Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

Bhagavad-gītā 4.12

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṅāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhir bhavati karmajā [Bg 4.12]

[Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.]

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"[Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities,] ...and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world."

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Prabhupāda: Hmm.

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṅāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke siddhir bhavati karmajā [Bg 4.12]

Generally, people are karmajā. Karmajā means one who wants to enjoy the fruit of his labor. Everyone in this material world, they have come to enjoy. So therefore they are working so hard. We have seen in big, big cities, especially in the Western world, they are working very, very hard.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma.

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṅoti na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam kleśada..., asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ [SB 5.5.4]

[When a person considers sense gratification the aim of life, he certainly becomes mad after materialistic living and engages in all kinds of sinful activity. He does not know that due to his past misdeeds he has already received a body which, although temporary, is the cause of his misery. Actually the living entity should not have taken on a material body, but he has been awarded the material body for sense gratification. Therefore I think it not befitting an intelligent man to involve himself again in the activities of sense gratification by which he perpetually gets material bodies one after another.]

People do not understand that because we have got this material body, the sufferings are there. We are spirit. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. We are all spirit soul. But somehow or other, some way or otherwise, we have contacted this material world, and we are bound up by our karma, or fruitive result of fruitive activities. And the result is this body. Karmaṅā daiva-netreṅa jantur dehopapatti [SB 3.31.1].

[The Personality of Godhead said: Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter into the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body.]

We work in a certain way, in contamination with the modes of material nature, and we get different types of body. These are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that why there are different types of body. Now we are sitting, say, one hundred men here. We have got different types of body. Not that everyone's body of the same type. Why? Why the scientists cannot reply this? But Bhagavad-gītā replies. What is the reply? The reply is kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [Bg 13.22].

[The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.]

We have got different types of body from different types of mother. So kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgaḥ asya. Mother means yoni, and father means bīja. Yathā yoni yathā bījam [SB 6.1.54].

[The fruitive activities a living being performs, whether pious or impious, are the unseen cause for the fulfillment of his desires. This unseen cause is the root for the living entity's different bodies. Because of his intense desire, the living entity takes birth in a particular family and receives a body which is either like that of his mother or like that of his father. The gross and subtle bodies are created according to his desire.]

Our birth is taking place according to the mother and the father. Yathā bījaṁ yathā yoni. So we are getting different types of body, human body or animal body or demigod body. This is due to kāraṅam.

What is the reason? Kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgaḥ asya. We are associating with different modes of material nature by our karma, activities. Therefore there are division of karma. Cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13].

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

That is also creation of God, cātur-varṅyam, guṅa-karma. It is very subtle subject matter. According to guṅa and karma, we are getting bodies, and we are preparing also next body according to this guṅa and karma. So if we change our guṅa and karma, then we can again regain our spiritual body. This is the process. Guṅa... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also advised, traiguṅya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṅyo bhavārjuna [Bg 2.45].

[The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.]

We have to transcend the guṅas, the infection of these material qualities.

It is naturally happening. God's, I mean to say, machine is so perfect that it is automatically taking place. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8].

[The Supreme Lord has nothing to do. Nothing is equal to Him or greater than Him. He acts in different phases by manifesting His parts and parcels, which are all simultaneously differently situated by His unlimited, variegated potencies. Each potency acts quite naturally in sequences, providing Him full knowledge, power and pastimes.]

Śakti. God's energy, Kṛṣṅa's energy, is so perfect that it is automatically being done. We have got some experience nowadays. The pilot is sitting in front of the airplane, and there are very fine electronic machine, and he's pushing one button, immediately the wings is working, and it is going down. It is..., it is very, mean, a delicate position in the air. A little mistake in the pushing of the button, the whole plane may be crashed. So nowadays scientists, they have invented so many fine machineries that it is working very nicely. We came from London to Bombay in eight hours. So this is very nice. But at the same time, we should appreciate that how much nice machinery are there which is conducting the whole cosmic activities.

So that is stated in the Vedas, that parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Kṛṣṅa's knowledge is so perfect. Kṛṣṅa says, mayādhyakṣeṅa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg 9.10].

[This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.]

This nature's work is going on not whimsically, but under the guidance of pushing the button of Kṛṣṅa, by Kṛṣṅa. It is not going... Any scientist can understand that no machine, however nicely made, finely made, without pushing the button it cannot work. So the huge machinery of the cosmic manifestation, which is working so nicely and perfected, perfectly... Our Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara has mentioned in his book very nicely. So... There must be some brain. All big, big scientists... Even Professor Einstein, he also admitted. So there is brain. That brain is Kṛṣṅa. That brain is Kṛṣṅa.

So people are working... In the previous verse we have discussed, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg 4.11].

[All of them—as they surrender unto Me—I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.]

Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Father. He's very loving father, so He has given freedom to His sons. We are all sons. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ [Bg 15.7]. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg 14.4].

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

Kṛṣṅa says, "I am the bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Material nature is the mother." Tāsāṁ yonir mahad brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So the original father is Kṛṣṅa, and mother is this material nature. So I am the soul, spirit soul, very minute position. My, my magnitude is very, very small. That is also given in the śāstra: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya [Cc Madhya 19.140],

[If we divide the tip of a hair into a hundred parts and then take one of these parts and divide it again into a hundred parts, that very fine division is the size of but one of the numberless living entities. They are all cit-kaṅa, particles of spirit, not matter.]

one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. That is my magnitude. So that bīja, that spiritual spark, is given by Kṛṣṅa, and the material nature, kṣitir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca... [Bg 7.4].

[Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.]

This body is..., in this way we have got.

So because we are now in the material world, we have got the propensity to enjoy, to exploit the resources of material nature. Kṛṣṅa has given us the opportunity. Therefore He said in the previous verse that ye yathā māṁ prapadyante [Bg 4.11]. If you want... Because material nature is also Kṛṣṅa, or Kṛṣṅa's energy. Not Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa's energy, there is no difference. That I have explained last night. Just like the fire and heat, that is the same quality. In the heat there is warmth, and the fire there is warmth. Still, the heat is not the fire. This is called inconceivable, simultaneously one and different. This is perfect philosophy. Everything is one with the Supreme, and at the same time it is different. This is perfect philosophy given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

[It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord.]

So here, in this material world, people are trying to enjoy. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṅāṁ siddhim [Bg 4.12]. Everyone is working very hard. Any business he is doing, he is praying, "O my Lord, give me the opportunity that I may get success in my business." So Kṛṣṅa is giving. That is also very nice. If a person, desiring some material profit, remembering Kṛṣṅa, that is also welcome. Welcome because he is not atheist. Atheist class men, even for material success, they do not pray to God. But theist class, one who has got background pious activities, he is called theist. An impious, sinful activities, or sinful man, cannot remember even God. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg 7.15].

[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.]

Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṅya-karmaṅām [Bg 7.28].

[Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.]

So to remember even God, even go to God in temple or mosque or church and pray to God, "Give me this benefit,"... Just like Christian way of worshiping is "O God, give us our daily bread." Hindus also go to temple and pray to God that "Give me some profit. I am very poor man." So Kṛṣṅa says that is also welcome. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna, ārto jijñā..., ārto...

Devotee: Arthārthī.

Prabhupāda: Arthārthī, yes. Ārto jijñāsur jñānī ca bharatarṣabha [Bg 7.16].

[O best among the Bhāratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.]

This is not pure devotee, but they are pious. One who goes to the temple and prays to God for some material profit, they are also pious. They are not sinful. But those who are sinful, they do not go even to the temple. They think, "What is this temple nonsense? We shall earn money." Our present government is encouraging this method, that "Why should you go to temple and waste your time? If you want money, then take to industries, work hard like an ass, and you get money." That is the policy going on. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, "No, no, no, this is not good. To work so hard like dogs and hogs..." Especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavata has mentioned the word "hog," "pig." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1].

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

Viḍ-bhujām. Viṭ, viṭ means stool. Stool—bhujam, "one who eats stool." That means the pigs. So they are working very hard, day and night, to find out where is stool. "How to eat? How to eat? How to def... How to sleep?" This is their philosophy.

But actually, human life is not meant for that purpose. And to reduce some work, sometimes we think that "Let me go to the temple. If God or some demigod becomes very pleased upon me, then quickly I shall get the benefit." That is mentioned here, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṅāṁ siddhim. This is also mentioned in the Vedas, that "If you want success in this line, then worship this demigod. If you want beautiful wife, then worship Umā. If you want..." They're all listed. I don't remember just now, but these are recommended. These are recommended. Therefore, according to Vedic system, if you worship some demigod for some particular purpose, that is recommended. But Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām [Bg 7.23].

[Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.]

Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām. If you get some profit, material profit... You can get it very easily. Therefore it is said, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṅāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ, kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke. Just like... That is the difference between worshiping Lord Viṣṅu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the demigods. There are many examples. Just like Lord Śiva. One demon, or a devotee of Lord Śiva... But generally, we find in the śāstras... Just like Rāvaṅa. Rāvaṅa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, recognized. But he's accepted as a demon, rākṣasa. Although he was a great devotee, Mahīśāsura... He was also a great devotee of Goddess Durgā, but it is described as asura.

