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Chapter Fourteen
The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment
The direct meaning of the forest of material existence is given in this chapter. Merchants sometimes enter the forest to collect many rare things and sell them at a good profit in the city, but the forest path is always bedecked with dangers. When the pure soul wants to give up the Lord's service to enjoy the material world, Krsna certainly gives him a chance to enter the material world. As stated in the prema-vivarta: krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare. This is the reason the pure spirit soul falls down to the material world. Due to his activities under the influence of the three modes of material nature, the living entity takes different positions in different species. Sometimes he is a demigod in the heavenly planets and sometimes a most insignificant creature in the lower planetary systems. In this regard, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, nana yoni sada phire: the living entity passes through various species. Kardarya bhaksana kare: he is obliged to eat and enjoy abominable things. Tara janma adhah-pate yaya: in this way his whole life is spoiled. Without the protection of an all-merciful Vaisnava. the conditioned soul cannot get out of the clutches of maya. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati), the living entity begins material life with his mind and the five knowledge-acquiring senses, and with these he struggles for existence within the material world. These senses are compared to rogues and thieves within the forest. They take away a man's knowledge and place him in a network of nescience. Thus the senses are like rogues and thieves that plunder his spiritual knowledge. Over and above this, there are family members, wife and children. who are exactly like ferocious animals in the forest. The business of such ferocious animals is to eat a man's flesh. The living entity allows himself to be attacked by jackals and foxes (wife and children), and thus his real spiritual life is finished. In the forest of material life, everyone is envious like mosquitoes, and rats and mice are always creating disturbances. Everyone in this material world is placed in many awkward positions and surrounded by envious people and disturbing animals. The result is that the living entity in the material world is always plundered and bitten by many living entities. Nonetheless, despite these disturbances, he does not want to give up his family life, and he continues his fruitive activities in an attempt to become happy in the future. He thus becomes more and more entangled in the results of karma, and thus he is forced to act impiously. His witnesses are the sun during the day and the moon during the night. The demigods also witness, but the conditioned soul thinks that his attempts at sense gratification are not being witnessed by anyone. Sometimes, when he is detected, he temporarily renounces everything, but due to his great attachment for the body, his renunciation is given up before he can attain perfection.
In this material world there are many envious people. There is the tax-exacting government, which is compared to an owl, and there are invisible crickets that create unbearable sounds. The conditioned soul is certainly greatly harassed by the agents of material nature, but his intelligence is lost due to undesirable association. In an attempt to gain relief from the disturbances of material existence, he falls victim to so-called yogis, sadhus and incarnations who can display some magic but who do not understand devotional service. Sometimes the conditioned soul is bereft of all money, and consequently he becomes unkind to his family members. In this material world there is not a pinch of actual happiness, for which the conditioned soul is longing life after life. The government officials are like carnivorous Raksasas who exact heavy taxes for the maintenance of the government. The hard-working conditioned soul is very saddened due to these heavy taxes.
The path of fruitive activities leads to difficult mountains, and sometimes the conditioned soul wants to cross these mountains, but he is never successful, and consequently he becomes more and more aggrieved and disappointed. Becoming materially and financially embarrassed, the conditioned soul unnecessarily chastises his family. In the material condition there are four principal needs, out of which sleep is compared to a python. When asleep, the conditioned soul completely forgets his real existence, and in sleep he does not feel the tribulations of material life. Sometimes, being in need of money, the conditioned soul steals and cheats, although he may apparently be associated with devotees for spiritual advancement. His only business is getting out of the clutches of maya, but due to improper guidance he becomes more and more entangled in material dealings. This material world is simply an embarrassment and is composed of tribulations presented as happiness. distress, attachment, enmity and envy. On the whole it is simply full of tribulation and misery. When a person loses his intelligence due to attachment to wife and sex, his entire consciousness becomes polluted. He thus only thinks of the association of women. The time factor, which is like a serpent, takes away everyone's life, including that of Lord Brahma and the insignificant ant. Sometimes the conditioned soul tries to save himself from inexorable time and thus takes shelter of some bogus savior. Unfortunately. the bogus savior cannot even save himself. How, then. can he protect others? The bogus saviors do not care for bona fide knowledge received from qualified brahmanas and Vedic sources. Their only business is indulging in sex and recommending sexual freedom even for widows. Thus they are like monkeys in the forest. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami thus explains the material forest and its difficult path to Maharaja Pariksit.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sa hovaca
sa esa dehatma-maninam sattvadi-guna-visesa-vikalpita-kusalaku-sala-samavahara-vinirmita-vividha-dehavalibhir viyoga-samyogady-anadi-samsaranubhavasya dvara-bhutena sad-indriya-vargena tasmin durgadhvavad asugame 'dhvany apatita isvarasya bhagavato visnor vasa-vartinya mayaya jiva-loko 'yam yatha vanik-sartho 'rtha-parah sva-deha-nispadita-karmanubhavah smasanavad asivatamayam samsaratavyam gato nadyapi viphala-bahu-pratiyogehas tat-tapopasamanim hari-guru-caranaravinda-madhukaranupadavim avarundhe.
SYNONYMS
sah--the self-realized devotee (Sri Sukadeva Gosvami); ha--indeed; uvaca--spoke; sah--he (the conditioned soul); esah--this one; deha-atma-maninam--of those who foolishly take the body to be the self; sattva-adi--of sattva, rajah and tamah; guna--by the modes; visesa--particular; vikalpita--falsely constituted; kusala--sometimes by favorable actions; akusala--sometimes by very unfavorable actions; samavahara--by a mixture of both; vinirmita--obtained; vividha--various types; deha-avalibhih--by the series of bodies; viyoga-samyoga-adi--symptomized by giving up one type of body (viyoga) and accepting another (samyoga); anadi-samsara-anubhavasya--of the perception of the beginningless process of transmigration; dvara-bhutena--existing as the doorways; sat-indriya-vargena--by these six senses (the mind and five knowledge-acquiring senses, namely the eyes, ears, tongue, nose and skin); tasmin--on that; durga-adhva-vat--like a path that is very difficult to traverse; asugame--being difficult to pass through; adhvani--on a path in the forest; apatitah--happened; isvarasya--of the controller; bhagavatah--the Supreme personality of Godhead; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; vasa-vartinya--acting under the control; mayaya--by the material energy; jiva-lokah--the conditioned living entity; ayam--this; yatha--exactly like; vanik--a merchant; sa-arthah--having an object; artha-parah--who is very attached to money; sva-deha-nispadita--performed by his own body; karma--the fruits of activities; anubhavah--who experiences; smasana-vat asivatamayam--like an inauspicious cemetery or place of burial; samsara-atavyam--in the forest of material life; gatah--having entered; na--not; adya api--until now; viphala--unsuccessful; bahu-pratiyoga--full of great difficulties and varieties of miserable conditions; ihah--whose activities here in this material world; tat-tapa-upasa-manim--which pacifies the miseries of the forest of material life; hari-guru-carana-aravinda--to the lotus feet of the Lord and His devotee; madhukara-anupadavim--the road followed in pursuance of devotees who are attached like bumblebees; avarundhe--gain.
TRANSLATION
When King Pariksit asked Sukadeva Gosvami about the direct meaning of the material forest, Sukadeva Gosvami replied as follows: My dear King, a man belonging to the mercantile community [vanik] is always interested in earning money. Sometimes he enters the forest to acquire some cheap commodities like wood and earth and sell them in the city at good prices. Similarly, the conditioned soul, being greedy, enters this material world for some material profit. Gradually he enters the deepest part of the forest, not really knowing how to get out. Having entered the material world, the pure soul becomes conditioned by the material atmosphere, which is created by the external energy under the control of Lord Visnu. Thus the living entity comes under the control of the external energy, daivi maya. Living independently and bewildered in the forest, he does not attain the association of devotees who are always engaged in the service of the Lord. Once in the bodily conception, he gets different types of bodies one after the other under the influence of material energy and impelled by the modes of material nature [sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna]. In this way the conditioned soul goes sometimes to the heavenly planets, sometimes to the earthly planets and sometimes to the lower planets and lower species. Thus he suffers continuously due to different types of bodies. These sufferings and pains are sometimes mixed. Sometimes they are very severe, and sometimes they are not. These bodily conditions are acquired due to the conditioned soul's mental speculation. He uses his mind and five senses to acquire knowledge, and these bring about the different bodies and different conditions. Using the senses under the control of the external energy, maya, the living entity suffers the miserable conditions of material existence. He is actually searching for relief, but he is generally baffled, although sometimes he is relieved after great difficulty. Struggling for existence in this way, he cannot get the shelter of pure devotees, who are like bumblebees engaged in loving service at the lotus feet of Lord Visnu.
PURPORT
The most important information in this verse is hari-guru-carana-aravinda-madhukara-anupadavim. In this material world the conditioned souls are baffled by their activities, and sometimes they are relieved after great difficulty. On the whole the conditioned soul is never happy. He simply struggles for existence. Actually his only business is to accept the spiritual master, the guru, and through him he must accept the lotus feet or the Lord. This is explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija. people struggling for existence in the forests or cities of the material world are not actually enjoying life. They are simply suffering different pains and pleasures, generally pains that are always inauspicious. They try to gain release from these pains, but they cannot due to ignorance. For them it is stated in the Vedas: tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. When the living entity is lost in the forest of the material world, in the struggle for existence, his first business is to find a bona fide guru who is always engaged at the lotus feet of the Supreme personality of Godhead, Visnu. After all, if he is at all eager to be relieved of the struggle for existence, he must find a bona fide guru and take instructions at his lotus feet. In this way he can get out of the struggle.
Since the material world is compared herein to a forest, it may be argued that in Kali-yuga modern civilization is mainly situated in the cities. A great city, however, is like a great forest. Actually city life is more dangerous than life in the forest. If one enters an unknown city without friend or shelter, living in that city is more difficult than living in a forest. There are many big cities all over the surface of the globe, and wherever one looks he sees the struggle for existence going on twenty-four hours a day. people rush about in cars going seventy and eighty miles an hour, constantly coming and going, and this sets the scene of the great struggle for existence. One has to rise early in the morning and travel in that car at breakneck speed. There is always the danger of an accident, and one has to take great care. In his automobile, the living entity is full of anxieties, and his struggle is not at all auspicious. Apart from human beings, other species like cats and dogs are also struggling very hard day and night for existence. Thus the struggle for existence continues, and the conditioned soul changes from one position to another. For a while, he is a child, but he has to become a boy. From a boy, he has to change into a youth, and from youth to manhood and old age. Finally, when the body is no longer workable, he has to accept a new body in a different species. Giving up the body is called death, and accepting another body is called birth. The human form is an opportunity to take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master and, through him, the Supreme Lord. This Krsna consciousness movement has been started to give an opportunity to all the members of human society, who are misled by foolish leaders. No one can get out of this struggle for existence, which is full of miseries, without accepting a pure devotee of the Lord. The material attempt changes from one position to another, and no one actually gains relief from the struggle for existence. The only resort is the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, and, through him, the lotus feet of the Lord.
TEXT 2
TEXT
yasyam u ha va ete sad-indriya-namanah karmana dasyava eva te; tad yatha purusasya dhanam yat kincid dharmaupayikam bahu-krcchradhigatam saksat parama-purusaradhana-laksano yo 'sau dharmas tam tu samparaya udaharanti; tad-dharmyam dhanam darsana-sparsana-sravanasvadanavaghrana-sankalpa-vyavasaya-grha-gramyopabhogena kunathasyajitatmano yatha sarthasya vilum-panti.
SYNONYMS
yasyam--in which; u ha--certainly; va--or; ete--all these; sat-indriya-namanah--who are named the six senses (the mind and the five knowledge-acquiring senses); karmana--by their activity; dasyavah--the plunderers; eva--certainly; te--they; tat--that; yatha--as; purusasya--of a person; dhanam--the wealth; yat--whatever; kincit--something; dharma-aupayikam--which is a means to religious principles; bahu-krcchra-adhigatam--earned after much hard labor; saksat--directly; parama-purusa-aradhana-laksanah--whose symptoms are worship of the Supreme Lord by performance of sacrifices and so on; yah--which; asau--that; dharmah--religious principles; tam--that; tu--but; samparaye--for the benefit of the living entity after death; udaharanti--the wise declare; tat-dharmyam--religious (relating to the prosecution of the varnasrama-dharma); dhanam--wealth; darsana--by seeing; sparsana--by touching; sravana--by hearing; asvadana--by tasting; avaghrana--by smelling; sankalpa--by determination; vyavasaya--by a conclusion; grha--in the material home; gramya-upabhogena--by material sense gratification; kunathasya--of the misguided conditioned soul; ajita-atmanah--who has not controlled himself; yatha--just as; sarthasya--of the living entity interested in sense gratification; vilumpanti--they plunder.
