Dharma, religious faith—everything is very punctual. One is going punctually to the church or to the temple and executing all ritualistic ceremonies very rigidly, following the rules and regulation. But at the end, if he has not developed love for God, then, Bhāgavata says, śrama eva hi kevalam: "This is simply laboring, formalities." Caste priest, caste gosvāmī, caste spiritual master—simply a formality. But the objective is not Kṛṣṇa. Objective is material happiness. That sort of religiosity or following the regulative principle will not help.
So Vyāsadeva says, jugupsitam: "This is abominable, because if you simply stick to that principle . . . you are authority. People will understand that this is religion, nothing more."
Na manyate tasya nivāraṇam janaḥ, yad-vākyataḥ. Nanu yad pravṛtti-mārga nindate 'tha nivṛtti-mārge sarva-kriyā-tyāgena parameśvara-sukhasya rūpe anubhuteḥ kiṁ tad yaśaḥ-kathānenāpi tatrāha vicakṣaṇaiti, vicakṣaṇa ati-nipunaḥ kaścid eva nivṛttitaḥ sarva-kriyā-nivṛttya, asya bibhaḥ sukhaṁ nirvikalpaka-sukhātmākaṁ svarūpaṁ vedituṁ jñātum arhati.
One may be very expert in the matter of executing religious performances, but that does not mean he can be elevated to the spiritual platform.
- vicakṣaṇo 'syārhati vedituṁ vibhor
- ananta-pārasya nivṛttitaḥ sukham
- pravartamānasya guṇair anātmanas
- tato bhavān darśaya ceṣṭitaṁ vibhoḥ
- (SB 1.5.16)
This may be little helpful to rise to the spiritual platform, but unless one is actually engaged in the service of the Lord, it cannot be achieved perfectly.