no solution to birth, old age, disease or death
|
Imported quote 14365 In due course of time, when the body becomes old and practically invalid, it is called jara, subject to the sufferings of old age. There are four basic kinds of suffering-birth, old age, disease and death. No scientist or philosopher has ever been able to make a solution to these four miserable conditions. The invalidity of old age known as jara is figuratively explained here as the daughter of Time. No one likes her, but she is very much anxious to accept anyone as her husband. No one likes to become old and invalid, but this is inevitable for everyone.
(More...) Imported quote 14377 Actually the supreme controller is the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and everyone is His servant. Yavana-raja, the King of the Yavanas, was also a servant of Krsna. Consequently he wanted to execute the purpose of Krsna through the agency of Kalakanya. Although Kalakanya means invalidity or old age, Yavana-raja wanted to serve Krsna by introducing Kalakanya everywhere. Thus a sane person, by attaining old age, will become fearful of death. Foolish people engage in material activities as if they will live forever and enjoy material advancement, but actually there is no material advancement. Under illusion people think that material opulence will save them, but although there has been much advancement in material science, the problems of human society-birth, death, old age and disease-are still unsolved. Nonetheless foolish scientists are thinking that they have advanced materially. When Kalakanya, the invalidity of old age, attacks them, they become fearful of death, if they are sane. Those who are insane simply do not care for death, nor do they know what is going to happen after death. They are under the wrong impression that after death there is no life, and consequently they act very irresponsibly in this life and enjoy unrestricted sense gratification. For an intelligent person, the appearance of old age is an impetus to spiritual life. People naturally fear impending death. The King of the Yavanas tried to utilize Kalakanya for this purpose.
(More...) Imported quote 14412 There are many parts of the body-the senses, the limbs, the skin, the muscles, blood, marrow, etc.-and all these are considered here figuratively as sons, grandsons, citizens and dependents. When the body is attacked by the visnu-jvara, the fiery condition becomes so acute that sometimes one remains in a coma. This means that the body is in such severe pain that one becomes unconscious and cannot feel the miseries taking place within the body. Indeed, the living entity becomes so helpless at the time of death, that, although unwilling, he is forced to give up the body and enter another. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that man may, by scientific advancement, improve the temporary living conditions but that he cannot avoid the pangs of birth, old age, disease and death. These are under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the agency of material nature. A foolish person cannot understand this simple fact. Now people are very busy trying to find petroleum in the midst of the ocean. They are very anxious to make provisions for the future petroleum supply, but they do not make any attempts to ameliorate the conditions of birth, old age, disease and death. Thus not knowing anything about his own future life, a person in ignorance is certainly defeated in all his activities.
(More...) Imported quote 22257 Show noteKrsna Consciousness is based on perfect information received from Krsna in Vedic literatures like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. Our method is not the so-called research conducted by imperfect beings by their imperfect senses and mental speculation. It is difficult to understand why this inductive process is being credited as the highest form of knowledge, since the material scientists who follow this method are not able to do anything towards solving the basic problems of humanity. Although they spend billions of dollars of the public's money for ventures like going to the moon and collecting dust there, they cannot solve the basic miserable conditions of birth, death, old age and disease. Neither do they give us definite information of the cause of the universal manifestation, nor-despite their wild claims-can they produce even the smallest form of life. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, everything in the universe is actually under the control of the Supreme Being, the Cause of all Causes, and He is Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Hearing from the perfect source of the Supreme Being, one can get answers to solve the miseries of life, which begins with self-realization, knowledge of the self as the soul, beyond the body. Knowledge of the cause and origin of life are also given perfectly. I request you to first make a thorough study of these Vedic books as I have translated, and make inquiries of the devotees in the New York temple. Gradually all these things will be known to you. Your ever well-wisher,
(More...)A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?qg=1983
|