is the process. Therefore one should... a human being should prepare himself how to give up this body. That is humanity. Krishna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9].

"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

Material body means again death. As soon as you accept this material body, either human body or cat's body or dog's body or tree's body, it has end. Therefore it is said, tyaktva deham, if one becomes Krishna conscious, then, giving up this body, no more accepting any material body. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. "He comes to Me." And that is the solution of all anxieties. So if you want to become anxietyless, we would advise you to become God conscious, always think of God, Krishna. Then your life will be successful. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Hitvatma-patam griham andha-kupam vanam gato yad dharim ashrayeta [SB 7.5.5]. This is the process, that so long we'll be on the platform of material existence, we cannot avoid anxiety. That is not possible. Therefore it is the duty of everyone to give up this material world and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That will give us relief from all anxieties.