TEXT 38
etasmin samsaradhvani nana-klesopasarga-badhita apanna-vipanno yatra yas tam u ha vavetaras tatra visrjya jatam jatam upadaya socan muhyan bibhyad-vivadan krandan samhrsyan gayan nahyamanah sadhu-varjito naivavartate dyapi yata arabdha esa nara-loka-sartho yam adhvanah param upadisanti.
SYNONYMS
etasminon this; samsaraof miserable conditions; adhvanipath; nanavarious; klesaby miseries; upasargaby the troubles of material existence; badhitahdisturbed; apannasometimes having gained; vipannahsometimes having lost; yatrain which; yahwho; tamhim; u ha vavaor; itarahsomeone else; tatrathereupon; visrjyagiving up; jatam jatamnewly born; upadayaaccepting; socanlamenting; muhyanbeing illusioned; bibhyatfearing; vivadansometimes exclaiming loudly; krandansometimes crying; samhrsyansometimes being pleased; gayansinging; nahyamanahbeing bound; sadhu-varjitahbeing away from saintly persons; nanot; evacertainly; avartateachieves; adya apieven until now; yatahfrom whom; arabdhahcommenced; esahthis; nara-lokaof the material world; sa-arthahthe self-interested living entities; yamwhom (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); adhvanahof the path of material existence; paramthe other end; upadisantisaintly persons indicate.
TRANSLATION
The path of this material world is full of material miseries, and various troubles disturb the conditioned souls. Sometimes he loses, and sometimes he gains. In either case, the path is full of danger. Sometimes the conditioned soul is separated from his father by death or other circumstances. Leaving him aside he gradually becomes attached to others, such as his children. In this way, the conditioned soul is sometimes illusioned and afraid. Sometimes he cries loudly out of fear. Sometimes he is happy maintaining his family, and sometimes he is overjoyed and sings melodiously. In this way he becomes entangled and forgets his separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead since time immemorial. Thus he traverses the dangerous path of material existence, and on this path he is not at all happy. Those who are self-realized simply take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to get out of this dangerous material existence. Without accepting the devotional path, one cannot get out of the clutches of material existence. The conclusion is that no one can be happy in material life. One must take to Krsna consciousness.
PURPORT
By thoroughly analyzing the materialistic way of life, any sane man can understand that there is not the least happiness in this world. However, due to continuing on the path of danger from time immemorial and not associating with saintly persons, the conditioned soul, under illusion, wants to enjoy this material world. Material energy sometimes gives him a chance at so-called happiness, but the conditioned soul is perpetually being punished by material nature. It is therefore said: dandya-jane raja yena nadite cubaya (Cc. Madhya 20.118). Materialistic life means continuous unhappiness, but sometimes we accept happiness as it appears between the gaps. Sometimes a condemned person is submerged in water and hauled out. Actually all of this is meant for punishment, but he feels a little comfort when he is taken out of the water. This is the situation with the conditioned soul. All the sastras therefore advise that one associate with devotees and saintly people.
Even by a little association with devotees, the conditioned soul can get out of this miserable material condition. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore trying to give everyone a chance to associate with saintly people. Therefore all the members of this Krsna consciousness society must themselves be perfect sadhus in order to give a chance to fallen conditioned souls. This is the best humanitarian work.

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