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sacrifices. They are generally sensual, and they do not want anything other than the heavenly pleasures of life.
It is understood that there are gardens called Nandana-kānana in which there is good opportunity for association
with angelic, beautiful women and having a profuse supply of soma-rasa wine. Such bodily happiness is certainly
sensual; therefore, there are those who are purely attached to such material, temporary happiness, as lords of
the material world.” (Bg 2. 42-43 – purport)

Soma-rasa wine will enhance one’s energy and youthfulness for 10,000 years. It will not give one eternal life.
Because it prolongs life, it is sometimes said that one becomes immortal. But this is not a fact. The longevity of
life may seem immortal to less intelligent persons. Even on the upper heavenly planets in the material world
there is birth and death. Compared to life on the earth planet, the duration of life on the heavenly planets may
seem to be eternal due to its long duration. Soma-rasa wine is a favorite beverage on the moon served to
heavenly denizens. The moon is a heavenly planet.
This is further clarified:

dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ / ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam
tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotir / yogī prāpya nivartate

“The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the fortnight of the waning moon, or
the six months when the sun passes to the south reaches the moon planet but again comes back.” ( Bg 8.25)

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains:

“In the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Kapila Muni mentions that those who are expert in fruitive activities
and sacrificial methods on earth attain to the moon at death. These elevated souls live on the moon for about
10,000 years (by demigod calculations) and enjoy life by drinking soma-rasa. They eventually return to earth.
This means that on the moon there are higher classes of living beings, though they may not be perceived by the
gross senses.”

There is never a possibility of peace of mind for those who remain attached to temporary pleasures and
possessions. If one dedicates the time and effort to understand the transcendental nature of Lord Krishna, he
can overcome the cycle of birth and death and attain the eternal abode of the Lord.

janma karma ca me divyam / evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma / naiti mām eti so ’rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body,
take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Bg 4.9)

The truth of Lord Krishna’s pastimes, His plenary or absolute expansions in the spiritual world and the material
world, and His avataras in the material world when understood by the devotee confer eternal salvation and
elevation to the spiritual world. The powerful effect of spiritual knowledge rightfully understood is liberating
from the cycle of birth and death.

Recognizing Lord Krishna as the Supreme Beneficiary of all sacrifices is the essential step toward uninterrupted
peace. The sacrifice performed in knowledge of Lord Krishna is better than the mere sacrifice of material
possessions. (Bg 4.33) The purpose behind the process of sacrifices given by Lord Krishna is meant to educate

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