TRANSLATION
In the forest of material existence, the uncontrolled senses are like plunderers. The conditioned soul may earn some money for the advancement of Krsna consciousness, but unfortunately the uncontrolled senses plunder his money through sense gratification. The senses are plunderers because they make one spend his money unnecessarily for seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing, desiring and willing. In this way the conditioned soul is obliged to gratify his senses, and thus all his money is spent. This money is actually acquired for the execution of religious principles, but it is taken away by the plundering senses.
PURPORT
purva jamnarjita vidya purva janmarjitam dhanam agre dhavati dhavati. By following the principles of the varnasrama-dharma, one attains a better position in the material world. One may be rich, learned, beautiful or highborn. One who has all these assets should know that they are all meant for the advancement of Krsna consciousness. Unfortunately, when a person is misguided he misuses his high position for sense gratification. Therefore the uncontrolled senses are considered plunderers. The good position one attains by executing religious principles is wasted as the plundering senses take it away. By executing religious principles under the laws of varna-srama-dharma, one is placed in a comfortable position. One may very easily use his assets for the further advancement of Krsna consciousness. One should understand that the wealth and opportunity one gets in the material world should not be squandered in sense gratification. They are meant for the advancement of Krsna consciousness. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore teaching people to control the mind and five knowledge-acquiring senses by a definite process. One should practice a little austerity and not spend money on anything other than the regulative life of devotional service. The senses demand that one see beautiful things; therefore money should be spent for decorating the Deity in the temple. Similarly, the tongue has to taste good food, which should be bought and offered to the Deity. The nose can be utilized in smelling the flowers offered to the Deity, and the hearing can be utilized by listening to the vibration of the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way the senses can be regulated and utilized to advance Krsna consciousness. Thus a good position might not be spoiled by material sense gratification in the form of illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. One spoils an opulent position in the material world by driving cars, spending time in nightclubs or tasting abominable food in restaurants. In these ways. the plundering senses take away all the assets that the conditioned soul has acquired with great difficulty.
TEXT 3
TEXT
atha ca yatra kautumbika darapatyadayo namna karmana vrka-srgala evanicchato 'pi kadaryasya kutumbina uranakavat samraksyamanam misato 'pi haranti.
SYNONYMS
atha--in this way; ca--also; yatra--in which; kautumbikah--the family members; dara-apatya-adayah--beginning with the wife and children; namna--by name only; karmana--by their behavior; vrka-srgalah--tigers and jackals; eva--certainly; anicchatah--of one who does not desire to spend his wealth; api--certainly; kadaryasya--being too miserly; kutumbinah--who is surrounded by family members; uranaka-vat--like a lamb; samraksyamanam--although protected; misatah--of one who is observing; api--even; haranti--they forcibly take away.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, family members in this material world go under the names of wife and children, but actually they behave like tigers and jackals. A herdsman tries to protect his sheep to the best of his ability, but the tigers and foxes take them away by force. Similarly, although a miserly man wants to guard his money very carefully, his family members take away all his assets forcibly, even though he is very vigilant.
PURPORT
One Hindi poet has sung: din ka dakini rat ka baghini palak palak rahu cuse. During the daytime, the wife is compared to a witch, and at night she is compared to a tigress. Her only business is sucking the blood of her husband both day and night. During the day there are household expenditures, and the money earned by the husband at the cost of his blood is taken away. At night, due to sex pleasure, the husband discharges blood in the form of semen. In this way he is bled by his wife both day and night, yet he is so crazy that he very carefully maintains her. Similarly, the children are also like tigers, jackals and foxes. As tigers, jackals and foxes take away lambs despite the herdsman's vigilant protection, children take away the father's money, although the father supervises the money himself. Thus family members may be called wives and children, but actually they are plunderers.
TEXT 4
TEXT
yatha hy anuvatsaram krsyamanam apy adagdha-bijam ksetram punar evavapana-kale gulma-trna-virudbhir gahvaram iva bhavaty evam eva grhasramah karma-ksetram yasmin na hi karmany utsidanti yad ayam kama-karanda esa avasathah.
SYNONYMS
yatha--just as; hi--certainly; anuvatsaram--every year; krsyamanam--being plowed; api--although; adagdha-bijam--in which the seeds are not burned; ksetram--the field; punah--again; eva--certainly; avapana-kale--at the times for sowing the seeds; gulma--by bushes; trna--by grasses; virudbhih--by the creepers; gahvaram iva--like a bower; bhavati--becomes; evam--thus; eva--certainly; grha-asramah--family life; karma-ksetram--the field of activities; yasmin--in which; na--not; hi--certainly; karmani utsidanti--fruitive activities disappear; yat--therefore; ayam--this; kama-karandah--the storehouse of fruitive desire; esah--this; avasathah--abode.
TRANSLATION
Every year the plowman plows over his grain field, completely uprooting all weeds. Nonetheless, the seeds lie there and, not being completely burned, again come up with the plants sown in the field. Even after being plowed under, the weeds come up densely. Similarly, the grhastha-asrama [family life] is a field of fruitive activity. Unless the desire to enjoy family life is completely burned out, it grows up again and again. Even though camphor may be removed from a pot, the pot nonetheless retains the aroma of camphor. As long as the seeds of desire are not destroyed, fruitive activities are not destroyed.
PURPORT
Unless one's desires are completely transferred to the service of the Supreme personality of Godhead, the desire for family life continues. even after one has taken sannyasa. Sometimes in our society, ISKCON. a person out of sentiment may take sannyasa, but because his desires are not burned completely, he again takes to family life, even at the risk of losing his prestige and disgracing his good name. These strong desires can be burned out completely when one fully engages in the service of the Lord in devotional service.
TEXT 5
TEXT
tatra gato damsa-masaka-samapasadair manujaih salabha-sakunta-taskara-musakadibhir uparudhyamana-bahih-pranah kvacit parivartamano 'sminn adhvany avidya-kama-karmabhir uparakta-manasanupapannartham nara-lokam gandharva-nagaram upapannam iti mithya-drstir anupasyati.
SYNONYMS
tatra--to that household life; gatah--gone; damsa--gadflies; masaka--mosquitoes; sama--equal to; apasadaih--who are low-class; manu-jaih--by men; salabha--locusts; sakunta--a large bird of prey; taskara--thieves; musaka-adibhih--by rats and so on; uparudhyamana--being disturbed; bahih-pranah--the external life air in the form of wealth and so on; kvacit--sometimes; parivartamanah--wandering; asmin--in this; adhvani--path of material existence; avidya-kama--by ignorance and lust; karmabhih--and by fruitive activities; uparakta-manasa--due to the mind's being influenced; anupapanna-artham--in which the desired results are never obtained; nara-lokam--this material world; gandharva-nagaram--a will-o'-the-wisp city; upapannam--existing; iti--taking it as; mithya-drstih--he whose vision is mistaken; anupasyati--observes.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the conditioned soul in household life, being attached to material wealth and possessions, is disturbed by gadflies and mosquitoes, and sometimes locusts, birds of prey and rats give him trouble. Nonetheless, he still wanders down the path of material existence. Due to ignorance he becomes lusty and engages in fruitive activity. Because his mind is absorbed in these activities, he sees the material world as permanent, although it is temporary like a phantasmagoria, a house in the sky.
PURPORT
The following song is sung by Narottama dasa Thakura:
ahankare matta hana, nitai-pada pasariya,
asatyere satya kari mani
Due to forgetting the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda and being puffed up by material possessions, wealth and opulence, one thinks the false, temporary material world to be an actual fact. This is the material disease. The living entity is eternal and blissful, but despite miserable material conditions, he thinks the material world to be real and factual due to his ignorance.
TEXT 6
TEXT
tatra ca kvacid atapodaka-nibhan visayan upadhavati pana-bhojana-vyavayadi-vyasana-lolupah.
SYNONYMS
tatra--there (in this phantom place); ca--also; kvacit--sometimes; atapa-udaka-nibhan--like the water in a mirage in the desert; visayan--the objects of sense enjoyment; upadhavati--runs after; pana--to drinking; bhojana--to eating; vyavaya--to sex life; adi--and so on; vyasana--with addiction; lolupah--a debauchee.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes in this house in the sky [gandharva-pura] the conditioned soul drinks, eats and has sex. Being overly attached, he chases after the objects of the senses just as a deer chases a mirage in the desert.
PURPORT
There are two worlds--the spiritual and the material. The material world is false like a mirage in the desert. In the desert, animals think they see water, but actually there is none. Similarly, those who are animalistic try to find peace within the desert of material life. It is repeatedly said in different sastras that there is no pleasure in this material world. Furthermore, even if we agree to live without pleasure, we are not allowed to do so. In Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna says that the material world is not only full of miseries (duhkhalayam) but also temporary (asasvatam). Even if we want to live here amid miseries, material nature will not allow us to do so. It will oblige us to change bodies and enter another atmosphere full of miserable conditions.
TEXT 7
TEXT
kvacic casesa-dosa-nisadanam purisa-visesam tad-varna-guna-nirmita-matih suvarnam upaditsaty agni-kama-katara ivolmuka-pisacam.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; asesa--unlimited; dosa--of faults; nisadanam--the source of; purisa--of stool; visesam--a particular type; tat-varna-guna--whose color is the same as that of the mode of passion (reddish); nirmita-matih--whose mind is absorbed in that; suvarnam--gold; upaditsati--desiring to get; agni-kama--by the desire for fire; katarah--who is troubled; iva--like; ulmuka-pisacam--a phosphorescent light known as a will-o'-the-wisp, which is sometimes mistaken for a ghost.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the living entity is interested in the yellow stool known as gold and runs after it. That gold is the source of material opulence and envy, and it can enable one to afford illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication. Those whose minds are overcome by the mode of passion are attracted by the color of gold, just as a man suffering from cold in the forest runs after a phosphorescent light in a marshy land, considering it to be fire.
PURPORT
Pariksit Maharaja told Kali-yuga to leave his kingdom immediately and reside in four places: brothels, liquor shops, slaughterhouses and gambling casinos. However, Kali-yuga requested him to give him only one place where these four places are included, and Pariksit Maharaja gave him the place where gold is stored. Gold encompasses the four principles of sin, and therefore, according to spiritual life, gold should be avoided as far as possible. If there is gold, there is certainly illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Because people in the Western world have a great deal of gold, they are victims of these four sins. The color of gold is very glittering, and a materialistic person becomes very much attracted by its yellow color. However, this gold is actually a type of stool. A person with a bad liver generally passes yellow stool. The color of this stool attracts a materialistic person, just as the will-o'-the-wisp attracts one who needs heat.
TEXT 8
TEXT
atha kadacin nivasa-paniya-dravinady-anekatmopajivanabhinivesa etasyam samsaratavyam itas tatah paridhavati.
SYNONYMS
atha--in this way; kadacit--sometimes; nivasa--residence; paniya--water; dravina--wealth; adi--and so on; aneka--in various items; atma-upajivana--which are considered necessary to maintain body and soul together; abhinivesah--a person fully absorbed; etasyam--in this; samsara-atavyam--the material world, which is like a great forest; itah tatah--here and there; paridhavati--runs around.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the conditioned soul is absorbed in finding residential quarters or apartments and getting a supply of water and riches to maintain his body. Absorbed in acquiring a variety of necessities, he forgets everything and perpetually runs around the forest of material existence.
PURPORT
As originally mentioned, a poor man belonging to the mercantile community goes to the forest to get some cheap goods to bring back to the city to sell at a profit. He is so absorbed in the thought of maintaining body and soul together that he forgets his original relationship with Krsna and seeks only the bodily comforts. Thus material activities are the conditioned soul's only engagement. Not knowing the aim of life, the materialist perpetually wanders in material existence, struggling to get the necessities of life. Not understanding the aim of life, even though he acquires sufficient necessities, he manufactures artificial necessities and thus becomes more and more entangled. He creates a mental situation whereby he needs greater and greater comforts. The materialist does not know the secret of nature's ways. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (3.27):
prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
"The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities which are in actuality carried out by nature." Due to lusty desire, the living entity creates a certain mental situation whereby he wants to enjoy this material world. He thus becomes entangled, enters different bodies and suffers in them.
TEXT 9
TEXT
kvacic ca vatyaupamyaya pramadayaroham aropitas tat-kala-rajasa rajani-bhuta ivasadhu-maryado rajas-valakso 'pi dig-devata atirajas-vala-matir na vijanati.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; vatya aupamyaya--compared to a whirlwind; pramadaya--by a beautiful woman; aroham aropitah--raised onto the lap for sex enjoyment; tat-kala-rajasa--by the passion of lusty desires at that moment; rajani-bhutah--the darkness of night; iva--like; asadhu-maryadah--who is without proper respect for the higher witnesses; rajah-vala-aksah--blinded by strong lusty desires; api--certainly; dik-devatah--the demigods in charge of different directions, like the sun and the moon; atirajah-vala-matih--whose mind is overcome by lust; na vijanati--he does not know (that witnesses all around take note of his impudent sexual act).
