206 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Adi-lila, Ch. 16
TRANSLATION

tn East Benga! there was a brahmana named Tapana Misra who could not ascertain

the objective of life nor how to attain it.
PURPORT

One must first ascertain the object of life and then understand how to attain it.
The Krsna consciousness movement is pointing out to everyone that the object of
life is to understand Krsna, and to attain that goa! of life one must practice Krsna
consciousness, following the methods prescribed by the Gosvamis with reference to
the authoritative sdstras and Vedas.

TEXT 11
TENCE TEATS) (OCT SA TH
WT-AM Cand 1 Ea feeeH Hdd a
bahu-Sdstre bahu-vakye citte bhrama haya
sadhya-sadhana srestha nd haya niscaya
SYNONYMS

bahu-sastre—by many books or scriptures; bahu-vakye—by many versions of many
persons; citte—within the heart; bhrama—doubt; haya—there is; s@dhya-sadhana—
objective and means; srestha—about the best; md—not; haya—there is; niscaya—
certainty.

TRANSLATION

If one becomes a bookworm, reading many books and scriptures and hearing
many commentaries and the instructions of many men, this wil! produce doubt
within his heart. One cannot in this way ascertain the rea! goa! of life.

PURPORT

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.13.8) it is said, granthan naivabhyased bahiin na
yyakhyam upayunjita: “One should not read many books, nor should one try to
make a profession of reciting many books, especially if one is a devotee.'' One must
give up the ambition to be a learned scholar and in this way earn a worldly reputa-
tion and financial facilities. If one diverts his attention to studying many books, he
cannot fix his mind in devotional service, nor can he understand many scriptures,
for they are full of grave statements and meanings. In this connection Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gives his opinion that those who are attracted
to studying many kinds of literature concerning various subject matters, especially
fruitive activities and philosophical speculation, are deprived of unalloyed devotional
service because of their splayed attention.

Man has a genera! tendency toward fruitive activities, religious ritualistic cere-
monies and philosophical speculation. A living entity thus bewildered since time
immemorial does not understand the real goal of life, and thus his activities in life
