vedesu
yajnesu tapahsu ca eva
daneshu
yat punyaphalam pradistam
atyeti
tat sarvam idam viditva
yogi
param sthanam upaiti ca adyam
“Whatever desirable
rewards are visualized by the ignorant “worldly-wise” in (a) performing rituals
ordained in the Vedic scriptures, (b) in performing Yagnas, (c) in performing
misguided disciplines not beneficial to the spiritual good of the person and
(d) in materially helping others, a true Yogi or Gopi, knowing that such means
as well as rewards are perishable and illusive, will dedicate life to spiritual
goals and attain the eternal beginningless supreme state beyond speech, conceptions
and feelings.” – Gita 8:28
The ultimate and true
purpose of human life is to realize that we are identical to God. We should
always keep this goal in mind for our precious life is ticking away.
In the Gita,
we learn that there are essentially three gradual stages through which the
mankind passes:
(1) Tamas is characterized by negligence,
carelessness, delusion, laziness, sleep and a gross life.
(2) Rajas characterized by lust,
greed, attachment, desires, jealousy, anger, self-righteousness, self-love,
ownership and host of other vices that are more predominant in today's life.
(3) Satva characterized by the awakening of the pure conscious, purity of the body, mind and
speech, dedication to the Truth as truth is, perfect surrender to the will
of God, recognizing the necessity of loving God and performing the present
duties with cheerfulness and total annihilation of ego.
This shloka directs us to
our ultimate good while advising that rajasik people may perform these
acts for the rewards, but the rewards are perishable and will turn to ashes just as we turn
to ashes. But if these acts are performed without expecting "perishable, heavenly and
worldly" pleasures, we may pass through the satvic state and ultimately leave the
bondage of all three states by reaching the ultimate.
Scaffolding may be necessary
for the construction of buildings and bridges but we must remove them after their
purpose is served, otherwise the very instruments we used would become obstacles to our goal. The purpose of rituals must be understood and the
harm and limited good they can do must be known if a person has any semblance of
true wisdom. Let a child use an aid when learning to walk, but it must grow up
in the process and learn to walk on its own legs. Let rituals appeal to us in
our early state of childishness and ignorance, but we must become Mira or Radha
sooner or later if this human birth is of any value.
This human life is the only
opportunity to realize that we are not different from God. There is no
happiness in the perishable. We should pray to the Lord that He/She may grant
us the pure wisdom, faith and love to understand His/Her message and execute
accordingly before it is too late, when no tears or regrets will be of any
help.
O wise Gopi! Wake-up, arise
and having studied Gita, Mira's Guru, shoot for the Highest.
-- Swami Radhanandaji
Scriptural Wisdom 
