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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 21: Verses 20-28
From quarrel proceeds anger which is difficult to restrain; infatuation follows anger and by infatuation is soon obscured man's all-penetrating judgment (distinguishing right from wrong). Deprived of judgment, 0 good one, a living being (man) is as good as[1]
a non-entity. The (very) purpose (of life) of such an (almost) unconscious and dead man is consequently defeated. Due to excessive attachment (and longing) for the pleasures of sense he who knows neither himself nor the Supreme lives in vain (as if unconscious) like a tree and breathes like the bellows (is as good as dead for all practical purposes). Such a promise of reward (in the shape of heaven etc., contained in the Vedas as for example One aspiring for heaven should perform sacrifices like Aswamedha) does not point out the way to blessedness but is put forward only in order to create in the mind of men (externally inclined) a taste (for ritual acts) as introductory to an exposition of final beatitude, even as before administering a (dose of) bitter medicine (to a stubborn child) a sweet promise is made (by parents just in order to prevail upon the child to take the dose). Indeed mortals naturally have their mind attached to objects of desire (such as wealth, cattle etc.), to their life (including their sense-organs, vitality, virility etc.), as well as to their own people (progeny, wife and so on), even though they are (ultimately) sources of misery (bondage) to the Self. How could the (all-knowing) Veda direct such men-blind to their (real) interests and yet devout (convinced about the infallibility of the Vedas) and wandering (as a reward of their sacrificial performances) in the path of enjoyment (the superhuman species of life-the state of gods and other heavenly beings) and (then) entering (as a punishment for their cruelty to animals in the course of those sacrificial performances) the inanimate forms of life (such as the plant kingdom)-once more to those (very) enjoyments (through such texts as One desirous of cattle, one desirous of longevity,sound organs etc., and one desirous of progeny, wife and so on should undertake sacrificial performances) ? Not knowing such intention (of the Vedas), some misguided people (the advocates of Karma or ritual acts) interpret the promises (contained in the Vedas) of fruit (in the shape of final beatitude) as offering blossoms (alone in the shape of heavenly enjoyment). (But) not so the knowers of (the real import of) the Vedas (sages Vyasa and others) indeed. Men seeking pleasures of sense and (therefore ever) miserable, grasping, mistaking the enjoyments of heaven (which are like so many flowers) as the (supreme) fruit (of human endeavour) confounded by their excessive attachment to ritual acts (in which the sacred fire plays a prominent part) and finding the Path of Smoke at the end (of their life) are not able to realize their own self. With ritual acts as the only theme of their talks and intent on gratifying their flesh, they are unable to know Me, though present in their heart-Me, who am this universe and from whom this universe has sprung up-any more than those whose eyes are bedimmed by mist are able to recognize even that which is close at hand, 0 dear Uddhava !
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