Gita shloka 3.22 & 3.23, GOD DOES NOT HAVE TO ANYTHING, YET HE IS ENGAGED IN WORK, 27th June

Gita shloka 3.22 & 3.23
GOD DOES NOT HAVE TO ANYTHING, YET HE IS ENGAGED IN WORK 

TRANSLATION

O SON OF PṚTHĀ, THERE IS NO WORK PRESCRIBED FOR ME WITHIN ALL THE THREE PLANETARY SYSTEMS. NOR AM I IN WANT OF ANYTHING, NOR HAVE I NEED TO OBTAIN ANYTHING-AND YET I AM ENGAGED IN WORK.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the Vedic literatures as follows:

tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaraṁ

taṁ devatānāṁ paramaṁ ca daivatam

patiṁ patīnāṁ paramaṁ parastād

vidāma devaṁ bhuvaneśam īḍyam

na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate

na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate

parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate

svā-bhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca.

“THE SUPREME LORD IS THE CONTROLLER OF ALL OTHER CONTROLLERS, AND HE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL THE DIVERSE PLANETARY LEADERS. EVERYONE IS UNDER HIS CONTROL. ALL ENTITIES ARE DELEGATED WITH PARTICULAR POWER ONLY BY THE SUPREME LORD; THEY ARE NOT SUPREME THEMSELVES. 

HE IS ALSO WORSHIPABLE BY ALL DEMIGODS AND IS THE SUPREME DIRECTOR OF ALL DIRECTORS. THEREFORE, HE IS TRANSCENDENTAL TO ALL KINDS OF MATERIAL LEADERS AND CONTROLLERS AND IS WORSHIPABLE BY ALL. THERE IS NO ONE GREATER THAN HIM, AND HE IS THE SUPREME CAUSE OF ALL CAUSES.

“HE DOES NOT POSSESS BODILY FORM LIKE THAT OF AN ORDINARY LIVING ENTITY. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS BODY AND HIS SOUL. HE IS ABSOLUTE. ALL HIS SENSES ARE TRANSCENDENTAL. ANY ONE OF HIS SENSES CAN PERFORM THE ACTION OF ANY OTHER SENSE. 

THEREFORE, NO ONE IS GREATER THAN HIM OR EQUAL TO HIM. HIS POTENCIES ARE MULTIFARIOUS, AND THUS HIS DEEDS ARE AUTOMATICALLY PERFORMED AS A NATURAL SEQUENCE.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7-8)

SINCE EVERYTHING IS IN FULL OPULENCE IN THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD AND IS EXISTING IN FULL TRUTH, THERE IS NO DUTY FOR THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD TO PERFORM. 

ONE WHO MUST RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF WORK HAS SOME DESIGNATED DUTY, BUT ONE WHO HAS NOTHING TO ACHIEVE WITHIN THE THREE PLANETARY SYSTEMS CERTAINLY HAS NO DUTY. 

AND YET LORD KṚṢṆA IS ENGAGED ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF KURUKṢETRA AS THE LEADER OF THE KṢATRIYAS BECAUSE THE KṢATRIYAS ARE DUTY-BOUND TO GIVE PROTECTION TO THE DISTRESSED. ALTHOUGH HE IS ABOVE ALL THE REGULATIONS OF THE REVEALED SCRIPTURES, HE DOES NOT DO ANYTHING THAT VIOLATES THE REVEALED SCRIPTURES.

Gita shloka 3.23

TRANSLATION

For, if I did not engage in work, O Pārtha, certainly all men would follow My path.

PURPORT

In order to keep the balance of social tranquility for progress in spiritual life. there are traditional family usages meant for every civilized man. Although such rules and regulations are for the conditioned souls and not Lord Kṛṣṇa, because He descended to establish the principles of religion, He followed the prescribed rules.

Otherwise, common men would follow in His footsteps because He is the greatest authority. From the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is understood that Lord Kṛṣṇa was performing all the religious duties at home and out of home, as required of a householder.

