If you become devotee of Vāsudeva, bhaja vāsudevam, then very quickly you will become jñānavān. First of all, one becomes jñānavān; then he surrenders to Vāsudeva. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is one process. Another process is you become a devotee of Vāsudeva, then jñāna, vairāgya will automatically come. You'll . . . because the human life, the perfection of human life, is to accept jñāna and vairāgya. That is perfection. In our Vedic civilization, this is the process, perfection.
There are different stages of life: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So what is the sannyāsa law? Sannyāsa means perfection: jñāna and vairāgya. Who can take sannyāsa, renounced order, unless he has got full knowledge? As Śaṅkarācārya explains, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Unless one understands fully that, "Our these material engagements, they are simply waste of time . . ." He can attain perfection knowledge. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya (SB 1.2.12). Unless there is perfection of knowledge, jñāna, there cannot be vairāgya. And unless there is vairāgya, unless you become detestful of this material existence, there is no question of liberation. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya.
So this jñāna and vairāgya can be achieved simply by becoming a devotee of Vāsudeva. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Āśu vairāgya: very soon. Just like these boys, these American, these European boys, they are young men. Now they have taken sannyāsa and dedicated their life for service of Kṛṣṇa. They are vairāgya. They are coming from opulent nation, very rich men, rich nation. Their parents are very rich. There is no scarcity of food. There is no scarcity of money. There is no scarcity of women in the Western countries. But they have left everything. Simply boys. They are all within thirty. How much a young man may have propensities for enjoying this material way of life! And when there is facilities. But how they have taken to it? This is the proof.
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
- janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
- jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
- (SB 1.2.7)
This is proof.
So actually if we want jñāna and knowledge . . . because human life is meant for jñāna and knowledge. Human life is not meant for living like animals, cats and dogs. Cats and dogs cannot be elevated to the platform of jñāna and vairāgya. That is not possible. A human being can be elevated by education, by culture, to the platform of jñāna and vairāgya. That is the ultimate goal.