Both the Buddhist school and the Sankar school want to discover a place where one can live without labour. Buddha says that life itself is unnecessary; that there is in actuality no labour, no life, no existence. According to the Buddhist school, we can do away with our existence. It is a mania to keep up our existence in the struggling world, so we should do away with this mania. Why should we live at all? So, the Buddhists advocate nirvana, the cessation of existence.
And Sankar Acharya says, «Of course there is life, but this life is not desirable. We are always suffering from injury, and there is a force which is always diminishing us, and ultimately we die. We are challenged by slow death, slow poison.» It is true that life in the world of mortality is undesirable. Then, what is the solution? Sankar says that the endeavor to maintain one’s individual self is undesirable. There is no possibility of maintaining individuality and at the same time enjoying real peace, eternal peace. So, we shall have to give up the charm of individual life.
According to Sankar, there is one universal spirit, and that is a blissful conception. We are merely reflections of that. That spirit has been reflected everywhere. Somehow it has created this mysterious individual ego or consciousness. We must not be very eager to maintain this false ego; we must dissolve it. And when that is done, we shall find that only spirit remains.
In our present condition, there can be no cure to the disease of mortality. At every moment, we are losing ourselves in some way or other. This cannot be solved. But Buddha and Sankar have given only a partial understanding. But Srimad Bhagavatam says, «The proper solution is to practice abnegation, detachment from the environment, by seeing it in relation to the service of Krishna. That knowledge by which you can attain perfection while maintaining your own individuality, interest, and prospect is possible only with bhakti, devotion, dedication. By exploitation you have to die. And by abnegation you merge into a sort of zero (Viraja, Brahmaloka) in some unknown quarter, never to rise from there again. But I recommend the kind of renunciation and knowledge which is embraced by devotion, dedication to Krishna. If you accept that, then your inner self, your true self, can live forever in a happy life.»
Naiskarmyam means no pain of labour. A labour of love is the innate function of the soul. In our ordinary conception, labour carries a reaction. As we labour, things diminish and vanish, attacked by death. But these difficulties have all been eliminated by the recommendations given in Srimad Bhagavatam. Srimad Bhagavatam advocates vairagya and jnan embraced with bhakti, a life of dedication. Bhagavatam says, «Shake off exploitation and renunciation. You will not have to depend on them. They can be absorbed by dedication. Renunciation and knowledge are complete in devotion, and at the same time you can maintain your individuality. «
Srimad Bhagavatam has harmonised knowledge and renunciation by supplying their very life in devotion. Through devotion, we can maintain our individuality, our activity, our prospect, and at the same time find immense peace and ecstasy in life. Srimad Bhagavatam offers us a happy, eternal life simply by adding dedication to jnan and karma.
You will work, or energise; but it will not come under the jurisdiction of karma, which has a reaction. Your energy will be used for the Centre. Bhagavad-gita tells us, «Work only for the Centre; otherwise, you will be tied down with a reaction.» So, it has been made clear that a very laudable life is possible for us if we dedicate ourselves to the highest centre. That is neither dishonourable nor tiresome. Neither is it ignorance. So, we should take this course which Srimad Bhagavatam recommends for us.
If we are attentive to that and try to follow the advice coming from the real source, from real saintly persons, we will become properly adjusted; we will develop a proper understanding. And everything will be harmonised. One who has this realisation will be victorious over all possible suggestions or conceptions of knowledge. Only by devotion, by dedication to Krishna, can we very easily become free from ignorance in the world of suffering.
To be a devotee means to serve; service is everything. Our proper life is to be found in dedicating ourselves and in self-distribution, not self-aggrandisement. We can live in service. All difficulties will be removed if we take to the line of dedication. There we will find everything: our individuality, the most favourable environment, our highest prospect. Only our angle of vision should be changed. And that angle of vision should be acquired through the Centre. We must try to understand how everything will be seen in relation to the Centre. Whatever we see, we must try to study its position in accordance with the Centre. We must locate or calculate what its position is in relation to the Centre. And with that angle of vision, we may establish our relationship to anything. If we can develop this vision, we will get relief from all undesirability. This is the teaching of Srimad Bhagavatam.
This is the specialty of Bhagavat philosophy. It always tries to establish the conception of divine love, divine sentiment, and divine feeling above intellectualism and the mastery over energy. The masters of power and the masters of knowledge have no value if devoid of the master of love. On the other hand, if it is possible for one devoid of knowledge and power to enter into the area of love, his life is successful. His movement is no longer considered as reactionary labour (karma), and his knowledge is real knowledge about Krishna (sambandha-jnan). Real knowledge about Krishna, His paraphernalia and who is who in the spiritual world, is not within the jurisdiction of the knowledge that we can obtain by conducting scientific research. It is not like that; it is fulfilled in itself.
And Devarsi Narad came to Vedavyas to recommend to him, «You must introduce this very clearly in your present book. In the Vedas and Upanisads and in the Mahabharata, you have dealt previously with different aspects of knowledge and work. But it is not so clear. And now very clearly and definitely you should describe the success of life in its fullest form, independent of knowledge and energy.» It is possible to reinstate ourselves with our lost wealth independent of energy and intellectual research.