The Three Modes of Nature 33

SRILA PRABHUPADA: Yes. According to the association of
the modes of nature, your activities are being contaminated.

karanarh guna-satigo ‘sya
sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

A man gets a higher birth or lower birth according to the
association of the gunas, or the modes of nature.

BOB: So cheating and like that—what mode is that?

SRILA PRABHUPADA: Cheating is mixed passion and ig-
norance. Suppose one man cheats another. That means he
wants to obtain something; he is passionate. But if he com-
mits murder, he does not know that he will have to suffer
for it, so it is a mixture of passion and ignorance.

BOB: And what about when somebody helps another
person?

SRILA PRABHUPADA: That is goodness.

BOB: Why is that goodness? What intelligence is that? I
mean—this represents knowledge of what? You said that
goodness is when you have knowledge.

SRILA PRABHUPADA: Yes.

BOB: Intelligence.

SRILA PRABHUPADA: Yes.

BOB: So helping another person?

SRILA PRABHUPADA: That means that he is ignorant and
you are trying to enlighten him.

BOB: So giving intelligence . . .

SRILA PRABHUPADA: Yes, that is goodness.

BoB: And what about just giving assistance?

SRILA PRABHUPADA: That is also goodness.

BOB: If a beggar has nothing and you give himalms . . .
SRILA PRABHUPADA: So that may still be goodness. But
in your Bowery Street, they give some charity, and
