Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering the patita, the fallen. Fallen means fallen in the bodily conception of life. That is patita. So patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo. Kṛṣṇa's also business is to deliver these fools and rascals in the bodily concept of life, that dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13), first pointing out that "You are not this body." Then knowledge begins. And otherwise, where is knowledge if one is under the bodily concept of life? He has no knowledge. And he is parā-śakti. But not aparā-śakti. The aparā-śakti . . . what is that aparā-śakti? Now, avidyā-karma-saṁjñā anyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. This material world means full of avidyā and karma-saṁjñā, and working hard like hogs and dogs day and night. This is material world. Material world means based on ignorance that, "I am this body," and working day and night like hogs and dogs. That is material life. But human life, although we have got this material life, body, we should not be, I mean to say, bewildered. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). Ahaṅkāra, taking this body in the concept of ahaṅkāra, false ahaṅkāra, egotism—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that"—this is called ahaṅkāra. Vimudhātmā kartāham iti manyate. And the whole world is going on.
So if we want to become out of this ignorance, then we have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise there is no possibility. And if we remain in ignorance, then we shall go on committing sinful activities and entangle ourselves in the karma-cakra. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). If you don't give up this ignorance of bodily concept of life, and if you go on continuing this bodily concept of life, then we are becoming entangled in the laws of nature. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). And then we'll create another situation for another body. And another body means another period of suffering. This is going on. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ, na sādhu manye yato ātmano 'yam. Atma is sac-cid-ānanda, but on account of being bodily covered, encaged in this body, we are suffering. We are suffering.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "Bhārata, O the son of Bharata dynasty, Bhārata . . ." So in the material world the suffering is there. But what is that suffering? Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). On account of this body . . . now, in this season, we are feeling heat. Therefore the fan is there. But another season the body is the same, but season has changed. Therefore I will have to cover with hot coat and pant. So this feeling of heat and cold is due to this body. And what is this body, this material body? Therefore all our feelings of happiness and distress, it is due to this body. That we do not know. So therefore the best solution of miserable condition of life is to stop this material body. Then you become spiritually situated, and there is no more contradiction.
- mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
- śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
- āgamāpāyino anityāḥ
- tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata
- (BG 2.14)
That is the advice. We have to do our own business, self-realization. That is tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Existence . . . to purify the existence we have to practice tapasya, not running like cats and dogs here and there. This will not make solution of life. Human life is meant for tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam. This is the process. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). If you want to get out of this entanglement of distressed condition of material body, then mahat-sevām: you associate with mahātmās and serve him. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. And if you want to enjoy senses, then the path of darkness is there: tamo-dvāram. Then you do not know where you are going. Today you are human being. Tomorrow, after this body, you may become a plant or tree or something else. That is tamo-dvāram. We are pushing through darkness. But we should not remain in darkness. Jyotir gamaḥ, tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness. Come to the light."