Bhagvat : BY LIVING IN VRNDÄVANA AS A DOG, HOG OR MONKEY, THE LIVING ENTITY CAN BE ELEVATED TO THE SPIRITUAL PLATFORM IN THE NEXT LIFE

BY LIVING IN VRNDÄVANA AS A DOG, HOG OR MONKEY, THE LIVING ENTITY CAN BE ELEVATED TO THE SPIRITUAL PLATFORM IN THE NEXT LIFE.

TRANSLATION
Närada Muni continued: The city spoken of as Dakshina-panchäla represents the scriptures meant for directing pravrtti, the process of sense enjoyment in fruitive activities.

The other city, named Uttara-panchäla, represents the scriptures meant for decreasing fruitive activities and increasing knowledge.

The living entity receives different kinds of knowledge by means of two ears, and some living entities are promoted to Pitrloka and some to Devaloka.

All this is made possible by the two ears.


PURPORT
The Vedas are known as Shruti, and the knowledge received from them through aural reception is called Shrutadhara.

AS STATED IN BHAGAVAD-GITÄ, ONE CAN BE PROMOTED TO THE PLANETS OF THE DEMIGODS OR TO THE PLANETS OF THE PITÄS (FOREFATHERS), OR EVEN TO THE VAIKUNTHA PLANETS, SIMPLY THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HEARING.

These things have already been explained in previous chapters.


TRANSLATION
The city called Grämaka, which is approached through the lower gate of Äsuri [the genital], is meant for sex, which is very pleasing to common men who are simply fools and rascals. The faculty of procreation is called Durmada, and the rectum is called Nirrti.

PURPORT
When the world becomes degraded, civilization becomes demoniac, and for the common man the rectum and the genital are taken very seriously as the centers of all activity.

Even in such a sacred place as Vrndävana, India, unintelligent men pass off this rectal and genital business as spiritual activity.

Such people are called sahajiyä.

According to their philosophy, through sexual indulgence one can elevate oneself to the spiritual platform.

From these verses of Shrimad-Bhägavatam, however, we understand that the desires for sexual satisfaction are meant for the arväk, the lowest among men.

To rectify these rascals and fools is very difficult.

After all, the sex desires of the common man are condemned in these verses.

The word durmada means "wrongly directed," and nirrti means "sinful activity."

Although this clearly indicates that sex indulgence is abominable and misdirected even from the ordinary point of view, the sahajiyäs nonetheless pass themselves off as devotees conducting spiritual activities.

For this reason, Vrndävana is no longer visited by intelligent men.

Sometimes we are often asked why we have made our center in Vrndävana.

From the external point of view, it can be concluded that Vrndävana has become degenerate due to these sahajiyä activities, YET FROM THE SPIRITUAL POINT OF VIEW, VRNDÄVANA IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE ALL THESE SINFUL PERSONS CAN BE RECTIFIED BY MEANS OF TAKING BIRTH IN THE FORMS OF DOGS, HOGS AND MONKEYS.

BY LIVING IN VRNDÄVANA AS A DOG, HOG OR MONKEY, THE LIVING ENTITY CAN BE ELEVATED TO THE SPIRITUAL PLATFORM IN THE NEXT LIFE.

Bhagvat : BE LIKE A SWAN - THE SWAN [HAMSA] IS ONE WHO DISCRIMINATES BETWEEN MATTER AND SPIRIT, WHO EXPLAINS THE MEANS OF BONDAGE AND THE MEANS OF LIBERATION,25th June

BE LIKE A SWAN - The swan [hamsa] is one who discriminates between matter and spirit, who explains the means of bondage and the means of liberation

TRANSLATION
[Närada Muni had spoken of a swan. That swan is explained in this verse.] The Vedic literatures [shästras] vividly describe how to understand the Supreme Lord, the source of all material and spiritual energy. Indeed, they elaborately explain these two energies.

The swan [hamsa] is one who discriminates between matter and spirit, who accepts the essence of everything,

and who explains the means of bondage and the means of liberation. The words of scriptures consist of variegated vibrations.

If a foolish rascal leaves aside the study of these shästras to engage in temporary activities, what will be the result?

PURPORT
The Krshna consciousness movement is very eager to present Vedic literature in modern languages, especially Western languages such as English, French and German.

The leaders of the Western world, the Americans and Europeans, have become the idols of modern civilization because the Western people are very sophisticated in temporary activities for the advancement of material civilization.

