Real mission

Expressions researched:
"real mission"

SB Canto 3

The highest goal of human life is puruṣārtha,devotional service to the Lord, the highest goal of human life is puruṣārtha, devotional service to the Lord, the real mission of life.

SB 3.5.14, Purport: According to this class of men, who are situated in pure devotional service to the Lord, the highest goal of human life is puruṣārtha, devotional service to the Lord, the real mission of life. The impersonalists, because they engage in mental speculation and have no faith in the Personality of Godhead, have no business hearing the topics of Kṛṣṇa. Such persons are pitiable for the first-class pure devotees of the Lord.

SB Canto 5

Those great kings could not even conquer the false consciousness of "I am this body, and this is my property." Thus they simply created enmity with rival kings, fought with them and died without having discharged life's real mission.

SB 5.14.40, Translation and Purport: There were many great saintly kings who were very expert in performing sacrificial rituals and very competent in conquering other kingdoms, yet despite their power they could not attain the loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is because those great kings could not even conquer the false consciousness of "I am this body, and this is my property." Thus they simply created enmity with rival kings, fought with them and died without having discharged life's real mission. The real mission of life for the conditioned soul is to reestablish the forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in devotional service so that he may revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness after giving up the body. One doesn't have to give up his occupation as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra or whatever. In any position, while discharging his prescribed duty, one can develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by associating with devotees who are representatives of Kṛṣṇa and who can teach this science. Regretfully, the big politicians and leaders in the material world simply create enmity and are not interested in spiritual advancement. Material advancement may be very pleasing to an ordinary man, but ultimately he is defeated because he identifies himself with the material body and considers everything related to it to be his property. This is ignorance. Actually nothing belongs to him, not even the body. By one's karma, one gets a particular body, and if he does not utilize his body to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all his activities are frustrated.

SB Canto 9

The real mission of human life is to get free from encagement in the material body.

SB 9.19.20, Purport: The living entity is a spiritual soul, and the material body is his encagement. This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

"As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change." (Bg. 2.13) The real mission of human life is to get free from encagement in the material body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa descends to teach the conditioned soul about spiritual realization and how to become free from material bondage.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The real mission of life: how to go back to Kṛṣṇa, how to go back to Vaikuṇṭha-loka, the spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972: The real mission of life: how to go back to Kṛṣṇa, how to go back to Vaikuṇṭha-loka, the spiritual world. That is real mission. But that we do not know; therefore is most confidential. People do not know it that there is another world, the spiritual world, there is Vaikuṇṭha-loka. This, this material world is one-fourth creation. Atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna ekāṁśena viṣṭabhya aham kṛṣṇena. This material world is maintained as one-fourth of the creation. The three-fourths of the creation is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāva anyaḥ [Bg. 8.20]. There is another nature. So we do not know that. There is no education. We are simply interested with this one planet. There are so many material planet, but above that there is another, spiritual world, and there are innumerable spiritual planets also. They are called Vaikuṇṭha-loka, and the topmost Vaikuṇṭha-loka is Goloka Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇaloka.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So the mission of human life is to get out of these clutches of māyā. That is the real mission of life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in front of whom we are now speaking, he gave us the definition how one can make progress in spiritual life. Everyone is blind after material way of life. So the mission of human life is to get out of these clutches of māyā. That is the real mission of life. We are missing the point. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke [SB 10.84.13]. We are accepting this body as everything. And the modern civilization means to enjoy bodily comforts as much as possible. That is perfection of civilization. No. That is not perfection of civilization. That they do not know. Especially the demons, the nondevotees, they do not know.

They say that "We are devotees of goddess Kālī." Their real mission is to eat meat.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969: The point is that although in the Vedic scripture there is recommendation that animal sacrifice allowed, but that is not meant for killing. That is giving a new life. So when this animal sacrifice was going on simply for eating, simply for eating... Just like in a particular mission they say that "We are devotees of goddess Kālī." Their real mission is to eat meat. Therefore they have become devotees of goddess Kālī. But actually, these sacrifices were not meant, as explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for killing the animals. That was to test the power, the strength, of the Vedic mantras. So Lord Buddha's movement was therefore started... When people began to eat meat like anything on the plea of Vedic sacrifice, so Lord Buddha, at that time—Lord Buddha means he's also incarnation of Kṛṣṇa—he appeared to stop this animal killing.

The karmīs, they are working, accumulating bank balance, more, more, more, more, more, more. But forgetting the real mission of life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972: Still, he is working hard. And the example is ass. The ass takes a morsel of grass. It is worth nothing. The ass can get anywhere the morsel of grass. But still, he thinks that the washerman is feeding me. So he remains there. And in Mexico you found some asses, carrying loads. So they are carrying loads, very heavy loads, tons, for that morsel of grass, which he can get anywhere. But he thinks, "Oh, I will die. If my master does not give me a morsel of grass, I will die. So let me remain here and carry all the big loads." You see. Similarly, the karmīs, they remain at home. They think that "My wife, my children, my family—without them, I shall die. So I have to work to maintain them like an ass." That's all. The karmīs, they are working, accumulating bank balance, more, more, more, more, more, more. But forgetting the real mission of life. Therefore ass. Ass means fool. Whenever one man is called, "You are ass," that means he's a fool.

Those who are in charge of religion, the priestly order or the maulanis (?) or the brāhmaṇas, they're the same order, their duty is to keep people enlightened in the real mission of life. That is their duty.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Honolulu, May 24, 1976: So everyone is engaged in so-called duties but forget the real duty. This is called māyā. By the spell of māyā we forget what is the objective of life, what is the aim of life. This is called māyā. We are thinking this is our duty. No. Real duty in the human form of life is here is a chance whether you want to go to home to back to Godhead or again you want to go to hell, the repetition of birth and death. That is your choice. Otherwise why there are so many scriptures, religious system, all over the world? It is not only in India. According to the capacity of understanding, in every civilized human society there is a system called religion. It may be Hindu religion, Christian religion or Buddha religion—these are major religious systems—but the aim is how to make a solution of the problems of life. That... But because they do not seriously discuss nowadays the religious propensity, tendency of the human society decrease. It has become a also money-making business. The priestly order, they think that "As others make some money by working hard, by professional or by doing some business or working, so we shall also earn some money by showing the church or temple or the mosque." They have taken it like that. Therefore people have lost faith in religion. This is the reason. Because those who are in charge of the religious department, the brāhmaṇas, those who are in charge of religion, the priestly order or the maulanis (?) or the brāhmaṇas, they're the same order, their duty is to keep people enlightened in the real mission of life. That is their duty. But if they're also doing the same thing, sense gratification, how long they can cheat others? Therefore people have lost faith in religion. This is the reason. But that is not good.

Our real mission is how the human society will be happy.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Detroit, June 13, 1976: So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to establish this science. Our real mission is how the human society will be happy. That is the duty of all saintly persons. The, according to our paramparā system... Just like the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were very exalted personalities, minister in government. Still, they resigned from the service and joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. That is the history. All the direct disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they were very big personalities. Just like Rūpa, Sanātana. They were minister. Then Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Dāsa Raghunātha. Raghunātha Dāsa, he was coming, more than minister. His father and uncle were the biggest zamindar, landlord, in those times. And he was the only son of the father and the uncle. Huge estate, beautiful wife, everything—he left and joined this movement, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. Similarly, Gopal Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, he also coming from a very aristocratic brāhmaṇa family in South India. And Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī, in the learned circle, still, in Bengal, they say such a big scholar and philosophy, there was none, and nobody expects a similar philosopher and learned scholar in the future. He was such a big personality, Jīva Gosvāmī. Big, big Māyāvādīs, they were afraid of Jīva Gosvāmī's logic and argument to establish the Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

So it is not... This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for very intelligent, high-class, fortunate persons. Because they are going to guide the destiny of the human society. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Their only endeavor is how people will be happy. This is their real mission. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore asked to "Take this mission and go village to village, town to town, and spread My mission." pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

So you young Americans, you have taken a very great mission, and the system we have introduced, to go in the vans, buses and village to village, town to town. And if you keep strictly on the principles and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then your mission will be successful. There is no doubt about it.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

So our aim should be how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the real mission of human life.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973: So our aim should be how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the real mission of human life. Because after... Asatiṁś cāturaṁś caiva lakṣaṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu. There are 8,400,000 species of life. After evolving, we have come to this human form of life. Tad apy viphalā jātaḥ. So if we do not understand Govinda, govinda-caraṇa-dvayam, then it is viphalā. It is simply misused. The modern civilization, they do not know this. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for educating people that "You are simply wasting your time." "No. I am doing my duty." The people say, "This is my..." The doctor says, "I am doing my duty." The engineer says, "I am doing my duty." The father says, "I am doing my duty." The mother says, "I am doing my duty." That's all right. But Bhāgavata says, "Thank you very much, that you are doing your duty."

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed ratiṁ yadi

śrama eva hi kevalam

[SB 1.2.8]

"You are doing your duty very nice. That's all right. But by doing your duty, if you do not develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are simply wasting your time."

So these people, they do not know. They are thinking that "We are doing our duty." What is this nonsense duty? Real duty is to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are missing that point, the so-called duty is simply wasting.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is our real mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Everyone is now wearing these "Double It" buttons. The whole movement is simply thinking of doubling book distribution, doubling it.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is our real mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. That's all. This is the opportunity of speaking the words given by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana or Kṛṣṇa are the same. So that's all right. No more talking.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.

1970 Correspondence

You have rightly appreciated my real mission, that whatever I have learned from Guru Maharaja I want to present to the English speaking public.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 4 November, 1970: You have rightly appreciated my real mission, that whatever I have learned from Guru Maharaja I want to present to the English speaking public. Therefore I've tried to present these Vedic literatures in such a way that the common man will be able to appreciate and understand them. Both you and your brother have always helped me in this mission. Now continue to help me in that way.

1971 Correspondence

Try to avoid too much business as this distracts us from our real mission.

Letter to Lalita Kumar -- Delhi 15 November, 1971: I am in due receipt of your letter (undated), and I am very encouraged by the progress you are making to lead the citizens of your community, Wilmington, on the transcendental path back to Home, back to Godhead. Because you are very sincere and enthusiastic boy, and very intelligent also, Krishna has give you this position of leadership in His army, to win the war with Maya and establish Krishna Consciousness as the perfect way of life for every living entity. If you simply push on this one activity of distributing my books, your all success will be there. I have hatched this "transcendental plot" for getting money by selling my books, and if we stick only to this plan, and use our brain for selling books, there will easily be sufficient money. I have recently informed the GBC to allow each temple to keep 25% of the money they collect from direct book and magazine sales for temple maintenance, 75% to be sent to Book Fund. Supposing you can sell 800 dollars a week worth of literature (retail price). Will not 200 dollars weekly be sufficient for food and rent? If not, increase book sales, or, until things are adjusted in this way, supplement in other ways, but try to avoid too much business as this distracts us from our real mission. If Krishna sees that we are very active to spread information about Him, He is Master of the Goddess of Fortune, He will give everything!

1973 Correspondence

That's all right, that is our real mission, to deliver the world by preaching Krsna's message to others, but even higher realization, the highest realization, is to save oneself.

Letter to Ramesvara -- India 9 January, 1973: Understanding is one thing, and practical application of that understanding is another. But as devotees of Krsna, being engaged in the practical work of spreading Krsna consciousness, that is already the highest realization. That's all right, that is our real mission, to deliver the world by preaching Krsna's message to others, but even higher realization, the highest realization, is to save oneself.