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284 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 5
PURPORT

Bhagavad-gita (16.7) says, pravrttim ca nivrttim ca jana na vidur
asurah: demons, who are less than human beings but are not called
animals, do not know the meaning of pravrtti and nivrtti, work to be done
and work not to be done. In the material world, every living entity has a
desire to lord it over the material world as much as possible. This is
called pravrtti-mdrga. All the sdstras, however, advise nivrtti-marga, or
release from the materialistic way of life. Apart from the Sdstras of the
Vedic civilization, which is the oldest of the world, other sdstras agree on
this point. For example, in the Buddhist sdstras Lord Buddha advises that
one achieve nirvana by giving up the materialistic way of life. In the
Bible, which is also Sdstra, one will find the same advice: one should
cease materialistic life and return to the kingdom of God. In any sdstra
one may examine, especially the Vedic sdstra, the same advice is given:
one should give up his materialistic life and return to his original,
spiritual life. Sankardcarya also propounds the same conclusion. Brahma
satyam jagan mithyd: this material world or materialistic life is simply
illusion, and therefore one should stop his illusory activities and come to
the platform of Brahman.

The word Sdstra refers to the scriptures, particularly the Vedic books
of knowledge. The Vedas—Sdma, Yajur, Rg and Atharva—and any
other books deriving knowledge from these Vedas are considered Vedic
literatures. Bhagavad-gitd is the essence of all Vedic knowledge, and
therefore it is the scripture whose instructions should be especially
accepted. In this essence of all sdstras, Krsna personally advises that one
give up all other duties and surrender unto Him (sarva-dharman
parityajya mém ekam Saranarn vraja).

One should be initiated into following the principles of sdstra. In
offering initiation, our Krsna consciousness movement asks one to come
to the conclusion of sdstra by taking the advice of the supreme speaker of
the sdstra, Krsna, forgetting the principles of the materialistic way of
life. Therefore the principles we advise are no illicit sex, no intoxication,
no gambling and no meat-eating. These four types of engagement will
enable an intelligent person to get free from the materialistic life and
return home, back to Godhead.

In regard to the instructions of the father and mother, it may be said
that every living entity, including even the insignificant cats, dogs and
