'You Work, and I Will Enjoy'

Question: It is very difficult to feel the taste. The propensity to enquire is always there, but after the enquiry it is very difficult to make the taste come about. Sometimes, the higher taste is not there, but a lower taste comes.

One time, when I was a newcomer, I asked Srila Prabhupad, our Guru Maharaj, a similar question. Coming to his room at about seven or eight o'clock one evening and finding him there alone, I offered my pranam and asked him, 'How can I eliminate the undesirable, unnecessary things within me (anartha-nivrtti) and advance towards the goal as quickly as possible?' Srila Prabhupad replied, 'Successful elimination of the undesirable elements in us comes as the result of a particular action. What action is that?

আদৌশ্রদ্ধা ততঃ সাধুসঙ্গোঽথ ভজনক্রিয়া ।
ততোঽনর্থনিবৃত্তিঃ স্যাৎ ততো নিষ্ঠা রুচিস্ততঃ ॥
অথাসক্তিস্ততো ভাবস্ততঃ প্রেমাভ্যুদঞ্চতি ।
সাধকানাময়ং প্রেম্ণঃ প্রাদুর্ভাবে ভবেৎ ক্রমঃ ॥

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ’tha bhajana-kriya
tato ’nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha ruchis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudanchati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

‘First, there is faith; then, saintly association and practising life. After that, unwanted habits gradually go away, spiritual life becomes stable, and spiritual taste comes. Then comes attachment, feeling and, finally, transcendental love. This is how love for the Lord comes to those who practise Krishna consciousness.’

(Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 1.4.15–16)

So, sadhu-sanga (association of saints), then bhajan (spiritual practice) in sadhu-sanga (association of saints), then, as the result, anartha-nivrtti (removal of the unwanted elements) comes. We must give more attention towards sadhu-sanga (association of saints), guru-karan (accepting the guidance of a guru) and then bhajan (spiritual practice). 'Bhajan' means practising sravan (listening about the Lord), kirtan (chanting the Lord's glories and Names) and other practices under the direction of a sadhu (pure, bona fide saint).

Whatever we do, it may be karma (material activity), it may be jnana (knowledge-seeking) or it may be bhakti (devotion). If there is explanation of Bhagavatam going on in some place and I come to attend it, my listening to Bhagavatam may be many things – it may bring a variegated result. Suppose I have aspiration for some worldly thing. I think, 'Oh, I am attending this Bhagavatam class – the Supreme Lord will be propitiated and it will be easy for me to attain what I hanker for.' If I attend the Bhagavatam class with this spirit, it will be karma-kanda (fruitive activity). If I want to have knowledge (if I am interested in the ontological aspect), I may feel satisfaction that, 'If I listen to this, I will later be able to distribute this knowledge amongst scholars and gain some position through that.' If I attend the Bhagavatam class with this idea, it will be jnana-kanda (knowledge-seeking) because my object is acquisition of knowledge.

Listening to Bhagavatam falls under the category of devotion only when I realise, 'Whatever benefit I derive from it will go to Krishna, and not to myself in any way. He is the receiver. He is the Master.' Just as in the case of a domestic animal, a cow or a horse, whatever it has got, whatever it earns or whatever contribution it makes, everything goes to its master, not to it. 'Vikritasya yatha pasoh (বিক্রীতস্য যথা পশোঃ). I am like a sold animal.' Saranagati (surrender) means, 'I am a slave! My Master will be the recipient of whatever I shall earn. I do not have any independent interest or existence. I am totally His property.' If I attend the Bhagavatam class with this idea, that will be devotion. Whatever we do, this should be our underlying attitude or spirit: 'Whatever I do, the benefit will go to my Master, to my guru.' Krishna is actually distant to us, so our guru will be the proprietor of whatever we acquire. We shall digest nothing, no result. Whatever the result of our actions is, it belongs only to him.

