Text-03-04
SB 7.14.3-4
srnvan bhagavato ’bhiksnam
avatara-kathamrtam
sraddadhano yatha-kalam
upasanta-janavrtah
sat-sangac chanakaih sangam
atma-jayatmajadisu
vimuñcen mucyamanesu
svayam svapnavad utthitah
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
A grhastha must associate again and again with saintly persons, and with great respect he must hear the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Lord and His incarnations as these activities are described in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Puranas. Thus one should gradually become detached from affection for his wife and children, exactly like a man awakening from a dream.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
The Krsna consciousness movement has been established to give grhasthas all over the world an opportunity to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita specifically. The process, as described in many ways, is one of hearing and chanting (srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah). Everyone, especially the grhasthas, who are mudha-dhi, ignorant about the goal of life, should be given opportunities to hear about Krsna. Simply by hearing, by attending lectures in the different centers of the Krsna consciousness movement, where topics of Krsna from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are discussed, they will be purified of their sinful inclination for constant indulgence in illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling, which have all become prominent in modern days. Thus they can be raised to the status of light. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. Simply by joining the kirtana — Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare — and by hearing about Krsna from Bhagavad-gita, one must be purified, especially if he also takes prasada. This is all going on in the Krsna consciousness movement.
Another specific description here is srnvan bhagavato ’bhiksnam avatara-kathamrtam. It is not that because one has once finished Bhagavad-gita he should not hear it again. The word abhiksnam is very important. We should hear again and again. There is no question of stopping: even if one has read these topics many times, he should go on reading again and again because bhagavat-katha, the words spoken by Krsna and spoken by Krsna’s devotees about Krsna, are amrtam, nectar. The more one drinks this amrtam, the more he advances in his eternal life.
The human form of life is meant for liberation, but unfortunately, due to the influence of Kali-yuga, every day the grhasthas are working hard like asses. Early in the morning they rise and travel even a hundred miles away to earn bread. Especially in the Western countries, I have seen that people awaken at five o’clock to go to offices and factories to earn their livelihood. People in Calcutta and Bombay also do this every day. They work very hard in the office or factory, and again they spend three or four hours in transportation returning home. Then they retire at ten o’clock and again rise early in the morning to go to their offices and factories. This kind of hard labor is described in the sastras as the life of pigs and stool-eaters. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye: “Of all 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.” (Bhag. 5.5.1) One must find some time for hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. This is Vedic culture. One should work eight hours at the most to earn his livelihood, and either in the afternoon or in the evening a householder should associate with devotees to hear about the incarnations of Krsna and His activities and thus be gradually liberated from the clutches of maya. However, instead of finding time to hear about Krsna, the householders, after working hard in offices and factories, find time to go to a restaurant or a club where instead of hearing about Krsna and His activities they are very much pleased to hear about the political activities of demons and nondevotees and to enjoy sex, wine, women and meat and in this way waste their time. This is not grhastha life, but demoniac life. The Krsna consciousness movement, however, with its centers all over the world, gives such fallen and condemned persons an opportunity to hear about Krsna.
In a dream we form a society of friendship and love, and when we awaken we see that it has ceased to exist. Similarly, one’s gross society, family and love are also a dream, and this dream will be over as soon as one dies. Therefore, whether one is dreaming in a subtle way or a gross way, these dreams are all false and temporary. One’s real business is to understand that one is soul (aham brahmasmi) and that his activities should therefore be different. Then one can be happy.
brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
“One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything; he is equally disposed toward all living entities. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.” (Bg. 18.54) One who is engaged in devotional service can very easily be liberated from the dream of materialistic life.