View source for There are many mahatmas, many yogis, jnanis, karmis. They're all good. But if they do not approach the ultimate goal of life - means approaching Vasudeva - then srama eva hi kevalam

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{{terms|"There are many mahatmas, many yogis, jnanis, karmis. They're all good. But if they do not approach the ultimate goal of life"|"means approaching Vasudeva"|"then srama eva hi kevalam"}}
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[[Category:There Are Many]]
[[Category:Mahatma]]
[[Category:Yogi]]
[[Category:Jnani]]
[[Category:Karmi]]
[[Category:they Are]]
[[Category:All Good]]
[[Category:but]]
[[Category:Do Not]]
[[Category:Approach]]
[[Category:Ultimate Goal of Life]]
[[Category:means]]
[[Category:Vasudeva]]
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB122829VrndavanaNovember81972_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="97" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972">
<div class="heading">There are many mahātmās, many yogis, jñānīs, karmīs. They're all good. But if they do not approach the ultimate goal of life—means approaching Vāsudeva—then śrama eva hi kevalam.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972|Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)</p>
:vāsudeva-parā vedā
:vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ
:vāsudeva-parā yogā
:vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ
:vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ
:vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ
:vāsudeva-paro dharmo
:vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ
:(SB 1.2.28-29)
<p>Translation: "In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion (dharma) is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 7.19|BG 7.19]]). The same verse, in the Bhagavad-gītā, is explained here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā:</p>
:bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
:jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
:vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
:sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ
:([[Vanisource:BG 7.19|BG 7.19]])
<p>There are many mahātmās, many yogis, jñānīs, karmīs. They're all good. But if they do not approach the ultimate goal of life—means approaching Vāsudeva—then śrama eva hi kevalam.</p>
:dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
:viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
:notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
:śrama eva hi kevalam
:([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.8|SB 1.2.8]])
<p>You can execute your religious principles, you can execute dharma-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyāḥ. Charity. Dharma, dāna. You can execute severe austerities, penances. But if you do not approach Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then the śāstra says, śrama eva hi kevalam. In another place it is said, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra). If you can approach Vāsudeva, Hari... Vāsudeva, Hari, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—the same. Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Vāsudeva has got ananta-rūpam. Ananta-rūpam means... This is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Just like if you sit down by the side of a river and the, the waves are flowing, you cannot count how many waves are going on in your front, similarly, how many forms are there of Vāsudeva, that is very difficult to count.</p>
:advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam
:ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
:vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
:govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
:(Bs. 5.33)
<p>Absolute Truth is one, advaita. Advaita is one. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized in three phases: Brahman, impersonal Brahman; localized Paramātmā; and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are one.</p>
:vadanti tat tattva-vidas
:tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
:brahmeti paramātmeti
:bhagavān iti śabdyate
:([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.11|SB 1.2.11]])
<p>The Absolute Truth is one. One who knows the Absolute Truth, he knows that Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, the same objective, but they are realized by different devotees or different knower in different features. The example is given in this connection: Just like if you see from a very distant place one hill, you'll find just like a cloud, hazy cloud. If you push forward further you'll find something green. But when you actually approach the hill, you'll find there are many houses, many animals, many trees, varieties. So the Absolute Truth, when it is realized by our limited understanding, the Absolute Truth appears as nirviśeṣa, impersonal Brahman. Similarly, when we try to meditate upon the Absolute Truth within our heart, He appears as Paramātmā. Yogis... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 12.13.1|SB 12.13.1]]). But at the ultimate issue, He's Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, origin. Advaitam acyutam anādim. Anādi: Kṛṣṇa has no source. He's the original source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ  ([[Vanisource:BG 10.8|BG 10.8]]). These things are there.</p>
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