Page 43 - THE FOURTH DIMENSION
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tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair / ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
                                     mohitaṁ nābhijānāti /mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam

        Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am
        above the modes and inexhaustible.  (Bg. 7.13)

        Lord Krishna is not conditioned by the modes of material nature. Persons aspiring for spiritual knowledge must
        rise above the entanglement of these modes in order to understand the Lord. This is only possible by complete
        engagement in devotional service of the Lord under the guidance of bona fide siksa (instructor) and diksa
        (initiator) gurus. Academic studies, philosophical speculation, performance of self-interested sacrificial rituals,
        severe austerities or other material endeavors will not help a person understand Krishna. They are obstacles to
        understanding the Lord.

        If one is still under the influence of the modes of nature, he becomes entangled in the struggle for existence by
        which he forgets Krishna and becomes prone to develop anger, lust, greed, illusion, envy and madness. Such a
        person remains a victim of ignorance without any awareness that the purpose of life in this world is to be
        rehabilitated by spiritual practice of devotion (bhakti-yoga) so that he can return to the eternal and blissful
        spiritual world to associate with Krishna and His liberated devotees.

        The living entities who are acting under the spell of the three modes of nature are called saguna, contaminated
        by material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. The mode of goodness influences a person to acquire
        knowledge  and  wisdom,  maintain  a  righteous  and  disciplined  lifestyle  and  experience  a  large  measure  of
        happiness. However, there is the tendency to feel that one is highly educated and superior to others. Thus one
        is conditioned by false pride due to advanced knowledge, prosperous lifestyle and being respected by friends
        and colleagues. Such persons become attached to working in the mode of goodness  rather than make an effort
        to rise above it to transcendental life. They repeatedly stay in the cycle of birth and death. Due to illusion they
        remain attached to acting in the mode of goodness for material happiness and wrongly think they have achieved
        the perfection of human life.

        The mode of passion is characterized by unlimited desires, longings and the preoccupation of the mind with
        sensuality.  One  is  obliged  to  work  very  hard.  He  becomes  attached  to  profit,  distinction  and  adoration  as
        comcomittant factors of sex indulgence. There is no possibility for liberation while harboring such a mentality.

        The mode of ignorance puts all persons in a delusional state of mind characterized by over-sleeping, laziness
        and irresponsible or crazy behavior. They are not interested in spiritual life and remain addicted to intoxicants
        and a non-regulated lifestyle. They seem always dejected and plagued by different troubles.

        The living entities are described as gunasrita (under the grip of the modes) or saguna (contaminated by the
        modes). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is gunasraya (all His qualities are spiritual without any tinge of
        material contamination) or nirguna (free of the influence of the modes).

        The living entities’ souls are covered by the material body. This distorts their ability to see properly. They remain
        confused about the real cause of actions. They forced to act like puppets under the influence of the modes of
        nature and they are oblivious about their past lives.




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