Liberation means... We are entangled in this material world because we are creating one after another entanglement. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Because we are in such a position that we have to act obversely, not properly, even if you do not desire... Even if you are very careful not to kill even an ant, still, unperceptibly, imperceptibly, you, while walking, you kill so many ants. And don't think that you are not sinful for that purpose. You become sinful. Especially those who are nondevotees, they must be responsible for killing so many small creatures while walking or while... There is waterpot, you have seen. So many small animals are there. Even by moving the waterpot, you kill so many living entities. While igniting fire in the oven, there are so many living entities. You kill them. So consciously, unconsciously, we are in such a position in this material world that we have to commit sinful activities even if we are very, very careful. You have seen the Jains, they are after nonviolence. You'll find they keep a cloth like this so that the small insects may not enter the mouth. But these are artificial. You cannot check. In the air there are so many living entities. In the water there are so many living entities. We drink water. You cannot check it. It is not possible. But if you keep yourself fixed up in devotional service, then you are not bound.
Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). If your life is dedicated for yajña, for serving Kṛṣṇa, then the inevitable sinful activities which we commit without any knowledge, we are not responsible. Manye mithe kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ puṇyaya eva kalpate (?). So our life should be dedicated simply for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then we are safe. Otherwise we must be entangled with so many reaction of our activities and bound up in the repetition of birth and death. Mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3).
- nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
- yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
- na sādhu manye yato ātmano 'yam
- asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
- (SB 5.5.4)
The safest position is let us always be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then we make spiritually advance and safe from the reaction of sinful life.
So Prahlāda Mahārāja thought it that, although he was born in a family, asura family, ugra, ugra-jātam, still, if he decides to serve Kṛṣṇa, Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, with bhakti, following the footprints of gaja-yūtha pāya, the king of elephant... He was animal. You know the story, that he was attacked by a crocodile in the water. So there was struggle for existence between the two, and after all, the crocodile is the animal in the water. He had great strength. And the elephant, although he's also very big, powerful animal, but he was not a animal of the water. So he was very helpless. So at last, he began to chant the holy name of the Lord and prayed, so he was saved. He was saved, and because the crocodile caught up the leg of the elephant, he was also saved because he was Vaiṣṇava. And this animal, crocodile, he was under the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, so he was also saved. (laughter) This is the story, you know. So therefore, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā. He indirectly gave service to the Vaiṣṇava, and he also became delivered.
So bhakti is so nice thing that very easily you can get favor of the Supreme Personality. And if Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon you, then what remains? Everything you get. Everything you get. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam eva vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Easiest way to please Kṛṣṇa... You don't require much money, much education, and nothing of the sort. Simply you require your heart: "O Kṛṣṇa, You are my Lord. You are my master eternally. I am Your servant eternally. Let me be engaged in Your service." That is Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ (devotees chant) Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra: "O Kṛṣṇa, O energy of Kṛṣṇa, I am Your servant. Somehow or other I have now fallen in this material condition. Kindly pick me up and engage me in service." Ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavaṁ budhau. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching us. Bhavaṁ budhau. This material world is just like a great ocean, bhava. Bhava means repetition of birth and death, and āmbu means āmbudhau, means in the sea, in the ocean. So we are struggling hard for existence in this ocean. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ayi nanda tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ mām: "I am Your servant eternal. Somehow or other I have fallen in this ocean and struggling. Pick me up." Ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ mām viṣame bhavāmbudhau kṛpāya. By Your causeless mercy...
- ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
- kṛpāya tava pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī sadṛśsaṁ vicintaya
(Cc. Antya 20.32, Śikṣāṣṭaka 5)
This is bhakti-mārga, devotional service, to become very humble, meek, always pray to Kṛṣṇa, "Kindly consider me as one of the particle of the dust of the lotus feet of Your Lordship," this very simple thing. Man-manā. In this way think of Kṛṣṇa, become His devotee, offer obeisances and whatever patraṁ puṣpaṁ, little flower, water, you can provide, offer to Kṛṣṇa. In this way live very peacefully and be happy.