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Duty of the living entity

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

The only function of the living being is to render service to the Lord. The Lord is great, and living beings are subordinate to Him. Therefore, the duty of the living being is just to serve Him only
SB 1.8.35, Purport: In the Srimad Bhagavad-gita the Lord asserts that He appears in every millennium just to reestablish the way of religion. The way of religion is made by the Supreme Lord. No one can manufacture a new path of religion, as is the fashion for certain ambitious persons. The factual way of religion is to accept the Lord as the supreme authority and thus render service unto Him in spontaneous love. A living being cannot help but render service because he is constitutionally made for that purpose. The only function of the living being is to render service to the Lord. The Lord is great, and living beings are subordinate to Him. Therefore, the duty of the living being is just to serve Him only. Unfortunately the illusioned living beings, out of misunderstanding only, become servants of the senses by material desire. This desire is called avidya, or nescience. And out of such desire the living being makes different plans for material enjoyment centered about a perverted sex life. He therefore becomes entangled in the chain of birth and death by transmigrating into different bodies on different planets under the direction of the Supreme Lord. Unless, therefore, one is beyond the boundary of this nescience, one cannot get free from the threefold miseries of material life. That is the law of nature.

SB Canto 3

The duty of the living entity, as a part and parcel of the whole, is to render devotional service to the whole. That is the ultimate perfection of life
SB 3.28.44, Purport: After Brahman realization, one can engage in the activities of Brahman. As long as one is not self-realized, he engages in activities based on false identification with the body. When one is situated in his real self, then the activities of Brahman realization begin. The Mayavadi philosophers say that after Brahman realization, all activities stop, but that is not actually so. If the soul is so active in its abnormal condition, existing under the covering of matter, how can one deny its activity when free? An example may be cited here. If a man in a diseased condition is very active, how can one imagine that when he is free from the disease he will be inactive? Naturally the conclusion is that when one is free from all disease his activities are pure. It may be said that the activities of Brahman realization are different from those of conditional life, but that does not stop activity. This is indicated in Bhagavad-gita (18.54): after one realizes oneself to be Brahman, devotional service begins. Mad-bhaktim labhate param: [Bg. 18.54] after Brahman realization, one can engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore devotional service of the Lord is activity in Brahman realization. For those who engage in devotional service there is no spell of maya, and their situation is all-perfect. The duty of the living entity, as a part and parcel of the whole, is to render devotional service to the whole. That is the ultimate perfection of life.

SB Canto 4

The duty of the living entity is to understand his real identity. When he does, Kṛṣṇa gives him all the facilities to come to the platform of devotional service
SB 4.31.13, Purport: The entire cosmic manifestation is but a combination of matter and spirit. The spiritual part is the living entity, and these living entities are described as prakrti, or energy. The living entity is never described as purusa, the Supreme Person; therefore to identify the living entity with the Supreme Lord is simply ignorance. The living entity is the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, although there is factually no difference between the energy and the energetic. The duty of the living entity is to understand his real identity. When he does, Krsna gives him all the facilities to come to the platform of devotional service. That is the perfection of life.

SB Canto 6

The bhāgavata religion teaches that the Lord and the living entity are eternally related and that the duty of the living entity is to surrender to the Lord
SB 6.2.24-25, Purport: Bhakti, devotional service, is paro dharmah, transcendental dharma; it is not material dharma. People generally think that religion should be pursued for material profit. This may be suitable for persons interested in material life, but one who is interested in spiritual life should be attached to paro dharmah, the religious principles by which one becomes a devotee of the Supreme Lord (yato bhaktir adhoksaje). The bhagavata religion teaches that the Lord and the living entity are eternally related and that the duty of the living entity is to surrender to the Lord. When one is situated on the platform of devotional service, one is freed from impediments and completely satisfied (ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati). Having been elevated to that platform, Ajamila began to lament for his past materialistic activities and glorify the name, fame, form and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB Canto 7

