36
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 6]
TRANSLATION
Religion, economic development and sense gratification—these are described in the Vedas as tri-varga, or three ways to salvation. Within these three categories are education and self-realization; ritualistic ceremonies performed according to Vedic injunction; logic; the science of law and order; and the various means of earning one's livelihood. These are the external subject matters of study in the Vedas, and therefore I consider them material. However, I consider surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu to be transcendental.
PURPORT
These instructions of Prahlāda Mahārāja stress the transcendental position of devotional service. As confirmed in  Bhagavad-gītā  (14.26):
mām ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” One who fully engages in the devotional service of the Lord is immediately raised to the transcendental position, which is the  brahma-bhūta  stage. Any education or activity not on the  brahma-bhūta  platform, the platform of self-realization, is considered to be material, and Prahlāda Mahārāja says that anything material cannot be the Absolute Truth, for the Absolute Truth is on the spiritual platform. This is also confirmed by Lord Kṛṣṇa in  Bhagavad-gītā  (2.45), where He says,  traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna : “The  Vedas  mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them.” To act on the material platform, even if one's activities are sanctioned by the  Vedas , is not the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to stay on the spiritual platform, fully surrendered to the  parama-puruṣa , the supreme person. This is the object of the human mission. In summary, the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and injunctions