Saving From Crimes

“If one wishes to benefit his fellow brother, he must awaken his dormant Krishna consciousness. The Krishna conscious position is that of pratibuddha, which means "pure consciousness.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.27.25 Purport)

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“No good deed goes unpunished.” This phrase is usually viewed in a humorous light. The father of a large family decides to take everyone on a short vacation to a place he considers worth seeing. He pays for an expensive hotel room and arranges for excursions to tourist attractions. At the end the family complains about how cheap he is. They chastise him for dragging them out of their homes to a place they didn’t even want to visit.

This is a small deed that seems good, but what about some of the more common acts of kindness? Can those ever go wrong? Can it be a bad thing to feed someone who is hungry? What about healing someone who is sick? Does that ever cross into the territory of adharma?

Dharma is the Sanskrit word for religion. It doesn’t mean religion exactly, since dharma has nothing to do with faith. Sort of like how gravity is not something dependent on believers, dharma is the scientific position of something. It is the defining characteristic. The definition for dharma extends into religiosity and duty since these two things help to maintain the essential characteristic in the individual, who is a spirit soul.

One aspect to duty is charity. In the Bhagavad-gita we get the concept of three kinds of charity. Gifts in goodness go to the proper recipient, at the proper time, and without any expectation of return. Charity in passion is done with a motive. Think of it like remembering the money you gave to someone when they were in trouble. Charity in ignorance goes to the inappropriate recipient, at the inappropriate time.

adeśa-kāle yad dānam
apātrebhyaś ca dīyate
asat-kṛtam avajñātaṁ
tat tāmasam udāhṛtam

“And charity performed at an improper place and time and given to unworthy persons without respect and with contempt is charity in the mode of ignorance.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 17.22)

If someone comes up to you and asks for food, should you give it to them? What if you feed them and then they go on to commit a crime? What if a beggar on the street asks you for money, which they intend to use to buy a gun to carry out a mass murder? These are examples of charity in ignorance, which proves that good deeds sometimes aren’t very good at all.

The demigods can run into trouble in this area. Though their gifts technically aren’t charity, the exchanges are similar since they involve a benefactor and a beneficiary. The demigods are in assigned posts, which stipulate that they must grant their worshipers whatever material rewards they ask for. The famous villain Ravana asked for so many boons, as did Hiranyakashipu. Both of these characters used their gifts procured from the demigods to harm the innocent people of the world.

There is the example of Vrikasura. This demon worshiped Lord Shiva since he heard that Mahadeva is the easiest to please. Vrikasura asked for the boon to be able to kill someone simply by touching their head. After seeing his great austerity, Lord Shiva became pleased and granted this wish. Vrikasura then proceeded to chase after Mahadeva, in the hopes of touching his head and taking away his wife Parvati. Lord Vishnu finally intervened and saved the day.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says that the best way to help our fellow man is to give them Krishna consciousness. Obviously there is some self-interest served here, as Shrila Prabhupada is an eternal servant at the feet of Shri Shri Radha and Krishna, the original female and male aspects of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He’s getting what he wants by having others take up the same kind of devotion.

At the same time, there is something unique about this kind of charity. It never comes back to bite you. By definition it cannot go to waste; it cannot do harm. Bhakti-yoga saves someone from a life of crime. There is the Rakshasa on the lowest level of the criminal ladder, and above them is the asura, who only exploits the material nature for his own sense gratification. The Rakshasa openly violates the standards of decency, while the asura merely denies the existence of God while giving a show of being law-abiding.

Bhakti-yoga is pure goodness. Practiced properly and to maturation, it gives the divine vision. The yogi in bhakti sees the Supreme Lord within all creatures. They empathize with every living entity, knowing how difficult the struggle through a material existence is. They have no desire to take anyone’s property since they know that everything originally belongs to God. They don’t hate, since they lack material desires. Hate can only arise from envy and frustrated desires, but in bhakti the only anxiety is how to better serve the Supreme Lord Krishna.

Giving bhakti-yoga is quite safe and it brings benefits that spread throughout the society. The sound of the holy names is the potent elixir for the troubled mind. Having these holy names enter the ear from a devoted soul is the greatest benediction, one that is above the three kinds of charity. The holy names are pure goodness, through and through: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Charity to help seems right,

But sometimes to come back and bite.

 

Like when money to one giving,

So that for a crime committing.

 

Even with demigods the same,

Like Vrikasura who to Shiva came.

 

But bhakti-yoga never to burn,

Gives to soul for what they yearn.

How To Make Others Happy

“By the spell of illusion one tries to be happy by serving his personal sense gratification in different forms which will never make him happy. Instead of satisfying his own personal material senses, he has to satisfy the senses of the Lord. That is the highest perfection of life.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Introduction)

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The soul is happiest when serving. This property is known as its dharma. The word “dharma” does not directly mean “to serve,” but when the true definition gets broken down as it relates to the individual, then there can be no other meaning. Dharma is the essential characteristic. Consider fire. How do you know that you’ve seen fire? How do you know that you are in its presence?

“The fire has heat and light. Fire burns. Only fire can behave like this. If I see heat, light and burning, then I know that fire is in front of me.”

If we take these features away, the fire ceases to exist. The essential properties are its dharma. Similarly, in water there is wetness. In clouds there is fog. In grass there is the green color. So many distinguishable characteristics are there for the many varieties of objects we see in front of us.

The human being is an interesting species because of its intelligence. It is not as fast as some animals. It cannot eat as much as others. It may not live as long as the trees. It does not have the ability to live in the ocean or survive subzero temperatures for long. Yet it has intelligence. With this tool at its disposal, it can find ways to adapt that other species can’t.

Even with its advanced intelligence, it cannot live forever. It must die, just like the other species. The other species eat, sleep, mate and defend. This means that an advanced intelligence is not required to do these things. Within the human being, the enhanced ability is to be used for finding a unique kind of happiness. There is the question of “why do I exist?” The human being can ask this question, but if it does not find a suitable answer, it will be forever unhappy.

The answer comes through dharma. The essential characteristic of all sparks of spirit is service. In the lower species, so much ignorance covers up the vital spirit soul that knowledge of this characteristic gets lost. The human being has less ignorance covering it, so it has the chance to remember this characteristic and act accordingly.

