The highest religion is unmotivated devotional service to Krishna, the Supreme Controller beyond all comparison.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6 — March 28, 1969, Hawaii 690328SB-HAWAII [55:52 Minutes] SB-01.02.06_690328SB-HAWAII Prabhupāda: [chants prema-dhvani] All glories to the assembled devotees. All glories to the assembled devotees. All glories to the assembled devotees. Thank you very much.
[devotees offer obeisances] sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati [SB 1.2.6] [The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.] This is a Sanskrit verse spoken by one great sage—his name is Sūta Gosvāmī. This Sūta Gosvāmī was presiding in a very learned assembly at a place which is known as Naimiṣāraṇya. It is long, long ago, at least four thousand years ago, but that place, Naimiṣāraṇya, is still in India.
There is a railway station called Nimsar. Now the name is little changed—Nimsar; originally the name was Naimiṣāraṇya. That place was especially meant for such kind of meeting, religious meeting. In India there are many sacred places, because India, India is known as the place of religion, the country of religion. Actually, the present religious system of the world, all of them originated from India.
The principal religions of the world, namely the Christian religion, the Buddha religion, the Hindu religion, even Muhammadan religion, originally it came from India. The other day I was reading one book—what is that, Aquarian Gospel? What is that? Devotee: The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Prabhupāda: Yes. In that book I read that Lord Jesus Christ was for many years in India, and he was especially in the Jagannātha Temple.
Yes, in that book it is stated, in Jagannātha Temple. And he was discussing philosophy with the priest of the Jagannātha. So similarly, so far Lord Buddha is concerned, he was Hindu, there is no doubt, but he started a separate type of religion—nonviolence—because at that time there was need for such religion, nonviolence. And that is a great story. Now, here in that meeting at Naimiṣāraṇya, the speaker, Sūta Gosvāmī, was asked by the audience that “In this age of Kali…” This age is called Kali; means degraded age.
People are under…, misunderstanding that they are advancing in civilization. But actually they are not advancing; they are degrading. Even they are very much proud of material advancement. But actually the other day the press representative came, and he asked about this. So I answered that actually this is not material advancement.
Material advancement means to have easily the material needs. What are our material needs? The mat… Because we have got this material body, our material needs are four: we want to eat something; without eating we cannot exist, so either a human being or an animal, everyone who has got this material body requires to eat something. Then he must have some shelter to rest.