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TEXT 40 nehabhikrama-naso 'sti
SYNONYMS  na--there
is not; iha--in this world; abhikrama--endeavoring;
nasah--loss;
asti--there is; pratyavayah--diminution;
na--never;
vidyate--there is; svalpam--little; api--although;
asya--of
this; dharmasya--of this occupation; trayate--releases;
mahatah--of
very great; bhayat--danger.
TRANSLATION In this endeavor
there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can
protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.
PURPORT Activity in
Krsna consciousness, or acting for the benefit of Krsna without expectation
of sense gratification, is the highest transcendental quality of work.
Even a small beginning of such activity finds no impediment, nor can that
small beginning be lost at any stage. Any work begun on the material plane
has to be completed, otherwise the whole attempt becomes a failure. But
any work begun in Krsna consciousness has a permanent effect, even though
not finished. The performer of such work is therefore not at a loss even
if his work in Krsna consciousness is incomplete. One percent done in Krsna
consciousness bears permanent results, so that the next beginning is from
the point of two percent; whereas, in material activity, without a hundred
percent success, there is no profit. Ajamila performed his duty in some
percentage of Krsna consciousness, but the result he enjoyed at the end
was a hundred percent, by the grace of the Lord. There is a nice verse
in this connection in Srimad-Bhagavatam:
tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer
"If someone
gives up self-gratificatory pursuits and works in Krsna consciousness and
then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there
on his part? And, what can one gain if one performs his material activities
perfectly?" (Bhag. 1.5.17) Or, as the Christians say, "What profiteth
a man if he gain the whole world yet suffers the loss of his eternal soul?"
Material
activities and their results end with the body. But work in Krsna consciousness
carries a person again to Krsna consciousness, even after the loss of the
body. At least one is sure to have a chance in the next life of being born
again as a human being, either in the family of a great cultured brahmana
or in a rich aristocratic family that will give one a further chance for
elevation. That is the unique quality of work done in Krsna consciousness.
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