Wanting to Be Happy by Adjustment of this External Energy
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the fundamental flaw of modern civilization is the belief that material adjustments can solve the problems of life. Whether through scientific advancement, economic development, or political planning, humanity is constantly trying to manipulate the external energy to achieve happiness. However, because the soul is purely spiritual, it can never be satisfied by material arrangements. The only way to find genuine, lasting happiness is to stop adjusting the external energy and begin cultivating our internal, spiritual relationship with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The Illusion of Economic Development
Modern leaders and politicians propose that through technological and economic advancement, human society can achieve a state of perfect happiness. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out the foolishness of this approach. No matter how many skyscraper buildings or motorcars are manufactured, artificial economic development cannot produce genuine peace. Those who believe that such external adjustments are the real purpose of life are described as vimūḍhān, or rascals, because they completely ignore the spiritual needs of the living entity.
- Many, many plans, many, many skyscraper buildings, roads and motor cars. What is the real purpose? The purpose is they want to be happy. But that is not possible. Therefore they are vimudhan. Rascals. They are going in the wrong way.
- Our only business should be to surrender to Krsna. And if you artificially want to be more happy by economic development, that is not possible.
- Communist say that, "We shall give you bread. Why you waste your time with so-called religion?" The politician says that "You want to be happy, there is technology. Why you are going to pray to God? This is all nonsense." They are thinking that.
- Human beings are making scientific advancement and philosophical advancement, cultural advancement, religious advancement - progress in so many lines - because they want to be happy. - Where is the point of happiness.
The Futility of Material Adjustment
The conditioned soul tries to find comfort within family life and worldly society, but the material world is compared to a blazing forest fire. No matter how one tries to rearrange the fire, it will only cause burns. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the karmīs try to be happy through material adjustment, but this endeavor is like a traveler trying to climb a hill covered in thorns and small stones. The more one tries to adjust the material situation, the more the blazing fire of desires increases.
- The secret of success for the devotee is not understood by the karmis and jnanis. Karmis therefore try to be happy by material adjustment, and jnanis want to be happy by becoming one with the Supreme. The devotee has no such interest.
- The ambitious conditioned soul wants to be very happy in this material world with his family, but he is compared to a traveler in the forest who desires to climb a hill full of thorns and small stones.
- We want to be happy in the material world, but this will never be possible; we shall simply increase the blazing fire of desires.
- A life in this material world is like a blazing forest fire. No one goes to set fire to the forest, yet the fire takes place. Similarly, everyone wants to be happy in the material world, but the miserable conditions of material life simply increase.
The Need for Spiritual Food
Because the living entity is an eternal spirit soul, it is impossible for them to be satisfied by matter. Śrīla Prabhupāda gives the definitive conclusion: we cannot be happy by the adjustment of this external energy. Just as a fish out of water cannot be made happy by a comfortable bed or fine clothing, the spirit soul requires spiritual food and spiritual life to experience actual bliss. Until the existential condition is purified, any attempt at happiness using blunt material senses will fail.
- We want to be happy by adjustment of this external energy. That cannot be. You are spirit soul - you must have spiritual food, you must have a spiritual life, and then you can be happy.
- If you want to feel happiness by your these blunt material senses, that is not happiness. Happiness is beyond your material senses. Atyantikam. That is real happiness. Real happiness means it will never end.
- If you want eternal, continued happiness, then you have to purify your existential condition, you have to place yourself in the transcendental position, and you will feel that happiness.
- If you really want happiness, then you purify your existence and you'll get continued eternal happiness of bliss and knowledge. This should be the aim of human life.
The Devotee's Secret of Success
While the karmīs seek material adjustment and the jñānīs seek to merge into the impersonal Brahman, the perfect man takes to devotional service. A pure Vaiṣṇava understands that real happiness means making Kṛṣṇa happy. When we surrender to the Supreme Lord and act only for His pleasure, our own constitutional happiness naturally awakens. This unalloyed devotion frees one from the futile struggle of attempting to conquer the external energy.
- Of these three classes of men, one tries to be happy by fulfillment of material desires, another wants to be happy by becoming one with the Supreme, and another, the perfect man, is a devotee.
- If we want to be happy, we must learn how to make Krsna happy. This is the process of Krsna consciousness.
- If you want actually to make yourself jolly, full of happiness, then you should search out your occupation in such a way that it will lead you to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord.
- Here, in the material world, as we are engaged, unalloyed happiness is not possible. But if you actually want unalloyed happiness, then you have to be advanced in spiritual consciousness, unalloyed.
Conclusion
In summary, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the quest to be happy by rearranging the external, material energy is a complete waste of human life. Real happiness cannot be manufactured in factories or legislated by politicians. Because the living entity is an eternal spiritual spark, true satisfaction is only found in spiritual life. By giving up the futile attempt to adjust the material world and instead purifying our existence through the chanting of the holy name and pure devotional service, we revive our natural position. When our only desire is to make Śrī Kṛṣṇa happy, we effortlessly achieve the supreme, unending happiness we have always been searching for.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Wanting to Be Happy. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.