We have evidence to go by for seeing the essential characteristic. Let’s take this exercise. Who is happier, the person who always looks to eat nice things or the person who cooks nice things for others? Who is happier, the person who only buys things for themselves or the person who tries to put a smile on someone else’s face? In general, the person who serves others is happier. During tough economic times, the person interviewed on the street answers that they are doing okay, but that they are worried about their neighbor. They are concerned with the suffering they see on television. They may have hardships of their own, but they think that others are worse off.

Using a little intelligence, we see that the best way to make others happy is not to simply give them things. If I have things and am not fully satisfied through them, it means that those things aren’t so important. Rather, it is the service I find that makes me happier. By extension, others will be happy through service also.

In comes bhakti-yoga. This gives a chance for service to every living entity. Large or small, old or young, wise or not so bright - no one is excluded. Bhakti-yoga translates to “devotional service” in English, and the devotion is towards the Supreme Lord. His essential characteristics are eternality, bliss and knowledge. He is meant to be served, and all other souls are meant to serve Him. This is the natural order. Any deviation from this leads to misery. Conversely, any approach made towards the center of the reality leads to bliss.

Devotional service at the local level can follow one of nine different methods. The principal ones are hearing and chanting. I can sacrifice some time to hear about God. This is devotion if I’m hearing properly. If I hear that I am God or that anyone can become God, then my hearing is not in bhakti-yoga. If I chant the name of anyone except God, then my service is in kama, or lust, and not bhakti.

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin

nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ

ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo

na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre

“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.20)

An easy way to hear and chant simultaneously is to recite the holy names in the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The best way to serve others is to give them the chance to hear and say these names. Giving this gift is also service, as it increases the range of the devotional culture. So as part of my bhakti-yoga, I’m giving someone else the chance to serve as well. From my own experience I know this to be the true means towards happiness. I will see others happy, and that will come back to me as well. It’s a win-win situation, and it continues endlessly. Dharma always stays with the object in question, and the object that is spirit soul never gets annihilated. It is not slain when the body is slain.

In Closing:

What the best thing to give,

So that others happy to live?

 

From object to object no taste,

Limited pleasure, effort like a waste.

 

From service to get happiness true,

That opportunity can give to you.

 

From bhakti-yoga, service in devotion,

God conscious soul stopping rebirth’s motion.

Immunity From Material Miseries

“The highest perfectional work of charity is to give people in general immunity from the anxieties of material existence. This can be done only by performing activities in devotional service to the Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.7.41 Purport)

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Devoid of a meaningful relationship with another personality, even those who are supposedly religiously inclined take to the “service to man” route as their way of life. To them, to serve their fellow man is their way to serve God, for they don’t know for sure who God is or what He likes. In breaking down the actual service that takes place in such scenarios, it is seen that material miseries are still present. The service is offered, there is some good feeling on the part of the donor, but then the recipient is still left with miseries. Only in service to the real God, who is the complete whole, will lasting benefits trickle down to the general populace. One of those benefits is immunity from material miseries.

“The threefold miseries are (1) those miseries which arise from the mind and body, (2) those miseries inflicted by other living beings, and (3) those miseries arising from natural catastrophes over which one has no control.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.1.2 Purport)

The miseries of life can be grouped into three categories. There are those caused by natural forces. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and the like cannot be controlled by man. Of course the foolish, who don’t understand the presence of a higher controller, will try to blame automobiles, gasoline, political leaders, and even nations as a whole for causing changes to the weather patterns, but in fact such forces of nature are so strong that no collection of ordinary living entities could ever influence them. These events are grouped into the miseries known as adhidaivika, or those controlled by the divine forces.

Then there are the miseries caused by other living entities. Someone cuts into our lane without signaling and we get angry. Someone is driving erratically because they are talking on their cellphone. Someone yells at us for no apparent reason. Someone strikes us in a violent manner. These are miseries caused by other living forces. These miseries are known as adhibhautika, or those caused by other bhutas, or living entities.

Then there are the self-inflicted wounds. I know that I shouldn’t worry about my favorite hockey team’s upcoming game in the Stanley Cup Finals, but I am concerned nonetheless. It is silly, I know. It’s just a game. The results are often determined by which way the puck bounces. One team gets good fortune, while the other doesn’t. This year’s champ is next year’s chump. In spite of knowing all this, I still get very sad when my team loses, especially if they were so close to winning. This misery is borne of the body and mind, and it is known as adhyatmika, or that coming from the self.

Service to man does nothing to stop any of these miseries. If I open up a hospital, perhaps I can put a temporary hold on adhyatmika miseries. Disease comes from the self, so by treating the individual, I can ease the burden of such pains. If I open a shelter, it helps others from miseries caused by nature, such as the chilling cold and the blazing heat. If I teach others to be kind, to be cool-tempered, and to not hit their spouses, some adhibhautika miseries will be alleviated.

Yet nowhere in this service is there immunity. You cure one disease, but this doesn’t stop disease from coming again. You give some relief from hunger, but then what? The person must eat again. And what about the people who are eating just fine? Are they not susceptible to other miseries? Indeed, the wealthy business mogul has to constantly worry about maintaining his empire. A competitor can rise up and knock him off his pedestal. Think of the cellphone wars. One company is on top today, but so many others are vying to unseat the champion. If that happens, the stock price of the leader will fall. Having once been at the top, the fall to the bottom is mighty painful.

Service to God, which is what every person inherently wants to do, does grant immunity. It comes both in the present term and the afterlife. Examples of this are found in history. The residents of Vrindavana a long time ago weren’t very wealthy. They didn’t have much strength, nor were they cunning enough to align with more powerful forces in government. They were innocent farm people. One time, through no fault of their own, they were hit with a torrential downpour that threatened to wash them away. The Supreme Lord, in His personal form, arrived on the scene and granted protection. This was due to the residents’ service. They served God at His direction, and because of this they were immune to the miseries borne of the higher forces of nature.

From this service miseries of the mind are also eradicated because the greatest source of mental discomfort is uncertainty over the future. In service to God, the future destination is known with certainty. Statements from authorized texts like the Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam give both a general and detailed description of what awaits the soul who is God conscious at the end of life.

