The highest good for humanity is Krishna consciousness achieved through easy devotional practice, not temporary sense gratification.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.9 — February 20, 1973, Auckland 730220SB-AUCKLAND [45:38 Minutes] SB-01.01.19_730220SB-AUCKLAND Pradyumna: ...vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [indistinct]
Prabhupāda: Hmm. tatra tatrāñjasāyuṣman bhavatā yad viniścitam puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas tan naḥ śaṁsitum arhasi [SB 1.1.9] Prabhupāda: [aside:] You can stop this. Very good. Ladies are better than lords. All right.
Now? Pradyumna: tatra—thereof; tatra—thereof; añjasā—made easy; āyuṣman—blessed with a long duration of life; bhavatā—by your good self; yat—whatever; viniścitam—ascertained; puṁsām—for the people in general; ekāntataḥ—absolutely; śreyaḥ—ultimate good; tat—that; naḥ—to us; śaṁsitum—to explain; arhasi—deserve. [05:44] Translation: "Please, therefore, being blessed with many years, explain to us what you ascertain to be the absolute and ultimate good for the people in general." Prabhupāda: Hmm. This is the most important.
First of all, Sūta Gosvāmī was selected because he received the knowledge from Vyāsadeva and other sages very perfectly on account of his becoming submissive and serious. This is the first qualification. Now they are asking, "What you have thought, the best way of achievement, the highest goal of life," añjasā, "just make it easy." In the next verse it will be explained why easy things are required in this age. Very difficult execution of spiritual life, austerities, penance, that is not possible.
People are so fallen that they cannot accept any severe type of austerity. It is not possible. Therefore the yoga system is not at all possible in this age. As we have several times discussed, it is very difficult, yama, niyama.
The very beginning is yama, niyama, controlling. Everything controlling; not to be licentious, everything controlling. Yoga life begins, yoga indriya saṁyama. The real purpose of practicing yoga is controlling the senses.
Our senses are so strong, we have discussed many times, that even the greatest learned man falls victim to sense enjoyment. Even the greatest learned man. In the śāstra, therefore, it is ordered, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā na viviktāsano bhavet balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati [SB 9.19.17] Mātrā means mother, with mother; svasrā, with sister; duhitrā, with daughter. Nāviviktāsano bhavet: "Never sit down in a lonely place even with your mother, even with your sister, or even with your daughter." Balavān indriya-grāmaḥ. The indriya-grāmaḥ, all the senses, especially the sex, is so strong that vidvāṁsam api karṣati, even one is very learned, very well educated, still he is attracted. Therefore our...