SEVEN
Acting in Knowledge of Kṛṣṇa February 29, 1972 (evening, continued)
AN INDIAN GENTLEMAN:  By what kind of actions does one earn good  karma ?
ŚRĪLA PRABHUPĀDA:  Good  karma  means what is prescribed in the  Vedas . Specifically, it is prescribed that one should perform  yajña .  Yajña  means actions for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So good  karma  means performance of the  yajñas  as they are prescribed in the Vedic literatures. And the purpose of this  yajña  is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. A good, law-abiding citizen is one whose actions satisfy the government. So, good  karma  is to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. Unfortunately, modern civilization does not know what the Supreme Personality of Godhead is, what to speak of satisfying Him. People do not know. They are simply busy with material activities. Therefore all of them are performing only bad  karma  and therefore suffering. They are blind men leading other blind men. And both are then suffering by bad  karma . That is very easy to understand. If you do something criminal, you will suffer. If you do something benevolent for the state, for the people, then you are recognized; you are sometimes given a title. This is good and bad
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