We are living in the material world where all activities are performed by the material senses. In the spiritual world, there is no conflict of interest and no abomination. All transcendental sentiments are present in the spiritual world in their pure and original form. In the spiritual world, there is variegatedness and there is no lack of pure love unlike the love that is found in this material world.
Every action in the spiritual world is meant for pleasing the object of service. Nothing is dull matter, incomplete, or miserable in the spiritual world. There is no question of opposition, scarcity, abomination, inferiority, incompleteness or dependence in Vaikuntha. We have established the Gaudiya Mathas just to give everyone an opportunity to hear about the news of Vaikuntha. We are trying to establish many more such mathas so that people will be able to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam so that their faith in other subjects will diminish.
Some people say that Srimad-Bhagavatam is a book meant only for cloth weavers, and not for brahmanas, who are interested in the study of the Vedas. Often, we hear people call Mahaprabhu, “The son of Saci pisi (aunty)”. This is their limit of understanding of and respect for Mahaprabhu. Some people say that the contents of the Puranas are useless and fictitious and as such, one will gain nothing by hearing them. Some people say that Srimad-Bhagavatam was written by Bopadeva. If this is a fact then we should just consider how great he must have been!
We should try to expose the sinful motives of those who are opposed to Srimad-Bhagavatam, who advertise that Srimad-Bhagavatam was not written by Vyasadeva, and that Srimad-Bhagavatam is a modern literature, composed around the 13th century A.D. We should put a stop to all kinds of debate, quarrels and commotion in this regard. That is why I often encourage the idea of discussing Srimad-Bhagavatam on a regular basis.
No one should consider Srimad-Bhagavatam a commodity. If we use Srimad-Bhagavatam as a means of family maintenance, as a means of passing time, or as a means of earning money, the actual purpose of Srimad-Bhagavatam will not be realized. The more that Srimad-Bhagavatam will be discussed and preached, the more the people of the world will be benefited. The day when the big city halls will be transformed into Gaudiya Mathas and there will be discussions of Lord Hari heard everywhere—at that time, the whole world will be filled with ecstasy.
Mathanti vasanti chatrah yasmin
A matha refers to an institution where spiritual subjects are taught. The only truly beneficial activity of the living entities is to cultivate spiritual consciousness, which is the crest jewel of all types of learning. The devotional matha is meant for those devotees who are attached to the Lord’s service. There is no place in the matha for those who are averse to the Lord’s service. Sense enjoyers, fruitive workers, mental speculators and other such people cannot understand the value of living in the matha. In the devotional matha, the Supreme Lord is worshiped in accordance with the rules and regulations outlined in the scriptures, with love and devotion, and with mantras found in the pancaratras. He is also offered various foodstuffs. After the food is offered to the Lord, His remnants are honored as prasada. We should try to follow the principles of Srimad-Bhagavatam that were practiced by the ancient personalities and give up the conceptions put forward by present day so-called learned scholars. Everything becomes possible by spreading the glories of the Supreme Lord. Everything will go on nicely, even if one gives up all other thoughts and simply concentrates on Srimad- Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam has raised many questions and arguments and then solved them perfectly. People have become so unfortunate that they have started misusing Srimad-Bhagavatam as a means for their sense gratification. They have replaced ordinary singing and dancing with Srimad-Bhagavatam, thinking that this will please the ears of the audience better and increase their anarthas so that they become just like themselves. Ninety-nine point nine percent of the people have a tendency to abandon the service of the Supreme Lord. They even think that discussions of Srimad-Bhagavatam will create more anarthas and so they consider its value as negligible. Instead of hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, twenty-four hours a day, people are doing just the opposite. Let the narrow conceptions of the conditioned souls stop forever. The moment we stop discuss-ing Srimad-Bhagavatam, our minds will become fully occupied by material subject matters. Shouldn’t the people, who have been suffering since time immemorial because of remaining aloof from discussions of the Supreme Lord, try to regain their spiritual health? By travelling on the path of material enjoyment, one is sure to suffer distress at every step. Only by taking shelter of the transcendental topics of the Supreme Lord can human beings attain eternal peace. Will they ever understand this?