Bhagavatam-daily 239 – 11.11.45 – See social service as a form of devotional service, not its replacement

Till we attain his eternal abode so here in this section krishna is describing how he can be worshipped through various manifestations which are there, various sacred manifestations which are there and a superficial vision sees these as separate independent objects of worship but a integrated vision a more educated and integrated vision sees them not as independent objects of worship but as proper manifestations of the all attractive divine wherein one sees them as the supreme in terms of pathways to the supreme not as competitors or substitutes or replacements for the supreme and here it is sthandile mantra hudaiyair so sthandile so one worships the earth by applying confidential mantras that means that there are multiple meanings we see the earth as bhumidevi and we worship her for example while ploughing is to be done at that time it is seen not just as a mechanical or agricultural activity it is seen as a devotional activity and often there are ceremonies that are performed and mantras that are chanted when the ploughing is started and like that the vision of the earth is infused with a sense of the sacred bhogair bhogair then various pleasing items are provided to others to the soul within the body that means one sees the soul and it provides bhogair bhogair is used for mental enjoyment that seeing the soul within the body one should view other living entities food and various other materially enjoyable objects and thus worship me this may seem a wildly contradictory thing sometimes it is said that if we provide sense gratification to others then we are actually committing violence to them because we are increasing their enjoying mentality and thereby perpetuating their illusion and perpetuating their stay in miserable material existence then why is it said over here that we should provide bhogair it is because if we are able to see a person as a soul who is a part of Krishna then we see that their bodily needs are also subordinated to their spiritual purpose that means say devotees for example provide prasad and when they provide prasad they provide it to poor people, to needy people, to everyone and at the time of providing prasad it is not that there is a segregated vision that you deserve prasad, you don’t deserve prasad it is given to everyone and at that time it is not that because you are poor so you get very austere prasad, no that is delicious food provided for everyone and the idea of providing such delicious food is that there is an understanding that everyone is a part of God and in that sense it is when we start when we develop affectionate relationship with someone we can’t divorce the body from the soul and we can’t say that I will care only for the soul and not care for the body so we need to understand that there is recognition that there is an integrated person that we shouldn’t divorce the soul from the body that means we shouldn’t think that I care only for the soul and not for the body and at the same time we shouldn’t divorce the body from the soul also that means we care only for the body and not for the soul and certainly we shouldn’t conflate the body and the soul as is done in the slogan of Mano Seva Madho Seva where the conception is that because the Manava manifests the Madhava so by caring for the body of people by providing them food we are actually serving Madhava so this is based on an impersonal conception where often this sort of social service that is humanitarian and there is nothing wrong with social service per se it is a noble activity, it is a sacred activity but when social service is done is depicted as a superior substitute for devotional service where social service is seen as something superior to devotional service then it becomes a problem because it becomes seen as a as people are told that what is the use of worshipping deity, just feed poor people no, the deity should be worshipped, deity should be offered and then that food can be given to people in general also, so the point is that we can definitely worship God even through other people and so when a devotee gives prasad to others, the devotee is not thinking that these are poor people, these are hungry people and I am doing punya by giving them food, the devotee sees that these are also parts of Krishna and by providing them Krishna prasad, I am not only taking care of, I am not only serving their body but I am also serving their soul by helping that soul to become connected with the with their eternal side, become connected with their eternal spiritual nature so in this way, through this integrated vision, one can move onwards in one’s spiritual journey and further it is with one sees the Kshetragya, the super soul in all living beings seeing that he is equally present in all living beings one should worship me so here Krishna is stating that we need to see all living beings equally that one who is situated in the brahmabhoota platform such a person is so that spiritual vision of seeing brahman enables one to see sees all living beings equally, this comes in 18.54 and long before that in 5.18 also Krishna says so Krishna says over there also that a person who knows brahman, such a person sees a learned and humble brahmana as well as a dog-eater such a person sees all of them equally as it is said over here so that equal vision comes from recognition that at their core everyone is a soul and everyone has a manifestation of the divine present right next to them, present waiting to bless them and to guide them and to uplift them and in this way we can all move onwards by seeing how the various manifestations in this world with which we connect, with which we interact such as the earth such as food, such as people we can through them also by seeing their connection with Krishna we can worship Krishna and advance in our thank you

