1. Endeavor of devotees and non-devotees

    The Mayavadis, they also undergo severe austerities to become one with the Supreme, impersonalists. Any… I have given the… Karmi, jnani, yogi, politicians, and everyone — everyone has got some aim. Many rich men, they commit suicide. So this is possi… This is the ultimate result of nondevotee. He may rise up by endeavor to a certain position as he imagined, “This is the best position.” Just like we are also trying to occupy the best position — to become associate of Krsna, to live with devotees. We have got also some aim, and the nondevotees, they have also got aim. But the devotees will never fall down, while the nondevotee will fall down. And if devotee circumstantially, by chance, falls down — not like them — he’ll be again picked up by Krsna. This is the science, Krsna consciousness. A devotee’s position is certain. Now, take for example my position. For ordinary karmi to purchase so many properties all over the world and so many other things, money and everything, if karmi had to do it, how much hardship he had to go.

    Srila Prabhupada — April 18, 1977, Bombay