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yam yam—whatever; artham—object; upadatte—one acquires; duhkhena—with difficulty; sukha-hetave—for happiness; tam tam—that; dhunoti—destroys; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puman—the person; socati—laments; yat-krte—for which reason.

Whatever is produced by the materialist with great pain and labor for so-called happiness, the Supreme Personality, as the time factor, destroys, and for this reason the conditioned soul laments.

The main function of the time factor, which is a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is to destroy everything. The materialists, in material consciousness, are engaged in producing so many things in the name of economic development. They think that by advancing in satisfying the material needs of man they will be happy, but they forget that everything they have produced will be destroyed in due course of time. From history we can see that there were many powerful empires on the surface of the globe that were constructed with great pain and great perseverance, but in due course of time they have all been destroyed. Still the foolish materialists cannot understand that they are simply wasting time in producing material necessities, which are destined to be vanquished in due course of time. This waste of energy is due to the ignorance of the mass of people, who do not know that they are eternal and that they have an eternal engagement also. They do not know that this span of life in a particular type of body is but a flash in the eternal journey. Not knowing this fact, they take the small flash of life to be everything, and they waste time in improving economic conditions.

SB3.30.3

TEXT 3

yad adhruvasya dehasya

sanubandhasya durmatih

dhruvani manyate mohad

grha-ksetra-vasuni ca

yat—because; adhruvasya—temporary; dehasya—of the body; sa-anubandhasya—with that which is related; durmatih—a misguided person; dhruvani—permanent; manyate—thinks; mohat—because of ignorance; grha—home; ksetra—land; vasuni—wealth; ca—and.

The misguided materialist does not know that his very body is impermanent and that the attractions of home, land and wealth, which are in relationship to that body, are also temporary. Out of ignorance only, he thinks that everything is permanent.

The materialist thinks that persons engaged in Krsna consciousness are crazy fellows wasting time by chanting Hare Krsna, but actually he does not know that he himself is in the darkest region of craziness because of accepting his body as permanent. And, in relation to his body, he accepts his home, his country, his society and all other paraphernalia as permanent. This materialistic acceptance of the permanency of home, land, etc., is called the illusion of maya. This is clearly mentioned here. Mohad grha-ksetra-vasuni: out of illusion only does the materialist accept his home, his land and his money as permanent. Out of this illusion, the family life, national life and economic development, which are very important factors in modern civilization, have grown. A Krsna conscious person knows that this economic development of human society is but temporary illusion.

In another part of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the acceptance of the body as oneself, the acceptance of others as kinsmen in relationship to this body and the acceptance of the land of one’s birth as worshipable are declared to be the products of an animal civilization. When, however, one is enlightened in Krsna consciousness, he can use these for the service of the Lord. That is a very suitable proposition. Everything has a relationship with Krsna. When all economic development and material advancement are utilized to advance the cause of Krsna consciousness, a new phase of progressive life arises.

SB3.30.4

TEXT 4

jantur vai bhava etasmin

yam yam yonim anuvrajet

tasyam tasyam sa labhate

nirvrtim na virajyate

jantuh—the living entity; vai—certainly; bhave—in worldly existence; etasmin—this; yam yam—whatever; yonim—species; anuvrajet—he may obtain; tasyam tasyam—in that; sah—he; labhate—achieves; nirvrtim—satisfaction; na—not; virajyate—is averse.

The living entity, in whatever species of life he appears, finds a particular type of satisfaction in that species, and he is never averse to being situated in such a condition.

The satisfaction of the living entity in a particular type of body, even if it is most abominable, is called illusion. A man in a higher position may feel dissatisfaction with the standard of life of a lower-grade man, but the lower-grade man is satisfied in that position because of the spell of maya, the external energy. Maya has two phases of activities. One is called praksepatmika, and the other is called avaranatmika. Avaranatmika means “covering,” and praksepatmika means “pulling down.” In any condition of life, the materialistic person or animal will be satisfied because his knowledge is covered by the influence of maya. In the lower grade or lower species of life, the development of consciousness is so poor that one cannot understand whether he is happy or distressed. This is called avaranatmika. Even a hog, who lives by eating stool, finds himself happy, although a person in a higher mode of life sees that the hog is eating stool. How abominable that life is!

SB3.30.5

TEXT 5

naraka-stho ’pi deham vai

na pumams tyaktum icchati

narakyam nirvrtau satyam

deva-maya-vimohitah

naraka—in hell; sthah—situated; api—even; deham—body; vai—indeed; na—not; puman—person; tyaktum—to leave; icchati—wishes; narakyam—hellish; nirvrtau—enjoyment; satyam—when existing; deva-maya—by the illusory energy of Visnu; vimohitah—deluded.

The conditioned living entity is satisfied in his own particular species of life; while deluded by the covering influence of the illusory energy, he feels little inclined to cast off his body, even when in hell, for he takes delight in hellish enjoyment.

