Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes place. Similarly, this material world is also like that. Nobody wants, but still, miserable condition of life come in. Just like in Calcutta, nobody wanted the Naxalite disturbance, but it has come.
There are so many troubles. And why this happens? Because their unconscious activities of sinful life. Just like we are walking on the street. Unconsciously, we are killing so many small ants and insects, unconsciously. I do not wish to kill, but we are, having situated, we are, being situated in material condition of life, we are unconsciously killing so many living entities.
Therefore, according to the Vedic rites, the injunction is that one has to perform yajñas, sacrifices. And without that sacrifice you'll be liable to be punishment for that unconscious killing of small animals. As such, those who are actually fearful of a sinful reaction of life, they perform yajñas. But here it is said that the mahājanas, the great leaders of religions, without knowing this simple method of getting out of sinful life, they take to so many yajñas prescribed in the Vedas.
Prāyeṇa veda tad idaṁ na mahājano 'yaṁ devyā vimohita-matir bata māyayālam: "Practically they were also bewildered by the influence of māyā." They do not know that there is such a medicine. The example is given, mṛta-sañjīvanī. But they take to bitter medical drugs like neem, ciratā and kālamegha.
That is explained by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Mṛta-saṁyamani viṣam ajānanta auṣadham ajānanta vaidya roga-nirharaṇāya tri-kaṭu nimva dini smaran, tatha svayambhūḥ sanmukha-pramukhat dvādaśa, dvādaśa vyatire kenayam mahājana api guhyam idam ajñāta-dvādaśādhikaṁ smaranti.
So the great compiler of religious scripture, headed by Manu and others, without knowing the simple method, they prescribe gorgeous ritualistic ceremonies. Kim ca māyayā divyalam vimohitam matir ayam jana madhu, madhunam yatha bhavati evam puspitayam puṣpa-sthaniya ratavadi mano-harayam trayyam jadi-kṛta abhinivista-matir yasya ata eva mahaty eva karmany agni-stomadau śraddhayā yujyamānaḥ. So being bewildered by the material or external energy, they take to these gorgeous ceremonies or sacrificial performances.
Actually there is no need. The whole thing is that Śrīdhara Svāmī is giving stress very strongly that you can simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without undergoing any ritualistic ceremonies. Actually it is very difficult to understand. Mādhavendra Purī, our predecessor ācārya, he also has composed a nice verse. He says: "My dear gāyatrī-mantra, I offer you my respect, but no more I can chant gāyatrī-mantra."
In this way . . . taking bath early in the morning, that's a good recommendation for spiritual advancement. But Mādhavendra Purī said: "Now I am unable to execute this order. Please excuse me." In this way he has described in many ways. At last, he concludes that, "I shall sit down somewhere underneath a tree and simply remember Govinda's name. That is sufficient. Yes." He says: "Please excuse me, please excuse me, please excuse me."
But this Mādhavendra's statement is not for the neophyte devotees. We should not imitate Mādhavendra Purī. Mādhavendra Purī was the spiritual master of Īśvara Purī, and Īśvara Purī was the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So the position of Mādhavendra Purī, the position of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, they are different from our position.