Text 4] Rahiagana Converses with Jada Bharata 431
TRANSLATION

My dear King, the merchant on the forest path of the material
world, his intelligence victimized by home, wealth, relatives and so
forth, runs from one place to another in search of success. Some-
times his eyes are covered by the dust of a whirlwind—that is to
say, in his lust he is captivated by the beauty of his wife, especially
during her menstrual period. Thus his eyes are blinded, and he
cannot see where to go or what he is doing.

PURPORT

It is said that household attraction resides in the wife because sex is
the center of household life: yan maithunddi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuc-
cham. A materialistic person, making his wife the center of attraction,
works very hard day and night. His only enjoyment in material life is
sexual intercourse. Therefore karmis are attracted to women as friends
or wives. Indeed, they cannot work without sex. Under the circumstances
the wife is compared to a whirlwind, especially during her menstrual
period. Those who strictly follow the rules and regulations of house-
holder life engage in sex only once a month, at the end of the menstrual
period. As one looks forward to this opportunity, his eyes are over-
whelmed by the beauty of his wife. Thus it is said that the whirlwind
covers the eyes with dust. Such a lusty person does not know that all his
material activities are being observed by different demigods. especially
the sun-god. and are being recorded for the karma of one’s next body.
Astrological calculations are called jyoti-sastra. Because the jyoti, or
effulgence, in the material world comes from the different stars and
planets, the science is called jyoti-sdstra, the science of the luminaries.
By the calculations of jyoti, our future is indicated. In other words. all
the luminaries—the stars. sun and moon—witness the activities of the
conditioned soul. Thus he is awarded a particular type of body. A lusty
person whose eyes are covered by the dust of the whirlwind of material
existence does not at all consider that his activities are being observed by
different stars and planets and are being recorded. Not knowing this. the
conditioned soul commits all kinds of sinful activities for the satisfaction
of his lusty desires.
