If a non-devotee accidentally helps a pure devotee in acute need, is that called devotional service?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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If a devotee accidentally helps a devotee in some important way, then is that devotional service? Well, it may not be devotional service exactly, but at least it will be Ajnanta Sukruti. Ajnanta Sukruti often refers to the idea that we don’t know exactly what we are doing, but still we do something in a mood of service to devotee.
And that uplifts us. And often it is said the greater the need, the greater is the mercy available. So if we strive diligently to serve, if somebody, even if it is their profession, then suppose somebody is a doctor and they treat a devotee.
They don’t know it’s a devotee, but they treat. So it’s just a part of their job. Then is it Ajnanta Sukruti? Yes.
Is it Bhakti? If they have a conscious service attitude, generally it is said it is Bhakti when the object is at least at some conscious level Krishna. That object is not Krishna, then it can be approaching Bhakti, but it is not exactly considered to be Bhakti. Just like we have different yogas.
And in these different yogas, sometimes some yogis might be very, very serious and transcendental. But if they don’t know that the ultimate goal is Krishna, they are not considered Bhakti yogis. So similarly, if somebody doesn’t have the conscious intention to serve Krishna or Krishna’s devotees, then what they are doing is valuable, no doubt still, but it’s not exactly devotional service.
But it is a prelude to devotional service. And depending on how much their consciousness is devotional, to that extent, that service itself will become more and more conducive and receptive for their progress in devotion. So if somebody already has a pious inclination and then they offer some service, then the sattva guna is like they are like a dry stick for it to catch fire is relatively easier.
On the other hand, if somebody doesn’t have that much sattva guna, then it will take longer for them to catch fire. But eventually they will also. So essentially it is ajnatsukruti.
Thank you.