SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 7

(1) S'rî Prahlâda said: 'From one's childhood on should a person of intelligence practice the dharma of devotional service unto the Lord [as described in 7.5: 23-24]; to be born in this human life is a temporary thing rarely achieved that is suffused with meaning. (2) That way [of meaning] indeed is of a living being here the approaching of the feet of Vishnu because this concerns the dearest and best one of all alive, the Master of the Soul [see also 3.25: 38 and B.G. 5: 29]. (3) By divine ordinance is happiness to the sensual, o Daityas, everywhere available to all entities united with a material body, just as there is the unhappiness without one asking for it. (4) For that there is no need to endeavor, one would only waste one's life, and there is no need either to lust about it; the ultimate goal of life are the lotus feet of Mukunda [the Lord of Liberation]. (5) Therefore should a person of reflection as long as he [from old age] is not of failure, still being stout and strong, be after the real benefit of [Mukunda in] having a material life in a human body. (6) Of the hundred years that every person has for his life is a person in service of his senses indeed wasting half of his time as one sleeps half the day in ignorance being engulfed in darkness. (7) In one's childhood one is naive, as a boy one is playing and thus twenty years do pass and another twenty years pass being unable when one physically is incapacitated of old age. (8) And bewildered by formidable material lusts that can never be satisfied is the one overly attached to family matters madly wasting the remainder of his life. (9) What man is able to free himself who, attached to his household, with his hands and feet is bound by the ropes of affection, and thus is out of control with his senses [see 1.2: 6-7]? (10) Who, thinking really that to make money is more desirable than to live [in devotion and gratitude], would be able to give up that acquiring for which merchant, thief and public servant risk their dear lives? (11-13) How can one give up on associating privately with one's loving wife who is so pleasing; how can one not support with wisdom the family bound by their affection or what person would not be attracted to the prattle of children? With one's sons and married daughters, brothers, sisters and depending parents enshrined in one's heart, with all the household matters of very nice furniture, a good income and all the pets and the groups of servants and maidservants connected with the family, how can one give up; like a silkworm is one greedily occupied by all kinds of activities in desires that can never be satisfied in considering the genitals and tongue the most important; how can such a massive illusion be forsaken? (14) Not for his lifetime does he understand to desist from the maintenance of his family; maddened spoiling the true purpose, at all fronts being distressed the threefold way [see 2.10: 8], has he no regrets about simply enjoying the family. (15) With a mind set on wealth and familiar with the fault of cheating out here for the money, is he nevertheless, after having died, tied to this material world [by Yamarâja taking rebirth again] because he, all too fond of his kin, never in peace with his desires, was on a campaign of stealing in having no control over his senses. (16) Even though one knows about it, o sons of Danu, is one busy with providing the greater family while one at the same time fails to understand one's true self in one's entering the darkness of the, just like animals, being estranged in a "mine" and "thine" conception of life. (17-18) Because never, anyone, wherever or whenever with a poor fund of knowledge will excell in the art of liberating himself from hankering after the lust of being a sexual plaything and from being someone of whose attachment entire families come about, must you, my daitya friends, in this keep yourselves far away from hiding with the demon that is all too addicted to sensual pleasure; instead should one approach Lord Nârâyana, the original godhead, who by the association of the liberated lays out the desired path of liberation.

