Lord Rishabhadeva tells us:
My dear children, of all beings who have assumed material bodies in this world, those bestowed with human form should not toil day and night for the sole purpose of sense pleasure, which is accessible even to dogs and pigs that feed on excrement. Rather, they should practice penance and austerity in order to attain the divine level of devotional service.
Through this practice, the heart is purified, and one then discovers an eternal and blissful existence, which transcends material happiness and lasts forever.
One can attain the path of liberation only by serving the spiritually advanced beings, whether they are impersonalists (those who believe that God has no spiritual body and is only Pure Spiritual Energy) or devotees (saintly beings, faithful servants of God). Whether one desires to merge with the Lord's existence or live in His company, one must serve great souls.
As for those for whom this path holds no interest, who seek the company of men in love with women and carnal pleasures, the path to hell is wide open to them.
Great souls, on the other hand, enjoy perfect balance and make no distinction between one living being and another. They live in the greatest serenity and immerse themselves entirely in devotional service. Anger is foreign to them, and they work for the good of all. Their conduct is in no way reprehensible. Such individuals are called great souls.
People who desire to revive their Krishna consciousness and increase their love for God dislike doing anything unrelated to Krishna. They do not seek to mingle with those who are only concerned with maintaining their bodies, eating, sleeping, sexual intercourse, and defending themselves. Although they are householders, they have no attachment to their homes. Nor do they have any attachment to their wives, children, friends, or material possessions. At the same time, they do not remain indifferent to the fulfillment of their duties, but are content to collect the money necessary for subsistence.
When a person considers sense gratification to be the goal of life, they become so involved in material life that they become insane and indulge in all kinds of sinful activities. He does not know that it is because of his past misdeeds that he has already received a material body, which, despite its transitory nature, is the cause of his suffering.
In truth, the distinct being should never have assumed this fleshly envelope, but it was bestowed upon him for the gratification of his senses. Therefore, I do not believe it befits an intelligent man to become entangled again in material activities, which would perpetually compel him to assume bodies, life after life.