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

So here, in this section, Krishna is describing how he can be worshipped through various manifestations which are there, various sacred manifestations which are there, and a superficial vision sees these as separate independent objects of worship but a integrated vision, a more educated and integrated vision sees them not as independent objects of worship but as proper manifestations of the all attractive divine wherein one sees them as the supreme in terms of pathways to the supreme not as competitors or substitutes or replacements for the supreme and here it is sthandile mantra hudaiyeer, so sthandile, so one worships the earth by applying confidential mantras, it means that, there are multiple meanings, we see the earth as bhumidevi and we worship her for example while ploughing is to be done, at that time it is seen not just as a mechanical or agricultural activity, it is seen as a devotional activity and often there are ceremonies that are performed and mantras that are chanted when the ploughing is started and like that the vision of the earth is infused with a sense of the sacred bhogayeer, bhogayeer, then various pleasing items are provided to others, to the soul within the body, that means one sees the soul and it provides various, it says bhogayeer, bhogayeer is used for mental enjoyment and etc., that seeing the soul within the body one should give other living entities food and various other materially enjoyable objects and thus worship me, this may seem a wildly contradictory thing, sometimes it is said that if we provide sense gratification to others then we are actually committing violence to them because we are increasing their enjoying mentality and thereby perpetuating their illusion and perpetuating their stay in miserable material existence, then why is it said over here that we should provide bhogayeer, atma and matma, it is because if we are able to see a person as a soul who is a part of Krishna then we see that their bodily needs are also subordinated to their spiritual purpose, that means say devotees for example provide prasad and when they provide prasad they provide it to poor people, to needy people, to everyone and at the time of providing prasad it is not that there is a segregated vision that you deserve prasad, you don't deserve prasad, it is given to everyone and at that time it is not that because you are poor so you will get very austere prasad, no that is delicious food provided for everyone and the idea of providing such delicious food is that there is an understanding that everyone is a part of God and in that sense it is when we start, when we develop affectionate relationship with someone we can't divorce the body from the soul and we can't say that I will care only for the soul and not care for the body, so we need to understand that there is the recognition that there is an integrated person, that we shouldn't divorce the soul from the body, that means we shouldn't think that I care only for the soul and not for the body and at the same time we shouldn't divorce the body from the soul also, that means we care only for the body and not for the soul and certainly we shouldn't conflict the body and the soul, that is done in the slogan of Manoseva Madhoseva where the conception is that because the manava manifests the madhava, so by caring for the body of people, by providing them food we are actually serving madhava so this is based on an impersonal conception where often this sort of social service that is humanitarian and there is nothing wrong with social service per se, it is a noble activity, it is a sacred activity but when social service is done as a, is depicted as a superior substitute for devotional service where social service is seen as something superior to devotional service then it becomes a problem because it becomes seen as a, as people are told that what is the use of worshipping deity, just feed poor people, no the deity should be worshipped, deity should be offered, and then that food can be given to people in general also so the point is that we can definitely worship God even through other people and so when a devotee gives prasad to others, the devotee is not thinking that these are poor people, these are hungry people and I am doing punya by giving them food, the devotee sees that these are also parts of Krishna and by providing them Krishna prasad, I am not only taking care of, I am not only serving their body but I am also serving their soul by helping that soul to become connected with the, with their eternal side, they have become connected with their eternal spiritual nature, so in this way through this integrated vision, one can move onwards in one's spiritual journey and further it is with Shetragyam Sarva Bhuteshu, one sees the Shetragya, the super soul in all living beings, Sarva Bhuteshu Samatvene Jethamam and Samatvena seeing that he is equally present in all living beings, Vijethamam, one should worship me so here Krishna is stating that we need to see all living beings equally Brahma Bhuta Prasannatma Na Shocati Na Kankshati Samah Sarveshu Bhuteshu Madh Bhutin Labhate Param so it is a Brahma Bhuta Prasannatma Brahma Bhuta that one who is situated in the Brahma Bhuta platform which a person is Samah Sarveshu Bhuteshu so that spiritual vision of seeing Brahman enables one to see Samah Sarveshu Bhuteshu, sees all living beings equally, this comes in 18.54 and long before that in 5.18 also Krishna says that Vidya Vinaya Sampanne Brahmane Gavi Hastini Shunichai Vashvapake Ch Pandita Samadarshinah so Krishna says over there also that Vidya Vinaya Sampanne that a person who knows Brahman, a person who sees a learned and humble Brahmana as well as a dog-eater Gavi Hastini Cow, Elephant, Shunichai Vashvapake, Dog-eater, Pandita Samadarshinah person sees all of them equally Samatvena as it is said over here so that equal vision comes from recognition that at their core everyone is a soul and everyone has a manifestation of the divine present right next to them, present waiting to bless them and to guide them and to uplift them and in this way we can all move onwards by seeing how the various manifestations in this world with which we connect, with which we interact such as the earth, such as food, such as people we can through them also by seeing their connection with Krishna we can worship Krishna and advance in our Thank you.