Defeat in All Activities - The Consequence of Ignoring Ātma-tattva
In the modern world, activity is often mistaken for progress. People are busy with careers, politics, family, and technology, believing they are advancing. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda issues a stark warning based on the Vedic scriptures: if one performs all these activities without understanding ātma-tattva (the science of the self), one is simply courting defeat. Human life is meant for a specific inquiry—"Who am I?"—and ignoring this question renders all other achievements useless. This article explores the necessity of ātma-tattva and the dangerous consequences of remaining blind to it.
Born Foolish, Dying Defeated
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that every human being is born a fool (abodha-jāta). We are born identifying with the body, unaware of our spiritual nature. If we do not receive education to remove this ignorance, we remain animals in human form. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam declares that for a person devoid of ātma-tattva, whatever they are doing is a defeat (parābhava). Why? Because despite their hard work, they cannot stop the process of death and rebirth. They lose the battle of life.
- Abodha-jata, these rascal fools, born foolish. He does not inquire about the self-realization, so whatever he is doing, it is all defeat, he is spoiling his time, because he does not know. Atma-tattvam, the science of self-realization.
- So long they do not come to this platform of understanding atma-tattva, whatever rascal they are doing, simply defeat, that's all. Parabhava. Simply frustration and defeat.
Real Education vs. Technical Skills
We often pride ourselves on our educational systems, but Śrīla Prabhupāda distinguishes between technical skills and real education. An electrician may know how to manipulate wires to bring power, but that is technical knowledge. Real education explains the user of the power—the soul. Without ātma-tattva, "educated" people are merely polished rascals who do not know the purpose of their own existence.
- Electrician comes - suppose the power has failed, and he manipulates and brings the power - that is technical education. But real education is different. That is to understand the atma-tattvam.
- Unfortunately, after so-called education also, we remain fools and rascals. Because we do not know, there is no educational system to understand atma-tattvam. Atma-tattvam. The human life is meant for understanding atma-tattvam.
Blindness of Attachment
The scriptures describe materialists as apaśyatām ātma-tattvam—those who are blind to the truth of the self. Because they cannot see the soul, they focus entirely on the body and its extensions (home, wife, children, bank balance). Such persons are called gṛhamedhī (envious householders), as opposed to gṛhastha (spiritual householders). For the blind gṛhamedhī, valuable time is wasted in sleeping (nidrayā) and sexual enjoyment, with no spiritual profit.
- Those who are apasyatam atma-tattvam, who cannot see, who cannot understand, who cannot vision what is atma-tattvam, what is their business? How they are wasting time? Sukadeva Goswami says nidraya, by sleeping. By sleeping.
- One who is attached to this compact position, packed up in the body or within this universe, they are called grhamedhi. Apasyatam atma-tattvam grhesu grha-medhinam. They cannot see what is atma-tattva, self-realization.
Complete Science
It is important to note that ātma-tattva is not just understanding "I am a soul." It includes understanding the Supreme Soul, God. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that ātma-tattva is the science of both the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. True self-realization culminates in the worship of the Supreme, as the part naturally serves the Whole.
- Atma-tattva is the science of both God and the living entity. Both the Supreme Lord and the living entity are known as atma.
- A human being should actually be interested in understanding atma-tattva, the truth of atma, the spirit soul, and Paramatma, the supreme soul. Those who are interested in atma-tattva worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Conclusion
Without the light of ātma-tattva, human civilization gropes in the darkness. We may build skyscrapers and spaceships, but if we do not solve the problem of death through self-realization, we are defeated. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is specifically designed to provide this missing education, turning a life of defeat into one of eternal victory.
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 Atma-tattva. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.