Because these people, they do not know what is really reality. Real reality. They are simply after so-called reality.

Information and sensory overload turning us into numbskulls

Recycled garbage

This material world is only a manifestation, exhibition, of one-fourth energy of Krishna. And within this material world, there are so many universes. And each and every universe, there are so many planets. So this is one of the planets, in which we are living. And in this planet, there are so many cities 𔂿 Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Paris, London, and so many, hundreds and thousands. And each and every city, there are newspapers. And each newspaper is publishing three, four editions daily. So this is the most insignificant planet. Still, there are so many news to hear. Therefore it is said here, shrotavyadini rajendra nrinam santi sahasrashah: [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.2: "Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth, have many subject matters for hearing in human society."] "Millions and millions, subject matter for hearing." This is a fact. Every paper is publishing three, four editions daily, especially in the Western countries. So if they have got so much news in the material world in this insignificant planet, just imagine how much news are there in the three-fourths' manifestation of His energy. So my Guru Maharaja said that "You are surprised, Mr. Mayabhya, that we are publishing a paper daily. So we can publish every minute a paper. Unfortunately, there is no customer." They have customer for using this newspaper, but our news, we have to canvass, "Will you kindly take this? Will you kindly take this." They are not interested. They're interested in this material news – radio, paper, magazine, edition after edition. This is the meaning of shrotavyadini rajendra nrinam santi sahasrashah [SB 2.1.2]. So they have no time to read a little news we are giving about God in the Back to Godhead magazine. They have no time. Why? They do not know what is atma [soul], what is the active principle of all these activities. They do not know. They have got so many news to hear with a hope – means useless hope – that they will be able to exist here and be happy. Just like your arch, this Napoleon Arch. Napoleon was conquering all over Europe, and he thought that he would be able to enjoy this. But where is Napoleon? The arch is there. That's all. This is the position. But he worked so hard. Not only he. Everyone is working. The arch will remain, because a stone, but he's finished. He's finished. This is called apashyatam atma-tattvam [SB 2.1.2]. Because these people, they do not know what is really reality. Real reality. They are simply after so-called reality. It is very important point. Try to understand. Apashyatam atma-tattvam, one who does not know what is atma, what is soul, the nature of soul.

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna first of all begins with the constitution of the atma, or spirit soul. When He began to teach Arjuna Bhagavad-gita, the A-B-C-D lesson was to make him convinced about the soul within the body. That is called atma-tattvam. And nobody knows. Therefore, they are accepting this external feature.... We can understand very easily that this body, this body is external feature. Real "I", or my self, I am within. As soon as I go away from this body, this external feature, as good as the garbage in the street. That they do not understand. They are busy piling garbage. "Bring more garbage, more garbage." And this is the working capacity. Bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31: "considering the material sense objects to be valuable"]. They think, "This garbage will save me." Very important question. Apashyatam atma-tattvam: [SB 2.1.2] Blind to what he is. The atma-tattvam means "I am now within this garbage for the present. And after leaving this, in this garbage, I pile up so many other garbages. And in this way, working uselessly the whole life, then I transmigrate from this body to another garbage body." That I do not know. This is called apashyatam atma-tattvam [SB 2.1.2]. Apashyatam means "not seeing." The prefix a means "not," and pashyatam means "seeing, one who sees." He's seeing, "This garbage is everything." He does not see atma-tattvam.

Enslaved by freedom

Apashyatam atma-tattvam griheshu [SB 2.1.2]. Griheshu means griha or home. So you can take this body as home. Because I am, you are all living within this body. So this is also home. And then again, expanded, I am living in this planet. So this is also home. And again living within this universe. That is also home. Or I have got a little home, apartment, ten feet square. That's all. That is also home. So we have got attachment for this home, ten feet by ten feet or millions of feet on millions... This is home, within the compact. We living entities, we are within this home. Take this whole universe, apart from other universe, this universe. This is also home because we're living here. And we are changing, from this place to that place. Just as I have come from India. From Bombay, I have come to Paris. This is all within the home, within the universe, or within this planet. So we see people are very busy. Seventy miles speed, they're driving car. But within the Paris, within the Paris, they may go seventy miles, eighty miles, but they cannot go beyond. That, our one countryman, Rabindranath Tagore... So perhaps you heard his name. He was a big poet. So when he was in London, so he saw that people are very, walking very fast. So he remarked that "These people are walking very fast. But there is a very small country. They'll fall down on the sea." You see? So this is going on. [laughs] A dog in the park is jumping very fast, walking. But as soon as the master calls, "Come on, come on," immediately, "Yes, sir." "Give me your neck." "Yes, sir." Chain. Chain. He's thinking that he's very free, but as soon as the master calls, immediately he has to submit. This is our position. We are very busy, but the master is the material nature. Daivi hy esha gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome."]. The fact is that we are under the stringent laws of material nature. We have no freedom. That we do not know. We are struggling so much. War has been waged all over the world, especially in Europe, for freedom. You have got that freedom statue. And in America also, there is freedom. But where is freedom, sir? That they do not know. Why? Apashyatam 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 Krishna points out in the Bhagavad-gita that real freedom is when you get freedom from four different problems. What is that? Janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-doshanudarshanam [Bhagavad-gita 13.9]. 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 have no freedom from death. They have to die on a fixed-up date. Professor Einstein and 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 the jumping 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 esha gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Prakriti, nature, is pulling by the ear, "Come here." "Yes, sir." "Come here." "Yes, sir." And he's thinking he has freedom. Prakriteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvashah [Bg. 3.27: "The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature."]. He is completely under the control of the modes of material nature. 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. But no freedom, sir. No freedom. Being puffed-up with false prestige, he's thinking, "I am something. I can do something, I am..." This is the disease.

So for them, these newspapers are very useful. But one who is fixed up in atma-tattvam, Bhagavata, "I am Brahman, I am not anything of this material world," for them, there is no need of this so-called news of newspaper. Simply, they should try to understand Krishna. That is the only business. There is no other business. And as soon as you understand Krishna, Krishna assures, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah [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"]. Here is Krishna. If you simply try to understand Krishna.