Text 4] The Characteristics of King Purafijana 1137

some benefit, but he does not know that time will never allow him to
enjoy anything permanently. Compared to the work one expends, the gain
is not so profitabley Even if it is profitable, it is not without its distresses.
If a man is not born rich, and he wants to purchase a house, cars and other
material things, he has to work hard day and night for many years in order
to possess them. Thus happiness is not attained without undergoing some
distress.

Actually pure happiness cannot be had within this material world. If we
wish to enjoy something, we must suffer for something else. On the whole,
suffering is the nature of this material world, and whatever enjoyment we
are trying to achieve is simply illusion. After all, we have to suffer the
miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. We may discover many fine
medicines, but it is not possible to stop the sufferings of disease or death.
Actually medicine is not the counteracting agent for either disease or death.
On the whole there is no happiness in this material world, but an illusioned
person works very hard for so-called happiness. Indeed, this process of
working hard is actually taken for happiness. This is called illusion.

Therefore Narada Muni asked King Pracinabarhisat what he desired to
attain by performing so many costly sacrifices. Even if one attains a
heavenly planet, he cannot avoid the distresses of birth, old age, disease
and death. Someone may argue that even devotees have to undergo many
distresses in executing austerities and penances connected with devotional
service. Of course for the neophytes the routine of devotional service may
be very painful, but at least they have the hope that they will ultimately
be able to avoid all kinds of distresses and achieve the highest perfectional
stage of happiness. For the common karmis, there is no such hope because
even if they are promoted to the higher planetary systems, they are not
guaranteed freedom from the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death.
Even Lord Brahma, who is situated in the highest planetary system
(Brahmaloka), has to die. Lord Brahma’s birth and death may be different
from an ordinary man’s, but within this material world he cannot avoid
the distresses of birth, old age, disease and death. If one is at all serious
about attaining liberation from these miseries, he must take to devotional
service. This is confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita:

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and
activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this