So according to śāstra it is said there are two divisions of men: deva and asura. Deva means the devotee of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṅu. Viṣṅu-bhaktaḥ bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ [Padma Purāṅa]. So it is very interesting. By worshiping different demigods, we get immediate result. We immediate... Just like the [sic:] Bhasmāsura. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, and when he was..., Lord Śiva was perfectly worshiped, he wanted to give him some benediction, and he asked Lord Śiva that "Please give me this benediction that on the head of anyone, if I place my hand, immediately his head will be gone, vanished, vanquished." So Lord Śiva is known as Āśutoṣa. Āśutoṣa means very quickly, very easily he becomes pleased. That is Lord Śiva's great qualification. And if anyone wants anything, even it is very obnoxious, he grants, "All right, take it."

So Lord Śiva gave him the benediction, "Yes, your... I give you this benediction." So then he wanted to test it. So he said, "Sir, let me place my hand upon your head." [laughter] So Lord Śiva was in danger. You see? Then he went to Lord Viṣṅu, "Please save me. I... This man took benediction from me, and now he wants to place his hand upon my head." So viṣṅu-māyā is very intricate. So Lord Viṣṅu saved Lord Śiva and informed the devotee, "This is not possible. Why don't you test by touching your own head?" Then as soon as he placed his hand on his own head, his head was vanished.

So here the people want to take immediate some benefit by worshiping different demigods, but he does not know what is the result, neither the demigods know. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says... You'll find in the Eighth Chapter that, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām [Bg 7.23].

Alpa-medhasa means one whose brain substance is very small. This is very true. According to brain substance... What is called? Celebrum or something? The technical. Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Cerebrum.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Cerebrum.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I was student of psychology. Our professor, Dr. Urquhart, said that the brain, the biggest brain is, by practical psychology it has been tested, sixty-four ounce. And that is the highest brain substance. But for woman it is never more than thirty-six ounce. So they have tested all these practical psychologies.

So here the same word is used, that alpa-medhasa. It is very technical. Alpa means "very little" brain substance. Those who have got very little brain substance, they try like this. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṅāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ [Bg 4.12]. "Why little brain substance? He's getting profit from the demigods." Then brain substance little means he does not know what is his actual aim of life. He does not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅum [SB 7.5.31].

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

Those who are trying to be happy within this material world, worshiping different types of demigods and taking benefit very soon, but he, because his brain substance is very little, he does not consider it that "How long I shall enjoy it? How long I shall enjoy it?"

Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg 8.16].

[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.]

Even if you, by activities, pious activities, or worshiping different demigods, you go to the Brahmaloka, where the standard of life is very, very great, life is also, duration of life, is very, very great, so that is not permanent. But our problem is that we are permanent, eternal, and we are trying to be happy in the nonpermanent condition of life. This is called less brain. My problem is that I am the spirit soul... Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ. I am eternal, śāśvataḥ. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg 2.20]. I do not die even after the annihilation of this body. Then where is my eternal body? This question should be raised by the human form of life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. But instead of athāto... Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya, the only business is "How..., what is the aim of life, how I shall be eternally happy, how I shall get my eternal life." That is the problem. But they do not consider the real problem. They think, "Immediately I require some money. So let me worship Lord Śiva or Lord..., this, Goddess Durgā or Gaṅeśa or Sūrya..." There are so many, recommended. So that is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā that tad bhavaty alpa..., antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām [Bg 7.23].

But people are... They do not care. Of course, those who are worshiping demigods, apart from them, there are many atheists. They don't care for anything. They want simply sense enjoyment. But it is said that you can get some immediate profit by worshiping different demigods. That is all right. But that is not your permanent benefit. Because karmaṅā, you are creating... Karmaṅāṁ siddhim. You are getting some profit by your karma, fruitive karma, but you are creating another life. Another life. To enjoy the fruitive result of this karma you'll have to wait for next life. So next life means another material body. So another material body means another term of suffering, another chapter of suffering. That they do not understand.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva advising that "This is not good. Don't be engaged in karma, fruitive activities." If you be engaged in fruitive activities, karma, then you'll have to accept another material body. That may be a cat's body or dog's body or demigod's body or... Body you'll have to... But as soon as you have a material body, then you'll suffer. The... One who does not understand this philosophy, he's called alpa-medhasa, poor fund of knowledge. Poor fund of knowledge. Real problem is, as Kṛṣṅa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam. [Bg 13.9]

[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]

That "I am implicated with this process of repetition of birth and death, and after birth, there is suffering, old age, disease." He does not consider it. He thinks, "This is natural." No, it is unnatural. One who does not understand this, he's alpa-medhasa, poor, poor fund of knowledge. So Bhāgavatam says, therefore, "All right, if you have got desire also to enjoy this material world, then..." Bhāgavatam says,

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ tīvreṅa bhakti-yogena yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa [SB 2.3.10]

This is the recommendation, that akāmaḥ... Akāmaḥ means devotee. A devotee has no desire.

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Cc Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4].

[O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.]

