The Goal of Life is to Become a Devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa
The human machine is a special gift designed specifically to cross the ocean of material existence. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that without proper spiritual education, humanity completely misuses this gift. The true mission of life is not to build a temporary kingdom on earth, but to revive our dormant relationship with the Supreme Lord. By shifting our focus from bodily maintenance to pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we fulfill the ultimate purpose of our creation.
The Ignorance of Modern Civilization
Without spiritual education, society is completely lost in darkness. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the people in general do not know what the goal of life is, and still they are leaders; that is the defect of modern civilization, especially in this fallen age of Kali-yuga. Because people are not educated in terms of the goal of life, they are working like madmen and becoming more and more attached to the material atmosphere. Everyone is engaged in maintaining the body, home and family, and consequently everyone becomes confused at the end of life, not knowing what spiritual life and the goal of human life are. Living like an animal, not understanding the goal of life, one foolishly thinks that there is no eternity and that his life span of fifty, sixty, or, at the most, one hundred years, is everything, which is the greatest foolishness.
- The people in general, they do not know what is the goal of life, and still they are leaders. That is the defect of the modern civilization. It is the defect of material world, but especially in this Kali-yuga, it is the most abominable, fallen age.
- Because people are not educated in terms of the goal of life, they are working like madmen and becoming more and more attached to the material atmosphere.
- Everyone is engaged in maintaining the body, home and family. Consequently everyone becomes confused at the end of life, not knowing what spiritual life and the goal of human life are.
- Living like an animal, not understanding the goal of life, one foolishly thinks that there is no eternity and that his life span of fifty, sixty, or, at the most, one hundred years, is everything. This is the greatest foolishness.
The Futility of Material Pursuits
The attempt to find permanent happiness in a temporary world is a profound illusion. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that enjoyment is the goal of everyone's life, but the difference is that the materialist is trying to hanker after flickering enjoyment, and the transcendentalists are hankering after spiritual, eternal enjoyment. Having missed the goal of life, materialists run after self-sufficiency, not knowing that material nature is already self-sufficient by the grace of God. Consequently, eating, sleeping, mating and defending are given special stress, but not to the point of reaching Viṣṇu, which we have completely neglected. We are now interested with a nonpermanent goal of life, thinking that a nice car, a nice apartment, or a nice bank balance will make us happy, but this is asat, or temporary, because none of it will stay.
- Enjoyment is the goal of everyone's life. But the difference is that the materialist is trying to hanker after flickering enjoyment, and the transcendentalists, they are hankering after the spiritual enjoyment, or eternal enjoyment.
- Having missed the goal of life, materialists run after self-sufficiency, not knowing that material nature is already self-sufficient by the grace of God.
- Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is given special stress, but not to the point of, goal of life, reaching Visnu. That we have neglected.
- We are now interested with nonpermanent goal of life. People are thinking, "If I get a nice car, a nice apartment, a nice wife, a nice bank balance, then I will be happy." But this is asat, because none of this will stay.
Understanding Our Constitutional Position
The true mission of human life begins with self-inquiry. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the goal of our life, at least in the human form of life in the Aryan civilization, is to understand our constitutional position; if we do not understand who we are, then we are equal to the cats and dogs. Simply put, the goal of life is to search out God and your relationship with God. In the Vedic system, this is called sambandha, our connection with God, followed by abhidheya, acting according to that relationship because we have a goal of life to achieve. Ultimately, people do not know that their real interest and the actual goal of life is to find out God and to love Him.
- The goal of our life, at least in this human form of life, in the Aryan civilization, the goal of life is to understand our constitutional position, "What I am. What I am." If we do not understand "What I am," then I am equal to the cats and dogs.
- The goal of life is to search out God and your relationship with God.
- Sambandha, what is our connection with God. That is called sambandha. And then abhidheya. According to that relationship we have to act. That is called abhidheya. And why do we act. Because we have got the goal of life, to achieve the goal of life.
- They do not know that, My svartha, my interest, my goal of life, is to love, to find out God and to love Him. That is my real interest.
Returning Home, Back to Godhead
The culmination of all spiritual endeavor is pure devotional service. Śrīla Prabhupāda states clearly that the goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence, and the spiritual master helps the disciple attain this stage by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The actual interest of all living entities, and indeed the goal of life, is to return home, back to Godhead, which is the true interest of oneself, one's family, countrymen, and all humanity. The execution of duties to attain this perfection is known as devotional service, and in maturity such devotional service becomes love of God, the factual goal of life for every living being. Ultimately, the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, and go back to Him, which is the absolute goal of life.
- The goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord Krsna so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence. The spiritual master helps the disciple attain this stage by developing Krsna consciousness.
- The actual interest of all living entities - indeed, the goal of life - is to return home, back to Godhead. This is the interest of one's own self, one's wife, one's children, one's disciples and one's friends, relatives, countrymen and all humanity.
- The execution of duties to attain perfection is known as devotional service, and in maturity such devotional service becomes love of God, the factual goal of life for every living being.
- To understand Visnu, or Krsna, and go back to Him. That is the goal of life. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That is being taught in the Bhagavad-gita. This is the goal of life.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings provide a sobering critique of modern civilization and a glorious roadmap to spiritual perfection. As long as society remains enchanted by the false promises of material advancement and economic development, humanity will remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death, missing the very purpose of its existence. The human form is not meant for the endless struggle of bodily maintenance, but for inquiring into the Absolute Truth under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master or guru. By shifting our focus from temporary sense gratification to understanding our eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, we can cross beyond the miseries of this world. Ultimately, the true culmination of life is to become a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, allowing the soul to escape the material atmosphere entirely and return back home, back to Godhead.
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 Goal of Life. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.