Becoming Frustrated in Material Life

In the material world, the living entity is engaged in a constant struggle to find happiness through the gratification of the senses and the accumulation of power. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because the material world is by nature temporary and miserable, these attempts inevitably lead to the state of becoming frustrated. He notes that this frustration is not merely an emotional state but a symptom of the soul's incompatibility with matter. From the highest demigods like Indra to the common man, everyone who attempts to enjoy apart from the Supreme Lord eventually meets with disappointment. This article explores the causes of this frustration and the ultimate solution found in reconnecting with the divine.

Root Cause of Frustration

The primary cause of suffering in the material world is the envious desire to imitate the position of the Supreme Lord. When the living entity tries to dominate material nature or claim a position of supremacy, they are fighting against the divine laws, leading to inevitable failure and bitterness.

• The first illusion is that he wants to become Lord of the material world by accumulating wealth and power, but when he is frustrated in that attempt he wants to be one with the Lord.
• First they (envious persons) try to occupy high positions in this material world, & when they are frustrated in this attempt, they think, "Now I shall occupy the position of God." Of course this desire is also frustrated because no 1 can become God.
• Indra said, "In the material world there is regular competition between different types of living entities to become supreme leaders of society, and after being frustrated in achieving the supreme positions of leadership, foolish persons claim to be God."

Misplaced Love and Material Relationships

We seek to find fulfillment through relationships with family, society, and country, but these finite vessels cannot hold the infinite propensity for love that resides within the soul. As time passes and old age approaches, the limitations of these relationships become painfully apparent, leaving the heart empty and depressed.

• Either you love your family or your country or your society or your wife, your children, by loving there is happiness. But this loving process is not giving us happiness. We are becoming frustrated.
• I am placing my love in so many things, and I am becoming frustrated. So when we understand the love is meant for God, that is our perfection of life. And if you love God, then you love everything. That is perfect love.
• At the fag end of life, we are disappointed, we are frustrated. Brdhya kala aula saba sukha pagala. When we cannot again . . . no more we can enjoy with our senses, then we become very much depressed.

Blazing Fire of Material Existence

Śrīla Prabhupāda notes one more point regarding the condition of material life: it is described as a blazing forest fire, or saṁsāra-dāvānala, which burns the conditioned soul with the heat of unfulfilled desires and confusion. Unable to find a true solution, many turn to intoxication or philosophical speculation to escape the burning reality of their existence.

• This desire, when this desire fulfilled, another desire, another desire, another desire. In this way you are simply creating problem. And when the desires are not fulfilled, then we become frustrated, confused.
• Samsara-davanala-lidha-loka. This world is just like blazing fire. People realize it. And when they do not find any solution, they become frustrated, they become confused, they take to intoxication to forget the blazing condition upon life.
• He (a person) attempts to act fruitively for personal gain or sense gratification, after attempting fruitive activities for a considerable time, when he is frustrated he becomes a philosophical speculator and thinks himself to be on the same level as God.

Surrender: The Path to Relief

The only genuine escape from this cycle of frustration is to align one's will with the will of the Supreme. By accepting the guidance of a tattva-darśī, one who has seen the truth, and engaging in devotional service, the soul can find the peace that remains elusive in all other endeavors.

• This is called surrender that, "I have tried to satisfy my . . . the whims of my senses so many lives. I have become frustrated, confused. Let me try this life to satisfy the senses of Krsna." That's all.
• Krishna's plan becomes very easy for us when we follow Krishna's orders, otherwise, we are following Maya's plan and become frustrated at every step.
• You have to take knowledge from the tattva-darsi, one who has seen the truth. Otherwise, you'll be frustrated.
• This sounds very simple, but actually understanding Krsna is very difficult. If we become devotees of Krsna, understanding Krsna is easy. However, if we try to understand Him by jnana, karma or yoga, we will be frustrated.

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that becoming frustrated in material life is an inevitable experience for those who seek enjoyment separate from the Supreme Lord. Whether through the failure of political ambition, the collapse of family attachments, or the sheer exhaustion of sense gratification, the material energy thwarts the independent living entity. However, this frustration can serve as a powerful impetus for spiritual awakening. When one realizes the futility of satisfying the senses and instead chooses to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, the confusion clears, and the blazing fire of material existence is extinguished, replaced by the eternal satisfaction of devotional service.

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Srila Prabhupada lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Becoming Frustrated. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Srila Prabhupada's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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