- Srimad Bhagavatam Class: SB 11.3.37
- Chapter Name: Liberation from the Illusory Energy
- Venue: Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata
- Day/Date: Sunday, 1st June 2025
- Speaker: HG Anant Bhagavan Prabhu
While speaking on Srimad Bhagavatam verse SB 11.3.37, HG Anant Bhagavan Prabhu explained in detail that how “Material happiness is illusory.”
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti tri-vṛd ekam ādau
sūtraṁ mahān aham iti pravadanti jīvam
jñāna-kriyārtha-phala-rūpatayoru-śakti
brahmaiva bhāti sad asac ca tayoḥ paraṁ yat
Originally one, the Absolute, Brahman, comes to be known as threefold, manifesting itself as the three modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance. Brahman further expands its potency, and thus the power to act and the power of consciousness become manifest, along with the false ego, which covers the identity of the conditioned living being. Thus, by the expansion of the multipotencies of the Absolute, the demigods, as the embodiment of knowledge, become manifest, along with the material senses, their objects, and the results of material activity, namely happiness and distress. In this way the manifestation of the material world takes place as the subtle cause and as the material effect visible in the appearance of gross material objects. Brahman, which is the source of all subtle and gross manifestations, is simultaneously transcendental to them, being absolute.
Important points from the purport of this verse SB 11.3.37
- ..since the Absolute is eternal existence, this material world, being the potency of the Absolute, must also be accepted as real, although the various manifestations of the material world are temporary and thus illusory.
- The conditioned soul must come to understand, “I am a pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Now let me stop my useless activities and serve Kṛṣṇa, since I am part of Him.”
- Therefore, if one is prematurely dazzled by the expansion of the Lord’s bodily effulgence, known as Brahman, and therefore does not actually come to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no possibility of actually understanding one’s eternal identity as an eternal blissful expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Below article is based on the class given by HG Anant Bhagavan Prabhu
Are we independent to enjoy
A bullock cart driver pulls the rope tied to the right nostril of the bull and the bull thinks that he is moving towards right on its own. The driver then pulls the rope tied to the left nostril and the bull moves to left thinking it is moving on his own. And then the driver does not do anything, and bull moves straight. But each time, the bull thinks it is in control of his movement.
Similarly, maya devi binds us with the three modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Sometimes she puts us in goodness, sometimes in passion and other times in ignorance. But each time we think that we are acting as per our own choice independently. This is the nature of the conditioned soul.
We want to enjoy in this world. But it is explained that material enjoyment is an illusion. Mayavadi say that material world is illusion. They say that the material object does not exist, for example a building does not exist. But this is wrong understanding.
A devotee (sadhakas) thinks that material happiness is illusory. But this is also paradoxical. Suppose that we are offered a gulab jamun (a sweet) and when we are eating it, we are experiencing happiness then how can we say its illusory? We have theoretical understanding that material happiness is illusory. There is indeed some happiness in material enjoyment. So, how scriptures say its illusory.
There are three reasons why material happiness is illusory. Let us reflect upon those.
Three problems with material happiness
1.Happiness is insignificant
The happiness which we get in this material world is insignificant. It is said that in this world we get that much happiness which prevents us from getting unlimited happiness.
Suppose that the happiness we get here is x, then in heavenly planet we get 1000 times more happiness i.e. 1000x. And as we keep on going to higher planets happiness keeps on multiplying. In this material world, happiness is highest in Brahmaloka. And if we go beyond this material world then in the spiritual world the happiness is infinite. So, whatever happiness we get here is very insignificant as compared to the happiness, we get in spiritual world like Goloka.
A real example to illustrate the point
Once in Italy, devotees were on Harinam Sankirtan. It was a sunny day. Devotees did Sankirtan for long time and they were tired and were also sweating. They were thinking of taking bath in cold water and they came near a lake. Everyone was excited. The kirtan reached crescendo. They thought that this is pinnacle of happiness. They took off their clothes and jumped into the lake. The water was cool, and they felt relieved from exhaustion.
But suddenly they were bitten by something. Then they show that it was jelly fish. The sting was painful. Within no time everyone was getting bitten by jelly fish. Some devotees jumped out of the lake, but some thought let me go to other side of the lake and enjoy the cold water. But the entire lake was infested with jelly fish.
By the time the devotees came out of water their body was red like a hot charcoal. The happiness was there in the water of the lake, but the pain of the sting of jelly fish overpowered the happiness.
So, it is said that some happiness is there here, but it is accompanied with lots of miseries.
2. Material enjoyment makes us attached
Material enjoyment binds us. We get attached to the object we are trying to enjoy. If we take the example of social media especially you tube reels then we see that people spend hours watching reels. Each reel is just a minute or two long but one gets addicted to it and keeps on watching for hours. Now there is unlimited browsing facility on internet and people are becoming addicted to internet.
Devotees also many times think that little sense gratification is fine and is also required for survival. But what start little does not end little.
For example, when a bait is offered to a fish then fish think that it’s a nice eatable for me to enjoy. Fish thinks that I will only take the food and quickly come out of it. So, the fish pounces on the bait. The fisherman immediately does not do anything. He waits for some time till the fish comes under its grip. Fish does not understand that it is being caught and by the time it understands it is too late.
Similarly, we are given free sample for enjoyment, and we think we will enjoy little but slowly get entangled. And then we get so much attached to it that even if we ty to come out of it, it becomes nearly impossible. So, material enjoyment is dangerous too.
3.Material enjoyment causes reaction
Whatever we try to enjoy, we get reaction for this. Material enjoyment leads to suffering. We have experienced this. Sometimes the reaction come late but comes for sure. As devotees we are fortunate, because when we try to enjoy then Krishna gives quick token punishment. And then we realize that it happened because we attempted to enjoy. So, for a happy life, we should give up desire for material enjoyment.
Solution
These are the three reasons why material enjoyment is called illusory.
Despite knowing this fact, we do not understand that material enjoyment is illusory.
It is said that a person cannot take to Krishna Consciousness unless he understands that material happiness is illusory. And it is also said that a person cannot understand that material happiness is illusory unless he takes to Krishna Consciousness.
So, the crux of the matter is to understand that material enjoyment is illusory and it is important for all of us to take to Krishna Consciousness.
