22 The Nectar of Instruction

than needed). According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, the en-
deavor of philosophical speculators to write volumes of
books on dry philosophy devoid of Krsna consciousness is
entirely futile. The work of karmis who write volumes of
books on economic development also falls within the
category of atydhadra. Similarly, those who have no desire
for Krsna consciousness and who are simply interested in
possessing more and more material things—either in the
shape of scientific knowledge or monetary gain—are all in-
cluded under the control of atydhdra.

Karmis labor to accumulate more and more money for
future generations only because they do not know their
future position. Interested only in getting more and more
money for their sons and grandsons, such foolish persons do
not even know what their position is going to be in the next
life. There are many incidents that illustrate this point. Once
a great karmi accumulated a vast fortune for his sons and
grandsons, but later, according to his karma, he took his
birth in a cobbler’s house located near the building which in
his previous life he had constructed for his children. It so
happened that when this very cobbler came to his former
house, his former sons and grandsons beat him with shoes.
Unless the karmis and jridnis become interested in Krsna
consciousness, they will simply continue to waste their life in
fruitless activities.

Accepting some of the scriptural rules and regulations for
immediate benefit, as utilitarians advocate, is called niyama-
agraha, and neglecting the rules and regulations of the
Sastras, which are meant for spiritual development, is called
niyama-agraha. The word dgraha means “eagerness to ac-
