356 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 9
TRANSLATION

People in general all engage in foolish acts, not in the really beneficial
activities which are enunciated directly by You for their guidance. As long
as their tendency for foolish work remains powerful, all their plans in the
struggle for existence will be cut to pieces. I therefore offer my obeisances
unto Him who acts as eternal time.

PURPORT

People in general are all engaged in senseless work. They are system-
atically unmindful of the real beneficial work, which is the devotional
service of the Lord, technically called the arcand@ regulations. The arcan@
regulations are directly instructed by the Lord in the Ndrada-pajicaratra
and are strictly followed by the intelligent men who know well that the
highest perfectional goal of life is to reach Lord Visnu, who is the root of
the tree called the cosmic manifestation, Also, in the Bhaégavatam and in
Bhagavad-gita such regulative activities are clearly mentioned. Foolish
people do not know that their self-interest is in realization of Visnu. The
Bhagavatam (7.5.30-32) says:

matir na krsne paratah svato va
mitho ’bhipadyeta grha-vratanam

adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram
punah punas cervita-carvananam

na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum
durasaya ye bahir artha-mdninah

andha yathandhair upaniyamana
vacigatantyam urudamni baddhah

naisdm matis tavad urukramaighrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad arthah

mahiyasam pada-rajo ‘bhisekam
niskificananam na vmita yavat

‘Persons who are determined to totally rot in false material happiness
cannot become Krsna-minded either by instructions from teachers, by
self-realization or by parliamentary discussions. They are dragged by the
unbridled senses into the darkest region of ignorance, and thus they
madly engage in what is called ‘chewing the chewed.’

“Because of their foolish activities, they are unaware that the ultimate
goal of human life is to achieve Visnu, the Lord of the cosmic manifesta-
tion, and so their struggle for existence is in the wrong direction of
