Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 7: “The Science of God”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Seven
SB7.7.39
TEXT 39
rayah kalatram pasavah sutadayo
grha mahi kunjara-kosa-bhutayah
sarve ’rtha-kamah ksana-bhangurayusah
kurvanti martyasya kiyat priyam calah
SYNONYMS
rayah—wealth; kalatram—one’s wife and feminine friends; pasavah—domestic animals like cows, horses, asses, cats and dogs; suta-adayah—children and so on; grhah—big buildings and residences; mahi—land; kunjara—elephants; kosa—treasury house; bhutayah—and other luxuries for sense gratification and material enjoyment; sarve—all; artha—economic development; kamah—and sense gratification; ksana-bhangura—perishable in a moment; ayusah—of one whose duration of life; kurvanti—effect or bring; martyasya—of one who is destined to die; kiyat—how much; priyam—pleasure; calah—flickering and temporary.
TRANSLATION
One’s riches, beautiful wife and female friends, one’s sons and daughters, one’s residence, one’s domestic animals like cows, elephants and horses, one’s treasury, economic development and sense gratification—indeed, even the lifetime in which one can enjoy all these material opulences—are certainly temporary and flickering. Since the opportunity of human life is temporary, what benefit can these material opulences give to a sensible man who has understood himself to be eternal?
PURPORT
This verse describes how the advocates of economic development are frustrated by the laws of nature. As the previous verse asks, kim visayopapadanaih: what is the actual benefit of so-called economic development? The history of the world has factually proved that attempts to increase economic development for bodily comfort through the advancement of material civilization have done nothing to remedy the inevitability of birth, death, old age and disease. Everyone has knowledge of huge empires throughout the history of the world—the Roman Empire, the Moghul Empire, the British Empire and so on—but all the societies engaged in such economic development (sarve ’rtha-kamah) have been frustrated by the laws of nature through periodic wars, pestilence, famine and so on. Thus all their attempts have been flickering and temporary. In this verse, therefore, it is said, kurvanti martyasya kiyat priyam calah: one may be very proud of possessing a vast empire, but such empires are impermanent; after one hundred or two hundred years, everything is finished. All such positions of economic development, although created with great endeavor and hardship, are vanquished very soon. Therefore they have been described as calah. An intelligent man should conclude that material economic development is not at all pleasing. The entire world is described in Bhagavad-gita as duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]—miserable and temporary. Economic development may be pleasing for some time, but it cannot endure. Thus many big businessmen are now very morose because they are being harassed by various plundering governments. In conclusion, why should one waste his time for so-called economic development, which is neither permanent nor pleasing to the soul?
On the other hand, our relationship with Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is eternal. Nitya-siddha krsna-prema. The pure souls are eternally in love with Krsna, and this permanent love, either as a servant, a friend, a parent or a conjugal lover, is not at all difficult to revive. Especially in this age, the concession is that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra (harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21]) one revives his original relationship with God and thus becomes so happy that he does not want anything material. As enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye. A very advanced devotee in Krsna consciousness does not want riches, followers or possessions. Rayah kalatram pasavah sutadayo grha mahi kunjara-kosa-bhutayah. The satisfaction of possessing material opulences, although perhaps of a different standard, is available even in the lives of dogs and hogs, who cannot revive their eternal relationship with Krsna. In human life, however, our eternal, dormant relationship with Krsna is possible to revive. