Without Knowing and Loving God - That Is Not Religion
In today's world, the term "religion" is often used to describe a wide variety of faiths, rituals, and sectarian identities. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda systematically strips away these superficial definitions to reveal the absolute standard of spiritual life. He emphasizes that true religion is not a man-made concoction, a temporary faith, or a tool for material advancement. Any system that fails to teach the science of knowing, loving, and surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is simply a cheating religion.
Rejecting Changeable Faith
Many people believe that religion is simply a matter of personal belief, allowing them to switch from one faith to another depending on their circumstances. Śrīla Prabhupāda corrects this misconception, explaining that true dharma is the eternal, inseparable characteristic of the soul, which cannot be changed like a piece of clothing.
- Today you are Muslim. Tomorrow you can become Christian. You can change your faith. But that is not religion. Change of faith or accepting some faith, that is not religion. Religion means which you cannot change.
- What is depending on faith, that is not dharma, that is not religion. The quality which you cannot change, that is religion.
- Faith, you may have faith something. I may have faith something. I may believe you or you may not believe me. That is not religion. Religion "I do not believe in God."
- Religion does not mean that you stamp some stereotype religion, "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Buddhist," and then fight. That is not religion. That is fanaticism. Religion means how one has become devoted to God.
Dismissing Man-Made Dogma
A common modern philosophy asserts that all spiritual paths and concocted ideas are equally valid. Śrīla Prabhupāda vigorously rejects this nonsense, stating that religion consists solely of the laws given directly by God. Human beings do not possess the authority to manufacture their own religious systems.
- Nobody can create religious principle. A man cannot create. That is not possible. Any religious system which is created by man, that is not religion. Religion means what is created by God. That is religion.
- Religion means the law which is given by God, and if you follow, then your life is successful. This is religion. Religion is not that concocted, you manufacture some religion. That is not religion.
- Dharma means what is given to you by the Supreme Lord, that is dharma. Otherwise, if you manufacture some ritualistic ceremonies, some formulas, some dogma, that is cheating. That is not religion.
- It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat: "As many ways there are, they are all perfect." That somebody said that, "To cut throat is my religion," that is also accepted. But that is not religion.
The Necessity of Knowing God
How can one practice a religion without knowing the central figure of worship? Śrīla Prabhupāda points out the absurdity of following a godless religion or holding only a vague idea of the Supreme Lord, emphasizing that a clear conception of God is the fundamental prerequisite for true spiritual life.
- In religion, a godless religion, where there is no conception of God, that is not religion. That is called cheating religion. In the name of religion, but there is no conception of God. That is not religion.
- Religion can be performed by a person who has full conception of God. Without God, religion is a farce. That is not religion. Religion means you must have obligation to God, you must have clear conception of God.
- If you do not know what is God, where is the question of loving Him? So that is not religion. It is going on in the name of religion. But religion means to know God and to love Him. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam.
- Everyone, all nonsense rascals, silent. He does not know what is God. And what is his religion? If you do not know what is God, a vague idea, that is not religion. You must know what is God.
Condemning Animal Killing and Material Motives
Many people use religion as a cloak to justify their cruel habits or to pray for material opulence. Śrīla Prabhupāda makes it clear that any system that sanctions animal killing or focuses merely on improving one's worldly comforts is nothing more than barbarism and sense gratification disguised as piety.
- Any religion where pasu-ghatam is there, that is not religion. That is not religion. That is simply barbarianism, under the name of religion.
- Religion where there is no discrimination of foodstuff, what is that religion? What is that religion? This is fanaticism. That is not religion. Religion is to understand God. And one cannot understand God, the purest of all pure, unless one is pure.
- People's real business is how to satisfy their senses. "If for satisfying my senses I'll have to pose myself as a religious person, so let me do that." That is their religion. But that is not religion. Real religion is no sense satisfaction.
- Religion does not mean to improve your material condition. That is not religion.
The Ultimate Definition: Surrender
Ultimately, the purpose of religion is to reestablish the soul's eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that any religious system that does not teach the living entity to completely surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a cheating religion and must be rejected.
- Actual philosophy is this: the religion means surrender to Krsna. Anything else which does not surrender to Krsna, that is not religion. That is rejected in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo: all cheating religion is rejected.
- Dharma-samsthapanarthaya: "I come to reestablish the religious principles." But again He says, sarva-dharman parityajya, parityajya that any religion which does not teach how to surrender to God, that is not religion.
- You simply surrender unto Me." That is religion. That is real religion. All other, any other religion which does not teach how to surrender unto God, that is pretension. That is not religion. According to Vedic understanding, this is religion.
- I have already explained what is meaning of religion. Religion means to render service to God. If you do not render service to God, that is not religion; that is cheating.
Conclusion
To achieve the true goal of human life, one must abandon all false conceptions of spirituality. Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully cuts down the illusions of modern society, proving that a faith that can be changed, a system manufactured by human speculation, or a process aimed at material comfort is definitively not religion. Furthermore, any practice that ignores the Supreme Lord or endorses the cruelty of animal killing is nothing but a cheating religion designed for sense gratification. True religion, or dharma, is the eternal, unbreakable relationship between the soul and God. It means strictly following the laws given by Kṛṣṇa, developing a pure love for Him, and completely surrendering to His will. By rejecting what is not religion, the sincere soul is guided safely to the ultimate perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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 That is not Religion. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.