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5)

That fruit of thinking of God at the time of death brings a permanent end to the threefold miseries. You attain whatever state you think of at death. If you think of someone who is immune to the threefold miseries, you will join Him. If He is immune, He makes sure that His associates are immune too.

Activities in devotion include hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, and offering prayers. They give relief from the anxieties of material existence because they cast aside the concerns over eating, sleeping, mating and defending. If I am not God conscious, I will always worry about how I am going to eat, how I am going to sleep, and how I am going to enjoy. The animals get all these things in due course, and they don’t have to worry about them. Therefore why should the more intelligent human species be so concerned with basic necessities?

In fact, without God consciousness there is only worry. From top to bottom, from rich to poor, there is only anxiety over the struggle that is life. There is hankering over what one wants and lamentation over what one doesn’t have. If in charity I give someone only more sources of anxiety, am I really helping them? On the other hand, if I give them the gift of devotional service, bhakti-yoga, I offer them an endless engagement, something that invigorates the soul. It is something that can be practiced by any person under any circumstance. The same can’t be said of any material activity. Material is limited to the specific circumstances, whereas spirit can remain vibrant anywhere.

Explicit instruction is obviously the best gift in this regard, but simply following devotion in one’s own life sets a great example. Regularly chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,” respecting innocent life by not eating meat, keeping the mind sober by avoiding intoxication, and remaining focused by avoiding illicit sex instantiates the theoretical high-quality life for others to replicate. The sound of the holy name is the most important, as it purifies both the chanter and anyone listening. Chanting in love is bhakti-yoga, and so by itself it is an effective means of charity, one that eventually grants immunity from material miseries.

In Closing:

Disease, oppression and tornadoes set free,

Material life’s miseries in categories three.

 

If charity to someone I will give,

Must ensure in anxiety not to live.

 

If threefold miseries still there,

Not fruitful is my attention and care.

 

In bhakti-yoga reach the way out,

Find God, who resides within and without.

 

Know that by miseries He’s not affected,

Same for His devotees, like in Vrindavana protected.

Giving to Krishna

“The Lord says, patram pushpam phalam: He is ready to accept from the devotee any kind of offering, never mind what. Even a leaf, a flower, a bit of fruit, or a little water, which are all available in every part of the world, can be offered by any person, regardless of social position, and will be accepted if offered with love.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 9.2 Purport)

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“Not surprisingly, in my youth I didn’t have much money. My parents didn’t believe in an allowance. Therefore whatever money I did get came only sporadically. Sometimes my dad would give me money to buy ice cream or something, and then he would let me keep the change. Sometimes I would get money as a gift for a birthday. Whenever it did arrive, I would spend it soon afterwards. I would buy toys. I would buy video games. In this way I gave my money for so many different things.

“In young adulthood, I still didn’t have much money, but I did get cash for expenses. I had a little more freedom to spend than before. I would give money to restaurants when I would go out to eat with my friends. I would give money to various pizza places on those nights when we were still hungry after having eaten dinner a few hours before. I would give money to purchase beverages so that we would all have a good time.

“In adulthood, I started earning money. Now I could buy pretty much whatever I wanted, within reason. I was never into fancy cars or expensive clothes, so those things that I actually wanted I was able to get. I spent money on eating again, but also on ties, shirts, pants and sneakers. I spent money on televisions, on television programming and on concert tickets. I gave my money to charity sometimes too, towards causes that others told me were important. I even gave money to politicians that I thought would make a difference.

“In all this giving, I failed to look towards the way of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In reading books by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, I’ve come to learn that offering something as simple as a flower to the deity of the Supreme Lord in the temple can bring back way more rewards than anything else. Though I’ve offered so many things to so many people throughout my life, I still feel like something is missing.

“Though I never thought of it before, the logic behind the recommendation makes sense. In all the giving thus far, I got something in return. The return was something expected. Perhaps I got a little more satisfaction with some giving than others, but in the end the return was very limited. God is the source of everything. He is the original giver. When others say that God is mean because He has destroyed their home through a hurricane, they fail to mention that God gave them that home to begin with. He gives them the materials necessary to make it possible to be angry with Him. He gives the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the food that we eat, so who are we to be angry with Him?

“On the other side, if I were to simply offer Him something in full sincerity, why wouldn’t He accept it? Come to think of it, why wouldn’t He take the form of the deity too? I know that some spiritual leaders condemn this practice as mere idol worship, but if God is really everything, why wouldn’t He be the deity too? If He is a distinct personality to whom we can offer worship, why wouldn’t He have hands, legs, a face and an enchanting smile? If you don’t believe that this is His original form, then at least you would have to acknowledge that God can take this form if He so chooses. If we can change the shape of our bodies through intense exercise and rigorous dieting, why can’t the Supreme Lord take any shape at will? And then what is the harm in worshiping His preferred shape?

“Of course we don’t have to rely on speculation in this area. The Bhagavad-gita confirms that the Supreme is a person. There are some spiritualists who say that temple worship is unnecessary since God is everywhere, but if that is the case then what is the harm in offering a beautiful flower to the deity? Is that not better than offering gifts to others, which will take place regardless? No matter how old I am or where I live, I will continue to offer so many gifts, and since they are not offered to God these donations will not really get me or the recipients anywhere.

“From this day forward I vow to offer something to the Supreme Lord every day. I know that I am busy working and meeting the responsibilities of home and family, but at the very least I can contemplate offering a flower to God. Whether I have a little or a lot, I know that the best offering is the sincere chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. As this is the supreme gift for this age it is something I will continue to give until my very last breath.

“I should have been offering such attention with sincerity since the beginning of my life, but I know that I didn’t because of forgetfulness. From the Bhagavad-gita I learn that we are all forgetful of our true identity as soon as we take birth. Then the struggle begins to find our way, to make the right turns in this giant maze called life. If we fail to reach the proper destination by the time death arrives, we start over again in the next life.

“Bhakti-yoga is different from any other endeavor, though. If I only give and give for material purposes, I will have to start over with a clean slate in the next life. But if I give just one flower to Krishna, who is the all-attractive Supreme Lord, my progress will not be erased in the next life. Even if I fail to give to Him again, the progress I made will not go away. Thus there can be no denying the benefits of giving to the Supreme Lord, whose presence is spread throughout the world by His enlivened servants, who ask only that we give to God by chanting His names.”

