Material qualification means

Expressions researched:
"material qualification means"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

This material qualification means decoration of the dead body.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969: Nirañjana means... Añjana... Añjana means ointment or designation, something covering. So nirañjanam. If one is elevated in knowledge, then he becomes free from this designated life. Our material life is añjana life, or designated life. Añjana... Just like we decorate. I think I wrote one article in my Back to Godhead in India, "Decoration of the Dead Body." This material qualification means decoration of the dead body. Actually, the body is dead, but there are certain men who wants to decorate this dead body. In India also, still the custom is in lower class men, when some of their relative die... I hear that here also they do such. They decorate the dead body very nicely. Here also the same system is there?

Devotees: Yes. Prabhupāda: So śāstra says that what is the meaning of this decoration? What benefit the man who is dead, what benefit he's getting? Suppose you make lips very smiling, but actually that man is smiling? (laughter) Similarly, in India also, the cobbler class men, they, during their life, they will dress very wretchedly, not spend money, but after death they will purchase some velvet and cover the body and very nicely decorate, and with band party they'll take, lead the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. So it may be very much pleasing to the relatives. Just like the dead body's decorated. The sons of that dead body may see him, that "Oh, my father is smiling." (laughter) But he does not know where his father has already gone. You see?

So this material civilization is just like decorating the dead body. This body is dead. That is a fact. So long the soul is there, it is working, it is moving. Just like your coat. It is dead. But so long it is on your body, it appears the coat is moving. The coat is moving. But if somebody is very much astonished, "Oh, how nice the coat is moving!" (laughter) He does not know the coat cannot move. The coat is dead. But because the man is there who is putting on the coat, therefore the coat is moving, the pant is moving, the shoe is moving, the hat is moving. Similarly, this body is dead. It is numbered: this dead body will remain for such and such time. That is called duration of life. But people are interested with this dead body exactly like the cobbler class or these decorating men. So decoration of the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva... Aprāṇasya means dead. Aprāṇasyeva maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam: "It is very pleasing to the relatives." That's all. Similarly, to get liberation, nirañjanam-nirañjanam means to get out of this so-called decoration of the dead body—one requires to acquire knowledge.