SB 8.6.12 The Demigods and Demons Declare a Truce 66253/530501
As one can derive fire from wood, milk from the milk bag of the
cow, food grains and water from the land, and prosperity in one's
livelihood from industrial enterprises, so, by the practice of
bhakti-yoga, even within this material world, one can achieve Your
favor or intelligently approach You. Those who are pious all affirm
this.
PURPORT
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nirguna, not to be
found within this material world, the entire material world is
pervaded by Him, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (maya tatam idam sarvam).
The material world is nothing but an expansion of the Lord's material
energy, and the entire cosmic manifestation rests upon Him (mat-sthani
sarva-bhutani). Nonetheless, the Supreme Lord cannot be found here (na
caham tesv avasthitah). A devotee, however, can see the Supreme
Personality of Godhead through the practice of bhakti-yoga. One
ordinarily does not begin to practice bhakti-yoga unless he has
practiced it in previous births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti-yoga
only by the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna.
Guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija. The seed of devotional
service is obtainable by the mercy of guru, the spiritual master, and
Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Only by the practice of bhakti-yoga can one achieve the favor of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face
(premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu
vilokayanti). One cannot see the Lord by other methods, such as karma,
jnana or yoga. Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must
cultivate bhakti-yoga (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam
pada-sevanam). Then, even within this material world, although the
Lord is not visible, a devotee can see Him. This is confirmed in
Bhagavad-gita (bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah) and
in Srimad-Bhagavatam (bhaktyaham ekaya grahyah). Thus by devotional
service one can achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, although He is not visible or understandable to materialistic
persons.
In this verse, the cultivation of bhakti-yoga is compared to many
material activities. By friction one can get fire from wood, by
digging the earth one can get food grains and water, and by agitating
the milk bag of the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared
to nectar, which one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply
drinking milk will not make one immortal, but it can increase the
duration of one's life. In modern civilization, men do not think milk
to be important, and therefore they do not live very long. Although in
this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life
is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is
a sign of Kali-yuga. In Kali-yuga, instead of drinking milk, people
prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gita, advises
go-raksya, which means cow protection. The cow should be protected,
milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared
in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong
one's life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and
ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As
it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it
is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean
milk from their milk bags.
The people of this age are inclined toward industrial enterprises
for comfortable living, but they refuse to endeavor to execute
devotional service, by which they can achieve the ultimate goal of
life by returning home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, as it is said,
na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah.
People without spiritual education do not know that the ultimate goal
of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. Forgetting this aim of
life, they are working very hard in disappointment and frustration
(moghasa mogha-karmano mogha jnana vicetasah). The so-called
vaisyas--the industrialists or businessmen--are involved in big, big
industrial enterprises, but they are not interested in food grains and
milk. However, as indicated here, by digging for water, even in the
desert, we can produce food grains; when we produce food grains and
vegetables, we can give protection to the cows; while giving
protection to the cows, we can draw from them abundant quantities of
milk; and by getting enough milk and combining it with food grains and
vegetables, we can prepare hundreds of nectarean foods. We can happily
eat this food and thus avoid industrial enterprises and joblessness.
Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and
thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot
be attracted by devotional service.
As stated in â–¼Bhagavad-gita
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
"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." The majority of people in this age of Kali are sinful,
short-living, unfortunate and disturbed (mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya hy upadrutah). For them, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance
is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is
no other way. There is no other way."
Ah, Prabhupada, you write so many nectarean things for us to hear......