Text 1] Instructions for Civilized Human Beings 197
activities have been divided into twelve portions. Because of performing
fruitive activities, which are called the path of dharma, one has to accept
the cycle of birth and death, but when one takes the path of moksa, or
liberation, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as arcand-mdrga, one
can get relief from the cycle of birth and death. The Vedas describe these
two paths as pitr-yana and deva-yana. Those who follow the paths of
pitr-yana and deva-yana are never bewildered, even while in the ma-
terial body. A monistic philosopher who gradually develops control of the
senses understands that the objective of all the different asramas, the
statuses of life, is salvation. One must live and act according to Sdstras.

If one who is performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies becomes a
devotee, even if he is a grhastha, he can receive the causeless mercy of
Krsna. The objective of a devotee is to return home, back to Godhead.
Such a devotee, even though not performing ritualistic ceremonies, ad-
vances in spiritual consciousness by the supreme will of the Personality
of Godhead. One may actually become successful in spiritual conscious-
ness by the mercy of devotees, or one may fall from spiritual conscious-
ness by being disrespectful to devotees. In this regard, Narada Muni
narrated the history of how he had fallen from the Gandharva kingdom,
how he was born in a Sudra family, and how by serving exalted
brahmanas he become the son of Lord Brahma and was reinstated in his
transcendental position. After narrating all these stories, Narada Muni
praised the mercy received from the Lord by the Pandavas. Maharaja
Yudhisthira, after hearing from Narada, become ecstatic in love of
Krsna, and then Narada Muni left that place and returned to his own
place. Thus Sukadeva Gosvami, having described various descendants of
the daughters of Daksa, ends the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhdgavatam.

TEXT 1
MARE TAF
amiferen faa: Shaq THAT TTT |
AUTISY TITY HAT TAIT: 1 2 A
Sri-ndrada uvaca
karma-nistha dvijah kecit
tapo-nistha nrpdpare
