Knowingly or unknowingly we are put into such a condition that knowingly or unknowingly we have to commit something which is not very favorable for our future. But those who are cautious . . . the same example: just like you are cautious while traveling, while, I mean to say, driving in your car on the road you are very cautious. You stop your car when there is red light; you turn according to the direction; you don't violate the laws. In a street you have to follow so many rules. In a street, for a few minutes if you drive, you have to follow some . . . and you have no routine work for your life? Do you think like that? You are so irresponsible? Just try to understand: in a street for a few min . . . ten minutes if you drive you have to follow so many rules and regulations. It is a ten-minutes' affair. And throughout your whole life you are irresponsible—you will not follow any rules and regulations? Is that very nice proposal? Is good intelligence? Huh? No—you have to. So Śukadeva Goswāmī recommends that there are so many rules and regulations, which is difficult also to follow, especially in this age, Kali-yuga. We are in this age very much irresponsible.
- prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya
- kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ
- (SB 1.1.10)
First of all, our life is very short; we are not living for many days. Our forefathers lived for a hundred years at least, but we are living fifty, sixty, average. In our India our the average age is thirty-five years, and I do not know what is the average age in your country. Because you are prosperous, your duration of life may be average greater than India. But either you may . . . your average may be fifty or sixty years, ours may be thirty-five years, so the average years of living is reducing in this Kali-yuga. Actually in this age one should live at least one hundred years, but because we do not follow hygienic rules, do not live nicely, extravagantly, therefore the duration of life is reduced. And we are proud that we are improving. We are proud of our so-called scientific education that is improving. What you are improving? You cannot live even for hundred years. So this is called māyā. Actually we are decreasing, but we are thinking improving.