Isnt it ego to think that a service won’t happen without us?

Answer Podcast

Isn’t it ego to think that a service won’t happen without us?

So, if we feel, “Without me, this service cannot happen,” isn’t that, at our level, a symptom of false ego?

Well, bhakti is so inclusive that even our ego can be engaged in Krishna’s service. Bhakti can use our intelligence, it can use our emotions, and yes—even our ego—for Krishna.

That’s the first point.

Now, having said that, sometimes Krishna creates situations in our devotional life where we may feel indispensable. We may feel, “I am willing to do this; if I don’t do it, it won’t get done.” While this sentiment may seem egoistic, such situations can actually serve to increase our sense of responsibility and commitment. They may not reflect our arrogance but rather Krishna’s way of encouraging us to step up and take ownership.

At the same time, we’ll inevitably encounter other situations where we realize how dispensable we actually are. Life—and service—goes on without us. If we step back from a responsibility, someone else often steps in. They may not do it in the same way, but the service still gets done.

This dual reality is something we need to hold in tension. In bhakti, just as we learn about Krishna’s greatness and sweetness, we also learn about our own insignificance and empowerment.

For example, when we attend a large festival like the Jagannath Ratha-yatra, we may come from a place where we’re respected or senior in our local temple. But amidst millions gathered for Jagannath, we see that we are just one among many. Nobody knows us—and yet the festival goes on with great spiritual potency. That experience can be deeply humbling.

Srila Prabhupada beautifully captured this balance in a letter to a senior disciple who had left the movement. He wrote with profound compassion:

“I heard this distressing news about you, and I am feeling so forlorn.”

The word forlorn—a poetic term—was often used by British authors and poets to convey deep sorrow at the loss of a dear one. Prabhupada continued:

“I thought you were one of the assistants sent by Lord Chaitanya to help me spread this mission. But I am confident that Lord Chaitanya will send the right people. If not you, then someone else.”

Here we see both extremes in one letter—deep personal emotion and complete philosophical clarity. “I need you, but I don’t need you.” Krishna’s mission is not dependent on any individual, yet each person is given the opportunity to do something significant.

So yes, we must cultivate humility by acknowledging our smallness, our dispensability. But at the same time, we need energy—and that energy often comes from feeling that we are doing something meaningful.

The more significant we feel our service is, the more enthusiasm we bring to it.

Let’s say someone is invited to a Janmashtami celebration. They may or may not come. But if they’re told, “We want you to perform the first abhishek,” their response might change instantly. Why? Because they feel significant.

Now, you could say, “That’s just ego.” Maybe. But bhakti doesn’t deny ego—it redirects it. From Krishna’s perspective, every service is significant, whether it’s lifting boulders like the Vanaras, or carrying dust like the squirrel in Lord Ram’s pastimes.

We can say, “My service is significant, even if I am not significant.” That’s a safe middle ground. But even then, if Krishna has chosen you for that service, doesn’t that mean you do have some significance?

We must guard against arrogance—but also against a false humility that paralyzes us. If a sense of smallness de-energizes us and makes us feel unworthy to serve, then it’s not humility; it’s an obstacle.

For instance, if I’m invited to give a class and I think, “I’m a great speaker, people should flock to hear me,” and then only a few people show up—I may feel insulted and refuse to speak. That’s ego interfering with service.

But the opposite is also possible. If I’m asked to speak and I say, “Oh, I’m too fallen, too unqualified to speak this profound philosophy,” that too is a subtle form of ego—because I’m letting my self-perception get in the way of Krishna’s service.

Our primary connection with Krishna is through service. And sometimes, Krishna may assign us a service that seems more visible or more weighty. If so, let that opportunity energize us rather than inflate us.

Ultimately, we should not let either the thought “I am so great” or “I am so small” interfere with our service.

So if Krishna places us in a situation where we feel needed, let us recognize: this is Krishna giving me momentum to do this service sincerely. It is not about me being indispensable. It’s about me being dependable—for Krishna.

Does that answer your question?