24 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 1
mahda-mantra, but this is all cheating.” Recently at Mayapur an African
devotee wanted to imitate Haridasa Thakura, but after fifteen days he
became restless and went away. Do not suddenly try to imitate Haridasa
Thakura. Engage yourself in Krsna conscious activities, and gradually
you will come to the stage of liberation (muhtir hitvanyatha ripam
svariipena vyavasthitih).
TEXT 15
gaa amariiat a f& aa fara |
HABA Tat araeafea Asya eI
ihate bhagavan iso
na hi tatra visajjate
dtma-labhena piirnartho
navasidanti ye ‘nu tam

ihate—engages in activities of creation, maintenance and annihila-
tion; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna; isah—the
supreme controller; na—not; hi—indeed; tatra—in such activities;
visajjate—He becomes entangled; dtma-labhena—because of His own
gain; purna-arthah—who is self-satisfied; na—not; avasidanti—are
disheartened; ye—persons who; anu—follow; tam—the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in opulence by His
own gain, yet He acts as the creator, maintainer and annihilator of
this material world. In spite of acting in that way, He is never en-
tangled. Hence devotees who follow in His footsteps are also never
entangled.

PURPORT

As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.9), yajnarthat karmano ‘nyatra loko
*yam karma-bandhanah: ‘‘Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be
performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world.” If we do
not act in Krsna consciousness we shall be entangled, like silkworms in
