Human life's supreme value lies solely in developing Krishna consciousness before death inevitably arrives.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Pradyumna: [leads chanting of synonyms] puṁso varṣa-śataṁ hy āyus tad-ardhaṁ cājitātmanaḥ niṣphalaṁ yad asau rātryāṁ śete 'ndhaṁ prāpitas tamaḥ [SB 7.6.6] [break] [01:55] Translation: "Every human being has a maximum duration of life of one hundred years, but for one who cannot control his senses, half of those years are completely lost because at night he sleeps twelve hours, being covered by ignorance. Therefore such a person has a lifetime of only fifty years." Prabhupāda: puṁso varṣa-śataṁ hy āyus tad-ardhaṁ cājitātmanaḥ niṣphalaṁ yad asau rātryāṁ śete 'ndhaṁ prāpitas tamaḥ [SB 7.6.6] Life is so valuable that we cannot waste even a second without any profit. That is the aim of life. The materialist persons, especially in country like yours, they calculate...
I do not know; when I was in India I heard it that if you go to see an important businessman, his secretary, while talking with that man, the secretary gives you a card that "This Mr. Such-and-such cannot spare more than two minutes." Is it a fact? [devotees laugh] Huh? Anyway, we should not waste our time, either you act materially or spiritually.
But materially we have no business, although we have taken it the material business as very important and spiritual business has no meaning. This is the sum and substance of modern civilization. But so far we are concerned—not only we; everyone—the human life is only meant for spiritual purpose. Not for material purpose.
In the previous verse Prahlāda Mahārāja has said: 'tato yateta kuśalaḥ kṣemāya bhavam āśritaḥ śarīraṁ pauruṣaṁ yāvan na vipadyeta puṣkalam [SB 7.6.5] And before that he said: tat-prayāso na kartavyo yata āyur-vyayaḥ param na tathā vindate kṣemaṁ mukunda-caraṇāmbujam [SB 7.6.4] People are so ignorant that they cannot understand what is the importance of this valuable human form of life. This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction from the very beginning: durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy arthadam adhruvam. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatan iha durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ [SB 7.6.1]. Just like these small children, they are being trained up in this bhāgavata-dharma: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23]. Bhāgavata-dharma means hearing, chanting of the Supreme, glories of the Supreme Lord. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.
Not for others. If somebody says, "Yes, I am hearing always in the telephone. I am doing business," no, not that kind of hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. If you can contact Viṣṇu or His devotee, Vaiṣṇava, that is all right.
Otherwise, you are simply wasting time. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Always, constantly thinking of Him. These are the bhakti ways. There are nine different processes prescribed in the śāstra: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam pāda-sevanam arcanam... [SB 7.5.23].
This is arcanam, worshiping the Deity in the temple. This is called arcanam. The Lord is called arcā-vigrahaḥ, arcā-avatāra. He is also incarnation, another incarnation of..., arcā-avatāra.