BHAGVAT: ORDINARY LITERATURE IS A WASTE OF TIME,2nd June

Extract from Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION
LITERATURE THAT IS A USELESS WASTE OF TIME—IN OTHER WORDS, LITERATURE WITHOUT SPIRITUAL BENEFIT—SHOULD BE REJECTED. ONE SHOULD NOT BECOME A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER AS A MEANS OF EARNING ONE'S LIVELIHOOD, NOR SHOULD ONE INDULGE IN ARGUMENTS AND COUNTERARGUMENTS. NOR SHOULD ONE TAKE SHELTER OF ANY CAUSE OR FACTION.

PURPORT
A PERSON DESIRING TO ADVANCE IN SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING SHOULD BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL TO AVOID READING ORDINARY LITERATURE. THE WORLD IS FULL OF ORDINARY LITERATURE THAT CREATES UNNECESSARY AGITATION IN THE MIND. SUCH LITERATURE, INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS, DRAMAS, NOVELS AND MAGAZINES, IS FACTUALLY NOT MEANT FOR ADVANCEMENT IN SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE.

INDEED, IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A PLACE OF ENJOYMENT FOR CROWS (tad vayasam tirtham). ANYONE ADVANCING IN SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE MUST REJECT SUCH LITERATURE. FURTHERMORE, ONE SHOULD NOT CONCERN ONESELF WITH THE CONCLUSIONS OF VARIOUS LOGICIANS OR PHILOSOPHERS. OF COURSE, THOSE WHO PREACH SOMETIMES NEED TO ARGUE WITH THE CONTENTIONS OF OPPONENTS, BUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ONE SHOULD AVOID AN ARGUMENTATIVE ATTITUDE. In this connection, Srila Madhvacharya says:

"THERE IS NO NEED TO TAKE SHELTER OF UNNECESSARY LITERATURE OR CONCERN ONESELF WITH MANY SO-CALLED PHILOSOPHERS AND THINKERS WHO ARE USELESS FOR SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT. Nor should one accept a disciple for the sake of fashion or popularity.

ONE SHOULD BE CALLOUS TO THESE SO-CALLED SHASTRAS, NEITHER OPPOSING NOR FAVORING THEM, AND ONE SHOULD NOT EARN ONE'S LIVELIHOOD BY TAKING MONEY FOR EXPLAINING SASTRA. A SANNYASI MUST ALWAYS BE NEUTRAL AND SEEK THE MEANS TO ADVANCE IN SPIRITUAL LIFE, TAKING FULL SHELTER UNDER THE LOTUS FEET OF THE LORD."

 

Gita shloka 2.68 SENSES CAN BE CONTROLLED ONLY BY KEEPING THEM ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD,2nd June

Bhagvad Gita (shloka 2.68)

TRANSLATION
THEREFORE, O MIGHTY-ARMED, ONE WHOSE SENSES ARE RESTRAINED FROM THEIR OBJECTS IS CERTAINLY OF STEADY INTELLIGENCE.

PURPORT
AS ENEMIES ARE CURBED BY SUPERIOR FORCE, SIMILARLY, THE SENSES CAN BE CURBED NOT BY ANY HUMAN ENDEAVOR, BUT ONLY BY KEEPING THEM ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD.

ONE WHO HAS UNDERSTOOD THIS—THAT ONLY BY KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS IS ONE REALLY ESTABLISHED IN INTELLIGENCE AND THAT ONE SHOULD PRACTICE THIS ART UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER—IS CALLED SADHAKA, OR A SUITABLE CANDIDATE FOR LIBERATION.

 

Bhagvat:WIFE SHOULD SERVE HER HUSBAND FAITHFULLY, 1st June

Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION
THE WOMAN WHO ENGAGES IN THE SERVICE OF HER HUSBAND, FOLLOWING STRICTLY IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE, SURELY RETURNS HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, WITH HER DEVOTEE HUSBAND, AND LIVES VERY HAPPILY IN THE VAIKUNTHA PLANETS.

PURPORT
The faithfulness of the goddess of fortune is the ideal for a chaste woman. The Brahma-samhita (5.29) says, lakshmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. In the Vaikuntha planets, LORD VISHNU IS WORSHIPED BY MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF GODDESSES OF FORTUNE, AND IN GOLOKA VRNDAVANA, LORD KRSHNA IS WORSHIPED BY MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF GOPIS, ALL OF WHOM ARE GODDESSES OF FORTUNE.

A WOMAN SHOULD SERVE HER HUSBAND AS FAITHFULLY AS THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE. A MAN SHOULD BE AN IDEAL SERVANT OF THE LORD, AND A WOMAN SHOULD BE AN IDEAL WIFE LIKE THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE. THEN BOTH HUSBAND AND WIFE WILL BE SO FAITHFUL AND STRONG THAT BY ACTING TOGETHER THEY WILL RETURN HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, WITHOUT A DOUBT. In this regard, Srila Madhvacharya gives this opinion:

A WOMAN SHOULD THINK OF HER HUSBAND AS THE SUPREME LORD.

SIMILARLY, A DISCIPLE SHOULD THINK OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, A SHÜDRA SHOULD THINK OF A BRAHMANA AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, AND A SERVANT SHOULD THINK OF HIS MASTER AS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD.

IN THIS WAY, ALL OF THEM WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME DEVOTEES OF THE LORD. IN OTHER WORDS, BY THINKING THIS WAY, ALL OF THEM WILL BECOME KRSHNA CONSCIOUS.