The impersonalists, who try to avoid everything material, may undergo severe austerities, but they miss the opportunity of being engaged in the service of the Lord. Thus their renunciation is not sufficient for perfection. There are many instances where, following such artificial renunciation without any contact with devotional service, the impersonalist again fell down and became attracted to material contamination. There are many supposed renouncers even at the present moment who officially become sannyāsīs, or renouncers, and outwardly claim that spiritual existence is truth and material existence untruth. In this way, artificially they make a show of renunciation of the material world. However, because they cannot reach the point of devotional service, they fail to achieve the goal, and they again come back to material activities, such as philanthropic work and political agitation. There are many examples of so-called sannyāsīs who gave up the world as untruth but again came to the material world, because they were not seeking their real repose at the lotus feet of the Lord.
Philanthropic work
Expressions researched:
"philanthropic activity"
|"philanthropic and humanitarian workers"
|"philanthropic work"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
When one engages in devotional service to the Lord in the nine different kinds of bhakti-yoga, as enunciated in authoritative scriptures, such as hearing (śravaṇam), chanting (kīrtanam), remembering, offering worship, praying and offering personal service—either in one of them, or two or three or all of them—he naturally has no opportunity to engage in the service of the three modes of material nature. Unless one has good engagements in spiritual service, it is not possible to get out of the attachment to material service. Those who are not devotees, therefore, are interested in so-called humanitarian or philanthropic work, such as opening a hospital or charitable institution. These are undoubtedly good works in the sense that they are pious activities, and their result is that the performer may get some opportunities for sense gratification, either in this life or in the next. Devotional service, however, is beyond the boundary of sense gratification. It is completely spiritual activity. When one engages in the spiritual activities of devotional service, naturally he does not get any opportunity to engage in sense gratificatory activities.
Conditional existence is described here as dhyāyato viṣayān asya. Viṣaya means "an object of enjoyment." As long as one continues to think that he can enjoy material advantages, he is in conditioned life, but as soon as he comes to his senses, he develops the knowledge that he is not the enjoyer, for the only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29), He is the beneficiary for all the results of sacrifices and penances (bhoktāraṁ yajṣa-tapasām), and He is the proprietor of all the three worlds (sarva-loka-maheśvaram). He is the actual friend of all living entities. But instead of leaving proprietorship, enjoyment and the actual position as the friend of all living entities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we claim that we are the proprietors, the enjoyers and the friends. We perform philanthropic work, thinking that we are the friends of human society. Someone may proclaim himself to be a very good national worker, the best friend of the people and of the country, but actually he cannot be the greatest friend of everyone. The only friend is Kṛṣṇa.
SB Canto 4
Here is a description of two aspects of the Vaikuṇṭha planets. The first is that in the Vaikuṇṭha sky there is no need of the sun and moon. This is confirmed by the Upaniṣads as well as Bhagavad-gītā (na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ [Bg. 15.6)). In the spiritual world the Vaikuṇṭhalokas are themselves illuminated; there is therefore no need of sun, moon or electric light. It is in fact the illumination of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas which is reflected in the material sky. Only by this reflection are the suns in the material universes illuminated; after the illumination of the sun, all the stars and moons are illuminated. In other words, all the luminaries in the material sky borrow illumination from Vaikuṇṭhaloka. From this material world, however, people can be transferred to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, if they incessantly engage in welfare activities for all other living entities. Such incessant welfare activities can really be performed only in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no philanthropic work within this material world but Kṛṣṇa consciousness that can engage a person twenty-four hours a day.
In his personal behavior, Pṛthu Mahārāja exhibited all good qualities, and in spiritual knowledge he was exactly like Bṛhaspati. In self-control he was like the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. As far as his devotional service was concerned, he was a great follower of devotees who were attached to cow protection and the rendering of all service to the spiritual master and the brāhmaṇas. He was perfect in his shyness and in his gentle behavior, and when he engaged in some philanthropic activity, he worked as if he were working for his own personal self.
Also, like all Vaiṣṇavas, Mahārāja Pṛthu was devoted to cow protection, spiritual masters and qualified brāhmaṇas. Pṛthu Mahārāja was also very humble, meek and gentle, and whenever he performed any philanthropic work or welfare activity for the general public, he would labor exactly as if he were tending to his own personal necessities. In other words, his philanthropic activities were not for the sake of show but were performed out of personal feeling and commitment. All philanthropic activities should be thus performed.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
The distinction between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift to human society and the gifts of others is that whereas so-called philanthropic and humanitarian workers have given some relief to human society as far as the body is concerned, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offers the best facilities for going back home, back to Godhead, with love of Godhead. If one seriously makes a comparative study of the two gifts, certainly if he is at all sober he will give the greatest credit to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It was with this purpose that Kavirāja Gosvāmī said:
- śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra
- vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra
"If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply it to the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly wonderful." (CC Adi 8.15)
CC Madhya-lila
The jñānīs cannot be desireless because their intelligence is unsound. They want to merge into the Brahman effulgence, but even though they may be raised to that platform, they cannot be satisfied there. There are many jñānīs or sannyāsīs who, after taking sannyāsa and giving up the world as false, return to the world to engage in politics or philanthropy or to open schools and hospitals. This means that they could not attain the real Brahman (brahma satyam). They have to come down to the material platform to engage in philanthropic activity. Thus they again cultivate desires, and when these desires are exhausted, they desire something different. Therefore the jñānī cannot be niṣkāma, desireless.
