Even falling from Krishna consciousness guarantees your progress continues; material success guarantees nothing but loss.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Bhagavad-gītā 6.41 — July 17, 1971, Detroit 710717BG-DETROIT [14:21 Minutes] Bg-06.41_710717BG-DETROIT [small child playing karatālas] Prabhupāda: Oh, very good. [laughs] Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda! Prabhupāda: śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga bhraṣṭa sañjāyate [Bg. 6.41] When Arjuna asked Kṛṣṇa that "Persons who are trying to make perfection in the bhakti-yoga..." Because the māyā's influence is very strong. Anyone practicing bhakti-yoga, sometimes he may fall down. But there is assurance that even one falls down, there is no loss.
That has been advised by Nārada Muni, that tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi [SB 1.5.17]. Just like in our movement somebody joins. A few cases have happened also that joined, doing nice, but all of a sudden drifted from our Society. So Nārada Muni advised that even some..., sometimes somebody may not continue but falls down, there is no loss. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujam. And those who are sticking to their work, prescribed duties, but not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what they are gaining?
Just try to understand. A person, say, out of sentiment, or some other influence, he joins this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but could not follow strictly the rules and regulation and falls down. Nārada Muni says there is no loss, even though he has fallen. But another person, who is sticking to their material activities, a material... A karmī's thinking, "What these people are doing?
Simply wasting time. Let us do our duty. Let us produce something"—so-called production. So Bhāgavata says such person who are very nicely done their materialistic way of life, duties, but has not taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what does he gain? This is the comparison.
One joins this movement; due to some reason, immaturity, he falls down. For him the assurance is that he does not lose. He's still gainer. But one who is sticking to the material duties but does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Bhāgavata says, "What does he gain?" It is very important question.
The spiritualistic duties, transcendental duties, Kṛṣṇa conscious duty is so nice that even if you fall down, whatever you have done, that is your guaranteed property. That is your guaranteed property. And anything, whatever you gain in this material world... Suppose you become very rich man, good factory, working. But as soon as this body's ended, everything is ended.
Lost everything. These things will not go with you. Your factory, your skyscraper building, your millions of dollars' bank balance, that you'll have to leave behind you. You have to go with your work only, what you have done, pious or sinful activities.