​What can we do if we can’t serve in a selfless mood?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
So, when we go in the temple, we don’t always go in the mood of selfless service. So, what can we do? Firstly, selfless is not less for the self.
When I think I have to be selfless, I think I will lose this, I will lose that, it’s not necessarily like that. When you become selfless, actually the self connects deeper with Krishna and there is more for the self. It is not less for the self.
It is the material conception when I become selfless, say if I have some money and I give it to charity, then I lose that money. So, to be selfless in the material conception means to have less for the self. But it is not like that in the spiritual conception.
The less our consciousness is in ourselves, the more our consciousness is available for absorption in Krishna. So, that idea of selflessness as sort of in some way being deficient for ourselves, that is wrong. So, now at our stage, we don’t have this realization.
So, rather than thinking of so if you consider, say there is a circle of what interests me and there is a circle of bhakti. So, we find the intersection of the two. That means if I like to do kirtans, I like to play midanga, I like to dance in kirtans, I like to say decorate something, that is my interest and that is also something which I can do in bhakti.
So, that place where what interests us and what is in the scope of bhakti, the intersection point is where we will be able to stay steadily situated. Now, of course, there will be times when for the sake of service, we will have to do things which may not interest us because that is what is the need of the hour. Now, I don’t like this so much but that’s what I have been told to do, I will do it.
But in terms, if you want to have longevity in our bhakti, if you want to do bhakti for life, then we have to find this intersection of what is my interest and what is in the scope of bhakti. In fact, the whole principle of varanashram is that the principle is that a brahmana likes to do intellectual work. So, intellectual work is in the circle of interest of the brahmana.
And in bhakti also there is study of scriptures intellectually. So, then the brahmanas are told study, you would like to study in A, but study books related with Krishna and teach Krishna’s message. So, that’s varanashram means we situate ourselves in that section of intersection between our interest and bhakti.
So, at our stage, when we go to the temple, we cannot expect artificially to be completely selfless. It is not practically possible. So, what we need to do is first we have to become devotees.
Then we can become pure devotees. If I think suddenly I’ll jump to pure devotion, it’s just not going to work. Yes, we have to have the aspiration for pure devotion.
But at a practical level, we have to connect with Krishna in some way or the other. And then, as I connect with Krishna and I stabilize the connection with Krishna, then there will be selflessness that will come in the relationship. So, first we have a relationship.
And whatever way it works out, simply some person comes to the temple and they like to, that person likes to maybe make flower garlands. Okay, they like, that’s what they like and that’s what they do for Krishna. And gradually the relationship with Krishna develops through that.
So, we don’t necessarily have to worry too much in the initial stages. The first, in the initial stage, the important thing is to connect with Krishna on a steady basis. And as we are steadily connected, then gradually the selflessness within that service will become more and more.
So, when advanced devotees they come to a temple, their mood is more of service, okay. You know, what service can I do over here? And then we think, okay, what are the ways in which services are happening in this temple? What all is happening and how can I assist? So, their focus will be more and more on Krishna. That is something which will come gradually.
So, initially we need to focus on making our connection with Krishna steady. And that steadiness also requires some level of selflessness. That means instead of going to, I may feel like going to some movie or I may feel like going to some sports match or whatever, but I come to a temple instead.
That itself is, I am giving up my self-centered pleasures for coming to Krishna. So, gradually, as we move forward, by being situated in that position of what interests us and what is in the scope of bhakti, we will solidify our connection with Krishna. So, initially, we may not know what it is also.
So, we just do what we are told to do. But we keep observing ourselves. This is what I really like to do.
This is what I can do well also. And in our period of years, it will be revealed to us what service we should be doing. At this stage, we can focus primarily on making our connection with Krishna steady.
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