A pure Vaiṣṇava is one who has no ulterior motive. He has totally dedicated himself to the service of the Lord. He does not have material desires, and he is not interested in so-called learning and philanthropic work. The so-called learned scholars and philanthropists are actually karmīs and jṣānīs, and some are actually misers engaged in sinful activity. All are condemned because they are not devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that if sannyāsīs (persons in the renounced order of life, who have left their homes for self-realization) do not engage themselves in the devotional service of the Lord but become attracted by philanthropic work, such as opening educational institutions, hospitals or even monasteries, churches or temples of demigods, they find only trouble from such engagements, not only in this life but in the next. Sannyāsīs who do not take advantage of this life to realize Kṛṣṇa simply waste their time and energy in activities outside the jurisdiction of the renounced order. A devotee's attempt to engage his energies in such activities as constructing a Viṣṇu temple, however, is never wasted. Such engagements are called kṛṣṇārthe akhila-ceṣṭā, variegated activities performed to please Kṛṣṇa. A philanthropist's opening a school building and a devotee's constructing a temple are not on the same level. Although a philanthropist's opening an educational institution may be pious activity, it comes under the laws of karma, whereas constructing a temple for Viṣṇu is devotional service.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Individual material cravings are less harmful to the world than mass movements for sense gratification. If the material desires of an individual are unfulfilled, he certainly becomes depressed, but when the mass of people remain dissatisfied, the distress is much greater and gives rise to social conflict. In any case, mundane yearnings bring suffering, both individual or collective. Even if a person starts out not intending enjoy the fruits of his actions, once those fruits come he is forced to enjoy them because he thinks of himself as the doer, influenced as he is by the three modes nature—goodness, passion, and ignorance. These fruits are not without the bitter seeds of anxiety, entanglement, frustration, and disruption. Therefore, neither the execution of social responsibilities nor philanthropic work is ultimately good action. Devotional service to the Supreme Lord, which is beyond the three modes, must be accepted as the only good action.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So Arjuna was not a coward. He was a competent warrior. But still, dehātma-buddhi, the bodily concept of life is so strong... That Arjuna admits, dṛṣṭvā tu svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa: (BG 1.28) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I have to kill my own men." What is that "own men"? "Own men" means this bodily relationship. Why others are not own men? Everyone is own men. Because everyone is Kṛṣṇa's son. So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he can see everyone own men. And when he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he simply sees own men where there is bodily relationship. This is the defect. They are advertising, humanitarian work, philanthropic work, communism, this "ism," but when there is question of bodily relationship, immediately everything is changed. You know, the Communist country, the Khruschev was driven out because he was patronizing his own men. That was the defect. So you can advertise that "I am for everyone," but there is affection for own men. Nepotism. Nepotism. It's called nepotism. So many big, big leaders. Our Jawaharhal Nehru, he was sending his own men as ambassador.
Therefore the so-called good men of this world, who are engaged in so many welfare activities, humanitarian activities, by mental concoction, they may be all foolish activities in the estimation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are very much puffed up, that "We are doing this, opening hospital and school, and philanthropism, nationalism." Is there any such thing in the Bhagavad-gītā? Is there any advice that "You open hospital, school and do this philanthropic work"? No. If you have got anything to give in charity, you are charitably disposed, Kṛṣṇa says, "Give it to Me. If you are so rich and if you have got this good intention to give in charity, give it to Me." Yat karoṣi yaj juhosi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi dadāsi yat (BG 9.27). Dadāsi yat means "whatever you give in charity." Kuruṣva tad mad-arpanam: "Give it to Me. Yes, I am expanding My hand. Come on." But they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's advice, and they remain puffed up, that "I am engaged in this activity, that activity, this activity." Thousands of millions of such activities may be very good in the estimations of the fools and rascals, but it may not be accepted by Kṛṣṇa. That is the crucial point.
Renunciation is the fourth order of life according to Vedic civilization. Just like we are a sannyāsī. So we were also householder. I have got my wife, still living. I have got my children. But I have been able to come to this stage of renunciation forgetting my all relationship with my wife and children and family and home because I was trained gradually. I was trained as brahmacārī, as gṛhastha by the mercy of our spiritual master. Therefore I don't feel anything. But abruptly, if we take to sannyāsa order, then... We have seen many persons abruptly taking or without understanding the self-realization process. He fails. He again comes back to the materialistic way of life in a different form. Suppose he begins in philanthropic work, some hospitalizing or opening educational institution. That is nice, but these things are being done by the government and many philanthropic persons. That is not the duty of a sannyāsī. A sannyāsī, a renounced order of life, his main business is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is his real business. But if one has not the taste what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply accept sannyāsa, then he will do all this nonsense work.