The real occupational duty of the living entity is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead
SB 7.11.2, Purport: Sanatana-dharma means devotional service. The word sanatana refers to that which is eternal, which does not change but continues in all circumstances. We have several times explained what the eternal occupational duty of the living being is. Indeed, it has been explained by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jivera 'svarupa' haya-krsnera 'nitya-dasa': [Cc. Madhya 20.108] the real occupational duty of the living entity is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even if one prefers to deviate from this principle he remains a servant because that is his eternal position; but one serves maya, the illusory, material energy. The Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, is an attempt to guide human society to serving the Personality of Godhead instead of serving the material world with no real profit. Our actual experience is that every man, animal, bird and beast -- indeed, every living entity -- is engaged in rendering service. Even though one's body or one's superficial religion may change, every living entity is always engaged in the service of someone. Therefore, the mentality of service is called the eternal occupational duty. This eternal occupational duty can be organized through the institution of varnasrama, in which there are four varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and four asramas (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). Thus, Yudhisthira Maharaja inquired from Narada Muni about the principles of sanatana-dharma for the benefit of human society.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 11.2.11, Translation: Sri Narada said: O best of the Satvatas, you have quite correctly asked about the eternal duty of the living entity toward the Supreme Lord. Such devotional service to the Lord is so potent that its performance can purify the entire universe.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Kṛṣṇa says that I appear when there is discrepancies in the, I mean to say, occupational duties of the living entities
Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973: Krsna says that "I appear when there is discrepancies in the, I mean to say, occupational duties of the living entities." Dharmasya glanir bhavati. We don't translate dharma as "religion." Religion in the English dictionary, it is "a kind of faith." Faith can be changed. But dharma is a word which cannot be changed. If it is changed, it is to be understood artificial. Just like the water. Water is liquid, everyone knows. But sometimes water becomes hard, very hard, ice. So that is not the natural position of water. Artificially, on account of excessive cold or by artificial means the water becomes solid. But the real position of water is liquidity.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So what is the occupational duty of the living entity? The living entity is now encaged in two kinds of gross and subtle body. Therefore, when he is situated in the bodily concept of life, his dharma is fruitive activities or sense gratification
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974: So what is the occupational duty of the living entity? The living entity is now encaged in two kinds of gross and subtle body. Therefore, when he is situated in the bodily concept of life, his dharma is fruitive activities or sense gratification. When he is situated on the mental platform, then his occupational duties become speculation, imagination. And when he is situated in his original, spiritual platform, then his occupational duty is to serve Krsna. These are the three positions: karma, jnana, yoga, bhakti -- gradual evolution. Because spiritual knowledge also gradually evolves. Nirvisesa-brahman, antaryami paramatma, and sad-aisvarya-purna-bhagavan -- these are the different stages of self-realization or spiritual advancement. Karma, jnana, yoga and bhakti. Yoga means bhakti-yoga, or the preliminary, primary stage of bhakti-yoga.
The real occupational duty of the living entity is called sanātana-dharma. Dharma means not religion. Dharma means the natural characteristic. That is dharma
Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972: The real occupational duty of the living entity is called sanatana-dharma. Dharma means not religion. Dharma means the natural characteristic. That is dharma. We don't mean dharma is a certain type of faith. No. Faith or no faith, the characteristics must be there. Just like salt. It has got a particular type of taste. So you like it or not like it, the taste is there. It is... That is... If you think that "I have faith that salt should be sweet," no. That cannot be. You may have faith. You may create that faith that salt has the sweet taste. But that's not a fact. Similarly, if you say, "I have got my faith that sugar will be pungent." No. That cannot be. Sugar has got a particular type of taste. That will continue. You may believe it or not believe it. It does not depend. And faith means you believe, you can change it. Therefore dharma, the exact word, dharma, is different from the dictionary meaning, English dictionary, "a kind of faith. Religion means a kind of faith." We don't mean that.
So this kuṭumba-bharaṇam is a duty of living entity. It doesn't matter whether he's a human being or a dog or a bird or a cat. That is natural. That is not very great credit
Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974: So family you'll find everywhere. Even the birds, they have family, two birds, always together, the husband and wife. They have got a nest, and some eggs also. And they are also trying to, I mean to say, manufacture some nest. As soon as the lady bird is pregnant, they, immediately their attempt will be to find out some straw and make a nest. You have seen it perhaps, studied it. You see? So long the lady bird is not pregnant, there is no question of nest. This is natural. You'll find everywhere. Even the ants and the birds, beasts, everywhere. So this kutumba-bharanam is a duty of living entity. It doesn't matter whether he's a human being or a dog or a bird or a cat. That is natural. That is not very great credit. But the present yuga, Kali-yuga, if one can maintain his family and maintain an apartment, he's to be understood as a very great, successful man. He does not see that this success is there even in the ants and the birds and the beasts. What is this success? And he's happy. And he's happy.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Because it is the duty of the living entity because they are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, it is the duty of everyone to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa. That is the duty
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974: Now you European and American, African and Australian, so many, all parts of the world, you have come. This is due to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire. He wanted it. Prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama. He wanted to be famous, to become famous, and people should thank Him. He wanted that. He told that, that "When they will know My philosophy" -- that is the desire of Sri Caitanya -- "they'll thank Me." And actually you are already thanking Him by getting the sublime instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. What is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction. It is the same instruction as Krsna gave. Krsna wanted sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is Krsna's mission. Because it is the duty of the living entity because they are part and parcel of Krsna, it is the duty of everyone to abide by the orders of Krsna. That is the duty. Jivera svarupa haya nityera... [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. This is the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Krsna wanted that you should all surrender unto Krsna, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that your real constitution position is eternal servitude of Krsna. There is no difference between Krsna's instruction and Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction, because He is Krsna. Therefore Rupa Gosvami said, namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te, krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. Here is also said, vadanyata. Prema-bhakti-vadanyata, vadanyata.

