2022-03-26 13:31:31
“The Ultimate Good”
Srila Prabhupada :
There are two things: preya and śreya. Śreya means ultimate good. If you act in such a way that ultimately you actually become happy, that is called śreya. And if you want immediately some happiness—never mind what it will be in future—that is called preya. So less intelligent person or children, they want preya. They do not want śreya. A child is playing whole day. He likes it. That is preya. And if you want to send him to school to be educated, he doesn't like. That is śreya, ultimate good. So nobody is interested. Still, the śāstra gives us instruction that "You try for this śreya. Don't be captivated by the preya." Preya and śreya. And this śreya, the supreme śreya, is bhakti-yoga. Therefore it is said that etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasa udayaḥ. śreyasa and niḥśreyasa. Niḥśreyasa means ultimate. Niḥśreyasa udayaḥ. As soon as you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your ultimate good or ultimate perfection begins immediately.
And the bhakti-yoga means
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
(SB 7.5.23)
These are the nine different processes of bhakti-yoga, of which the most important thing is śravaṇam, hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. And about whom? About Viṣṇu, not for anyone else. That is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Everything bhakti means devotional service, loving devotional service, for Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. That is not any other service. That is not bhakti. Bhakti, the word, can be used only in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It cannot be... If you say, "I am deśa-bhakta. I am very devotee of my country, and of my society, of my family, of my cat, of my dog," that is not applicable. Bhakti is not applicable anywhere except in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakti. Therefore śāstra particularly says, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, not any other śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. If you say that "I am hearing about my country's welfare, about my society's welfare, about humanity's welfare, and I am preaching this," that is not bhakti. That is māyā. It is very difficult to understand.
But if you talk about Kṛṣṇa and hear about Kṛṣṇa, then your other services will include. It is all-pervading. Just like one is interested in the flower of the tree. If he wants... If he says that "I shall water the flower because I am interested with the flower," or "I shall water the fruit," but that will not help you. If you water on the fruit or on the flower because you are interested, the fruit also will dry and the flower also will dry. But if you water on the root of the tree, which carries the fruit and flower, your fruit and flower automatically will live. Similarly, if you render service to Kṛṣṇa, bhakti, then your so-called social service, country's service, family's service—everything will be performed perfect. You don't have to endeavor separately for social service or any other service. Therefore it is said, tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena, without any deviation. You don't think that "If I simply become devotee of Kṛṣṇa and worship in the temple, then what will happen to my country? What will happen to my family? What will happen to my so many other things?" That will be automatically served. If you serve here Kṛṣṇa, then you'll give the best service to your family, to your society.
(
Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974)
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