Religion means dharmāṁ tu sākṣat bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19), the order of the Supreme Lord. If we do not know who is the Supreme Lord, if we do not know what is the order of the Supreme Lord, then where is religion? That is not religion. That may go on in the name of religion, but that is cheating. 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 (SB 1.1.2): "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 Muhammadan 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, 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 6.22). 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. Anyābhīlaṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167).
People are working . . . somebody is working for knowledge and somebody is working for sense gratification. This is the material world. This is the material world. Somebody is trying to become very big scholar, knowledge, "What is this? What is this? What is this?" Not for understanding God, but for having some superfluous knowledge. So this is called jñāna. And karma means working day and night for sense gratification. So bhakti is transcendental. Anyābhīlāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Not tinted by all these contamination, jñāna and karma.
Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, jñāna-kāṇḍa, karma-kāṇḍa, sakalī viṣera bhāṇḍa: either you are engaged in the activities ofkarmaor either you are engaged in the activities of speculating knowledge or acquiring knowledge. This is jñāna-kāṇḍa and karma-kāṇda. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that, "Both these, jñāna-kāṇḍa and karma-kāṇḍa, are pots of poison. Either you drink this or that, it doesn't matter." (break) he is spoiling the human form of life being engaged in karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. He is spoiling his life. What benefit he will derive? Karma-kāṇḍa—according to karma he'll get a different body. Jñāna-kāṇḍa also. If you actually become very much advanced in knowledge, you can get a body in a brāhmaṇa family, in a very educated family. But I'll have to go through the transmigration of the soul, repetition of birth and death.
There is risk. I do not know what I am going to get. It is no guarantee. Little mistake. Little mistake . . . just like Bharata Mahārāja, little mistake. At the time of . . . he was thinking of a deer. Next life he got the life of a deer. Little mistake. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajanty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). Because nature is so perfect, at the time of your death, what is the mental condition, you will get a similar body, next life. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Because daiva, Kṛṣṇa is with you. Kṛṣṇa will see, "Now he is thinking of become a king," "Now he is thinking to become a dog."
So Kṛṣṇa immediately gives you. You take the body of a dog. You take the body of a lion. You take the body of a king. Take the body . . . similarly, if you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa, take the body of a Kṛṣṇa, immediately. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9).
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness: how to train the mind to die thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Therefore we have to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, always think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Then your life is perfect.