“This life” can refer to both the duration of our present life and our present conception of life.

When referring to our lifespan, “there’s more to life than this life” means that our life doesn’t end with death. Though we treat our life as meaningful, death’s suddenness can make our life seem meaningless. A blow or a bug can destroy our fragile bodies. No wonder when death abruptly befalls someone, especially someone we know closely, we feel shocked. Our shock is not just because we have lost that person, but also because our whole life conception feels threatened. We are brought face-to-face with the dubiousness of the assumption of meaningfulness that allows us to live and pursue as worthwhile the various goals that society sets for us.

We are brought face-to-face with the dubiousness of the assumption of meaningfulness that allows us to live and pursue as worthwhile the various goals that society sets for us.

Gita wisdom assures us that life is indeed meaningful. Death doesn’t make life meaningless because death doesn’t end life. Life comes from the soul, which, the Bhagavad-gita (02.18) declares, is eternal. Instead of misidentifying with our bodily shell, we need to identify with our spiritual core, thereby changing our conception of life.

When referring to our present life-conception, “there’s more to life than this life” refers to the limitedness and hollowness of the pursuit of worldly pleasures, possessions and positions – pursuits that usually define our life. “This life” given to materialistic pursuits can never satisfy our heart’s innate longing for love. We long for not just love, but love that lasts – and lasts forever. And that longing can be fulfilled only when we embrace a spiritual life-conception.

When we truly understand our spiritual identity, we naturally direct our loving propensity towards the eternal supreme person, Krishna. In loving him and redefining our worldly pursuits as modes of loving service to him, we gradually relish the supreme love that makes our life meaningful and joyful, eternally.

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