TRANSLATION
Sometimes, as if blinded by the dust of a whirlwind, the conditioned soul sees the beauty of the opposite sex, which is called pramada. Being thus bewildered, he is raised upon the lap of a woman, and at that time his good senses are overcome by the force of passion. He thus becomes almost blind with lusty desire and disobeys the rules and regulations governing sex life. He does not know that his disobedience is witnessed by different demigods, and he enjoys illicit sex in the dead of night, not seeing the future punishment awaiting him.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (7.11) it is said: dharmaviruddho bhutesu kamo 'smi bharatarsabha. Sex is allowed only for the begetting of children, not for enjoyment. One can indulge in sex to beget a good child for the benefit of the family, society and world. Otherwise, sex is against the rules and regulations of religious life. A materialistic person does not believe that everything is managed in nature, and he does not know that if one does something wrong, he is witnessed by different demigods. A person enjoys illicit sex, and due to his blind, lusty desire. he thinks that no one can see him, but this illicit sex is thoroughly observed by the agents of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the person is punished in so many ways. presently in Kali-yuga there are many pregnancies due to illicit sex, and sometimes abortions ensue. These sinful activities are witnessed by the agents of the Supreme personality of Godhead, and a man and woman who create such a situation are punished in the future by the stringent laws of material nature (daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya). Illicit sex is never excused, and those who indulge in it are punished life after life. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (16.20):
asurim yonim apanna
mudha janmani janmani
mam aprapyaiva kaunteya
tato yanty adhamam gatim
"Attaining repeated birth among the species of demoniac life, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence."
The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not allow anyone to act against the stringent laws of material nature; therefore illicit sex is punished life after life. Illicit sex creates pregnancies, and these unwanted pregnancies lead to abortion. Those involved become implicated in these sins, so much so that they are punished in the same way the next life. Thus in the next life they also enter the womb of a mother and are killed in the same way. All these things can be avoided by remaining on the transcendental platform of Krsna consciousness. In this way one does not commit sinful activity. Illicit sex is the most prominent sin due to lusty desire. When one associates with the mode of passion, he is implicated in suffering life after life.
TEXT 10
TEXT
kvacit sakrd avagata-visaya-vaitathyah svayam parabhidhyanena vibhramsita-smrtis tayaiva marici-toya-prayams tan evabhidhavati.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; sakrt--once; avagata-visaya-vaitathyah--becoming conscious of the uselessness of enjoying material sense gratification; svayam--himself; para-abhidhyanena--by the bodily concept of the self; vibhramsita--destroyed; smrtih--whose remembrance; taya--by that; eva--certainly; marici-toya--water in a mirage; prayan--similar to; tan--those sense objects; eva--certainly; abhidhavati--runs after.
TRANSLATION
The conditioned soul sometimes personally appreciates the futility of sense enjoyment in the material world, and he sometimes considers material enjoyment to be full of miseries. However, due to his strong bodily conception, his memory is destroyed, and again and again he runs after material enjoyment, just as an animal runs after a mirage in the desert.
PURPORT
The main disease in material life is the bodily conception. Being baffled again and again in material activity, the conditioned soul temporarily thinks of the futility of material enjoyment, but he again tries the same thing. By the association of devotees, a person may become convinced of the material futility, but he cannot give up his engagement, although he is very eager to return home, back to Godhead. Under these circumstances, the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone's heart, compassionately takes away all the material possessions of such a devotee. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.88.8): yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. Lord Krsna says that He takes everything away from the devotee whom He especially favors when that devotee is overly attached to material possessions. When everything is taken away, the devotee feels helpless and frustrated in society, friendship and love. He feels that his family does not care for him any longer, and he therefore completely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. This is a special favor granted by the Lord to a devotee who cannot fully surrender to the Lord due to a strong bodily conception. As explained in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.39): ami--vijna, ei murkhe 'visaya' kene diba. The Lord understands the devotee who hesitates to engage in the Lord's service, not knowing whether he should again try to revive his material life. After repeated attempts and failures, he fully surrenders to the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord then gives him directions, and, attaining happiness, he forgets all material engagement.
TEXT 11
TEXT
kvacid uluka-jhilli-svanavad ati-parusa-rabhasatopam pratyaksam paroksam va ripu-raja-kula-nirbhartsitenati-vyathita-karna-mula-hrdayah.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; uluka--of the owl; jhilli--and the cricket; svana-vat--exactly like intolerable sounds; ati-parusa--extremely piercing; rabhasa--by perseverance; atopam--agitation; pratyaksam--directly; paroksam--indirectly; va--or; ripu--of enemies; raja-kula--and of government officers; nirbhartsitena--by chastisement; ati-vyathita--very aggrieved; karna-mula-hrdayah--whose ear and heart.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the conditioned soul is very aggrieved by the chastisement of his enemies and government servants, who use harsh words against him directly or indirectly. At that time his heart and ears become very saddened. Such chastisement may be compared to the sounds of owls and crickets.
PURPORT
There are different types of enemies within this material world. The government chastises one due to not paying income taxes. Such criticism, direct or indirect, saddens one, and sometimes the conditioned soul tries to counteract that chastisement. Unfortunately, he cannot do anything.
TEXT 12
TEXT
sa yada dugdha-purva-sukrtas tada karaskara-kakatundady-apunya-druma-lata-visoda-panavad ubhayartha-sunya-dravinan jivan-mrtan svayam jivan-mriyamana upadhavati.
SYNONYMS
sah--that conditioned soul; yada--when; dugdha--exhausted; purva--previous; sukrtah--pious activities; tada--at that time; karaskara-kakatunda-adi--named karaskara, kakatunda, etc.; apunya-druma-lata--impious trees and creepers; visa-uda-pana-vat--like wells with poisonous water; ubhaya-artha-sunya--which cannot give happiness either in this life or in the next; dravinan--those who possess wealth; jivat-mrtan--who are dead, although apparently alive; svayam--he himself; jivat--living; mriyamanah--being dead; upadhavati--approaches for material acquisition.
TRANSLATION
Due to his pious activities in previous lives, the conditioned soul attains material facilities in this life, but when they are finished, he takes shelter of wealth and riches, which cannot help him in this life or the next. Because of this, he approaches the living dead who possess these things. Such people are compared to impure trees, creepers and poisonous wells.
PURPORT
The wealth and riches acquired through previous pious activities should not be misused for sense gratification. Enjoying them for sense gratification is like enjoying the fruits of a poisonous tree. Such activities will not help the conditioned soul in any way, neither in this life nor the next. However, if one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord under the guidance of a proper spiritual master. he will attain happiness both in this life and the next. Unless he does so, he eats a forbidden apple and thereby loses his paradise. Lord Sri Krsna therefore advises that one's possessions should be given unto Him.
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
"O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." (Bg. 9.27) Material wealth and opulence attained through previous pious activities can be fully utilized for one's benefit in this life and the next if one is Krsna conscious. One should not try to possess more than he needs for the bare necessities. If one gets more than is needed, the surplus should be fully engaged in the Lord's service. That will make the conditioned soul, the world and Krsna happy, and this is the aim of life.
TEXT 13
TEXT
ekadasat-prasangan nikrta-matir vyudaka-srotah-skhalanavad ubhayato 'pi duhkhadam pakhandam abhiyati.
SYNONYMS
ekada--sometimes; asat-prasangat--by association of nondevotees who are against the Vedic principles and who manufacture different paths of religion; nikrta-matih--whose intelligence has been brought to the abominable status of defying the authority of the Supreme personality of Godhead; vyudaka-srotah--into rivers without sufficient water; skhalana-vat--like jumping; ubhayatah--from both sides; api--although; duhkha-dam--giving distress; pakhandam--the atheistic path; abhiyati--he approaches.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes, to mitigate distresses in this forest of the material world, the conditioned soul receives cheap blessings from atheists. He then loses all intelligence in their association. This is exactly like jumping in a shallow river. As a result one simply breaks his head. He is not able to mitigate his sufferings from the heat, and in both ways he suffers. The misguided conditioned soul also approaches so-called sadhus and svamis who preach against the principles of the Vedas. He does not receive benefit from them, either in the present or in the future.
PURPORT
Cheaters are always there to manufacture their own way of spiritual realization. To get some material benefit, the conditioned soul approaches these pseudo sannyasis and yogis for cheap blessings, but he does not receive any benefit from them, either spiritual or material. In this age there are many cheaters who show some jugglery and magic. They even create gold to amaze their followers, and their followers accept them as God. This type of cheating is very prominent in Kali-yuga. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura describes the real guru in this way.
samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-
tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam
praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam
One should approach a guru who can extinguish the blazing fire of this material world, the struggle for existence. people want to be cheated. and therefore they go to yogis and svamis who play tricks, but tricks do not mitigate the miseries of material life. If being able to manufacture gold is a criterion for becoming God, then why not accept Krsna, the proprietor of the entire universe, wherein there are countless tons of gold? As mentioned before, the color of gold is compared to the will-O'-the-wisp or yellow stool; therefore one should not be allured by gold-manufacturing gurus but should sincerely approach a devotee like Jada Bharata. Jada Bharata instructed Rahugana Maharaja so well that the King was relieved from the bodily conception. One cannot become happy by accepting a false guru. A guru should be accepted as advised in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21). Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam: One should approach a bona fide guru to inquire about the highest benefit of life. Such a guru is described as follows: sabde pare ca nisnatam. Such a guru does not manufacture gold or juggle words. He is well versed in the conclusions of Vedic knowledge (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah). He is freed from all material contamination and is fully engaged in Krsna's service. If one is able to obtain the dust of the lotus feet of such a guru, his life becomes successful. Otherwise he is baffled both in this life and in the next.
TEXT 14
TEXT
yada tu para-badhayandha atmane nopanamati tada hi pitr-putra-barhismatah pitr-putran va sa khalu bhaksayati.
SYNONYMS
yada--when; tu--but (because of misfortune); para-badhaya--in spite of exploiting all others; andhah--blind; atmane--for himself; na upanamati--does not fall into one's share; tada--at that time; hi--certainly; pitr-putra--of the father or sons; barhismatah--as insignificant as a piece of grass; pitr-putran--father or sons; va--or; sah--he (the conditioned soul); khalu--indeed; bhaksayati--gives trouble to.
TRANSLATION
In this material world, when the conditioned soul cannot arrange for his own maintenance, despite exploiting others, he tries to exploit his own father or son, taking away that relative's possessions, although they may be very insignificant. If he cannot acquire things from his father, son or other relatives, he is prepared to give them all kinds of trouble.
PURPORT
Once we actually saw a distressed man steal ornaments from his daughter just to maintain himself. As the English proverb goes, necessity knows no law. When a conditioned soul needs something, he forgets his relationship with his relatives and exploits his own father or son. We also receive information from Srimad-Bhagavatam that in this age of Kali the time is quickly approaching when a relative will kill another relative for a small farthing. Without Krsna consciousness, people will deteriorate further and further into a hellish condition wherein they will perform abominable acts.
TEXT 15
TEXT
kvacid asadya grham davavat priyartha-vidhuram asukhodarkam sokagnina dahyamano bhrsam nirvedam upagacchati.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; asadya--experiencing; grham--the home life; dava-vat--exactly like a blazing fire in the forest; priya-artha-vidhuram--without any beneficial object; asukha-udarkam--resulting only in more and more unhappiness; soka-agnina--by the fire of lamentation; dahyamanah--being burned; bhrsam--very great; nirvedam--disappointment; upagacchati--he obtains.
TRANSLATION
In this world, family life is exactly like a blazing fire in the forest. There is not the least happiness, and gradually one becomes more and more implicated in unhappiness. In household life, there is nothing favorable for perpetual happiness. Being implicated in home life, the conditioned soul is burned by the fire of lamentation. Sometimes he condemns himself as being very unfortunate, and sometimes he claims that he suffers because he performed no pious activities in his previous life.
PURPORT
In the Gurv-astaka, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has sung:
samsara-davanala-lidha-loka-
tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam
A life in this material world is exactly like a blazing forest fire. No one goes to set fire to the forest, yet the fire takes place. Similarly. everyone wants to be happy in the material world, but the miserable conditions of material life simply increase. Sometimes a person caught in the blazing fire of material existence condemns himself, but due to his bodily conception he cannot get out of the entanglement, and thus he suffers more and more.
