Prabhupada 0247 - Real Religion Means to Love God
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973
So the Bhagavad-gītā ends: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Bhāgavata begins from that point. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavata begins, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "Now, in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, all cheating type of religions are rejected, projjhita." So there is link. Real religion means to love God. That is real religion. Therefore Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religion." It doesn't mean that you follow this religion or that religion. You may follow any religion. It doesn't matter, either Hindu religion or Christian religion or Mohammedan religion, anything you like. But we have to test. Just like a student who has passed M.A. examination. Nobody inquires, "From which college you have passed your examination? You have passed M.A. examination? That's all right." And we are concerned, whether you are graduate, postgraduate. That's all. Nobody inquires, "From which college, from which country, from which religion, you have passed your M.A. examination?" No. Similarly, nobody should inquire, "To which religion you belong?" One must see whether he has learned this art, how to love God. That's all. That is religion. Because here is the religion: sarva-dharmān parityajya māṁ ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. Bhāgavata says. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "All cheating type of religion is kicked out from this Bhāgavatam." Only nirmatsarāṇām, those who are not envious of God... "Why shall I love God? Why shall I worship God? Why shall I accept God?" They are all demons. For them only, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, for them only those who are actually serious to love. Ahaitukī apratihatā yenātmā samprasīdati.
So real success of life is that when you learned how to love God. Then your heart will be satisfied. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ (BG 6.20-23). If you get Kṛṣṇa or God... Kṛṣṇa means God. If you have got another name of God, that is also accepted. But God, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person. When you have got this... Because we are loving somebody. The loving propensity is there. In everyone. But it is misdirected. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Kick out all these loving objects. Try to love Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). In this way your loving will never be able to satisfy you. Yenātmā samprasīdati. If you want real satisfaction, then you must love Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is the whole philosophy of..., Vedic philosophy. Or any philosophy you take. Because after all, you want satisfaction of yourself, full satisfaction of your mind. That can be only achieved when you love God. Therefore that religion is first-class which teaches, which trains the candidate how to love God. That is first-class religion.
Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktiḥ... (SB 1.2.6). And that love not with a motive. Just like here in this material world, "I love you; you love me." Background is some motive. Ahaituky apratihatā. Ahaitukī, no motive. Anyābhīlāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11] . All other desires making zero. Zero. That will be taught in the Bhagavad-gītā.