Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Fourteen

SB5.14.9

TEXT 9

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.

SB5.14.10

TEXT 10

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.

SB5.14.11

TEXT 11

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.

SB5.14.12

TEXT 12

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.

SB5.14.13

TEXT 13

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 [Bg. 15.15]). 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.

SB5.14.14

TEXT 14

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.

SB5.14.15

TEXT 15

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.

SB5.14.16

TEXT 16

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.

SB5.14.17

TEXT 17

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.

SB5.14.18

TEXT 18

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.

SB5.14.19

TEXT 19

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.

SB5.14.20

TEXT 20

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.

SB5.14.21

TEXT 21

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.

SB5.14.22

TEXT 22

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: [SB 7.9.45] 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.

SB5.14.23

TEXT 23

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 [Bg. 7.19]).

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