In truth, beings conditioned by matter and the energy of illusion have become slaves of material energy through its form of «matter», and the pleasure of the senses that result from their bodies. Material slavery comes from placing oneself under the domination of matter because of the false ego [from the identification of the being to his body], from the desire to dominate the material nature by being a slave to the senses.
Two tendencies manifest themselves in being. The first, corresponds to the desire to dominate material nature or to become as great as the Supreme Lord, for everyone in this world desires to be the greatest [we see this tendency in authoritarian heads of state, who, blinded by their position and the resulting power, really take themselves for the Supreme Person], and the second, envy Krishna, God, the Supreme Person. Now, these two factors, desire to become the Lord and envy God, are the first cause of material slavery.
As long as a philosopher, a nihilist or a man seeking salvation has some desire to become supreme, to be all or to deny the existence of God, the cause of his chaining remains, and there can be no question of liberation for him.
Above all, the incarnate soul undergoes the influence due to ignorance of the data relating to God as He really is, to His true spiritual identity, to true spiritual knowledge, and to existential and absolute truth, which then produces the false ego.
The false ego is the force that chains the individual being distinct from God to the material existence. This force that pushes the incarnate being to identify with his body, to want to dominate matter, and to monopolize all material possessions.
The ultimate totality of matter acts as an intermediary between the pure spiritual element and material existence. It is situated at the border of the material and the spiritual, source of the false ego of the being conditioned by the matter. All beings are distinct souls emanating from the Supreme Lord, but under the pressure of the false ego, conditioned souls, although they are an integral part of the Sovereign Being, claim to be the masters and beneficiaries of material nature.
Everything that exists is the product of the soul with matter, and everything rests on the spiritual energy, the soul. If the universe exists and develops, it is through the presence of the Supreme Soul, Visnu, plenary emanation of Krishna.
The entire cosmic manifestation is constituted by a play of material and spiritual energies whose original cause is the Supreme Soul, Krishna, the creator from whom they emanate. The origin of the material universe is the Supreme Soul, the creator of all beings and the cause of all causes.