So we must take to religious system. That is humanity. You take any religion system, but you must know what is the aim of religion, not that simply profess, "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." But what is the purpose of becoming religious? That you must know. That is intelligence. Simply don't be proud by saying that "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." That's all right, you have got some type of designation. But Bhāgavata says that system of religion is perfect. What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6): "That religion, that system of religion, is perfect." Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro. Paro means perfect, without any defect. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: "By which, by becoming follower of such religious system, if you become a devotee of God, that is perfect." He does not say that you become a Hindu or you become a Muslim or you become a Christian or Buddhist or any other thing. It is very liberal, that whatever system of religion you accept, there is no harm; that's all right. But see the result. What is the result? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: whether you have understood God and whether you have become a lover of God. Then your religion is perfect. Simply for stamping that 'I am Christian,' 'I am Hindu,' 'I am Muslim,' there is no profit. That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
- dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
- viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
- notpādayed ratiṁ yadi
- śrama eva hi kevalam
- (SB 1.2.8)
Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ, whatever religion you profess, it doesn't matter. And you are carrying out very nicely. According to the religious system, you are following the rules and regulation and doing everything. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām: "By carefully executing the religious principle," viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, "if you do not become anxious to understand more and more about God..." Viṣvaksena kathā... Viṣvaksena means God. Kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed ratiṁ yadi: "If you do not become attached to hear about God more and more, then it is," śrama eva hi kevalam, "simply waste of time." Simply waste of time, because religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the order given by God, and you follow. This is the simple definition of religion. Other ritualistic ceremonies, formulas, going to the church or going to the temple, these are details. But real dharma means, sum and substance of dharma, religion, means to abide by the orders of God. That's all. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam.
You cannot manufacture religion. And what is actual religion, if you follow, then you are religious. The actual religion is the God's order. That is... Everyone follows some principle of religion to understand God. And in our Vedic system the only purpose of life is to understand God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the human form of life we have no other business. No other. Other business, that, cats and dogs are also doing and we are also doing. That is automatic. It is not that other animals, they are starving. They are also eating and we are also eating. But the facility is, the other animals lower than the human being, they haven't got to do any business or any profession or go from one country to another to earn livelihood. That is their advantage. And our disadvantage is that we are trying to find out better foodstuff and rotating all over the world, and we are still not getting. So their advantage is better. The birds, small birds, in the morning, just early in the morning they will rise up and they will chirp and they will go away, because they are sure that "Our foodstuff is ready, anywhere we shall go." And that's a fact. They go to any tree. What the bird will eat? Four, five small fruit. But there are innumerable fruits in one tree, and there are innumerable trees. Similarly, take any animal, even the elephant. In Africa there are so many elephants, millions of elephants. They eat at a time forty kg. And who is supplying food? They have no business. They have no profession. How they are eating? Hmm?