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja has described this life as arthadam. Consequently, instead of wasting our time for economic development, which cannot give us any happiness, if we simply try to revive our eternal relationship with Krsna, we will properly utilize our lives. SB7.7.40 TEXT 40 evam hi lokah kratubhih krta ami ksayisnavah satisaya na nirmalah tasmad adrsta-sruta-dusanam param bhaktyoktayesam bhajatatma-labdhaye SYNONYMS evam—similarly (as earthly wealth and possessions are impermanent); hi—indeed; lokah—higher planetary systems like heaven, the moon, the sun and Brahmaloka; kratubhih—by performing great sacrifices; krtah—achieved; ami—all those; ksayisnavah—perishable, impermanent; satisayah—although more comfortable and pleasing; na—not; nirmalah—pure (free from disturbances); tasmat—therefore; adrsta-sruta—never seen or heard; dusanam—whose fault; param—the Supreme; bhaktya—with great devotional love; uktaya—as described in the Vedic literature (not mixed with jnana or karma); isam—the Supreme Lord; bhajata—worship; atma-labdhaye—for self-realization. TRANSLATION It is learned from Vedic literature that by performing great sacrifices one may elevate himself to the heavenly planets. However, although life on the heavenly planets is hundreds and thousands of times more comfortable than life on earth, the heavenly planets are not pure [nirmalam], or free from the taint of material existence. The heavenly planets are also temporary, and therefore they are not the goal of life. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, has never been seen or heard to possess inebriety. Consequently, for your own benefit and self-realization, you must worship the Lord with great devotion, as described in the revealed scriptures. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gita, ksine punye martya-lokam visanti [Bg. 9.21]. Even if one is promoted to the higher planetary systems by performing great sacrifices, which are accompanied by the sinful act of sacrificing animals, the standard of happiness in Svargaloka is also not free of disturbances. There is a similar struggle for existence even for the King of heaven, Indra. Thus there is no practical benefit in promoting oneself to the heavenly planets. Indeed, from the heavenly planets one must return to this earth after one has exhausted the results of his pious activities. In the Vedas it is said, tad yatheha karma jito lokah ksiyate evam evamutra punya jito lokah ksiyata. As the material positions we acquire here by hard work are vanquished in due course of time, one’s residence in the heavenly planets is also eventually vanquished. According to one’s activities of piety in different degrees, one obtains different standards of life, but none of them are permanent, and therefore they are all impure. Consequently, one should not endeavor to be promoted to the higher planetary systems, only to return to this earth or descend still lower to the hellish planets. To stop this cycle of going up and coming down, one must take to Krsna consciousness. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore said: brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva The living entity is rotating in the cycle of birth and death, going sometimes to the higher planets and sometimes to the lower planets, but that is not the solution to the problems of life. But if by the grace of Krsna one is fortunate enough to meet a guru, a representative of Krsna, one gets the clue to returning home, back to Godhead, having achieved self-realization. This is what is actually desirable. Bhajatatma-labdhaye: one must take to Krsna consciousness for self-realization. SB7.7.41 TEXT 41 yad-artha iha karmani vidvan-many asakrn narah karoty ato viparyasam amogham vindate phalam SYNONYMS yat—of which; arthe—for the purpose; iha—in this material world; karmani—many activities (in factories, industries, speculation and so on); vidvat—advanced in knowledge; mani—thinking himself to be; asakrt—again and again; narah—a person; karoti—performs; atah—from this; viparyasam—the opposite; amogham—unfailingly; vindate—achieves; phalam—result. TRANSLATION A materialistic person, thinking himself very advanced in intelligence, continually acts for economic development. But again and again, as enunciated in the Vedas, he is frustrated by material activities, either in this life or in the next. Indeed, the results one obtains are inevitably the opposite of those one desires. PURPORT No one has ever achieved the results he desired from material activities. On the contrary, everyone has been frustrated again and again. Therefore one must not waste his time in such material activities for sensual pleasure, either in this life or in the next. So many nationalists, economists and other ambitious persons have tried for happiness, individually or collectively, but history proves that they have all been frustrated. In recent history we have seen many political leaders work hard for individual and collective economic development, but they have all failed. This is the law of nature, as clearly explained in the next verse. SB7.7.42 TEXT 42 sukhaya duhkha-moksaya sankalpa iha karminah sadapnotihaya duhkham anihayah sukhavrtah SYNONYMS sukhaya—for achieving happiness by a so-called higher standard of life; duhkha-moksaya—for becoming free from misery; sankalpah—the determination; iha—in this world; karminah—of the living entity trying for economic development; sada—always; apnoti—achieves; ihaya—by activity or ambition; duhkham—only unhappiness; anihayah—and from not desiring economic