Prabhupada's lecture - Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.12-13 - New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969
So śāstra says that what is the meaning of this decoration? What benefit the man who is dead, what benefit he's getting? Suppose you make lips very smiling, but actually that man is smiling? (laughter) Similarly, in India also, the cobbler class men, they, during their life, they will dress very wretchedly, not spend money, but after death they will purchase some velvet and cover the body and very nicely decorate, and with band party they'll take, lead the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. So it may be very much pleasing to the relatives. Just like the dead body's decorated. The sons of that dead body may see him, that "Oh, my father is smiling." (laughter) But he does not know where his father has already gone. You see?
So this material civilization is just like decorating the dead body. This body is dead. That is a fact. So long the soul is there, it is working, it is moving. Just like your coat. It is dead. But so long it is on your body, it appears the coat is moving. The coat is moving. But if somebody is very much astonished, "Oh, how nice the coat is moving!" (laughter) He does not know the coat cannot move. The coat is dead. But because the man is there who is putting on the coat, therefore the coat is moving, the pant is moving, the shoe is moving, the hat is moving. Similarly, this body is dead. It is numbered: this dead body will remain for such and such time. That is called duration of life. But people are interested with this dead body exactly like the cobbler class or these decorating men. So decoration of the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva... Aprāṇasya means dead. Aprāṇasyeva maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam: "It is very pleasing to the relatives." That's all. Similarly, to get liberation, nirañjanam-nirañjanam means to get out of this so-called decoration of the dead body—one requires to acquire knowledge.