Aphorisms of the Truth - by Bhaktivinode Thakur part 43

Srimad Bhagavatam (11.21.3-4 and 11.21.7) the Supreme Personality of Godhead again explains:
"O sinless Uddhava, in order to understand what is proper in life one must evaluate a given object within its particular category. Thus, in analysing religious principles one must consider purity and impurity. Similarly, in one's ordinary dealings one must distinguish between good and bad, and to insure one's physical survival one must recognise what is auspicious and inauspicious. I have revealed this way of life for those bearing the burden of mundane religious principles."

"O saintly Uddhava, in order to restrict materialistic activities, I have established that which is proper and improper among all material things, including time, space and all physical objects."

In the Rahasya-siddhanta it is said:
"One who performs his prescribed duties becomes like the demigods. One who renounces his prescribed duties stays in the material world of five elements.

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You can eat so much food that your belly aches—yet you still want more! Even though your belly is filled to the point of physical pain, you, the self, are not full; you still desire to consume more. The fact that the body can be full or satisfied while you still feel empty is evidence that the body is not you.


Siddhaswarupananda - Jagad Guru Speaks



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"One who, seeing the Supersoul in all living beings and all living beings in the Supersoul, worships the Supersoul, attains a kingdom as his reward.

"One who renounces these prescribed duties and earnestly studies the Vedas to attain spiritual truth, is the best of brahmanas. His life is a great success. It should not be described in any other way."

In the Mahabharata it is said:
"The Puranas describe the duties of human beings. The Vedas are medicine to cure the soul's disease or residence in the world of matter. The perfect teachings of the four Vedas should never be renounced."

In Bhagavad-gita (9.32-33) Lord Krsna explains:
"O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth, women, vaisyas (merchants), as well as sudras (workers), can approach the supreme destination. How much greater, then, are the brahmanas, the righteous, the devotees and saintly kings?"

Aphorisms of the Truth - by Bhaktivinode Thakur part 42

Lord Krsna also explains (Bhagavad-gita 2.45):
"The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them."

What is the need for any further explanation? In Bhagavad-gita (16.23-24) the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares:
"But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whim attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.
"One should understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be elevated."

In the Manu-samhita, Chapter Twelve, it is said:
"The eternal Vedic scriptures maintain and protect all living beings. Therefore, I think they describe the best path for the living entities to follow."

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Often people try so hard to find happiness through sense pleasure that they may attempt to gratify several or all of their senses at the same time. For example, you may simultaneously be watching TV, listening to the radio, munching potato chips, sipping beer, and smoking a cigarette. Perhaps you may have your arm around the shoulders of your girlfriend or boyfriend. You may also have a magazine at your side, which you look at during commercials. You try to fill up every sense; yet still you’re not satisfied; still you want something more.


Science of Identity Foundation - Siddhaswarupananda



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In Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna asks Lord Krsna:
"O Krsna, what is the situation of one who does not follow the principles of scripture but worships according to his own imagination? Is he in goodness, in passion or in ignorance?"

Lord Krsna replied (Bhagavad-gita 17.28):
"But sacrifices, austerities and charities performed without faith in the Supreme are non permanent. O son of Prtha, regardless of whatever rites are performed. They are called asat and are useless both in this life and the next."

Manu also explains:
"Better than the materialistic fools are they who follow the scriptures. Better than the followers of scripture are they who meditate on the Supreme. Better than the meditators are they who are situated in transcendental knowledge. Better than these enlightened souls are the devotees, who are active in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.21.23) the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains:
"Those statements of scripture promising fruitive rewards do not prescribe the ultimate good for men, but are merely enticements for executing beneficial religious duties, like promises of candy spoken to induce a child to take beneficial medicine."

Aphorisms of the Truth - by Bhaktivinode Thakur part 41

Sriman Anandabodhendra Sarasvati comments on this verse:
"Here someone may say, 'Matter and spirit are different. Therefore matter cannot see spirit. Therefore of what use are the scriptures? Fearing that someone would make this claim, the author has spoken this verse, which begins with the word 'drsyam'. Spirit can certainly be seen. But it cannot be seen by material eyes. With spiritual intelligence spirit may be understood. With purified eyes one may see spirit. Liberation from the world, or the direct perception of spirit is described in the scriptures. That is the result of scripture-study."

There it is also said:

"Without proper understanding, one is simply trapped in a cave of scriptures. By scripture-study one must revive His own dormant spiritual knowledge. Then he may attain liberation."

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SEEKING SATISFACTION
If you identify your body as yourself, you will try to satisfy yourself by trying to satisfy your body. You’ll think, “I am the body and I want to be happy, I want to be satisfied.” Thus, you’ll try to satisfy the belly, the tongue, the genitals, the ears, the eyes, the nose, and so on, believing that this will bring you the inner satisfaction and happiness you crave.
But sense gratification does not satisfy. This is further evidence that you are not the body. No matter how much sense pleasure you have, you are still never satisfied within.


Siddhaswarupananda - Chris Butler Speaks



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Sutra 42
For they who are not yet self realised, scripture is very important. For they who are self realised this is not so, for such great souls have already attained the perfect spiritual knowledge that is the root from which the scriptures have grown.

Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Here someone may protest: In Bhagavad-gita (16.23), the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares: "But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whim attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination." After all, the word 'sastra; comes from the word 'sasana' which means 'restriction'. Therefore the individual spirit souls are always obliged to follow the restrictions enunciated in the scriptures. How can any good result come from not following the scriptures' rules?
Fearing that someone would voice this protest, the author has spoken this sutra. Here the word "aksamesu" means "they who are not yet self-realised". Such persons cannot act independently. They are governed by the rules of scripture. However, for self-realised souls, who of their own desire to what is right and proper in spiritual life, this is not so. These great souls are not bound by the rules of scripture because they have already attained the perfect spiritual knowledge that is the root from which the scriptures have grown. This means that the self-realised souls have already attained the perfect spiritual knowledge that is the root from which the scriptures have grown. All the scriptures, as well as the Sariraka and Mimamsa commentaries, are meant for the souls who are not yet self-realised, who still dwell in the world of ignorance. Therefore the words of the Lord in Bhagavad-gita (16.23) mean that for their own good the unenlightened souls, who if given independence would perform forbidden actions, the rules of scriptures are given. The rules of scriptures are thus given to bring under control the uncontrolled, independent conditioned souls. For the liberated souls a different instruction is given. Lord Krsna explains (Bhagavad-gita 2.52):
"When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard."