Actually, this Mahābhārata was written by this . . . by Vyāsadeva for giving instruction, Vedic instruction, to the less intelligent class of men. He has given introduction, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25) "The Vedic knowledge is difficult to be understood by these classes of men and women: strī-śūdra-śūdra class, woman class, strī, śūdra; and dvija-bandhu." And dvija-bandhu means born in high family, brahmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but their behavior is different, like śūdras. They cannot understand Vedas. Therefore there is restriction, that "The śūdras cannot read Vedas." They are restricted.
So therefore Mahābhārata was written by Vyāsadeva. But Nārada says that, "This kind of literature will not appeal to the saintly devotees. So you write something for the satisfaction of the saintly devotees." And he is giving the instruction that, "Even such literature is written in broken language, not in the proper way from grammatical point of view, from poetic point of view, from rhetorical, still, because such literature is full with glorification of the Supreme Lord, saintly persons, they accept it, they hear it and they chant it."
Then he says, naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitam. Acyuta. Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Acyuta. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna says to Kṛṣṇa, senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). He's addressing Kṛṣṇa as Acyuta. Acyuta means "not," and cyuta means "falldown." So God never falls down; therefore God's name is Acyuta.
The Māyāvāda philosopher says that God has become man, being, I mean to say, complicated in māyā, being illusioned. But God is acyuta. God never falls down. Then what is the meaning of this acyuta? If God falls down, becomes under the clutches of māyā, then māyā is greater than God. Then how God is great? That is the fallacy of their argument. They say that "I am God, but now I am under the clutches of māyā. As soon as māyā will be cleared, then I am again God."
But they cannot answer the question that "Why? You are God. Why you are under the clutches of māyā? How you fall down?" That answer, there is none. Because God is great, acyuta. He never falls down. Then how He can fall down? If He falls down under the clutches of māyā, then māyā becomes great, not God great.
Anyway, Vyāsadeva, Nārada says that, "Even jñānaṁ nirañjanam . . ." Nirañjana means . . . Añjana . . . Añjana means ointment or designation, something covering. So nirañjanam. If one is elevated in knowledge, then he becomes free from this designated life. Our material life is añjana life, or designated life. Añjana . . . just like we decorate. I think I wrote one article in my Back to Godhead in India, "Decoration of the Dead Body." This material qualification means decoration of the dead body. Actually the body is dead, but there are certain men who wants to decorate this dead body. In India also, still the custom is that in lower class men, when some of their relative dies—I hear that here also they do such—they decorate the dead body very nicely. Here also the same system is there?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So śāstra says that what is the meaning of this decoration? What benefit the man who is dead, what benefit he's getting? Suppose you make lips very smiling—but actually that man is smiling? (laughter) Similarly, in India also, the cobbler class men, they, during their life, they will dress very wretchedly, not spend money, but after death they will purchase some velvet and cover the body and very nicely decorate, and with band party they'll take, lead the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 3.12). So it may be very much pleasing to the relatives. Just like the dead body's decorated; the sons of that dead body may see him that, "Oh, my father is smiling." (laughter) But he does not know where his father has already gone. You see?
So this material civilization is just like decorating the dead body. This body is dead. That is a fact. So long the soul is there, it is working, it is moving. Just like your coat, it is dead. But so long it is on your body, it appears the coat is moving. The coat is moving. But if somebody is very much astonished, "Oh, how nice the coat is moving!" (laughter) You see? He does not know the coat cannot move. The coat is dead. But because the man is there who is putting on the coat, therefore the coat is moving, the pant is moving, the shoe is moving, the hat is moving.
Similarly, this body is dead. It is numbered: this dead body will remain for such and such time. That is called duration of life. But people are interested with this dead body exactly like the cobbler class or these decorating men. So decoration of the dead body. Aprāṇasya hi . . . Aprāṇasya means dead. Aprāṇasyeva maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam: "It is very pleasing to the relatives." That's all. Similarly, to get liberation, nirañjanam—nirañjanam means to get out of this so-called decoration of the dead body—one requires to acquire knowledge.