TEXT 16
TEXT
kvacit kala-visa-mita-raja-kula-raksasapahrta-priyatama-dhanasuh pramrtaka iva vigata-jiva-laksana aste.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; kala-visa-mita--made crooked by time; raja-kula--the government men; raksasa--by those who are like carnivorous human beings; apahrta--being plundered; priya-tama--most dear; dhana--in the form of wealth; asuh--whose life air; pramrtakah--dead; iva--like; vigata-jiva-laksanah--bereft of all signs of life; aste--he remains.
TRANSLATION
Government men are always like carnivorous demons called Raksasas [man-eaters]. Sometimes these government men turn against the conditioned soul and take away all his accumulated wealth. Being bereft of his life's reserved wealth, the conditioned soul loses all enthusiasm. Indeed, it is as though he loses his life.
PURPORT
The word raja-kula-raksasa is very significant. Srimad-Bhagavatam was compiled about five thousand years ago, yet government men are referred to as Raksasas, or carnivorous demons. If government men are opposed to a person, that person will be bereft of all his riches, which he has accumulated with great care over a long period of time. Actually no one wants to pay income taxes--even government men themselves try to avoid these taxes--but at unfavorable times income taxes are exacted forcibly, and the taxpayers become very morose.
TEXT 17
TEXT
kadacin manorathopagata-pitr-pitamahady asat sad iti svapna-nirvrti-laksanam anubhavati.
SYNONYMS
kadacit--sometimes; manoratha-upagata--obtained by mental concoction; pitr--the father; pita-maha-adi--or grandfather and others; asat--although long dead (and although no one knows that the soul has gone); sat--again the father or grandfather has come; iti--thus thinking; svapna-nirvrti-laksanam--the kind of happiness found in dreams; anubhavati--the conditioned soul feels.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the conditioned soul imagines that his father or grandfather has again come in the form of his son or grandson. In this way he feels the happiness one sometimes feels in a dream, and the conditioned soul sometimes takes pleasure in such mental concoctions.
PURPORT
Due to ignorance of the real existence of the Lord, the conditioned soul imagines many things. Influenced by fruitive activity, he comes together with his relatives, fathers, sons and grandfathers, exactly as straws gather together in a moving stream. In a moment the straws are thrown everywhere, and they lose contact. In conditional life, the living entity is temporarily with many other conditioned souls. They gather together as family members, and the material affection is so strong that even after a father or grandfather passes away, one takes pleasure in thinking that they return to the family in different forms. Sometimes this may happen. but in any case the conditioned soul likes to take pleasure in such concocted thoughts.
TEXT 18
TEXT
kvacid grhasrama-karma-codanati-bhara-girim aruruksamano loka-vyasana-karsita-manah kantaka-sarkara-ksetram pravisann iva sidati.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; grha-asrama--in householder life; karma-codana--of the rules of fruitive activity; ati-bhara-girim--the big hill; aruruksamanah--desiring to ascend; loka--material; vyasana--to pursuits; karsita-manah--whose mind is attracted; kantaka-sarkara-ksetram--a field covered with thorns and sharp pebbles; pravisan--entering; iva--like; sidati--he laments.
TRANSLATION
In household life one is ordered to execute many yajnas and fruitive activities, especially the vivaha-yajna [the marriage ceremony for sons and daughters] and the sacred thread ceremony. These are all the duties of a grhastha, and they are very extensive and troublesome to execute. They are compared to a big hill over which one must cross when one is attached to material activities. A person desiring to cross over these ritualistic ceremonies certainly feels pains like the piercing of thorns and pebbles endured by one attempting to climb a hill. Thus the conditioned soul suffers unlimitedly.
PURPORT
There are many social functions for keeping a prestigious position in society. In different countries and societies there are various festivals and rituals. In India, the father is supposed to get his children married. When he does so, his responsibility to the family is complete. Arranging marriages is very difficult, especially in these days. At the present moment no one can perform the proper ritual of sacrifice, nor can anyone afford to pay for the marriage ceremony of sons and daughters. Therefore householders are very much distressed when they are confronted by these social duties. It is as though they were pierced by thorns and hurt by pebbles. Material attachment is so strong that despite the suffering, one cannot give it up. Prahlada Maharaja therefore recommends (Bhag. 7.5.5):
hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam
vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta
The so-called comfortable family position is compared to a dark well in a field. If one falls in a dark well covered by grass, his life is lost, despite his cry for rescue. Highly advanced spiritualists therefore recommend that one should not enter the grhastha-asrama. It is better to prepare oneself in the brahmacarya-asrama for austerities and remain a pure brahmacari throughout one's life so that one will not feel the piercing thorns of material life in the grhastha-asrama. In the grhastha-asrama one has to accept invitations from friends and relatives and perform ritualistic ceremonies. By so doing, one becomes captivated by such things, although he may not have sufficient resources to continue them. To maintain the grhastha life-style, one has to work very hard to acquire money. Thus one is implicated in material life, and he suffers the thorn pricks.
TEXT 19
TEXT
kvacic ca duhsahena kayabhyantara-vahnina grhita-sarah sva-kutumbaya krudhyati.
SYNONYMS
kvacit ca--and sometimes; duhsahena--unbearable; kaya-abhyantara-vahnina--because of the fire of hunger and thirst within the body; grhita-sarah--whose patience is exhausted; sva-kutumbaya--unto his own family members; krudhyati--he becomes angry.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes, due to bodily hunger and thirst, the conditioned soul becomes so disturbed that he loses his patience and becomes angry with his own beloved sons, daughters and wife. Thus, being unkind to them, he suffers all the more.
PURPORT
Srila Vidyapati Thakura has sung:
tatala saikate, vari-bindu-sama,
suta-mita-ramani-samaje
The happiness of family life is compared to a drop of water in the desert. No one can be happy in family life. According to the Vedic civilization, one cannot give up the responsibilities of family life, but today everyone is giving up family life by divorce. This is due to the miserable condition experienced in the family. Sometimes, due to misery, one becomes very hardened toward his affectionate sons, daughters and wife. This is but part of the blazing fire of the forest of material life.
TEXT 20
TEXT
sa eva punar nidrajagara-grhito 'ndhe tamasi magnah sunyaranya iva sete nanyat-kincana veda sava ivapaviddhah.
SYNONYMS
sah--that conditioned soul; eva--certainly; punah--again; nidra-ajagara--by the python of deep sleep; grhitah--being devoured; andhe--in deep darkness; tamasi--in ignorance; magnah--being absorbed; sunya-aranye--in the isolated forest; iva--like; sete--he lies down; na--not; anyat--else; kincana--anything; veda--knows; savah--a dead body; iva--like; apaviddhah--thrown away.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued speaking to Maharaja Pariksit: My dear King, sleep is exactly like a python. Those who wander in the forest of material life are always devoured by the python of sleep. Being bitten by this python, they always remain in the darkness of ignorance. They are like dead bodies thrown in a distant forest. Thus the conditioned souls cannot understand what is going on in life.
PURPORT
Material life means being fully absorbed in eating, sleeping. mating and defending. Out of these, sleep is taken very seriously. While asleep, one completely forgets the object of life and what to do. For spiritual realization, one should try to avoid sleep as much as possible. The Gosvamis of Vrndavana practically did not sleep at all. Of course, they slept some, for the body requires sleep, but they slept only about two hours, and sometimes not even that. They always engaged in spiritual cultivation. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. Following in the footsteps of the Gosvamis, we should try to reduce sleeping, eating, mating and defending.
TEXT 21
TEXT
kadacid bhagna-mana-damstro durjana-danda-sukair alabdha-nidra-ksano vyathita-hrdayenanuksiyamana-vijnano 'ndha-kupe 'ndhavat patati.
SYNONYMS
kadacit--sometimes; bhagna-mana-damstrah--whose teeth of pride are broken; durjana-danda-sukaih--by the envious activities of evil men, who are compared to a kind of serpent; alabdha-nidra-ksanah--who does not get an opportunity to sleep; vyathita-hrdayena--by a disturbed mind; anuksiyamana--gradually being decreased; vijnanah--whose real consciousness; andha-kupe--in a blind well; andha-vat--like illusion; patati--he falls down.
TRANSLATION
In the forest of the material world, the conditioned soul is sometimes bitten by envious enemies, which are compared to serpents and other creatures. Through the tricks of the enemy, the conditioned soul falls from his prestigious position. Being anxious, he cannot even sleep properly. He thus becomes more and more unhappy, and he gradually loses his intelligence and consciousness. In that state he becomes almost perpetually like a blind man who has fallen into a dark well of ignorance.
TEXT 22
TEXT
karhi sma cit kama-madhu-lavan vicinvan yada para-dara-para-drav-yany avarundhano rajna svamibhir va nihatah pataty apare niraye.
SYNONYMS
karhi sma cit--sometimes; kama-madhu-lavan--little drops of honeylike sense gratification; vicinvan--searching after; yada--when; para-dara--another's wife, or a woman other than his own wife; para-dravyani--another's money and possessions; avarundhanah--taking as his own property; rajna--by the government; svamibhih va --or by the husband or relatives of the woman; nihatah--severely beaten; patati--he falls down; apare--into unlimitedly; niraye--hellish conditions of life (the government's prison for criminal activities like rape, kidnapping or theft of others' property).
TRANSLATION
The conditioned soul is sometimes attracted to the little happiness derived from sense gratification. Thus he has illicit sex or steals another's property. At such a time he may be arrested by the government or chastised by the woman's husband or protector. Thus simply for a little material satisfaction, he falls into a hellish condition and is put into jail for rape, kidnapping, theft and so forth.
PURPORT
Material life is such that due to indulgence in illicit sex, gambling, intoxication and meat-eating, the conditioned soul is always in a dangerous condition. Meat-eating and intoxication excite the senses more and more, and the conditioned soul falls victim to women. In order to keep women, money is required, and to acquire money, one begs, borrows or steals. Indeed, he commits abominable acts that cause him to suffer both in this life and in the next. Consequently illicit sex must be stopped by those who are spiritually inclined or who are on the path of spiritual realization. Many devotees fall down due to illicit sex. They may steal money and even fall down from the highly honored renounced order. Then for a livelihood they accept menial services and become beggars. It is therefore said in the sastras, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham: materialism is based on sex, whether licit or illicit. Sex is full of dangers even for those who are addicted to household life. Whether one has a license for sex or not, there is great trouble. Bahu-duhkha-bhak: after one indulges in sex, many volumes of miseries ensue. One suffers more and more in material life. A miserly person cannot properly utilize the wealth he has, and similarly a materialistic person misuses the human form. Instead of using it for spiritual emancipation, he uses the body for sense gratification. Therefore he is called a miser.
TEXT 23
TEXT
atha ca tasmad ubhayathapi hi karmasminn atmanah samsaravapanam udaharanti.
SYNONYMS
atha--now; ca--and; tasmat--because of this; ubhayatha api--both in this life and in the next; hi--undoubtedly; karma--fruitive activities; asmin--on this path of sense enjoyment; atmanah--of the living entity; samsara--of material life; avapanam--the cultivation ground or source; udaharanti--the authorities of the Vedas say.
TRANSLATION
Learned scholars and transcendentalists therefore condemn the materialistic path of fruitive activity because it is the original source and breeding ground of material miseries, both in this life and in the next.
PURPORT
Not knowing the value of life, karmis create situations whereby they suffer in this life and the next. Unfortunately, karmis are very attached to material sense gratification, and they cannot appreciate the miserable condition of material life, neither in this life nor in the next. Therefore the Vedas enjoin that one should awaken to spiritual consciousness and utilize all his activities to attain the favor of the Supreme personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself says in Bhagavad-gita (9.27):
yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam
"O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me."
The results of all one's activities should be utilized not for sense gratification but for the mission of the Supreme personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord gives all information in Bhagavad-gita about the aim of life, and at the end of Bhagavad-gita He demands surrender unto Him. people do not generally like this demand, but one who cultivates spiritual knowledge for many births eventually surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord (bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate).
TEXT 24
TEXT
muktas tato yadi bandhad devadatta upacchinatti tasmad api visnumitra ity anavasthitih.
SYNONYMS
muktah--liberated; tatah--from that; yadi--if; bandhat--from the government imprisonment or being beaten by the protector of the woman; deva-dattah--person named Devadatta; upacchinatti--takes the money from him; tasmat--from the person named Devadatta; api--again; visnu-mitrah--a person named Visnumitra; iti--thus; anavasthitih--the riches do not stay in one place but pass from one hand to another.
