Text 33] Yamaraja Instructs His Messengers 185
anyas tu kdma-hata dtma-rajah pramarstum
iheta karma yata eva rajah punah syat

krsna-anghri-padma—of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna; madhu—the
honey; lit—one who licks; na—not; punah—again; visrsta—already
renounced; mayd-gunesu—in the material modes of nature; ramate—
desires to enjoy; vrjina-avahesu—which brings distress; anyah—
another; tu—however; kdma-hatah—being enchanted by lust; atma-
rajah—the sinful infection of the heart; pramdrstum—to cleanse;
iheta—may perform; karma—activities; yatah—after which; eva—in-
deed; rajah—the sinful activity; punah—again; syat—appears.

TRANSLATION

Devotees who always lick the honey from the lotus feet of Lord
Krsna do not care at all for material activities, which are per-
formed under the three modes of material nature and which bring
only misery. Indeed, devotees never give up the lotus feet of Krsna
to return to material activities. Others, however, who are addicted
to Vedic rituals because they have neglected the service of the
Lord’s lotus feet and are enchanted by lusty desires, sometimes
perform acts of atonement. Nevertheless, being incompletely
purified, they return to sinful activities again and again.

PURPORT

A devotee’s duty is to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. One may some-
times chant with offenses and sometimes without offenses, but if one
seriously adopts this process, he will achieve perfection, which cannot be
achieved through Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of atonement. Persons who
are attached to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, but do not believe in
devotional service, who advise atonement, but do not appreciate the
chanting of the Lord’s holy name, fail to achieve the highest perfection.
Devotees, therefore, being completely detached from material enjoy-
ment, never give up Krsna consciousness for Vedic ritualistic
ceremonies. Those who are attached to Vedic ritualistic ceremonies be-
cause of lusty desires are subjected to the tribulations of material exis-
tence again and again. Maharaja Pariksit has compared their activities to
kuryara-sauca, the bathing of an elephant.
