Worldly
Religion and Eternal Religion, by Haripada dasa
It
is very interesting that the Bhagavatam maintains in its first pages
its own uniqueness: dharmah projjhita-kaitavo `tra," All
supposed religiosity covered by fruitive intentions is here
completely rejected. " (S.B. 1, 1, 2) Fruitive intentions take
the form of Kama (complacency of gross and subtle senses), artha
(economic development), dharma (worldly or sectarian religiosity),
and even moksa (liberation). These four goals are described as
materialistic practices, and contaminate every attempt at true
religion.
The
motivating force behind each of them is the increase in sensual
satisfaction. For example, an ordinary man may practice religiosity
(dharma) because he actually seeks wealth (artha). Understanding that
there is a Supreme Controller, he seeks to plead with his "god"
and, thus, reaches his goal. This practice, by the way, is often
misleading, and a person absorbed in this type of motivated
religiosity mistakenly believes himself to be a serious practitioner
of the spiritual life.
In
reflecting, however, it becomes evident that such a religious is
actually a materialist, since all his practice is directed towards
the wrong end: the acquisition of wealth. Why do you want riches, for
the sake of kama, or sense gratification, a goal that is directly
contrary to religious principles. Moreover, when someone gets tired
of this whole business, they look for moksa, or
liberation.
Unfortunately,
true liberation could not be further from an individual so deceived,
since he has completely missed the purpose of spiritual practice.
Although many fall prey to this mentality, the Bhagavatam urges its
readers to go beyond this situation, and beyond the material
illusions that trap even the well-intentioned, the student of the
Bhagavatam must abandon all worldly goals and strive for achieving
total purity.
If
one desires a lower goal, one must approach a lower writing. That is
why Srila Prabhupada says in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, adi-lila,
17, 169 that the Old and New Testament and the Koran is for meat
eaters, and they are not eternal writings. Bhagavatam is for those
who are serious in regard to the ultimate goal of life: love for
God.
The
first thing that eternal religion teaches you is that we are not the
temporal material body, but eternal spiritual souls, in understanding
and accepting this point it is natural for the person to be more
interested in eternal relationships than in temporal ones, temporal
relationships are with Family, society, friendships and worldly love,
and eternal relationships means with God or Krishna and with His
devotees.
The
result of practicing eternal religion is that one knows God and loves
him, and since there is only God or Krishna and His energies will
naturally love everyone and everything.