SB 8.24.51
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 51
- jano janasyādiśate 'satīṁ gatiṁ
- yayā prapadyeta duratyayaṁ tamaḥ
- tvaṁ tv avyayaṁ jñānam amogham añjasā
- prapadyate yena jano nijaṁ padam
SYNONYMS
janaḥ — a person who is not a bona fide guru (an ordinary person); janasya — of an ordinary person who does not know the goal of life; ādiśate — instructs; asatīm — impermanent, material; gatim — the goal of life; yayā — by such knowledge; prapadyeta — he surrenders; duratyayam — insurmountable; tamaḥ — to ignorance; tvam — Your Lordship; tu — but; avyayam — indestructible; jñānam — knowledge; amogham — without material contamination; añjasā — very soon; prapadyate — achieves; yena — by such knowledge; janaḥ — a person; nijam — his own; padam — original position.
TRANSLATION
A materialistic so-called guru instructs his materialistic disciples about economic development and sense gratification, and because of such instructions the foolish disciples continue in the materialistic existence of ignorance. But Your Lordship gives knowledge that is eternal, and the intelligent person receiving such knowledge is quickly situated in his original constitutional position.
PURPORT
So-called gurus instruct their disciples for the sake of material profit. Some guru advises that one meditate in such a way that his intelligence will increase in regard to keeping his body fit for sense gratification. Another guru advises that sex is the ultimate goal of life and that one should therefore engage in sex to the best of his ability. These are the instructions of foolish gurus. In other words, because of the instructions of a foolish guru one remains perpetually in material existence and suffers its tribulations. But if one is intelligent enough to take instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā or the Sāṅkhya philosophy of Kapiladeva, one can very soon attain liberation and be situated in his original position of spiritual life. The words nijaṁ padam are significant. The living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has the birthright to a position in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety. Therefore, one should follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna: (BG 4.9) after giving up one's body, one will return home, back to Godhead. The Lord lives in the spiritual world in His original personality, and a devotee who follows the instructions of the Lord approaches Him (mām eti). As a spiritual person, such a devotee returns to the Personality of Godhead and plays and dances with Him. That is the ultimate goal of life.