So we have been discussing the talks between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The question is how one can be delivered from the miserable condition of hellish life. The nature's illusory methods are two kinds: one is covering energy, and another is throwing energy. Nature is acting upon us in two ways. Just like somebody may think that "Here is a nice movement, Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. Let me take part in this." And nature dictates, "Why shall you go there? Don't go there. Better enjoy like this." This is throwing energy. Throws him from the path. And another is covering energy. Covering energy means a person or a living entity may remain in the most abominable condition, still, he thinks he's happy. He's happy. Just like you have seen many friends in the diseased condition on the bed. And if you go to see him, "How you are feeling?" and he'll say, "Yes, I am all right." He's on the diseased condition. What is the meaning of this "all right"? This is also covering energy. So anyone, in a..., however... A dog, in such abominable condition, still, he's joyful. He thinks, "I am very happy." A hog, any animal... We are human beings; we are given better facilities of life. The animals are not given so much facilities by nature, but still, they feel happy. If we say, of course, straight, somebody may be sorry, but this is nature's law. So however abominable condition it may be, one feels that he's happy.
So these two kinds of things are going on, parallel. But actually, everyone who is encaged in this material body, he's unhappy. That is the sum and substance of the whole material existence. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, dvaite bhadrābhadra sakale samān. In the dual world or in this material world, what we have manufactured that "This is very nice and this is not nice"—this bad or good conception—he says that it is simply mental concoction. Actually, there is nothing good here. One should be very much pessimistic. Otherwise, he'll have to remain in the darkness of ignorance of this material nature. One should thoroughly understand that we are in a very precarious condition of this material... Because they have no information that there is happy life, there is eternal life, there is blissful life. They have no information. They think, "This is the life. So let us adjust things as far as possible." This is the covering energy of material energy.
So Mahārāja Parīkṣit asks,
- adhuneha mahā-bhāga
- yathaiva narakān naraḥ
- nānogra-yātanān neyāt
- tan me vyākhyātum arhasi
- (SB 6.1.6)
"Please explain to me how one can become free from this hellish condition of life." We are not only living very unhappy while we are in life; after death there are so many miserable conditions, hellish conditions, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That is also very miserable condition. And to remain in the body of a dog or hog, that sort of degradation is also there. And again to come even in the human body, in the womb of the mother, that is also very miserable condition. Now this child, the small child, he's protesting that "I'm not in comfortable condition. Mother, take me in this way." So mother is trying to satisfy him. So always, always. That thing has to be understood, that so long we are in this material world, the miseries will continue. So a very intelligent question, that "How one can get out of this miserable life?"
So he answered,
- na ced ihaivāpacitiṁ yathāmhasaḥ
- kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ
- dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti
- ye kīrtitā me bhavatas tigma-yātanāḥ
- (SB 6.1.7)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he said that "I have already described the different kinds of hellish conditions. So unless one atones his sinful life, one has to suffer such hellish conditional life." Tasmāt puraivāśv iha pāpa-niṣkṛtau yateta mṛtyor avipadyatātmanā (SB 6.1.8). Therefore it is everyone's duty that before you meet death, you atone your sinful activities. And what is that example he's giving? Doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit (SB 6.1.8). Just like when one is diseased, if he does not make proper treatment immediately, that disease may increase and cause fatal. Everyone knows that, that when he's diseased... So diseased condition means sinful condition. Diseased condition means suffering, and suffering means sinful, reaction of sinful activities. So the prescription is that as one goes to the physician, similarly, for treatment of his disease—otherwise it may prove fatal—similarly, one should atone the sinful activities as they are prescribed in different scriptures. That is the prescription.