Goal Of Human Life

2011-05-06
Srimad Bhagavatam 09.19.26 - Goal Of Human Life (download mp3)
by Muralidhar Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net





SB 9.19.26
srutva gatham devayani
mene prastobham atmanah
stri-pumsoh sneha-vaiklavyat
parihasam iveritam

Translation: 
When Devayani heard Maharaja Yayati's story of the he-goat and she-goat, she understood that this story, which was presented as if a funny joke for entertainment between husband and wife, was intended to awaken her to her constitutional position.

Purport: 
When one actually awakens from material life, one understands his real position as an eternal servant of Krsna. This is called liberation. Muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih (SB 2.10.6). Under the influence of maya, everyone living in this material world thinks that he is the master of everything (ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]). One thinks that there is no God or controller and that one is independent and can do anything. This is the material condition, and when one awakens from this ignorance, he is called liberated. Maharaja Yayati had delivered Devayani from the well, and finally, as a dutiful husband, he instructed her with the story about the he-goat and she-goat and thus delivered her from the misconception of material happiness. Devayani was quite competent to understand her liberated husband, and therefore she decided to follow him as his faithful wife.