132 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 3
still, and the still more rare persons are those who are conscious of the
value of the Srimad-Bhagavatam because it contains the messages of the
Lord and His pure devotees. Death is inevitable for everyone, intelligent
and foolish. But Pariksit Maharaja has been addressed by the Gosvami as
the manisi, or the man of highly developed mind, because at the time of
death he left all material enjoyment and completely surrendered unto the
lotus feet of the Lord by hearing His messages from the right person,
like Sukadeva Gosvami. But aspiration for material enjoyment by endeav-
oring persons is condemned. Such aspirations are something like the
intoxication of the degraded human society. Intelligent persons should
try to avoid it and seek instead the permanent life by returning home,
back to Godhead.
TEXT 8
aah soa Ty: Ta PeTT ATA |
THEM LITAAT IN TERA MI < UI
dharmartha uttama-slokam
tantuh tanvan pitrn yajet
raksa-kamah punya-janan
ojas-kamo marud-ganan

dharma-arthah—for spiritual advancement; uttama-slokam—the Supreme
Lord or persons attached to the Supreme Lord; tantuh—for offspring;
tanvan—and for their protection; pitfn—the residents of the Pitrloka;
yajet—must worship; raksa-kadmah—one who desires protection; purya-
janan—pious persons; ojas-kdmah—one who desires strength should wor-
ship; marud-ganan—the demigods.

TRANSLATION
One should worship Lord Visnu or His devotee for spiritual advance-
ment of knowledge, and for protection of heredity and advancement of
the dynasty one should worship the different demigods.
PURPORT

The path of religion entails making progress on the path of spiritual

advancement, ultimately reviving the eternal relation with Lord Visnu in
