world with responsibilities. The results of one’s past good or bad actions are the fruitive actions, and when one becomes awakened in Krishna consciousness, there is no need to try for good actions. When one is situated in Krishna consciousness, all actions reach a perfect state. Because they are no longer affected by the dualities of good and bad. Giving up the material concept of life is the highest perfection of Krishna consciousness, and this state is achieved effortlessly by the advancement of Krishna consciousness.
A person’s firm determination in Krishna consciousness depends on knowledge. “Vasudeva sarvamithi sa mahatma sudurlabhah” A person who is perfectly aware that Vasudeva, that is, Lord Krishna, is the cause of all causes, is a very rare and great soul. Just as a man, by watering the roots of a tree, effortlessly waters the leaves and branches, so by working in Krishna consciousness, he becomes a great service provider to everyone, to himself, to his family, to his society, to his country, to humanity. If Lord Krishna is pleased by his activities, everyone is pleased.
However, service in Krishna consciousness is best practiced under the effective direction of the authentic representative of Lord Krishna, the guru. Such a guru knows the nature of the disciple and can guide him to work in Krishna consciousness. To fully understand Krishna consciousness, one must be steadfast and obedient to the representative of Krishna; he must accept the order of the authentic guru as his life’s work. Srila Viswanatha Chakravarti Thakura has instructed us in his famous Gurvasthaka Stotra:
Yasya Prasada Bhagavat Prasado Yasya Prasadana Gatih Kutokapi. Dhyayan Stuvanstasya Yashastri Sandhyam One-day Guru: Sricaranaravindam ॥
“By pleasing the Guru, the Lord is pleased. Without pleasing the Guru, there is no possibility of rising to the stage of Krishna consciousness. Therefore, I meditate, pray, and offer my obeisances three times a day for the grace of my Guru.”
However, this entire system depends on perfect self-knowledge, which is beyond the concept of the body. It should be practical rather than theoretical. Then there is no room for sensual pleasures that manifest in sensual acts. One who is not steadfast turns to various sensual acts, which are hellish.
yamimam all these; pushpitam–decorated; vacam–words; pravadani–they speak; avipaschitah–people of little knowledge; vedavadaratah–those who should follow the Vedas; partha–O son of Pritha; anyat–something else; na asti–no; iti–that; vadinah–say; kama-atmanah–desiring sense enjoyment; svargavarah–desiring to attain the heavenly worlds; janma-karmaphalapradam–giving the best birth and other fruits; kriyavisesha–ostentatious activities; bahulam–of various kinds; bhoga–in sense enjoyment; aishvarya–riches; gathim–progress; prati–towards.
The ignorant are overly attached to the ornate words of the Vedas, which preach various hellish fruitive actions for the sake of attaining heaven, a better birth, and power. Seeking sensual pleasures and a life of luxury, they say that there is nothing beyond that.
Explanation: The common people are not very intelligent. They are ignorant.
They are mostly attached to the fruitive actions mentioned in the Karmakanda section of the Vedas. They do not want anything else except the sensual pleasures of enjoying life in heaven, where the fruits of wine are available and material opulence is abundant. Many sacrifices, especially the Jyotishtoma sacrifice, are prescribed in the Vedas for attaining heaven. It is actually said that anyone who wants to attain heaven should perform these sacrifices. However, people with little knowledge think that this is the whole purpose of Vedic knowledge. It is very difficult for such inexperienced people to remain firmly engaged in Krishna consciousness. Just as the foolish become attracted to the flowers of poisonous trees without knowing the result, so the ignorant become attracted to such sensual pleasures and the sense gratification that comes from them.
In the Karmakanda section of the Vedas it is said, “Apaama Somamamrita Abhuma, Akshayyam Ha Vai Chaturmasya Yajinah Sukritam Bhavathi”. That is, whoever
