(Kadamba Kadamba Kanana Swami, 1 March 2013, Vrndavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.10)
Somehow, the living being clings to the material body. Srila Prabhupada states that although the condition in the material body is painful, still we are hanging on. There is a story that may shed some light on this situation. It is a story of a small town and the inhabitants of this small town would constantly come and complain to the mayor. This complaint, that complaint, endless complaints. So, finally the mayor said, “I have a brilliant idea. We’re going to have an exhibition of problems. Everyone can bring his problem and we just put it on display in the town hall and everyone can come and see.”
So, people had a great time. It was wonderful. They were all looking the problems like, “Whoa! Look at that one.” In this way, it was a very entertaining day and then just at the end of the exhibition day, everyone was ready to go home and the mayor was standing next to the door and said, “Where are you going.”
“We’re going home”.
The mayor said “No. Nobody is going home just like that. You can’t leave all these problems here. Everybody has to take one problem home.”
So, you know people went back into the hall and got another look but this time not in a playful mood but in a serious mood. They looked at all the problems and thought, “Well, which one shall I take?” And they looked at all the problems and, “Well, I don’t know about that, I don’t know about that one.” And in the end, everyone took his own problem back home. Because, at least you know what to expect.
And this family life. We are together with our brothers and sisters and it’s not exactly paradise, right. The family is not all sweet and rosy but alright, we stay there for our security. They’re supposed to help you and like you. You know the problems of your family and you sort of know how to deal with them; you know what to expect. So better a known problem than an unknown problem! Therefore better this body, even though it gives us pain. Better hold on to it, because you know, you don’t know what you’re gonna get next. Think about that!
So in this way, a false sense of security. Bhagavatam says ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (2.1.4). We will hold onto fallible soldiers. “My family will protect me but they can’t protect themselves.” How will they protect us? They are themselves fallible soldiers. So, what protection can they give to us? In this way, we are gradually, we must gradually give up our false sense of security.