The learned scholar and the boatman

The boatman... In Bengal there are many rivers, and so people generally transport by boat service. So a learned scholar from Calcutta, say, was going home in the village on a boat, and he was very happy. So he was asking the boatman,

"My dear boatman, do you know what are these stars, this astronomy, how they are working?" "No, sir, I do not know."
"Oh, your life is twenty-five percent lost. You do not know anything."

Then after some time,

"You know the geology, how this earth, water, they are working?"
"No, sir, I am poor man. What can I know?"
"Oh, your fifty percent of your life is lost."

Then all of a sudden there was a cloud, black cloud on the sky, and there was storm.
Then at that time the boatman asked the learned scholar,

"Sir, do you know how to swim?"
"No, I do not know."
"Then one hundred percent you have lost.(laughter) You are going to be drowned."

He jumped and he drowned. So this is the point. So you are trying to understand the whole analytical study of the material world. That is very good. But if you do not know how to remember Narayana, Krishna at the time of death, then you are going to be cats and dogs. That's all.

If an actor becomes carried away with his role and forgets his actual identity, carrying on even after the performance, then he is living an illusion. Similarly, if we are absorbed only in this short span of a few years and become bewildered by our temporary situations, families and friends, and we fail to work towards our real nature then we are unfortunate. We don't mean to say that we should abandon our friends and families, but we could live a deeper life together based on longer lasting principles of our eternal existence. Otherwise, if we live only like polished animals then we may be awarded this animal opportunity in the next life.
Whilst living a spiritual life, however, we can find a fulfillment deeper than the superficial norms and we also prepare one another for a more advantageous future with higher consiouness. Krishna is the source of all love and joy. By sharing Krishna with each other we benefit now and after as we will return to our position of pure consciousness in loving service.

Hare Krishna