CHAPTER FIVE

Lord Rsabhadeva’s Teachings to His Sons

In this chapter there is a description of bhdgavata-dharma, religious
principles in devotional service that transcend religious principles for
liberation and the mitigation of material misery. It is stated in this
chapter that a human being should not work hard like dogs and hogs for
sense gratification. The human life is especially meant for the revival of
our relationship with the Supreme Lord, and to this end all kinds of
austerities and penances should be accepted. By austere activities. one’s
heart can be cleansed of material contamination, and as a result one can
be situated on the spiritual platform. To attain this perfection, one has to
take shelter of a devotee and serve him. Then the door of liberation will
be open. Those who are materially attached to women and sense gratifica-
tion gradually become entangled in material consciousness and suffer the
miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. Those who are engaged in
the general welfare of all and who are not attached to children and family
are called mahatmds. Those who are engaged in sense gratification. who
act piously or impiously, cannot understand the purpose of the soul.
Therefore they should approach a highly elevated devotee and accept
him as a spiritual master. By his association, one will be able to under-
stand the purpose of life. Under the instructions of such a spiritual
master, one can attain devotional service to the Lord. detachment from
material things, and tolerance of material misery and distress. One can
then see all living entities equally, and one becomes very eager to know
about transcendental subject matters. Endeavoring persistently for the
satisfaction of Krsna, one becomes detached from wife. children and
home. He is not interested in wasting time. In this way one becomes self-
realized. A person advanced in spiritual knowledge does not engage anv-
one in material activity. And one who cannot deliver another person by
instructing him in devotional service should not become a spiritual
master, father. mother, demigod or husband. Instructing His one
hundred sons. Lord Rsabhadeva advised them to accept their eldest

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