We are going to that path gradually, going to that path gradually, but in the middle, we are hampered because there is want of sufficient knowledge. When sufficient knowledge is there... You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, when one is developed in his real consciousness, he can understand." What? What he understands? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "That Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. He is all in all, so I have to surrender unto Him." That is the perfection of knowledge. This stage one has to reach. Never mind whether he is following a principle of philosophical research, whether he is following the yogic principle, or whether he is following philanthropic work or political leadership or... So many things are going on, but the whole thing is targeted toward Kṛṣṇa. How it is targeted? That is explained. I shall try to explain.
Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). The brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, situation, is that "I am not matter; I am spirit." That's all right. But we have to sustain the spirit. How we can sustain? We can sustain when there is spiritual engagement. Otherwise, it is not possible. Otherwise, I may continue for some time, but there is chance of falling down because we have got this information and a practical experience also: great, great, I mean to say, yogis and jñānīs, they again come. We have some practical experience. Sometimes we find a person leaves all worldly engagements, leaves his family, gives up his family connection, becomes a renounced order, sannyāsī, and highest order, and then, after some time, he becomes engaged in opening hospitals and philanthropic work and in politics.
We have seen it. Oh, why? You have renounced the world. Why you are hospital-making business? Hospital-making business is there, going on by the government, by the state. You are not meant for making hospitals. You have to make hospital how people can get rid of this material body. That is spiritual activity.
And actually, God is feeding us. You will find in Africa, there are millions of elephants. Who is giving them food? In your home, within the hole, you will find millions of ants. Are you giving them food? Who is giving them food? There are so many birds and beasts. There is no ration, government ration for them. They are eating. No bird we have seen ever that it has died out of starvation. We have never experienced. But we are engaged in philanthropic work, to give food to the poor, as if God is unable to give food to the poor, because we have taken the position of God. So this is not our business. God has food for everyone. If one is suffering, that is his own fault. Just like in the hospital, you'll go. You'll find so many patients are starving. Does it mean the patients are starving for want of food? No. He must starve; otherwise he will not be cured. That is destiny, called.
This is knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says, idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram (BG 13.2). Kṛṣṇa does not say that "Arjuna, you are this body." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Within this body, the owner of the body is there. This is the beginning of knowledge. So this knowledge is lacking. Nobody knows that "I am within this body." Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." I am American, I am Indian, I am Czechoslovakian, or I am Swiss, and... Everyone is thinking. That means they have no knowledge. All fools and rascals. So the all fools and rascals civilization, how we can be happy?
There must be intelligence. They have no intelligence. They are thinking of philanthropic work, but still thinking that "I am this body." So what that philanthropic work will do? We... With ignorance, with no knowledge, whatever you do, it is foolish. As there are... Sometimes they divide, four classes of men: lazy intelligent, active intelligent, and lazy fool and active fool. The active fool is fourth-class because whatever he'll do, it is foolish. So result will not be very good. Active fool. So lazy fool is better than the active fool.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Even in your country, the British Empire, the Empress Queen, oh, so many people are lying on the street. Manda-bhāgyāḥ. Unfortunate. They can get all the facilities of life, but because unfortunate, they are lying on the street. In America, such a big nation, with everything complete, no scarcity, so many hippies. Manda-bhāgyāḥ. Unfortunate. If one is unfortunate, you cannot make him correct. Condemned. You cannot check one's unfortunateness. If one's unfortunate position can be changed, that is only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other way. You cannot make any philanthropic work and change the fortune of any person. No. That is not possible. Tāvad tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. These are very nicely discussed. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ nṛsiṁha, pitarau nṛsiṁha. It is not that because a child has got his father and mother, he is happy, he should be happy. No. In spite of rich father and mother, he must be unhappy. Just like these hippies. In spite of they have parents, they have grandparents, they are all very rich, but they are lying on the street. I have seen. Torn clothes, this, why? Means condemned. Condemned by God. Tvad-upekṣitānām.
The karmīs are very much attached. Karmīs, they are working very hard. They are thinking that "This material advancement of life will make me happy." But that is not the fact. Therefore they are ajñānī. And the jñānīs, when they are baffled in advancing, or getting peace of mind, or peace by material activities, then they say brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "This world is false. Brahman is reality." But if he does not engage himself in Brahman activities, then he will also fall, the so-called jñānī. That has been proved.
We have seen so many sannyāsīs. First of all they say, "This is false. The world is false. Let me take sannyāsa." And after remaining a few years of sannyāsa, then he learns how to eat meat, how to drink wine, how to associate with women. Then come. Then he must have some business, that philanthropic work, open some school, open some hospital. Why? If he is full(?) and the whole world is false, why you are interested in opening schools and hospitals and... (break) ...to open hospital and open school. No. They are not very much interested. We are interested to open school if there is education for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as we have opened in Dallas, Texas, small children. That we are interested because that is Kṛṣṇa. There is Kṛṣṇa. But we are not interested in so-called godless education. That is not our business.
So actually unless one is saved by the supreme authority, there is no question of saving him by so many philanthropic work. Actual saving is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because if one is raised to his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is real welfare activity. Other things you cannot change. If one is destined to suffer by some agency, you cannot stop. Therefore Bhāgavata says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). You simply try to awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which was impossible in other living conditions. Either going to the heaven planet or going to the hell planet or becoming Brahmā or ant... Do not try for all these elevations. Simply try for awakening your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So in order to get out of this blazing fire of material existence, which is a combination of rajas-tamaḥ-sattva-guṇa, one has to take to this devotional service, and that can be achieved only by hearing from munibhir mahātmabhiḥ, those who are munis. Munis means they are silent about material affairs. They are simply interested with spiritual advancement of life. To give up something and to accept something... To give up something is negative, but if you do not accept something positive, this give up something will not stay. Simply to become renounced of the material world will not help. Big, big sannyāsīs, they gave up this material world—brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā—but they, because they did not engage themselves in devotional service, they again come back to this material world for philanthropic work, for altruistic work, for charity, for opening schools... So simply negative will not help us. We have to accept positive.
Just like the Māyāvādī sannyāsī says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "Renounce this world." They take a luṅgi,(?) a loincloth, and preach, "Who is your wife? Who is your children? Who is your country?" So many things, negative way. Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍhā mate. This is very good, to preach renouncement of this world. But side by side we must have attachment for something. Otherwise, it will be..., it will not stay. Therefore we see so many sannyāsīs, they say brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They give up, take sannyāsa, but after taking sannyāsa, after a few days or few years, they come back again to this material world to open hospital, philanthropic work, school. Why? If you have left this world as mithyā, as false, why you are again coming to politics, to philanthropy, sociology and so on? Why you are coming again? That is bound to be. Because we are living entity, we are active. If we simply become inactive out of frustration, then it will be failure. We must engage with activities. That activity is devotional service. This is Brahman activity. The Māyāvādīs, they do not know.
Because you, human being, you are advancing in knowledge, but what is the goal of knowledge? The goal of knowledge is to understand God. That is the difference between dog and me. He has no goal of knowledge. He is simply eating, simply jumping and barking, that's all. That is a dog's business. If you go on like that, eating, sleeping and begetting children and barking in political conference, then you are dog. You are not God or godly. Nobody can become God, that is... But you can become godly. Similarly, people have become just like cats and dogs. This is dharmasya glāniḥ.
Therefore the incarnation is already there, Kṛṣṇa is there, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there, but people are not taking advantage of it. Not taking advantage of it. Everything is there. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to rescue these rascals from this ignorance and give Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Most philanthropic work. They will become dog next life; we are trying to save them, "Don't become dog. Just become god or godly." This is our movement. But they are persistent to become dog. Even they are coming here, again falling. Persistent to become dog. So that is nature's law, what can be done?
Very strong word he used. "Do you think that I am speaking for others? You have learned everything? You are diverting your attention." So many ways, he was very, very angry. You see? So this is nice, to chastise. Therefore, as soon as Kṛṣṇa was accepted as guru... Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I become Your disciple." Because in the beginning there was friendly talks... So friendly talks cannot make any good advance. Talks must be between the spiritual master or teacher and the disciple.
So immediately, first of all, He chastised. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "Arjuna, you are talking like a learned man, but you are a fool number one." Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. That means "If you had been actually paṇḍita, learned man, then you would not have lamented for this body." Gatāsūn. "The body is neither a subject matter for lamentation, either living condition or dead condition. It has no value." This is the instruction, Kṛṣṇa's word. But the modern civilization, they are giving all value to this body, all their philanthropic work, hospitalization, and this, so many things. Just like our Mr. George Harrison, he raised how many millions dollars for...
So many Māyāvādīs, they first of all say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, but after few days, again they come to this jagat and become interested in so-called material service because he could not realize Brahman. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They may rise up to the paraṁ padam, brahma-pada, but anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ, because they could not take up the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, they fall down. There are many instances, many sannyāsīs. They give up this world as mithyā and again come to politics, again come to philanthropic work. Why? If jagat is mithyā, why you are coming to politics and philanthropic work? That is āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Again they fall down.
So there are many controversial points. It may take long hours. But so far we are, Vaiṣṇava are, concerned, we don't accept that this world is false. No. Everything is meant for Kṛṣṇa's service. Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor. And He is the bhoktā. So don't try to enjoy this world. That is false. Everything engaged for Kṛṣṇa's—that is reality. So jagat is not unreal. Our attitude, our mentality, is unreal, that "The whole world is for my enjoyment."
