84. The Nectar of Instruction

interested in material happiness, They attempt to earn
money by all means, not considering whether such means
are pious or impious. Such people are called karmis, or gross
materialists. Among the karmis are some vikarmis, people
who act without the guidance of Vedic knowledge. Those
who act on the basis of Vedic knowledge perform sacrifices
for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu and to receive benedictions
from Him. In this way they are elevated to higher planetary
systems. Such karmis are superior to the vikarmis, for they
are faithful to the directions of the Vedas and are certainly
dear to Krsna. In Bhagavad-gita (4.11), Krsna says: ye
yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham. “In
whatever way one surrenders unto Me, I reward him accor-
dingly.” Krsna is so kind that He fulfilled the desires of the
karmis and jnidnis, not to speak of the bhaktas. Although the
karmis are sometimes elevated to higher planetary systems,
as long as they remain attached to fruitive activities they
must accept new material bodies after death. If one acts
piously, he can attain a new body among the demigods in the
higher planetary systems, or he may attain some other posi-
tion in which he can enjoy a higher standard of material
happiness. On the other hand, those who are engaged in im-
pious activities are degraded and take birth as animals, trees
and plants. Thus those fruitive actors who do not care for
the Vedic directions (vikarmis) are not appreciated by
learned saintly persons. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam
(5.5.4):

ninam pramattah kurute vikarma
yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti
na sddhu manye yata atmano ’yam
asann api klesada dasa dehah
