Submitted by Damaghosa dasa
14 July, 2016
Srimad-bhagavatam 2.1.2, Translation and Purport by Srila Prabhupada:
Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth, leave many subject matters for hearing in human society, O Emperor.
PURPORT
In the revealed scriptures there are two nomenclatures for the householder’s life. One is gṛhastha, and the other is gṛhamedhī. The gṛhasthas are those who live together with wife and children but live transcendentally for realizing the ultimate truth. The gṛhamedhīs, however, are those who live only for the benefit of the family members, extended or centralized, and thus are envious of others. The word medhī indicates jealousy of others. The gṛhamedhīs, being interested in family affairs only, are certainly envious of others. Therefore, one gṛhamedhī is not on good terms with another gṛhamedhī, and in the extended form, one community, society or nation is not on good terms with another counterpart of selfish interest. In the age of Kali, all the householders are jealous of one another because they are blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth. They have many subject matters for hearing-political, scientific, social, economic and so on-but due to a poor fund of knowledge, they set aside the question of the ultimate miseries of life, namely miseries of birth, death, old age and disease. Factually, the human life is meant for making an ultimate solution to birth, death, old age and disease, but the gṛhamedhīs, being illusioned by the material nature, forget everything about self-realization. The ultimate solution to the problems of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, and thus, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.16), the miseries of material existence-birth, death, old age and disease-are removed.
The process of going back home, back to Godhead, is to hear about the Supreme Lord and His name, form, attributes, pastimes, paraphernalia and variegatedness. Foolish people do not know this. They want to hear something about the name, form, etc., of everything temporary, and they do not know how to utilize this propensity of hearing for the ultimate good. Misguided as they are, they also create some false literatures about the name, form, attributes, etc., of the ultimate truth. One should not, therefore, become a gṛhamedhī simply to exist for envying others; one should become a real householder in terms of the scriptural injunctions.
Sri Dwarkananta Vasudev
Lol!! Great cartoon! Very true!! Men live to 75 and women to 85. So some of us have only 10-15 years more. But of that we sleep and take care of the body at least one third of the time. That leaves only 3.3 to 5 years. Then we have to work and do so many other things like go to the bank, put gas in the car, go to doctor and other appointments, the pharmacy, etc. We get slower in out motion and thinking. So actually, we only have like 6 months to do what we should do to please Srila Prabhupada, who says we have to be non violent and kind to all living entities. He says that a sign of advancement, is being equal to all, be jolly and friendly. So we have to give up all the grhamedhi jealousy practice, and experience true Vaisnavism among ALL of ourselves via Istagosthi, joined kirtan, unity, cooperation, trust and love. It is not enough to know theoretically. We need to practice, or experience it. Some of us, have just a few months to do so. Whatever example we give in our actions, that is the legacy we will leave after we quit the body. Like children that are molested, often times do the same when they grow and end up registered as sex offenders. So lets not risk leaving a legacy of jealous grhamedhi nonsense, for position, money and fame, when we are in fact hardly devotees. Lets make sure, we leave a new era of truly progressive KC for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, before we leave our bodies!!