Attaining the Ultimate Goal - The Supreme Destination of Devotional Service
The Vedic literatures are vast, offering various instructions for different classes of people, but they all converge on a single, supreme destination. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the ultimate goal of human life is not to acquire temporary material opulence or to merge into an impersonal void, but to develop unalloyed love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By rejecting futile material endeavors and following the authorized path of bhakti-yoga, any sincere soul can achieve the absolute perfection of existence.
Futility of Material Endeavors and Speculation
The material world is governed by strict laws that ensure all fruitive workers are eventually frustrated. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that as long as one relies on their own speculative intelligence or material work, attaining the supreme destination of life remains impossible.
- As long as one is engaged in fruitive activity, one is sure to be baffled in the attempt to attain the ultimate goal of life - CC Preface.
- Everyone has to suffer or enjoy the fruits of his activity; no one can check the laws of material nature which govern such things. As long as one is engaged in fruitive activity, he is sure to be baffled in an attempt to attain the ultimate goal of life.
- It is very difficult for one to attain the ultimate goal of life and reach the supreme destination, Vaikunthaloka or Goloka Vrndavana, simply by studying Vedanta philosophy or Vedic literature.
- Those who are factually engaged in the loving service of the Lord have attained the ultimate goal of life, and for them there is no need of mental speculation to find out the true nature of God or His activities.
The Guidance of the Spiritual Master and Society
To successfully navigate the path back to Godhead, one requires a supportive environment and expert guidance. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes the necessity of the varṇāśrama social structure and the indispensable instruction of a bona fide spiritual master.
- In the material world, unless one is situated in one of the varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra) one cannot manage social affairs properly to attain the ultimate goal. One also has to follow the principles of the asramas.
- Maharaja Yudhisthira said: My dear lord (Narada Muni), I wish to hear from you about the principles of religion by which one can attain the ultimate goal of life - devotional service. I wish to hear about the general occupational duties of human society.
- Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) one must approach the acarya, for then one will receive perfect knowledge. When guided by the spiritual master, one attains the ultimate goal of life.
- Thus (after getting in touch with a bona fide spiritual master) one engages in devotional service and attains the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Visnu.
Authorized Process of Hearing and Chanting
The most direct method for purifying the heart and advancing toward the supreme destination is engaging in the transcendental sound vibration. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that hearing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and chanting His holy names are the guaranteed methods for success.
- Maharaja Pariksit recommended, from practical experience, that everyone try to hear about the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. This Krsna treatise is meant for that purpose, and the reader may take advantage of it to attain the ultimate goal of life.
- Now I shall chant one mantra which is not only transcendental, pure and auspicious, but is the best prayer for anyone who is aspiring to attain the ultimate goal of life. When I chant this mantra, please hear it carefully and attentively.
- One who strictly follows the Vedic literature and chants the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will actually be situated in the transcendental disciplic succession. Those who want to attain life’s ultimate goal must follow this principle.
- The ultimate goal of Visnu can be attained only by this chant and by devotional service, and not by mental speculation or argument.
The Supreme Perfection of Love of Godhead
When the process of devotional service reaches its full maturity, the practitioner experiences complete spiritual satisfaction. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this ultimate goal as pure love of Godhead, a state where the soul desires nothing but to satisfy the senses of the Supreme Lord.
- After attaining this position (of ultimate goal of devotional service), the plant (of devotional service) produces fruit, which is known as the fruit of love of Godhead.
- The ultimate goal of their perfect desire was attained, and they were so joyous that they had nothing further to desire. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita: if one attains the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he has no desire for anything.
- They (devotees) do voluntarily engage the purified senses in the service of the master of the senses, as was done by Arjuna, thereby easily attaining the perfection of satisfying the Lord, the ultimate goal of all perfection.
- Those who are truly interested in the perfection of the yoga process should render service to Krsna through this Society for Krsna Consciousness and thereby surpass all other systems and attain the ultimate goal of all yoga - love of Krsna.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ultimate goal of life is not a mystery to be solved through intellectual speculation, nor a temporary material position to be earned through fruitive work. As the great ācārya masterfully explains, any attempt to reach the supreme destination through these mundane methods is guaranteed to be baffled by the stringent laws of material nature. The true perfection of human existence is solely achieved through the authorized process of bhakti-yoga. By organizing society according to the spiritual principles of varṇāśrama, accepting the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, and diligently chanting the holy names of the Lord, a sincere practitioner clears the path to the spiritual sky. Ultimately, this unwavering dedication allows the plant of devotional service to blossom, yielding the supreme fruit of love of Godhead—the highest destination where the soul eternally and joyfully satisfies the senses of the Supreme Lord.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Attaining the Ultimate Goal. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.