(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 03 May 2018, Radhadesh, Belgium, Srimad Bhagavatam 8.19.25-32)

The material world that we live in has been created by the Supreme Lord and his agents. However creation of this world was not the desire of the Supreme Lord. He does not want this material world but actually we do. We, the living entities, wanted this material world because we wanted to be in a place away from Krsna where we could be the ‘Lord’ and the ultimate enjoyer. Krsna described our conditioned state of mind, how we falsely think that we are the enjoyer and the Lord of everything: isvaro ‘ham aham bhogi (Bhagavad-gita 16.14). So it was us who wanted this. Not only did we used to want that but we still do. We still want to be the controllers. We still want to be the enjoyers, and we are finding different ways to be that.

Just like Dante writes in his poem Divina Commedia, “Better a king in hell, than a servant in heaven.” (laughter) So he has figured out our mentality. Here we are thinking that we made it, “Great! I got a nice castle or cottage and it is my kingdom! We are the kings and queens!” But actually, we are kings in hell. Such a mentality of ours of lording over will surely be taken away by the Supreme Lord. He will not necessarily take away all our possessions but he will destroy this mentality where we think, “I am the Lord!” So we are simply waiting until we fall or get kicked in the face, and then we are not so much the ‘Lord’ anymore.

Srila Prabhupada was once describing donkeys and how the male donkey follows around the female donkey, singing beautiful songs for her. But then, she kicks him in the face! Now that is difficult! We have to understand however that maybe she is not kicking him in the face because she is outright mean but because she is not satisfied with what he has to offer. She wants fulfilment from him but the males of this material world cannot offer her that fulfilment. The males also cannot get such fulfilment from the females of the world. Only Krsna can provide us with fulfilment. This has to be understood. Until then, Krsna, through various means of suffering, will bring all of us to that point!

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