10/07/2025
Suffering is a wake-up call. Something has to change. We can't continue our sinful life and expect everything to be fine. Ignorance is no excuse. Indeed, that very ignorance is our sin.
"Prabhupāda: Yes. This material world, conditioned life, because... The other day was explained. Our sinful life means ignorance, due to ignorance. Just like if I touch this flame, it will burn. Somebody may say, "Oh, you are burned. You are sinful." This is common sense. "You are burned. You are sinful. Therefore you are burned." That is, one sense, it is right. "I am sinful" means I do not know that if I touch this flame, I will be burned. This ignorance is my sin. Sinful life means the life of ignorance. Therefore, in this thirty-fourth verse, "Just try to learn the truth. Don't remain ignorant. Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master." Why should you remain in ignorance if there is way and means? That is my foolishness. Therefore I am suffering.
The government has open education institutions, universities. Why don't you take advantage of it? Then you must suffer. When you go, when you are grown up—"Oh, I am not educated. I cannot give... I cannot have any good job," so who wanted you to remain uneducated? Why did you not take advantage? That is your fault.
Sinful life means our fault, to remain in ignorance. You take knowledge. There is book of knowledge. There is spiritual master. They are canvassing. We are canvassing, "Come here. Try to understand God consciousness." Nobody is coming. Who is responsible? They are responsible. God is not responsible. For your sinful activities God is not responsible. You are responsible. God is canvassing you, "Please come to Me. I will give you all protection." Oh, I am stubborn: "No. I shall not go to You." Then you suffer. What can be done?
[Conversation: Bhagavad-gītā 4.34-39 -- January 12, 1969, Los Angeles]