It is said that once Indra, the King of heaven, was cursed by his spiritual master, Brhaspati, on account of his misbehavior, and he became a hog on this planet. After many days, when Brahma wanted to recall him to his heavenly kingdom, Indra, in the form of a hog, forgot everything of his royal position in the heavenly kingdom, and he refused to go back. This is the spell of maya. Even Indra forgets his heavenly standard of life and is satisfied with the standard of a hog’s life. By the influence of maya the conditioned soul becomes so affectionate towards his particular type of body that if he is offered, “Give up this body, and immediately you will have a king’s body,” he will not agree. This attachment strongly affects all conditioned living entities. Lord Krsna is personally canvassing, “Give up everything in this material world. Come to Me, and I shall give you all protection,” but we are not agreeable. We think, “We are quite all right. Why should we surrender unto Krsna and go back to His kingdom?” This is called illusion, or maya. Everyone is satisfied with his standard of living, however abominable it may be.

SB3.30.6

TEXT 6

atma-jaya-sutagara-

pasu-dravina-bandhusu

nirudha-mula-hrdaya

atmanam bahu manyate

atma—body; jaya—wife; suta—children; agara—home; pasu—animals; dravina—wealth; bandhusu—in friends; nirudha-mula—deep-rooted; hrdayah—his heart; atmanam—himself; bahu—highly; manyate—he thinks.

Such satisfaction with one’s standard of living is due to deep-rooted attraction for body, wife, home, children, animals, wealth and friends. In such association, the conditioned soul thinks himself quite perfect.

This so-called perfection of human life is a concoction. Therefore, it is said that the materialist, however materially qualified he may be, is worthless because he is hovering on the mental plane, which will drag him again to the material existence of temporary life. One who acts on the mental plane cannot get promotion to the spiritual. Such a person is always sure to glide down again to material life. In the association of so-called society, friendship and love, the conditioned soul appears completely satisfied.

SB3.30.7

TEXT 7

sandahyamana-sarvanga

esam udvahanadhina

karoty aviratam mudho

duritani durasayah

sandahyamana—burning; sarva—all; angah—his limbs; esam—these family members; udvahana—for maintaining; adhina—with anxiety; karoti—he performs; aviratam—always; mudhah—the fool; duritani—sinful activities; durasayah—evil-minded.

Although he is always burning with anxiety, such a fool always performs all kinds of mischievous activities, with a hope which is never to be fulfilled, in order to maintain his so-called family and society.

It is said that it is easier to maintain a great empire than to maintain a small family, especially in these days, when the influence of Kali-yuga is so strong that everyone is harassed and full of anxieties because of accepting the false presentation of maya’s family. The family we maintain is created by maya; it is the perverted reflection of the family in Krsnaloka. In Krsnaloka there are also family, friends, society, father and mother; everything is there, but they are eternal. Here, as we change bodies, our family relationships also change. Sometimes we are in a family of human beings, sometimes in a family of demigods, sometimes a family of cats, or sometimes a family of dogs. Family, society and friendship are flickering, and so they are called asat. It is said that as long as we are attached to this asat, temporary, nonexisting society and family, we are always full of anxieties. The materialists do not know that the family, society and friendship here in this material world are only shadows, and thus they become attached. Naturally their hearts are always burning, but in spite of all inconvenience, they still work to maintain such false families because they have no information of the real family association with Krsna.

SB3.30.8

TEXT 8

aksiptatmendriyah strinam

asatinam ca mayaya

raho racitayalapaih

sisunam kala-bhasinam

aksipta—charmed; atma—heart; indriyah—his senses; strinam—of women; asatinam—false; ca—and; mayaya—by maya; rahah—in a solitary place; racitaya—displayed; alapaih—by the talking; sisunam—of the children; kala-bhasinam—with sweet words.

He gives heart and senses to a woman, who falsely charms him with maya. He enjoys solitary embraces and talking with her, and he is enchanted by the sweet words of the small children.

Family life within the kingdom of illusory energy, maya, is just like a prison for the eternal living entity. In prison a prisoner is shackled by iron chains and iron bars. Similarly, a conditioned soul is shackled by the charming beauty of a woman, by her solitary embraces and talks of so-called love, and by the sweet words of his small children. Thus he forgets his real identity.

In this verse the words strinam asatinam indicate that womanly love is just to agitate the mind of man. Actually, in the material world there is no love. Both the woman and the man are interested in their sense gratification. For sense gratification a woman creates an illusory love, and the man becomes enchanted by such false love and forgets his real duty. When there are children as the result of such a combination, the next attraction is to the sweet words of the children. The love of the woman at home and the talk of the children make one a secure prisoner, and thus he cannot leave his home. Such a person is termed, in Vedic language, a grhamedhi, which means “one whose center of attraction is home.” Grhastha refers to one who lives with family, wife and children, but whose real purpose of living is to develop Krsna consciousness. One is therefore advised to become a grhastha and not a grhamedhi. The grhastha’s concern is to get out of the family life created by illusion and enter into real family life with Krsna, whereas the grhamedhi s business is to repeatedly chain himself to so-called family life, in one life after another, and perpetually remain in the darkness of maya.

