SB 5.5.15
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 15
putrāṁś ca śiṣyāṁś ca nṛpo gurur vā
mal-loka-kāmo mad-anugrahārthaḥ
itthaṁ vimanyur anuśiṣyād ataj-jñān
na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān
kaṁ yojayan manujo 'rthaṁ labheta
nipātayan naṣṭa-dṛśaṁ hi garte
SYNONYMS
putrān—the sons; ca—and; śiṣyān—the disciples; ca—and; nṛpaḥ—the king; guruḥ—the spiritual master; vā—or; mat-loka-kāmaḥ—desiring to go to My abode; mat-anugraha-arthaḥ—thinking that to achieve My mercy is the aim of life; ittham—in this manner; vimanyuḥ—free from anger; anuśiṣyāt—should instruct; a-tat-jñān—bereft of spiritual knowledge; na—not; yojayet—should engage; karmasu—in fruitive activities; karma-mūḍhān—simply engaged in pious or impious activities; kam—what; yojayan—engaging; manu-jaḥ—a man; artham—benefit; labheta—can achieve; nipātayan—causing to fall; naṣṭa-dṛśam—one who is already bereft of his transcendental sight; hi—indeed; garte—in the hole.
TRANSLATION
If one is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order. Ignorant people who engage in pious and impious activities should be engaged in devotional service by all means. They should always avoid fruitive activity. If one puts into the bondage of karmic activity his disciple, son or citizen who is bereft of transcendental vision, how will one profit? It is like leading a blind man to a dark well and causing him to fall in.
PURPORT
It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 3.26):
- na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed
- ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām
- joṣayet sarva-karmāṇi
- vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran
"Let not the wise disrupt the minds of the ignorant who are attached to fruitive action. They should be encouraged not to refrain from work, but to work in the spirit of devotion."