An ultimate goal, a supreme benefit which trumps all others, is a concept overlooked by philosophers who expound theories other than complete and full surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In order for a benediction to be considered superior, the duration of its existence must be longer than that of any other benefit and the reward itself must also provide greater bliss than any other type of enjoyment. Immediate satisfaction is referred to as preyas in Sanskrit, and the ultimate goal is referred to as shreyas. Only the philosophers following the line of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, touch on shreyas because bhakti is the only discipline which speaks to the eternal nature of the soul, an intrinsic property that the individual is never divorced from.
“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna speaking to Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.12)
The skeptic will say, “What proof do you have that the soul doesn’t die with the body? Can you prove that the soul existed in a body previous to its current one?” Aside from the visual proof of the current body – a form which completely changes from the time of youth to the time of adulthood, with the identity of the individual remaining intact throughout – there is obvious evidence gathered from the nature of matter and its workings. No amount of chemicals can create a life on their own. The body parts, including the hair and nails, are dull and lifeless without the spirit soul within. Proof of this is seen when these appendages and external coverings are separated from the internal spark. They immediately decay and become useless. Therefore we can’t conclude that matter and chemicals are the be all and end all.
“That knowledge by which a different type of living entity is seen to be dwelling in different bodies is knowledge in the mode of passion.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.21)
A simple example that supports this claim is the lifestyle of the child. As is well understood, small children usually have no desire to work, go to school, or act responsibly. They simply want to play all day. They want their toys and they want them now. This is the typical example of preyas, wherein immediate satisfaction is desired. If such satisfaction isn’t received, the child will cry. Now, will a good parent encourage such behavior for any extended period of time? Will they allow the pursuit of immediate satisfaction to continue uninterrupted? A good parent surely will not. Eventually the child will be enrolled in school and strict limits on behavior will be imposed. This isn’t done to thwart the blissful nature of the child, but rather, to ensure their future happiness. A parent knows that simply playing all day is not good for the child, for in adulthood they will have to be educated enough to hold down a steady job.
The Vedic seers, those who have attained true shreyas, understand that such philosophies actually seek preyas, or short-term goals, with the reason being that the time allotted for the enjoyment of the perceived ultimate goal in these activities is still very small in the grand scheme of things. One’s historical perspective begins from the day they were born. We tend to think that the first time we saw a television, automobile, or computer was the first time those particular objects existed. In reality, material life has been going on long before we took birth. In the big picture, our time on earth is miniscule.
The ultimate objectives of a happy and peaceful family life and increased sense gratification through acquisition of material objects are seen as preyas because the body ultimately has to be discarded. We are all bound to die at some point, so true shreyas can only deal with the future plight of the soul. This is where bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, comes into play. Just as the soul is eternal, so is its ideal companion. Though the eternal well-wishing friend is addressed by different names by different people, He is indeed the most attractive, blissful, and pleasure-giving entity. This makes sense because if the soul is going to spend eternity with someone, the complementary entity must be one who can provide the greatest pleasure. In romantic affairs, the concept of a soul mate applies to a significant other who sparks an interest in the heart and provides bliss, excitement, and satisfaction. The Supreme Companion, that one person who gives the soul the greatest satisfaction, proves to be the most sublime lover.
“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 8.15)
The key to associating with Krishna is having the right consciousness. A person’s activities drive their mindset, which then forms their consciousness. At the time of death, this consciousness is measured by the higher authorities, who in turn decide where the soul will end up next. When thoughts and desires are fixed on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, immediate ascension to the spiritual realm is granted. Not only does the soul ascend to a planetary system that it never has to exit, but it also gets to remain in Krishna’s association forever.
Consciousness is the key to happiness, as it can provide bliss and pleasure to a person while they are still in their present body. Unlike other philosophies which promise a utopian ideal in the future, wherein there is no anger, resentment, hatred, frustration, etc., the discipline of devotional service, or Krishna consciousness, actually delivers all the promised benefits. With other systems, there is certainly a benefit achieved, but the results aren’t everlasting. For example, we can acquire all the wealth in the world and own hundreds of lavish homes, but the mind will still be at work. Frustration is the result of unmet desires. Defeat in the area of sense gratification then leads to anger, resentment, hatred, and the loss of rationality. Such a condition cannot be considered favorable by any fair estimation, therefore the philosophy which led to it must also be considered defective.
Rival philosophers and spiritualists will argue that chanting by itself is not enough, for it does nothing to increase one’s knowledge or level of renunciation. Though such an argument seems like it has merit, one must understand what the purpose is of knowledge and renunciation. Just as the educated student eventually uses their acquired knowledge for their benefit, the knowledge and renunciation achieved in the spiritual field similarly must lead to something. That tangible result is the perfect state of mind: God consciousness. But if one simply chants Hare Krishna all the time and maintains a simple lifestyle, they are essentially achieving the perfect state of consciousness without any extraneous endeavor towards knowledge or renunciation. Knowledge must have a goal, for simply having an education is useless. One may have a law or medical degree, but if they are not steadily practicing, their high education really has no value. In a similar manner, knowledge of spiritual matters must lead to a shift in consciousness; otherwise the information acquired is not put to good use.
Any activity of bhakti-yoga, be it chanting, hearing, worshiping, or remembering, automatically has retraction built into it. If one is regularly hearing from the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita in all sincerity, they aren’t eating meat, drinking alcohol, or engaging in illicit sex. On the other side, if a person is refraining from sinful activities, but hearing about sense gratification or even simply sitting in an empty room, their consciousness remains an open target for attack by the forces of ignorance driven by the illusory energy known as maya.
