276
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 6, Ch. 5]
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” Although one follows the dictations of material nature, he happily thinks himself the master or husband of material nature. Scientists, for example, try to be the masters of material nature, life after life, not caring to understand the Supreme Person, under whose direction everything within this material world is moving. Trying to be the masters of material nature, they are imitation gods who declare to the public that scientific advancement will one day be able to avoid the so-called control of God. In fact, however, the living being, unable to control the rulings of God, is forced to associate with the prostitute of polluted intelligence and accept various material bodies. As stated in  Bhagavad-gītā  (13.22):
puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān kāraṇam guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.” If one fully engages in temporary fruitive activities and does not solve this real problem, what profit will he gain?
TEXT 16
सृष्ट्यप्यकरीं मायां वेलाकूलान्तवेगिताम् । मत्तस्य तामविज्ञस्य किमसत्कर्ममिर्भवेत् ॥१६॥
sṛṣṭy-apyaya-karīm māyām velā-kūlānta-vegitām mattasya tām avijñasya kim asat-karmabhir bhavet