In Closing:

Money in youth did not save,

Towards toys and games gave.

 

In adulthood on desires spent,

Towards clothes and food went.

 

From all this giving what did I get?

Still in transcendence mind not set.

 

Better to offer simple flower I hear,

To Krishna, temple’s resident so dear.

 

Return the best from this gift,

From darkness of ignorance to lift.

Helpless

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.7)

It is only human nature to be worried over the welfare of those who appear to be suffering, in the process ignoring those who are in an opposite condition. But according to the Vedas, any living entity who is embodied, that is any individual within any species that must suffer through reincarnation, the constant changing of bodies, is in need of help. The aid guaranteed to rescue them is not difficult to produce; as it is not even assigned a monetary value. Yet the cause of the embodiment prevents that aid from being widely accepted; thereby exacerbating the problem.

Think of the mother of two sons. The elder is independent, a go-getter. They do things on their own; they are successful. Not only that, but since childhood they have had a clever streak. Rather than act helpless, they are always trying to imitate the adults. They want to do everything the parents do, and they try to trick the elders into allowing them to do prohibited things. From this behavior, the mother not only ceases to think of the eldest son as helpless, but sometimes she will try to admonish him to deflate his ego. “Let him get out of his own messes; this way he’ll learn a lesson.”

The other son is just the opposite in mentality. They are always asking for help. They are in trouble seemingly all the time. The mother is constantly worried about this son. “What if he doesn’t amount to anything in life? How will he handle going away to college? He’s always been close to home, and now he’s out in the real world. How is he going to survive in a world filled with ruthless competitors?” Thus the mother will direct her attention more towards this son, who is apparently helpless.

Under a sober and objective assessment, however, it is understood that both children are equally helpless. Just because one acts independently doesn’t mean that they are superior. They both must endure the rigors of life, and while one may be confident in their abilities, it doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed of success. Why not worry over the plight of both sons equally? Why give so much concern to the one that seems to be helpless?

Indeed, we apply the same discrimination towards all members of society, even extending the outlook to the animal community. Cats and dogs are kept as pets, while cows are killed for meat. The cow is equally as innocent as the dog. In fact, the cow is a loving mother who happily produces milk to feed her young. This milk is also used by the human society to produce so many nice food dishes. The cow needs only its children around to produce this miracle food. Therefore why shouldn’t it be protected just as much as the cat or dog?

In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna says that all living entities populating the world we inhabit are His fragmental parts. They are also eternal; which means that no matter where they go or how they look, they never cease to exist. This is a comforting truth, especially to one who has suffered the loss of a loved one. Though they are considered deceased, the departed is only that; gone from our vicinity. Just because someone leaves our home doesn’t mean that they don’t live anymore. In the same way, just because someone leaves their body at the time of death doesn’t mean that they cease to exist.

Though the conditioned living entities are eternal and part and parcel of God, they are struggling very hard with the material nature. Krishna doesn’t say that only the cats and the dogs are suffering. He doesn’t say that just the poor and the downtrodden are in the position of difficulty. He doesn’t say that some aren’t suffering because of their massive wealth. Rather, the residence in the material world is itself the cause of suffering, and so anyone who is here is in the helpless condition, worthy of rescue.

This begs the question as to who will offer the rescue. If everyone is suffering, how can one person be in the superior position? One who knows Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, understands the difference between the material and spiritual energies. They know that if they think of God at the time of death, they will no longer have to suffer through the cycle of birth and death. They know that to think of God is the best activity, and to practice the best activity at the time of quitting the body brings the most auspicious result in the future.

From this recognition, they ascend to a superior position while in the present life. They can thus rescue others by teaching them how to think of God. To think requires consciousness, and so to be immersed in thoughts of the Divine is to have God consciousness. As Krishna is the source of both the material and spiritual worlds, and the person from whom the Divine energy emanates, He is considered all-attractive and complete. To think of Krishna is to think of God in His personal form, which is fully featured. To think of the personal form is to lessen the chances of an erroneous vision, wherein something is taken to be what it is not. The impersonal form, which is the Brahman energy, is akin to a numeral representation, such as the number one. If you add a line, suddenly the one becomes a seven. But when the word is written out, the number one is much more difficult to skew. The personal form is like the written out version, allowing the eyes to easier understand who God is.

As consciousness is the requirement for rescue, any person can deliver the necessary aid to any other person. Just by chanting the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, the spark of devotion is stirred within the heart through the entry point of the ear. Reciting this mantra to oneself is the way to change consciousness at the local level, and to chant it out loud and describe its glories is the way to rescue others, changing their condition from helpless to fully empowered in the divine consciousness.

In Closing:

Aid to the poor let me give,

So that in pain they won’t live.

 

Help needed for the distressed,

Can come from the materially blessed.

 

That all are poor is proper understanding,

Caused by material world’s landing.

 

Lord Chaitanya the solution to us gave,

Chant holy names for all the world to save.

Purification of Riches

“In the material world we possess riches and wealth in many ways, but sometimes not in very honest and pious ways, because that is the nature of accumulating wealth. According to Vedic injunction, therefore, such wealth should be purified by giving cows and gold in charity to the brahmanas.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 5)

The modern day concept of “social justice” is a byproduct of the industrial revolution and more specifically the rapid rise in wealth due to new outlets for commerce. In times past wealth would be determined strictly off the amount of land owned. In eras prior to that, during Vedic civilization, wealth was based on the number of cows owned, as through a few cows and a small plot of land, the basic economic needs would be satisfied. But now wealth is based on net worth in terms of dollars, and the potential for earning dollars is unlimited. Though it seems the situation would lend itself to less competition and worry, the actual situation is just the opposite. More envy exists, as one person is not satisfied with their own plot in life due only to the fact that others are deemed to have more. Hence the birth of the popular movements to redistribute wealth, to “even out the score” so to speak. Thankfully we can revisit an ancient time to see how even with economic abundance one can purify their existence and live peacefully with their fellow man.

