imagination, but they are not satisfied, for beings thus conditioned by matter are slaves to their senses.

Relationships between individuals seeking sense gratification certainly lead to slavery. But the same type of relationship with a holy person, even if it takes place unconsciously, leads to the path of liberation. The company of a holy man, in one way or another, always bears the same fruits. Anyone who is not led by his actions to turn to religion, who is not led by his ritual religious practices to choose renunciation of material nature, or whose renunciation does not result in devotional service to the Supreme Lord, must be considered dead, even if he is breathing.

We should never desire an increase in material pleasures. On the contrary, we must accept them only in accordance with the primary necessities of existence, neither more nor less.

By increasing material pleasure, we increase the chains that bind us to the sufferings of material existence. If more wealth, more women, and more aristocratic connections are among the materialist's major aspirations, it is because he is completely ignorant of the benefits that would accrue from the worship of God, which benefits its creator in this life as well as after death. Thus, oblivious to these truths, the fool, desiring to increase his wealth and multiply his wives and children, worships various celestial beings. Now, the purpose of existence is to put an end to all material suffering, not to increase it. Even to obtain material pleasures, there is no need to approach celestial beings. These are simple servants of the Lord, who are responsible to Him for providing incarnate beings with all the elements necessary for life, such as water, light, air, etc.

We must work wholeheartedly within the limits of our abilities and worship the Supreme Lord by offering Him the hard-earned fruits of our labor. This should be our motto. Whoever takes care to fulfill their duty and occupation well, with faith in the Lord, will be led to gradually progress on the path to return to God.

One who is attracted solely by sense gratification will not be able to free themselves from material slavery; their life will be nothing but a waste of time. Indeed, any action that does not elevate its doer to the level of piety is useless. By nature, everyone has an inclination towards this or that form of activity, and when this activity leads to piety, this in turn leads to renunciation, and the latter to devotional service, one then attains perfection of the act.

Any action that does not ultimately lead to loving and devoted service to God is a cause of shackles in this world. Unless a being gradually rises to the level of devotional service from his natural activity, he is little better than a corpse. Action that does not foster the blossoming of Krishna consciousness must be considered useless.

Indeed, material success is not a blessing at all, for as soon as we are deluded by the gifts of nature, we become increasingly enslaved to material energy.