Devotee: How will it be possible, Prabhupāda, for a man whose mind is clouded to constantly chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? A man who's always thinking thoughts about family, friends and country, nation?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Think of, at the same time, chant. Two things will go on, and this will conquer. As māyā is forcing you to drag you from this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you also force māyā by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is fight, and māyā will go away.
daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
(BG 7.14)
This māyā is very strong. She'll force you to entice you to other path. But if you do not stop, if you chant loudly... Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting, and māyā could not victimize him. You know that? What was his stand? Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Māyā could not entice. Māyā failed. Māyā became his disciple; he did not become māyā's disciple. This is tug of war.
So don't be afraid of māyā. Simply enhance chanting and you'll be conqueror. That's all. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). We are not afraid of māyā because Kṛṣṇa is there. Yes. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). "You just declare, My devotee will never be vanquished by māyā." Māyā cannot do anything. Simply you have to become strong. And what is that strength? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, loudly. Yes.
Devotee (2): What is māyā? I know that it's attractive...
Prabhupāda: Māyā means which drags you from Kṛṣṇa. That is māyā.
Devotee (2): Is it a spiritual form?
Prabhupāda: Whatever form may be... force. We shall see form later on. You just... Just like a police sends a warrant, arrest. You do not ask what is the form of the police, but here is warrant, you have to go. Force, that's all. Similarly, don't try to understand what is māyā's form, but you just feel her force, how she is acting. How she is putting you in difficulty. You see? There are so many things. Māyā puts into this difficulty and you are encumbered. That we have to understand, how I have become encumbered. In my childhood I was free. There was no encumbrances. Now I am encumbered. I am harassed. This is māyā's action. So if you want to get out of this māyā's influence, then you have to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other alternative. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, December 23, 1968)
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