TRANSLATION
Stealing or cheating another person out of his money, the conditioned soul somehow or other keeps it in his possession and escapes punishment. Then another man, named Devadatta, cheats him and takes the money away. Similarly, another man, named Visnumitra, steals the money from Devadatta and takes it away. In any case, the money does not stay in one place. It passes from one hand to another. Ultimately no one can enjoy the money, and it remains the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
Riches come from Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and the goddess of fortune is the property of Narayana, the Supreme personality of Godhead. The goddess of fortune cannot stay anywhere but by the side of Narayana; therefore another of her names is Cancala, restless. She cannot be peaceful unless she is in the company of her husband, Narayana. For example, Laksmi was carried away by the materialistic Ravana. Ravana kidnapped Sita, the goddess of fortune belonging to Lord Rama. As a result, Ravana's entire family, opulence and kingdom were smashed, and Sita, the goddess of fortune, was recovered from his clutches and reunited with Lord Rama. Thus all property, riches and wealth belong to Krsna. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (5.29):
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the true beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, and He is the supreme proprietor of all the planetary systems."
Foolish materialistic people collect money and steal from other thieves. but they cannot keep it. In any case, it must be spent. One person cheats another, and another person cheats someone else; therefore the best way to possess Laksmi is to keep her by the side of Narayana. This is the point of the Krsna consciousness movement. We worship Laksmi (Radharani) along with Narayana (Krsna). We collect money from various sources, but that money does not belong to anyone but Radha and Krsna (Laksmi-Narayana). If money is utilized in the service of Laksmi-Narayana, the devotee automatically lives in an opulent way. However, if one wants to enjoy Laksmi the way Ravana did, he will be vanquished by the laws of nature, and whatever few possessions he has will be taken away. Finally death will take everything away, and death is the representative of Krsna.
TEXT 25
TEXT
kvacic ca sita-vatady-anekadhidaivika-bhautikatmiyanam dasanam pratinivarane 'kalpo duranta-cintaya visanna aste.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; sita-vata-adi--such as cold and strong wind; aneka--various; adhidaivika--created by the demigods; bhautika--adhibhautika, created by other living beings; atmiyanam--adhyatmika, created by the body and mind; dasanam--of conditions of misery; pratinivarane--in the counteracting; akalpah--unable; duranta--very severe; cintaya--by anxieties; visannah--morose; aste--he remains.
TRANSLATION
Being unable to protect himself from the threefold miseries of material existence, the conditioned soul becomes very morose and lives a life of lamentation. These threefold miseries are miseries suffered by mental calamity at the hands of the demigods [such as freezing wind and scorching heat], miseries offered by other living entities, and miseries arising from the mind and body themselves.
PURPORT
The so-called happy materialistic person is constantly having to endure the threefold miseries of life, called adhidaivika, adhyatmika and adhibhautika. Actually no one can counteract these threefold miseries. All three may assail one at one time, or one misery may be absent and the other present. Thus the living entity is full of anxiety, fearing misery from one side or the other. The conditioned soul must be disturbed by at least one of these three miseries. There is no escape.
TEXT 26
TEXT
kvacin mitho vyavaharan yat kincid dhanam anyebhyo va kakinika-matram apy apaharan yat kincid va vidvesam eti vitta-sathyat.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; mithah--with one another; vyavaharan--trading; yat kincit--whatever little bit; dhanam--money; anyebhyah--from others; va--or; kakinika-matram--a very small amount (twenty cowries); api--certainly; apaharan--taking away by cheating; yat kincit--whatever small amount; va--or; vidvesam eti--creates enmity; vitta-sathyat--because of cheating.
TRANSLATION
As far as transactions with money are concerned, if one person cheats another by a farthing or less, they become enemies.
PURPORT
This is called samsara-davanala. Even in ordinary transactions between two people, there is invariably cheating because the conditioned soul is defective in four ways--he is illusioned, he commits mistakes, his knowledge is imperfect, and he has a propensity to cheat. Unless one is liberated from material conditioning, these four defects must be there. Consequently every man has a cheating propensity, which is employed in business or money transactions. Although two friends may be living peacefully together, due to their propensity to cheat they become enemies when there is a transaction between them. A philosopher accuses an economist of being a cheater, and an economist may accuse a philosopher of being a cheater when he comes in contact with money. In any case, this is the condition of material life. One may profess a high philosophy, but when one is in need of money, he becomes a cheater. In this material world, so-called scientists, philosophers and economists are nothing but cheaters in one way or another. The scientists are cheaters because they present so many bogus things in the name of science. They propose going to the moon, but actually they end up cheating the entire public of large sums of money for their experiments. They cannot do anything useful. Unless one can find a person transcendental to the four basic defects, one should not accept advice and become a victim of the material condition. The best process is to take the advice and instructions of Sri Krsna or His bona fide representative. In this way one can be happy in this life and the next.
TEXT 27
TEXT
adhvany amusminn ima upasargas tatha sukha-duhkha-raga-dvesa-bhayabhimana-pramadonmada-soka-moha-lobha-matsaryersyava-mana-ksut-pipasadhi-vyadhi-janma-jara-maranadayah.
SYNONYMS
adhvani--on the path of material life; amusmin--on that; ime--all these; upasargah--eternal difficulties; tatha--so much also; sukha--so-called happiness; duhkha--unhappiness; raga--attachment; dvesa--hate; bhaya--fear; abhimana--false prestige; pramada--illusion; unmada--madness; soka--lamentation; moha--bewilderment; lobha--greed; matsarya--envy; irsya--enmity; avamana--insult; ksut--hunger; pipasa--thirst; adhi--tribulations; vyadhi--disease; janma--birth; jara--old age; marana--death; adayah--and so on.
TRANSLATION
In this materialistic life, there are many difficulties, as I have just mentioned, and all of these are insurmountable. In addition, there are difficulties arising from so-called happiness, distress, attachment, hate, fear, false prestige, illusion, madness, lamentation, bewilderment, greed, envy, enmity, insult, hunger, thirst, tribulation, disease, birth, old age and death. All these combine together to give the materialistic conditioned soul nothing but misery.
PURPORT
The conditioned soul has to accept all these conditions simply to enjoy sense gratification in this world. Although people declare themselves great scientists, economists, philosophers, politicians and sociologists. they are actually nothing but rascals. Therefore they have been described as mudhas and naradhamas in Bhagavad-gita (7.15):
na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah
"Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind. whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me."
Due to their foolishness, all these materialists are described in Bhagavad-gita as naradhamas. They have attained the human form in order to get released from material bondage, but instead of doing so. they become further embarrassed amid the miserable material conditions. Therefore they are naradhamas, the lowest of men. One may ask whether scientists, philosophers, economists and mathematicians are also naradhamas, the lowest of men, and the Supreme personality of Godhead replies that they are because they have no actual knowledge. They are simply proud of their false prestige and position. Actually they do not know how to get relief from the material condition and renovate their spiritual life of transcendental bliss and knowledge. Consequently they waste time and energy in the search for so-called happiness. These are the qualifications of the demons. In Bhagavad-gita it says that when one has all these demonic qualities, he becomes a mudha. Due to this. he envies the Supreme personality of Godhead; therefore birth after birth he is born into a demonic family, and he transmigrates from one demonic body to another. Thus he forgets his relationship with Krsna and remains a naradhama in an abominable condition life after life.
TEXT 28
TEXT
kvapi deva-mayaya striya bhuja-latopagudhah praskanna-viveka-vijnano yad-vihara-grharambhakula-hrdayas tad-asrayavasakta-suta-duhitr-kalatra-bhasitavaloka-vicestitapahrta-hrdaya atmanam ajitatmapare 'ndhe tamasi prahinoti.
SYNONYMS
kvapi--somewhere; deva-mayaya--by the influence of the illusory energy; striya--in the form of one's girl friend or wife; bhuja-lata--by beautiful arms, which are compared to tender creepers in the forest; upagudhah--being deeply embarrassed; praskanna--lost; viveka--all intelligence; vijnanah--scientific knowledge; yat-vihara--for the enjoyment of the wife; grha-arambha--to find a house or apartment; akula-hrdayah--whose heart becomes engrossed; tat--of that house; asraya-avasakta--who are under the shelter; suta--of sons; duhitr--of daughters; kalatra--of the wife; bhasita-avaloka--by the conversations and by their beautiful glances; vicestita--by activities; apahrta-hrdayah--whose consciousness is taken away; atmanam--himself; ajita--uncontrolled; atma--whose self; apare--in unlimited; andhe--blind darkness; tamasi--in hellish life; prahinoti--he hurls.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes the conditioned soul is attracted by illusion personified (his wife or girl friend) and becomes eager to be embraced by a woman. Thus he loses his intelligence as well as knowledge of life's goal. At that time, no longer attempting spiritual cultivation, he becomes overly attached to his wife or girl friend and tries to provide her with a suitable apartment. Again, he becomes very busy under the shelter of that home and is captivated by the talks, glances and activities of his wife and children. In this way he loses his Krsna consciousness and throws himself in the dense darkness of material existence.
PURPORT
When the conditioned soul is embraced by his beloved wife, he forgets everything about Krsna consciousness. The more he becomes attached to his wife, the more he becomes implicated in family life. One Bengali poet, Bankim Chandra, says that to the eyes of the lover the beloved is always very beautiful, even though ugly. This attraction is called deva-maya. The attraction between man and woman is the cause of bondage for both. Actually both belong to the para prakrti, the superior energy of the Lord, but both are actually prakrti (female). However, because both want to enjoy one another, they are sometimes described as purusa (male). Actually neither is purusa, but both can be superficially described as purusa. As soon as man and woman are united, they become attached to home, hearth, land, friendship and money. In this way they are both entrapped in material existence. The word bhuja-lata-upagudha, meaning "being embraced by beautiful arms which are compared to creepers," describes the way the conditioned soul is bound within this material world. The products of sex life--sons and daughters--certainly follow. This is the way of material existence.
TEXT 29
TEXT
kadacid isvarasya bhagavato visnos cakrat paramanv-adi-dvi-parardhapavarga-kalopalaksanat parivartitena vayasa ramhasa harata abrahma-trna-stambadinam bhutanam animisato misatam vitrasta-hrdayas tam evesvaram kala-cakra-nijayudham saksad bhagavantam yajna-purusam anadrtya pakhanda-devatah kanka-grdhra-baka-vata-praya arya-samaya-parihrtah sanketyenabhidhatte.
SYNONYMS
kadacit--sometimes; isvarasya--of the Supreme Lord; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; cakrat--from the disc; paramanu-adi--beginning from the time of minute atoms; dvi-parardha--the duration of the life of Brahma; apavarga--ending; kala--of time; upalaksanat--having the symptoms; parivartitena--revolving; vayasa--by the chronological order of ages; ramhasa--swiftly; haratah--taking away; a-brahma--beginning from Lord Brahma; trna-stamba-adinam--down to the small clumps of grass; bhutanam--of all living entities; animisatah--without blinking the eyes (without fail); misatam--before the eyes of the living entities (without their being able to stop it); vitrasta-hrdayah--being afraid in the heart; tam--Him; eva--certainly; isvaram--the Supreme Lord; kala-cakra-nija-ayudham--whose personal weapon is the disc of time; saksat--directly; bhagavantam--the Supreme personality of Godhead; yajna-purusam--who accepts all kinds of sacrificial ceremonies; anadrtya--without caring for; pakhanda-devatah--concocted incarnations of God (man-made gods or demigods); kanka--buzzards; grdhra--vultures; baka--herons; vata-prayah--like crows; arya-samaya-parihrtah--who are rejected by authorized Vedic scriptures accepted by the Aryans; sanketyena--by concoction or with no basis of authority indicated by scripture; abhidhatte--he accepts as worshipable.
TRANSLATION
The personal weapon used by Lord Krsna, the disc, is called hari-cakra, the disc of Hari. This cakra is the wheel of time. It expands from the beginning of the atoms up to the time of Brahma's death, and it controls all activities. It is always revolving and spending the lives of the living entities, from Lord Brahma down to an insignificant blade of grass. Thus one changes from infancy, to childhood, to youth and maturity, and thus one approaches the end of life. It is impossible to check this wheel of time. This wheel is very exacting because it is the personal weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes the conditioned soul, fearing the approach of death, wants to worship someone who can save him from imminent danger. Yet he does not care for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose weapon is the indefatigable time factor. The conditioned soul instead takes shelter of a man-made god described in unauthorized scriptures. Such gods are like buzzards, vultures, herons and crows. Vedic scriptures do not refer to them. Imminent death is like the attack of a lion, and neither vultures, buzzards, crows nor herons can save one from such an attack. One who takes shelter of unauthorized man-made gods cannot be saved from the clutches of death.
PURPORT
It is stated: harim vina mrtim na taranti. No one can save himself from the cruel hands of death without being favored by Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: whoever fully surrenders unto Krsna can be saved from the cruel hands of material nature. The conditioned soul, however, sometimes wants to take shelter of a demigod, man-made god, pseudo incarnation or bogus svami or yogi. All these cheaters claim to follow religious principles, and all this has become very popular in this age of Kali. There are many pasandis who, without referring to the sastras, pose themselves as incarnations, and foolish people follow them. Krsna, the Supreme personality of Godhead, has left behind Him Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Not referring to these authorized scriptures, rascals take shelter of man-made scriptures and try to compete with Lord Krsna. That is the greatest difficulty one encounters when trying to promote spiritual consciousness in human society. The Krsna consciousness movement is trying its best to bring people back to Krsna consciousness in its pure form, but the pasandis and atheists, who are cheaters, are so numerous that sometimes we become perplexed and wonder how to push this movement forward. In any case, we cannot accept the unauthorized ways of so-called incarnations, gods, cheaters and bluffers, who are described here as crows, vultures, buzzards and herons.
