A summary of Kapila's teachings (Srimad Bhagavatam #46)

Lord Kapila concludes His teachings by offering a summary of all the topics discussed. In the Gita, Krsna mentions: "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to Me." All activities should be performed with the ultimate goal of satisfying Krsna and understanding Him. Unless one adds devotional service to his activities, he cannot achieve the desired result.The result of performing material activities is that one becomes more attached to matter. Activities performed in devotional service however have the opposite effect, they make us gradually detached from all material activities. This happens because devotional service results in spiritual realization, real spiritual knowledge that gradually destroys our bond to this material world. The process of becoming attached to the Supreme and detached from matter happens simultaneously. As Prabhupada explains: "A hungry man feels strength and satisfaction from eating, and at the same time he gradually becomes detached from eating anymore. Similarly, with the execution of devotional service, real knowledge develops, and one becomes detached from all material activities. In no other activity but devotional service is there such detachment from matter and attachment for the Supreme." Get full access to Mysteries of the Vedas (Caitanya Chandra Dasa) at www.ccdas.net/subscribe