Text 1] Lord Rsabhadeva’s Teachings 165

night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for
dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and
austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By
such activity, one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this
position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to
material happiness and which continues forever.

PURPORT

In this verse Lord Rsabhadeva tells His sons about the importance of
human life. The word deha-bhak refers to anyone who accepts a material
body, but the living entity who is awarded the human form must act
differently from animals. Animals like dogs and hogs enjoy sense
gratification by eating stool. After undergoing severe hardships all day,
human beings are trying to enjoy themselves at night by eating.
drinking, having sex and sleeping. At the same time, they have to
properly defend themselves. However. this is not human civilization.
Human life means voluntarily practicing suffering for the advancement
of spiritual life. There is, of course, suffering in the lives of animals and
plants, which are suffering due to their past misdeeds. However. human
beings should voluntarily accept suffering in the form of austerities and
penances in order to attain the divine life. After attaining the divine life.
one can enjoy happiness eternally. After all, every living entity is trying
to enjoy happiness, but as long as one is encaged in the material body. he
has to suffer different kinds of misery. A higher sense is present in the
human form. We should act according to superior advice in order to at-
tain eternal happiness and go back to Godhead.

It is significant in this verse that the government and the natural
guardian, the father, should educate subordinates and raise them to
Krsna consciousness. Devoid of Krsna consciousness. every living being
suffers in this cycle of birth and death perpetually. To relieve them from
this bondage and enable them to become blissful and happy. bhakti-yoga
should be taught. A foolish civilization neglects to teach people how to
rise to the platform of bhakti-yoga. Without Krsna consciousness. a per-
son is no better than a hog or dog. The instructions of Rsabhadeva are
very essential at the present moment. People are being educated and
trained to work very hard for sense gratification. and there is no sublime
aim in life. A man travels to earn his livelihood. leaving home early in
