TEXT 21
sastresv iyan eva suniscito nrnam
ksemasya sadhryag-vimrsesu hetuh
asanga atma-vyatirikta atmani
drdha ratir brahmani nirgune ca ya
SYNONYMS
sastresuin the scriptures; iyan evathis is only; su-niscitahpositively concluded; nrnamof human society; ksemasyaof the ultimate welfare; sadhryakperfectly; vimrsesuby full consideration; hetuhcause; asangahdetachment; atma-vyatiriktethe bodily concept of life; atmaniunto the Supreme Soul; drdhastrong; ratihattachment; brahmanitranscendence; nirgunein the Supreme, who is beyond the material modes; caand; yawhich.
TRANSLATION
It has been conclusively decided in the scriptures, after due consideration, that the ultimate goal for the welfare of human society is detachment from the bodily concept of life and increased and steadfast attachment for the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental, beyond the modes of material nature.
PURPORT
Everyone in human society is engaged for the ultimate benefit of life, but persons who are in the bodily conception cannot achieve the ultimate goal, nor can they understand what it is. The ultimate goal of life is described in Bhagavad-gita (2.59). param drstva nivartate. When one finds out the supreme goal of life, he naturally becomes detached from the bodily concept. Here in this verse the indication is that one has to steadfastly increase attachment for the Transcendence (brahmani). As confirmed in the Vedanta-sutra (1.1.1), athato brahma jijnasa: without inquiry about the Supreme, or the Transcendence, one cannot give up attachment for this material world. By the evolutionary process in because in all those species of life, the bodily conception is very prominent. Athato brahma jijnasa means that in order to get out of the bodily conception, one has to increase attachment to or inquiry about Brahman. Then he can be situated in the transcendental devotional servicesravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. To increase attachment for Brahman means to engage in devotional service. Those who are attached to the impersonal form of Brahman cannot remain attached for very long. Impersonalists, after rejecting this world as mithya, or false (jagan mithya), come down again to this jagan mithya, although they take sannyasa to increase their attachment for Brahman. Similarly, many yogis who are attached to the localized aspect of Brahman as Paramatmagreat sages like Visvamitraalso fall down as victims of women. Therefore increased attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is advised in all sastras. That is the only way of detachment from material existence and is explained in Bhagavad-gita (2.59) as param drstva nivartate. One can cease material activities when he actually has the taste for devotional service. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended love of Godhead as the ultimate goal of life (prema pum-artho mahan). Without increasing love of Godhead, one cannot achieve the perfectional stage of the transcendental position.

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