Prabhupāda: There are so many persons following their own principles of religious, ritualistic performances, but . . .
(break) . . . by remaining in the same standard. They are not improving. Spiritual life, or religious life, means that one should make advance towards back to home, back to Godhead, not that religious life should be followed to make some material improvement. That is not religious life.
Dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Adi 1.90): these are the principles for elevating a living entity to the highest platform. But they have taken it, generally . . . they perform religious ritualistic performances for getting some more money, artha. Of course, we require some money for our maintenance; that is necessary. But if we simply perform ritualistic performances to acquire money only, that is misguided.
Generally people do so. They give in charity so that they may get more money. They open dharmaśālās so that they can get more houses. That is their purpose. Or they may be elevated to the heavenly kingdom. Because they do not know what is his actual interest. The actual interest is to go back to home, go back to Godhead. This idea, perhaps not even one percent men know that the ultimate end of, ultimate goal of life is to go back to home, back to Godhead.
Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31)—Viṣṇu, God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They do not know that the real interest is to go back home, go back to Godhead. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They have accepted that "We shall be happy by adjusting this material world." Therefore they cannot make any progress.
Actually, religion does not mean to improve your material condition. That is not religion. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata therefore says that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6): "That type of religion is first class which elevates one to the platform of pure devotional service to the Absolute Truth." That is religion.
People are not attracted to the bhāgavata-dharma, or the religion. Bhāgavata-dharma is actually sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma does not mean that one must have a certain type of religious life. Sanātana-dharma means the eternal religion. Sanātana-dharma is applicable for all living entities. A living entity is eternal, God is eternal, and there is an eternal abode also.
Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So the religious principles which promote a follower to the highest platform of serving the eternal, supreme God, that is called sanātana-dharma. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is first-class religion.
Therefore here it is said, naikāntikam. Naikāntikaṁ tad dhi kṛte 'pi niṣkṛte (SB 6.2.12). Even one becomes free from all contamination of sinful life by prosecuting the particular type of religious principles, that is not sufficient, because ultimately it cannot give any good result.