TEXT 14
yathaihikamusmika-kama-lampatah
sutesu daresu dhanesu cintayan
sanketa vidvan kukalevaratyayad
yas tasya yatnah srama eva kevalam
SYNONYMS
yathaas; aihikain the present life; amusmikain the expected future life; kama-lampataha person who is very attached to lusty desires for bodily enjoyment; sutesuchildren; daresuwife; dhanesuwealth; cintayanthinking about; sanketais afraid; vidvana person advanced in spiritual knowledge; ku-kalevaraof this body, which is full of stool and urine; atyayatbecause of loss; yahanyone; tasyahis; yatnahendeavors; sramaha waste of time and energy; evacertainly; kevalamonly.
TRANSLATION
Materialists are generally very attached to their present bodily comforts and to the bodily comforts they expect in the future. Therefore they are always absorbed in thoughts of their wives, children and wealth and are afraid of giving up their bodies, which are full of stool and urine. If a person engaged in Krsna consciousness, however, is also afraid of giving up his body, what is the use of his having labored to study the sastras? It was simply a waste of time.
PURPORT
At the time of death a materialist thinks of his wife and children. He is absorbed in thinking of how they will live and who will take care of them after he leaves. Consequently he is never prepared to give up his body; rather, he wants to continue to live in his body to serve his society, family, friends and so on. Therefore by practicing the mystic yoga system one must become detached from bodily relationships. If despite practicing bhakti-yoga and studying all the Vedic literature, one is afraid of giving up his bad body, which is the cause of all his suffering, what is the use of his attempts to advance in spiritual life? The secret of success in practicing yoga is to become free from bodily attachments. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, deha-smrti nahi yara, samsara-bandhana kahan tara: one whose practice has freed him from the anxieties of bodily needs is no longer in conditional life. Such a person is freed from conditional bondage. A person in Krsna consciousness must fully discharge his devotional duties without material attachment. Then his liberation is guaranteed.

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