development; sukha—by happiness; avrtah—covered. TRANSLATION In this material world, every materialist desires to achieve happiness and diminish his distress, and therefore he acts accordingly. Actually, however, one is happy as long as one does not endeavor for happiness; as soon as one begins his activities for happiness, his conditions of distress begin. PURPORT Every conditioned soul is bound by the laws of material nature, as described in Bhagavad-gita (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]). Everyone has achieved a certain type of body given by material nature according to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. isvarah sarva-bhutanam “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” (Bg. 18.61) The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, is present in everyone’s heart, and as the living entity desires, the Lord gives him facilities with which to work according to his ambitions in different grades of bodies. The body is just like an instrument by which the living entity moves according to false desires for happiness and thus suffers the pangs of birth, death, old age and disease in different standards of life. Everyone begins his activities with some plan and ambition, but actually, from the beginning of one’s plan to the end, one does not derive any happiness. On the contrary, as soon as one begins acting according to his plan, his life of distress immediately begins. Therefore, one should not be ambitious to dissipate the unhappy conditions of life, for one cannot do anything about them. Ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. Although one is acting according to false ambitions, he thinks he can improve his material conditions by his activities. The Vedas enjoin that one should not try to increase happiness or decrease distress, for this is futile. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. One should work for self-realization, not for economic development, which is impossible to improve. Without endeavor, one can get the amount of happiness and distress for which he is destined, and one cannot change this. Therefore, it is better to use one’s time for advancement in the spiritual life of Krsna consciousness. One should not waste his valuable life as a human being. It is better to utilize this life for developing Krsna consciousness, without ambitions for so-called happiness. SB7.7.43 TEXT 43 kaman kamayate kamyair yad-artham iha purusah sa vai dehas tu parakyo bhanguro yaty upaiti ca SYNONYMS kaman—things for sense gratification; kamayate—one desires; kamyaih—by different desirable actions; yat—of which; artham—for the purpose; iha—in this material world; purusah—the living entity; sah—that; vai—indeed; dehah—body; tu—but; parakyah—belongs to others (the dogs, vultures, etc.); bhangurah—perishable; yati—goes away; upaiti—embraces the spirit soul; ca—and. TRANSLATION A living entity desires comfort for his body and makes many plans for this purpose, but actually the body is the property of others. Indeed, the perishable body embraces the living entity and then leaves him aside. PURPORT Everyone desires comfort for his body and tries to make a suitable situation for this purpose, forgetting that the body is meant to be eaten by dogs, jackals or moths and thus turned into useless stool, ashes or earth. The living entity wastes his time in a futile attempt to gain material possessions for the comfort of one body after another. SB7.7.44 TEXT 44 kim u vyavahitapatya- daragara-dhanadayah rajya-kosa-gajamatya- bhrtyapta mamataspadah SYNONYMS kim u—what to speak of; vyavahita—separated; apatya—children; dara—wives; agara—residences; dhana—wealth; adayah—and so on; rajya—kingdoms; kosa—treasuries; gaja—big elephants and horses; amatya—ministers; bhrtya—servants; aptah—relatives; mamata-aspadah—false seats or abodes of intimate relationship (“mineness”). TRANSLATION Since the body itself is ultimately meant to become stool or earth, what is the meaning of the paraphernalia related to the body, such as wives, residences, wealth, children, relatives, servants, friends, kingdoms, treasuries, animals and ministers? They are also temporary. What more can be said about this? SB7.7.45 TEXT 45 kim etair atmanas tucchaih saha dehena nasvaraih anarthair artha-sankasair nityananda-rasodadheh SYNONYMS kim—what is the use; etaih—with all these; atmanah—for the real self; tucchaih—which are most insignificant; saha—with; dehena—the body; nasvaraih—perishable; anarthaih—unwanted; artha-sankasaih—appearing as if needed; nitya-ananda—of eternal happiness; rasa—of the nectar; udadheh—for the ocean. TRANSLATION All this paraphernalia is very near and dear as long as the body exists, but as soon as the body is destroyed, all things related to the body are also finished. Therefore, actually one has nothing to do with them, but because of ignorance one accepts them as valuable. Compared to