(19) It really doesn't take that much to satisfy the Infallible One, o asura sons, because in this world of all beings so close to the soul each and every respect is already established [compare B.G. 14: 3-4]. (20-23) Within the beings high or low, beginning with simple plantlife up to Brahmâ the foremost being; within the single transformations of the elements as well as with the totality of the material energy; with the modes of nature in a balanced state as also in their perturbation, is He the One and Only of transcendence, indeed the original source that is the Supreme Lord, the Controller who is without decay Himself. By the original of His inner position and by His personal manifestations is He the pervaded to be described and the undifferentiated all-pervading that defies description. He is the entirety pure and whole whose form is full of bliss and knowledge, the Supreme Ruler covered by the illusory energy about whose unlimited opulence one is mistaken by the modes of the creation. (24) Show therefore mercy towards all living entities; with a friendly attitude will the ones of opposition, the Asuras, giving it up to live that way, satisfy the Lord beyond the Senses [see also B.G. 12: 13-20]. (25) When He, the Eternal and Original One, is satisfied is there nothing out of one's reach; what need would there be to those who are thus of service in this world ruled by the modes, to work for a sense of duty [regulating the lusts, the economy and the religion] that follows [the devotion] automatically. Why would we, being above the modes, be of desire when we in defense of His qualities are relishing the essence of the Lord His feet? (26) The three prescribed ways of dharma, kâma and artha that are thus covered, make for the selfrealization, the ceremonies, the logic, the law and order and the different sorts of occupations that I all consider to be the [superficial] truth that is one's lesson; it is the full surrender of oneself to the Supreme Friend that leads to the ultimate personality [compare 1.2: 8]. (27) This knowledge that is without material contamination is most difficult to understand. It was explained by Lord Nârâyana unto the certain friend of all men Nârada for all those who [through him] exclusively are of surrender unto Him, the Supreme Lord; for those who do not claim material possessions, can that understanding be achieved, as their bodies bathed in the dust of the lotus feet. (28) This spiritual knowledge concerning the bhâgavata dharma [the nine of devotional service unto the Lord] was together with its practical use in all its purity formerly explained to me by Nârada who always sees the Lord.'

(29-30) The daitya sons said: 'Prahlâda, a child like you as well as children as us know no other teachers but the two sons of S'ukrâcârya as their controllers. Remaining in the palace it must be difficult to find such superior association; please dispel our doubt o gentle one, on how we may find belief in that.'

S'rî Prahlâda said: 'From one's childhood on should a person of intelligence practice the dharma of devotional service unto the Lord [as described in 7.5: 23-24]; to be born in this human life is a temporary thing rarely achieved that is suffused with meaning.

Prahlâda Mahârâja said: One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life--in other words, from the tender age of childhood--to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection. (Vedabase)

Text 2

That way [of meaning] indeed is of a living being here the approaching of the feet of Vishnu because this concerns the dearest and best one of all alive, the Master of the Soul [see also 3.25: 38 and B.G. 5: 29].

The human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. This devotional service is natural because Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings. (Vedabase)

Text 3

By divine ordinance is happiness to the sensual, o Daityas, everywhere available to all entities united with a material body, just as there is the unhappiness without one asking for it.

Prahlâda Mahârâja continued: My dear friends born of demoniac families, the happiness perceived with reference to the sense objects by contact with the body can be obtained in any form of life, according to one's past fruitive activities. Such happiness is automatically obtained without endeavor, just as we obtain distress. (Vedabase)

Text 4

For that there is no need to endeavor, one would only waste one's life, and there is no need either to lust about it; the ultimate goal of life are the lotus feet of Mukunda [the Lord of Liberation].

Endeavors merely for sense gratification or material happiness through economic development are not to be performed, for they result only in a loss of time and energy, with no actual profit. If one's endeavors are directed toward Krishna consciousness, one can surely attain the spiritual platform of self-realization. There is no such benefit from engaging oneself in economic development. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Therefore should a person of reflection as long as he [from old age] is not of failure, still being stout and strong, be after the real benefit of [Mukunda in] having a material life in a human body.

Therefore, while in material existence [bhavam âs'ritah], a person fully competent to distinguish wrong from right must endeavor to achieve the highest goal of life as long as the body is stout and strong and is not embarrassed by dwindling. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Of the hundred years that every person has for his life is a person in service of his senses indeed wasting half of his time as one sleeps half the day in ignorance being engulfed in darkness.

Every human being has a maximum duration of life of one hundred years, but for one who cannot control his senses, half of those years are completely lost because at night he sleeps twelve hours, being covered by ignorance. Therefore such a person has a lifetime of only fifty years. (Vedabase)

Text 7

In one's childhood one is naive, as a boy one is playing and thus twenty years do pass and another twenty years pass being unable when one physically is incapacitated of old age.

In the tender age of childhood, when everyone is bewildered, one passes ten years. Similarly, in boyhood, engaged in sporting and playing, one passes another ten years. In this way, twenty years are wasted. Similarly, in old age, when one is an invalid, unable to perform even material activities, one passes another twenty years wastefully. (Vedabase)

Text 8

And bewildered by formidable material lusts that can never be satisfied is the one overly attached to family matters madly wasting the remainder of his life.