Materialistic persons, they, what they want? They want dhanam, riches, wealth, and many men to control. Someone wants big factory, someone wants to become political leader, follower, many followers, and so on, so on. Janam. So these are material desires. Dhanam means money, and janam means follower, either family or followers or leader, like that. Dhanaṁ janam... Na dhanaṁ na janam... Another is sundarī, wife, very beautiful wife. This is karmajā. Karmīs, they want these three things: money, and many men upon whom he can command... [Hindi:] Kukumb, kukumb dena wala. So, and very nice wife, quality wife. So Mahā..., Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "No, no, I don't want these." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Cc Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]. "No, I don't want." Then mukti? Take mukti. "No, no, that also I don't want." This is bhakti. Bhakti means he does not want anything. Wanting means dharma karma... What is called? Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa [SB 4.8.41].

[Any person who desires the fruits of the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, liberation, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for worship of His lotus feet yields the fulfillment of all of these.]

Dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa.

People want to become religious, because they think... This is also fact. By becoming pious, religious, you get material happiness. That's a fact. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī [SB 1.8.26].

[My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted, because one who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot address You with sincere feeling.]

Four things you can get by pious activities. You get birth in very nice family, aristocratic family, or brāhmaṅa family, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya family, or rich family, janma, or rich nation. I say, therefore, these Americans, that "You are born of this rich nation. That is also a result of pious activities." Because janma... Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī. And wealth also. The Americans have got immense wealth. That is also a result of pious activities. And janmaiśvarya-śruta, education. They have got the highest education. Now they are going..., trying to go to the moon planet. Or they have gone. That is education, scientific education. And śrī, they're beautiful also. All Americans... You have seen so many boys and girls here, they're beautiful also. This is not ordinary thing. This is due to pious activities. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī.

Therefore I request them that "Materially, you have got all benediction. Now utilize this benediction for developing your dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Then you are perfect. Then you become perfect." So anywhere where these facilities are there, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī, instead of going down to hell, let them utilize it for getting the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is perfection. Therefore Bhāgavatam says, idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā, tapasaḥ..., ca buddhi-dattayoḥ [SB 1.5.22]—charity, intelligence. So anyone who has got all these assets, so how it should be utilized? Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ, infallible decision has been made. What is that? Yad-uttamaśloka-guṅānuvarṅanam: "Just try to glorify the Supreme Lord." With your money, with your intelligence, with your power, with your influence—whatever you have got—education, departmental knowledge, try to glorify the Supreme Lord. Then it is perfect. And if you spoil it or simply sense gratification, the Bhāgavata..., Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye: "Oh, this is not good. This is not good." "Why it is not good? I am enjoying life. Why it is not good?" No. He says, na sādhu manye yata ātmanaḥ ayam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ [SB 5.5.4]: "If you be engaged in these fruitive activities to enjoy this material world, then you'll have to accept another material body." Karmaṅāṁ siddhim. Another material body. And if you accept another material body, then you'll have to accept again death, again old age, again disease. So what is the benefit? That is not benefit.

Therefore Bhāgavatam says that even if you have got desire to enjoy this material world, still, you take shelter of Kṛṣṅa.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ tīvreṅa bhakti-yogena yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa [SB 2.3.10]

Paramaṁ puruṣa. Puruṣottama. Paramaṁ puruṣa or Puruṣottama, the same thing; it is differently placed only. So Puruṣottama is Kṛṣṅa. So if you have got some material desire, Kṛṣṅa will fulfill. But don't worship... Yajanta iha devatāḥ. Iha devatāḥ. Iha means this material world, iha. Devatāḥ. All these demigods, beginning from Brahmā. Brahmā, Śiva, Lord Śiva, all the devatās, Indra, Candra, Sūrya, they are all iha devatāḥ. They are also living entities like us. Not Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is not jīva-tattva. But Brahmā is jīva-tattva. So iha, the particular word is used here, iha, because as this material world will be finished, similarly, the different planetary systems occupied by the different demigods, they will be finished. And the demigods will be also finished. And you'll be also finished. Therefore it is called iha. Iha. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vra... [Bg 9.25].

[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.]

So..., but your problem is eternal life. Why you should be engaged iha devatāḥ? Because iha devatāḥ means iha will be finished, your devatā will be finished, you'll be finished, everything will be finished. But your problem is how to come to the eternal point. That is stated also by Kṛṣṅa in the Bhagavad-gītā, that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg 4.9].

[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.]

Not iha; stand there, in the spiritual world. If you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṅa, then the result will be that after giving up this body, no more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. No more punar janma. That is required. But they do not understand it. They want quick result for some sense gratification, but implicate himself in the tangle, entanglement of getting again birth and death. That is going on. So Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is the most beneficial welfare activities to the human society, because by awakening them to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, they are saved from this danger of repetition of birth and death.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]