Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.14.40

yad api dig-ibha-jayino yajvino ye vai rājarshayah kim tu param mridhe śayīrann asyām eva mameyam iti krita-vairānubandhāyām visrijya svayam upasamhritāh

SYNONYMS

yat api — although; dik-ibha-jayinah — who are victorious in all directions; yajvinah — expert in performing great sacrifices; ye — all of whom; vai — indeed; rāja-rishayah — very great saintly kings; kim tu — but; param — only this earth; mridhe — in battle; śayīran — lying down; asyām — on this (earth); eva — indeed; mama — mine; iyam — this; iti — considering in that way; krita — on which is created; vaira-anu-bandhāyām — a relationship of enmity with others; visrijya — giving up; svayam — his own life; upasamhritāh — being killed.

TRANSLATION

There were many great saintly kings who were very expert in performing sacrificial rituals and very competent in conquering other kingdoms, yet despite their power they could not attain the loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is because those great kings could not even conquer the false consciousness of "I am this body, and this is my property." Thus they simply created enmity with rival kings, fought with them and died without having discharged life's real mission.

PURPORT

The real mission of life for the conditioned soul is to reestablish the forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in devotional service so that he may revive Krishna consciousness after giving up the body. One doesn't have to give up his occupation as a brāhmana, kshatriya, vaiśya, śūdra or whatever. In any position, while discharging his prescribed duty, one can develop Krishna consciousness simply by associating with devotees who are representatives of Krishna and who can teach this science. Regretfully, the big politicians and leaders in the material world simply create enmity and are not interested in spiritual advancement. Material advancement may be very pleasing to an ordinary man, but ultimately he is defeated because he identifies himself with the material body and considers everything related to it to be his property. This is ignorance. Actually nothing belongs to him, not even the body. By one's karma, one gets a particular body, and if he does not utilize his body to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all his activities are frustrated. The real purpose of life is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.13):

atah pumbhir dvija-śreshthā

varnāśrama-vibhāgaśah

svanushthitasya dharmasya

samsiddhir hari-toshanam

It really doesn't matter what activity a man engages in. If he can simply satisfy the Supreme Lord, his life is successful.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness