Truly, all divine beings, the celestial beings, are satisfied when one performs a sacrifice. Indeed, the celestial beings rely on the sacred meal offered to God during these sacrifices, hence their necessity.
Materialists who engage in acts aimed at sense gratification must perform sacrifices, otherwise they chain themselves to the consequences of their actions. Performing a sacrifice is a truly arduous task, for one must invite all divine beings to participate. In this present age, one of discord, quarrels, hypocrisy, and sin, it is not possible to perform such costly sacrifices, nor to invite celestial beings to participate in them. Therefore, the original holy scriptures indicate that in this age, intelligent people must understand that it is impossible to perform the Vedic sacrifices. However, unless they satisfy the divine beings, there can be no regularity in the course of the seasons or the rains, for they are the ones who direct all natural phenomena. In this age, therefore, in order to maintain peace and prosperity in society, all intelligent people should perform the only appropriate sacrifice by chanting the holy names of the Lord's hymn:
hare Krishna, hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, hare hare
hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama Rama, hare hare
Thus, all the celestial beings can be pleased by performing this sacrifice, which consists of inviting people to chant Hare Krishna and then distributing a sacred meal. Peace and prosperity will then reign in the world. In this age, the performance of sacrifices has been simplified since by chanting Hare Krishna one can please Lord Krishna, and at the same time please all the celestial beings.
Depending on the body granted to him, the materialistic being wanders from one planet to another, absorbed in self-interested action, the fruits of which he endlessly reaps.
Depending on his self-interested actions, the conditioned being obtains an appropriate body, with a material mind and senses. Then, the consequences of these actions end; this is called death. When a new set of karmic reactions begins, then comes birth.
When the eyes lose their ability to perceive colors or shapes due to some morbid condition of the optic nerve, vision dies, and the living being, the one who governs both the eye and sight, loses his visual power. Similarly, when the physical body, the place where sensory perceptions arise, becomes incapable of perceiving anything, what is called death occurs. And the moment when one begins to regard the body as one's own self is called birth. Therefore, no one should view death with horror, nor be tempted to define the body as the soul, nor excessively enjoy the necessities of life. Realizing one's true nature, the distinct being must evolve in this world, without attachment and remaining fixed on one's goal.