The Challenges of Modern Times
For Kṛṣṇa, spending time with the devotees – that is what is important. Just getting things done, He is already doing that as Paramātmā, and He is not with the devotees, that’s why it is considered a lower level.
For Kṛṣṇa, spending time with the devotees – that is what is important. Just getting things done, He is already doing that as Paramātmā, and He is not with the devotees, that’s why it is considered a lower level.
Question: The junior is out there doing service, and by doing the service they get more realisation than the senior person administratinge people, and then you run into conflicts…
If you are doing something for somebody because the soul is benefited, that is the real protection, but if we identify with the body or only see things with the senses then we think, ‘Unless someone is taking care of my personal environment then I am not being protected.’
What we are discussing here doesn’t change the position or authority of GBC. This gives them the authority that they are supposed to have, that is given by the sampradāya, as well as it gives to the presidents their authority.
The movement of Lord Caitanya is to deliver the fallen souls. Those who accept that and try to do that – that’s the movement. Those who associate amongst themselves in that mood – that’s the society. And those who associate with the idea of organizing things so that these things go on in a very systematic way, that’s the institution.
One is simply saying, ‘ISKCON didn’t take care of my body.’ If we cared about the soul, then we would do something for the benefit of the soul. Which is associating with devotees, chanting, taking prasāda, studying the scriptures. But if you want to be the rich guy walking around with the gold teeth and driving around in the Lamborghini then maybe you got to work a little hard. You got to get off your own butt and go out there and get it. ISKCON is not going to give you that. Who said ISKCON is ever going to do that?
If it is accepted that Kṛṣṇa made the nature, not us, then it just makes it so much easier. You figure out what you do, and then you know where your strengths are and your weaknesses are. And then others also know.
We are just being asked to do what they do in the spiritual world. For them, because of their attachment to Kṛṣṇa that particular form and situation is manifest, while for us that has come because of our conditioned mentality. But the principle is the same.
Religion is not a matter of faith, religion is the laws of God. So, the living entity is the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Without being servant you don’t accomplish anything.