TEXT 56
rajovaca
srutam anviksitam brahman
bhagavan yad abhasata
naitaj jananty upadhyayah
kim na bruyur vidur yadi
SYNONYMS
raja uvacathe King said; srutamwas heard; anviksitamwas considered; brahmanO brahmana; bhagavanthe most powerful; yatwhich; abhasatayou have spoken; nanot; etatthis; janantido know; upadhyayahthe teachers of fruitive activities; kimwhy; na bruyuhthey did not instruct; viduhthey understood; yadiif.
TRANSLATION
The King replied: My dear brahmana, whatever you have said I have heard with great attention and, considering all of it, have come to the conclusion that the acaryas [teachers] who engaged me in fruitive activity did not know this confidential knowledge. If they were aware of it, why did they not explain it to me?
PURPORT
Actually the so-called teachers or leaders of material society do not really know the goal of life. They are described in Bhagavad-gita as mayayapahrta jnanah. They appear to be very learned scholars, but actually the influence of the illusory energy has taken away their knowledge. Real knowledge means searching out Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. All Vedic knowledge is meant for searching out Krsna because Krsna is the origin of everything. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. In Bhagavad-gita (10.2) Krsna says, aham adir hi devanam: I am the source of the demigods. Thus Krsna is the origin and beginning of all demigods, including Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and all others. The Vedic ritualistic ceremonies are concerned with satisfying different demigods, but unless one is very advanced, he cannot understand that the original personality is Sri Krsna. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. After hearing the instructions of Narada, King Barhisman came to his senses. The real goal of life is to attain devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The King therefore decided to reject the so-called priestly orders that simply engage their followers in the ritualistic ceremonies without giving effective instructions about the goal of life. At the present moment the churches, temples and mosques all over the world are not attracting people because foolish priests cannot elevate their followers to the platform of knowledge. Not being aware of the real goal of life, they simply keep their congregations in ignorance. Consequently, those who are well educated have become uninterested in the ritualistic ceremonies. At the same time, they are not benefited with real knowledge. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore very important for the enlightenment of all classes. Following in the footsteps of Maharaja Barhisman, everyone should take advantage of this Krsna consciousness movement and abandon the stereotyped ritualistic ceremonies that go under the garb of so many religions. The Gosvamis from the very beginning differed from the priestly class that was engaged in ritualistic ceremonies. Indeed, Srila Sanatana Gosvami compiled his Hari-bhakti-vilasa for the guidance of the Vaisnavas. The Vaisnavas, not caring for the lifeless activities of the priestly classes, take to full Krsna consciousness and become perfect in this very life. That is described in the previous verse as paramahamsa-saranam, taking shelter of the paramahamsa, the liberated soul, and becoming successful in this life.

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