Text 8] The Residents of Jambiadvipa Offer Prayers 167
become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material
world.

PURPORT

In Srimad-Bhaégavatam (4.22.39) Sanat-kumara speaks the following

words to Maharaja Prthu:
yat-pada-pankaja-palasa-vilasa-bhaktya
karm4sayam grathitam udgrathayanti santah
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo ‘pi ruddha-
srotogands tam aranam bhaja vdsudevam
“Devotees always engaged in the service of the toes of the Lord’s lotus
feet can very easily become free from hard-knotted desires for fruitive
activities. Because this is very difficult, the nondevotees—the jridnis and
yogis —cannot stop the waves of sense gratification, although they try to
do so. Therefore you are advised to engage in the devotional service of
Krsna, the son of Vasudeva.”

Every living being within this material world has a strong desire to en-
joy matter to his fullest satisfaction. For this purpose, the conditioned
soul must accept one body after another, and thus his strongly fixed frui-
tive desires continue. One cannot stop the repetition of birth and death
without being completely desireless. Therefore Srila Ripa Gosvami de-
scribes pure bhakti (devotional service) as follows:

anyabhilasita-sinyam
Jidna-karmady-andvurtam
Gnukulyena krsnanu-
Silanam bhaktir uttama
“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord
Krsna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through
fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devo-
tional service.” Unless one is completely freed of all material desires,
which are caused by the dense darkness of ignorance, one cannot fully
engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore we should always
offer our prayers to Lord Nrsithhadeva, who killed Hiranyakasipu. the
