Shloka 40
Nārada’s Protection of Kayādhu and Prahlāda’s Womb-Instructions: Ātma-tattva and the Path of Bhakti
एवं हि लोका: क्रतुभि: कृता अमी क्षयिष्णव: सातिशया न निर्मला: । तस्माददृष्टश्रुतदूषणं परं भक्त्योक्तयेशं भजतात्मलब्धये ॥ ४० ॥
evaṁ hi lokāḥ kratubhiḥ kṛtā amī kṣayiṣṇavaḥ sātiśayā na nirmalāḥ tasmād adṛṣṭa-śruta-dūṣaṇaṁ paraṁ bhaktyoktayeśaṁ bhajatātma-labdhaye
ໂລກທີ່ໄດ້ດ້ວຍຍັນພິທີແລະກຣະຕຸ ກໍຍັງເປັນໂລກທີ່ເສື່ອມສະລາຍ; ແມ່ນຈະສຸກຫຼາຍກໍບໍ່ບໍລິສຸດ ເນື່ອງຈາກມີມົນທິນວັດຖຸ. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ຈົ່ງນະມັດສະການພຣະເຈົ້າສູງສຸດ ຜູ້ບໍ່ເຄີຍຖືກເຫັນຫຼືໄດ້ຍິນວ່າມີຄວາມມົວເມົາຫຼືຂໍ້ດ່າງ ດ້ວຍພັກຕິຕາມຄຳພີ ເພື່ອການຮູ້ຈັກຕົນເອງ.
As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti. Even if one is promoted to the higher planetary systems by performing great sacrifices, which are accompanied by the sinful act of sacrificing animals, the standard of happiness in Svargaloka is also not free of disturbances. There is a similar struggle for existence even for the King of heaven, Indra. Thus there is no practical benefit in promoting oneself to the heavenly planets. Indeed, from the heavenly planets one must return to this earth after one has exhausted the results of his pious activities. In the Vedas it is said, tad yatheha karma-jito lokaḥ kṣīyate evam evāmutra puṇya-jito lokaḥ kṣīyata. As the material positions we acquire here by hard work are vanquished in due course of time, one’s residence in the heavenly planets is also eventually vanquished. According to one’s activities of piety in different degrees, one obtains different standards of life, but none of them are permanent, and therefore they are all impure. Consequently, one should not endeavor to be promoted to the higher planetary systems, only to return to this earth or descend still lower to the hellish planets. To stop this cycle of going up and coming down, one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said:
FAQs
This verse says that worlds gained by ritual sacrifices are temporary and not fully pure; they eventually end, so they are not the ultimate goal.
Because devotion to the Supreme Lord leads to ātma-lābha (true self-realization), whereas ritualistic gains—even if splendid—remain perishable and materially mixed.
Prioritize steady devotional practice (hearing, chanting, prayer, service) and treat material achievements—even impressive ones—as secondary and temporary.