Kicking Out Deception - Supreme Religion versus Cheating Process
The material world is sustained by the conditioned soul's desire to enjoy independently of the Supreme Lord, a desire that necessitates constant deception. Śrīla Prabhupāda extensively explains that until one achieves pure, unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, every endeavor—whether it be economic development, mundane philanthropy, or even ritualistic religion—is ultimately a cheating process designed to keep the soul in illusion.
Illusions of Material Society
Because conditioned souls possess the four defects—particularly the propensity to cheat—they can never create a perfect society through their own speculation. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that modern civilization, with its paper money and complex economic systems, is a massive web of mutual exploitation. Even high-minded secular ideals like universal brotherhood are fundamentally flawed and deceptive if they do not recognize the Supreme Lord as the central father of all living entities.
- The cheating process is there in me, in you, everywhere, because we are imperfect. Therefore it is not possible to get perfect knowledge from an imperfect man.
- The city people, they are getting supply from remote villages, and they have got money . . . money means paper. They are cheating. The whole process is cheating.
- Even if the living entity is born with a silver spoon in his mouth he will not be happy so such plans for economic development are simply cheating processes.
- Without coming to that central point, our love on the material conception of life - equality, fraternity, brotherhood - are all simply cheating process.
Kicking Out False Religion
True spiritual life begins where ulterior motives end. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam uses the word projjhita to indicate that all deceptive religions (kaitava-dharma) must be completely swept away. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that any religious system based on karma-kāṇḍa (fruitive activities for material gain) or the desire for mokṣa (impersonal liberation) is a cheating process. This is because merging into the impersonal Brahman permanently robs the soul of its constitutional right to engage in loving devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.
- The Srimad-Bhagavatam has used the suitable word, dharma projhita. That means to kick out the so-called religious principles, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation. According to Bhagavata, these are all cheating processes.
- This verse (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.2) of Srimad-Bhagavatam rejects as cheating processes all religious activities that aim at achieving materialistic goals, including dharma, artha, kama and even moksa, or liberation.
- The path of fruitive work (karma-kanda), even when decorated by religious ceremonies meant to elevate one’s material condition, is a cheating process because it can never enable one to gain relief from material existence and achieve the highest goal.
- The foremost process of cheating is to desire to achieve liberation by merging into the Supreme, for this causes the permanent disappearance of loving service to Krsna.
Exposing Fake Gurus and Mystics
The modern age is particularly plagued by charlatans who take advantage of the public's spiritual naivety. Śrīla Prabhupāda heavily criticized the so-called yogīs and svāmīs who travel the world presenting manufactured philosophies. These bluffers offer a comfortable, compromising version of spirituality, falsely claiming that one can engage in unrestricted sense gratification—or even intoxication—while simultaneously achieving perfection in meditation.
- In your country there are so many transcendental yogis, and they say, "Yes, whatever you like, you can do. God has given you senses, you must enjoy." These are manufactured cheating processes.
- They do not know what is meditation. They are... Simply it is a farce. That is another cheating process by the so-called swamis and yogis. They do not know what is meditation.
- It is understood that Maharishi Mahesa says that one can drink, and at the same time make advancement in meditation, is clearly a cheating process. But what can be done, your countrymen also wants to be cheated like that.
- Sacrifice undertaken in this age as a matter of show may simply be a cheating process by the clever priestly order. But such a show of sacrifices cannot be effective at any stage.
Imitation and the Genuine Alternative
The cheating propensity can even infect those who have taken to the path of devotion. Following his spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda severely warned neophyte devotees against prematurely retiring to a solitary place to chant. Imitating highly advanced souls like Haridāsa Ṭhākura simply to gain cheap adoration is a dangerous deception. The only genuine, non-cheating process is to humbly and actively distribute the mahā-mantra to the public without material motivation, understanding that the Supreme Lord can never be fooled.
- Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has condemned this process for neophytes. He has stated in a song: Sitting in a solitary place intending to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is considered a cheating process. This practice is not possible for neophytes.
- Those who are not advanced prefer to chant the Hare Krsna mantra in a solitary place. Such activities constitute a type of cheating process in the sense that they imitate the activities of exalted personalities like Haridasa Thakura.
- Here is no cheating process. We say that this maha-mantra can save you, we are distributing publicly, no. Free, without any charge.
- This cheating process is going on. But you cannot cheat Krsna or maya, that is not possible.
Conclusion
To make genuine spiritual advancement, we must brutally honest with ourselves and reject all processes built on the desire for exploitation or cheap liberation. By understanding the uncompromising nature of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we can protect ourselves from the bluffers of Kali-yuga and the subtle pride of premature renunciation. Pure devotional service, centered on the selfless distribution of the holy name, is the only reality in a world governed by the cheating process.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
The instructions of the pure devotee are our eternal guide. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Cheating Process. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.