70 Raja-vidya: The King of Knowledge

cause this material world is such that in the course
of time, after an adjustment is made, it will again
deteriorate.

The world is so conceived that even if we make a
very good arrangement, it will gradually deteriorate.
After World War I an armistice was signed, and there
was a short period of peace, but World War II soon
came, and now that that is over they are making
preparations for World War III. This is the function
of time (kala) in the material world. We build up a
very nice house, and after fifty years it deteriorates,
and after one hundred years it deteriorates even
more. Similarly, when the body is young, people
care for it, always lavishing affection upon it and
kissing it, but when it grows old no one cares for it.
This is the nature of the material world—even if a
very good adjustment is made, it will in course of
time be vanquished. Therefore adjustments are
periodically required, and from age to age the
Supreme Lord or His representative come to make
adjustments in the direction of civilization. Thus Sri
Krsna descends many times to establish or rejuvenate
many different religions.
