Can happiness come from some higher work such as social service?
And the second question is that when you talk about happiness being a byproduct, there are many people who get happiness through some higher cause such as philanthropic work. Yes, definitely. Sometimes we see the material and spiritual as radically opposed.
Now, this is material, I have to reject that and this is spiritual, I have to accept that. And then within the material, we reject everything material as if it is equally bad. Now, so sensuality is bad and eating philanthropic is also bad.
It's all material only. But it's not like that. Even within the material, there are levels.
The Bhagavad Gita talks about Tamoguna, Rajoguna, Satoguna. The mode of ignorance, the mode of passion, the mode of goodness. And actually, so in one sense, if we consider that our growth is in terms of growth in selflessness.
So, when I am in the mode of ignorance, I think only of myself. For example, if there is some food to eat, then people when they are in passion, they think, I want the best of everything. People in goodness, they say, okay, let's all take equally.
People in ignorance say, not only I want the best, I want everything. So, I want everything. And those who are transcendental, they want to serve others.
So, in one sense, even within the material, there are degrees. So, in general, the more selfless we become, the more of higher happens with it. So, if somebody is absorbed in some cause, somebody is absorbed in philanthropic cause, they do get deeper satisfaction through that.
And that satisfaction is actually much more deeper and much more meaningful than a life of gross sensuality. And sometimes, we may be externally practicing Bhakti, we may be chanting Hare Krishna, we may be doing the rituals of Bhakti, but actually, we may not have evolved to their level of selflessness. So, somebody may be doing material philanthropic work, and actually, they may be more evolved in their selflessness than we are in our practice of Bhakti.
So, to explain it, say, if we consider there is a 100-storey building, and somebody is climbing up the stairs, and they have come to the 10th floor. And say, I am on the first floor right now, but I am on the elevator that will take me to the 100th floor. So, I am better situated because I can get to the 100th floor fast, because I am in the elevator.
But right now, the person who is on the 10th floor is higher than me. So, quite often, we may see that even people who are non-devotees, they may have better qualities than devotees. They may be more gentle, more cultured, more sensitive, more courteous, even more compassionate in the material sense.
And devotees may not be. So, Bhakti does not itself mean that we have become evolved. Bhakti offers us a very rapid and easy way to become evolved.
But it is for us to rise and become evolved. So, in terms of the journey of evolution, people who are engaged in some higher cause, in some philanthropy, they are actually doing laudable work. And because of their absorption in something bigger than themselves, they get happiness.
Now, Bhakti offers us the biggest cause to become absorbed. Now, Krishna is the well-wisher of all living beings. So, when we absorb ourselves in Krishna, we can get the greatest satisfaction.
When we serve Krishna, Krishna wants the good of all living beings. And through us, Krishna works as a channel for doing good for everyone. So, we have the highest cause to be absorbed in.
But that does not mean that we are already absorbed in the highest cause. Others may have a lower cause in which they are absorbed. But if they are more absorbed in that cause, they may actually be making more contribution in the sense of what they are doing in this world.
And they may also get greater satisfaction. So, we have the opportunity for higher absorption. But that does not mean that we are already absorbed higher.
So, if somebody is doing philanthropic work, we need to be appreciated for their level of selflessness. The problem comes when people think that that philanthropy is a superior substitute to spirituality. They think, oh, because I am doing philanthropy, you people, what are you doing? You are just chanting, dancing.
You are not doing anything practical for the world. We are doing so much for the world. Therefore, we are better than you.
If they think like that, then their attitude becomes an obstacle on their spiritual growth. So, spirituality, it cleanses the heart. When it cleanses the heart, it naturally makes people more selfless, more compassionate.
And that way, it contributes to the holistic rejuvenation of society also. So, when philanthropy is seen as a superior substitute for spirituality, then it becomes an obstacle. But otherwise, those who are philanthropic people, they are also evolved people.
And they need to be appreciated for that.