1136
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 25]
This means that a devotee does not give any importance to the ultimate goal of the  karmīs  and  jñānīs . The ultimate goal of the  karmīs  is promotion to the heavenly kingdom, and the ultimate goal of the  jñānīs  is merging into the Brahman effulgence. Of course the  jñānīs  are superior to the  karmīs , as confirmed by Lord Caitanya:  koṭi-karmaniṣṭha-madhye eka ‘jñānī’ śreṣṭha . “One  jñānī , or impersonalist, is better than many thousands of fruitive actors.” (Cc.  Madhya  19.147) Therefore a devotee never enters upon the path of  karma , or elevation by fruitive activities. Nārada Muni took compassion upon King Prācīnabarhiṣat when he saw the King engaged in fruitive activity. In comparison to mundane workers, however, those who are trying to be elevated to the higher planetary systems by performing  yajñas  are undoubtedly superior. In pure devotional service, however, both  karma  and  jñāna  are considered to be bewildering features of the illusory energy.
TEXT 4
श्रेयस्त्वं कतमद्राजन् कर्मणाऽऽत्मन ईहसे । दुःखहानिः सुखावाप्तिः श्रेयस्तन्नेह चेष्यते ॥ ४ ॥
śreyas tvaṁ katamad rājan karmaṇātmana īhase duḥkha-hāniḥ sukhāvāptiḥ śreyas tan neha ceṣyate
śreyaḥ—ultimate benediction; tvaṁ—you; katamat—what is that; rājan—O King; karmaṇā—by fruitive activities; ātmanaḥ—of the soul; īhase—you desire; duḥkha-hāniḥ—disappearance of all distresses; sukha-avāptiḥ—attainment of all happiness; śreyaḥ—benediction; tat—that; na—never; īha—in this connection; ca—and; iṣyate—is available.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni asked King Prācīnabarhiṣat: My dear King, what do you desire to achieve by performing these fruitive activities? The chief aim of life is to get rid of all miseries and enjoy happiness, but these two things cannot be realized by fruitive activity.
PURPORT
In this material world there is a great illusion which covers real intelligence. A man in the mode of passion wants to work very hard to derive