TEXT 30
TEXT
yada pakhandibhir atma-vancitais tair uru vancito brahma-kulam samavasams tesam silam upanayanadi-srauta-smarta-karmanustha-nena bhagavato yajna-purusasyaradhanam eva tad arocayan sudra-kulam bhajate nigamacare 'suddhito yasya mithuni-bhavah kutumba-bharanam yatha vanara-jateh.
SYNONYMS
yada--when; pakhandibhih--by pasandis (godless atheists); atma-vancitaih--who themselves are cheated; taih--by them; uru--more and more; vancitah--being cheated; brahma-kulam--the bona fide brahmanas strictly following the Vedic culture; samavasan--settling among them to advance spiritually; tesam--of them (the brahmanas who strictly follow Vedic principles); silam--the good character; upanayana-adi--beginning with offering the sacred thread or training the conditioned soul to qualify as a bona fide brahmana; srauta--according to the Vedic principles; smarta--according to the authorized scriptures derived from the Vedas; karma-anusthanena--the performance of activities; bhagavatah--of the Supreme personality of Godhead; yajna-purusasya--who is worshiped by Vedic ritualistic ceremonies; aradhanam--the process of worshiping Him; eva--certainly; tat arocayan--not finding pleasure in it due to its being difficult for unscrupulous persons to perform; sudra-kulam--the society of sudras; bhajate--he turns to; nigama-acare--in behaving according to Vedic principles; asuddhitah--not purified; yasya--of whom; mithuni-bhavah--sex enjoyment or the materialistic way of life; kutumba-bharanam--the maintenance of the family; yatha--as it is; vanara-jateh--of the society of monkeys, or the descendants of the monkey.
TRANSLATION
The pseudo svamis, yogis and incarnations who do not believe in the Supreme Personality of Godhead are known as pasandis. They themselves are fallen and cheated because they do not know the real path of spiritual advancement, and whoever goes to them is certainly cheated in his turn. When one is thus cheated, he sometimes takes shelter of the real followers of Vedic principles [brahmanas or those in Krsna consciousness], who teach everyone how to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the Vedic rituals. However, being unable to stick to these principles, these rascals again fall down and take shelter among sudras who are very expert in making arrangements for sex indulgence. Sex is very prominent among animals like monkeys, and such people who are enlivened by sex may be called descendants of monkeys.
PURPORT
By fulfilling the process of evolution from the aquatics to the animal platform, a living entity eventually reaches the human form. The three modes of material nature are always working in the evolutionary process. Those who come to the human form through the quality of sattva-guna were cows in their last animal incarnation. Those who come to the human form through the quality of rajo-guna were lions in their last animal incarnation. And those who come to the human form through the quality of tamo-guna were monkeys in their last animal incarnation. In this age, those who come through the monkey species are considered by modern anthropologists like Darwin to be descendants of monkeys. We receive information herein that those who are simply interested in sex are actually no better than monkeys. Monkeys are very expert in sexual enjoyment, and sometimes sex glands are taken from monkeys and placed in the human body so that a human being can enjoy sex in old age. In this way modern civilization has advanced. Many monkeys in India were caught and sent to Europe so that their sex glands could serve as replacements for those of old people. Those who actually descend from the monkeys are interested in expanding their aristocratic families through sex. In the Vedas there are also certain ceremonies especially meant for sexual improvement and promotion to higher planetary systems, where the demigods are enjoying sex. The demigods are also very much inclined toward sex because that is the basic principle of material enjoyment.
First of all, the conditioned soul is cheated by so-called svamis, yogis and incarnations when he approaches them to be relieved of material miseries. When the conditioned soul is not satisfied with them. he comes to devotees and pure brahmanas who try to elevate him for final liberation from material bondage. However, the unscrupulous conditioned soul cannot rigidly follow the principles prohibiting illicit sex. intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. Thus he falls down and takes shelter of people who are like monkeys. In the Krsna consciousness movement these monkey disciples, being unable to follow the strict regulative principles, sometimes fall down and try to form societies based on sex. This is proof that such people are descendants of monkeys, as confirmed by Darwin. In this verse it is therefore clearly stated: yatha vanara jateh.
TEXT 31
TEXT
tatrapi niravarodhah svairena viharann ati-krpana-buddhir anyonya-mukha-niriksanadina gramya-karmanaiva vismrta-kalavadhih.
SYNONYMS
tatra api--in that condition (in the society of human beings descended from monkeys); niravarodhah--without hesitation; svairena--independently, without reference to the goal of life; viharan--enjoying like monkeys; ati-krpana-buddhih--whose intelligence is dull because he does not properly utilize his assets; anyonya--of one another; mukha-niriksana-adina--by seeing the faces (when a man sees the beautiful face of a woman and the woman sees the strong build of the man's body, they always desire one another); gramya-karmana--by material activities for sense gratification; eva--only; vismrta--forgotten; kala-avadhih--the limited span of life (after which one's evolution may be degrading or elevating).
TRANSLATION
In this way the descendants of the monkeys intermingle with each other, and they are generally known as sudras. Without hesitating, they live and move freely, not knowing the goal of life. They are captivated simply by seeing the faces of one another, which remind them of sense gratification. They are always engaged in material activities, known as gramya-karma, and they work hard for material benefit. Thus they forget completely that one day their small life spans will be finished and they will be degraded in the evolutionary cycle.
PURPORT
Materialistic people are sometimes called sudras, or descendants of monkeys, due to their monkeylike intelligence. They do not care to know how the evolutionary process is taking place, nor are they eager to know what will happen after they finish their small human life span. This is the attitude of sudras. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission, this Krsna consciousness movement, is trying to elevate sudras to the brahmana platform so that they will know the real goal of life. Unfortunately, being overly attached to sense gratification, materialists are not serious in helping this movement. Instead, some of them try to suppress it. Thus it is the business of monkeys to disturb the activities of the brahmanas. The descendants of monkeys completely forget that they have to die, and they are very proud of scientific knowledge and the progress of material civilization. The word gramya-karmana indicates activities meant only for the improvement of bodily comforts. presently all human society is engaged in improving economic conditions and bodily comforts. people are not interested in knowing what is going to happen after death, nor do they believe in the transmigration of the soul. When one scientifically studies the evolutionary theory, one can understand that human life is a junction where one may take the path of promotion or degradation. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.25):
yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me."
In this life we have to prepare ourselves for promotion to the next life. Those who are in the mode of rajo-guna are generally interested in being promoted to the heavenly planets. Some, unknowingly, are degraded to lower animal forms. Those in the mode of goodness can engage in devotional service, and after that they can return home, back to Godhead (yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam). That is the real purpose of human life. This Krsna consciousness movement is trying to bring intelligent human beings to the platform of devotional service. Instead of wasting time trying to attain a better position in material life, one should simply endeavor to return home, back to Godhead. Then all problems will be solved. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17):
srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti su-hrt-satam
"Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted."
One simply has to follow the regulative principles, act like a brahmana, chant the Hare Krsna mantra and read Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way one purifies himself of the baser material modes (tamo-guna and rajo-guna) and, becoming freed from the greed of these modes, can attain complete peace of mind. In this way one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and one's relationship with Him and thus be promoted to the highest perfection (siddhim paramam gatah).
TEXT 32
TEXT
kvacid drumavad aihikarthesu grhesu ramsyan yatha vanarah suta-dara-vatsalo vyavaya-ksanah.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; druma-vat--like trees (as monkeys jump from one tree to another, the conditioned soul transmigrates from one body to another); aihika-arthesu--simply to bring about better worldly comforts; grhesu--in houses (or bodies); ramsyan--delighting (in one body after another, either in animal life, human life or demigod life); yatha--exactly as; vanarah--the monkey; suta-dara-vatsalah--very affectionate to the children and wife; vyavaya-ksanah--whose leisure time is spent in sex pleasure.
TRANSLATION
Just as a monkey jumps from one tree to another, the conditioned soul jumps from one body to another. As the monkey is ultimately captured by the hunter and is unable to get out of captivity, the conditioned soul, being captivated by momentary sex pleasure, becomes attached to different types of bodies and is encaged in family life. Family life affords the conditioned soul a festival of momentary sex pleasure, and thus he is completely unable to get out of the material clutches.
PURPORT
As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.9.29): visayah khalu sarvatah syat. Bodily necessities--eating, sleeping, mating and defending--are all very easily available in any form of life. It is stated here that the vanara (monkey) is very much attracted to sex. Each monkey keeps at least two dozen wives, and he jumps from one tree to another to capture the female monkeys. Thus he immediately engages in sexual intercourse. In this way the monkey's business is to jump from one tree to another and enjoy sex with his wives. The conditioned soul is doing the same thing, transmigrating from one body to another and engaging in sex. He thus completely forgets how to become free from the clutches of material encagement. Sometimes the monkey is captured by a hunter. who sells its body to doctors so that its glands can be removed for the benefit of another monkey. All this is going on in the name of economic development and improved sex life.
TEXT 33
TEXT
evam adhvany avarundhano mrtyu-gaja-bhayat tamasi giri-kandara-praye.
SYNONYMS
evam--in this way; adhvani--on the path of sense gratification; avarundhanah--being confined, he forgets the real purpose of life; mrtyu-gaja-bhayat--out of fear of the elephant of death; tamasi--in the darkness; giri-kandara-praye--similar to the dark caves in the mountains.
TRANSLATION
In this material world, when the conditioned soul forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not care for Krsna consciousness, he simply engages in different types of mischievous and sinful activities. He is then subjected to the threefold miseries, and, out of fear of the elephant of death, he falls into the darkness found in a mountain cave.
PURPORT
Everyone is afraid of death, and however strong a materialistic person may be, when there is disease and old age one must certainly accept death's notice. The conditioned soul becomes very morose to receive notice of death. His fear is compared to the fear experienced upon entering a dark mountain cave, and death is compared to a great elephant.
TEXT 34
TEXT
kvacic chita-vatady-aneka-daivika-bhautikatmiyanam duhkhanam pratinivarane 'kalpo duranta-visaya-visanna aste.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; sita-vata-adi--such as extreme cold or wind; aneka--many; daivika--offered by the demigods or powers beyond our control; bhautika--offered by other living entities; atmiyanam--offered by the conditioned material body and mind; duhkhanam--the many miseries; pratinivarane--in counteracting; akalpah--being unable; duranta--insurmountable; visaya--from connection with sense gratification; visannah--morose; aste--he remains.
TRANSLATION
The conditioned soul suffers many miserable bodily conditions, such as being affected by severe cold and strong winds. He also suffers due to the activities of other living beings and due to natural disturbances. When he is unable to counteract them and has to remain in a miserable condition, he naturally becomes very morose because he wants to enjoy material facilities.
TEXT 35
TEXT
kvacin mitho vyavaharan yat kincid dhanam upayati vitta-sathyena.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes or somewhere; mithah vyavaharan--transacting with each other; yat--whatever; kincit--little bit; dhanam--material benefit or wealth; upayati--he obtains; vitta-sathyena--by means of cheating someone of his wealth.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes conditioned souls exchange money, but in due course of time, enmity arises because of cheating. Although there may be a tiny profit, the conditioned souls cease to be friends and become enemies.
PURPORT
As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.8):
pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam
tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh
ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair
janasya moho 'yam aham mameti
The monkeylike conditioned soul first becomes attached to sex. and when intercourse actually takes place he becomes more attached. He then requires some material comforts--apartment, house, food, friends. wealth and so on. In order to acquire these things he has to cheat others, and this creates enmity even among the most intimate friends. Sometimes this enmity is created between the conditioned soul and the father or spiritual master. Unless one is firmly fixed in the regulative principles, one may perform mischievous acts, even if one is a member of the Krsna consciousness movement. We therefore advise our disciples to strictly follow the regulative principles; otherwise the most important movement for the upliftment of humanity will be hampered due to dissension among its members. Those who are serious about pushing forward this Krsna consciousness movement should remember this and strictly follow the regulative principles so that their minds will not be disturbed.
TEXT 36
TEXT
kvacit ksina-dhanah sayyasanasanady-upabhoga-vihino yavad apratilabdha-manorathopagatadane 'vasita-matis tatas tato 'vamanadini janad abhilabhate.