One whose mind and senses are uncontrolled becomes increasingly attached to family life because of insatiable lusty desires and very strong illusion. In such a madman's life, the remaining years are also wasted because even during those years he cannot engage himself in devotional service. (Vedabase)

Text 9

What man is able to free himself who, attached to his household, with his hands and feet is bound by the ropes of affection, and thus is out of control with his senses [see 1.2: 6-7]?

What person too attached to household life due to being unable to control his senses can liberate himself? An attached householder is bound very strongly by ropes of affection for his family [wife, children and other relatives]. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Who, thinking really that to make money is more desirable than to live [in devotion and gratitude], would be able to give up that acquiring for which merchant, thief and public servant risk their dear lives?

Money is so dear that one conceives of money as being sweeter than honey. Therefore, who can give up the desire to accumulate money, especially in household life? Thieves, professional servants [soldiers] and merchants try to acquire money even by risking their very dear lives. (Vedabase)

Text 11-13:

How can one give up on associating privately with one's loving wife who is so pleasing; how can one not support with wisdom the family bound by their affection or what person would not be attracted to the prattle of children? With one's sons and married daughters, brothers, sisters and depending parents enshrined in one's heart, with all the household matters of very nice furniture, a good income and all the pets and the groups of servants and maidservants connected with the family, how can one give up; like a silkworm is one greedily occupied by all kinds of activities in desires that can never be satisfied in considering the genitals and tongue the most important; how can such a massive illusion be forsaken?

How can a person who is most affectionate to his family, the core of his heart being always filled with their pictures, give up their association? Specifically, a wife is always very kind and sympathetic and always pleases her husband in a solitary place. Who could give up the association of such a dear and affectionate wife? Small children talk in broken language, very pleasing to hear, and their affectionate father always thinks of their sweet words. Mow could he give up their association? One's elderly parents and one's sons and daughters are also very dear. A daughter is especially dear to her father, and while living at her husband's house she is always in his mind. Who could give up that association? Aside from this, in household affairs there are many decorated items of household furniture, and there are also animals and servants. Who could give up such comforts? The attached householder is like a silkworm, which weaves a cocoon in which it becomes imprisoned, unable to get out. Simply for the satisfaction of two important senses--the genitals and the tongue--one is bound by material conditions. How can one escape? (Vedabase)

Text 14

Not for his lifetime does he understand to desist from the maintenance of his family; maddened spoiling the true purpose, at all fronts being distressed the threefold way [see 2.10: 8], has he no regrets about simply enjoying the family.

One who is too attached cannot understand that he is wasting his valuable life for the maintenance of his family. He also fails to understand that the purpose of human life, a life suitable for realization of the Absolute Truth, is being imperceptibly spoiled. However, he is very cleverly attentive to seeing that not a single farthing is lost by mismanagement. Thus although an attached person in material existence always suffers from threefold miseries, he does not develop a distaste for the way of material existence. (Vedabase)

Text 15

With a mind set on wealth and familiar with the fault of cheating out here for the money, is he nevertheless, after having died, tied to this material world [by Yamarâja taking rebirth again] because he, all too fond of his kin, never in peace with his desires, was on a campaign of stealing in having no control over his senses.

If a person too attached to the duties of family maintenance is unable to control his senses, the core of his heart is immersed in how to accumulate money. Although he knows that one who takes the wealth of others will be punished by the law of the government, and by the laws of Yamarâja after death, he continues cheating others to acquire money. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Even though one knows about it, o sons of Danu, is one busy with providing the greater family while one at the same time fails to understand one's true self in one's entering the darkness of the, just like animals, being estranged in a "mine" and "thine" conception of life.

O my friends, sons of demons! In this material world, even those who are apparently advanced in education have the propensity to consider, "This is mine, and that is for others." Thus they are always engaged in providing the necessities of life to their families in a limited conception of family life, just like uneducated cats and dogs. They are unable to take to spiritual knowledge; instead, they are bewildered and overcome by ignorance. (Vedabase)