A sane man, however, can see that all such grand activities, although perhaps very important for temporary life, have nothing to do with eternal life.

The entire world is imitating the materialistic civilization of the West, and therefore the Krshna consciousness movement is very much interested in giving the Western people knowledge by translating the original Sanskrit Vedic literatures into Western languages.

The word vivikta-padam refers to the path of logical discourses concerning the aim of life.

If one does not discuss that which is important in life, one is put into darkness and must struggle for existence.

What, then, is the benefit of his advancement in knowledge?The people of the West are seeing their students becoming hippies, despite gorgeous arrangements for university education.

The Krshna consciousness movement, however, is trying to convert misguided, drug-addicted students to the service of Krshna and engage them in the best welfare activities for human society.

Bhagvat: ONE WHO HAS EDUCATION AND WEALTH MUST USE THEM TO SATISFY THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD BY HELPING THE KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT,24th June

Bhagvat: one who has education and wealth must use them to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by helping the Krshna consciousness movement

TRANSLATION
When one is enriched with wealth and knowledge which are under his full control and by means of which he can perform yajna or please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one must perform sacrifices, offering oblations to the fire according to the directions of the sastras. In this way one should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT
If a grhastha, or householder, is sufficiently educated in Vedic knowledge and has become sufficiently rich to offer worship to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he must perform yajnas as directed by the authorized scriptures.

Bhagavad-gita (3.9) clearly says, yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanam: everyone may be engaged in his occupational duties, but the result of these duties should be offered for sacrifice to satisfy the Supreme Lord.

If one is fortunate enough to possess transcendental knowledge as well as the money with which to perform sacrifices, one must do it according to the directions given in the sastras. It is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.52):

The entire Vedic civilization aims at satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This was possible in Satya-yuga by meditation upon the Supreme Lord within the core of one's heart and in Treta-yuga by the performance of costly yajnas. The same goal could be achieved in Dvapara-yuga by worship of the Lord in the temple, and in this age of Kali one can achieve the same goal by performing sankirtana-yajna.

Therefore one who has education and wealth must use them to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by helping the sankirtana movement that has already begun—the Hare Krshna movement, or Krshna consciousness movement. All educated and wealthy persons must join this movement, since money and education are meant for service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
If money and education are not engaged in the service of the Lord, these valuable assetsmust be engaged in the service of maya. The education of so-called scientists, philosophers and poets is now engaged in the service of maya, and the wealth of the rich is also engaged in maya's service. The service of maya, however, creates a chaotic condition in the world.
Therefore the wealthy man and the educated man should sacrifice their knowledge and opulence by dedicating them for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord and joining this sankirtana movement (yajnaim sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasam).

Bhagvat : INSTEAD OF BEING VERY MUCH ANXIOUS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UNNECESSARILY WASTE TIME AND ENERGY, ONE SHOULD SAVE HIS ENERGY FOR ADVANCING IN KRSHNA CONSCIOUSNESS,23rd June

Bhagvat: Instead of being very much anxious about economic development and unnecessarily waste time and energy, one should save his energy for advancing in Krshna consciousness

Extract from Srimad Bhagvatam

TRANSLATION
An intelligent person should be satisfied with eating prasada [food offered to the Lord] or with performing the five different kinds of yajna [pancha-süna]. By such activities, one can give up attachment for the body and so-called proprietorship with reference to the body. When one is able to do this, he is firmly fixed in the position of a mahatma.

PURPORT
Nature already has an arrangement to feed us.
By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is an arrangement for eatables for every living entity within the 8,400,000 forms of life.
Eko bahünam yo vidadhati kaman.
Every living entity has to eat something, and in fact the necessities for his life have already been provided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Lord has provided food for both the elephant and the ant.

All living beings are living at the cost of the Supreme Lord, and therefore one who is intelligent should not work very hard for material comforts.
Rather, one should save his energy for advancing in Krshna consciousness.
All created things in the sky, in the air, on land and in the sea belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and every living being is provided with food.
Therefore one should not be very much anxious about economic development and unnecessarily waste time and energy with the risk of falling down in the cycle of birth and death.