SYNONYMS
kvacit--sometimes; ksina-dhanah--not having sufficient money; sayya-asana-asana-adi--accommodations for sleeping, sitting or eating; upabhoga--of material enjoyment; vihinah--being bereft; yavat--as long as; apratilabdha--not achieved; manoratha--by his desire; upagata--obtained; adane--in seizing by unfair means; avasita-matih--whose mind is determined; tatah--because of that; tatah--from that; avamana-adini--insults and punishment; janat--from the people in general; abhilabhate--he gets.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes, having no money, the conditioned soul does not get sufficient accommodations. Sometimes he doesn't even have a place to sit, nor does he have the other necessities. In other words, he falls into scarcity, and at that time, when he is unable to secure the necessities by fair means, he decides to seize the property of others unfairly. When he cannot get the things he wants, he simply receives insults from others and thus becomes very morose.
PURPORT
It is said that necessity knows no law. When the conditioned soul needs money to acquire life's bare necessities, he adopts any means. He begs, borrows or steals. Instead of receiving these things. he is insulted and chastised. Unless one is very well organized, one cannot accumulate riches by unfair means. Even if one acquires riches by unfair means, he cannot avoid punishment and insult from the government or the general populace. There are many instances of important people's embezzling money, getting caught and being put in prison. One may be able to avoid the punishment of prison, but one cannot avoid the punishment of the Supreme personality of Godhead, who works through the agency of material nature. This is described in Bhagavad-gita (7.14): daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya. Nature is very cruel. She does not excuse anyone. When people do not care for nature, they commit all kinds of sinful activities, and consequently they have to suffer.
TEXT 37
TEXT
evam vitta-vyatisanga-vivrddha-vairanubandho 'pi purva-vasanaya mitha udvahaty athapavahati.
SYNONYMS
evam--in this way; vitta-vyatisanga--because of monetary transactions; vivrddha--increased; vaira-anubandhah--having relationships of enmity; api--although; purva-vasanaya--by the fructifying results of previous impious activities; mithah--with each other; udvahati--become united by means of the marriage of sons and daughters; atha--thereafter; apavahati--they give up the marriage or get a divorce.
TRANSLATION
Although people may be enemies, in order to fulfill their desires again and again, they sometimes get married. Unfortunately, these marriages do not last very long, and the people involved are separated again by divorce or other means.
PURPORT
As stated previously, every conditioned soul has the propensity to cheat, even in marriage. Everywhere in this material world, one conditioned soul is envious of another. For the time being, people may remain friends, but eventually they become enemies again and fight over money. Sometimes they marry and then separate by divorce or other means. On the whole, unity is never permanent. Due to the cheating propensity, both parties always remain envious. Even in Krsna. consciousness, separation and enmity take place due to the prominence of material propensities.
TEXT 38
TEXT
etasmin samsaradhvani nana-klesopasarga-badhita apanna-vipanno yatra yas tam u ha vavetaras tatra visrjya jatam jatam upadaya socan muhyan bibhyad-vivadan krandan samhrsyan gayan nahyamanah sadhu-varjito naivavartate 'dyapi yata arabdha esa nara-loka-sartho yam adhvanah param upadisanti.
SYNONYMS
etasmin--on this; samsara--of miserable conditions; adhvani--path; nana--various; klesa--by miseries; upasarga--by the troubles of material existence; badhitah--disturbed; apanna--sometimes having gained; vipannah--sometimes having lost; yatra--in which; yah--who; tam--him; u ha vava--or; itarah--someone else; tatra--thereupon; visrjya--giving up; jatam jatam--newly born; upadaya--accepting; socan--lamenting; muhyan--being illusioned; bibhyat--fearing; vivadan--sometimes exclaiming loudly; krandan--sometimes crying; samhrsyan--sometimes being pleased; gayan--singing; nahyamanah--being bound; sadhu-varjitah--being away from saintly persons; na--not; eva--certainly; avartate--achieves; adya api--even until now; yatah--from whom; arabdhah--commenced; esah--this; nara-loka--of the material world; sa-arthah--the self-interested living entities; yam--whom (the Supreme personality of Godhead); adhvanah--of the path of material existence; param--the other end; upadisanti--saintly persons indicate.
TRANSLATION
The path of this material world is full of material miseries, and various troubles disturb the conditioned souls. Sometimes he loses, and sometimes he gains. In either case, the path is full of danger. Sometimes the conditioned soul is separated from his father by death or other circumstances. Leaving him aside he gradually becomes attached to others, such as his children. In this way, the conditioned soul is sometimes illusioned and afraid. Sometimes he cries loudly out of fear. Sometimes he is happy maintaining his family, and sometimes he is overjoyed and sings melodiously. In this way he becomes entangled and forgets his separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead since time immemorial. Thus he traverses the dangerous path of material existence, and on this path he is not at all happy. Those who are self-realized simply take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to get out of this dangerous material existence. Without accepting the devotional path, one cannot get out of the clutches of material existence. The conclusion is that no one can be happy in material life. One must take to Krsna consciousness.
PURPORT
By thoroughly analyzing the materialistic way of life, any sane man can understand that there is not the least happiness in this world. However, due to continuing on the path of danger from time immemorial and not associating with saintly persons, the conditioned soul, under illusion, wants to enjoy this material world. Material energy sometimes gives him a chance at so-called happiness, but the conditioned soul is perpetually being punished by material nature. It is therefore said: dandya-jane raja yena nadite cubaya (Cc. Madhya 20.118). Materialistic life means continuous unhappiness, but sometimes we accept happiness as it appears between the gaps. Sometimes a condemned person is submerged in water and hauled out. Actually all of this is meant for punishment, but he feels a little comfort when he is taken out of the water. This is the situation with the conditioned soul. All the sastras therefore advise that one associate with devotees and saintly people.
'sadhu-sanga', 'sadhu-sanga'----sarva-sastre kaya
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya
(Cc. Madhya 22.54)
Even by a little association with devotees, the conditioned soul can get out of this miserable material condition. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore trying to give everyone a chance to associate with saintly people. Therefore all the members of this Krsna consciousness society must themselves be perfect sadhus in order to give a chance to fallen conditioned souls. This is the best humanitarian work.
TEXT 39
TEXT
yad idam yoganusasanam na va etad avarundhate yan nyasta-danda munaya upasama-sila uparatatmanah samavagacchanti.
SYNONYMS
yat--which; idam--this ultimate abode of the Supreme personality of Godhead; yoga-anusasanam--only to be achieved by practicing devotional service; na--not; va--either; etat--this path of liberation; avarundhate--obtain; yat--therefore; nyasta-dandah--persons who have given up envying others; munayah--saintly persons; upasama-silah--who are now situated in a most peaceful existence; uparata-atmanah--who have control over the mind and senses; samavagacchanti--very easily obtain.
TRANSLATION
Saintly persons, who are friends to all living entities, have a peaceful consciousness. They have controlled their senses and minds, and they easily attain the path of liberation, the path back to Godhead. Being unfortunate and attached to the miserable material conditions, a materialistic person cannot associate with them.
PURPORT
The great saint Jada Bharata described both the miserable condition and the means to get out. The only way out of it is association with devotees, and this association is very easy. Although unfortunate people also get this opportunity, due to their great misfortune they cannot take shelter of pure devotees, and consequently they continuously suffer. Nonetheless, this Krsna consciousness movement insists that everyone take to this path by adopting the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. The preachers of Krsna consciousness go from door to door to inform people how they can be relieved from the miserable conditions of material life. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija: by the mercy of Krsna and guru, one can get the seed of devotional service. If one is a little intelligent he can cultivate Krsna consciousness and be freed from the miserable conditions of material life.
TEXT 40
TEXT
yad api dig-ibha-jayino yajvino ye vai rajarsayah kim tu param mrdhe sayirann asyam eva mameyam iti krta-vairanubandhayam visrjya svayam upasamhrtah.
SYNONYMS
yat api--although; dik-ibha-jayinah--who are victorious in all directions; yajvinah--expert in performing great sacrifices; ye--all of whom; vai--indeed; raja-rsayah--very great saintly kings; kim tu--but; param--only this earth; mrdhe--in battle; sayiran--lying down; asyam--on this (earth); eva--indeed; mama--mine; iyam--this; iti--considering in that way; krta--on which is created; vaira-anu-bandhayam--a relationship of enmity with others; visrjya--giving up; svayam--his own life; upasamhrtah--being killed.
TRANSLATION
There were many great saintly kings who were very expert in performing sacrificial rituals and very competent in conquering other kingdoms, yet despite their power they could not attain the loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is because those great kings could not even conquer the false consciousness of "I am this body, and this is my property." Thus they simply created enmity with rival kings, fought with them and died without having discharged life's real mission.
PURPORT
The real mission of life for the conditioned soul is to reestablish the forgotten relationship with the Supreme personality of Godhead and engage in devotional service so that he may revive Krsna consciousness after giving up the body. One doesn't have to give up his occupation as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra or whatever. In any position, while discharging his prescribed duty, one can develop Krsna consciousness simply by associating with devotees who are representatives of Krsna and who can teach this science. Regretfully, the big politicians and leaders in the material world simply create enmity and are not interested in spiritual advancement. Material advancement may be very pleasing to an ordinary man, but ultimately he is defeated because he identifies himself with the material body and considers everything related to it to be his property. This is ignorance. Actually nothing belongs to him, not even the body. By one's karma, one gets a particular body, and if he does not utilize his body to please the Supreme personality of Godhead, all his activities are frustrated. The real purpose of life is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13):
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
It really doesn't matter what activity a man engages in. If he can simply satisfy the Supreme Lord, his life is successful.
TEXT 41
TEXT
karma-vallim avalambya tata apadah kathancin narakad vimuktah punar apy evam samsaradhvani vartamano nara-loka-sartham upayati evam upari gato 'pi.
SYNONYMS
karma-vallim--the creeper of fruitive activities; avalambya--taking shelter of; tatah--from that; apadah--dangerous or miserable condition; kathancit--somehow or other; narakat--from the hellish condition of life; vimuktah--being freed; punah api--again; evam--in this way; samsara-adhvani--on the path of material existence; vartamanah--existing; nara-loka-sa-artham--the field of self-interested material activities; upayati--he enters; evam--thus; upari--above (in the higher planetary systems); gatah api--although promoted.
TRANSLATION
When the conditioned soul accepts the shelter of the creeper of fruitive activity, he may be elevated by his pious activities to higher planetary systems and thus gain liberation from hellish conditions, but unfortunately he cannot remain there. After reaping the results of his pious activities, he has to return to the lower planetary systems. In this way he perpetually goes up and comes down.
PURPORT
In this regard Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
(Cc. Madhya 19.151)
Even if one wanders for many millions of years, from the time of creation until the time of annihilation, one cannot get free from the path of material existence unless one receives shelter at the lotus feet of a pure devotee. As a monkey takes shelter of the branch of a banyan tree and thinks he is enjoying, the conditioned soul, not knowing the real interest of his life, takes shelter of the path of karma-kanda, fruitive activities. Sometimes he is elevated to the heavenly planets by such activities, and sometimes he again descends to earth. This is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as brahmanda bhramite. However, if by Krsna's grace one is fortunate enough to come under the shelter of the guru, by the mercy of Krsna he receives lessons on how to execute devotional service to the Supreme Lord. In this way he receives a clue of how to get out of his continuous struggle up and down within the material world. Therefore the Vedic injunction is that one should approach a spiritual master. The Vedas declare: tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet (Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.12). Similarly in Bhagavad-gita (4.34) the Supreme Personality of Godhead advises:
tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth." Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21) gives similar advice:
tasmad gurum prapadyeta
jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam
brahmany upasamasrayam
"Any person who seriously desires to achieve real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters." Similarly, Visvanatha Cakravarti, a great Vaisnava, also advises, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah:"By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the mercy of Krsna." This is the same advice given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija). This is essential. One must come to Krsna consciousness, and therefore one must take shelter of a pure devotee. Thus one can become free from the clutches of matter.
TEXT 42
TEXT
tasyedam upagayanti----
arsabhasyeha rajarser
manasapi mahatmanah
nanuvartmarhati nrpo
maksikeva garutmatah
SYNONYMS
tasya--of Jada Bharata; idam--this glorification; upagayanti--they sing; arsabhasya--of the son of Rsabhadeva; iha--here; raja-rseh--of the great saintly King; manasa api--even by the mind; maha-atmanah--of the great personality Jada Bharata; na--not; anuvartma arhati--able to follow the path; nrpah--any king; maksika--a fly; iva--like; garutmatah--of Garuda, the carrier of the Supreme personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Having summarized the teachings of Jada Bharata, Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King Pariksit, the path indicated by Jada Bharata is like the path followed by Garuda, the carrier of the Lord, and ordinary kings are just like flies. Flies cannot follow the path of Garuda, and to date none of the great kings and victorious leaders could follow this path of devotional service, not even mentally.