So here it is said that even if you perform austerity, penances, the worldly circumstances are so implicated that it will involve you some way or other again into the material modes of nature. There are many instances. Many sannyāsīs, they give up this world as mithyā, all false. "Let me take to Brahman." But again they become implicated to philanthropic work, welfare activities. If this world is false, why you are attracted to the welfare activities? If it is false in your opinion... We say it is not false. Our philosophy is... We don't say that the world is false; we say the world is temporary. How it can be false? If God created this world, if God is true, how His creation can be false? We don't approve this philosophy. We accept that this is not false, but this is temporary. And because it is creation of God, because He's Absolute Truth, it is also true. Simply we are seeing it otherwise. Just like I'm claiming something within this world as my property. That is false. But this is someone's property—that is fact. That is God's property.
And if you go to Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, then there is no more kuṇṭha, full freedom without anxiety. Because even if you realize yourself that you are part and parcel of Parabrahman, when you realize Brahman yourself, not this body, immediately you become jolly. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There are many sannyāsīs who are brahmavādī. So as soon as they feel "Ahaṁ brahmāsmi," they are no more in anxiety of this material world. And if you increase that—Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān That simple Brahman realization, it is knowledge that "I am not this, but I am that." Neti. But that knowledge will not be sufficient. You have to make progress further because we are by nature ānandamāya. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. Our nature is to search after ānanda. So simply Brahman realization will not give you ānanda. Therefore we see sometimes big, big sannyāsīs, they gave up this world as brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, but because they could not get ānanda, they come down again. Again they become busy in opening hospital and school and philanthropic work, politics, because they could not get ānanda. That is the defect of the impersonalists. They can simply understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this body. I am not matter. I am spirit." But that much understanding will not help. It may be helpful for some time, but because he is bereft of ānanda, he will fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Ānanda you cannot get without being a servant of the Supreme Lord. That is ānanda, reciprocation(?). That is Vṛndāvana.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The same example is given in the Bhāgavata: āruhya kṛcchreṇa, with great scientific method you can go up. But if you don't get a shelter, then you come back again on this planet. Similarly, the nondevotees, the impersonalists, they undergo severe penances and austerities undoubtedly, and they rise up to the brahmajyoti... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). From there, he again falls down. Same example. Why? Anādhṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they did not care for the shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, therefore they have to come back again to this material world.
That is practically experienced. We have seen many, many great sannyāsīs. They give up this world and take sannyāsa for merging into Brahman, but later on they come back again to the material activities for opening hospital, schools, and philanthropic work. Why? Because they could not get there. In their so-called Brahman realization, they could not get any pleasure. Therefore they come down again to the material activities. You have left this material world as brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Then why you come back again to this mithyā world, to open hospitals and schools? The reason is they could not get any pleasure in so-called Brahman-realization. Therefore they come back to give food to the poor, to open hospital, philanthropic work.
Therefore, if you stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will enjoy blissful, transcendental blissfulness. Then you'll not be attracted with this humanitarian work or philanthropic work. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). In the service of the Lord, there are so much pleasure, transcendental pleasure. Just like in the life of Gosvāmīs, we find:
- tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat
- bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna kantāśritau
- gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau sadā
- vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau
They gave up their ministerial posts. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Most insignificant. They gave up their ministerial posts. And they became mendicants. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kantāśritau. Became very poor, voluntarily mendicant. It is very difficult. If one changes his dress artificially by imitating Rūpa Gosvāmī, he cannot stay. He'll have to take to sex pleasure and intoxication to keep himself fit for bhajana. No. But the Gosvāmīs, they did not take into sex pleasure or intoxication. They were merged into the ocean of the dealings of the gopīs with Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore Vaiṣṇavas, they do not want it. Vaiṣṇava does not want any kind of mukti. This Vaiṣṇava wants simply to remain in the service of the Lord. They don't aspire for any kind of mukti. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). So this mukti the sāyujya-mukti, means to become one with the Supreme, it not very safe, because there is, there is want of ānanda and knowledge. Simply to become one, that will not help. Therefore he is actually, constitutionally, a small particle of sac-cid-ānanda. So for want of ānanda, he comes again. Thus we have seen many sannyāsīs, they give up this world as brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, but they do not get any benefit out of it. Therefore they come down again to open hospitals and schools and philanthropic work. They fall down. Now, if it is brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, if jagat is mithyā, then why you are coming again to open hospitals? It is mithyā. But brahma satya. If you have realized Brahman, you are truth. Then why truth is coming to untruth? Because they could not get any pleasure.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So śāstra therefore forbids or gives warning, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). The same example. With great endeavor, with much expenditure you may go eighty thousand miles per hour, but unless you get shelter, you have to again come back to this, either in America or Russia. They tried, but they could not get shelter. Similarly, the one may understand that he is spirit soul and he may try his best to merge into the spiritual effulgence, Brahman—ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I shall remain in Brahman"—but because he is person, the impersonalism condition will not be helpful to him, and because he has no personal view of the supreme spirit—he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa—naturally he again comes back to this material world and surrenders to the material subject matter. Sometimes he is engaged in philanthropic work or altruistic work. He thought, "This is the best service. instead of serving myself, let me serve the whole humanity, whole community, whole nation," so on, so on, so on. But they are all asad-dharma. They are not sad-dharma.
Simply rotating in the sky is not very pleasant thing. We have got experience in the airplane. If we go five or six hours in the planes, we become suffocated. So it is not possible. Therefore those who merge into the Brahman effulgence, they again fall down, because they have no engagement in Kṛṣṇa's business. They never cultivated such knowledge. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Because the Māyāvādīs, they think, "What is this nonsense, serving Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is māyā. We are not going to serve māyā. We are going to become one with God, with effulgence." That oneness, you can stay within sunshine and be burnt up, but you cannot stay there. After your whims are fulfilled or you become disgusted... But because you have no information of serving Kṛṣṇa, then come down again to this material world and serve māyā—so-called hospitals and other things, philanthropic work. Because they have no information to serve Kṛṣṇa, the result is āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). The Brahman is also paraṁ padam. It is not material; it is spiritual world. But because they have no shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they fall down again at the shelter of the māyā.
So āruhya kṛcchreṇa, after undergoing severe penances and philosophical research, even though he has risen up to the point of perfection, to the point of perfection, still, patanty adhaḥ, he has the chance of falling down. And that we have seen in many instances. Many sannyāsīns, they were very educated, and they have undergone severe penances, but without Kṛṣṇa realization they fall down. How they fall down? Sometimes they fall down, becomes a victim of a woman. Sometimes they fall down for this philanthropic work. Sometimes they fall down in the matter of opening hospitals. Generally they fall down by becoming a victim, victim of woman, and others, they also become victim of this material nature, become attracted by this social work. So a sannyāsī is supposed to be renounced order. He has nothing to do with this material world. Then why should he come to the social order or philanthropic order? That is his falldown. That is his falldown. He should be situated completely in spiritual order. He has nothing to do. He should simply be engaged in spiritual service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the perfection of renouncement.
There is a very big sannyāsī in India. His name is Karpatri. Karpatriji. So he is very learned scholar. And when he speaks about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he's such a learned scholar, thousands of people will come to hear him. Actually, he's a very great scholar. But he was very much respectable and he had many disciples, very, I mean to say, a man of position, a sannyāsī. Unfortunately he has taken now politics. He's after to take back Pakistan and join it with India. That has become his mission. So he is going to jail even—because political movement. So everything he's doing; now his sannyāsa is finished. Now no more Brahman. Now again India and Pakistan. That's all. So this is sure. Vivekananda came here to preach Hindu religion. Before that he had no idea of philanthropic work. And when he came back to India, "Oh, this is your religion. Oh, so many Indians they are suffering. So many Indians they have no shelter. Oh, give them shelter. Give them hospital." Now he became... And collected fund. Vivekananda started new religion, daridra-nārāyaṇa. Daridra-nārāyaṇa means the poor, poverty-stricken Bowery men, they should be served, not Kṛṣṇa. That is their mission. The Ramakrishna Mission means to serve daridra-nārāyaṇa.
Festival Lectures
So Kṛṣṇa therefore says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharmān, we have created some dharma. Some dharma is for lording it over the material nature. Karmīs. The karmīs are trying to lord it over the material nature, all resources. Working hard, day and night, how to lord it over the material world. This is one dharma. Another dharma, when the karmī's frustrated because he cannot enjoy... Because he is not enjoyer. Artificially, he is trying to enjoy. Then, when he's frustrated, then he says, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "The brahma is satya, and this world is false." Then he becomes a sannyāsī, a renouncer. But he cannot live in that renouncement platform. And then he again comes back to this material world and engages himself in some philanthropic work: "Let us open hospital. Let us open schools and college..." If the brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā... If the world is mithyā, false, why you are again, a sannyāsī, you are coming again back to this platform? That means he's not satisfied in so-called brahma satyam.
General Lectures
In all varieties of species of life... There are 8,400,000 species of life. The aquatics, the trees, the plants, the birds, the bees, the insects... Then human beings. And out of the human beings also, there are so many uncivilized. Civilized human beings are very few. And out of the civilized human beings, very few take to religious life. Very few. And out of these so-called religious human society, most of them, they simply designate, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," but they do not know about religion. And one who knows about—not knows, little attracted—they are engaged in philanthropic work. To give help to the poor, or to open a school, hospital. This is called karma-kāṇḍa. Out of many millions of these karma-kāṇḍa people, one is jñānī. Jñānī means "one who knows." And out of millions of persons who know, one is liberated. And out of millions of liberated persons, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. This is the position of Kṛṣṇa.
Departure Talks
So this philosophy, to merge into the big Brahman, Supreme Brahman, or effulgence, brahmajyoti, that is not very secure position. It is said in the śāstra that āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ: (SB 10.2.32) they fall down. We have seen that many Māyāvādī philosophers or sannyāsīs, they give up this world as mithyā, false, but after some time, they again come to this false material world for some philanthropic work, humanitarian work, because they could not get Kṛṣṇa. If you have left this world as false, then why you are coming again to give service to the world? No. They could not get. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). Paraṁ padam means Brahman. Patanty adhaḥ: "They fall down." Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they neglected the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." They did not get any shelter. Just like if you go very high in the sky but if you don't get a shelter, then again you come back. Just like these moon-planet-goers, they attempted many times jumping, but they could not get any shelter.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They do not know. They are after brahmaṇanda, transcendental pleasure, but they do not know what is actually transcendental pleasure, impersonalists. Therefore their intelligence is not clean. They go to the spiritual kingdom, transcendental platform, but they do not that know, how real transcendental pleasure can be achieved. Therefore their knowledge is not perfect.
