Sharanagati

“As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.”[1]

Always do good and give good example to others. “So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development in devotional life].”[2]

This is the duty of a leader – to help people to realize themselves, to show the active way of devotional service and to show how to harmonize whatever activities you are doing with the divine goal. A real guru will teach you how to sleep for Krishna or how to quarrel for Krishna. Everything should be harmonized – whatever we do, should be harmonized. It is not that we should be schizophrenic. You should not become schizophrenic: I have a spiritual life and I have a material life. No, you should find the harmony in everything. Because everything is guided by the divine arrangement. Even the bodily functions are under guidance.

Still we follow some rules and regulations what to do and what not to do. But what is the goal – to be attached to rules and regulations that can purify you? Or to be attached to purity?! Where do you give your attention? To the rules or to Krishna? In this way, by real spiritual development from rules you can come to love. From requirements you can come to spontaneity. From limited consciousness you can come to freedom. It is very difficult to achieve total spiritual freedom. But if we understand what is the essence of that spiritual purity and freedom, then it will be very attractive to us. Because finally in love there are no rules. The gopis are not approaching Krishna according to the rules and regulations. Radha sometimes revolts against the tyranny of Krishna! She is not an obedient servant, but rather a revolutionary personality, from the left wing.

But if you revolt against Krishna, that is not so sweet. So first give yourself: “I am Yours!” And then you can come with your claims: “But You are mine!” These are some higher levels, some higher questions of bhakti, where there is the feeling of mamata – that “You are mine” – when you try to claim your rights on Krishna, although all rights are reserved by Him.

Still, by performing this supreme duty of humanity you can achieve that level. Because we are not living for… not even for dharma, not to speak of artha, kama, not even for moksha, but we live for bhakti, divine love. Because Krishna is subordinate to this divine love. It is more powerful than Himself. Therefore the final duty of the living entity is to come in contact with Him, to reflect back what you have got from Him. This is the principal duty of a person – to live for Krishna. Whatever you have, offer to Him. Whatever you do, do for His sake. This is real activity. Otherwise activities will bring only problems. But if you learn how to serve Krishna nicely, perfectly, then problems will be finished.

Not very soon. I don’t want to sell you pink spectacles. Problems will be there. If you want to purify yourself, you will have to face all the problems of your existence. And you will have many fall downs and many very distressed moments. But still this path of liberation and this path of bhakti is very glorious. Because you can be victorious over yourself, your greatest enemy.