Text 6]
Lord Krṣṇa Shows the Universal Form
87
“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg. 2.13) Krṣṇa, the greatest authority, says that the body will change. And as soon as the body changes, one’s whole program of work changes also. Today I am a human being or a great personality, but with a little deviation from nature’s law, I shall have to accept a different type of body. Today I am a human being, but tomorrow I may become a dog, and then whatever activities I have performed in this life will be a failure. This simple truth is now rarely understood, but one who is a  dhīra  can understand this. Those in this material world for material enjoyment should know that because their present position will cease to exist, they must be careful in how they act. This is also stated by Rṣabhadeva.  Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ  (Bhāg. 5.5.4). Although this body is temporary, as long as we have to live in this body we must suffer. Whether one has a short life or a long life, one must suffer the threefold miseries of material life. Therefore any gentleman,  dhīra , must be interested in  jyotiṣa , astrology.
Nanda Mahārāja was trying to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by Gargamuni’s presence, for Gargamuni was a great authority in this knowledge of astrology, by which one can see the unseen events of past, present and future. It is the duty of a father to understand the astrological position of his children and do what is needed for their happiness. Now, taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the presence of Gargamuni, Nanda Mahārāja suggested that Gargamuni prepare a horoscope for Nanda’s two sons, Krṣṇa and Balarāma.
TEXT 6
त्वं हि ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठः संस्कारान् कर्तुमर्हसि । बालयोरनयोर्नृणां जन्मना ब्राह्मणो गुरुः ॥ ६ ॥
tvaṁ hi brahma-vidāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ saṁskārān kartum arhasi bālayor anayor nīṇāṁ janmanā brāhmaṇo guruḥ