কর্ম্মণ্যেবাধিকারস্তে মা ফলেষু কদাচন ।
মা কর্ম্মফলহেতুর্ভূর্মা তে সঙ্গোঽস্ত্বকর্ম্মণি ॥

karmany evadhikaras te, ma phalesu kadachana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur, ma te sango 'stv akarmani

'Your right is to do your prescribed duty, but you have no right for any result of your work. You must not work hankering after any result, neither must you become attached to not doing your prescribed duty because of that.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 2.47)

Srimad Bhagavad-gita gives this clear, general advice, but it is very, very difficult to actually follow it.

If we are not to partake of the result, does it mean that we will not work? If we do that, we will become renunciates, mayavadis or jnanis. On the contrary, for devotees this principle will be encouraging, 'Oh, the result is for Krishna and the work is for me? How wonderful!' They will not become idle as a reaction to this statement that 'your right is to do your prescribed duty, but you have no right for any result of your work.' Not like that. 'You are My slave, so you must work. Because you are not the owner, are you going to go on strike? That will be reactionary. No. I am the enjoyer, and you are My potency. Your whole energy, your constitutional position is to satisfy Me, and My constitutional position is to be satisfied by your labour. This is our mutual constitutional position.'

It is very difficult to adjust oneself in this intrinsic position, but this is where devotion lies. It is a very rare plane. Who will run to sign such a bond? 'I am to labour, and He is to enjoy the fruit of my labour.' Such great abnegation! Such great sacrifice! Commonly people see sacrifice as 'I am giving something, he will be grateful to me, and then I shall feel proud that I have given so much.' But to sacrifice your own position eternally, to feel that 'I am no one. I am only to labour, and He is to enjoy' – to sign such a deed, to embrace such sort of emptiness, such type of sacrifice and abnegation, is very, very rarely to be found. It is a very rare plane.

মুক্তানামপি সিদ্ধানাং নারায়ণপরায়ণঃ ।
সুদুর্ল্লভঃ প্রশান্তাত্মা কোটিষ্বপি মহামুনে ॥

muktanam api siddhanam narayana-parayanah
sudurlabhah prasantatma kotisv api maha-mune

'O great sage! Among millions of such liberated and perfected beings, it is extremely rare to find a self-satisfied devotee (devoid of material desires and filled with happiness coming from their pure self) who worships Lord Narayan.'

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 6.14.5)

Sacrifice of such a degree, of such a type is very rarely to be found in the world. But that is wholesale and that is the truth. That is the constitutional position of everything, so this is a natural position. Everything else is a diseased condition that brings about a reaction, but there is no reaction in this position – rather, it is health-promoting. But who will come to admit to such a position by their constitution? Where will you find sacrifice of such nature, such broad-heartedness?

কর্ম্মণ্যেবাধিকারস্তে মা ফলেষু কদাচন ।
মা কর্ম্মফলহেতুর্ভূর্মা তে সঙ্গোঽস্ত্বকর্ম্মণি ॥

karmany evadhikaras te, ma phalesu kadachana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur, ma te sango 'stv akarmani

'Your right is to do your prescribed duty, but you have no right for any result of your work. You must not work hankering after any result, neither must you become attached to not doing your prescribed duty because of that.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 2.47)

Never entangle yourselves with the consequence of any action. That is the hitch, the danger.

When this fact about the environment comes to your notice, will you stop working? Will you think, 'Why should I labour?'? Do not. May such a curse not come down on your heads. I am afraid of this. Never approach this dangerous path of akarma (abstinence from work). 'I am not to enjoy, so why should I work?' – this is a dangerous alternative. Never allow yourselves to go to that side. If you do, you will become mayavadis.

'I am not a master? Oh, then "no taxation without representation"!' That was Washington's slogan during the American War of Independence. The idea was, 'If I am there in the highest position, then I shall pay the tax, but if another person manages, why must I give money to feed his management and power-mongering? Never!' Mayavadis are of such nature. They say, 'So 'ham.' In other words, 'If I am in the highest position, then I can accept this sort of philosophy of the world, but if I am not represented in the highest position, if I am a mere slave, then I shall never accept this philosophy.' This is the trouble. We refuse to call a spade a spade – we want to call a spade a hoe...

