Sometimes in this world we make big plans to improve ourselves materially, only to realize later that it was all in vain. A popular English song says — "Life is cruel, and then you die!".
Better to perform hari-bhajana in whatever situation we find ourselves while endeavoring only as much as required to keep the body fit and happy.
Srila Rupa Goswami has also warned us against 'prayāsa' or over-endeavour in the material world. The following subhāṣita-verse describes the condition of those who dream too much about becoming happy in the material world by over-endeavor:
sva-sva-vyāpṛti-magna-mānasatayā matto nivṛtte jane
cañcū-koṭi-vighaṭṭitārara-puṭo yāsyāmy ahaṁ pañjarāt
itthaṁ kīra-vare mano-ratha-mayaṁ pīyūṣam āsvādayat-
yāntaḥ sa-praviveśa vāraṇa-karākāraḥ phaṇi-grāmaṇīḥ
cañcū-koṭi-vighaṭṭitārara-puṭo yāsyāmy ahaṁ pañjarāt
itthaṁ kīra-vare mano-ratha-mayaṁ pīyūṣam āsvādayat-
yāntaḥ sa-praviveśa vāraṇa-karākāraḥ phaṇi-grāmaṇīḥ
"[A parrot in the cage was thinking as follows]: 'When everyone in this house will be busy in their respective work and won't be paying attention to me, I will strike the door of this cage a million times with my beak and break it. Thus I will be able to leave this prison.'
While the parrot was happily tasting the nectar of his mental speculation, a snake as fat as the trunk of an elephant entered quietly into the cage. (End of story)"
— (Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra, Śukaḥ, Page 228, Verse 202)
(Originally posted on Facebook on 28-March-2015).
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