Volume 3 - Prabhupada Books

Text 61] Talks Between the Lord and Ramananda Raya 115
Ramananda replied with this verse from Bhagavad-gita (9.27) that while remaining
in the system of varl)asrama-dharma, one may offer the results of his activities to
Lord SrT Kr�r;�a in loving service. Naturally Lord SrT Caitanya Mahaprabhu was ask­
ing Ramananda Raya about the execution of devotional service. Ramananda Ray a
first enunciated the principle of varQasrama-dharma in consideration of ma­
terialistic people. However, this conception is not transcendental. As long as one
is in the material world, he must follow the principles of varQasrama-dharma, but
devotional service is transcendental. The system of varl)asrama-dharma refers to
the three modes of material nature, but transcendental devotional service is on
the absolute platform. SrT Caitanya Mahaprabhu belonged to the spiritual world,
and His methods for propagating the sankrrtana movement were also imported
from the spiritual world. SrTia Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: golokera premadhana,
hari-nama-sanklrtana, rati na janmila kene taya. This states that the
sanklrtana movement has nothing to do with this material world. It is imported
from the spiritual world, Goloka Vrndavana. Narottama dasa Thakura laments that
mundane people do not take this sariklrtana movement seriously. Considering the
position of devotional service and the sanklrtana movement, SrT Caitanya
Mahaprabhu deemed the system of varQasrama-dharma to be material, although
it aims at elevation to the spiritual platform. However, the sariklrtana movement
can raise one immediately to the spiritual platform. Consequently it is said that
varQasrama-dharma is external, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested Ramananda
Raya to proceed deeper into the matter and uncover the spiritual platform.
Sometimes materialists consider Lord Vi�r;�u a material conception. lmper­
sonalists think that above Lord Vi�r;�u is the impersonal Brahman. The imper­
sonalists misunderstand the worship of Lord Vi�r;�u. They worship Lord Vi�r;�u to
merge into His body. In order that Vi$QU-aradhana not be misunderstood, SrT
Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested that SrT Ramananda Raya proceed further and
clear up the issue. Ramananda Raya quoted the verse from Bhagavad-gita stating
that the results of one's occupational duty may be offered to Lord Vi�r;�u or Kr�r;�a.
In Srrmad-Bhagavatam (1.2.8) it is also said:
dharma/:! svanu$thital) purhsarh
vi$vaksena-kathasu ya/:1
notpadayed yadi ratirh
srama eva hi kevalam
"If one executes the occupational duties of varQasrama-dharma but does not
cultivate his dormant Kr�r;�a consciousness, his activities are futile. His occupation
simply becomes unnecessary labor."
TEXT 61
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