64 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 14

his next life. Due to Krsna’s great mercy upon him, he could not forget
his position. and he could understand how he had fallen. Therefore in
the next life, as Jada Bharata, Maharaja Bharata was careful not to spoil
his energy, and therefore he presented himself as a deaf and dumb per-
son. In this way he could concentrate on his devotional service. We have
to learn from the great King Bharata how to become cautious in cultivat-
ing Krsna consciousness. A little inattention will retard our devotional
service for the time being. Yet any service rendered to the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead is never lost: svalpam apy asya dharmasya trdyate
mahato bhayat (Bg. 2.40). A little devotional service rendered sincerely
is a permanent asset. As stated in Srimad- -Bhagavatam (1.5.17):

tyaktvd sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
bhajann apakvo ’tha patet tato yadi

yatra kva vabhadram abhiid amusya kim
ko vartha Gpto *bhajatam sva-dharmatah

Somehow or other, if one is attracted to Krsna, whatever he does in devo-
tional service is a permanent asset. Even if one falls down due to im-
maturity or bad association, his devotional assets are never lost. There
are many examples of this—Ajamila, Maharaja Bharata, and many
others. This Krsna consciousness movement is giving everyone a chance
to engage in devotional service for at least some time. A little service will
give one an impetus to advance and thus make one’s life successful.

In this verse the Lord is described as Uttamasloka. Uttama means “the
best,” and sloka means “reputation.” Lord Krsna is full in six opulences,
one of which is reputation. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah
Sriyah. Krsna’s reputation is still expanding. We are spreading the glo-
ries of Krsna by pushing forward this Krsna consciousness movement.
Krsna’s reputation, five thousand years after the Battle of Kuruksetra, is
still expanding throughout the world. Every important individual within
this world must have heard of Krsna, especially at the present moment,
due to the Krsna consciousness movement. Even people who do not like
us and want to suppress the movement are also somehow or other chant-
ing Hare Krsna. They say, ““The Hare Krsna people should be chastised.”
Such foolish people do not realize the true value of this movement, but
the mere fact that they want to criticize it gives them a chance to chant
Hare Krsna, and this is its success.
