Recognizing that material comfort-seeking is ignorance; real intelligence is serving Krishna, one's eternal business.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Lecture — July 16, 1971, Detroit 710716LE-DETROIT [43:19 Minutes] Lecture_710716LE-DETROIT Prabhupāda: [prema-dhvani] [devotees offer obeisances] Why not open these windows? It is very hot. Devotee: Open the window. Prabhupāda: Yes. Is there any small table? You have got it?
No. No, no. Yes. The window doors are open or not? Devotee: Yes, they're open. Prabhupāda: Then open...
There are so many men. It must be... Ventilation must be there. ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ [Śrī Guru Praṇāma] Ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Ajñāna means ignorance, darkness.
Timi. Timi means darkness. So ajñāna-timirāndhasya: one who is in ignorance and in the darkness, such a person, every one of us... This material advancement of civilization is not knowledge.
People may not agree with us, but actually this is the fact. This is ignorance. Suppose I have come here in your city. I have got some business.
So if I forget my business and I become busy with my apartment, is that very sound knowledge? I have come here to execute some business. I have got my temple here. There are devotees.
They want to see me; I want to see them. They want to take something, spiritual knowledge, from me, and my duty is to impart. This is the business. But if I simply become engaged how to decorate the apartment where I shall live and forget my business, does it mean that I am very intelligent?