Bhagvatam: DESIRES LEAD TO STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE & CARRY YOU TO NEXT BODY, 4th June

Srimad Bhagvatam:

DESIRES LEAD TO STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE & CARRY YOU TO NEXT BODY

TRANSLATION
BECAUSE OF INSATIABLE MATERIAL DESIRES, I WAS BEING CARRIED AWAY BY THE WAVES OF MATERIAL NATURE'S LAWS, AND THUS I WAS ENGAGING IN DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, STRUGGLING FOR EXISTENCE IN VARIOUS FORMS OF LIFE.

PURPORT
AS LONG AS A LIVING ENTITY WANTS TO FULFILL VARIOUS TYPES OF MATERIAL DESIRE, HE MUST CONTINUOUSLY CHANGE FROM ONE BODY TO ACCEPT ANOTHER. SRILA VISVANATHA CHAKRAVARTI THAKURA EXPLAINS THAT AS A SMALL PIECE OF GRASS FALLS IN A RIVER AND IS TOSSED ABOUT WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOOD AND TREE BRANCHES, THE LIVING ENTITY FLOATS IN THE OCEAN OF MATERIAL EXISTENCE AND IS DASHED AND TOSSED AMIDST MATERIAL CONDITIONS.

THIS IS CALLED THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE. ONE KIND OF FRUITIVE ACTIVITY CAUSES THE LIVING BEING TO TAKE ONE FORM OF BODY, AND BECAUSE OF ACTIONS PERFORMED IN THAT BODY, ANOTHER BODY IS CREATED. ONE MUST THEREFORE STOP THESE MATERIAL ACTIVITIES, AND THE CHANCE TO DO SO IS GIVEN IN THE HUMAN FORM OF LIFE. SPECIFICALLY, OUR ENERGY TO ACT SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD, FOR THEN MATERIALISTIC ACTIVITIES WILL AUTOMATICALLY STOP.

ONE MUST FULFILL ONE'S DESIRES BY SURRENDERING UNTO THE SUPREME LORD, FOR HE KNOWS HOW TO FULFILL THEM. EVEN THOUGH ONE MAY HAVE MATERIAL DESIRES, ONE SHOULD THEREFORE ENGAGE IN THE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF THE LORD. THAT WILL PURIFY ONE'S STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE.

"A PERSON WHO HAS BROADER INTELLIGENCE, WHETHER HE BE FULL OF ALL MATERIAL DESIRE, WITHOUT ANY MATERIAL DESIRE, OR DESIRING LIBERATION, MUST BY ALL MEANS WORSHIP THE SUPREME WHOLE, THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD." (Bhag. 2.3.10)

"ONE SHOULD RENDER TRANSCENDENTAL LOVING SERVICE TO THE SUPREME LORD KRSHNA FAVORABLY AND WITHOUT DESIRE FOR MATERIAL PROFIT OR GAIN THROUGH FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES OR PHILOSOPHICAL SPECULATION. THAT IS CALLED PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11)

Gita shloka 2.70: DESIRES DO NOT DISTURB A DEVOTEE, 4th June

Gita shloka 2.70: DESIRES DO NOT DISTURB A DEVOTEE

TRANSLATION

A PERSON WHO IS NOT DISTURBED BY THE INCESSANT FLOW OF DESIRES—THAT ENTER LIKE RIVERS INTO THE OCEAN WHICH IS EVER BEING FILLED BUT IS ALWAYS STILL—CAN ALONE ACHIEVE PEACE, AND NOT THE MAN WHO STRIVES TO SATISFY SUCH DESIRES.

 PURPORT

 Although the vast ocean is always filled with water, it is always, especially during the rainy season, being filled with much more water.

  But the ocean remains the same—steady; it is not agitated, nor does it cross beyond the limit of its brink.

  That is also true of a person fixed in Krsna consciousness.

  As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense gratification will continue.

  The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires because of his fullness.

  A Krsna conscious man is not in need of anything because the Lord fulfills all his material necessities.

  Therefore he is like the ocean—always full in himself.

  Desires may come to him like the waters of the rivers that flow into the ocean, but he is steady in his activities, and he is not even slightly disturbed by desires for sense gratification.

  THAT IS THE PROOF OF A KRSNA CONSCIOUS MAN—ONE WHO HAS LOST ALL INCLINATIONS FOR MATERIAL SENSE GRATIFICATION, ALTHOUGH THE DESIRES ARE PRESENT.

  BECAUSE HE REMAINS SATISFIED IN THE TRANSCENDENTAL LOVING SERVICE OF THE LORD, HE CAN REMAIN STEADY, LIKE THE OCEAN, AND THEREFORE ENJOY FULL PEACE.

  OTHERS, HOWEVER, WHO FULFILL DESIRES EVEN UP TO THE LIMIT OF LIBERATION, WHAT TO SPEAK OF MATERIAL SUCCESS, NEVER ATTAIN PEACE.

  The fruitive workers, the salvationists, and also the yogis who are after mystic powers, are all unhappy because of unfulfilled desires.

  BUT THE PERSON IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS IS HAPPY IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD, AND HE HAS NO DESIRES TO BE FULFILLED.

  IN FACT, HE DOES NOT EVEN DESIRE LIBERATION FROM THE SO-CALLED MATERIAL BONDAGE.

  THE DEVOTEES OF KRSNA HAVE NO MATERIAL DESIRES, AND THEREFORE THEY ARE IN PERFECT PEACE.