the largest charitable work.

By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, we understand here that Krishna consciousness is the largest charitable work.



SB 4.7.28

sadasyā ūcuḥ

utpatty-adhvany aśaraṇa uru-kleśa-durge ’ntakogra-
vyālānviṣṭe viṣaya-mṛga-tṛṣy ātma-gehoru-bhāraḥ
dvandva-śvabhre khala-mṛga-bhaye śoka-dāve ’jña-sārthaḥ
pādaukas te śaraṇada kadā yāti kāmopasṛṣṭaḥ

Word for word:

sadasyāḥ — the members of the assembly; ūcuḥ — said; utpatti — repeated birth and death; adhvani — on the path of; aśaraṇe — not having a place to take shelter; uru — great; kleśa — troublesome; durge — in the formidable fort; antaka — termination; ugra — ferocious; vyāla — snakes; anviṣṭe — being infested with; viṣaya — material happiness; mṛga-tṛṣi — mirage; ātma — body; geha — home; uru — heavy; bhāraḥ — burden; dvandva — dual; śvabhre — holes, ditches of so-called happiness and distress; khala — ferocious; mṛga — animals; bhaye — being afraid of; śoka-dāve — the forest fire of lamentation; ajña-sa-arthaḥ — for the interest of the rascals; pāda-okaḥ — shelter of Your lotus feet; te — unto You; śaraṇa-da — giving shelter; kadā — when; yāti — went; kāma-upasṛṣṭaḥ — being afflicted by all sorts of desires.

Translation:

The members of the assembly addressed the Lord: O exclusive shelter for all who are situated in troubled life, in this formidable fort of conditional existence the time element, like a snake, is always looking for an opportunity to strike. This world is full of ditches of so-called distress and happiness, and there are many ferocious animals always ready to attack. The fire of lamentation is always blazing, and the mirage of false happiness is always alluring, but one has no shelter from them. Thus foolish persons live in the cycle of birth and death, always overburdened in discharging their so-called duties, and we do not know when they will accept the shelter of Your lotus feet.

Purport:

Persons who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are living a very precarious life, as described in this verse, but all these circumstantial conditions are due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to give relief to all these bewildered and distressed persons; therefore it is the greatest relief work for all human society, and the workers thereof are the greatest well-wishers, for they follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, who is the greatest friend to all living entities.