Text 48] Talks Between Narada and King Pracinabarhi 1423
“Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of
the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to
heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being desirous
of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing more
than this.” (Bg. 2.42-43)

Generally people are very much attracted to the fruitive activities
sanctioned in the Vedic rituals. One may be very much attracted to becom-
ing elevated to heavenly planets by performing great sacrifices, like those
of King Barhisman. Sri Narada Muni wanted to stop King Barhigman from
engaging in such fruitive activities. Therefore he is now directly telling him,
“Don’t be interested in such temporary benefits.” In modern civilization
people are very much interested in exploiting the resources of material
nature through the methods of science. Indeed, this is considered advance-
ment. This is not actually advancement, however, but is simply pleasing to
hear. Although we are advancing according to such concocted methods,
we are nonetheless forgetting our real purpose. Bhaktivinoda Thakura
therefore says: jada-vidyd yata mdydra vaibhava tomara bhajane badha.
“‘Materialistic studies are the glare of maya only, for they are an obstacle
to spiritual progress.”

The temporary comforts of life experienced either on this planet or on
other planets are all to be taken as illusory because they do not touch the
real purpose of life. The real purpose of life is to go back home, back to
Godhead. Ignorant of the real purpose of life, people take to either gross
materialistic activities or ritualistic activities. King Barhism4n is herein
requested not to be attached to such activities. In the Vedas it is stated
that the performance of sacrifice is the actual purpose of life. A section
of the Indian population known as the Arya Sam§jists lay too much stress
on the sacrificial portion of the Vedas. This verse indicates, however, that
such sacrifices are to be taken as illusory. Actually the aim of human life
should be God realization, or Krsna consciousness. The Vedic performances
are, of course, very glittering and pleasing to hear about, but they do not
serve the real purpose of life.

TEXT 48
ed ate a fagea Fat Sat aA: |
argyatrn a wedeqafac: iecll
svam lokam na vidus te vai
yatra devo janardanah
