The innate quality of human beings is to employ all his senses – ear, tongue, nose, eye, skin to enjoy whatever is available to him. The insatiable hankering of the modern man to stretch the degree of sense enjoyment is always forcing him to search for newer things and so he is always seen very busy. The nature to lord over the material world has supplied him sleepless nights, newer diseases, anxious moments, failed relationships and nervousness of failure. It has deprived him of spending quality time with himself and his family and more importantly it has landed him into an island where he finds himself all alone surrounded by the ocean of eternal threat and loss of identity.
As Srila Prabhupada defines, that the habit of human race being too engrossed in selfishly searching for happiness for himself, his family, his society is known as Struggle for existence. He spends his entire life in fighting against the obstacles offered by maya. This mundane nature of procuring happiness has kept him under the spell of maya (the material energy) which has tied his gross and subtle body and it is not letting him realise his actual position. Covered by the cloud of material energy human beings falsely take this struggle for existence as real happiness, which earns him repeated birth and death and hence he is left permanently under the spell of fear of birth, death, old age and disease. Humans try to control the world around them and put all our endeavour in making favourable condition for himself and his family, however the fact is that in most of the cases all his plans meet catastrophe only. This constant planning to protect himself against distress and attain happiness is the prime cause of fear and does not allow him to be free. They live a life of a destitute who is unable to feel real independence, fearlessness, freedom and ultimate happiness. This has been confirmed in Srimad Bhagvatam when Lord Kapila gives instructions on devotional activities to his mother Devahuti. (SB: 3.27.3)
Now the question arises, are we so unfortunate that we will eternally live in fear and cannot seek permanent happiness? The answer is NO. Since we are part and parcel of the Absolute- The Supreme Lord, Shri Krsna, who is all merciful, He carries a fatherly affection for us and is ever ready to deliver us back to our actual home that is under His Lotus Feet. It is we who as foolish men wish to enjoy the material nature(external energy) and do not want to enter into His internal energy which consists of Sandhini(full of existence), Samvit(full of knowledge) and Hladini(full of happiness and bliss). We do not value our birth in human form, although Brahmaji and other demigods crave for a human life since it gives a soul the chance of self-realisation. The Lord has assured us, “Relinquishing all ideas of righteousness, surrender unto Me exclusively;I will deliver you from all sinful reactions do not despair”(BG:18.66).
Means to attain independence and real happiness:
As an obedient servant we need to surrender- think, speak, act keeping Lord as the focus. We have to cultivate complete faith on his mercy and depend exclusively upon Him. In this state of mind we are purified and released from the clutches of maya. Our soul relishes being in this position because it is originally a tiny little part of his absolute form and remains attached eternally.
Hence, we conclude that Absolute Dependence on the Lord bestows us Independence from maya, and gives us a feeling of fearlessness and permanent happiness. To attain this stage, it is of foremost importance that we render devotional service unto the lotus Feet of Lord, by hearing about His pastimes, chanting His names as has been taught by ever benevolent Lord Chaitnya MahaPrabhu who gave us the beautiful, Harinama. This will enable us to clean our souls and merge our consciousness in the service of Lord Shri Krsna.