We all have certain goals: positions, possessions, relations. Such goals are worthier than wantonly sensual goals. Yet while pursuing such worldly goals honorably or even after achieving them, we soon feel a gnawing sense of emptiness: “Isn’t there something more to life?”

There is indeed, Gita wisdom explains. We are at our core eternal souls, who are parts of the whole, the all-attractive Supreme, Krishna. We long for eternal fulfilment, but everything worldly is temporary. That’s why attaining worldly things, even by honorable means, brings only some fleeting titillation, no enduring satisfaction.

Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (02.44) states that those who try to get worldly pleasures don’t get fulfillment – their consciousness is abducted and dominated by the insatiable craving for more worldly pleasures.

Indeed, satisfaction eludes not just irreligious materialists but also pious materialists. This Gita section (02.39-53) contrasts attached piety, whose results are temporary (02.42-43), with informed spirituality, whose results are eternal (02.40). Worldly goals, even if worthy, are not worth losing the worthiest goal: eternal joy in pure love for our all-loving Lord. Understanding this, when we rise beyond worldly duality to transcendental spirituality, we find fulfillment in realizing who we are spiritually, not in increasing what we have materially (02.45).

While pursuing worldly goals, whenever we experience emptiness and seek something higher, Gita wisdom stands ready to point us to the worthiest goal. Better still, if we let the Gita equips us right from the beginning, we become astute enough to ensure that the good doesn’t become the enemy of the best – that piety doesn’t distract us from devotional spirituality.

Bhakti-yoga helps us use our worldly abilities not for gaining worldly possession but for making devotional contribution and seeking Krishna’s satisfaction. Thus, we go beyond temporary pious material enjoyment to eternal transcendental spiritual fulfillment.


To know more about this verse, please click on the image
Explanation of article:

Podcast:

Download by “right-click and save”