Text 105] Explanations of the Atmarama Verse 137
Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said: srama eva hi kevalam. In the eyes of a devotee, poli-
ticians, social workers, philanthropists, philosophers and humanitarians are simply
wasting their time, for human society is not freed from the cycle of birth and
death by their activity and propaganda. These so-called philanthropists, politi-
cians and philosophers have no knowledge because they do not know that there
is life after death. Understanding that there is life after death is the beginning of
spiritual knowledge. A person can understand himself and what he is simply by
understanding the first lessons of Bhagavad-gita.
dehino ’smin yatha dehe
kaumdram yauvanam jard
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
“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)

Not knowing the real science of life one engages in the temporary activities of
this life and thus becomes further entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Thus
one always desires material opulence, which can be attained by karma, jfiana and
yoga. However, when one is actually elevated to the devotional platform, he
gives up all these desires. This is called anyabhilasita-stinya. Then one becomes a
pure devotee.

TEXT 105
BCH AWS WS al Blazin sfagq |
FHEU AHA GF CoG Stata i See
age yata yata artha vyakhydna kariba
krsna-gunasvadera ei hetu janiba
SYNONYMS

dge—ahead; yata yata—as many as; artha—meanings; vyakhydna kariba—|
shall explain; krsna-guna-asvadera—of tasting the transcendental qualities of
Krsna; ei—this; hetu—reason; janiba—we shall understand.

TRANSLATION

“In this way I shall progressively explain all the words in the verse. It should
be understood that all these words are meant to enable one to taste the trans-
cendental quality of Krsna.
