Of course, in this material world, so many things are going on in the name of love. But actually there is no love. They are all lust. But going on in trade in the name of love. Love is possible only with Krishna, or God.

Love's Illusion

Sri Guru and Gauranga

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Illusory society, friendship and love

According to the Vedic conclusion, one's self is situated within the heart. As stated in Vedic language, hridy ayam atma pratishthitah: the self is situated within the heart. In the material condition, however, the spirit soul is covered by the material qualities—namely goodness, passion and darkness—and within the heart these three qualities react. For instance, when one is in goodness, he feels happiness; when one is in passion, he feels satisfaction through material enjoyment; and when one is in darkness, he feels bewilderment. All these activities are of the mind, and they function on the platform of thinking, feeling and willing.

When the living entity is encircled by wife, children and home, he acts on the mental plane. Sometimes he is very happy, sometimes he is very much satisfied, sometimes he is not satisfied, and sometimes he is bewildered. Bewilderment is called moha, illusion. Illusioned by society, friendship and love, the living entity thinks that his so-called society, friendship and love, nationality, community, etc. will give him protection. He does not know that after death he will be thrown into the hands of a very strong material nature that will force him to accept a certain type of body according to his present work. This body may not even be a human body. Thus the living entity's feeling of security in this life in the midst of society, wife and friendship is nothing but illusion. All living entities encaged in various material bodies are illusioned by the present activities of material enjoyment. They forget their real business, which is to go back home, back to Godhead.

Everyone who is not in Krishna consciousness must be considered to be in illusion. One's so-called feelings of happiness and satisfaction resulting from material things are also illusions. Factually neither society, friendship, love nor anything else can save one from the onslaught of the external energy, which is symptomized by birth, death, old age and disease. To get even one living entity out of the illusory condition is very difficult; therefore Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14):

daivi hy esha guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." Therefore, unless one surrenders completely at the lotus feet of Krishna, he cannot get out of the entanglement of the three modes of material nature.

No love in the material world

Family life within the kingdom of illusory energy, maya, is just like a prison for the eternal living entity. In prison a prisoner is shackled by iron chains and iron bars. Similarly, a conditioned soul is shackled by the charming beauty of a woman, by her solitary embraces and talks of so-called love, and by the sweet words of his small children. Thus he forgets his real identity.

In this verse the words strinam asatinam indicate that womanly love is just to agitate the mind of man. Actually, in the material world there is no love. Both the woman and the man are interested in their sense gratification. For sense gratification a woman creates an illusory love, and the man becomes enchanted by such false love and forgets his real duty. When there are children as the result of such a combination, the next attraction is to the sweet words of the children. The love of the woman at home and the talk of the children make one a secure prisoner, and thus he cannot leave his home. Such a person is termed, in Vedic language, a grihamedhi, which means "one whose center of attraction is home." Grihastha refers to one who lives with family, wife and children, but whose real purpose of living is to develop Krishna consciousness. One is therefore advised to become a grihastha and not a grihamedhi. The grihastha's concern is to get out of the family life created by illusion and enter into real family life with Krishna, whereas the grihamedhi's business is to repeatedly chain himself to so-called family life, in one life after another, and perpetually remain in the darkness of maya.

Krishna, the lovable object

Srimad-Bhagavatam says that "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a spiritual master, one should not become a guardian, one should not become a husband..." In this way they have given a long list. Who? Who is that one? "One who cannot give his dependents relief from death." Na mochayed yah samupeta-mrityuh: "One who cannot make free his dependents." What is that freedom? "Freedom from the cycle of birth and death." He should not become a father or mother or spiritual master, like that. And Prahlada Maharaja is also instructing in this way, that "This human form body should be utilized fully for understanding our real position, our relationship with God, and our transactions, our dealings, and the basis of our relationship with God, and what is the real goal of life." So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said that the real goal of life is prema pum-artho mahan, prema, to attain love. Of course, in this material world, so many things are going on in the name of love. But actually there is no love. They are all lust. But going on in trade in the name of love. Love is possible only with Krishna, or God.

Dharma artha kama moksha [Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.41, Chaitanya-charitamrita Adi 1.90]. Generally, people understand eating, sleeping, mating and fearing. That is the lowest grade of life. A little higher grade of life, they try to understand about some religious principle, and they are generally become religious for some gain, some material gain. Just like in the churches or in the temples they go. They ask some benefit from God, "O God, give us our daily bread." Or somebody goes to temple, asks some benefit. So dharma, artha, kama. Why they ask some benefit? Now, just to satisfy their senses, that's all. They have no other aim. Dharma, artha, kama and moksha. And when they are dissatisfied or frustrated in sense gratification, then moksha, they want to become one with God. So dharmartha-kama-moksha [SB 4.8.41: the four principles of religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation]. These are the general demands. The lower class of men, they are after simply demands of the body—something eating, something eating, defending and mating. And the higher class, little elevated, they are after religiosity and some material gain and sense gratification, or utmost, to become one with the Supreme. But they have no other idea generally. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, "No, above that there is another thing." That is prema, to love God. That is transcendental.

So Krishna consciousness is the topmost, topmost knowledge how to love God and thereby enjoy life. Because we want to love. Unfortunately The other day I was instructing my students that "You just get yourself married." Now, they were confused. Somebody said, "Where to get a nice girl?" Just see. Everyone wants to love, but frustration. The girls will say, "Where is a nice boy?" So the tendency of love is there in everywhere, either in animal or in man, but the lovable object is missing. Missing. That is Krishna. If you try to love Krishna, then your life will be fulfilled: "Oh, here is lovable object." Prema pum-artho mahan. Therefore Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is considered to be most munificent personality. Namo maha-vadanyaya krishna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. Rupa Gosvami is offering Him his obeisances, "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent...." Why? Krishna-prema-pradaya te: "You are distributing love of God, love of Krishna." So we want to love somebody, but we are being frustrated. But if you try to love Krishna, either as master or as friend or as the Supreme or as husband or lover... There are so many relationships. Just try to establish, find out, what is the relationship with Krishna. And this science is being taught in the matter of Krishna consciousness. Thank you very much.