So, we must move towards that sort of knowledge that 'My Master will be the owner of whatever I shall do.' With this creed we shall do anything and everything, then it will be devotion. Also, there is a degree of internal intensity. Do not be afraid of this sacrifice; do not be afraid to 'die to live', as Hegel says. You will be able to live a real life there. Die to live. I like Hegel very much for his phrase that 'the Reality is by Itself and for Itself.' It is a very suitable phrase. Reality must be by Itself and for Itself – He is not for you! You are for Him! This attribute must be given to the reality. If He existed to fulfil your purpose, then what sort of Reality would He be?? He is self-existent and He exists for Himself, not subservient to anybody else. This feature must be there in the prime cause – He is not a doll of play for you. Die to live – such self-determination means, 'Learn to die, and then you will find that you have a proper, real life.' Do not be afraid to sacrifice. Die.

জীবের 'স্বরূপ' হয়—কৃষ্ণের 'নিত্যদাস' ।
কৃষ্ণের 'তটস্থা-শক্তি', 'ভেদাভেদ-প্রকাশ' ॥

jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—krsnera ‘nitya-dasa’
krsnera ‘tatastha-sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’

‘By its intrinsic nature, the soul is an eternal servant of Krishna. Souls come from the marginal energy of Krishna and are simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.20.108)

Mahaprabhu announced this to Srila Sanatan Goswami. There was much controversy about the real position of the jiva soul, so He declared, 'Krsnera nitya-dasa. The soul is an eternal servant, a eternal slave of Krishna.'

It is not a small thing to become a slave to Him! Many would rather go to hell than accept such a life. As Milton said through the mouth of Satan, 'It is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven.' In fact, it is just the opposite. To be 'Krishna das' is a very dignified position. That is the real position of your self. It is most dignified to be one with Krishna, to be of one interest with Him. And He will concern Himself to look after you as much as you give yourself to Him, to the same degree. This is the real nature of theism; otherwise, religion is about faith, but faith for what? It would be all imagination. When it comes to a real, practical transaction of giving yourself, you shudder, 'Oh!' Then what degree of faith have you got for Him? Is what you believe in faith or is it only a fashion of faith?

কর্ম্মণ্যেবাধিকারস্তে মা ফলেষু কদাচন ।
মা কর্ম্মফলহেতুর্ভূর্মা তে সঙ্গোঽস্ত্বকর্ম্মণি ॥

karmany evadhikaras te, ma phalesu kadachana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur, ma te sango 'stv akarmani

'Your right is to do your prescribed duty, but you have no right for any result of your work. You must not work hankering after any result, neither must you become attached to not doing your prescribed duty because of that.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 2.47)

Do not entangle yourselves with the result because it is in the hand of the Infinite. Your contribution is infinitesimal, but you want to control the whole Infinite with your small contribution? Are you that foolish? Remove this folly from yourselves forever! You make a smallest contribution and expect to control the whole Infinite? What a foolish idea! So, never think of the result. The result is the resultant of so many forces in the world. Never make the consequence of your contribution the point of labour. Do your duty but never connect yourselves with the result. At the same time, because the result is not within your fist, it does not mean that you will disconnect with karma (stop contributing with your duty). Never go that side. Great danger!

This is the very basic principle of devotion.

There is also another side.

অহং হি সর্ব্বযজ্ঞানাং ভোক্তা চ প্রভুরেব চ ।
ন তু মামভিজানন্তি তত্ত্বেনাতশ্চ্যবন্তি তে ॥

aham hi sarva-yajnanam, bhokta cha prabhur eva cha
na tu mam abhijananti, tattvenatas chyavanti te

'Therefore, I am the one who enjoys and awards the result of all sacrifices. But they cannot know this about Me, so they keep taking birth and dying again and again.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 9.24)

'It is I who is the enjoyer of everything in this world! I am that principle that can absorb the whole production of the whole infinite. I am so and so. But I am your friend. Do not be afraid that any injustice may come to you. Only if you can live adopting this attitude will you find the peace appropriate to your position. You will get the maximum.' This is the key to life.

Do you follow? Is there any unreasonability in what has been said?

Question: Sometimes the Math-commander can take advantage of this and say, 'You are a slave, so you have to do what we say, no question asked.' What would be the case there?