SB3.30.9

TEXT 9

grhesu kuta-dharmesu

duhkha-tantresv atandritah

kurvan duhkha-pratikaram

sukhavan manyate grhi

grhesu—in family life; kuta-dharmesu—involving the practice of falsehood; duhkha-tantresu—spreading miseries; atandritah—attentive; kurvan—doing; duhkha-pratikaram—counteraction of miseries; sukha-vat—as happiness; manyate—thinks; grhi—the householder.

The attached householder remains in his family life, which is full of diplomacy and politics. Always spreading miseries and controlled by acts of sense gratification, he acts just to counteract the reactions of all his miseries, and if he can successfully counteract such miseries, he thinks that he is happy.

In Bhagavad-gita the Personality of Godhead Himself certifies the material world as an impermanent place that is full of miseries. There is no question of happiness in this material world, either individually or in terms of family, society or country. If something is going on in the name of happiness, that is also illusion. Here in this material world, happiness means successful counteraction to the effects of distress. The material world is so made that unless one becomes a clever diplomat, his life will be a failure. Not to speak of human society, even the society of lower animals, the birds and bees, cleverly manages its bodily demands of eating, sleeping and mating. Human society competes nationally or individually, and in the attempt to be successful the entire human society becomes full of diplomacy. We should always remember that in spite of all diplomacy and all intelligence in the struggle for our existence, everything will end in a second by the supreme will. Therefore, all our attempts to become happy in this material world are simply a delusion offered by maya.

SB3.30.10

TEXT 10

arthair apaditair gurvya

himsayetas-tatas ca tan

pusnati yesam posena

sesa-bhug yaty adhah svayam

arthaih—by wealth; apaditaih—secured; gurvya—great; himsaya—by violence; itah-tatah—here and there; ca—and; tan—them (family members); pusnati—he maintains; yesam—of whom; posena—because of the maintenance; sesa—remnants; bhuk—eating; yati—he goes; adhah—downwards; svayam—himself.

He secures money by committing violence here and there, and although he employs it in the service of his family, he himself eats only a little portion of the food thus purchased, and he goes to hell for those for whom he earned the money in such an irregular way.

There is a Bengali proverb, “The person for whom I have stolen accuses me of being a thief.” The family members, for whom an attached person acts in so many criminal ways, are never satisfied. In illusion an attached person serves such family members, and by serving them he is destined to enter into a hellish condition of life. For example, a thief steals something to maintain his family, and he is caught and imprisoned. This is the sum and substance of material existence and attachment to material society, friendship and love. Although an attached family man is always engaged in getting money by hook or by crook for the maintenance of his family, he cannot enjoy more than what he could consume even without such criminal activities. A man who eats eight ounces of foodstuffs may have to maintain a big family and earn money by any means to support that family, but he himself is not offered more than what he can eat, and sometimes he eats the remnants that are left after his family members are fed. Even by earning money by unfair means, he cannot enjoy life for himself. That is called the covering illusion of maya.

The process of illusory service to society, country and community is exactly the same everywhere; the same principle is applicable even to big national leaders. A national leader who is very great in serving his country is sometimes killed by his countrymen because of irregular service. In other words, one cannot satisfy his dependents by this illusory service, although one cannot get out of the service because servant is his constitutional position. A living entity is constitutionally part and parcel of the Supreme Being, but he forgets that he has to render service to the Supreme Being and diverts his attention to serving others; this is called maya. By serving others he falsely thinks that he is master. The head of a family thinks of himself as the master of the family, or the leader of a nation thinks of himself as the master of the nation, whereas actually he is serving, and by serving maya he is gradually going to hell. Therefore, a sane man should come to the point of Krsna consciousness and engage in the service of the Supreme Lord, applying his whole life, all of his wealth, his entire intelligence and his full power of speaking.

SB3.30.11

TEXT 11

vartayam lupyamanayam

arabdhayam punah punah

lobhabhibhuto nihsattvah

pararthe kurute sprham

vartayam—when his occupation; lupyamanayam—is hampered; arabdhayam—undertaken; punah punah—again and again; lobha—by greed; abhibhutah—overwhelmed; nihsattvah—ruined; para-arthe—for the wealth of others; kurute sprham—he longs.

When he suffers reverses in his occupation, he tries again and again to improve himself, but when he is baffled in all attempts and is ruined, he accepts money from others because of excessive greed.