the ocean of eternal happiness, they are most insignificant. What is the use of such insignificant relationships for the eternal living being? PURPORT Krsna consciousness, devotional service to Krsna, is the ocean of eternal bliss. In comparison to this eternal bliss, the so-called happiness of society, friendship and love is simply useless and insignificant. One should therefore not be attached to temporary things. One should take to Krsna consciousness and become eternally happy. SB7.7.46 TEXT 46 nirupyatam iha svarthah kiyan deha-bhrto ’surah nisekadisv avasthasu klisyamanasya karmabhih SYNONYMS nirupyatam—let it be ascertained; iha—in this world; sva-arthah—personal benefit; kiyan—how much; deha-bhrtah—of a living entity who has a material body; asurah—O sons of demons; niseka-adisu—beginning from the happiness derived from sex life; avasthasu—in temporary conditions; klisyamanasya—of one who is suffering in severe hardships; karmabhih—by his previous material activities. TRANSLATION My dear friends, O sons of the asuras, the living entity receives different types of bodies according to his previous fruitive activities. Thus he is seen to suffer with reference to his particular body in all conditions of life, beginning with his infusion into the womb. Please tell me, therefore, after full consideration, what is the living entity’s actual interest in fruitive activities, which result in hardship and misery? PURPORT Karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. The living entity receives a particular type of body according to his karma, or fruitive activities. The material pleasure derived in the material world from one’s particular body is based on sexual pleasure: yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. The entire world is working so hard only for sexual pleasure. To enjoy sexual pleasure and maintain the status quo of material life, one must work very hard, and because of such activities, one prepares himself another material body. Prahlada Maharaja places this matter to his friends, the asuras, for their consideration. Asuras generally cannot understand that the objects of sexual pleasure, the so-called pleasure of materialistic life, depend on extremely hard labor. SB7.7.47 TEXT 47 karmany arabhate dehi dehenatmanuvartina karmabhis tanute deham ubhayam tv avivekatah SYNONYMS karmani—material fruitive activities; arabhate—begins; dehi—a living entity who has accepted a particular type of body; dehena—with that body; atma-anuvartina—which is received according to his desire and past activities; karmabhih—by such material activities; tanute—he expands; deham—another body; ubhayam—both of them; tu—indeed; avivekatah—due to ignorance. TRANSLATION The living entity, who has received his present body because of his past fruitive activity, may end the results of his actions in this life, but this does not mean that he is liberated from bondage to material bodies. The living entity receives one type of body, and by performing actions with that body he creates another. Thus he transmigrates from one body to another, through repeated birth and death, because of his gross ignorance. PURPORT The living entity’s evolution through different types of bodies is conducted automatically by the laws of nature in bodies other than those of human beings. In other words, by the laws of nature (prakrteh kriyamanani) the living entity evolves from lower grades of life to the human form. Because of his developed consciousness, however, the human being must understand the constitutional position of the living entity and understand why he must accept a material body. This chance is given to him by nature, but if he nonetheless acts like an animal, what is the benefit of his human life? In this life one must select the goal of life and act accordingly. Having received instructions from the spiritual master and the sastra, one must be sufficiently intelligent. In the human form of life, one should not remain foolish and ignorant, but must inquire about his constitutional position. This is called athato brahma jijnasa. The human psychology gives rise to many questions, which various philosophers have considered and answered with various types of philosophy based upon mental concoction. This is not the way of liberation. The Vedic instructions say, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] to solve the problems of life, one must accept a spiritual master. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam: [SB 11.3.21] if one is actually serious in inquiring about the solution to material existence, one must approach a bona fide guru. tad viddhi pranipatena “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.” (Bg. 4.34) One must approach a bona fide spiritual master by surrendering himself (pranipatena) and rendering service. An intelligent person must inquire from the spiritual master about the goal of life. A bona fide spiritual master can answer all such questions because he has seen the real truth. Even in ordinary activities, we first consider gain and loss, and then we act. Similarly, an intelligent person must consider the entire process of material existence and then act intelligently, following the directions of the bona fide spiritual master. SB7.7.48 TEXT 48 tasmad arthas ca kamas ca dharmas ca yad-apasrayah bhajatanihayatmanam aniham harim isvaram SYNONYMS tasmat—therefore; arthah—ambitions for economic development; ca—and; kamah—ambitions for satisfaction of the senses; ca—also; dharmah—duties of religion; ca—and; yat—upon whom; apasrayah—dependent; bhajata—worship; anihaya—without desire for them; atmanam—the Supersoul; aniham—indifferent; harim—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isvaram—the Lord. TRANSLATION The four principles of advancement in spiritual life—dharma, artha, kama and moksa—all depend on the disposition of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, my dear friends, follow in the footsteps of devotees. Without desire, fully depend upon the disposition of the Supreme Lord, worship Him, the Supersoul, in devotional service. PURPORT These are words of intelligence. Everyone should know that in every stage of life we are dependent upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the dharma, religion, which we accept should be that which is recommended by Prahlada Maharaja—bhagavata-dharma. This is the instruction of Krsna: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. To take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna means to act according to the rules and regulations of bhagavata-dharma, devotional service. As far as economic development is concerned, we should discharge our occupational duties but fully depend on the lotus feet of the Lord for the results. Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana: “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.” According to one’s position, one should perform his duties, but for the results one should fully depend upon Krsna. Narottama dasa Thakura sings that our only desire should be to perform the duties of Krsna consciousness. We should not be misled by the karma-mimamsa philosophy, which concludes that if we work seriously the results will come automatically. This is not a fact. The ultimate result depends upon the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In devotional service, therefore, the devotee completely depends upon the Lord and honestly performs his occupational duties. Therefore Prahlada Maharaja advised his friends to depend completely on Krsna and worship Him in devotional service. SB7.7.49 TEXT 49 sarvesam api bhutanam harir atmesvarah priyah bhutair mahadbhih sva-krtaih krtanam jiva-samjnitah SYNONYMS sarvesam—of all; api—certainly; bhutanam—living entities; harih—the Lord, who mitigates all the miseries of the living entity; atma—the original source of life; isvarah—the complete controller; priyah—the dear; bhutaih—by the separated energies, the five material elements; mahadbhih—emanating from the total material energy, the mahat-tattva; sva-krtaih—which are manifested by Himself; krtanam—created; jiva-samjnitah—who is also known as the living entity, since the living entities are expansions of His marginal energy. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is the soul and the Supersoul of all living entities. Every living entity is a manifestation of His energy in terms of the living soul and the material body. Therefore the Lord is the most dear, and He is the supreme controller. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is manifested by His different energies—the material energy, the spiritual energy and the marginal energy. He is the original source of all living entities in the material world, and He is situated in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. Although the living entity is the cause of his various types of bodies, the body is given by material nature according to the order of the Lord. isvarah sarva-bhutanam “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” (Bg. 18.61) The body is just like a machine, a car, in which the living entity is given a chance to sit and move according to his desire. The Lord is the original cause of the material body and the soul, which is expanded by His marginal energy. The Supreme Lord is the dearmost object of all living entities. Prahlada Maharaja therefore advised his class friends, the sons of the demons, to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead again. SB7.7.50 TEXT 50 devo ’suro manusyo va yakso gandharva eva va bhajan mukunda-caranam svastiman syad yatha vayam SYNONYMS devah—a demigod; asurah—a demon; manusyah—a human being; va—or; yaksah—a Yaksa (a member of a demoniac species); gandharvah—a Gandharva; eva—indeed; va—or; bhajan—rendering service; mukunda-caranam—to the lotus feet of Mukunda, Lord