There is always a relative and an absolute consideration. If he is in the right, superior position, then it is all right; but if it is bogus, then we are to avoid that. We must appeal to our clean conscience – apply your sincere understanding within and appeal to your master within, your chaitya-guru. If we see that he is a hypocrite, that he is not sincere and not true to his thoughts and words, then we shall avoid him. But if we find that he is true, then of couse we shall move even more intensely towards his direction and realise that it is nectar. It is a boon to get such guidance that will take us up! If we can get such real, poper guidance, it is very fortunate. No higher fortune can be conceived of than to get a proper, real guide. That is our best wealth in life.

সংসারেঽস্মিন্ ক্ষণার্দ্ধোঽপি সৎসঙ্গঃ শেবধির্নৃণাম্ ॥

samsare 'smin ksanardho 'pi sat-sangah sevadhir nrnam

'For souls in this world, even half a moment of association with a sadhu is a great treasure.'

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.2.30)

'If we can come in contact with a real sadhu, even for a mere moment, it is like finding a jewel in this world.' Such fortune is very rare. 'Sevadhir' means a jewel. Bona fide guidance means a trace of my home! I am wondering like a madman hither and thither, and if somebody can give me proper direction to my home, he is my real friend! Such intimation about my home, which can guide me to my real home and my desirable position, is the real jewel in the world.

Question: What is the proper conception of kartavya-buddhi (sense of duty)?

It is a sense of responsibility realised according to one's stage. One gathers something from the scriptures and sadhus and then makes some adjustment based on that. What else can there be in it? It is our own responsibility. Based on our free will, our previous experience and sincere hankering, we acquired some sukriti, knowledge and mood (vrtti) through our previous activities. But 'bhaktya sanjataya bhaktya (ভক্ত্যা সঞ্জাতয়া ভক্ত্যা)' (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.31) – devotion produces devotion, nothing else can produce it. Only devotion can produce devotion.

Whatever little experience we have got, in every point of life, we face the same problem as you do. Whatever line you want to take to approach it to make progress, the difficulty will be one, which you initially asked about, and we can cross over it. 'Na hi kalyana-krt kaschid durgatim tata gachchhati (ন হি কল্যাণকৃৎ কশ্চিদ্­দুর্গতিং তাত গচ্ছতি). Sincerity is invincible' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 6.40). If we are sincere to ourselves, none can do us any harm, both in the short and long run. 'Because there was some anomaly within my, my progress is being detained for some time' – we can take it in this way. But if we want something and we are sincere, none can oppose us in this world. Because He is there – His vigilant eye is everywhere, and whatever bad or good agents there are, they are also under Him.

Srila Raghunath Das Goswami says whenever you find yourself in great danger, cry aloud for the help of Vaishnavs, the sentinels appointed by the Lord. If you are travelling and many plunderers suddenly jump out and attack you ('pathapati-vyatikaraih'), you must cry for help from outside. Similarly, lust, anger, greed, madness, illusion, envy and so many other things come to disturb the traveller who is on his way to the domain of Lord Krishna. When that happens, cry for help and the sentinels, the Vaishnavs, the guru, are there – they will come to your help. Cry out loud for their mercy, and they will come at once to help you. Their idea will come within your heart and help you drive away all those undesirable elements that hinder your progress.

'Na hi kalyana-krt kaschid durgatim tata gachchhati (ন হি কল্যাণকৃৎ কশ্চিদ্­দুর্গতিং তাত গচ্ছতি). Sincerity is invincible' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 6.40). This light should always be kept in our hearts, 'If I do not like to deceive myself, none can deceive me. The Lord is there.' It is my fault. I was given free will, and my misuse of it lies at the bottom of all sorts of danger. Otherwise, He is there, and He will not allow others to rob me unlawfully. At the bottom of all evils is my free will, however little it may be – whatever happened happened with my participation and cooperation.

So, in an advanced stage, sadhus blame only themselves. They do not waste their energy on blaming others. They have no time for that. They only blame themselves. 'You are so magnanimous, so great, and I am so low' – this is the general tenor of their thoughts. 'I am the lowest of the low, and you are the greatest, the noblest of the noble.' That is the royal road to approach Vaishnavs and sadhus.

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