Human life's true purpose is pleasing Vishnu through varnashrama practice, not pursuing material illusions.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Lunch Engagement — August 8, 1971, London 710808LE-LONDON [49:57 Minutes] Engagement_710808LE-LONDON Devotee: [introducing tape] Lunch engagement, 8th August, London. Prabhupāda: Svarṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam [Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.8.9] In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa there is a statement that a person who is executing properly the rules and regulation of varṇa and āśrama… According to the Vedic system, there are four varṇas. [aside:] Yes, it can be closed. Four social order and four spiritual order. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, this is social order. And brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, spiritual orders. Āśrama, brahmacārī āśrama. Āśrama means cultivation of spiritual life in a suitable position. One may remain a brahmacārī or he become a gṛhastha, householder, living with wife, children, family. Then vānaprastha, then sannyāsa. So all these processes are meant for pleasing Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu.
Varṇāśramācāravatā. By executing this varṇāśrama system one can please the Supreme Personality of Viṣṇu. And nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam: He is very much pleased [by] one who executes all. And by pleasing Viṣṇu, one can immediately become liberated. There are different processes of liberation: severe austerity, penances, practice of yoga, and many other processes.
But if we can please Lord Viṣṇu, then liberation can be immediately attained, even in this life. This is the śāstric injunction. Unfortunately, people do not know what is the Supreme. There is no education. Viṣṇu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Viṣṇu has got many forms, dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate, viṣṇutayā vibhāti [Bs. 5.46]. Viṣṇu has many forms. Some of the forms are personal forms, and some of the forms are separated forms. So far the living entities are concerned, they are separated forms of Viṣṇu, vibhinnāṁśa. In the Varāha Purāṇa you will find that eko bahu-syām: Visnu, Lord Viṣṇu, has become many.
Out of those many, those who are personal expansions, they are viṣṇu-tattva. And those who are separated expansion, they are jīva-tattva. So jīvas, the living entities, they are part and parcel of Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa says… Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu are the same. Kṛṣṇa is the original Viṣṇu. rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo [Bs. 5.39] Kṛṣṇa is the original Viṣṇu. So we have to satisfy Viṣṇu.
That is the mission of life. The human form of life is a chance by going round the 8,400,000 species of life. This human form of life, by evolution we get the developed consciousness for understanding Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ [SB 7.5.31].
Unfortunately, there is no educational system, and they do not know, people do not know that their real interest of life is to approach Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ. They do not know. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. Persons, they are trying to be happy by this material civilization, bahir-artha.