Krsna, who can give liberation; svasti-man—full of all auspiciousness; syat—becomes; yatha—just as; vayam—we (Prahlada Maharaja). TRANSLATION If a demigod, demon, human being, Yaksa, Gandharva or anyone within this universe renders service to the lotus feet of Mukunda, who can deliver liberation, he is actually situated in the most auspicious condition of life, exactly like us [the mahajanas, headed by Prahlada Maharaja]. PURPORT Prahlada Maharaja, by his living example, requested his friends to engage in devotional service. Whether in demigod society, asura society, human society or Gandharva society, every living entity should take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda and thus become perfect in good fortune. SB7.7.51-52 TEXTS 51–52 nalam dvijatvam devatvam rsitvam vasuratmajah prinanaya mukundasya na vrttam na bahu-jnata na danam na tapo nejya na saucam na vratani ca priyate ’malaya bhaktya harir anyad vidambanam SYNONYMS na—not; alam—sufficient; dvijatvam—being a perfect, highly qualified brahmana; devatvam—being a demigod; rsitvam—being a saintly person; va—or; asura-atma-jah—O descendants of asuras; prinanaya—for pleasing; mukundasya—of Mukunda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na vrttam—not good conduct; na—not; bahu-jnata—vast learning; na—neither; danam—charity; na tapah—no austerity; na—nor; ijya—worship; na—nor; saucam—cleanliness; na vratani—nor execution of great vows; ca—also; priyate—is satisfied; amalaya—by spotless; bhaktya—devotional service; harih—the Supreme Lord; anyat—other things; vidambanam—only show. TRANSLATION My dear friends, O sons of the demons, you cannot please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by becoming perfect brahmanas, demigods or great saints or by becoming perfectly good in etiquette or vast learning. None of these qualifications can awaken the pleasure of the Lord. Nor by charity, austerity, sacrifice, cleanliness or vows can one satisfy the Lord. The Lord is pleased only if one has unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him. Without sincere devotional service, everything is simply a show. PURPORT Prahlada Maharaja concludes that one can become perfect by serving the Supreme Lord sincerely by all means. Material elevation to life as a brahmana, demigod, rsi and so on are not causes for developing love of Godhead, but if one sincerely engages in the service of the Lord, his Krsna consciousness is complete. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.30): api cet su-duracaro “Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.” To develop unalloyed love for Krsna is the perfection of life. Other processes may be helpful, but if one does not develop his love for Krsna, these other processes are simply a waste of time. dharmah svanusthitah pumsam “Duties [dharma] executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord.” (Bhag. 1.2.8) The test of perfection is one’s unalloyed devotion to the Lord. SB7.7.53 TEXT 53 tato harau bhagavati bhaktim kuruta danavah atmaupamyena sarvatra sarva-bhutatmanisvare SYNONYMS tatah—therefore; harau—unto Lord Hari; bhagavati—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktim—devotional service; kuruta—execute; danavah—O my dear friends, O sons of demons; atma-aupamyena—just as one’s own self; sarvatra—everywhere; sarva-bhuta-atmani—who is situated as the soul and Supersoul of all living entities; isvare—unto the Supreme Lord, the controller. TRANSLATION My dear friends, O sons of the demons, in the same favorable way that one sees himself and takes care of himself, take to devotional service to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present everywhere as the Supersoul of all living entities. PURPORT The word atmaupamyena refers to thinking others to be like oneself. One can very intelligently conclude that without devotional service, without becoming Krsna conscious, one cannot be happy. Therefore the duty of all devotees is to preach Krsna consciousness everywhere all over the world, because all living entities without Krsna consciousness are suffering the pangs of material existence. To preach Krsna consciousness is the best welfare activity. Indeed, it is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as para-upakara, work for the true benefit of others. The activities of para-upakara have been especially entrusted to those who have taken birth in India as human beings. bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara The entire world is suffering for want of Krsna consciousness. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised all human beings born in India to make their lives perfect by Krsna consciousness and then preach the gospel of Krsna consciousness all over the world so that others may become happy by executing the principles of Krsna consciousness. SB7.7.54 TEXT 54 daiteya yaksa-raksamsi striyah sudra vrajaukasah khaga mrgah papa-jivah santi hy acyutatam gatah SYNONYMS daiteyah—O demons; yaksa-raksamsi—the living entities known as the Yaksas and Raksasas; striyah—women; sudrah—the laborer class; vraja-okasah—village cowherd men; khagah—birds; mrgah—animals; papa-jivah—sinful living entities; santi—can become; hi—certainly; acyutatam—the qualities of Acyuta, the Supreme Lord; gatah—obtained. TRANSLATION O my friends, O sons of demons, everyone, including you (the Yaksas and Raksasas), the unintelligent women, sudras and cowherd men, the birds, the lower animals and the sinful living entities, can revive his original, eternal spiritual life and exist forever simply by accepting the principles of bhakti-yoga. PURPORT The devotees are referred to as acyuta-gotra, or the dynasty of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is called Acyuta, as indicated in Bhagavad-gita (senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me ’cyuta). The Lord is infallible in the material world because He is the supreme spiritual person. Similarly, the jivas, who are part and parcel of the Lord, can also become infallible. Although Prahlada’s mother was in the conditional state and was the wife of a demon, even Yaksas, Raksasas, women, sudras and even birds and other lower living entities can be elevated to the acyuta-gotra, the family of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the highest perfection. As Krsna never falls, when we revive our spiritual consciousness, Krsna consciousness, we never fall again to material existence. One should understand the position of the supreme Acyuta, Krsna, who says in Bhagavad-gita (4.9): janma karma ca me divyam “One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” One should understand Acyuta, the supreme infallible, and how we are related with Him, and one should take to the service of the Lord. This is the perfection of life. Srila Madhvacarya says, acyutatam cyuti-varjanam. The word acyutatam refers to one who never falls to this material world but always remains in the Vaikuntha world, fully engaged in the service of the Lord. SB7.7.55 TEXT 55 etavan eva loke ’smin pumsah svarthah parah smrtah ekanta-bhaktir govinde yat sarvatra tad-iksanam SYNONYMS etavan—this much; eva—certainly; loke asmin—in this material world; pumsah—of the living entity; sva-arthah—the real self-interest; parah—transcendental; smrtah—regarded; ekanta-bhaktih—unalloyed devotional service; govinde—to Govinda; yat—which; sarvatra—everywhere; tat-iksanam—seeing the relationship with Govinda, Krsna. TRANSLATION In this material world, to render service to the lotus feet of Govinda, the cause of all causes, and to see Him everywhere, is the only goal of life. This much alone is the ultimate goal of human life, as explained by all the revealed scriptures. PURPORT In this verse the words sarvatra tad-iksanam describe the highest perfection of devotional service, in which one sees everything with reference to Govinda’s activities. The highly elevated devotee never sees anything unrelated to Govinda. sthavara-jangama dekhe, na dekhe tara murti “The maha-bhagavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord.” (Cc. Madhya 8.274) Even in this material world, a devotee does not see materially manifested things; instead he sees Govinda in everything. When he sees a tree or a human being, a devotee sees them in relation to Govinda. Govindam adi-purusam: Govinda is the original source of everything. isvarah paramah krsnah “Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.” (Brahma-samhita 5.1) The test of a perfect devotee is that he sees Govinda everywhere in this universe, even in every atomic particle (anda-ntara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham). This is the perfect vision of a devotee. It is therefore said: narayanam ayam dhirah A devotee sees everyone and everything in relationship with Narayana (narayanam ayam). Everything is an expansion of Narayana’s energy. Just as those who are greedy see everything as a source of money-making and those who are lusty see everything as being conducive to sex, the most perfect devotee, Prahlada Maharaja, saw Narayana even within a stone column. This does not mean, however, that we must accept the words daridra-narayana, which have been manufactured by some unscrupulous person. One who actually envisions Narayana everywhere makes no distinction between the poor and the rich. To single out the daridra-narayanas, or poor Narayana, and reject the dhani-narayana, or rich Narayana, is not the vision of a devotee. Rather, that is the imperfect vision of materialistic persons. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Seventh Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “What Prahlada Learned in the Womb.”
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna
sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
pasyanti paramarthinah
jagad dhananmayam lubdhah
kamukah kaminimayam