View source for Because of ignorance, we consider every life offered by nature to be happy and pleasing, but in the degraded life within this material world, from the life of Lord Brahma down to that of an ant, no one can actually be happy

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{{terms|"Because of ignorance, we consider every life offered by nature to be happy and pleasing, but in the degraded life within this material world, from the life of Lord Brahma down to that of an ant, no one can actually be happy"}}
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{{compiler|Alakananda}}
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{{first|25Mar11}}
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[[Category:Because of Ignorance]]
[[Category:Considered To Be...]]
[[Category:Every]]
[[Category:Life]]
[[Category:Offer]]
[[Category:By Nature]]
[[Category:Be Happy]]
[[Category:Pleasing]]
[[Category:Degradation]]
[[Category:No Happiness in This Material World]]
[[Category:Life of Brahma]]
[[Category:From Brahma Down to the Ant]]
[[Category:To That Of]]
[[Category:No One Can]]
[[Category:Can Be]]
[[Category:Not Happy]]
[[Category:Actual Happiness]]
[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 08 Chapter 03 Purports - Gajendra's Prayers of Surrender]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 08 Purports]]
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_8" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 8"><h3>SB Canto 8</h3>
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<div id="SB8325_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_8" book="SB" index="79" link="SB 8.3.25" link_text="SB 8.3.25">
<div class="heading">There is no need to live as an elephant or man, American or Indian; one should desire only to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Because of ignorance, we consider every life offered by nature to be happy and pleasing, but in the degraded life within this material world, from the life of Lord Brahmā down to that of an ant, no one can actually be happy. We are making so many plans to live happily, but there cannot be any happiness in this material world, however we may try to make a permanent settlement in this life or that.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 8.3.25|SB 8.3.25, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">In this material world, every living entity is covered by the darkness of ignorance. Therefore the Vedas enjoin that one should approach the Supreme Lord through the spiritual master, who is described and offered prayers in the Gautamīya-tantra as follows:</p>
:oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
:jñānāñjana-śalākayā
:cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
:tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
<p>"I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance." Although one may struggle for existence in this material world, to live forever is impossible. One must understand, however, that this struggle for existence is due to ignorance, for otherwise every living being is an eternal part of the Supreme Lord. There is no need to live as an elephant or man, American or Indian; one should desire only to achieve liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Because of ignorance, we consider every life offered by nature to be happy and pleasing, but in the degraded life within this material world, from the life of Lord Brahmā down to that of an ant, no one can actually be happy. We are making so many plans to live happily, but there cannot be any happiness in this material world, however we may try to make a permanent settlement in this life or that.</p>
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