On the surface there should be no reason for envy, especially in economically enriched nations like the United States. Even the average poverty stricken person in such countries has basic amenities like food, clothing and shelter. The food doesn’t have to be begged for; it comes in the form of an ATM style card that can be swiped at supermarkets. The average person in poverty owns at least one car, a television set, and also an air conditioner. Compare this to the life of poverty voluntarily adopted by the gosvamis of Vrindavana, and you’ll have a more accurate understanding of what it means to be poor. These famous transcendentalists renounced worldly life to dedicate all of their time to spreading the glories of bhakti-yoga to the masses. They lived on practically nothing for food, slept under trees, and had to beg for whatever they got. And they did all of this on purpose, as renunciation is considered beneficial if you want to focus on worshiping God.

The envy sets in when you see one person flying around in corporate jets and eating at expensive restaurants. While all of this is happening, others are struggling just to meet the monthly bills. They are sometimes working two jobs to support their children. It doesn’t seem fair. Of course what is missed in this cursory review is the hard work it takes to get to a specific position and how choices make a difference in outcomes. In illusion the means of redress immediately proposed is to level the playing field. Equalize the outcomes instead of the opportunity. Sort of like taking away points from a basketball team that is running up the score, the idea is to give others a chance by taking money from the very wealthy and redistributing it.

While the idea may seem nice, it does little to solve the problem. For starters, there isn’t enough money to take, as to ensure that everyone has the same income means to take a large portion from the producers. And of course this can only be done once, as the producers will no longer have an incentive to work hard and create if all of their wealth is confiscated. At the same time, the receivers reach a higher position without having worked for it, so they will not have learned anything from the experience. It’s similar to the concept of spoiling your children. If they are handed everything throughout life, they will not know how to earn a living when they grow up. The parents won’t be around forever, so the adults that were formerly children must eventually learn to cope in the real world.

Under Vedic philosophy, it is understood that all material results arrive through karma, which can be translated to mean “fruitive work”. The translation is derived from the most basic act of planting a seed and waiting for the fruit. There is work in such a process, and the fruit at the end is the reward. In the meantime, so many thorns may appear on the plant, and during the harvest time the thorns may tear into your sides and cause you to bleed. Nevertheless, you are intent on reaping the rewards, so you will take the bad with the good.

For those who are economically wealthy, hard work was likely applied to reach the position, but at the same time they could have failed. Many people play the stock market but not everyone hits it big. Lots of companies are started, but not every one goes public and makes billions of dollars. The distribution of rewards is ultimately managed by the higher authorities, who take into account every action, not just those we can remember. For instance, if we work hard to start up a business, we may think that we are worthy of success, but we may have forgotten sinful deeds committed earlier on in life. Maybe in a previous life we did something bad, and so that consequence is due to arrive at some point in the future.

Also, to earn money requires expertise in business, which sometimes relies on dishonesty. The business owner will rarely say that he is doing well enough so that everyone in the firm deserves a raise. Never will he openly admit that he is making so much money off of selling a product. On the contrary, he will say that he is hardly making any profit and that the budget is very tight. This is the nature of competition in business, as to succeed one has to be very keen, revealing little about their operation, lest someone come in and try to capitalize on their formula.

Though in the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, this sort of lying is sanctioned for the businessman, lying itself is still considered sinful. In addition, earning a lot of money is not the primary aim of life, as one who is focused on material wealth has not purified their consciousness to the right level. The aim of the human form of life is to reach the highest state of maturity with regards to consciousness, as the benefit to an existence is to taste the sweet fruit of the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In this light there are many ways to purify one’s existence, as with any condition where full God consciousness is lacking there is a need for purification. For the person with tremendous riches, the easiest method of purification is charity. In the Bhagavad-gita, we are told of the different types of charity. It is not that one should distribute their wealth to just any person at any time. The recipient must be worthy and the mindset of the donor must also be proper. He must not expect anything in return, and the recipient should not use that gift for purposes other than serving God.

“That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 17.20)

The brahmana lives in the mode of goodness, which is the highest of the three modes of material nature. Every human being should strive to reach this mode, but by default most are in the mode of passion. It is only under the influence of passion that one can work so hard to achieve riches that don’t provide lasting happiness. The cycle of work and reward can be likened to pushing a heavy rock up a hill, only to have it fall back down soon after. You feel great once you get the rock all the way up, but eventually you’ll have to repeat the process.

The brahmana’s duty is to study the Vedas, teach Vedic wisdom to others, perform sacrifices, teach others how to perform sacrifices, and accept charity. The brahmanas are the equivalent of the priestly class or the intelligentsia, so they likely don’t have time to earn a living. This is okay as long as there are others to give in charity. Gold and cows are wonderful commodities that can allow the brahmanas to survive without turning towards fruitive activity.

A long time ago, a king of a small farm community celebrated the birth of a new son by giving away gold and cows to the brahmanas. This was no ordinary son, of course, but the behavior of the father set the right example. Nanda Maharaja, the foster father of Shri Krishna, the very same person the rest of the world refers to as God, was so elated to receive his new bundle of joy that he made sure to follow protocol. He had so many cows in his possession, and rather than hoard them he gave them away generously. In the same fashion, the religious holidays in Vedic culture, especially those that relate to the appearances of the Supreme Lord, are celebrated with donations in charity to worthwhile causes, such as those which aim to spread the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, to the society at large.

In Closing:

On fruitive activity alone I can’t rely,

My existence I certainly must purify.

 

I worked hard to get to where I’m at,

But forever I can’t keep everything intact.

 

Charity is the way to really know,

That beyond material success I must go.

 

With birth of darling Krishna king so elated.

With charity of gold and cows occasion celebrated,

 

Give to a cause which by devotion is led,

Such as to society holy names to spread.

Sharing Gold

“…a man's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.39)

It’s sad to say, but no amount of distribution of material benedictions will satisfy the soul craving a permanent activity that is coupled with a worthy beneficiary of service, one who can extract the full potential for love found within the heart. The tendency for the giving individual is to provide basic comforts to those who are distressed, but this does nothing to solve the real problem of life, that of the repetition of birth and death. More than just stopping reincarnation, if a distressed person wandering aimlessly for permanent happiness can be given tools and a never-ending project to work on, they can be handed the keys to the mint that houses imperishable transcendental delights.

