On 8 April 2011 I was asked to speak on the topic of "Know Who Are--Be Who You Are" at our ISKCON center in Noida, India. It was a wonderful opportunity to share the nectar of Krishna consciousness with a super-surcharged audience. After sporting in the oceanic waves of Krishna kirtan for fifteen or twenty minutes, we then dove into the invigorating reservoir of hearing and the chanting the unlimited glories of Lord Sri Krishna and how to attain Him. So many wonderful questions came in that we did not have time to answer them all.


Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Kirtan Bliss in Noida, India

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Describing How to Realize Who You Are

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There's Nothing Sweeter than Krishna Bhakti

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Question: Service to Man is Not Service to God?

Thank you for the great session on 8 April in Noida. But I did not like one opinion of yours. You said that it is all rubbish to think that by serving mankind we are serving God. Are you 100% sure? If you are, than what is your opinion about Mother Teresa? Her whole life was devoted to the service of mankind and she has been declared a saint. I would be very happy if you are able to satisfy me with a proper explanation.

Thanks and regards,
Nikhil A.
 

Answer: Remove the Boil. Don't Just Blow On It.

It is not a matter of my personal opinion. It is a fact that just as we water the tree by watering it's roots, not by watering it's leaves and branches, in a similar way if we want to serve mankind, we must serve the people through loving service to God. The service that God has requested is that we deliver His suffering children back to their original home in the spiritual sky. If we simply serve the outer covering of the self, without serving the self within, we are not doing real service. Such service is only superficial, like blowing on a boil for temporary relief without removing it for permanent relief.

If your friend's son has run away from home, he desperately wants his son to return. If you see that boy on the street and you give him some money so he can get something to eat, but you do not return him to his father, have you served his father by feeding that boy? No. You have the given the boy the facility to remain a little longer away from home. So if you really want to serve God, you must bring his lost children back to Him. Then your service to man will be real service to God. Otherwise, your service to man, although apparently good, will actually be a disservice.

Vedic society is a fully rounded society in which all aspects of life are covered. A Vedic government makes sure that everyone is well fed, well clothed, and well housed and that everyone is happily employed according to their psycho-physical nature. This system of management is known as the varnashram system. And, most importantly in a Vedic society everyone is given full education and practical training how to utilize the human form of life for going back to home, back to Godhead. In such a situation, serving mankind by liberating them from the cycle of birth and death is the best service to God.  By this one stroke all sufferings arising from birth, death, old age, and disease are immediately mitigated.

So I hope that you will understand that the science of how to give permanent relief to all the souls entangled in the cycle of birth and death is not rubbish.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
 

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