7.84
krsna-visayaka prema--parama purusartha
yara age trna-tulya cari purusartha
SYNONYMS
krsna-visayaka—in the subject of Krsna; prema—love; parama—the highest; purusa-artha—achievement of the goal of life; yara—whose; age—before; trna-tulya—like the grass in the street; cari—four; purusa-artha—achievements " ’Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation are known as the four goals of life, but before love of Godhead, the fifth and highest goal, these appear as insignificant as straw in the street.
PURPORT
While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should not desire the material advancements represented by economic development, religiosity, sense gratification and ultimately liberation from the material world.
As stated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the highest perfection in life is to develop one’s love for Krsna (prema pum-artho mahan sri-caitanya-mahaprabhor matam idam).
When we compare love of Godhead with religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, we can understand that these achievements may be desirable objectives for bubhuksus, or those who desire to enjoy this material world, and mumuksus, or those who desire liberation from it, but they are very insignificant in the eyes of a pure devotee who has developed bhava, the preliminary stage of love of Godhead.
Dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification) and moksa (liberation) are the four principles of religion that pertain to the material world.
Therefore in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is declared, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo ’tra: cheating religious systems in terms of these four material principles are completely discarded from Srimad-Bhagavatam, for Srimad-Bhagavatam teaches only how to develop one’s dormant love of God.
The Bhagavad-gita is the preliminary study of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and therefore it ends with the words, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me.” (Bg.18.66) To adopt this means, one should reject all ideas of religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation and fully engage in the service of the Lord, which is transcendental to these four principles.
Love of Godhead is the original function of the spirit soul, and it is as eternal as the soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This eternity is called sanatana.
When a devotee revives his loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it should be understood that he has been successful in achieving the desired goal of his life.
At that time everything is automatically done by the mercy of the holy name, and the devotee automatically advances in his spiritual progress.