The Cost of Forgetting Our Real Identity

Why does the eternal spirit soul, who is full of knowledge and bliss, suffer in the material world? Śrīla Prabhupāda answers this with a single concept: forgetfulness. We are suffering not because of who we are, but because we have forgotten who we are. We are like kings suffering in a nightmare that we are beggars.

The First Condition of Material Life

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this amnesia is actually self-imposed. To enter the material world and attempt to enjoy separately from God, we must block out the truth of our identity. If we remembered we were eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, we could not take the risks of material life.

"Unless a living entity forgets his real identity, it is impossible for him to live in the material conditions of life. Therefore the first condition of material existence is forgetfulness of one's real identity"

Fear of Death

The most immediate cost of this forgetfulness is fear. The soul never dies, yet everyone in the material world is terrified of death. Why? Because they have identified themselves with the body, which must die.

"By forgetting one's real identity, one is sure to be afraid of death, although a pure living soul is deathless and birthless"

The Trap of Advancement

Modern civilization prides itself on advancement, but Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that this so-called progress is often just a more sophisticated form of illusion. As we become more comfortable in the body, we become less likely to ask, "Who am I?"

"The more we advance in so-called material happiness or material advancement, the more we forget our real identity. This is the result"

Conclusion

The goal of human life is not to improve the material condition, but to recover our lost memory. As Śrīla Prabhupāda often quoted from Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: "Jīv jāgo!"—Wake up, sleeping soul, and remember your real identity.

Dive Deeper into Srila Prabhupada's Vani

Srila Prabhupada lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Forgetting Our Real Identity.

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