General Lectures

So it is understood from any source of scriptural injunction that the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṇa, is the maintainer of the individual living entities, and it is the duty of the individual entity to feel obliged to the Supreme Lord
Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:: So it is understood from any source of scriptural injunction that the Supreme Lord, or Krsna, is the maintainer of the individual living entities, and it is the duty of the individual entity to feel obliged to the Supreme Lord. This is the whole background of religious principle. Without this acknowledgement, there is chaos, as it is happening in our daily experience at the present moment. Everyone is trying to become the Supreme Lord, either socially, politically or individually. Therefore there is competition for this false lordship and there is chaos all over the world, individually, nationally, socially or collectively. The Krsna consciousness movement is trying to establish the supremacy of the Absolute Personality of Godhead. The human society is meant for this understanding because this consciousness makes his life successful. This Krsna consciousness movement is not a new introduction of the mental speculators. Actually this movement was started by Krsna Himself in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. At least five thousand years ago the movement was presented by Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita.

Correspondence

1972 Correspondence

Therefore, being weak, it is the eternal occupational duty of the living entity to surrender to Krishna, that's all
Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 25 December, 1972: But if you ask anyone are you weak or strong, he must answer that he is weak -- he cannot control even his toothache, what to speak of his death. Therefore, in fact, it is a society of weak men -- everyone is weak before Durga Devi or the material energy. If you see sometimes her picture, the foolish materialist is being held by the claws of her tiger-carrier, while she pierces him to death with her trident weapon. She has got ten arms, each with weapon, she is so strong, but we are so weak that simply by piercing with her trident, the three-fold miseries, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, and adhyatmika, the foolish materialists are all defeated! And before Krishna, Durga devi is very weak -- Krishna is the controller of Durga. So Krishna is the strongest: sattyam sattvavatam aham, I am the strength of the strong. Therefore, being weak, it is the eternal occupational duty of the living entity to surrender to Krishna, that's all. In the surrendering to Krishna, if everyone does it, still, the brahmanas will be served by the lower castes, the kings will be served by vaisyas and sudras, the vaisyas will be served by the sudras, and the sudras will serve all higher castes -- there is still utilizing the weak by the strong -- but feeling themselves always very much weak in comparison to Krishna, the whole society services the Strongest, therefore there will be no envy of the stronger by the weaker class of men. So perfect society, or Vedic society, does not eliminate competition -- competition, stronger and weaker, must be there -- but it eliminates envy, because everyone is weak before Krishna. Is that clear?
Page Title:Duty of the living entity
Compiler:Syamananda, Visnu Murti
Created:22 of feb, 2008
No. of Quotes:13
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=6, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=6, Con=0, Let=1