event there. The coordination of these astral influences never depends on human will, but rests in the hands of higher authorities, agents of the Supreme Lord. And of course, the predominant influences at the time of birth are determined according to the past acts, good or bad, of the being who incarnates. Hence the importance of the virtuous and guilty acts performed by the being during his existence. Thus, it is only by pious acts that great wealth, good education or harmonious bodily traits will be obtained.

The embodied soul is dominated and conditioned by material nature.

The soul which is under the influence of material nature as well as the false ego and which identifies with its body, is absorbed in material activities and, under the influence of the false ego, believes itself to be the owner of everything what surrounds it. In fact, the soul conditioned by matter is forced to act under the pressure exerted on it by the three gunas, the three attributes and modes of influence of material nature; virtue, passion and ignorance. The individual and distinct from God has no independence. When he places himself under the tutelage of the Sovereign Lord, he remains free; but as soon as he engages in material activities with the impression of fulfilling his senses, he does undergo the spell of material nature. The Lord teaches in this connection that each one acts according to the particular material influences which condition him. We use the word guna to designate the attributes of nature. Thus, the being undergoes the influence of these attributes, but it does not believe itself less the master of everything. Nevertheless, it is enough to devote oneself to devotional service under the direction of the Supreme Lord or of the one who represents him in an authentic way, the spiritual master, to remove this feeling of illusory possession.

A conditioned soul may well have good nature and act in virtue, but it remains conditioned, dominated by material nature. The holy being, for his part, acts in everything under the direction of the Supreme Lord; therefore, even if his actions do not necessarily appear the highest in the eyes of men, he does not have to bear the responsibility. Thus, the conditioned soul is reincarnated through different species, sometimes superior, sometimes inferior, by the very fact of its contact with the attributes of material nature. Unless she is released from her material occupations, she must accept this position because of her guilty acts.

In this material world, every action, good or bad, must be considered as soiled or faulty, because of its link with matter. The conditioned being, deprived of reason, believes that he is carrying out a charitable action by opening for the material good of others hospitals or educational establishments providing material instruction, but he