Revatīnandana: When they want to come back, is it very easy for them to come back or have they got to...?
Prabhupāda: No, they automatically come back because he is hankering after varieties. So that variety is not there, so he is attracted again in the material world. Just like so many sannyāsīs. Take Vivekananda. He wanted to lecture on Vedānta, which is liberation. He came again back to the hospitalizing and philanthropic work because he could not find the variety of pleasure in Vedānta. Of course, he was not very much advanced. There are many. There is a... Sannyāsī is here. he's a Kārpātrī(?). He is very learned and other... He was formerly speaking on Vedānta and other... Now he is in politics and cow protection. You see? There are many.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is specially mentioned in the Bhāgavata: vinā paśughnāt.
- nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād
- bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt
- ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt
- pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt
- (SB 10.1.4)
Everyone can understand the truth except the rascals who are meat-eaters. Vinā paśughnāt. Paśughnāt. Paśu means animals, and ghna means killer. Christ therefore first says, "You shall not kill." These rascals are killers from the very beginning, and they're continuing. Vinā paśughnāt (SB 10.1.4). Those who are paśughna, they cannot understand. They're thinking, "We are doing very good work, philanthropic work, opening hospitals and public roads, and every ten years, we are fighting and killing all the men population." They're happy. They are taking credit for these big, big buildings, but this is duṣkṛtina because simply these buildings are meant for committing sinful activities. That's all. "Wine, women, meat-eating, gambling. We are civilized." (break) ...this Geneva very many churches.
Guru-gaurāṅga: Many churches in Geneva? No.
Prabhupāda: No.
Guru-gaurāṅga: Not so many.
Prabhupāda: That means godless. Eh?
Guru-gaurāṅga: Yes.
Prabhupāda: When I first came to America, Butler, in Pennsylvania, that is small county, but at least one dozen churches I found. I very much appreciated, that the people are not... And they're going regularly, churches. I was invited in many churches. I was...
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Durlabhaḥ means very rare to be seen but the word is used sudurlabhaḥ, very, very rare. So you cannot find such a mahātmā who understands clearly Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin... (BG 7.3). Siddha means liberated. So one may become liberated even that.... but from that liberated position again he falls down unless he understands the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Aruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Unless he comes to the final understanding of the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, he'll fall down. Therefore so many Vedantists, they first of all, they give up this world brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, this world is false. But again they come down and they become busy in doing some philanthropic work, opening hospitals.... Why? If the world is false, why you are coming down again on this platform? That means they could not get any substance by their so-called renouncement of this world.
Prabhupāda: Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This is the Vedānta. We are, as spirit soul, being part and parcel of the Supreme, ānanda is our goal, ānanda, blissfulness. But that blissfulness, you cannot get simply by understanding sat-cit. You must come to the platform of ānanda. That is Kṛṣṇa. So because these so-called jñānīs, they do not get ānanda, they do not have the entrance into the ānanda platform, they come to this material ānanda, this material pleasure. Therefore they take to this hospitality or opening a school or philanthropic work, another type of this material pleasure. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya recommended:
- bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ
- bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate
- prāpte sannihite kāle na hi
- na hi rakṣati dukṛn kāraṇe
Your simply this grammatical jugglery of words will not help you. Bhaja govindam. Therefore we, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. We, our principle is to worship Govinda the ādi-puruṣa, tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. So without coming to that stage, perfection is not complete. Partial, the sac-cid-ānanda, the brahma-anubhūti is partial, sat. "I am not matter. I am not destructible. I am eternal." This is sat. And cit, knowledge, full knowledge about spiritual... But ānanda you have to come to the third stage, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Ah. Mām evaiṣyasi. "He becomes pure devotee, and he comes back to Me." Mam evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.65). That is the solution: go back home, back to Godhead. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramam (BG 15.6). That is the mission of human life. For that purpose we have to do everything. How to go back to home, back to Godhead. And that point we are missing. We are engaged in so-called philanthropic work. Real purpose of life we are missing. And this can be done only in this human form of life. The Prahlāda Mahārāja says,
- kaumāra ācaret prājño
- dharmān bhāgavatān iha
- durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
- tad apy adhruvam arthadam
- (SB 7.6.1)
Arthardam. Although it is temporary, arthadam. The dog will die, and I will also die. Both of our body is temporary. But I can die understanding the importance of life. The dog cannot. That is the difference. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises, kaumāra ācaret: "From the beginning of life teach dharmān bhāgavatān." So these are the indications in the śāstras. We have to do that if we actually want to do something tangible. And if you manufacture ideas, that we can do, but that will not be very much effective.
