Skandham-5. Chapter-1. Slokam-36. :

Skandham-5.


Chapter-1.


Slokam-36.



While enjoying his material opulences with full strength and influence,
Maharaja Priyavrata once began to consider that although he had fully
surrendered to the great saint Narada and was actually on the path of Krishna
consciousness, he had somehow become again entangled in material activities.
Thus his mind now became restless, and he began to speak in a spirit of
renunciation.



"One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional
service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet
there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee,
though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything." If one
somehow or other comes to the shelter of a great Vaishnava, takes to Krishna
consciousness because of sentiment or realization, but in course of time falls
down because of immature understanding, he is not actually fallen, for his
having engaged in Krishna consciousness is a permanent asset. If one falls down, therefore, his progress might be checked for a certain time, but it will again become manifest at an opportune moment. Although Priyavrata Maharaja was serving according to the instructions of Narada Muni meant for going back
home, back to Godhead, he returned to material affairs at the request of his
father. In due course of time, however, his consciousness for serving Krishna
reawakened by the grace of his spiritual master, Närada.



As stated in Bhagavadgeeta (6.41): 
 One who falls down from the process of bhakti-yoga is again offered
the opulence of the demigods, and after enjoying such material opulence, he is
given a chance to take birth in a noble family of a pure brahmana, or in a rich
family, to be given the chance to revive his Krishna consciousness. This actually
happened in the life of Priyavrata: he is a most glorious example of this truth.
In due course of time, he no longer wanted to enjoy his material opulences and
his wife, kingdom and sons; instead, he wanted to renounce them all.
Therefore, after having described the material opulences of Maharaja
Priyavrata, Sukadeva Gosvami, in this verse, describes his tendency for
renunciation.




The words Devarishi-Sarananusayana indicate that Maharaja Priyavrata,
having fully surrendered to the great sage Devarishi Narada, was strictly
following all the devotional processes and regulative principles under his
direction. In regard to strictly following the regulative principles, Srila
Visvanatha Cakravarti  Thakura says; dandavat-pranamas tan anupatitah. By
immediately offering obeisances (dandavat) unto the spiritual master and by
strictly following his directions, the student becomes advanced. Maharaja
Priyavrata was doing all these things regularly.



As long as one is in the material world, he has to be under the influence of
the modes of material nature (guna-visarga). It is not that Maharaja Priyavrata
was freed from material influence because he possessed all material opulences.
In this material world, both the very poor man and the very rich man are
under material influences, for both wealth and poverty are creations of the
modes of material nature. As stated in Bhagavadgeeta (3.27), prakrteh
kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah. According to the modes of material
nature we acquire, the material nature gives us facility for material enjoyment.




As long as one is in the material world, he has to be under the influence of
the modes of material nature (guëa-visarga). It is not that Mahäräja Priyavrata
was freed from material influence because he possessed all material opulences.
In this material world, both the very poor man and the very rich man are
under material influences, for both wealth and poverty are creations of the
modes of material nature. As stated in Bhagavad-gétä (3.27), prakåteù
kriyamäëäni guëaiù karmäëi sarvaçaù. According to the modes of material
nature we acquire, the material nature gives us facility for material enjoyment.