PURPORT
As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.3):
manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." The path of devotional service is very difficult, even for great kings who have conquered many enemies. Although these kings were victorious on the battlefield, they could not conquer the bodily conception. There are many big leaders, yogis, svamis and so-called incarnations who are very much addicted to mental speculation and who advertise themselves as perfect personalities, but they are not ultimately successful. The path of devotional service is undoubtedly very difficult to follow, but it becomes very easy if the candidate actually wants to follow the path of the mahajana. In this age there is the path of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared to deliver all fallen souls. This path is so simple and easy that everyone can take to it by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
We are very satisfied that this path is being opened by this Krsna consciousness movement because so many European and American boys and girls are taking this philosophy seriously and gradually attaining perfection.
TEXT 43
TEXT
yo dustyajan dara-sutan
suhrd rajyam hrdi-sprsah
jahau yuvaiva malavad
uttamasloka-lalasah
SYNONYMS
yah--the same Jada Bharata who was formerly Maharaja Bharata, the son of Maharaja Rsabhadeva; dustyajan--very difficult to give up; dara-sutan--the wife and children or the most opulent family life; suhrt--friends and well-wishers; rajyam--a kingdom that extended all over the world; hrdi-sprsah--that which is situated within the core of one's heart; jahau--he gave up; yuva eva--even as a young man; mala-vat--like stool; uttama-sloka-lalasah--who was so fond of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Uttamasloka.
TRANSLATION
While in the prime of life, the great Maharaja Bharata gave up everything because he was fond of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamasloka. He gave up his beautiful wife, nice children, great friends and an enormous empire. Although these things were very difficult to give up, Maharaja Bharata was so exalted that he gave them up just as one gives up stool after evacuating. Such was the greatness of His Majesty.
PURPORT
The name of God is Krsna, because He is so attractive that the pure devotee can give up everything within this material world on His behalf. Maharaja Bharata was an ideal king, instructor and emperor of the world. He possessed all the opulences of the material world, but Krsna is so attractive that He attracted Maharaja Bharata from all his material possessions. Yet somehow or other, the King became affectionate to a little deer and, falling from his position, had to accept the body of a deer in his next life. Due to Krsna's great mercy upon him, he could not forget his position, and he could understand how he had fallen. Therefore in the next life, as Jada Bharata, Maharaja Bharata was careful not to spoil his energy, and therefore he presented himself as a deaf and dumb person. In this way he could concentrate on his devotional service. We have to learn from the great King Bharata how to become cautious in cultivating Krsna consciousness. A little inattention will retard our devotional service for the time being. Yet any service rendered to the Supreme personality of Godhead is never lost: svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat (Bg. 2.40). A little devotional service rendered sincerely is a permanent asset. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.17):
tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim
ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah
Somehow or other, if one is attracted to Krsna, whatever he does in devotional service is a permanent asset. Even if one falls down due to immaturity or bad association, his devotional assets are never lost. There are many examples of this--Ajamila, Maharaja Bharata, and many others. This Krsna consciousness movement is giving everyone a chance to engage in devotional service for at least some time. A little service will give one an impetus to advance and thus make one's life successful.
In this verse the Lord is described as Uttamasloka. Uttama means "the best," and sloka means "reputation." Lord Krsna is full in six opulences, one of which is reputation. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah. Krsna's reputation is still expanding. We are spreading the glories of Krsna by pushing forward this Krsna consciousness movement. Krsna's reputation, five thousand years after the Battle of Kuruksetra, is still expanding throughout the world. Every important individual within this world must have heard of Krsna, especially at the present moment, due to the Krsna consciousness movement. Even people who do not like us and want to suppress the movement are also somehow or other chanting Hare Krsna. They say, "The Hare Krsna people should be chastised." Such foolish people do not realize the true value of this movement, but the mere fact that they want to criticize it gives them a chance to chant Hare Krsna, and this is its success.
TEXT 44
TEXT
yo dustyajan ksiti-suta-svajanartha-daran
prarthyam sriyam sura-varaih sadayavalokam
naicchan nrpas tad-ucitam mahatam madhudvit-
sevanurakta-manasam abhavo 'pi phalguh
SYNONYMS
yah--who; dustyajan--very difficult to give up; ksiti--the earth; suta--children; sva-jana-artha-daran--relatives, riches and a beautiful wife; prarthyam--desirable; sriyam--the goddess of fortune; sura-varaih--by the best of the demigods; sa-daya-avalokam--whose merciful glance; na--not; aicchat--desired; nrpah--the King; tat-ucitam--this is quite befitting him; mahatam--of great personalities (mahatmas); madhu-dvit--of Lord Krsna, who killed the demon Madhu; seva-anurakta--attracted by the loving service; manasam--of those whose minds; abhavah api--even the position of liberation; phalguh--insignificant.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the activities of Bharata Maharaja are wonderful. He gave up everything difficult for others to give up. He gave up his kingdom, his wife and his family. His opulence was so great that even the demigods envied it, yet he gave it up. It was quite befitting a great personality like him to be a great devotee. He could renounce everything because he was so attracted to the beauty, opulence, reputation, knowledge, strength and renunciation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Krsna is so attractive that one can give up all desirable things for His sake. Indeed, even liberation is considered insignificant for those whose minds are attracted to the loving service of the Lord.
PURPORT
This verse confirms Krsna's all-attractiveness. Maharaja Bharata was so attracted to Krsna that he gave up all his material possessions. Generally materialistic people are attracted by such possessions.
ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair
janasya moho 'yam aham mameti
(Bhag. 5.5.8)
"One becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life's illusions and thinks in terms of 'I and mine.' " The attraction for material things is certainly due to illusion. There is no value in attraction to material things, for the conditioned soul is diverted by them. One's life is successful if he is absorbed in the attraction of Krsna's strength, beauty and pastimes as described in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The Mayavadis are attracted to merging into the existence of the Lord, but Krsna is more attractive than the desire to merge. The word abhavah means "not to take birth again in this material world." A devotee doesn't care whether he is going to be reborn or not. He is simply satisfied with the Lord's service in any condition. That is real mukti.
iha yasya harer dasye
karmana manasa gira
nikhilasv apy avasthasu
jivan-muktah sa ucyate
"One who acts to serve Krsna with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person, even within this material world." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.187) A person who always desires to serve Krsna is interested in ways to convince people that there is a Supreme personality of Godhead and that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna. That is his ambition. It doesn't matter whether he is in heaven or in hell. This is called uttamasloka-lalasa.
TEXT 45
TEXT
yajnaya dharma-pataye vidhi-naipunaya
yogaya sankhya-sirase prakrtisvaraya
narayanaya haraye nama ity udaram
hasyan mrgatvam api yah samudajahara
SYNONYMS
yajnaya--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enjoys the results of all great sacrifices; dharma-pataye--unto the master or propounder of religious principles; vidhi-naipunaya--who gives the devotee the intelligence to follow the regulative principles expertly; yogaya--the personification of mystic yoga; sankhya-sirase--who taught the Sankhya philosophy or who actually gives knowledge of Sankhya to the people of the world; prakrti-isvaraya--the supreme controller of this cosmic manifestation; narayanaya--the resting place of the innumerable living entities (nara means the living entities, and ayana means the shelter); haraye--unto the Supreme personality of Godhead, known as Hari; namah--respectful obeisances; iti--thus; udaram--very loudly; hasyan--smiling; mrgatvam api--although in the body of a deer; yah--who; samudajahara--chanted.
TRANSLATION
Even though in the body of a deer, Maharaja Bharata did not forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore when he was giving up the body of a deer, he loudly uttered the following prayer: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sacrifice personified. He gives the results of ritualistic activity. He is the protector of religious systems, the personification of mystic yoga, the source of all knowledge, the controller of the entire creation, and the Supersoul in every living entity. He is beautiful and attractive. I am quitting this body offering obeisances unto Him and hoping that I may perpetually engage in His transcendental loving service." Uttering this, Maharaja Bharata left his body.
PURPORT
The entire Vedas are meant for the understanding of karma, jnana and yoga--fruitive activity, speculative knowledge and mystic yoga. Whatever way of spiritual realization we accept, the ultimate goal is Narayana, the Supreme personality of Godhead. The living entities are eternally connected with Him via devotional service. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, ante narayana-smrtih: the perfection of life is to remember Narayana at the time of death. Although Bharata Maharaja had to accept the body of a deer, he could remember Narayana at the time of death. Consequently he took birth as a perfect devotee in a brahmana family. This confirms the statement of Bhagavad-gita (6.41), sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate: "One who falls from the path of self-realization takes birth in a family of brahmanas or wealthy aristocrats." Although Maharaja Bharata appeared in the royal family, he became neglectful and took birth as a deer. Because he was very cautious within his deer body, he took birth in a brahmana family as Jada Bharata. During this lifetime, he remained perfectly Krsna conscious and preached the gospel of Krsna consciousness directly, beginning with his instructions to Maharaja Rahugana. In this regard, the word yogaya is very significant. The purpose of astanga-yoga, as stated by Madhvacarya, is to link or connect with the Supreme personality of Godhead. The goal is not to display some material perfections.
TEXT 46
TEXT
ya idam bhagavata-sabhajitavadata-guna-karmano rajarser bharatasyanucaritam svasty-ayanam ayusyam dhanyam yasasyam svargyapavargyam vanusrnoty akhyasyaty abhinandati ca sarva evasisa atmana asaste na kancana parata iti.
SYNONYMS
yah--anyone who; idam--this; bhagavata--by exalted devotees; sabhajita--greatly worshiped; avadata--pure; guna--whose qualities; karmanah--and activities; raja-rseh--of the great saintly King; bharatasya--of Bharata Maharaja; anucaritam--the narration; svasti-ayanam--the abode of auspiciousness; ayusyam--which increases one's duration of life; dhanyam--increases one's fortune; yasasyam--bestows reputation; svargya--gives promotion to the higher planetary systems (the goal of the karmis); apavargyam--gives liberation from this material world and enables one to merge into the Supreme (the goal of the jnanis); va--or; anusrnoti--always hears, following the path of devotional service; akhyasyati--describes for the benefit of others; abhinandati--glorifies the characteristics of devotees and the Supreme Lord; ca--and; sarvah--all; eva--certainly; asisah--blessings; atmanah--for himself; asaste--he achieves; na--not; kancana--anything; paratah--from anyone else; iti--thus.
TRANSLATION
Devotees interested in hearing and chanting [sravanam kirtanam] regularly discuss the pure characteristics of Bharata Maharaja and praise his activities. If one submissively hears and chants about the all-auspicious Maharaja Bharata, one's life span and material opulences certainly increase. One can become very famous and easily attain promotion to the heavenly planets, or attain liberation by merging into the existence of the Lord. Whatever one desires can be attained simply by hearing, chanting and glorifying the activities of Maharaja Bharata. In this way, one can fulfill all his material and spiritual desires. One does not have to ask anyone else for these things, for simply by studying the life of Maharaja Bharata, one can attain all desirable things.
PURPORT
The forest of material existence is summarized in this Fourteenth Chapter. The word bhavatavi refers to the path of material existence. The merchant is the living entity who comes to the forest of material existence to try to make money for sense gratification. The six plunderers are the senses--eyes, ears, nose, tongue, touch and mind. The bad leader is diverted intelligence. Intelligence is meant for Krsna consciousness. but due to material existence we divert all our intelligence to achieve material facilities. Everything belongs to Krsna, the Supreme personality of Godhead, but due to our perverted mind and senses. we plunder the property of the Lord and engage in satisfying our senses. The jackals and tigers in the forest are our family members, and the herbs and creepers are our material desires. The mountain cave is our happy home, and the mosquitoes and serpents are our enemies. The rats, beasts and vultures are different types of thieves who take away our possessions, and the gandharva-pura is the phantasmagoria of the body and home. The will-o'-the-wisp is our attraction for gold and its color, and material residence and wealth are the ingredients for our material enjoyment. The whirlwind is our attraction for our wife, and the dust storm is our blinding passion experienced during sex. The demigods control the different directions, and the cricket is the harsh words spoken by our enemy during our absence. The owl is the person who directly insults us, and the impious trees are impious men. The waterless river represents atheists who give us trouble in this world and the next. The meat-eating demons are the government officials, and the pricking thorns are the impediments of material life. The little taste experienced in sex is our desire to enjoy another's wife, and the flies are the guardians of women, like the husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and so forth. The creeper itself is women in general. The lion is the wheel of time, and the herons, crows and vultures are so-called demigods, pseudo svamis, yogis and incarnations. All of these are too insignificant to give one relief. The swans are the perfect brahmanas, and the monkeys are the extravagant sudras engaged in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. The trees of the monkeys are our households, and the elephant is ultimate death. Thus all the constituents of material existence are described in this chapter.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment."