Becoming Hopeless and Confused – The Remedy of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
In the modern world, particularly in affluent nations, there is a striking contradiction. Despite having first-class roads, prestigious universities, and abundant wealth, the younger generation is drifting into a state of hopelessness. Śrīla Prabhupāda diagnosed this condition clinically: society is becoming confused. The reason is that material facilities cannot satisfy the spiritual hunger of the soul. When one tries to eat stones instead of food, satisfaction is impossible. This article explores the causes of this widespread confusion and the practical remedy offered by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Paradox of Material Prosperity
Śrīla Prabhupāda often pointed out the anomaly of the West. He observed that while countries like America had solved the problems of poverty and infrastructure, they had failed to solve the problem of happiness. Young men and women, despite having no material wants, were turning into "hippies"—disappointed and confused. This phenomenon serves as proof that "wood and stone" cannot satisfy the living entity. Without spiritual engagement, even the most opulent life feels empty.
- American or many other Western countries, the young men, they belong to a rich nation, so practically they have no want. But still, why they are becoming hopeless and confused? Because this material want is not all.
- Industry, in your country also going on, but in spite of all industry and big, big universities, why your young men are becoming confused? Why? Why the universities are producing hippies?
- In America especially, despite all material opulences, there you are becoming confused and frustrated and disappointed, because wood and stone will not satisfy you. You must have spiritual food, and that is Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Forest Fire of Desire
The material world is compared to a blazing forest fire (saṁsāra-dāvānala). When a fire breaks out in the forest, all the animals become panic-stricken. They do not know where to go or how to save their lives. Similarly, when human beings are driven by unlimited desires for sense gratification, they eventually meet with frustration. Whether the desire is fulfilled or unfulfilled, the result is the same: one becomes baffled. This constant cycle of hankerings leaves the population in a state of chaotic confusion.
- This whole world is confusion, just like a blazing fire in the forest. When there is forest fire, all the animals become confused, "Where to go? How to save life?" It is very good example. When there is fire in the forest, all the animals become confused.
- 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.
- Everyone is engaged in maintaining the body, home and family. Consequently everyone becomes confused at the end of life, not knowing what spiritual life and the goal of human life are.
Root Cause: Spiritual Starvation
Why does this happen? Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the confusion stems from ignorance of our true identity. We are trying to enjoy through the body, but we are not the body. It is like a man in a dark room who cannot see where to sit or where to go. This darkness is the absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The soul is craving spiritual pleasure (ānanda), but because it is misdirected toward matter, the result is anxiety.
- Unless we are in spiritual life, we cannot be happy. That is our position. Everyone is trying for that spiritual realization, but he does not know. Therefore he is trying to be happy here in material condition. He is becoming frustrated, confused.
- You can have unlimited ananda, but because you are falsely trying to enjoy through this material body, therefore you are becoming confused and frustrated.
- Ignorance, stupidity, is compared with darkness. Just like if you are . . . if this room, immediately all lights are off, then it becomes dark. We cannot see where I am sitting, where others sitting. It becomes a confusion.
Remedy: Surrender and Association
The cure for this confusion is simple: change the master. Instead of serving the dictations of the senses, which has only led to frustration, one should agree to serve Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda urges us to give this process a trial in this life. By associating with devotees, even those who are deeply confused can find the highest happiness. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement exists specifically to save the "flower of the country"—the younger generation—from this hopeless condition.
- 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.
- A person who is overly affected materially may take advantage of this movement and become intimately associated with it. In this way the confused and frustrated inhabitants of this material world may find the highest happiness in association with devotees.
- In your country you do not see how the younger generation are going astray, how they're baffled and confused. You should take care of this. The flower of your country, they are becoming hopeless, confused. Try to save them. And this is the only remedy, Krsna consciousness.
Conclusion
Confusion is not a permanent state of the soul; it is a symptom of misidentification. Just as a fish is confused and distressed when taken out of water, the soul is confused when placed in the material atmosphere. The solution is not more material adjustment, but a return to the original element: spiritual life. By taking shelter of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the association of devotees, the fog of confusion lifts, revealing the clear path back to home, back to Godhead.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Becoming Confused. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.
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