How can we serve according to our nature within an institutional setup?

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Transcript

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When we work in a particular setup, and then within that if we try to understand our nature and act according to nature, that may disturb the setup and also we might end up acting unethically. Yeah.
In general, unless there is a good level of sattva guna, we can’t even observe ourselves. So, otherwise, raja guna and tamo guna, if I am looking at an object, but my glasses are very dusty, I can’t even see it properly. So, in the initial stages of our working, it is good to just do what we are told.
By that, raja guna, tamo guna will subside. Prabhupada writes in the introduction of Nectar of Instruction that by practicing the principles, we will come to the mode of goodness and thereafter, how to advance will be revealed from within. After we come to goodness, how to advance further will be revealed from within.
That means, initially, if we just say, this is what I want to do, this is what my nature is, it is quite likely that it is not our nature, it is just the mind’s trick to look for a shortcut. So, initially, we just follow the process, but while following the process also, we observe ourselves. What are the things, while doing which I feel satisfied? I feel enlivened.
What are the things that I am good at? And in that way, it is like in a military, initially, there is standardised discipline for everyone. But eventually, different people in the army become specialists in different things. And that is dependent not just on us.
Initial training is like a mandatory instruction. But different people become specialists depending on their talents, their abilities, their physical endowments. And so like that, when we say know ourselves, it is not just we alone doing it.
We do that and our spiritual guides are also observing us. And it is a cooperative process. And yes, if you are part of a particular setup, then it is best to not disturb that.
But that does not mean that we should not be observing and learning about ourselves. And generally, a difference between a physical urge and an insight into our own nature is that the urge is just fleeting. The urge comes and it goes.
Usually when it is a physical urge, it is largely a matter of the grass is greener on the other side. You know, I am doing this service, this is so difficult. This is not my nature.
That service is not my nature. And I do that service, this service is also not my nature. So basically, the service which I am doing is not my nature.
That’s what it boils down to. So, we should feel like that. What we focus on is we try to do the services that we have told.
But along with that, we observe. And over a period of time, we will ask ourselves to understand. And you can always consult with our senior devotees.
And then by that, we can develop whatever talents we have. So my focus is not on independent discipline making in terms of being musical, but in terms of taking responsibility for understanding ourselves. Ultimately though, our spiritual advancement is our responsibility.
Our spiritual master is not going to remember Krishna for us at the time of our death. Not even in our life also. So, it is our responsibility.
And the spiritual master is there to guide us, to inspire us. Each of us has to fly our own way. That just doesn’t mean that we have to individually reject temptation.
That is true. It also means we have to individually find out how we can best serve Krishna. So, it’s a process of consultation, guidance and growth.
But sometimes, in the focus on following instruction, the role of individual responsibility is lost. I should follow what I am told to do, but along with that, I should also be using my intelligence to observe myself, to learn. Then that will lead to more sustainment.