Material life is a razor's edge; only careful attention to spiritual principles saves us from its thorns.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.19 — June 15, 1972, Los Angeles 720615SB-LOS ANGELES [48:49 Minutes] SB-02.03.19_720615SB-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: [leads prema-dhvani]
Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [devotees offer obeisances]
Prabhupāda: Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Shall we finish the... Do you want to read the rest of that purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: No, first of all read one verse. Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ [SB 2.3.19] Prabhupāda: [devotees chant verse] That's all right. Pradyumna: So on the purport on page 153, the second paragraph: "The camel is a kind of animal which takes pleasure in eating thorns. Similarly, a person who wants to enjoy family life, or the worldly life of so-called enjoyment, is compared with the camel.
Materialistic life is full of thorns, so one should live only by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations, just to make the best use of a bad bargain." Prabhupāda: Hmm. Just like if you are passing through thorns, you must be very careful. Otherwise the thorns will be stuck up with your garment, and you will be inconvenient. It is said in the Vedas, kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā.
Just like we shave with razor. Razor is very sharp. So if we can carefully handle the razor, we get our cheeks very cleansed, that business is done. But little inattention, immediately cut, and there will be blood.