Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

maitreya uvaca
sa ugra-dhanvann iyad evababhaṣe
asic ca tuṣṇim aravinda-nabham
dhiyopagrhṇan smita-sobhitena
mukhena ceto lulubhe devahutyaḥ;
[SB 3.22.21]

Translation: "Sri Maitreya said: O great warrior Vidura, the sage Kardama said this much only and then became silent, thinking of his worshipable Lord Viṣṇu, who has a lotus on His navel. As he silently smiled, his face captured the mind of Devahuti, who began to meditate upon the great sage."

Prabhupada: Sa vai manaḥ; krṣṇa-padaravindayor vacaṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇanuvarṇane [SB 9.4.18]. There is one instance of Krṣṇa consciousness, how the devotee does not lose a single moment without thinking of Krṣṇa. Satataṁ kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Kirtaniyaḥ; sada hariḥ; [Cc. Adi 17.31]. This instruction we get. So, sada tad bhava-bhavitaḥ; [Bg. 8.6]. If you practice like that, then there is chance of being transferred to Krṣṇa just after leaving this body. So somehow or other you should be absorbed in the thought of Krṣṇa. We get all these examples from authorities. Just like Ambariṣa Maharaja, he was emperor, very responsible man. But sa vai manaḥ; krṣṇa-padaravindayor: he kept his mind always on the lotus feet of Krṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ; krṣṇa-padaravindayor [SB 9.4.18]. So although great emperor, so responsibility, still it was possible for him to keep his mind on the lotus feet of Krṣṇa. In South India there is a class of professional dancer. They take a big jug on the head and without any, what is called? Bira?

Dayananda: Cloth, cap, ring.

Prabhupada: Yes, ring. It is kept as it is. The head is shaved, but they are so practiced to keep the balance that the pot does not fall down. It remains exactly. This is an art—they will dance, and the pot on the head will never fall down, keeping the balance. So by practice it is possible. There are many professional vendors, they keep their basket on the head, and taking a child, going and canvassing, "We have got this fruit." It never falls down. They are keeping the balance. So this is a crude example that everything can be done by practice. One may be very responsible officer, like Ambariṣa Maharaja, the emperor. It is not joke. But still his mind is absorbed in the thought of Krṣṇa. Sai vai manaḥ; krṣṇa-padaravindayor. There is another example Rupa Gosvami gives, that a woman who has got an extra lover besides the husband. So she's always thinking of that lover although she's busy with household affairs. Para vyasaninanina(?). That means if you want somebody very seriously, you can think of him always, twenty-four hours, in spite of your being engaged in so many duties. It is possible.

So we have to practice this Krṣṇa consciousness. Here, in this material world, we have to work. Without work, you cannot maintain even your family, your body. That is not possible. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ;. Krṣṇa says (to) Arjuna that without karma you cannot maintain even your body. So you have to work. Sarira-yatrapi te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ;. And this material world means you have to maintain by working. And spiritual world means na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. There is nothing to work, as Krṣṇa has nothing to work. He is simply enjoying What is called? Swing. So Krṣṇa is enjoying, and Krṣṇa's associates are enjoying. They have nothing to work. That is spiritual world. Cintamaṇi prakara sadmasu kalpa vrkṣa: [Bs. 5.29] that is a different world. There is no material body. Therefore there is no need of the material body. That is a different world. But in this material world we have to work. Trtiya-karma-samjñaṇya avidya-karma-samjñanya trtiya saktir iṣyate. This material world means you have to work and adjust things for your maintenance. That you cannot escape. But still, we have to become Krṣṇa conscious.

So things are to be adjusted as it is prescribed by great authorities. In Bhakti-rasamrta you'll find the regulative principles. That is called Vaiṣṇava-smrti. So here we cannot live without working, and still we have to become always Krṣṇa conscious. This art, to understand and to practice, is Krṣṇa consciousness movement. Then in spite of my being engaged in so many so-called material things Because a devotee has nothing to do with material things. Even if he works for maintenance of the body, that is not material. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura, who was magistrate. But it is not for a magistrate to write so many books—siddhanta-purṇam. So he was in a different transcendental platform. So that is possible. The mind may be absorbed in Krṣṇa's thought, satataṁ kirtayanto maṁ [Bg. 9.14], tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. That is possible by practice. Here Kardama Muni is a living example. And there are mahy other examples, that we can remain fully Krṣṇa conscious in spite of being engaged in so-called material activities. That is possible.

Thank you very much. (end)

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