Text 3] Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet 703

PURPORT

Vedic civilization takes advantage of the perfect knowledge presented
in the Vedas and presented by the great sages and brahmanas for the
benefit of human society. Vedic injunctions are known as Sruti, and the
additional supplementary presentations of these principles, as given by the
great sages, are known as smrti. They follow the principles of Vedic instruc-
tion. Human society should take advantage of the instructions from both
Sruti and smrti. If one wants to advance in spiritual life, he must take these
instructions and follow the principles. In Bhakti-rasémrta-sindhu, Srila
Riipa Gosvami says that if one poses himself as advanced in spiritual life
but does not refer to the srutis and smrtis he is simply a disturbance in
society. One should follow the principles laid down in Srutis and smrtis
not only in one’s spiritual life but in material life as well. As far as human
society is concerned, it should follow the Manu-smrti as well, for these
laws are given by Manu, the father of mankind.

In the Manu-smrti it is stated that a woman should not be given inde-
pendence but should be given protection by her father, husband and elderly
sons. In all circumstances a woman should remain dependent upon some
guardian. Presently women are given full independence like men, but actually
we can see that such independent women are no happier than those women
who are placed under guardians. If people follow the injunctions given by
the great sages, srutis and smrtis, they can actually be happy in both this life
and the next. Unfortunately rascals are manufacturing so many ways and
means to be happy. Everyone is inventing so many methods. Consequently
human society has lost the standard ways of life, both materially and spiri-
tually, and as a result people are bewildered, and there is no peace or hap-
piness in the world. Although they are trying to solve the problems of human
society in the United Nations, they are still baffled. Because they do not
follow the liberated instructions of the Vedas, they are unhappy.

Two significant words used in this verse are asmin and amugmin. Asmin
means “‘in this life,” and amusmin means “‘in the next life.”” Unfortunately
in this age, even exalted professors and learned men believe that there is
no next life and that everything is finished in this life. Since they are ras-
cals and fools, what advice can they give? Still they are passing as learned
scholars and professors. In this verse the word amugmin is very explicit. It
is the duty of everyone to mold his life in such a way that he will have a
profitable next life. Just as a boy is educated in order to become happy
later, one should be educated in this life in order attain an eternal and
prosperous life after death. It is therefore essential that people follow what
