True spiritual life begins only through surrendering to a pure devotee's guidance, not through scholarly knowledge alone.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.23 — June 20, 1972, Los Angeles 720620SB-LOS ANGELES [39:05 Minutes] SB-02.03.23_720620SB-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: Hmm. Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
Page 161, text 23. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] jīvañ chavo bhāgavatāṅghri-reṇuṁ na jātu martyo 'bhilabheta yas tu śrī-viṣṇu-padyā manujas tulasyāḥ śvasañ chavo yas tu na veda gandham [SB 2.3.23] Prabhupāda: Karandhara? Now, word meaning. Pradyumna: [leads chanting of synonyms] jīvan—while living; śavaḥ—a dead body; bhāgavata-aṅghri-reṇum— [break] the dust of the feet of a pure devotee; na—never; jātu—at any time; martyaḥ—mortal; abhilabheta—particularly received; yaḥ—a person; tu—but; śrī—with opulence; viṣṇu-padyāḥ—of the lotus feet of Viṣṇu; manu-jaḥ—a descendant of Manu (a man); tulasyāḥ—leaves of the tulasī tree; śvasan—while breathing; śavaḥ—still a dead body; yaḥ—who; tu—but; na veda—never experienced; gandham—the flavor.
[08:08] Translation: "The person who has not at any time received the dust of the feet of a pure devotee of the Lord upon his head certainly is a dead body. And the person who has never experienced the flavor of the tulasī leaves from the lotus feet of the Lord is also a dead body, [break] although breathing." Prabhupāda: So... Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father, "How did you develop this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So he replied that naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim [SB 7.5.32]: "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be developed..." Spṛśaty anartha upasamo yad-arthaḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means anartha upasama.
Anartha means things we do not require. Anartha. Artha, anartha. Artha means which is essentially required, and anartha means which is not required; artificially we have requisitioned. So when one grows his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately his artificial life becomes finished.
Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt [SB 11.2.42]. This is the symptom of development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that he's not any more interested for material, unnecessary things. This is the test. If one is increasing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time he has got full attachment for material things, that means he's not developing.
Material things means āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So sometimes the karmīs are afraid of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, because they know that as soon as one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is no more interested with these material things. Just like we say, "Don't eat meat." So actually, if all people become Kṛṣṇa conscious and give up meat-eating, then the slaughterhouse will be closed. Automatically. We say no meat-eating and no intoxication.
So if all people become Kṛṣṇa conscious and give up drinking and smoking, the big business—breweries and cigarette manufacturers—will be closed. Similarly, no illicit sex. If people take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then so many brothels and clubs and nudies and everything will be closed. So they are afraid of their business; therefore they don't encourage this movement. Because ultimately, if this movement goes on, then where they stand?