1214
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 26]
ya evaṁ karma niyataṁ vidvān kurvīta mānavaḥ karmaṇā tena rājendra jñānena na sa lipyate
yaḥ—anyone who; evam—thus; karma—activities; niyatam—regulated; vidvān—learned; kurvīta—should perform; mānavaḥ—a human being; karmaṇā—by such activities; tena—by this; rāja-indra—O King; jñānena—by advancement of knowledge; na—never; saḥ—he; lipyate—becomes involved.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni continued to speak to King Prācīnabarhiṣat: My dear King, any person who works according to the directions of the Vedic scriptures does not become involved in fruitive activities.
PURPORT
Just as a government may issue trade licenses in order for its citizens to act in a certain way, the  Vedas  contain injunctions that restrain and regulate all of our fruitive activities. All living entities have come into this material world to enjoy themselves. Consequently the  Vedas  are given to regulate sense enjoyment. One who enjoys his senses under the Vedic regulative principles does not become entangled in the actions and reactions of his activities. As stated in  Bhagavad-gītā :
yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara
“Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.” (Bg. 3.9)
A human being is especially meant to attain liberation from the bondage of birth, death, old age and disease. He is therefore directed by the Vedic regulative principles to work in such a way that he may fulfill his desires for sense gratification and at the same time gradually become freed from material bondage. Action according to such principles is called knowledge. Indeed, the word  veda  means knowledge. The words  jñānena na sa lipyate