All religious paths succeed only when they lead ultimately to pure, unmotivated devotional service to Krishna.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.7 — October 18, 1972, Vṛndāvana 721018SB-VRNDAVAN [42:56 Minutes] SB-01.02.07_721018SB-VRNDAVAN Pradyumna: Translation: "By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world." [SB 1.2.7] Prabhupāda: So in the previous verse it has been discussed what is first-class religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. In the lower, animal life, lower species of life, there is no question of religion. We have discussed many times that there is a gradual process of evolution from low..., lower animal life to the human life.
Aśītiṁ caturamś caiva. Aśīti means eighty, catura means four, lakṣām, eighty-four lakhs, 8,400,000. Non... To tell...
Janma paryayāt. This is the evolution. From lower animals, from fish to plants, trees, insects, reptiles, birds, beasts. In this way, we come to the human form of life, and this human form of life is meant for dharma. Practically also we see that the state laws, state laws are meant for the human beings.
State laws are not for the animals. Animals, they do not require to observe the state laws, neither they are able to do so. That is the difference between animal and human being. So therefore dharma begins from human life. Dharma is the law given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Just like laws are given by the state, similarly the dharma is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And it is meant for the human being, not for the animal. But at the present moment, they are trying to go back to the animal life. Therefore dharma is neglected.
Or practically there is no dharma. Just yesterday, the Chief Minister, Asan[?], came. He was speaking that "It has become a fashion of the modern age that to become irreligious is religious." Yes. That is fact. Therefore in any human civilization, any human society, it doesn't matter whether they're following the Vedic principles or other principles, there is a system of dharma in every human society.
That is the beginning of human society. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ [Hitopadeśa]. If there is no dharma, religious principles... Religious principles includes all moral principles also, social principles, social laws, economic laws. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90].