Only Krishna-dedicated life under a pure spiritual master brings complete purification and eternal, imperishable happiness.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.16 — June 29, 1975, Denver 750629SB-DENVER [26:18 Minutes] SB-06.01.16_750629SB-DENVER Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] Sixth Canto, First Chapter, text number 16.
[leads chanting of verse, etc.] na tathā hy-aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā [SB 6.1.16] [break] [01:34] [purport] "Tat-puruṣa means a person engaging in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as the spiritual master..." Translation: "My dear King, any sinful person, by practicing the principles of austerity, penance, brahmacarya and other practices, cannot become completely purified as one can by dedicating his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet under the direction of the Lord's bona fide devotee." Prabhupāda: na tathā hy-aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā [SB 6.1.16] We are discussing the process of purification. Different methods have been described—by prāyaścitta and by tapasya, we have discussed. And then kevalayā bhakta. Bhakti includes everything—karma, jñāna, yoga, everything.
And it is specially recommended that by austerities and other methods there is possibility, but it may not be successful. But if we adopt this process, devotional service, then it is sure. So this purificatory process means nivṛtti-mārga. And pravṛtti-mārga means without any knowledge where we are going on, rushing on—we are doing everything, whatever we like—that is called pravṛtti-mārga. People are generally engaged in pravṛtti-mārga.
Especially in this age, they do not care what is going to happen next. Therefore they feel relief that "There is no life after death. Let us enjoy this life to the best capacity. Then after death, never mind what will come." First of all, they deny to believe the next life.
And even there is next life, and even if I am going to become cats and dogs, they do not mind. This is the experience of the modern age, irresponsible life. But our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people that "Don't live irresponsibly." Take, for example, that you may say, "There is no life." But if I put the argument, "Suppose there is life..." Now this is also supposition, because nobody, those who are in ignorance, they do not know whether there is life or whether there is no life. So you are arguing, "There is no life," but you do not know whether there is life. That is not in your knowledge.
So supposing you have to take both the ways and think over it... You are simply thinking on the point that there is no life. Now, why don't you take my proposition, "If there is life?" Because you have not ascertained whether there is life. We say there is life.
We take the example: just like this child has got his next life. The child may say, "There is no life next life." But actually that is not the fact. The fact is, there is life. The child will change this body and he will become a boy.