Why is birth and death important to stop? How do we even know that these occur in cycles? The Bhagavad-gita says so, and since it is the most authorized Vedic text, the information found within can be accepted as fact, especially when received from someone who faithfully follows its teachings. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the orator of the Gita, and His song is one that has been sung many times over the past five thousand years. Even if we are hesitant to accept the Gita’s statements on reincarnation because of prejudices or boundaries erected through ignorance, we can still take away other precious gems presented by Krishna.

“From the mode of goodness, real knowledge develops; from the mode of passion, grief develops; and from the mode of ignorance, foolishness, madness and illusion develop.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.17)

In one section the Lord tells Arjuna, the direct recipient of the Gita’s teachings, that the senses are very difficult to control, especially since the mind will wander from one place to another. When the spirit soul is placed in an area designated for material activity, the behavior followed can fall into one of three modes: goodness, passion or ignorance. The mode of passion is the one accepted by default by the human being, and it also corresponds directly with the concept of working for fruits and enjoying them. Lord Krishna says that the mode of passion eventually leads to misery, as more and more gains only keep the senses attached to objects that are temporary in both their manifestation and the enjoyment they provide.

What does this mean exactly? An example which nicely illustrates this concept is gambling. The gambler may stop at the card table to only play a few hands, but if he starts winning, he can get hooked to the game. The objective of each game is to win, which is signaled by a payout of some kind. Yet if this payout were the panacea of happiness it was thought to be, what need would there be for further play? As another example, a rich business mogul who makes billions of dollars would seemingly want to rest on his laurels and just enjoy his accomplishments, no? Yet we see that once billions are earned, an even stronger push is made towards increasing that wealth, parlaying your earnings into hundreds of billions.

What drives this chase? Why not just enjoy what you win? The senses are conditioned in such a way that they cannot be satisfied even through constant feeding. Strong desire for the satisfaction of the senses is known as lust, and it is an all-devouring enemy. This point is made by Krishna in the Gita, and it is continually validated in the visible behavior around us. Even though we can see the effects of lust for ourselves without ever having to open a single page of a religious book, the tendency for helping the distressed still follows an erroneous pattern. You see someone down on their luck, in trouble, and you give them some money or some other gift that has an identified monetary value. The idea is that if the sufferer enjoys the gift, their pain will go away.

But let’s think about it rationally. If even the gambler and the business mogul aren’t satisfied by heaps of rewards that are earned through personal effort, why would someone be satisfied with something just given to them? More specifically, if we work hard for something, the resulting fruits will be all the more appreciated. The child has no concept of what money is really worth until they actually start working in adulthood. Yet, if even the people who work really hard to acquire their gains remain unsatisfied, how are those who don’t work hard for their rewards expected to appreciate the gifts given to them?

In the childhood years, presents on one’s birthday are sought after and then later remembered. Even Christmas gifts are anticipated and appreciated because the child doesn’t have the money to go out and buy whatever it wants. Moreover, the child tends to have a stronger desire for gifts than the adults do. As the years go by, however, more and more gifts start to pile up from the many birthdays and Christmas holidays. Among the people storing so many presents, how many of them can actually remember who gave them which gift? The gift could even be something that is used all the time, something that is cherished and brings tremendous enjoyment. Despite the gift’s use, who actually donated it and when remain forgotten.

This is a reminder that the senses are like a machine that just gobbles up whatever is thrown its way. And with each new item consumed, the attachment for such objects increases and the level of satisfaction decreases. A person training to run a marathon eventually learns to run a few miles without a problem, even though in the beginning such short distances caused tremendous strain on the body. With sense gratification fueled by constant attention and gift-receiving, the effect is similar, but the consequences are negative instead of positive. In the past we may have lived without so many things and been able to keep the mind satisfied with very little, but with each new gift comes a new attachment, with the requirements for finding a minimum level of satisfaction increasing just a bit more.

What can be done to solve the problem? Renunciation is a good step, as it helps to prevent becoming spoiled. Good parents are keenly aware of the need for not spoiling their children, as they won’t buy gifts for their kids every time they ask for them. But more than just limiting intake of ice cream and videogame playing, the parents make sure that their children have active engagements. This is much more important than simple renunciation or even the giving of gifts. A fulltime occupation that yields the most mature fruits down the road is the greatest gift anyone can give to another person. In this sense we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the parents who keep their children on the straightened path of education, piety and self-control.

To benefit society at large the benevolent Vaishnava preacher, he who dedicates their life to devotional service, or bhakti-yoga, is kind enough to spray the seeds of devotion all across the land, to every single person willing to accept them. The seed of devotional service can be cultivated within the heart by regularly chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, and abstaining from the activities most harmful on consciousness: meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex. This basic formula is only the beginning, with brighter fortunes on the horizon. Through chanting and adherence to the principles of devotional service, the engagement that directly corresponds to the soul’s properties is found.

Is there anything wrong with offering other types of aid? Should we not care for the homeless or feed the hungry? Certainly there is much to be said about helping the downtrodden with material gifts, but as mentioned before, no amount of material gift-giving is ever going to provide any lasting satisfaction. The problems of birth and death are still there even for the wealthiest person. Everything had to be acquired in life after taking birth, so why would anyone want a repeat of that struggle? Even for those born into wealthy families, the struggles of the mind and its influence on activity are present.

Beyond birth and death is the transcendental realm, a place where not a second is wasted in laziness, despair, chaos, tumult, or bad times. The transcendental realm is the home of the Personality of Godhead, the person we are all inclined to worship. Even the atheist has a penchant for worshiping God, but due to his clouded vision he can only see the Lord as material nature, whose most potent force is death. The mental speculator can at best understand God as being an all-pervasive spiritual energy responsible for the motions of all autonomous beings. The yogi can see God in His form as the Supersoul residing within the heart.

Only the Vaishnava, or he who worships the Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, understands God’s presence found both within and without. This means that the Lord can be worshiped at any time and at any place. Though Krishna is in need of nothing, since He is so attractive, one who has made up their mind to serve Him never runs out of avenues for service. You can chant, dance, sing, read, write, or simply hear about Krishna and you will feel tremendous satisfaction.