SB3.30.12

TEXT 12

kutumba-bharanakalpo

manda-bhagyo vrthodyamah

sriya vihinah krpano

dhyayan chvasiti mudha-dhih

SYNONYMS

kutumba—his family; bharana—in maintaining; akalpah—unable; manda-bhagyah—the unfortunate man; vrtha—in vain; udyamah—whose effort; sriya—beauty, wealth; vihinah—bereft of; krpanah—wretched; dhyayan—grieving; svasiti—he sighs; mudha—bewildered; dhih—his intelligence.

TRANSLATION

Thus the unfortunate man, unsuccessful in maintaining his family members, is bereft of all beauty. He always thinks of his failure, grieving very deeply.

SB3.30.13

TEXT 13

evam sva-bharanakalpam

tat-kalatradayas tatha

nadriyante yatha purvam

kinasa iva go-jaram

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; sva-bharana—to maintain them; akalpam—unable; tat—his; kalatra—wife; adayah—and so on; tatha—so; na—not; adriyante—do respect; yatha—as; purvam—before; kinasah—farmers; iva—like; go-jaram—an old ox.

TRANSLATION

Seeing him unable to support them, his wife and others do not treat him with the same respect as before, even as miserly farmers do not accord the same treatment to their old and worn-out oxen.

PURPORT

Not only in the present age but from time immemorial, no one has liked an old man who is unable to earn in the family. Even in the modern age, in some communities or states, the old men are given poison so that they will die as soon as possible. In some cannibalistic communities, the old grandfather is sportingly killed, and a feast is held in which his body is eaten. The example is given that a farmer does not like an old bull who has ceased to work. Similarly, when an attached person in family life becomes old and is unable to earn, he is no longer liked by his wife, sons, daughters and other kinsmen, and he is consequently neglected, what to speak of not being given respect. It is judicious, therefore, to give up family attachment before one attains old age and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should employ himself in the Lord’s service so that the Supreme Lord can take charge of him, and he will not be neglected by his so-called kinsmen.

SB3.30.14

TEXT 14

tatrapy ajata-nirvedo

bhriyamanah svayam bhrtaih

jarayopatta-vairupyo

maranabhimukho grhe

tatra—there; api—although; ajata—not arisen; nirvedah—aversion; bhriyamanah—being maintained; svayam—by himself; bhrtaih—by those who were maintained; jaraya—by old age; upatta—obtained; vairupyah—deformation; marana—death; abhimukhah—approaching; grhe—at home.

The foolish family man does not become averse to family life although he is maintained by those whom he once maintained. Deformed by the influence of old age, he prepares himself to meet ultimate death.

Family attraction is so strong that even if one is neglected by family members in his old age, he cannot give up family affection, and he remains at home just like a dog. In the Vedic way of life one has to give up family life when he is strong enough. It is advised that before getting too weak and being baffled in material activities, and before becoming diseased, one should give up family life and engage oneself completely in the service of the Lord for the remaining days of his life. It is enjoined, therefore, in the Vedic scriptures, that as soon as one passes fifty years of age, he must give up family life and live alone in the forest. After preparing himself fully, he should become a sannyasi to distribute the knowledge of spiritual life to each and every home.

SB3.30.15

TEXT 15

aste ’vamatyopanyastam

grha-pala ivaharan

amayavy apradiptagnir

alpaharo ’lpa-cestitah

aste—he remains; avamatya—negligently; upanyastam—what is placed; grha-palah—a dog; iva—like; aharan—eating; amayavi—diseased; apradipta-agnih—having dyspepsia; alpa—little; aharah—eating; alpa—little; cestitah—his activity.

Thus he remains at home just like a pet dog and eats whatever is so negligently given to him. Afflicted with many illnesses, such as dyspepsia and loss of appetite, he eats only very small morsels of food, and he becomes an invalid, who cannot work any more.

Before meeting death one is sure to become a diseased invalid, and when he is neglected by his family members, his life becomes less than a dog’s because he is put into so many miserable conditions. Vedic literatures enjoin, therefore, that before the arrival of such miserable conditions, one should leave home and die without the knowledge of his family members. If a man leaves home and dies without his family’s knowing, that is considered to be a glorious death. But an attached family man wants his family members to carry him in a great procession even after his death, and although he will not be able to see how the procession goes, he still desires that his body be taken gorgeously in procession. Thus he is happy without even knowing where he has to go when he leaves his body for the next life.

SB3.30.16

TEXT 16

vayunotkramatottarah

kapha-samruddha-nadikah

kasa-svasa-krtayasah

kanthe ghura-ghurayate

vayuna—by air; utkramata—bulging out; uttarah—his eyes; kapha—with mucus; samruddha—congested; nadikah—his windpipe; kasa—coughing; svasa—breathing; krta—done; ayasah—difficulty; kanthe—in the throat; ghura-ghurayate—he produces a sound like ghura-ghura.