Prabhupāda: Why don't you ask him to come? He's rich. Ask him to come, live with us in Māyāpura, and rest of the life let him become happy. Why he's after money?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: His aim is to make as many bridges as possible. He's thinks that's some sort of philanthropic work.
Prabhupāda: This is māyā. This is māyā. What he can do? He will die. This is called māyā. Therefore our system is because you are rascal, do all rascaldom up to fiftieth year. Then give it up. All kinds of rascaldom you can continue. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Then you retire from all this rascal work.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Still, we don't know we'll live for fifty years.
Prabhupāda: That is another difficulty. For general calculation a man can live up to a hundred years in this age. So in the middle, stop all rascaldom-compulsory. Now take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because you are persistent to continue your rascaldom, all right, do it up to this point. And then stop all this. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is a concession for continuing the rascaldom. But if he's so fool that he will continue the rascaldom as Jawaharlal Nehru did and Gandhi did and Hitler did and-up to the point of death—let him do. What can be done? They will continue their rascaldom.
Prabhupāda: Somebody's enjoying spiritual happiness by becoming Yamunā water. Somebody's enjoying as flower of Vṛndāvana, somebody as calf, somebody as cow, somebody as father, as mother, as friend, as conjugal friend, gopīs—all concentrated in Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. Center is Kṛṣṇa. Yaśodā-nandana... What is that? Braja-jana-rañjana... Huh? Yāmuna-tīra-bana-cārī. Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī, yāmuna-tīra-bana-cārī. So Yamunā is spiritual. Yāmuna-tīra is spiritual. The varieties, the Māyāvādī cannot understand. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They want varieties, but don't accept spiritual variety. Therefore again material life. No other alternative. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti. Again material varieties, philanthropic work, political work, this work, that work. First of all they give up-brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, the jagan mithyā. And again they come out to open school. Why you come here again? Āruhya kṛcchreṇa param..., patanty adhaḥ. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. They could not capture the spiritual varieties. Anādṛta. As soon as there is spiritual varieties they think it is māyā. That is Māyāvāda. There is no māyā. Spiritual variety, there is no māyā. Variety is the mother of enjoyment.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
By the Grace of Lord Bala Krishna you are also free from all family encumbrances and as I have see you in your Palm Ban house, you live like a sage and a Tapaswini. I wish that you may take up this idea of Bhagavatam preaching work a little more seriously. What I want that immediately a society for this purpose may be formed and that will be recognized by the Government for cultural activity. So many cultural missions come here from India at the expense of Government and they simply waste the money. But if there is a real cultural mission for preaching the Bhagavatam cult a great philanthropic work will be done for the human society at large. I am just giving you the idea and if you kindly think over the matter seriously and consult your beloved Lord Bala Krishna surely you will be further enlightened in the matter. There is scope and there is necessity also and it is the duty of every Indian specially the devotees of Lord Krishna to take up the matter.
1969 Correspondence
Jayananda and Chidananda are tested devotees as much as yourself and Tamala Krishna. You are all unique pairs. So I am gradually realizing that my attempt in this country to spread Krishna Consciousness has now taken some root, and I am sure this will grow more and more 'til it reaches the Lotus Feet of Krishna in Goloka Vrindaban. Actually, our most Beloved Object is Krishna. Our love reposed on anything within our experience is due to our ultimate love for Krishna. People are trying to love the branches and leaves without taking care of the root. But when water is poured down on the root, the branches and leaves automatically become luxurious. This philosophy of taking care of the Supreme is missing in the modern civilization. They do philanthropic work, humanitarian work, national work, social work and many similar other works; now ultimately they have invented the United Nations and world health organizations. But all these attempts are exactly the same process as to water the leaves and the twigs. They don't know the missing point: Krishna. So we have got very great responsibility to spread Krishna Consciousness throughout the world.
1972 Correspondence
"Child is the father of man," so if you can train these children in Krishna Consciousness by kind instruction, feeding them, it will be a great service to Lord Caitanya. For the last 50 years the Gaudiya Math people are there but their relationship with the local inhabitants is not so cordial. If we continue this philanthropic work to give them enlightenment and food without any discrimination, it will be appreciated by all people.
This meeting in Navadvipa was certainly very important and I am very much pleased that Sriman Acyutananda Maharaja has established our position. Krishna will bless him. Let him preach in that spirit, that is required. Our mission is to establish God-consciousness. We can give more information about God from authentic literature. So every religion has got some relationship with God, that is preliminary understanding. But actually what is God, how we can understand Him, how He is working by His different energies, how He is creating, maintaining and annihilating—all this information we can give in details, therefore anyone who is interested in the matter of understanding God, they should give their patient hearing to our descriptions. The result will be that his faith in God will be increased. In other words, if any person who hears from us will become a greater lover of God and learn what is the highest perfection of life.
| Page Title: | Philanthropic work |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Matea |
| Created: | 20 of Jun, 2009 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=5, CC=3, OB=3, Lec=27, Con=7, Let=3 |
| No. of Quotes: | 48 |