“For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.68)

Those who are given the seed of devotional service that has the potential to blossom into a full blown tree receive the greatest gift in life. This also means that those who have carefully sown the seed of devotion within their heart can do the greatest good for their fellow man by distributing the same seeds in the form of the wealth of information found in the Bhagavad-gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam and other sacred texts to as many people as possible. Such preachers are forever dear to Krishna, who appreciates any attempt made to give the individual souls an eternal engagement, a discipline so sublime that its most insignificant fruits are the material amenities previously hankered after.

Just imagine unearthing the largest gold mine in the world and distributing its contents to as many people as possible. This should make everyone happy, no? There are two problems. One is that eventually the gold will run out. The other is that no amount of gold will make a person happy. The same concept holds true with money. If you give everyone a million dollars, it doesn’t mean that their problems will suddenly vanish. For starters, if everyone had a million dollars, inflation would naturally kick in, and ordinary commodities would skyrocket in price. But even if we somehow didn’t have inflation, people will react differently with their money. Some will place it in the bank and draw steady interest, while others will start business ventures aimed at increasing the amount of money they have. And there are others who will squander the money away on enjoyment.

Whatever route is chosen, the satisfaction of the mind will still not be there, as the attachment to sense objects will only increase. With distribution of bhakti, however, the mind becomes fully satisfied. Everyone gets the real gold they are due, which they can then make the best use of. And unlike the goldmine, the reservoir of devotional love can never empty. There is no such thing as running out when it comes to distributing the nectar that is the holy name of the Lord. Even if one is not inclined to chant Krishna and Rama, they can recite whatever authorized name they have for God, for the point is to become immersed in an eternal engagement, one that continues well beyond the current lifetime. While no amount of material gift-giving can make others happy, no amount of engagement in bhakti can ever stop the pure devotee from serving their beloved Krishna.

In Closing:

Find a huge pile of gold to distribute,

To all charity you can contribute.

But this will not make anyone satisfied,

Miseries will only be multiplied.

Some squander their money on enjoyment,

Others parlay it to become affluent.

Regardless, attachment to the senses will be there,

Temporary gains and losses, life will seem unfair.

Instead distribute goldmine of bhakti,

Devotion to God, engagement that sets soul free.

Fame and glories of God never do run dry,

On His qualities for pleasure do you rely.

Soul that finds devotion has always to do something,

Glorify Krishna, stories of His pastimes worth telling.

Of conditioned being greatest enemy is lust,

Can be beaten when in Krishna’s name you trust.

I Love People

“It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.22.35)

Charity is typically viewed as a noble activity; something worth taking up. Those who are charitable and enjoy the activity will naturally try to encourage others to follow suit, with the rewards for giving being peace, tranquility, and self-satisfaction. Though surely some will take to charity for the wrong reasons, those who expound on the gloriousness of the service do so because it has brought them great joy. If we find something in life that makes us happy, we like to share our experiences with our friends and family. It is precisely this desire, that of wanting to spread the greatest joy and wealth, that drives the ultimate welfare workers to perform the greatest benefit to all of society. While there may be differences of opinion as to which activities are enjoyable and what are not, the key distinction between a self-satisfied person and a perpetually frustrated one is consciousness. The most potent welfare activity is to use all our wealth, intelligence, and words towards helping others elevate their consciousness.

According to Vedic information - that sublime knowledge system passed down by Shri Krishna Himself in the illustrious Bhagavad-gita - charity can take on three different natures. Regardless of the mode, the act of giving remains unchanged, but the differences lie in the motivations of those doing the giving. The modes of charity match up directly with the modes of nature: goodness, passion, and ignorance. These modes can be thought of as mindsets, driving forces behind specific activities. If a person takes to charity for absolutely no good purpose, or worse, a nefarious one, that giving is deemed part of the mode of ignorance. It is titled as such because there is no benefit provided to anyone, either the giver or the receiver. A simple example of this type of charity is the donation of alcohol or intoxicants to a destitute man who is himself an addict. Such charity proves harmful to the receiver because it keeps them bound to their addiction, and it is equally as harmful to the giver because they have served as the impetus for the further drowning of the addicted man.

Charity given in the mode of passion has a desired personal benefit in mind. This practice is most prevalent in the business world. In order to impress a client or give their company a good image, a CEO will donate a large sum of money to a specific charity. In return, they will receive a plaque, t-shirt, or general recognition from the community which will boost their stature. In many instances, a large donation can get you a seat at the table with other key players in the business field. Since this behavior isn’t really much different from any other kind of fruitive activity belonging to the mode of passion, there is really no tangible benefit received by the giver.

“That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 17.20)

Charity in the mode of goodness is given to the proper recipient, at the proper time, and without any expectation of reciprocation. Though one would be tempted to equate this type of charity to the monetary donations given to worthwhile causes such as disease research and aid for the downtrodden, there is another vital aspect to charity that must be present in order for the donation to be classified in the goodness category. The actual gift being given must be worthwhile to the receiver. For the gift to have a tangible value, the receiver must also be worthy of the charity offered to them.

To understand these concepts more clearly, we can go back to the example of giving alcohol to the addict. Initially we may think that such and such a person is not well off and thus any charity will be helping them. But in fact, our generous giving only makes their condition worse. A diseased patient is restricted from partaking of certain foods. If we were to think, “Oh, I will be magnanimous and kind to this person by giving them the nicest food. That will show that I am kind and compassionate.” While the attitude may be nice, the giving of prohibited foods can kill the patient. In this way, our so-called charitable nature can prove to be lethal.

So how do we determine who is a proper recipient and what they should be given? To decipher this, we must first understand who we are, the nature of our current predicament, and what steps are required to escape from it. The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, state that the root cause behind the existence of the material world is the desire of the wayward spirit souls to separate from their supreme loveable object: God. Though God is described in different terms depending on geographic location and spiritual tradition, His properties never change. He is all-encompassing and all-powerful in every area, especially enjoyment. Perfection in life is achieved when one realizes that God is the best friend of the living entities, the original owner of all worldly objects, and the ultimate enjoyer. This last aspect is the most important. For God to enjoy, He must have others around who give Him pleasure. This is where our services are best rendered.

As individual sparks emanating from the original powerhouse, we are meant to always be in association with the Supreme Energetic. Since this most powerful entity is the greatest enjoyer and one who gives the most pleasure to others, His original name is Krishna. Lord Krishna has a transcendental form which is full of bliss and knowledge. The material world, a realm where the tiny fragmental spiritual sparks known as individuals are separated from the Lord, is considered a miserable place. The aim of life thus becomes to remove oneself from the temporary separated status by rekindling the dormant love for Krishna. The key to achieving success is changing one’s consciousness.

Religion and spirituality are often associated with dresses, functions, rites, rituals, and regulations. While these aspects certainly do help the conditioned soul return to the spiritual world, the glue that holds everything together is consciousness. More than anything else, it is one’s mindset that determines their happiness and their fate in life. We can think of it in this way: Let’s say we have two people who are in the same position. They are both sitting on a couch inside of a room. From our perspective as an outsider, we can only see each person sitting down and nothing else; we can’t see their surroundings. One person is in an empty room, while the other is sitting in front of a television. After a few hours, we’ll notice that one person looks quite unhappy and agitated, while the other looks very content. They are both in the exact same situation, but one person is being entertained by television, while another is not. Since their physical dispositions are exactly the same, we can conclude that the only difference is in consciousness. One person’s mind is being stimulated and entertained by visual images and sounds, while the other’s is left to ponder the emptiness of the surrounding room.

This one example can be expanded out on a larger scale to show that the key to happiness and enjoyment is consciousness. We may be able to remove obvious sources of distress such as disease, poverty, and family infighting, but the individual will still be left with their mind and time. Time is the greatest agent for change, for it is always working at diminishing whatever favorable or unfavorable conditions we find ourselves in. Even if we have accumulated the greatest amount of wealth and material possessions, we can still be left unsatisfied, as the mind will always want more and more. Thus we see that in any and all situations time and consciousness remain the predominant forces.

The key to enjoyment is to shift to a permanent consciousness, wherein one can perform any activity, at any time, and still remain satisfied. For the mind to be satisfied, it must focus on something which provides the greatest amount of pleasure. Not surprisingly, that person is Krishna, or God. This brings us to the ultimate activity in life, the only discipline worth taking up. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, aims to keep one’s consciousness always fixed on Krishna. Through acts of hearing, remembering, worshiping, and offering prayers, one can remain in steady contact with Krishna. For the people of this age, the easiest and most effective method of purifying consciousness is the regular chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

The effectiveness of chanting is multi-faceted. For starters, it can be performed anywhere and at any time. Secondly, it takes care of the hearing process at the same time; a practice which is the most effective for acquiring knowledge and intelligence. Knowledge and renunciation are two byproducts that automatically come with bhakti. Whatever information we need to help us in life can be automatically gained through taking to bhakti. The same holds true for renunciation from those activities which are deemed the most harmful to us, such as intoxication, illicit sex, and meat eating.

Since chanting can be performed out loud, anywhere and at any time, the person doing the chanting essentially becomes a giver. In order for there to be a donor, there must be a receiver. Since the effectiveness of chanting lies with hearing, the receivers are those who hear the sweet transcendental sound vibrations emanating from the chanter. Simply hearing the sounds of Krishna’s names is enough to bring one to the transcendental plane of consciousness. In this way, we see that the greatest welfare activity is to bring the fallen souls of this age to the platform of Krishna consciousness through steady chanting and dedication to bhakti-yoga.

Since the material world is full of frustration, there are times when we will not want to be charitable. For example, if we have a bad experience with a rude person or someone who cheats us, we might be tempted to voice such sentiments as “I hate people” to ourselves. This simple phrase sums up the attitude of frustration and the isolation that results from it. The “I hate people” mindset results in less interaction with others, and thus less of a chance for helping our fellow man.

“That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all existences, undivided in the divided, is knowledge in the mode of goodness.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.20)

If we apply a little intelligence, however, we’ll realize that one or two bad apples shouldn’t skewer our view of everyone else. In the grand scheme of things, everyone is the same, for we all are spirit souls who are meant to be lovers of God. Sometimes it is difficult to take to charity because we may not want to help our fellow man. Either we feel that everyone is mean, or that they have enough to get by on their own. Even if we do help them, maybe they won’t be grateful for our service.

To those whose angle of vision has been corrected through ascension to the Krishna consciousness platform, everyone in society becomes eligible for rescue through the sound vibrations of Krishna’s names. No other welfare activity carries this property. Helping the downtrodden in a material sense is certainly nice, but not everyone is destitute. Moreover, ordinary charitable activity requires a means test, wherein the donor must take stock of which persons are needy and which ones aren’t. Similar tests for eligibility are also present in other ventures such as finding cures for diseases and helping those who are pushing a political cause.

Since bhakti-yoga is the natural disposition of the soul, everyone is eligible to adopt it as their way of life. Only the sweet, benevolent, and liberated devotee of the Lord adopts the “I love people” mindset and truly means it. What to say of ordinary people, the lover of Krishna is even benevolent to the animal kingdom, including the cows and ants. The devotee benefits others with their words by only speaking about Krishna and bhakti-yoga and by regularly chanting His names. The bhakta, the sincere servant of the Supreme Pleasurable, utilizes their knowledge towards serving others by regularly speaking of the supremacy of the sublime engagement of devotional service and by cutting down the bogus philosophies of the gross materialists who take their paltry enjoyment to be superior. The Vaishnava, the devotee of Vishnu [Krishna], benefits society by using their wealth only for the satisfaction of Krishna. Money is required to do anything significant in life, so the devotee doesn’t shun wealth or monetary gains. Rather, they use everything at their disposal towards furthering the cause of universal brotherhood, peace, and love brought on by the bhakti mindset.

“For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.68-69)

As mentioned before, charity must be given to the right person and at the right time. The objects being given must also be of value to the recipient. Under the “I love people” mindset, the bhakta takes to charity that is always in line with the scriptures. For those who are not yet firmly convinced of the supremacy of bhakti-yoga and the futility of life without Krishna, helping out the noble servants of God, the dedicated preachers, is a great way to take to charity. Such sacrifice is always timely and never goes in vain. Since the Vaishnavas are the representatives of the Lord in this world, they are like a giant tree from which branches of knowledge, intelligence, and good fortune sprout. Therefore anyone who regularly waters this tree will surely be benefitted, for the Lord will take very kindly to such a person.